- The New Marlborough Meeting House presents One Town, One Read: North Woods by Daniel Mason. One Town, One Read is a communal reading project. This is the final installment. Read Daniel Mason’s critically acclaimed, bestselling novel, North Woods, set in Western Massachusetts. Then join the lively group discussion of the book facilitated by historians and authors John Demos, Karen Mitchell, and Alice Fahs on Saturday, June 27th at 4:30 pm at the New Marlborough Meeting House (154 Hartsville New Marlborough Road). This is a free event. Pre-registration is not mandatory but appreciated, at nmmeetinghouse.org
Read North Woods and learn about the history, natural life, and cultural evolution of our region. This is an opportunity to convene with other readers to share opinions, raise questions, and take a deep dive into the themes and history behind a magisterial and highly inventive novel. This event is co-sponsored by Friends of the New Marlborough Library, which has copies of the book available, and the Bidwell House Museum in Monterey.
Maggie O’Farrell, author of Hamnet, has called North Woods “a monumental achievement of polyphony and humanity . . . Relating the narrative of an entire country via a single plot of land, it sweeps the reader through hundreds of years and an array of protagonists with a deft, heartbreaking, idiosyncratic zeal. I loved it!”
Book description: When two young lovers abscond from a Puritan colony, little do they know that their humble cabin in the woods will become the home of an extraordinary succession of human and nonhuman characters alike. An English soldier, destined for glory, abandons the battlefields of the New World to devote himself to growing apples. A pair of spinster twins navigate war and famine, envy and desire. A crime reporter unearths an ancient mass grave—only to discover that the earth refuses to give up their secrets. A lovelorn painter, a sinister con man, a stalking panther, a lusty beetle: As the inhabitants confront the wonder and mystery around them, they begin to realize that the dark, raucous, beautiful past is very much alive.
- Norman Rockwell Museum presents The American Stories Gala, Saturday, June 6 at 6pm – an evening marking 250 years of American stories and honoring the extraordinary 40-year leadership of Laurie Norton Moffatt.
A landmark exhibition. A remarkable legacy. A future filled with possibility. Be among the first to see American Stories: From Revolution to Rockwell, a museum-wide exhibition marking the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding, exploring our shared history through the powerful lens of illustration art. An evening of art, inspiration, and gratitude to celebrate 250 years of America’s visual stories–and the leader who helped ensure these images will endure. Tickets starting at $125. For more information, visit https://www.nrm.org/summer-2026-gala/
- Berkshire Theatre Group presents John and Jen, a musical, starring Samantha Gershman and Jake Bentley Young. Music by Andrew Lippa. Lyrics by Tom Greenwald. Book by Tom Greenwald and Andrew Lippa. Directed by Gregg Edelman; music direction by Nicolas Perez. At the Unicorn Theatre, 6 East St., Stockbridge through June 7. Performances at 7 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays; 2 and 7 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays. A young brother and sister make a pact that will shape their lives and even beyond.
- The Stockbridge Cemetery Commission is holding another day of headstone cleaning before the *real* heat of the summer is upon us. We’ve made great and consistent progress over the years. Thank you to Lall the fabulous volunteers who have cleaned so many of our beautiful white marble monuments. Please join us for the morning of Saturday, June 13th from 9am to noon. We will continue to clean the monuments (most of them marble) in the oldest section of the cemetery near the corner of Main and Church streets. Instructions will be provided. If you are able to join us, please email: Candice Currie at CCurrie@stockbridge-ma.gov
- The Berkshire Historical Society presents: Local historian, Dr Carole Owens, June 24, 5:30pm at Arrowhead. In Philadelphia on July 4, 1776, twelve of the thirteen colonies voted to adopt the Declaration of Independence (New York abstained). As the colonies declared themselves free and no longer part of the British Empire, what was ordinary life like in the Berkshires? How wide was a road, how long did it take to get from Stockbridge to Philadelphia, how fast could a horse go, and were there any sidewalks? How were privileges and responsibilities different for men and for women? Who got married, who was tried for fornication, who was excommunicated, who was jailed, enslaved, and foreclosed upon? In Pittsfield, why was court held in a tavern? Around what issue did the population divide?
- League of Women Voters presents Problems & Possibilities in the Berkshires A conversation with Laura Brennan, the new Executive Director, Berkshire Regional Planning Commission and Chris Bentson, The League of Conservation Voters, New England Region. At the Berkshire Waldorf High School, Stockbridge, June 23, 5:30pm Donations Appreciated – Reservations helpful: lwvcentralberkshires@gmail.com
