What’s SUP? Non-motorized, freshwater watersports have long relegated participants to sitting down (canoeing and kayaking for instance), but there’s a new kid in town with one of the fastest growing sports around — stand up paddleboarding (SUP). SUP combines an extra-buoyant surfboard and a longer canoe paddle to deliver a fun way to explore flat water, while delivering core-strengthening benefits along the way. It’s growing so fast in the Berkshires, that there’s already a dedicated SUP division in the Josh Billings Runaground Triathlon this year. 

Berkshire Outfitters in Adams offers a range of paddleboards with entry-level boards starting at around $500 and more advanced touring boards pushing the $1000 mark. But there’s no need to dive right in — beginning in June, Berkshire Outfitters will be hosting free SUP clinics, and you can always test the waters with a rental too. Check out Berkshire Outfitters’ website for more info on stand up paddleboarding clinics, rentals and product! 

Another one of the fastest growing sports in America has found a home in the lush hillsides and fields of the Berkshires. Disc golf (not frolf, Mr. George Costanza) won’t empty your wallet either. You can stop by one of your local sporting goods stores (or used equipment stores) and pick up a mid range disc for $8-15 and have all the fun in the world. Played following the same general rule set as ball and club golf, disc golf challenges players to throw a weighted frisbee-like disc from tee-pad to goal (an elevated metal basket that acts as the “hole”) in as few throws as possible, while avoiding hazards along the way. Praised by the likes of Treehugger for its minimal impact on the environment, disc golf lends itself to serious competitors and fun-seeking families alike, and with many courses in public parks, your only investment is the discs themselves.

Named Editors Choice Best Disc Golf in New England by Yankee Magazine, Bousquet Ski Area in Pittsfield already has their 18 hole course set for the summer season. As a private area, there is a small fee for the course, but it’s well worth it. From challenging narrow corridors, to wide open meadows with epic views of the surrounding mountains, the Bousquet course combines a moderate hike with disc play as it climbs the ski slopes and surrounding forest. Once the rest of the summer operations open for the season, you can rent discs too.

While the sport is still growing in our immediate region, you can also check out courses on the greater-Berkshire area in Conway, MA and Bennington, VT.

Summer is arriving in the Berkshires, and it is the opinion of the BMR that it’s best enjoyed outdoors. Check out SUP and disc golf this summer and you might discover a new love.

When Angela told me about this idea I was immediately excited. While Columbia County and Berkshire County lie on opposite sides of the state line, agriculturally we are the same region. If we are to strengthen our local food economy we must do it together. Great Barrington and Hudson are the food hubs that support this diverse and exciting farm community.

Crimson Sparrow in Hudson, NY hosted the first dinner, where Berkshire chefs came to Hudson. The chefs representing the Berkshires were Bjorn Somlo of Nudel; Brian Alberg of the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge; Jamie Paxton, formerly of the Meat Market in Great Barrington and now at CrossRoads in Hillsdale; Stephen Browning of Bell and Anchor in Great Barrington; and Matt Rubiner of Rubiner’s Cheesemongers and grocers.

Allium in Great Barrington hosted the second dinner, when Hudson chefs came to the Berkshires. As soon as I entered the space we could feel the energy. It was exciting to peer into the kitchen and see all of these chefs, whom we admire so much, working, talking, and plating together. After some time of drinking and mingling Nancy Thomas, owner of Allium and Mezze, invited all of us to take a seat and enjoy the meal. All of the food was inventive and delicious. My personal favorites were the Kinderhook Beef Tongue with grilled asparagus and ramps from Swoon KitchenBar in Hudson, and the buttermilk fried quail with sweet potato grits and greens from Helsinki Hudson.

But what was really great about this dinner, wasn’t the food itself, it was the energy in the room. It is so exciting to see the bridging of these two communities connected by a love of food and dedication to local farms.  If the local food movement is going to continue to grow and succeed then this is exactly what needs to happen. I very much look forward to the next ChefX dinner series.

For more upscale gardening, the gilded age has no match.  As Americans became increasingly urbanized, people hungered for the nostalgia of rural living.  As far back as the mid 1800’s when the virtues of living close to unspoiled nature were extolled in the paintings of the Hudson River school and by writers like Emerson and Thoreau, the Berkshires have offered bucolic retreat.  The most affluent Americans escaped urban centers with retreats to expansive summer estates.  Many of them, including artists and industrialists alike, built their summer homes here.  The Country Place Era – as it came to be called – gave rise to many prestigious building and landscape architects as “cottage estates” proliferated across the country.  The whole of south county is dotted with innumerable examples like the Bellefontaine, Cranwell, Blantyre, Ventfort Hall, Wheatleigh, and others.

The design of these estates always included extensive, often elaborate gardens and landscapes.  The area’s role in the mid-1800s as the birthplace of American landscape has been chronicled by a variety of scholars, and the Berkshires is a great place to see some of its best examples.

Chief among them is Naumkeag.  Its stunning collection of gardens were created over a thirty year period by Fletcher Steele, founding member of the American Society of Landscape Architects and seminal figure in American Landscape tradition.  A Williams College graduate, Fletcher Steele worked collaboratively with his client Miss Mabel Choate from 1926-1958 to create one of America’s most iconic landscaped spaces.  Covering 48 acres, the gardens include an Afternoon Garden, Tree Peony Terrace, Rose Garden, Evergreen Garden, Chinese Garden and the world renowned  Blue Steps, a series of fountain pools, painted blue and flanked by stairs and white birch trees.

Open to the public from May 26 to October 15, it remains one of the most extant and fine examples of the Beaux Arts and Country Place Era Gardens in the country.   Chesterwood, the 122 acre estate of sculptor Daniel Chester French, and 50 acres of Edith Wharton’s The Mount, also open to the public from May to October.  Paradise indeed.

The summer season in the Berkshires is bustling with family fun, be it hiking or museum hopping, theater or concert going that suits your family’s fancy. And best of all — you can find a lot of it for free.

“Summertime in Pittsfield is overflowing with free family events, from the monthly 3rd Thursdays festival, to all kinds of fun in our beautiful local parks, like the Get Outdoors Day festival in Springside Park on June 8, the Gather-in Festival at Pitt Park on July 20 and free outdoor summer movies at Clapp Park on Friday evenings,” said Pittsfield’s Director of Cultural Development Megan Whilden. “It’s important to us that there’s something for everyone to ensure we all have opportunities to enjoy the Berkshires’ bounty.”

Pittsfield’s 3rd Thursdays in the city’s Upstreet District kicks off May 16 and runs every third Thursday through the month of October. During the monthly events, the streets come alive from 5 to 8 p.m. with musicians, artists, activities, sidewalk dining, after hours shopping and much more, all of which is guaranteed to wow and entertain family members young and old. For a schedule of 3rd Thursday activities and themes go online to.

If you’re planning to head south (South Berkshire County, that is) this summer, why not venture to the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center for its Highland Street Foundation Free Fun Friday event set for Aug. 2. This event features Mary Pope Osborne’s internationally beloved and bestselling “Magic Tree House” series and its characters as they comes to life on the Mahaiwe stage. For more family-friendly events at the venue click here.

While in the southern Berkshires, a free trip to the Norman Rockwell Museum also may be in order.

“We have a number of exciting, family-friendly events planned at the museum this summer, including our new exhibition “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: The Creation of a Classic,” said Jeremy Clowe, the manager of media services at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge. “For those who want to channel their inner Rockwell or Disney, our creativity center is open daily. Also, members and kids 5 and under always enjoy free admission to Norman Rockwell Museum.”

On the spring/summer agenda at the Rockwell museum: Art Museum Day (May 18; free for kids 18 and under); and a Family Doodle Day (June 28; free with museum admission — kids under 5 are free).

South Berkshire County also offers a free selection of musical opportunities at the renowned Tanglewood in Lenox, beginning with its free Family Fun Fest, from 3 to 6 p.m., on June 28 courtesy of the Highland Street Foundation’s Free Fun Fridays throughout the state of Massachusetts. This free event encourages families to tour the Tanglewood grounds, take part in a fun and educational scavenger hunt, participate in crafts, take in a performance and more. Aug. 24 marks the venue’s annual Family Concert (free for kids ages 18 and under). Not to mention the regularly scheduled free activities on the grounds — Kids’ Corner (prior to Saturday Boston Symphony Orchestra rehearsals and Sunday concerts) and its Watch and Play Instrument Playground (Aug. 6 and 24) geared to entertain and educate kids of all ages. Oh, did I mention that Tanglewood lawn tickets are almost always free (except during its Popular Artist concerts) for children ages 17 and under?

When heading to North County for summer family fun in the Berkshires, families need look no further than 3,488 feet up — to the peak of Mount Greylock and its Bascom Lodge. Bascom Lodge offers free and reduced-cost activities and events throughout the summer ranging in theme from fly-fishing demonstrations to a mini-festival of family-friendly theater. Notable family events on this year’s schedule include: the lodge’s 75th Anniversary Weekend Celebration (July 13 and 14); Bugs, Bones and Birds (July 28); and Nutshellapalooza (Aug. 2). For a full schedule of events click here.

Oh, and don’t forget about free Family Days at the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Museum either, the first of which is scheduled for June 30 and deemed an Americana Family Day! I could go on and on about all the fun-filled family events and activities in the Berkshires — Can you say local libraries? Free lakeside concerts? — but even the Internet has its word limit, which only goes to prove that there is plenty of family fun in the Berkshires that doesn’t have to cost a thing.

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Kelly Bevan McIlquham was born and raised in Berkshire County, and is now raising her three children, with her husband in Hinsdale. She is the founder of Berkshire Family Focus, an online source for family activities, events and more in the Berkshires.

Every summer we’re reminded how difficult it is to corral all the Berkshires has to offer into one cohesive list. It’s almost not possible, we like to brag, but here’s our valiant effort to help you plan your summer must-sees and dos.

Tanglewood. It’s the big Kahuna of all the festivals in the region, in terms of world recognition, programming and acreage. Summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, its lineup includes classical music (Yo-Yo Ma, Gil Shaham, Emanuel Ax); jazz, folk and rock (Esperanza Spalding, Joan Baez, Jackson Browne), special events (A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor), lectures, open rehearsals and so much more…not to mention the most elaborate pre-concert picnics on the lawn. Grab some take-out and you can be part of that scene.

Berkshire International Film Festival. Seventy films from 15 countries in four days, with locations in two towns (Great Barrington and Pittsfield): no wonder BIFF is one of the most anticipated events each year by residents and visitors alike. Cinema fans not only get their fill of soon-to-be-released movies, they get to rub shoulders with visiting directors and actors. This year, BIFF hosts Tony Shalhoub, Darlene Love, Mary Kay Place, Karen Allen, Chris Noth, Peter Riegert and others.

The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center. Formerly a vaudeville hall, The Mahaiwe in Great Barrington has been restored to magnificence, making it a magical place to see music, dance, films and special events. On stage this summer: Natalie Merchant with the Hudson Valley Philharmonic, Manhattan Transfer, Pink Martinii and Boston’s Early Music Festival.

Shakespeare & Company. Celebrating its 35th season in Lenox, Shakespeare & Co. presents Love’s Labour’s Lost and Richard II, and brings back Olympia Dukakis for a second season, this year in Mother Courage and Her Children. But there’s so much more: discussions with actors, directors, designers and bestselling authors, and talkbacks after selected shows.

Barrington Stage Company. If you like full-fledged musical theater, intimate plays and American premieres, Barrington Stage in Pittsfield is your scene. The season gets underway with Leonard Bernstein’s jazzy On the Town and introduces Bashir Lazhar to the American stage. Other productions to consider: The Chosen, Much Ado About Nothing, and for the kids, The Little Mermaid.

Berkshire Theatre Group. The Berkshire Theatre Festival and the Colonial Theatre joined forces in 2011, and the resulting Berkshire Theatre Group has five stages on which to present theater, dance, music and entertainment in Pittsfield and Stockbridge. On tap this summer: Audra McDonald; Jane Atkinson and Treat Williams in The Lion in Winter, a production of Extremities directed by everyone’s favorite local star, Karen Allen, and so much more.

Jacob’s Pillow. Home to the country’s longest running dance festival, Jacob’s Pillow astounds dance lovers year after year as it brings in dance companies from around the world. Highlights this year include the season opener, Dance Theatre of Harlem, and the return of Compagnie Kafig, a smash hit last year. Besides the ticketed events, there are free outdoor performances, photography and art exhibits, talks and discussion, dance classes and family-friendly events.

MASS MoCA. The largest center for contemporary arts in the United States, housed in renovated 19th-century factory buildings in North Adams., MASS MoCA’s space, exhibits, performing arts celebrate creativity in ways you’ve probably never experienced. Back again this summer is Wilco’s Solid Sound Festival and the FreshGrass Bluegrass Festival. But do look at the schedule; there are fabulous happenings in all genres throughout the summer.

Chesterwood, a National Trust Historic Site (and country home, studio and gardens of Lincoln Monument sculptor Daniel Chester French) hosts the popular Vintage Motorcar Festival/competition on May 26. The beauty of the property itself is a spectacular backdrop to the display of antique cars.

The Berkshire Fringe. Emerging artists present dynamic new works at this homegrown festival held in Great Barrington. This summer, Berkshire Fringe presents 50 artists and ensembles in shows, special events and workshops over the course of 21 days.

Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute. Known as “The Clark,” the Williamstown museum presents in-depth and imaginative exhibitions, and this summer’s big show is no exception: Winslow Homer: the Clark Collection, exhibits the greatest collection of works by the American painter assembled by one person.

Norman Rockwell Museum. The artist himself, though no longer living, may be personally responsible for much of the visitor traffic to the Berkshires, and the Stockbridge museum dedicated to his work and the craft of illustration doesn’t disappoint. Tour Rockwell’s studio and examine the originals of his great iconic works, plus enjoy exhibits such as Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs: The Creation of a Classic, which celebrates the 75th anniversary of the first Disney feature-length animated film.

Berkshire Botanical Garden The always-impressive public display gardens are both functional and ornamental. But exploring the garden isn’t a passive activity, what with all the plants sales, flower shows, garden parties, lectures and workshops and special exhibits bringing visitors back again and again.

Jewish Film Festival and Summer Celebration of Jewish Music. The 27th season of the Berkshire Jewish Film Festival, sponsored by Congregation Knesset Israel, offers Monday afternoon and evening films at Lenox Memorial High School. The 4th annual Summer Celebration of Jewish Music, co-sponsored by the Jewish Federation of the Berkshires and the area’s Jewish congregations, presents lectures and concerts throughout the Berkshires.

Bascom Lodge. Perched atop Mount Greylock, the renovated rustic stone and wood lodge is the perfect place to enjoy an evening cocktail or a gourmet dinner along with one of the most spectacular views anywhere. Bascom Lodge also invites the public to themed lectures, performances and artist residencies.

PS21. An abbreviation for Performance Spaces for the 21st Century, PS21 is a performing arts center under a tent, and its lineup of performances is just as all encompassing, with dance companies, films, youth theater and community singalongs.

The Mount. A visit to American author Edith Wharton’s estate and gardens could take a day of its own, but it’s also a cultural destination with a summer lecture series, Music After Hours (jazz on the terrace) and summer theater.

Capitol Steps. The nationally-acclaimed political satire music revue returns to its summer home at Cranwell Resort and Spa in Lenox.

Hancock Shaker Village. Don’t miss this hands-on history tour of a former Shaker village, where artisans demonstrate Shaker crafts, gardeners tend vegetable gardens and guides teach about Shaker worship and work.

Arrowhead. Tour the home of Herman Mellville, where the author wrote Moby-Dick. The 18th -century farmhouse, now a National Historic Landmark, houses the Berkshire Historical Society.

Click here for our calendar of events. Make sure to see everything there is to do and see in the Berkshires this summer!

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Lisa Green is a freelance writer and advertising director of www.ruralintelligence.com

With summer quickly approaching, Lenox is the perfect place for your family to kick off the season, Berkshires-style!  Whether you’re a homegrown supporter of local businesses or an out-of-towner looking to escape for a fun weekend, we have it all—from upcoming family-friendly events like the Memorial Day Marathon Weekend, the Berkshire Cycling Classic and the Lenox Motorcar Classic to upscale clothiers, toy shops and build-your-own frozen yogurt sundaes!

Known for its rich cultural history and thriving summer festivals, Lenox is the quintessential New England town.  With its charming atmosphere, trendy boutiques and truly delectable (not to mention diverse) cuisine, it won’t take long to settle in and enjoy life in the slow lane.

In the village, enjoy free weekly concerts in the beautifully shaded Lilac Park.  Or if history is more your cup-of-tea, consider enjoying a cup of tea at the Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum, built in 1893 for the sister of JP Morgan.  The Mount–home of Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Edith Wharton–hosts a multitude of events, and is perfectly suitable for literary and design enthusiasts alike, with its breath-taking formal gardens and impeccably restored interior.

A leisurely stroll down tree-lined Kemble Street will bring you to the beautiful grounds of Shakespeare & Company, a year-round theatre boasting contemporary versions of the famed poet’s plays and new works by some very talented playwrights, not to mention a great farmer’s market each Friday.  A quick hop in the other direction will lead you to Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the perfect place to enjoy an evening picnic on the lawn.  Be sure to swing by Nejaime’s Wine Cellars and Loeb’s Foodtown before you go!

And not to be outdone by our fabulous shopping, events and eateries, Lenox’s natural resources are second to none!  Both Kennedy Park and Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary offer miles of trails for a peaceful walk in the woods.  If biking or water activities are more your style, stop by the Arcadian Shop to check out their rental equipment–from mountain bikes to kayaks—then head on over to the Stockbridge Bowl or Housatonic River boat access areas.

At the end of the day, Lenox is a great place to visit…and a great place to stay.  We offer a broad range of lodging choices, from family-friendly inns to award-winning spas and resorts.  Being centrally located in the bucolic Berkshires, with truly something to please every family member, we think you’d be hard-pressed to find a better spot to enjoy your summer stay!  For more information, visit www.lenox.org.

to learn more about other Berkshire communities Click Here.

Activities will begin at 2PM at the reservation and will feature live music by Trio Candela, Blue Light Trio, a boreal forest slideshow, local foods and wild edibles, a silent auction, and more.

Attendees are asked to make a $20 donation at the door and to bring a baked good or a pre-packaged food item such as chips and salsa to share with those that gather.  For those unable to attend and still wishing to make a donation to support the center’s efforts, please write to aimee@gaiaroots.com for more details.

In addition to donations, those wishing to show support may also participate by contributing silent auction items to be auctioned off on the day of the event or by volunteering to help out on pre-determined volunteer trail work days.

Items already donated for the silent auction include one-year memberships to environmental and cultural institutions, nature-themed paintings and jewelry, tickets to various cultural performances, horse-back riding lessons, videography for special events, a locally baked specialty cake, a one-year subscription to a nature magazine, passes to nature and cultural-themed classes, and music CD’s and DVD’s.

During the trail work days, volunteers may help out at the center by assisting with dragging brush, cutting and clipping trees, clearing and blazing trails, and more.  Food is provided to participants by Tamarack Hollow.

All donations are tax–deductible and contribute towards the purchase and building of both a handicap-accessible, waterless composting Envirolet outhouse in 2013 and a 448 square foot nature center in 2014.

Tamarack Hollow Nature & Cultural Center is located on a 32-acre, high elevation boreal forest reserve in Windsor, MA.  Its mission is to “inspire environmental and cultural awareness, appreciation, and stewardship.”  The center was founded by naturalist educator/musician Aimee Gelinas, M.E., and artist/musician Daniel Cohen.  Attendees to the fundraiser will have a chance to meet Gelinas, Cohen, and the newly appointed members of the center’s Board of Directors. 

by Berkshire Voice of Arts Indie (BVAI)

GANT by Michael Bastian Holds Photo Shoot in the Berkshires

Fashion Designer Inspired by Norman Rockwell 

When you hear a reference to “Rockwell’s models” I bet the first image that comes to your mind are the characters in his illustrations and paintings. Maybe you thought of the police officer and young boy sitting together in the diner; or the family gathered around the table together ready to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal. But in early April a new Rockwell model came to being – and this time it was not Rockwell who created him – but instead fashion designer Michael Bastian.

Norman Rockwell’s paintings and illustrations have inspired a new clothing line, “In Stockbridge,” for GANT by Michael Bastian Fall/Winter 2013 collection, which recently debuted at New York Fashion Week. On April 6 – 8 the collection was photographed and filmed for its online advertising campaign, using the Berkshires as the backdrop.

A 16-person crew, including designer Bastian and model CJ Richards, traveled to the Berkshires from Stockholm, Sweden and New York City. The crew filmed and took photos on Main Street and at The Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, inside Norman Rockwell’s Studio at the Norman Rockwell Museum, at the Stockbridge sign at the Lee/Stockbridge border, and at Hancock Shaker Village in Pittsfield.

The producer, Maria Lindberg, scouted the Berkshires in December 2012 and worked with the Berkshire Film and Media Commission [BFMC] to find specific locations. BFMC also assisted with other logistics such as finding a 1950’s classic roadster bicycle, and coordinating with local police departments and The Stockbridge Selectmen.

Rockwell was an iconic American painter and illustrator whose works reflected American culture, so it is not surprising that Bastian, an American fashion designer, found inspiration in his work.

Margit Hotchkiss, Director of Marketing and Communications for the Norman Rockwell Museum, said “Bastian shared with me his memory of first seeing these paintings as a boy – when the Museum was in the old Corner House in Stockbridge. He recalled being amazed at viewing Rockwell’s large original works so closely.   Knowing that Rockwell’s art had such an impact and inspired his work years later, as an internationally acclaimed fashion designer, is very meaningful.”

In August 2013, the entire ad campaign will be unveiled on the web. “In Stockbridge,” for GANT by Michael Bastian Fall/Winter 2013 collection can be purchased in GANT clothing stores or on its online retail site. 

To learn more and browse lookbooks for other GANT by Michael Bastian collections, please visit: http://us.gant.com/collections/gant-by-michael-bastian

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Lauren Zink is the Communications Manager for the Berkshire Film and Media Commission. Reach her anytime at Lauren@berkshirefilm.com. To keep up-to­-date with the western MA film scene, visit www.berkshirefilm.com.

]]> http://berkshires.org/blog/berkshire-guest-blogger-film-media-fun/feed/ 0 http://berkshires.org/berkshires-news/24-hours-in-stockbridge-massachusetts-usedyorkcity-com/ http://berkshires.org/berkshires-news/24-hours-in-stockbridge-massachusetts-usedyorkcity-com/#comments Thu, 25 Apr 2013 18:47:12 +0000 dmossman http://berkshires.org/?p=19721 Alright, New Yorkers. Time for the million dollar question: You have 24 hours to get out of the city for some R&R, where do you go?

Drumroll please… read more.