The annual classic car show drew big crowds in downtown Falls Village over Labor Day weekend. Hundreds of vintage vehicles lined the streets before hitting the road to avoid the rain.
FALLS VILLAGE — In 2023, the question of the former firehouse at 35 Railroad St. was finally resolved.
At a town meeting that ran concurrently with the municipal elections Nov. 7, voters approved the sale of the property for $300,000 to James Gillispie, who ran through his proposal for a gym. A related issue was also settled Nov. 7. The former firehouse encroached on the Falls Village Inn property. Voters approved a land swap with the Falls Village Inn, which makes 35 Railroad St. a legal lot and grants two easements to the Inn.
Also on Nov. 7, with an impressive 63.2% of registered voters turning out, Dave Barger was elected the new First Selectman in Falls Village. He is joined on the board by Judy Jacobs and Chris Kinsella.
In January, the Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC) approved an amendment to the town’s zoning regulations that allows for two types of cannabis manufacturing activities in the town’s Light Industrial Zone.
The amendment does not allow for any retail cannabis operation.
Housing and traffic dominated the discussion of the PZC’s draft of the 2024 Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) at a meeting at Lee H. Kellogg School Saturday, Sept. 30.
The PZC held a discussion on the POCD with about 70 residents in March. Residents were asked to identify their top areas of interest, which turned out to be: “Community Character,” “Housing Affordability and Needs,” “Economic Development,” and “Village Center.”
This generally reflected the priorities identified by some 231 residents who responded to the January online survey.
During the Sept. 30 meeting residents expressed concerns about problems arising from increased activity in the downtown area and batted around ideas on affordable housing.
There will be a public hearing on the POCD Thursday, Jan. 26, on Zoom. The draft POCD is available on the town website.
The Center on Main named Brook Martinez as the Center’s new creative administrator, and Adam Sher said in March that the Center had three immediate goals: to hire the creative administrator, to develop an annual program of events and activities, and to “take care of the building.”
The Center hosted a variety of events and performances throughout the year, including the Joe Bouchard Band, “Folk Tails” from the Falls Village Children’s Theater, and a community forum with the candidates for the Board of Selectmen.
After numerous hearings, meetings and discussions, on April 10, the Board of Finance voted down a motion to recommend to town meeting a deal with Frontier Communications to extend fiber optic access to about 60 addresses in town for $350,000.
Frontier is in the process of building a statewide fiber optic network. As explained by company representatives, some addresses in Falls Village are too remote for the company to extend the service without a financial contribution from the town.
There were two well-attended public hearings on the matter.
In May, the Falls Village Housing Trust completed a deal to buy 17-21 Miner St. The property has five apartments in two buildings.
Trust president Jandi Hanna said the purpose of buying the property is to keep it as “organic affordable housing.”
The nonprofit FVHT will be in a position to apply to the state for funds for renovation. The FVHT also successfully applied for a $750,000 federal grant for infrastructure at the site of the River Road Homes.
On Memorial Day, five residents were recognized for their contributions to the town: Tim and Andrea Downs, for their continued participation in the AFS Intercultural Program; two town officials who retired, assessor Hazel McGuire and treasurer Linda Paviol; and the town’s emergency chief, Michelle Hansen, for her leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hometown baseball hero Steve Blass gave a talk at the South Canaan Meeting House on July 25. The 1971 World Series champ shared tales from his youth in Falls Village, his time as a major league pitcher, and his career in broadcasting.
“I can’t imagine growing up in a nicer place, a nicer area, nicer people and a nicer time,” said Blass.
While playing outside in the early post-pandemic days, Berkshire Busk! founder Eugene Carr had an epiphany: why not expand the idea of performing on the street (aka busking)into a full-fledged festival in Great Barrington?
As an entrepreneur and cellist, Carr envisioned a well-organized jamboree featuring regional talent, including musicians, acrobats, storytellers, fire-eaters, and more. He formed a team, connected with local businesses and the town of Great Barrington, and launched Berkshire Busk! in 2021. Since then, Berkshire Busk! has grown into a summer staple for Great Barrington.
In the summer of 2024, over 25,000 people experienced Berkshire Busk!. The festival is free to the public, provides a big boost to local businesses, and spectators can tip performers.
Busking takes place all over the world, either organized by individual performers or via busking festivals. Artists like The Roots, Tracy Chapman, Phoebe Bridgers, and Old Crow Medicine Show have all cut their teeth performing on the street.
General Manager Carli Scolforo is a Berkshire native with a love of music and writing. She can often be seen roaming the streets of Great Barrington, making sure everything’s in order, and serves as the festival’s face on social media.
“This year is the fifth anniversary of Berkshire Busk!, and it’s been an amazing summer,” said Scolforo. “We were able to welcome back a lot of our favorite performers, and bring in some new experiences as well. After getting rained out last year, we were able to host our first outdoor movie night in partnership with The Triplex Cinema and the Boondocks Film Society.”
Scolforo added, “This summer, we also introduced our first Open Mic Night, hosted by local recording artist and music producer Jackson Whalan. We were really pleased with the turnout of talent. The sheer amount of talent that’s hidden within an hour or so drive of Great Barrington always astounds us.”
Local businesses sponsor various busking spots, like the Berkshire Money Management Stage in the parking lot between the Triplex Cinema and Mama Lo’s BBQ. Typically, buskers bring their own amplification, while there are few spots — such as Berkshire Mountain Distillery in Sheffield — provide power.
Berkshire Busk! will end its season with a fireworks display on its last night on Saturday, Aug. 30.
Berkshire Busk! is endorsed by the Select Board of the Town of Great Barrington and is entirely supported by sponsorship fees from companies and organizations, as well as philanthropic donations from granting organizations, individuals and the Town of Great Barrington.
It operates under a fiscal sponsorship agreement with the Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires and participates in Mass Cultural Council’s Card to Culture program — in collaboration with the Department of Transitional Assistance, the Department of Public Health’s WIC Nutrition Program, the Massachusetts Health Connector, and hundreds of organizations — by making cultural programming accessible to those for whom cost is a participation barrier.
For more information, visit: berkshirebusk.com
What if the dog onstage was played by a person? That’s the delightful twist in A.R. Gurney’s “Sylvia,” opening at the Sharon Playhouse on Aug. 29. In this clever and heartfelt comedy, the title character — a stray pup who disrupts the lives of a married couple — is portrayed not in costume but by an actor who brings insight, charm, and chaos to the role.
Stepping into Sylvia’s paws is Jen Cody, who is returning to the Sharon Playhouse in a starring role for her third year in a row, ready to bring this spirited dog to life. She’s joined by Jonathan Walker as Greg, the middle-aged man smitten with his new four-legged friend, and Jennifer Van Dyck as Kate, his wife, whose patience and identity are tested by Sylvia’s sudden presence in their home.
Directed by Colin Hanlon, this production balances elements of comedy and emotional depth. Gurney’s script may be filled with laughs but at its core, “Sylvia” explores loyalty, companionship, and how love sometimes arrives in unexpected forms. The play premiered Off-Broadway in 1995 and has since become an audience favorite for its wit, warmth, and originality.
Rounding out the cast is Sienna Brann, taking on a trio of roles that highlight the play’s comic versatility. The design team includes Christopher and Justin Swader (scenic), Kathleen DeAngelis (costumes), Bobbie Zlotnik (wigs), Wheeler Moon (lighting), and Graham Stone (sound), ensuring the story is grounded in a fully realized world, albeit one occasionally seen from a dog’s point of view.
Performances run through Sept. 7 at the Sharon Playhouse. For tickets and more information, visit sharonplayhouse.org.
Paul Chaleff’s exhibit at Mad Rose Gallery in Millerton.
The unofficial end of summer is here, and while some of us may mourn the shortening days and cooler nights, the culturally-inclined denizens of the Litchfield Hills, Berkshires and Taconics have plenty to look forward to.
During Labor Day weekend, visit one of the offerings below, and maybe even take home a watercolor, rug, or locally-crafted wooden bowl to ready your home for the indoor season ahead.
Kick off the weekend with libations and bites from legendary New York City importer Rosenthal Wine Merchant at Mad Rose Gallery (5916 North Elm Ave., Millerton). The evening will mark the end of Paul Chaleff’s ceramics exhibition, which closes at the end of the weekend. Ashley Gilbertson and Franco Pagetti’s photography exhibition “Fragments in Time,” which has been extended through Sept. 21, will also be on display.RSVP by emailing info@madrosegallery.com.
Head to the Cornwall Library (30 Pine St., Cornwall) for its seventh annual weekend-long Art Sale, and peruse an endless supply of prints, posters, watercolors, photos, paintings and more, with price tags ranging from a very reasonable $20 to much greater sums.
The Library has announced that this year’s selection will “run the gamut from the antique to the contemporary, from the jazzy and colorful to the classic black and white, from realistic to abstract.” Thanks to generous donors, the sale will feature works from notable artists such as Amedeo Modigliani, Enrique Chagoya, Marc Simont, Leonard Baskin, Ruth Gannett, Robert Andrew Parker, Nicole Eisenman, R. H. Quaytman, and others, as well as a special exhibition of vintage photos, paintings and posters from late artist Duncan Hannah.
For more information and hours, visit cornwalllibrary.org/labor-day-art-sale/.
Visit the Barn at the Pine Plains location of beloved antiques and décor purveyor Hammertown (3201 NY-199, Pine Plains) and find the coffee table of your vintage dreams this weekend. Up to 75% off home goods and furniture of all kinds will be available.
This year’s iteration of the biannual tent sale features a “Makers Market” with local artisans, craftspeople and food vendors.
Visit https://shop.hammertown.com/blogs/journal/hammertown-labor-day-tent-sale for additional details and hours.
The Berkshire Woodworkers Guild, a coalition of local woodworkers that supports the local industry and its craftspeople, is hosting its 25th Fine Woodwork Show at the Berkshire Botanical Garden (5 West Stockbridge Rd., Stockbridge) this weekend. Attendees will have the chance to watch 32 masters from around the Tri-Corner region demonstrate their trades, from woodturning and Chinese joinery to boat building and French polishing.
The event will also announce the allocation of $32,000 from its scholarship fund to support 9 aspiring woodworkers, and host a silent auction of guild member-crafted pieces to support next year’s fund. Works from the artisans will also be available for viewing and sale.
Pittsfield, Massachusetts’ Hot Plate Brewing will provide frothy, local ales for swilling, while SoCo Creamery of Great Barrington will be pedaling its handcrafted ice cream for sweeter options for the whole family. Great Cape Baking Co., from Dover Plains will offer a full breakfast and lunch menu, including donuts, while Pleasant & Main from Housatonic will be providing the caffeine and crepes.Further details can be found at berkshirewoodworkers.org.
Artists across Cornwall will fling open their studio and gallery doors to welcome Labor Day culture ramblers on Saturday afternoon. An eclectic lineup of ten participating artists will show their work, ranging from pottery to sculpture paths, allowing participants a chance to enjoy the fresh late-summer weather as they meander through Cornwall’s green valleys from studio to studio.For a list of the artists, a map, and directions to each studio, visit ornwallct.org/event/cornwall-open-studio-2025/.
