What’s Happening in Amherst?

by Art and Maura Keene

You can help us make our events calendar more comprehensive by sending us your listings and including contact information and/or a link for more information. Send events listings to amherstindy@gmail.com.

SINGLE DAY EVENTS

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 3: NATIONAL GIRLS AND WOMEN IN SPORTS DAY. 10 a.m to 12:30 p.m., Alumni Gym at Amherst College. The Amherst College Department of Athletics, in partnership with the Town of Amherst and Amherst Recreation Department, is proud to host National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD). This event, dedicated to honoring the achievements of girls and women in sports, aims to recognize the power of sports and play in unlocking limitless potential. NGWSD at Amherst College will provide girls in grades 4-6 with a unique opportunity to explore various sports, play, and have fun together. The event will feature activities led by women’s sports teams, including: squash, basketball, softball, volleyball, soccer, tennis, field hockey, lacrosse, golf, cross country and track & field. After an introductory program, girls will be divided into teams so they can try different sports and games.  Parents and guardians must remain on the premises; however, they will have the opportunity to attend presentations by our nutritionist and receive details about local sports and fitness organizations. Additionally, refreshments will be provided for their enjoyment.
For more information, contact Jennifer Chuks at jchuks@amherst.edu. Register here:  https://forms.gle/Sx38q4dLhcGQ7E9v7

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 3: THE EVOLVING NEW ENGLAND ORCHARD. 3 p.m. on Zoom. Learn about the history of apples in New England, as well as how apples continue to nourish our stomachs and souls, in this Zoom presentation by Russell Powell, executive director of the New England Apple Association. Register via Zoom.

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 3: AMHERST FIRE AND ICE FESTIVAL. Town Common, 2 p.m – 7 p.m. Free and open to the public. The fourth annual Amherst Fire and Ice Festival will be held on the Town Common on February 3 with events running from 2 p.m to 7 p.m.  The event is a family friendly festival that will include s’mores, fire pits, hot cocoa, crafting, ice and metal sculptures, and fire performances. As in years past, the highlight and finale of the event will be a lighting of luminaria which will begin at 6 p.m.
Sponsored by Amherst Downtown BID, Amherst College, Amherst Recreation Department, and the Amherst Fire Department.  Fire & Ice is part of WinterFest Amherst, a Town of Amherst series of events celebrating the winter season. Schedule of events here.

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 3: MLK DAY CELEBRATION. 7 p.m. Amherst Media Channel 12, Amherst Media. The Amherst Historical Society returns for another edition of ‘History Bites’ led by author Thomas Johnson about his book ‘Common PLACE: The Public Library, Civil Society, and Early American Values’.

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 3: BILL SHONTZ AND MITCH CHAKOUR. 7 p.m. First Church, 165 Main Street. The Pioneer Valley Folklore Society presents two iconic veterans of the Pioneer Valley music scene and beyond, will be the featured performers at the February 3 Song & Story Swap. People of all ages gather to share stories and songs that are traditional, newly written, or of personal experiences. You can tell, sing, or lead everyone in singing, or request a song or story. Listeners are welcome. Suggested donation $5 to $10. Parking available behind the church.

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 4: COFFEE HOUSE CONCERT BY JERRY AND KARA NOBLE. 3 p.m. South Congregational Church. Celebrate the Church’s 200 anniversary with a musical coffee house presented in the Kenseth Room by popular Valley musicians Jerry and Kara Noble. Free will donation of $20 per person suggested. Reservations required. Call (413) 253-2977 or email office@amherstsouthchurch.org

MONDAY FEBRUARY 5: NORTH AMHERST LIBRARY SOFT REPOPENING. The library’s hours are Monday 3:30-7:30; Tuesday 10:00-2:00; Wednesday 3:30-7:30; Thursday CLOSED; Friday 10:00-2:00; Saturday 10:00-2:00; Sunday CLOSED. There will a grand re-opening in the spring.

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 6: FREE FACULTY JAZZ CONCERT.  7:30 p.m, Bezanson, UMass. Featuring jazz faculty Felipe Salles, sax; Ben Griffin, trombone; Haneef Nelson, trumpet; Catherine Jensen-Hole, vocals; Bob Ferrier, guitar; Jeff Holmes, piano; Fumi Tomita, bass; Tom Giampietro, drums. Free.

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 6: ANCESTRAL BRIDGES EXPANDED EXHIBITION OPENING RECEPTION. 4 to 6 p.m., Frost Library, Amherst College. The Ancestral Bridges exhibit is growing! Join us for the opening reception of the Ancestral Bridges Expanded Exhibit, featuring more photographs, objects, and rare documents. Join us as we celebrate the expansion of this unique exhibition at a reception welcoming the descendants of those whose stories are featured, as well as campus and community members. Doors open at 4:30 PM, with brief remarks at 5 PM. Connect with history and community while exploring the stories of Black and Afro-Indigenous families who lived and worked in Amherst from the 18th through the early 20th centuries. We look forward to your presence at this special event.Ancestral Bridges is a first-of-its-kind partnership between Amherst College and Ancestral Bridges.

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 6 AND THURSDAY FEBRUARY 8: RECKONING WITH RACISM IN NURSING. 1 p.m. Channel 15 Amherst Media. 40 nurses were interviewed capture the wealth of professional and personal experiences of nurses of color, spanning decades and topics.

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 7: GERALD “JERRY” EPSTEIN TALK AND BOOK LAUNCH. 7 p.m. Amherst Books, 8 Main Street. Gerald “Jerry” Epstein will talk about his new book, Busting the Bankers’ Club: Finance for the Rest of Us. Epstein is Professor of Economics & a Founding Codirector of the Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He is also author of The Political Economy of Central Banking: Contested Control & the Power of Finance. The economist Robert Kuttner wrote, “Gerald Epstein’s Busting the Bankers’ Club is an indispensable guide to how the financial elite made banking a self-serving & unstable cartel, & how to turn banking back into the servant of the real economy rather than the master.” 

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 8: THE PLACE AND PEOPLE OF MALAGA ISLAND. 7 p.m. on Zoom. The experience of any place is informed by its physical characteristics, natural history, and cultural story. Malaga’s experience is complex, with contrasting beauty and pain. Andrew Deci, Regional Land Steward for Maine Coast Heritage Trust and caretaker of the 40-acre island in Phippsburg, Maine, will present an overview of the island and its storied past of racist eviction by the State of Maine.  Register via Zoom.

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 9: TUNES AT NOON WITH PAMELA MEANS. 12 to 1, Amherst Survival Center, 138 Sunderland Road. Pamela Means, singer-songwriter and jazz musician is “one of the fiercest guitar players and politically-rooted musicians in the industry today” (Curve Magazine) All are welcome! This program is supported in part by the Amherst Cultural Council.

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 9: FACULTY CONCERT: GILLES VONSATTEL, PIANO. 7:30 p.m. Bezanson. All Beethoven program featuring the Op. 26 “Funeral March” Sonata, the Op. 57 “Appassionata” Sonata and the Op 106 “Hammerklavier” Sonata. Free.

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 9: POP UP MARKET AND LADIES OF COMEDY. Market 6 to 7:30 (free), show at 8, The Drake, 44 North Pleasant Street. Pre-Valentine market featuring Art of Intimates, Julie Nolan Jewelry, and Botanical Home. Comedy show features Jane Condon and Christine Hurley. Tickets $15 in advance, $20 at the door.

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 10: LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF AMHERST BIRTHDAY LUNCHEON. 12 p.m. Ginger Garden, 351 Northampton Road. Celebrate LWVA’s 85^th birthday with special guest State Senator Jo Comerford. You must RSVP by January 28. See https://www.lwvamherst.org/ . $22 per person.

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 10 AND SUNDAY FEBRUARY 11: UMASS OPERA ON THE AIR: 3 ONE-ACT OPERAS. February 10 at 7:30 and February 11 at 3 p.m. Bowker Auditorium, UMass. Marjorie Melnick, William Hite & Jamie-Rose Guarrine, faculty coordinators. Three one-act operas portrayed as if on a radio station: Samuel Barber: Hand of Bridge, Douglas Moore: Gallantry, and Gian Carlo Menotti: Old Maid and the Thief. Snow date: Monday, Feb. 12, 7:30pm. Tickets: $25 public, $20 seniors, free to students. Tickets at https://fac.umass.edu/Online/default.asp?BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::permalink=musicanddancedepartment&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::context_id=

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 13: FRED SIENKIEWICZ TRUMPET. 7:30 p.m. Bezanson Hall, UMass. With Tom Weaver, piano. Lecture/Recital on the life & trumpet works of Alexander Arutiunian. Trumpeter Fred Sienkiewicz, a UMass Amherst alumnus, enjoys a multi-faceted career as a performer, pedagogue, and scholar. Sienkiewicz has been a member of the Owensboro Symphony since 2016, and actively performs throughout the Mid-South. Free.

TUESDAY FEBRARY 13: BOOK DISCUSSION OF THIS OTHER EDEN BY PAUL HARDING. 7 to 8 p.m., Jones Library. Join Jennifer Acker from Amherst College and Jones Library staff member Linda Wentworth for an in-depth discussion of this year’s selected title.

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 14: FACULTY CONCERT: BUSONI FESTIVAL WITH STEVEN BECK AND ERINN KNYT. 7:30 p.m. Bezanson Hall, UMass. With UMass faculty pianist Steven Beck, guest pianist Amy Cheng, and UMass student pianists. Featuring the music of Ferruccio Busoni (1866-1924) with a pre-concert talk by UMass music history professor and Busoni scholar Erinn Knyt. Free.

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 15: CIRCQUE MECHANICS: ZEPHYR. 7:30. Frederick Tillis Performance Hall, UMass. n Zephyr — A Whirlwind of Circus the ever-inventive Cirque Mechanics offer the latest expression of their celebrated blend of ingenuity, theater, and circus arts.
Founded in 2004 by Boston native and German wheel artist Chris Lashua, Las Vegas-based Cirque Mechanics, quickly established itself as a premier American circus troupe. The company is revered for its unique approach to performance, inspiring storytelling, and innovative mechanical staging. Spectacle hailed it as “the greatest contribution to the American circus since Cirque du Soleil.” Tickets https://fac.umass.edu/Online/mapSelect.asp?doWork::WSmap::loadMap=Load&createBO::WSmap=1&BOparam::WSmap::loadMap::performance_ids=AA4101FD-AF7B-43F5-BB8A-E738F68B3896 $55, $45, $35, Youth and Students: $15, $12, $10.

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 16: GRADUATE JAZZ COMPOSERS ENSEMBLE. 7:30 p.m. Bezanson Hall, UMass. Featuring new music by students in the jazz composition/arranging Masters program, includingHugo Sanbone, Forest Loomis-Dulong, Justin Leach & others. Free.

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 17: TOWN SPRING FESTIVAL/LUNAR NEW YEAR CELEBRATION. Amherst Regional Middle School, 170 Chestnut Street. Join the Human Rights Commission and the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion as we welcome in the year of the Dragon. Learn about the origins and traditions of  Spring Festival.  Enjoy a Dragon dance and other traditional Spring Festival dances and songs. There will be activities for all and lunch will be provided by our favorite local restaurants. Registration is not required, but it is appreciated.  To register Click Here!

Schedule of Events
10:30 a.m.  The origin and traditions of Spring Festival, Dr. Lily Soh
11:15   a.m.  Dragon dance and other traditional Spring Festival dances and songs performed by East Culture, Inc. 
12:00 a.m.  Reading of the 2024 Spring Festival Proclamation read by Amherst Town Council
12:15  p.m.  Lunch provided by our favorite local restaurants

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 18: CLARICONNECT: PLAY WITH THE PROS. 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Bezanson Hall, UMass. UMass Clarinet Day. Free for all! This year CLARIconNecT is about chamber music. All clarinetists are welcome to participate in the rehearsals and performances of clarinet chamber groups and clarinet choir with DECODA guest artists Alicia Lee, Bixby Kennedy, Paul Cho, and Romie de Guise-Langlois. Register by February 1 to perform. See https://www.deguise-langlois.com/clariconnect-2023?fbclid=IwAR244KiYOyC8KeMIRlb-J29Up-yX2LkivWPkuoGz4baxJYobbEVljrLjYIs

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 21: FACULTY CONCERT: JONATHAN HULTING-COHEN, SAXOPHONE & JIAYAN SUN, PIANO. 7:30 p.m. Bezanson Hall, UMass. Music by Jules Demersseman, Ingrid Arauco, Pablo de Sarasate, David Loeb, & the Sonata in A Major by Cesar Franck, arranged for saxophone and piano. Free

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 21: JUDY BROOKS CONVERSATION SERIES WITH MEMBERS OF THE BLACK BUSINESS ASSOCIATION OF AMHERST. 7 p.m. on Zoom. Register for the League of Women Voters of Amherst monthly Judy Brooks conversation series at https://www.lwvamherst.org

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 22: SCREENING OF “CHUCHI AND ADALIZ”. 4:30 to 6 p.m., Pruyne Auditorium, Amherst College. “Chuchi and Adaliz” — pilot of the web series created and written by Amherst Alum Ashley Soto — is the highlight of this special screening. “Chuchi and Adaliz” premiered at SXSW in 2023 and is a five episode, single camera digital series that follows childhood besties who, despite having a shared racial and ethnic identity as AfroPuerto Ricans, couldn’t be more different than each other as adults. Soto will take questions after the screening, and all are welcome to attend and enjoy pizza with the Amherst Film and Media Studies program.

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 22: BLUE NOTE RECORDS 85^TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION WITH THE BLUE NOTE QUINTET. 7:30, Bowker Auditorium, UMass. The combo Blue Note has assembled to play their traveling birthday party features five absolutely stellar current-day exponents of America’s greatest music form. There’s no way we’d miss an opportunity to host this quintet. We can’t wait to see what happens when they hit our stage. And we know you’re going to want to be here to see it, too. Led by pianist Gerald Clayton, a six-time Grammy nominee, the band features vibraphonist Joel Ross, saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins, drummer Kendrick Scott, and bassist Matt Brewer. We don’t have enough time or space to list the artists these guys have performed with, because it’s pretty much everyone. We will tell you that their recorded output as leaders and sidemen has been remarkable. Tickets https://fac.umass.edu/Online/mapSelect.asp?doWork::WSmap::loadMap=Load&createBO::WSmap=1&BOparam::WSmap::loadMap::performance_ids=FCB2BF2B-50C4-4606-8A72-C1AE9FCD7AC7 $35, $30, Youth and students $10.

THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY FEBRUARY 22-24: REPERTOIRE: AN EVENING OF DANCES PAST AND PRESENT. 7:30 p.m. Totman Performance Lab, UMass. Original works by our dance faculty, including Molly Fletcher Lynch-Clark’s What Still Lingers (premiered 2023, Tom Vacanti’s Arena (premiered 2014), plus a new work by Vacanti to Stravinsky’s Symphony in 3 Movements. $10, free for students.

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 23: AMHERST AREA GOSPEL CHOIR AT THE SURVIVAL CENTER. 12 to 1 p.m. Amherst Survival Center, 138 Sunderland Road. We are thrilled to have the Amherst Area Gospel Choir return for their annual ASC performance. All are welcome. The program is supported in part by a grant from the Amherst Cultural Council. The lunch menu will feature Black achievements in the culinary arts.

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 23: ON THE SAME PAGE WITH PAUL HARDING. 5 to 6:30 p.m., Johnson Chapel, Amherst College. Join us for a conversation with National Book Award winner Justin Torres and finalist Paul Harding, moderated by Amherst College Assistant Professor of English Amelia Worsley, with introductions and remarks from Amherst College President Michael Elliott and National Book Foundation Director of Programs and Partnerships, Natalie Green.

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 25: PRESENTATION ON HOME CAREGIVING AT THE END OF LIFE. Noon. Grace Episcopal Church, 14 Boltwood Ave. Karen Miller, Clinical Nurse Manager at Cooley Dickinson Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) and Hospice, will be hosting a presentation on the importance of home caregiving at the end of life.  She will discuss options for emotional, physical, and spiritual support that can help families manage challenges and provide comfort.  More information: Contact: Terrie Korpita (Parish Administrator), 413-256-6754, tkorpita@gracechurchamherst.org

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 29: UMASS WHITE LION DANCERS AT THE SURVIVAL CENTER. 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Amherst Survival Center, 138 Sunderland Road. A performance by the UMass White Lion Dancers. All are welcome! Appetizers from local restaurants will be served. This program is supported in part by the Amherst Cultural Council.

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 29: REPARATIONS IN AMHERST. 4-5:30 p.m. via Zoom. Presented by Amherst Neighbors. The African Heritage Reparation Assembly (AHRA) submitted its final report <https://www.amherstma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/68980/AHRA-FINAL-REPORT> to the Amherst Town Council in September 2023, following an extensive consultative process with Amherst residents. The report laid out recommendations including a funding plan, eligibility criteria, and truth and reconciliation initiatives. Please join members of the AHRA, Dr. Amilcar Shabazz and Michele Miller, and local and state reparations activist Kathleen Anderson for a discussion about the recommendations and what’s next for the reparative justice movement locally and beyond. There will be a brief presentation, followed by a robust question and answer session. Questions can be submitted in advance or asked during the program. Free. Register at https://amherstneighbors.org/content.aspx?page_id=4008&club_id=428578&item_id=2206909

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 29 : NATIONAL DAY OF RACIAL HEALING AT UMASS (recheduled from January 16.  9-11 a.m., Student Union, UMass and streaming. Please join us in community to contemplate our shared values, celebrate our common humanity, and inspire collective action to create a more just and equitable world. Our featured speaker is author, activist, and jazz singer, LaTosha Brown. Brown is a contributor to The New York Times and a Senior Practice Fellow at the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. As co-founder of the Black Voters Matter Fund organization, LaTosha is dedicated to increasing the political power of Black people. Brunch is sold out. Join by livestream at https://youtube/live/x00pfwrWUo

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 29: BLACK ARTS MATTER VISUAL SHOWCASE OPENING. Mead Art Museum, Amherst College. The Black Art Matters Festival affirms and celebrates Black student artists and creators. Zoe Akoto (Class of 2021) started the Black Art Matters Festival in 2018 in a student dormitory when she noticed that the creative work of Black students was rarely seen on campus.  Comprised of a visual arts showcase and a performance showcase, the Festival highlights an expansive range of creative practices including all visual media as well as spoken word, dance, and music.

FRIDAY MARCH 1: MUSIC AT AMHERST PRESENTS TERRi LYNNE CARRINGTON AND SOCIAL SCIENCE. 7:30 p.m. Buckley Recital Hall, Amherst College Galvanized by seismic changes in the ever-evolving social and political landscape, Terri Lyne Carrington and Social Science confront a wide spectrum of social justice issues. The band’s stunning double-disc debut, Waiting Game, immediately takes its place in the stirring lineage of politically conscious and activist music, expressing an unflinching, inclusive and compassionate view of humanity’s breaks and bonds through an expansive program melding jazz, R&B, indie rock, contemporary improvisation and hip-hop.

BEGINNING THURSDAY MARCH 1: THE EVERGREENS REOPENS. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays. Emily Dickinson Museum, 280 Main Street. The moment we’ve all been waiting for: The Evergreens will open for the first time since 2019! The lives of the Dickinson families at the Homestead and The Evergreens were closely linked, both in their daily conduct and in the private lives that unfolded in the houses. These connections had a profound impact on Emily Dickinson’s poetry and, later, on the posthumous publication of her verse and the preservation of her legacy. Visitors are recommended to purchase tickets in advance at https://www.emilydickinsonmuseum.org/visit/

ONGOING AND MULTI-DAY EVENTS
TUESDAYS IN FEBRUARY: MY VOICE MY STORY. 4:30 on Amherst Media Channel 12. Amherst Media”s Black History Month Portrait Series returns with Tennis Professional, Art Carrington, who shares insight into the history of Black Tennis.

FIRST TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH. RAINBOW COFFEE HOUR. 10-11 a.m. Amherst Senior Center, Bangs Center, 70 Boltwood Walk. The Rainbow Coffee Hour is a new LGBTIA+ social coffee group for ages 50 and above. Join us for this welcoming space to socialize. No format, no agenda, just community. The July coffee hour will be held on July 11, due to July 4 being the first Tuesday of the month.

FIRST AND THIRD TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH (EXCLUDING JULY): NORTHAMPTON JAZZ WORKSHOP. The Drake. 44 North Pleasant Street. 7:30 p.m. Free (donations accepted). Featuring the Green Street trio with a special guest. Featured set at 7:30 followed by an open jam session. Bring your axe. Full calendar of events here.

SECOND TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH (EXCLUDING JULY): OPEN MIC NIGHT AT THE DRAKE. 44 North Pleasant Street. Free event. Performers arrive by 5:30 p.m. Stage time: 6 p.m – 10 p.m. All ages. Younger performers will be slotted earler. All performers and styles of performances welcome, including but not limited to: music (of all kinds) – acoustic, folk, rock, hip hop, jazz, classical, etc…comedy, spoken word / readings, poetry, dance, performance art. House rules and more information.

FIRST WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH: MOBILE FOOD PROGRAM. 1-2 p.m. The Boulders, 156 Brittany Manor Drive. Free produce. No registration necessary. Open to everyone. Brought by the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts and the Amherst Survival Center. The Food Bank truck will be in the parking lot near apartments 115-125.

LAST WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH: CRAFT AND CONVERSE. Mill District General Store and Local Art Gallery, 91 Cowls Road. 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m. Are you tired of creating in solitude? Looking to connect with other artistic individuals? Grab your sketchbook, knitting bag, or water color gear and join our monthly coworking group! Craft and converse, hosted by Easthampton artist Kaia Zimmerman, is held the last Wednesday of every month from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. This welcoming, intentional space is designed for community members to come together for a casual, social evening while pursuing their own creative projects. Drop-ins welcome, but registration encouraged for any weather-related changes in schedule. Bring your own arts or crafts project (BYOA) to work on. Ages 16+.

EVERY WEDNESDAY : CAN’T REMEMBER CAFE. Bangs Community Center, 70 Boltwood Walk. 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Are you or a loved one experiencing memory loss? At the Amherst Senior Center, we understand memory changes and have developed a new program based on the popular Memory Café format. The Can’t Remember (CR) Café offers fun, relaxation, and of course, snacks. This program is perfect for caregivers, people with mild memory loss, or anyone in the community who enjoys good conversation and strong coffee. Each Can’t Remember Café opens with a coffee and conversation hour, followed by a group activity. Join us on Wednesday, November 30th for a performance by our special musical guests, “Healing Hearts with Harmony” at 11:00am. Come for the coffee, stay for the connections! Email seniorcenter@amherstma.gov or call 413-259-3060 with questions. 

EVERY THURSDAY: STITCH CIRCLE. 4 to 6 p.m. Mill District Local Art Gallery and General Store, 91 Cowls Road. Grab your needles, venture to the General Store, and join us for our first Stitch Circle. Knitters, quilters, embroidery artists, and crocheters are all invited. Free.

FIRST AND THIRD FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH: VETERAN’S COMMUNITY BREAKFAST FOR ALL -8 a.m – 9 a.m. Large Activity Room, Bangs Center, 70 Boltwood Walk. At each breakfast (bagel/donut/coffee), a veteran or veteran ally, will tell his or her personal story regarding military service. Generation after generation reveals that those going to war to defend our country come back spiritually and morally wounded, regardless of the bodily consequences of combat. We want to bring veterans together for food and friendship to help coalesce a spirit of camaraderie to enable authentic, veteran-oriented communities to flourish. WELCOME: Veterans, Spouses, Caregivers, Amherst Community Members.  Let’s Build a Thriving Veterans Community.  There are 387 Veterans in town! Sponsored by CRESS. FOR MORE INFORMATION:  CALL THE CRESS OFFICE, (413) 259-3370  OR GENE HERMAN, VIETNAM VETERAN, (240) 472-7288  –  CRESS VETERAN’S OUTREACH VOLUNTEER.

NOW THROUGH SATURDAY MARCH 2: THE DANCE OF DEMENTIA FIBER ART EXHIBIT. Gallery A3, 28 Amity Street 1D in Amherst annouces its new exhibition for February: Dances of Dementia an exhibit of fiber art by Cheryl Rezendes. The exhibit will run from Thursday February 1 through Saturday March 2. There will be an opening reception on Thursday February 1, from 5-7 p.m. and a free online art forum on Thursday February 15 at 7:30 p.m. (register here). Gallery hours are Thursday-Sunday, 2-7:00 p.m. More information

NOW THROUGH MARCH 2024: SELF-PORTRAITS BY FIRST GRADERS FROM WILDWOOD SCHOOL. Mead Art Museum, Amherst College. First graders from Wildwood School had a gallery opening at the Mead Art Museum at Amherst college on Thursday evening, December 14. Their self portraits are the culmination of a partnership with the Mead that included art educators visiting the Wildwood classrooms and a field trip.

NOW THROUGH JUNE 7: DAILY YOGA AT THE MUNSON LIBRARY. Free outdoor yoga is now inside at the Munson Library. The schedule is: Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays at 8 a.m., Mondays and Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays at 7:30 a.m., Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8 a.m. No pre-registration necessary. Bring your own mats, blocks, straps, and blankets. Donations welcome.

NOW THROUGH SUNDAY JUNE 9: SLOW WALK WITH TREES: ALICIA GRULLON PHOTO EXHIBIT. Mead Art Museum, Amherst College. The exhibition is a call to consider notions of land and labor as interconnected systems through various mediums. Grullón’s new photographs of trees and pictures of a single masked person are each paired with text. The compilation of texts reflects Grullón’s research of recent protests in a range of industries such as mining, shipping, and entertainment. 

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 7 THROUGH FRIDAY MAY 10: AS WE MOVE FORWARD: ART EXHIBIT. Augusta Savage Gallery, New Africa House, 80 Infirmary Way, UMass. Curated by Juana Valdes and Nhadya Lawes. As We Move Forward honors the work and legacy of American sculptor and educator Augusta Savage (1892-1962), who paved the way for future generations of Black artists. Valdes and Lawes have chosen the works of seventeen Black, Latinx, and Afro- Indigenous women artists from Savage’s home state of Florida. The exhibition combines printmaking, photography, sculpture, architecture, ceramics, and other mixed media to create a space of celebration and growth for these emerging artists. Opening Reception: Tuesday, February 27, 5-7 p.m. Curators’ Talk: Thursday, April 4, 6 p.m.

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 23 THROUGH SUNDAY FEBRUARY 25: 9^TH ANNUAL AMHERST COLLEGE LITFEST.  a literary festival celebrating fiction, nonfiction, poetry and spoken-word performance, along with the College’s extraordinary literary life. Guest speakers include award-winning authors Natasha Trethewey, Paul Harding, Ed Yong, Blair Kamin ’79 P’15, Lisa Biggs ’93, and other distinguished editors and authors. Check https://www.amherst.edu/about/literary-amherst/litfest  for schedule and speaker information.