Bird Banding - July 16
2026-07-16 07:00 - 10:00 (America/New_York) | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
Bird banding at Arrowhead allows visitors an up-close opportunity to see birds and watch the process of bird banding. Bird banding allows researchers the opportunity to study a wide array of wild birds in their natural habitat. Arrowhead’s woods, fields and shrubland make it an ideal site to monitor a broad range of breeding bird species. Join the Berkshire Bird Observatory researchers as they leverage the wonder of a bird in the hand to spark a curiosity about the natural world while showcasing ecological interactions that connect us all.
Free, drop in event, weather permitting
This event is sponsored by Massachusetts Cultural Council and Housatonic Heritage.

Do You Need to Read the Confidence Man - July 16
2026-07-16 19:00 - 20:00 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
Performer, playwright and great, great, great grand daughter of Herman Melville Elizabeth Doss returns to Arrowhead to “talk back” to The Confidence Man, the last published and completed novel by Melville in his lifetime. Set on a steamboat cruising down Mississippi, Doss jumps aboard, probing this text to grapple with her own encounters with “Confidence Men,” not to mention her own flagging confidence, and what the hell Melville is really getting at in his perhaps strangest, most provocative and perplexing text. Still early in its inception Doss asks you, “Do you need to read The Confidence Man?” This one-person performance (hopefully) offers a healthy mixture of insight, ignorance and some stabs at hilarity. Come cheer her on (or boo her off) for at Arrowhead. Directed by Kristin Osborn
Use the BOOK NOW button to purchase tickets, $20 for BCHS members $25 for non-members. Become a member and start receiving discounts on event tickets.
This event is sponsored by Massachusetts Cultural Council and Housatonic Heritage.
About Elizabeth Doss
Elizabeth Doss is a writer, performer, director and playwright based in Austin, Texas. She is a Co-artistic director of the theatre collective Paper Chairs, which has produced world premieres of her original plays Murder Ballad Murder Mystery, Hillcountry Underbelly, Mast, Poor Herman and Catalina de Erauso. Paper Chairs has also produced her translation/ adaptations of Federico Garcia Lorca’s, The Audience and The Divine Narcissus by Sor Juana Inez de la Cruz. Her play Slumber Party, was featured as part of the UTNT new theatre festival in March 2017 and Theatre En Bloc produced her play Severe Weather Warningat the Long Center in May 2019. Doss holds a BA in Spanish and an MFA in Playwriting, both from the University of Texas at Austin. She played herself and Herman Melville in Mark Blumberg’s film, The Act of Reading. And her personal essay, “What Poor Herman Means to Me” was published in Leviathan in 2022. Most recently, Paper Chairs co-produced Poor Herman at Arrowhead 2024 which played to sold-out audiences. As a performer she performs with Austin companies including Salvage Vanguard (Cry Pitch Carols, Americamisfit), Rude Mechs (Dionysus in ‘69, B Beaver Animation, Fixing TImon of Athens) Theatre en Bloc (The Totalitarians.) She’s currently developing a new solo work, Do You Need to Read the Confidence Man?, which will premiere in Austin and the Berkshire summer 2026.
About Kristen Osborn
Kristen Osborn is an Austin-based director and creative producer who creates immersive stories that nurture human connection and spark wonder, curiosity, and joy. Her work spans film, theater, magic and live performance, blending narrative, interactivity, and community engagement. Currently, Kristen collaborates with Texas film company Sailor Bear on film development and production, most recently contributing to the soon-to-be-released Mother Mary with A24. Her live work includes projects such as In & Of Itself (Daryl Roth Theatre, The Geffen Playhouse, Hulu), Dear Dickies (Mi Casa Es Tu Teatro Festival, Hyde Park Theater), Group Therapy (American Dance Festival, Fusebox Festival), and A Recipe for Action (Rainwater Innovation Grant Recipient, University of Texas at Austin). Her most recent immersive work was showcased at SXSW in collaboration with Whole Foods and Food Tank. She is an ensemble member of Rivendell Theatre Ensemble in Chicago, holds a BA in Theater from UCLA, an MFA in Directing from UT Austin, and is a graduate of the Texas Immersive Institute.

Do You Need to Read the Confidence Man - July 17
2026-07-17 19:00 - 20:30 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
Performer, playwright and great, great, great grand daughter of Herman Melville Elizabeth Doss returns to Arrowhead to “talk back” to The Confidence Man, the last published and completed novel by Melville in his lifetime. Set on a steamboat cruising down Mississippi, Doss jumps aboard, probing this text to grapple with her own encounters with “Confidence Men,” not to mention her own flagging confidence, and what the hell Melville is really getting at in his perhaps strangest, most provocative and perplexing text. Still early in its inception Doss asks you, “Do you need to read The Confidence Man?” This one-person performance (hopefully) offers a healthy mixture of insight, ignorance and some stabs at hilarity. Come cheer her on (or boo her off) for at Arrowhead. Directed by Kristin Osborn
An audience talkback with Elizabeth Doss immediately follows the program.
Use the BOOK NOW button to purchase tickets, $20 for BCHS members $25 for non-members. Become a member and start receiving discounts on event tickets.
This event is sponsored by Massachusetts Cultural Council and Housatonic Heritage.
About Elizabeth Doss
Elizabeth Doss is a writer, performer, director and playwright based in Austin, Texas. She is a Co-artistic director of the theatre collective Paper Chairs, which has produced world premieres of her original plays Murder Ballad Murder Mystery, Hillcountry Underbelly, Mast, Poor Herman and Catalina de Erauso. Paper Chairs has also produced her translation/ adaptations of Federico Garcia Lorca’s, The Audience and The Divine Narcissus by Sor Juana Inez de la Cruz. Her play Slumber Party, was featured as part of the UTNT new theatre festival in March 2017 and Theatre En Bloc produced her play Severe Weather Warningat the Long Center in May 2019. Doss holds a BA in Spanish and an MFA in Playwriting, both from the University of Texas at Austin. She played herself and Herman Melville in Mark Blumberg’s film, The Act of Reading. And her personal essay, “What Poor Herman Means to Me” was published in Leviathan in 2022. Most recently, Paper Chairs co-produced Poor Herman at Arrowhead 2024 which played to sold-out audiences. As a performer she performs with Austin companies including Salvage Vanguard (Cry Pitch Carols, Americamisfit), Rude Mechs (Dionysus in ‘69, B Beaver Animation, Fixing TImon of Athens) Theatre en Bloc (The Totalitarians.) She’s currently developing a new solo work, Do You Need to Read the Confidence Man?, which will premiere in Austin and the Berkshire summer 2026.
About Kristen Osborn
Kristen Osborn is an Austin-based director and creative producer who creates immersive stories that nurture human connection and spark wonder, curiosity, and joy. Her work spans film, theater, magic and live performance, blending narrative, interactivity, and community engagement. Currently, Kristen collaborates with Texas film company Sailor Bear on film development and production, most recently contributing to the soon-to-be-released Mother Mary with A24. Her live work includes projects such as In & Of Itself (Daryl Roth Theatre, The Geffen Playhouse, Hulu), Dear Dickies (Mi Casa Es Tu Teatro Festival, Hyde Park Theater), Group Therapy (American Dance Festival, Fusebox Festival), and A Recipe for Action (Rainwater Innovation Grant Recipient, University of Texas at Austin). Her most recent immersive work was showcased at SXSW in collaboration with Whole Foods and Food Tank. She is an ensemble member of Rivendell Theatre Ensemble in Chicago, holds a BA in Theater from UCLA, an MFA in Directing from UT Austin, and is a graduate of the Texas Immersive Institute.

Do You Need to Read the Confidence Man - July 18
2026-07-18 19:00 - 21:00 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States

Bird Banding - July 23
2026-07-23 07:00 - 10:00 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States

The Mastheads Lantern Party
2026-07-23 19:00 - 20:30 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
From July 7-July 28, five writers across disciplines, from throughout the country, have been invited to live in Pittsfield and work in The Mastheads studios at Arrowhead. BYO picnic to Melville’s lawn for a performance by the five residents, followed by drinks, oysters, and lantern-lit studio walks.
$10 suggested donation
This event is sponsored by Massachusetts Cultural Council and Housatonic Heritage.

The Ghosts of Broadhall: Ghost Tour and Paranormal Investigation of the Country Club of Pittsfield
2026-07-25 19:00 - 23:00 | Country Club of Pittsfield, 639 South Street, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
Robert Oakes, ghost tour guide and author of Ghosts of the Berkshires, will team up with paranormal investigator Drew Babineau, The Haunted Raven, to offer a combined ghost tour and paranormal investigation of the Country Club of Pittsfield.
This will be the second combined ghost tour and paranormal investigation at the Club. The first one in April yielded some very intriguing experiences and evidence, including a compelling image captured in one of the second-floor rooms. We’re excited to see what the next one brings!
At the start of the evening, Robert will lead a walk by flashlight through this historic property, sharing accounts of spirit sightings and other strange encounters reported by those who work there. Then, Drew will guide guests through an active paranormal investigation, using devices and methods meant to make contact with the spirits and document their presence. At the close of the evening, guests will gather to share stories of their experiences and discuss any findings. Refreshments will be served and are included in the $60 ticket price.
Use the BOOK NOW button to purchase tickets.
About Broadhall
Once known as Broadhall, the Country Club of Pittsfield’s clubhouse is one of the oldest properties in town with a long and storied past. During the nineteenth century, it was the home of writer Sarah Morewood, friend to Herman Melville. When the Moby-Dick author lived just next door at Arrowhead, he often stopped by to visit Morewood, and some say he may still be calling. Indeed, both Melville’s ghost and that of Mrs. Morewood are said to haunt the house, as well as others yet unidentified. Many have visited the property throughout its long history, including Alexander Hamilton, President John Tyler, famous literati, and formerly enslaved people. And many have died there, including Mrs. Morewood, as well as 17 victims of a 1910 ice house explosion, described as the worst disaster in Pittsfield history.
About the Presenters
Robert Oakes writes books about ghosts and leads tours in haunted places. He has written three books, The Ghostly Tales of the Berkshires (2023), Ghosts of Northwestern New Jersey (2022), and Ghosts of the Berkshires (2020). Since 2010, Robert has led immersive ghost storytelling experiences at historic locations in the Berkshires, including Ventfort Hall, Edith Wharton’s The Mount, and Herman Melville’s Arrowhead. Robert encourages guests to step into the unknown, to follow imagination and intuition, and to open up to the many mysteries in our world.
Drew Babineau, owner of The Haunted Raven, is a photographer and paranormal investigator who hosts ghost hunts in some of the most haunted places in the country. He teaches real investigative techniques and strives to give a voice to forgotten spirits. Fascinated by haunted locations and the stories of the departed that reside in them, Drew aims to bring a profound sense of respect and curiosity to these eerie places. By capturing their essence and narrating their histories, he strives to give the spirits the recognition they deserve.
Explore this unfolding mystery, and discover for yourself whether Melville or Morewood—or others unknown—are haunting Broadhall.
Please note: There will be several floors of stairs to climb in dim lighting. Also, this event is not intended for children under 12. Please arrive 10-15 minutes early to check in.
This event is sponsored by Massachusetts Cultural Council and Housatonic Heritage.

Bird Banding - July 30
2026-07-30 07:00 - 10:00 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States

Alex Harvey and Shinbone Alley
2026-08-01 19:00 - 20:00 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
Celebrate Herman Melville’s birthday with a rousing evening of sea shanties and street ballads performed by Arrowhead favorite Alex Harvey and Shinbone Alley. You’ll be encouraged to sing along and we’ll celebrate with birthday cake.
Come early and picnic on the grounds and step into the tavern and warm up those swashbuckling vocal chords with a selection of hard ciders from Berkshire Cider Project and beer from Hot Plate Brewing for sale during the event.
Alex Harvey is an old-world folklorist who performs street ballads and songs of the sea in a project he calls Shinbone Alley. At his performances listeners learn to celebrate the haunting intercultural exchange of 18th and 19th century maritime music – whose ingredients travelled from the furthest corners of the globe to be remade and stitched anew by sailors of every shade and shape at port and at sea. By encouraging the audience to join in on most of the tunes in his concerts, Harvey and his Shinbone Alley build bridges of time through communal singing. From Sea Shanties to Broadsheet ballads to Come-All-Ye’s to Last Good Nights to Hard Luck Satires to Lovesick Dirges to Whaling Serenades – this music was meant as the earliest form of group therapy. And so it is again – a sepia-toned balm for our topsy-turvy time.
Use the BOOK NOW button to purchase tickets, $15 for BCHS members, $20 for non-members. Become a member and start receiving discounts on event tickets.
This event is sponsored by Massachusetts Cultural Council and Housatonic Heritage.

Monument Mountain Hike
2026-08-02 09:00 - 11:30 | Monument Mountain, Rte 7, Great Barrington, MA, United States
Celebrate the day (August 4, 1850) Melville met Nathaniel Hawthorne on a hike up Monument Mountain by joining BCHS for a similar hike and reading of local poet William Cullen Bryant’s Monument Mountain. The guided hike takes approximately 2 ½ hours and is appropriate for families.
Hikers should meet at the Monument Mountain Reservation Parking lot on Route 7 in Great Barrington and should be prepared with their own water, proper footwear, hiking gear and bug repellent. Parking is free for members of The Trustees of Reservations.
FREE event
This event is sponsored by Massachusetts Cultural Council and Housatonic Heritage.

Marking the Knox Trail
2026-08-05 17:30 - 18:30 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
BCHS welcomes historian Ben Haley to discuss the fascinating, but not well-known story of the creation of the Knox Trail.
The six-week endeavor by twenty-five year-old Henry Knox to haul artillery from Ticonderoga to Cambridge early in the Revolution is now a fairly well-known story, but was obscure until the early 20th century. In April 1925, the Massachusetts Legislature established a three-person commission to find and mark Knox’s route. By the end of the year, the commission determined that they had identified the route, and over the following two years undertook the process of commissioning commemorative granite markers and having them installed in twenty-six Massachusetts cities and towns from the New York line to Boston.
The 1920s marker project generated the interest in Knox’s expedition that remains to this day. However, what remains unknown to many is that the markers are not necessarily along the route Knox took, nor were they intended to be. Despite a dedicated effort to find Knox’s route, what the Knox Commission wanted to mark was not that, but rather what their chairman described in a letter as “a new Knox Trail” catering to automobiles. This story—of why the markers were erected where they were—remains essentially unknown. The story, able to be told via the correspondence surviving at the Massachusetts State Library, has been ignored even while interest in finding the “real” Knox Trail has accelerated since the 1960s as a result of the 1920s marker project.
About Ben Haley
Ben Haley is a historian and Director of the National Register program for the Massachusetts Historical Commission. He serves on the board of trustees of the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum in Hadley and teaches a course on historic preservation at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. An essay preliminarily titled “Commemorating Henry Knox and the ‘Noble Train of Artillery’ in the Automobile Age” will be published in the Annual Proceedings of the Dublin Seminar.
Use the BOOK NOW button to purchase tickets, $10 for BCHS members, $15 for non-members . Become a member and start receiving discounts on event tickets.
This event is sponsored by The Feigenbaum Foundation, Massachusetts Cultural Council, and Housatonic Heritage.

Book launch - Kill Ahab: Confessions of a White Whale
2026-08-12 17:30 - 18:30 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes, Pittsfield, MA, United States
Join author Phil Adamo for the Berkshire launch of Kill Ahab: Confessions of a White Whale. It’s Moby Dick from the whale’s point of view.
Near the end of his life, beached on the New England coast, the White Whale finally sets the record straight, spinning a tale of high adventure and rich emotion, of love and loss, of loathing and revenge. Propelling his story is Ahab, the mad captain fixated on the “monster” who took his leg. But Ahab’s obsession is not one-sided. Whales, too, have long memories.
Fiction’s most famous fish is not who we thought. “Call me…anything,” he says. “But do not call me Moby Dick.”
PHIL ADAMO is a former circus clown turned history professor turned novelist. He has written history books and articles on the Middle Ages, as well as satirical fiction. Kill Ahab: Confessions of a White Whale is his third novel.
Author photo by Chris Court
This free event is sponsored by Massachusetts Cultural Council and Housatonic Heritage.

Strange Fancies - Stories of Hauntings and Ghostly Inspiration at Arrowhead - August 15
2026-08-15 19:00 - 21:00 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
Well-known ghost tour guide Robert Oakes, author of Ghosts of the Berkshires, will discuss the supernatural influences on the imagination of author Herman Melville, as well as the ghostly writings of Melville’s friend and frequent Arrowhead visitor Nathaniel Hawthorne. The talk will be followed by a lantern-lit ghost tour of Melville’s historic home.
Use the BOOK NOW button to purchase tickets $20 for BCHS members, $25 for non-members. Become a member and start receiving discounts on event tickets.
This 90-minute program is offered at 6 pm and 8 pm. Choose a time when purchasing your ticket.
About Robert Oakes
Robert Oakes is an author, teacher, storyteller, and performing songwriter. He has written three books, The Ghostly Tales of the Berkshires (2023), Ghosts of Northwestern New Jersey (2022), and Ghosts of the Berkshires (2020), all published by Arcadia Publishing. He has also released numerous recordings of original songs. Since 2010, Robert has led immersive ghost storytelling experiences at historic locations in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, including Ventfort Hall and Edith Wharton’s home, The Mount. He has appeared on Syfy’s Ghost Hunters, Jeff Belanger’s New England Legends series on PBS, and The Apple Seed show on BYUradio and has been featured in The Boston Globe, The Berkshire Eagle, and numerous other media outlets.
To enhance your experience, you may wish to read “The Piazza” by Melville and “Graves and Goblins” by Hawthorne prior to the program.
This event is sponsored by Massachusetts Cultural Council and Housatonic Heritage.

Hands-on Papermaking Demonstrations - August 16
2026-08-16 12:00 - 15:00 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
Join our friends from Crane Museum of Papermaking for free papermaking demonstrations, hands on papermaking and a Crane paper sale.
Don’t miss the lecture Crane Paper, A Legacy in Every Sheet on August 19.
FREE EVENT
This event is sponsored by Massachusetts Cultural Council and Housatonic Heritage.

Hands-On Papermaking Demonstrations - August 17
2026-08-17 12:00 - 15:00 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States

Crane Paper, A Legacy in Every Sheet
2026-08-19 17:30 - 18:30 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
$5, Silver Certificate, series 1899, on Crane paper.
This talk Highlights the rich history of Crane papermaking in the Berkshires and beyond, from its origins in rag-based handmade paper production to modern machine manufacturing. Dennis Croughwell, a fourth generation Crane employee and Crane Museum of Papermaking Museum Educator, will share stories of papermaking from Crane paper connections to the American Revolution to the hidden features in modern currency paper, including Crane’s role in producing secure paper for United States currency.
To accompany the talk, The Crane Museum of Papermaking will offer free papermaking demonstrations, hands on paper making and a Crane paper sale from 12:00 – 3:00 pm Sunday, August 16, Monday August 17, Thursday August 20 and Friday, August 21.
Use the BOOK NOW button to purchase tickets, $10 for BCHS members, $15 for non-members. Become a member and start receiving discounts on event tickets.
This event is sponsored by Massachusetts Cultural Council and Housatonic Heritage.

Hands-On Papermaking Demonstrations - August 20
2026-08-20 12:00 - 15:00 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
Join our friends from Crane Museum of Papermaking for free papermaking demonstrations, hands on papermaking and a Crane paper sale.
FREE EVENT
This event is sponsored by Massachusetts Cultural Council and Housatonic Heritage.

Hands-on Papermaking Demonstrations - August 21
2026-08-21 12:00 - 15:00 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States

Pittsfield’s Historic Buildings Walking Tour
2026-09-05 11:00 - 12:30 | Downton Pittsfield, Pittsfield, MA, United States
Did you know that there are historic markers embedded in the sidewalks in at fifty-seven of Pittsfield’s historic buildings? Join historian John Dickson for a walking tour of the Park Square Historic District and discover the history behind some of these markers and buildings. The tour will last approximately 1.5 hours and cover 1.5 miles of North and South Streets. The tour begins at the front of the Berkshire Athenaeum, 1 Wendell Ave.
FREE Event
This event is sponsored by Massachusetts Cultural Council, Greylock Federal Credit Union, and Housatonic Heritage.
About John Dickson
John Dickson serves as Chair of the Pittsfield Historical Commission and as a board member of the Berkshire County Historical Society. He is author of Berkshire County’s Industrial Heritage, which chronicles the 19th century mills in this corner of Massachusetts. He received a master’s degree in public history having completed a thesis on the Berkshire Athenaeum.

Fanfare Brass Choir – Patriotic Sing-Along
2026-09-09 17:30 - 18:30 | Berkshire County Historical Society, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
BCHS continues its celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence with a patriotic sing-along with Fanfare Brass Choir. The program starts with songs from 1768 and includes current songs and information on their history. Song sheets provided for those wishing to sing along. Songs to be performed include The Star-Spangled Banner, Yankee Doodle, My Country Tis of Thee, Battle Hymn of the Republic, God Bless America, and more.
FREE event
About The Fanfare Brass Choir
The Fanfare Brass Choir provides quality classical and light popular music to the New England area. Founded in 2008 and consistently performs to a high standard and includes the top musicians in Western New England. The choir performs music from the sixteenth century to the present, covers many styles of music including, classical, jazz and light popular.
This event is sponsored by Massachusetts Cultural Council, Greylock Federal Credit Union, Pittsfield Cultural Council, and The Feigenbaum Foundation.

Haute Couture in New England: Status Survivors
2026-09-16 17:30 - 18:30 | Berkshire County Historical Society, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
Garments made in the Parisian haute couture system are world-renowned. During couture’s heyday in the late-nineteenth century, women whose families could afford to do so made the trip to the City of Lights to be fitted for at least one garment, sometimes several. While wealthy American clients from metropolitan areas like New York City, Boston, and Chicago are often cited, haute couture patrons came from other areas including the Berkshires and Hartford, Connecticut.
In this talk, Ned Lazaro, Associate Curator of Costume and Textile at The Wadsworth, seeks to nuance the story of haute couture through the analysis of patronage in lesser-known examples, including surviving examples in the collections of The Wadsworth in Hartford and the Berkshire County Historical Society. While wealth is a common denominator in all couture purchases, examples from these two institutions highlight the specifics of buying a treasured Paris-made gow
Tickets are $10 for BCHS members, $15 for non-members, and can be purchased by using the BOOK NOW button.
This event is sponsored by Massachusetts Cultural Council and Greylock Federal Credit Union.
David E. (Ned) Lazaro is the Associate Curator of Costume and Textiles at The Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art in Hartford, Connecticut. He holds a master’s degree in fashion and textile history from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Ned has researched, lectured, published, and taught on various aspects of Western clothing and textiles from the 17th through 20th centuries. His general interests focus on design history, the aesthetics of fashion, and identity formation. Specific publications include seventeenth- and eighteenth-century textiles, nineteenth-century undergarments, the tailoring and dressmaking trades, the influence of Dior’s 1947 New Look, and the 1950s sack dress.
Images:
Wedding dress (detail and overall)
House of Worth (c.1858-1952)
1897
Off-white, figured silk; imitation pearls
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Archer Hamilton, 1976.27
Collection of The Wadsworth

Shades of the Revolution - September 17
2026-09-17 05:30 - 19:00 | Pittsfield Cemetery, 203 Waconah Street, Pittsfield , MA, 01201, United States
Shades of the Revolution will be presented September 17-19 and 24-26
Click here for complete event details.
The Pittsfield Cemetery is the setting for the play Shades of the Revolution being presented by the Berkshire History Theatre in collaboration with the Berkshire County Historical Society. The ghostly tale features Pittsfield’s Revolutionary War era founders—both famous and infamous—telling their stories of merriment, hardship, love, and death in colonial Pittsfield through a series of vignettes at various graves. While Pittsfield’s founding fathers receive their just dues, Shades focuses on the indomitable, outrageous Pittsfield women whose strength, intelligence, and iron determination often triumphed over the male dominated 18th century hierarchy.
Tickets are $20 adults, $15 students (13-18), seniors (65 and over), and can be purchased by using the BOOK NOW button. Tickets may be purchased on site (cash only), and will be available beginning 1/2 hour before the performance.
What to know before you go
This event takes place at the Pittsfield Cemetery, 203 Wahconah Street.
Performances are cancelled in the event of rain.
Audience members must be able to walk 1/2 mile, on paved and dirt cemetery roads, at a leisurely pace, with numerous stops to view performances. Audience members are encouraged to wear comfortable shoes, and to bring lightweight folding stools or chairs if they would like to sit during the vignettes.
This event is sponsored by Massachusetts Cultural Council, Greylock Federal Credit Union, Pittsfield Cultural Council, and The Feigenbaum Foundation.

Shades of the Revolution - September 18
2026-09-18 17:30 - 19:00 | Pittsfield Cemetery, 203 Waconah Street, Pittsfield , MA, 01201, United States

Shades of the Revolution - September 19
2026-09-19 17:30 - 19:00 | Pittsfield Cemetery, 203 Waconah Street, Pittsfield , MA, 01201, United States

Redware in Western Massachusetts
2026-09-23 17:30 - 18:30 | Berkshire County Historical Society, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
Redware from the collection of the Bidwell House Museum
Researcher Justin Thomas presents a talk detailing the history of New England Redware including discoveries based on new research, cohosted by the Bidwell House Museum. He will be joined by his colleague, historian Warren Broderick, who assisted in conducting research for Thomas’ upcoming book, A Monumental History: Stories of Red Earthenware Production in Western Massachusetts, the Berkshires and Vermont.
Western Massachusetts has a rich history of red earthenware production dating to the 1700s, later followed by stoneware in the 1800s. The most successful type may have been the black glazed teapots produced in Whately, Massachusetts. However, red earthenware production seems to have been more widespread in the 1700s with some production that can be traced back to the Charlestown and South Danvers, Massachusetts areas before the American Revolution.
A significant portion of Western Massachusetts’s regional production is also linked to the manufacturing landscape of neighboring Vermont. While some of this regional connection was previously overlooked by historians, recent research has uncovered a bustling network of a few dozen or so red earthenware companies operating throughout Vermont during the late 1700s and 1800s. This newly documented data reshapes the understanding of early New England pottery exchange, revealing how deeply the artisans and economic markets of the two regions were intertwined in the 1800s.
FREE Event
Justin Thomas is a collector, researcher, and writer about American utilitarian pottery production from the seventeenth through the early twentieth century. He studied at archaeology departments, museums, and private collections across the country, publishing numerous research articles about American potteries in regional and national publications. He has been a contributor for the New England Antiques Journal, Maine Antiques Digest, Antiques and the Arts Weekly, Antiques & Auction News, and Untapped New York. He has also authored seven books, as part of his ongoing pottery book series, published by Historic Beverly in Massachusetts. Justin has worked with museums, historical societies, and archaeology departments all over the East Coast including the National Museum of American History, the Rochester Museum & Science Center, the New York State Museum, Old Sturbridge Village, Historic New England, and Strawbery Banke, among many others. In 2021, he organized a special Redware conference hosted by Historic Beverly. He currently resides in Newburyport.
This event is sponsored by Massachusetts Cultural Council and Greylock Federal Credit Union.

Shades of the Revolution - September 24
2026-09-24 17:30 - 19:00 | Pittsfield Cemetery, 203 Waconah Street, Pittsfield , MA, 01201, United States

Shades of the Revolution - September 25
2026-09-25 17:30 - 19:00 | Pittsfield Cemetery, 203 Waconah Street, Pittsfield , MA, 01201, United States

Planting the Liberty Tree
2026-09-26 10:00 - 11:00 | The Common, 100 Fenn Street, Pittsfield, 01201, United States
Join BCHS and the City of Pittsfield in the continuing celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence with the planting of a young American Elm “liberty tree” at The Common. These trees were symbolic of the freedom that patriots were seeking and they served as gathering places and rallying points throughout the colonies during the revolution.
FREE Event
This event is sponsored by Massachusetts Cultural Council, Greylock Federal Credit Union, City of Pittsfield, and The Feigenbaum Foundation.

Shades of the Revolution - September 26
2026-09-26 17:30 - 19:00 | Pittsfield Cemetery, 203 Waconah Street, Pittsfield , MA, 01201, United States

Run for the Revolution
2026-10-18 09:00 - 12:00 | Pittsfield State Forest, Cascade StreetPi, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
Join in the on-going celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and Run for the Revolution! This race, presented in partnership with the Berkshire Running Foundation, takes place at the Pittsfield State Forest with three distance options. The course is an out and back 5K run down a foliage lined street that leads out of the state forest then circles back to the start. Attendees can take part in the loop once for a 5K distance, twice for the 10K, and three times around for a 15K distance. Not a runner? No problem – walkers are encouraged for all 3 distances. Proceeds benefit BCHS preservation and education programs.
For completed details and to register click here.
This event is sponsored by Massachusetts Cultural Council, Greylock Federal Credit Union, and The Feigenbaum Foundation.
