What’s Happening in Amherst?

by Art & 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.

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 1: NORTH AMHERST COMMUNITY FARM VOLUNTEER WORKDAYS. 10 a.m. to mid-afternoon, North Amherst community Farm, 1089 North Pleasant Street. We are continuing the efforts to improve the farm landscape by cutting back the rampant weed growth, pruning trees. and pulling out invasives. If you can, bring tools to cut down weeds and brush, as well as gloves. We are hoping to be able to burn piles of brush.

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 1: SINGER SONGWRITER RALPH CALRSON AT PVFS NOVEMBER SONG AND STORY SWAP. Award-winning, contemporary Western Massachusetts singer-songwriter Ralph Carson is the featured artist at the Pioneer Valley Folklore Society’s November Song and Story Swap on Saturday, November 1. The event will take place at First Church, 165 Main St. at 7 p.m. Parking is available in the lot behind the church. Admission is free, with a suggested minimum donation to the artist of $7.50. MORE

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 2: WALKING TOUR: THE WOMEN OF WEST CEMETERY. 1 to 2:30 p.m., West Cemetery, Triangle Street. Stroll through over three centuries of history in downtown Amherst’s West Cemetery and learn about the women who’ve inhabited this town–from women whose names and stories have been lost to time to those who are internationally renowned like poet Emily Dickinson. This 90 minute tour will examine how Amherst women from different backgrounds have lived, died, and been remembered. Led by Sarah Zureick-Brown, cemetery tour guide and creator of The Silent Sod.  PRE REGISTRATION REQUIRED.  Register here.

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 2 AND TUESDAY NOVEMBER 4: NOIRVEMBER AT AMHERST CINEMA: “BOUND”. 1:30 p.m Sunday and 7 p.m. Tuesday, Amherst Cinema, 28 Amity Street. Amherst Cinema will host its “Noirvember” series, screenings of four neo-noir movies, starting November 3 with “Bound,” which “upends traditional gender roles and brings a queer love story into a thrilling tale of gangsters and ex-cons,” on Sunday, Nov. 2, at 1:30 p.m. and Tuesday, Nov. 4, at 7 p.m.;. According to the Cinema, these films reimagine the genre of classic noirs while “exploring stories, settings and themes befitting their eras.” Other films in the series are “Pale Flower,” about “a yakuza in post-war Tokyo whose shot at redemption only leads him deeper into the criminal underworld,” on Sunday, Nov. 9, at 1:30 p.m. and Tuesday, Nov. 11, at 7 p.m.; “Body Heat” about a beautiful Florida woman plotting with a seedy lawyer to murder her rich husband on Sunday November 16 and Tuesday, November 18; and “Le Cercle Rouge,” four men, including a recently-released criminal (Alain Delon) and an alcoholic ex-cop (Yves Montand), attempt a meticulously planned jewel heist in this utterly stylish French classic on Sunday, November 23 at 1:30 and Tuesday, November 25 at 7 p.m.. Tickets and information here.

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 2: SPECIAL STORYTIME WITH AUTHOR JASON CHIN.  2 to 2:30 p.m., Eric Carle Museum, 125 West Bay Road. Caldecott and Sibert Medalist Jason Chin will read his new book Hurricane during a special storytime at the Eric Carle Museum on Sunday. It’s a beautiful day on Hatteras Island, North Carolina. But while all seems calm now, a hurricane is barreling across the Atlantic, and everyone is wondering when it will hit the U.S. coast – and where. Jason will host a live drawing demo after the storytime. A book signing will follow the program.  

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 2: NICK GRABBE TALK ON AUTHOR AND JOURNALIST RAY STANNARD BAKER. 4 p.m., Wildwood Cemetery Office, 70 Strong Street. When Ray Stannard Baker moved to Amherst in 1910, he brought with him a national reputation as a journalist. He also brought with him a secret identity as a writer of wholesome stories that were extremely popular. Retired Amherst journalist Nick Grabbe will give a talk on Baker and his alter ego. Baker is buried in Wildwood Cemetery.

MONDAY NOVEMBER 3: KITTY BURNS FLOREY BOOK TALK. 1:30 p.m., Amherst Women’s Club, 35 Triangle Street. Amherst writer Kitty Burns Florey will speak about her upcoming book “The Music of Eighty: Learning In Old Age”. The book is about Florey’s experience learning to play the viola da gamba, a centuries-old string instrument. Florey will also provide a demonstration at the event. The book is set to be released in early January 2026.  Free and open to the public Register here.

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 4: SENIOR CENTER POTLUCK LUNCH. Noon, Town Hall, 4 Boltwood Walk. All are welcome. No need to bring a dish. Just bring yourself and a friend. Sponsored by the Council on Aging.

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 4: NOIRVEMBER AT AMHERST CINEMA: “BOUND”. 1:30 p.m Sunday and 7 p.m. Tuesday, Amherst Cinema, 28 Amity Street. Amherst Cinema will host its “Noirvember” series, screenings of four neo-noir movies, starting November 3 with “Bound,” which “upends traditional gender roles and brings a queer love story into a thrilling tale of gangsters and ex-cons,” on Sunday, Nov. 2, at 1:30 p.m. and Tuesday, Nov. 4, at 7 p.m.;. According to the Cinema, these films reimagine the genre of classic noirs while “exploring stories, settings and themes befitting their eras.” Other films in the series are “Pale Flower,” about “a yakuza in post-war Tokyo whose shot at redemption only leads him deeper into the criminal underworld,” on Sunday, Nov. 9, at 1:30 p.m. and Tuesday, Nov. 11, at 7 p.m.; “Body Heat” about a beautiful Florida woman plotting with a seedy lawyer to murder her rich husband on Sunday November 16 and Tuesday, November 18; and “Le Cercle Rouge,” four men, including a recently-released criminal (Alain Delon) and an alcoholic ex-cop (Yves Montand), attempt a meticulously planned jewel heist in this utterly stylish French classic on Sunday, November 23 at 1:30 and Tuesday, November 25 at 7 p.m.. Tickets and information here.

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 5: 25^TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MASSACHUSETTS BOOK AWARDS. 6 p.m., Northampton Center for the Arts, 33 Hawley Street, Northampton. Massachusetts Center for the Book celebrates 25 years of Massachusetts book awards with readings from previous winners. The evening will feature Mass Book Award–winning authors Christian G. Appy, George Howe Colt, Amy Dryansky, Uzma Aslam Khan, Jim Shepard, Karen Skolfield, and Heather Treseler, who will share both new and award-winning work across fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. For 25 years, the Massachusetts Book Awards have recognized significant works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, translated literature, graphic novel/memoir, and children’s/young adult literature written, illustrated, or translated by current Commonwealth residents. Award winners and honor recipients are celebrated each fall at the Massachusetts State House in Boston. This year, Mass Center for the Book is pleased to bring authors together in Western Massachusetts to celebrate the longevity and continued success of the awards. Books will be available for purchase from Broadside Bookshop, and a reception will follow.

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 6 THROUGH SUNDAY NOVEMBER 9: VALLEY LIGHT OPERA PRESENTS HMS PINAFORE. November 6 and 7 at 7:30 p.m., November 8 and 9 at 2 p.m., Academy of Music, Northampton. Valley Light Opera celebrates its 50th Anniversary with a stunning production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s HMS Pinafore – the show that started it all! With the charm, manners, and romance of a Jane Austen novella, this beloved story about social status, rank, forbidden love, and societal pressures has transcended time for all the best reasons. Replete with gorgeous music, accompanied by a full orchestra, we’ll meet a cast of characters that are at turns funny, poignant, mysterious, haughty, and altogether fun to watch. With a charmingly nautical set and VLO’s famously beautiful costumes, this production will be a feast for the ears, eyes and heart. Tickets.

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 8: HOLIDAY ARTS MARKET AT THE MILL DISTRICT. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., 91 Cowls Road. Join us for a festive celebration of creativity at our Annual Holiday Arts Market. Local artists, makers, food vendors, and community partners contribute to this beloved North Amherst tradition. (Rain date: Sunday, November 9).

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 8: GRACE CHURCH HARVEST CONCERT. 4 p.m., Grace Episcopal Church, 14 Boltwood Avenue. Celebrate the harvest season with beautiful music at Grace Church! The concert will feature Mark Fraser, cello; Estela Olevsky, piano; Dick Damon, organ; Hanif Lawrence, tenor soloist; the Silverwood Quartet; the Cantabile vocal ensemble; and the Grace Church Choir directed by Hanif Lawrence.
Suggested donation is $25 at the door, with proceeds benefiting the
Grace Church Organ Fund. Contact: Mary Hocken melizhocken@gmail.com

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 8: DEMOCRACY: AMERICAN MUSICAL. Two shows, 1 p.m. and 7 p.m., ‘Bernie Dallas Room, Goodell Hall, 140 Hicks Way, UMass. The University of Massachusetts Theater Guild will present a concert performance of Democracy: American Musical by John McDonnell Tierney on Saturday Nov. 8, with two shows at 1:00 and 7:00 pm. This work is a powerful statement on the vital importance of defending and supporting democratic values in the face of a growing shift toward autocracy. The concert is free and open to the public. For more information visit: www.jackmct.com.

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 9: FRIENDS OF THE JONES LIBRARIES PICKLEBALL TOURNAMENT. Bay Road Multisport Center. Registration is now open for the second annual tournament. Register through October 11 for one of 6 divisions for all levels. Information and registration  here. $60 a person.

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 9 AND TUESDAY NOVEMBER 11: NOIRVEMBER AT AMHERST CINEMA: “PALE FLOWER”. 1:30 p.m Sunday and 7 p.m. Tuesday, Amherst Cinema, 28 Amity Street. Amherst Cinema will host its “Noirvember” series, screenings of four neo-noir movies, starting November 3 with “Bound,” which “upends traditional gender roles and brings a queer love story into a thrilling tale of gangsters and ex-cons,” on Sunday, Nov. 2, at 1:30 p.m. and Tuesday, Nov. 4, at 7 p.m.;. According to the Cinema, these films reimagine the genre of classic noirs while “exploring stories, settings and themes befitting their eras.” Other films in the series are “Pale Flower,” about “a yakuza in post-war Tokyo whose shot at redemption only leads him deeper into the criminal underworld,” on Sunday, Nov. 9, at 1:30 p.m. and Tuesday, Nov. 11, at 7 p.m.; “Body Heat” about a beautiful Florida woman plotting with a seedy lawyer to murder her rich husband on Sunday November 16 and Tuesday, November 18; and “Le Cercle Rouge,” four men, including a recently-released criminal (Alain Delon) and an alcoholic ex-cop (Yves Montand), attempt a meticulously planned jewel heist in this utterly stylish French classic on Sunday, November 23 at 1:30 and Tuesday, November 25 at 7 p.m.. Tickets and information here.

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 11: NOIRVEMBER AT AMHERST CINEMA: “PALE FLOWER”. 1:30 p.m Sunday and 7 p.m. Tuesday, Amherst Cinema, 28 Amity Street. Amherst Cinema will host its “Noirvember” series, screenings of four neo-noir movies, starting November 3 with “Bound,” which “upends traditional gender roles and brings a queer love story into a thrilling tale of gangsters and ex-cons,” on Sunday, Nov. 2, at 1:30 p.m. and Tuesday, Nov. 4, at 7 p.m.;. According to the Cinema, these films reimagine the genre of classic noirs while “exploring stories, settings and themes befitting their eras.” Other films in the series are “Pale Flower,” about “a yakuza in post-war Tokyo whose shot at redemption only leads him deeper into the criminal underworld,” on Sunday, Nov. 9, at 1:30 p.m. and Tuesday, Nov. 11, at 7 p.m.; “Body Heat” about a beautiful Florida woman plotting with a seedy lawyer to murder her rich husband on Sunday November 16 and Tuesday, November 18; and “Le Cercle Rouge,” four men, including a recently-released criminal (Alain Delon) and an alcoholic ex-cop (Yves Montand), attempt a meticulously planned jewel heist in this utterly stylish French classic on Sunday, November 23 at 1:30 and Tuesday, November 25 at 7 p.m.. Tickets and information here.

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 13: LWVA JUDY BROOKS CONVERSATION WITH RECREATION DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR REY HARP AND OUTREACH DIRECTOR BECKY DEMLING. 7 p.m. on Zoom. Harp and Demling will describe Morning Movement, RISE, and other youth empowerment programs. Register here.

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 15: CENTER FOR WOMEN & COMMUNITY CHILLY CHALLENGE AT PUFFER’S POND. 10:30 a.m. The Center for Women & Community (CWC) at the University of Massachusetts Amherst invites all to join its annual Chilly Challenge fundraiser on Saturday, Nov. 15 at Puffer’s Pond in North Amherst beginning at 10:30 a.m. The Challenge is an annual event that began in 2021, during Covid pandemic isolation, to bring community together while raising awareness and supporting services provided to those impacted by violence. Participants raise awareness and funds in support of free Sexual Assault Support, Advocacy and Prevention Services in Hampshire County. All are invited to take the plunge (or just dip a toe in) in Puffer’s Pond or choose a less chilly way to support, such as making a donation. There will be warm chili, cider and desserts provided by UMass Dining.The rain date for the event will be Sunday, November 16. Contact Center for Women & Community, cwc@umass.edu, 413-545-0883.

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 15: NORTH AMHERST COMMUNITY FARM VOLUNTEER WORKDAYS. 10 a.m. to mid-afternoon, North Amherst community Farm, 1089 North Pleasant Street. We are continuing the efforts to improve the farm landscape by cutting back the rampant weed growth, pruning trees. and pulling out invasives. If you can, bring tools to cut down weeds and brush, as well as gloves. We are hoping to be able to burn piles of brush.

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 16 AND TUESDAY NOVEMBER 18: NOIRVEMBER AT AMHERST CINEMA: “BODY HEAT”. 1:30 p.m Sunday and 7 p.m. Tuesday, Amherst Cinema, 28 Amity Street. Amherst Cinema will host its “Noirvember” series, screenings of four neo-noir movies, starting November 3 with “Bound,” which “upends traditional gender roles and brings a queer love story into a thrilling tale of gangsters and ex-cons,” on Sunday, Nov. 2, at 1:30 p.m. and Tuesday, Nov. 4, at 7 p.m.;. According to the Cinema, these films reimagine the genre of classic noirs while “exploring stories, settings and themes befitting their eras.” Other films in the series are “Pale Flower,” about “a yakuza in post-war Tokyo whose shot at redemption only leads him deeper into the criminal underworld,” on Sunday, Nov. 9, at 1:30 p.m. and Tuesday, Nov. 11, at 7 p.m.; “Body Heat” about a beautiful Florida woman plotting with a seedy lawyer to murder her rich husband on Sunday November 16 and Tuesday, November 18; and “Le Cercle Rouge,” four men, including a recently-released criminal (Alain Delon) and an alcoholic ex-cop (Yves Montand), attempt a meticulously planned jewel heist in this utterly stylish French classic on Sunday, November 23 at 1:30 and Tuesday, November 25 at 7 p.m.. Tickets and information here.

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 18: NOIRVEMBER AT AMHERST CINEMA: “BODY HEAT”. 1:30 p.m Sunday and 7 p.m. Tuesday, Amherst Cinema, 28 Amity Street. Amherst Cinema will host its “Noirvember” series, screenings of four neo-noir movies, starting November 3 with “Bound,” which “upends traditional gender roles and brings a queer love story into a thrilling tale of gangsters and ex-cons,” on Sunday, Nov. 2, at 1:30 p.m. and Tuesday, Nov. 4, at 7 p.m.;. According to the Cinema, these films reimagine the genre of classic noirs while “exploring stories, settings and themes befitting their eras.” Other films in the series are “Pale Flower,” about “a yakuza in post-war Tokyo whose shot at redemption only leads him deeper into the criminal underworld,” on Sunday, Nov. 9, at 1:30 p.m. and Tuesday, Nov. 11, at 7 p.m.; “Body Heat” about a beautiful Florida woman plotting with a seedy lawyer to murder her rich husband on Sunday November 16 and Tuesday, November 18; and “Le Cercle Rouge,” four men, including a recently-released criminal (Alain Delon) and an alcoholic ex-cop (Yves Montand), attempt a meticulously planned jewel heist in this utterly stylish French classic on Sunday, November 23 at 1:30 and Tuesday, November 25 at 7 p.m.. Tickets and information here.

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 23 AND TUESDAY 25: NOIRVEMBER AT AMHERST CINEMA: “LE CERCLE ROUGE”. 1:30 p.m Sunday and 7 p.m. Tuesday, Amherst Cinema, 28 Amity Street. Amherst Cinema will host its “Noirvember” series, screenings of four neo-noir movies, starting November 3 with “Bound,” which “upends traditional gender roles and brings a queer love story into a thrilling tale of gangsters and ex-cons,” on Sunday, Nov. 2, at 1:30 p.m. and Tuesday, Nov. 4, at 7 p.m.;. According to the Cinema, these films reimagine the genre of classic noirs while “exploring stories, settings and themes befitting their eras.” Other films in the series are “Pale Flower,” about “a yakuza in post-war Tokyo whose shot at redemption only leads him deeper into the criminal underworld,” on Sunday, Nov. 9, at 1:30 p.m. and Tuesday, Nov. 11, at 7 p.m.; “Body Heat” about a beautiful Florida woman plotting with a seedy lawyer to murder her rich husband on Sunday November 16 and Tuesday, November 18; and “Le Cercle Rouge,” four men, including a recently-released criminal (Alain Delon) and an alcoholic ex-cop (Yves Montand), attempt a meticulously planned jewel heist in this utterly stylish French classic on Sunday, November 23 at 1:30 and Tuesday, November 25 at 7 p.m.. Tickets and information here.

TUESDAY 25: NOIRVEMBER AT AMHERST CINEMA: “LE CERCLE ROUGE”. 1:30 p.m Sunday and 7 p.m. Tuesday, Amherst Cinema, 28 Amity Street. Amherst Cinema will host its “Noirvember” series, screenings of four neo-noir movies, starting November 3 with “Bound,” which “upends traditional gender roles and brings a queer love story into a thrilling tale of gangsters and ex-cons,” on Sunday, Nov. 2, at 1:30 p.m. and Tuesday, Nov. 4, at 7 p.m.;. According to the Cinema, these films reimagine the genre of classic noirs while “exploring stories, settings and themes befitting their eras.” Other films in the series are “Pale Flower,” about “a yakuza in post-war Tokyo whose shot at redemption only leads him deeper into the criminal underworld,” on Sunday, Nov. 9, at 1:30 p.m. and Tuesday, Nov. 11, at 7 p.m.; “Body Heat” about a beautiful Florida woman plotting with a seedy lawyer to murder her rich husband on Sunday November 16 and Tuesday, November 18; and “Le Cercle Rouge,” four men, including a recently-released criminal (Alain Delon) and an alcoholic ex-cop (Yves Montand), attempt a meticulously planned jewel heist in this utterly stylish French classic on Sunday, November 23 at 1:30 and Tuesday, November 25 at 7 p.m.. Tickets and information here.

ONGOING AND MULTI-DAY EVENTS

EVERY MONDAY EXCEPT HOLIDAYS: AUTOHARP WORKSHOPS. 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Senior Center, Bangs Center, 70 Boltwood Walk. Join Marie Hartwell-Walker and autoharp players throughout the country who participate on Zoom. Participants on Zoom also welcome.

EVERY TUESDAY: RACIAL JUSTICE VIGIL 4:00 p.m. -4:30 p.m., downtown Amherst in front of the Bank of America.

FIRST TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH: COUNCIL ON AGING SENIOR LUNCH. Noon. Bangs Center, 70 Boltwood Walk.

FIRST TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH. RAINBOW COFFEE HOUR. 9:30-11 a.m. Amherst Senior Center, Bangs Center, 70 Boltwood Walk. The Rainbow Coffee Hour is a LGBTIA+ social coffee group for ages 50 and above. Join us for this welcoming space to socialize. No format, no agenda, just community. More information

EVERY WEDNESDAY : 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. Our 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 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 WEDNESDAY: WEEKLY WEDNESDAY MARKET. 10 to 11:30 a.m., Bangs Community Center, 70 Boltwood Walk. Since its launch in May 2024, the Wednesday Market has served over 700 community members. The Market is open to all, and there’s no registration and no questions asked. Just come and enjoy. We distribute fresh produce, dairy, prepared food, and delicious treats. 

EVERY WEDNESDAY: BEGINNER BIRDING. 9:00-9:30 a.m. Notch Visitor Center, 1500 West Street. For ages 12 and up. An easy, level, 1/4-mile guided hike to discover more about birds: their behaviors, needs, habitats and significance. Listen, observe, sketch, photo or journal. Free

LAST WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH (EXCLUDING JULY AND JANUARY): 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.

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+.

WEDNESDAYS, THURSDAYS, AND SATURDAYS JUNE THROUGH NOVEMBER: AMHERST MOBILE MARKET. Wednesdays 3 to 6 p.m. in North Amherst, Thursdays 3 to 6 p.m. at Colonial Village, and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at East Hadley Road. The Amherst Mobile Market not only makes affordable produce available within walking distance of residents who struggle to access healthy food, but also puts decision-making in the hands of low-income, BIPOC community members and builds the capacity of those community members to take on leadership roles.

THURSDAYS SEPTEMBER 11 THROUGH OCTOBER 2: INTRODUCTORY DRAWING WITH DAVID DICKINSON. 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., Mill District Local Art Gallery, 91 Cowls Road. If you have been craving an in-depth class to learn drawing basics, this is the class for YOU! Students will learn via lectures demonstrations, and homework. Join accomplished artist and instructor, David Dickinson, at The Local Art Gallery Thursday mornings this fall for an Introductory Drawing Class. This class will meet four times on Thursday mornings: 9/11,
9/18, 9/25, 10/2 from 10:30am-12pm. Deadline to sign up: September 1, 2025. Limited seating .$100, includes supplies. Ages: 14+.

EVERY THURSDAY : AMHERST ARTISANS’ MARKET.  3 to 7 p.m., front lawn of the Amherst History Museum, 67 Amity Street. The Amherst Artisans’ Market features local artists, crafters and food vendors.

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.

EVERY FRIDAY: HANDS OFF OUR LIVES STANDOUT. 4 pm – 5:30 p.m., Kendrick Park, Amherst. https://www.mobilize.us/mobilize/event/778646/

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.

EVERY SATURDAY THROUGH NOVEMBER 23: AMHERST FARMERS’ MARKET. 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Town Common. Established in 1972, the Amherst Farmers’ Market is widely recognized as one of the best places for local food, fun, and community offering farm to table produce and selections from your local growers and Valley producers. Come out for the food, music, events, and community offerings.

SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS: LIVE JAZZ AND GOOD EATS AT THE BLACK SHEEP. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Black Sheep Deli, 79 Main Street. Frist and third Saturdays: Masala Jazz, Second, Fourth and Fifth Saturdays: Simmer Music Presents, Sundays: the Catalytics. Tip Jar..

THIRD SUNDAY OF EVERY MONTH MAY THROUGH OCTOBER: CARS AND COFFEE AT THE MILL DISTRICT. 8 to 11:30 a.m., Mill District, Cowls Road. Cars and Coffee is back—and it’s bigger than ever! This FREE community event invites car lovers of all ages to enjoy an exciting morning filled with cool cars, coffee, and family fun. Spectators get a free drip coffee token and information on entering our raffle for a $50 gift certificate to the Mill District General Store and Local Art Gallery. There will also be an on-site playground and coloring activities to keep the kids entertained. Trophies awarded for the top cars in several categories. Pre-register your vehicle here.

NOW THROUGH SATURDAY NOVEMBER 1: NEW AT GALLERY A3: PERSPECTIVES JOIN THE POLITICAL AND THE PERSONAL In PERSPECTIVES Join the Political and the Personal at Gallery A3, Rochelle Shicoff and Diane Steingart invite viewers into their diverse visual worlds. Shicoff’s series of paintings express her responses to the current conflict in Gaza while Steingart’s process-driven paintings explore an inner world of emotions, memories, and dreams. The exhibit at Gallery A3 opens on Thursday, October 2 and will run through Saturday, November 1. There will be an opening reception at the gallery on Friday, October 3 from 5-7 p.m. There will be a free Art Forum Online on Thursday, October 16, at 7:30 p.m. Pre-register here. Gallery A3 is located at 28 Amity Street 1D. Gallery hours are Thursday–Sunday, 2:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m. More Information

NOW THROUGH DECEMBER 1 : A SOMETHING OVERTAKES THE MIND: A MULTIMEDIA VISUAL ART AND POETRY INSTALLATION BY LIGIA BOUTON AND MATT DONOVAN. Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Emily Dickinson Museum, 280 Main Street. A Something Overtakes the Mind is a multimedia visual art and poetry installation created by Ligia Bouton and Matt Donovan for the Emily Dickinson Museum. Through explorations of domestic objects, biographical details, found poetry, and community testimonials, the exhibition seeks to find new ways of engaging with the poet’s life and legacy. The exhibition, free to the public during museum open hours, will be installed in the ground floor of the Homestead in the house’s woodshed, laundry room, and kitchen. Visitors to the installation must first check in at the carriage house tour center.

NOW THROUGH FRIDAY DECEMBER 5: NATURAL HISTORY COLLECTIONS: STRANGE BUT TRUE. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Morrill Science Center II, 627 North Pleasant Street. The UMass Natural History Collections presents: Strange but True. From the world’s smallest “elephant” to the world’s largest brain, meet some of our most interesting specimens. Weekdays, 9am to 5pm, until December 5.

NOW THROUGH SUNDAY JANUARY 4: RETROSPECTIVE: THE ART OF GRACE LIN: MEETING A FRIEND IN AN UNEXPECTED PLACE. Eric Carle Museum, 125 West Bay Road. Grace Lin’s first picture book, The Ugly Vegetables, was published in 1999 to glowing praise. Twenty-five years later, she has created more than 30 titles, including board books, early readers, and middle grade novels, garnering Caldecott, Newbury, and Geisel honors along the way. Lin is a dedicated advocate for diversity in children’s book publishing, with a popular TEDx talk, “The Windows and Mirrors of Your Child’s Bookshelf” and created the video essay, “What to do when you realize classic books from your childhood are racist?” for PBS News Hour and New England Public Radio. This career retrospective of more than 80 works celebrates all aspects of Lin’s creativity with original art, sketches, manuscripts, and videos.