Fall Festival blessed with large crowds

SALISBURY — The wet weather held off until late Saturday afternoon. Bookworms added to their collections. Young personable women dressed as hot dogs enjoined passersby to try a frank. “Bullet” Sherwood directed traffic not far from a scarecrow in his likeness. And the Salisbury Band Senior Quickstep Hotshots entertained the crowds during the Fall Festival in Salisbury and Lakeville, Oct. 5-7.Diane Monti-Catania, pastor of the Congregational Church, said the collective memory at the church has the festival going back at least 30 years, in some form or another.She said early festivals were centered around activities at the town’s churches, but gradually the business community got involved and the festival grew to the current size.Lee Collins chaired the committee that facilitated the festival this year.Resident State Trooper Chris Sorrell made his first appearance as a bicycle trooper on Friday, to great acclaim from workers at Town Hall.His rig includes a flashing light and even a siren, which he didn’t anticipate needing. “Just a presence, that’s all,” he said.Bob Riva had his granddaughter Jillian, age two and a half, in tow. Slightly older children whooped nearby, engaged in the scientific throwing of water balloons.Periodically Ward Belcher, atop a Ford tractor, brought the hayride around, dropped off a group and took on new passengers, who were assisted on board by Mike Fitting.Inside the Congregational Church were 42 quilts — some hung but most arranged over the pews. The quilts were made by members of the congregation, except for two coming from friends.On Saturday there was a good crowd of adventurous eaters sampling the Latino fare at St, John’s Episcopal Church, and the eighth grade from Salisbury Central School sold wreaths to help finance their class trip.As always there were books, vintage and used treasures, handmade crafts from around the world and pastries, baked goods and other scrumptious edibles, including pies, cupcakes and more sold by the Housatonic Valley Regional High School Robotics Team.Two competitions were held, one involving scarecrows and the other involving chili. The Salisbury Winter Sports Association hosted its third annual Brew Ski Beer Fest.

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Club baseball at Fuessenich Park

Travel league baseball came to Torrington Thursday, June 26, when the Berkshire Bears Select Team played the Connecticut Moose 18U squad. The Moose won 6-4 in a back-and-forth game. Two players on the Bears play varsity ball at Housatonic Valley Regional High School: shortstop Anthony Foley and first baseman Wes Allyn. Foley went 1-for-3 at bat with an RBI in the game at Fuessenich Park.

 

  Anthony Foley, rising senior at Housatonic Valley Regional High School, went 1-for-3 at bat for the Bears June 26.Photo by Riley Klein 

 
Siglio Press: Uncommon books at the intersection of art and literature

Uncommon books at the intersection of art and literature.

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Siglio Press is a small, independent publishing house based in Egremont, Massachusetts, known for producing “uncommon books at the intersection of art and literature.” Founded and run by editor and publisher Lisa Pearson, Siglio has, since 2008, designed books that challenge conventions of both form and content.

A visit to Pearson’s airy studio suggests uncommon work, to be sure. Each of four very large tables were covered with what looked to be thousands of miniature squares of inkjet-printed, kaleidoscopically colored pieces of paper. Another table was covered with dozens of book/illustration-size, abstracted images of deer, made up of colored dots. For the enchanted and the mystified, Pearson kindly explained that these pieces were to be collaged together as artworks by the artist Richard Kraft (a frequent contributor to the Siglio Press and Pearson’s husband). The works would be accompanied by writings by two poets, Elizabeth Zuba and Monica Torre, in an as-yet-to-be-named book, inspired by a found copy of a worn French children’s book from the 1930s called “Robin de Bois” (Robin Hood).

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Cyclists head south on the rail trail from Copake Falls.

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For those lucky enough to already possess their own bike, perhaps the routes described will inspire a new way to spend a Sunday afternoon. For more, visit lakevillejournal.com/tag/bike-route to check out two ride-guides from local cyclists that will appeal to enthusiasts of many levels looking for a varied trip through the region’s stunning summer scenery.

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