What’s Happening in Amherst?
Photo: Shutterstock
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
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 27: PAUL TAYLOR DANCE COMPANY. 8 p.m., Frederick Tillis Performance Hall, UMass. The Paul Taylor Dance Company has been a presence in Fine Arts Center seasons since 1978. One of the most revered and dynamic ensembles in modern dance, the company has been innovating and transforming dance since 1954. With a history of multidisciplinary collaborations, passionate expression, and thrilling athleticism, the company continues boldly into the future under Artistic Director Michael Novak. For this performance, the company will bring us a classic work by its founder, Speaking in Tongues (1988) along with How Love Sounds, a 2025 commission by Hope Boykin, who currently serves as artistic advisor for art education at the Kennedy Center and whose celebrated career as a dancer included Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Philadanco, and the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater. Tickets start at $40, Students $20.
This Event Postponed Until SATURDAY MARCH 14 . SPECIAL MEETING OF THE TOWN COUNCIL AND AMHERST FINANCE COMMITTEE – FOUR TOWNS MEETING. 9:00 A.M. – 11:00 A.M. Amherst Regional Middle School Library, 170 Chestnut Street. Discussion of the draft of the FY27 Regional School Budget. There will be no public comment.
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 28: SALSA CON AMIGOS LATIN DANCE SOCIAL. 8:30 to 11 p.m., 3 Amigos Restaurant, 68 Cowls Road. Come visit the Salsa con Amigos Latin Social for great music, dancing, delicious food & drinks!!
💃🏻🎉Salsa con Amigos Latin Social brought to you by 3 Amigos & Salsa con Tacos Dance. Latin Dance Social with awesome salsa, bachata, merengue played by DJRedIV. $10 cover.
MONDAY MARCH 1: RALLY FOR A FAIR CONTRACT FOR AMHERST’S DPW WORKERS. 6:00 p.m. in front of Amherst Town Hall, 4 Boltwood Ave. Amherst’s DPW workers have worked without a contract for the last seven months. Come here their story and show your support for the folks who keep the town running. More info
WEDNESDAY MARCH 4: PUBLIC FORUM ON PROTECT ACT. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Massachusetts State House Hearing Room B1 and online. The PROTECT Act — An Act promoting rule of law, oversight, trust, and equal constitutional treatment focuses on building trust between immigrant communities and public institutions by: Protecting access to courthouses, schools, hospitals and churches; setting clear statewide standards for due process; limiting state and local involvement in federal civil immigration enforcement; strengthening rights, protections and safeguards for detainees. Please register to provide in-person/virtual testimony by March 2nd at 5:00 p.m. Registration here. The Committee also invites you to submit written testimony via email to JointCmte-PublicSafety@malegislature.gov or mailed to the Committee Chair: Chair Daniel Cahill, House Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security, ATTN: Schuyler Hogan, 24 Beacon St. Room 527A, Boston, MA 02133. Virtual format: On Teams (link will be sent before the start of the forum). Please copy State Representative Mindy Domb in on written testimony.
THURSDAY MARCH 5: CARLE AFTER DARK: SPLASHES AND SPELLS. 4 to 8 p.m., Eric Carle Museum, 125 West Bay Road. Step into an evening of enchantment inspired by our Sprites, Spells, and Splashes: Magical Beings in Picture Book Art exhibition! Discover picture book magic through making, playing and imagining together in this spellbinding program for all ages. Enjoy live jazz music with Rob Fontana and Vernon David. Free with museum admission.
THURSDAY MARCH 5: 9TH ANNUAL BLACK ART MATTERS FESTIVAL: VISUAL ARTS RECEPTION. 6 p.m., Mead Art Museum, Amherst College. The Black Art Matters Festival is an annual Amherst College student festival celebrating Black creativity at Amherst College. Please attend our visual artsreception on Thursday, March 5th, at 6 pm at the Mead Art Museum, and our performance showcase on Saturday, March 7th, at 7 pm at the Eighmy Powerhouse. We would love for you to join us in celebrating and supporting our creative community.
THURSDAY MARCH 5: MADISON CURBELO. 8 p.m., The Drake, 44 North Pleasant Street. Madison Curbelo is a singer songwriter with Latin roots based in Massachusetts. Her warm vocals and storytelling earned her a spot on the Top 9 of Season 25 of The Voice, where she was mentored by country superstars Dan & Shay. Influenced by Olivia Dean, Stevie Nicks, Bruno Mars, and Paul Simon, Madison writes songs that feel like scenes in motion. Tickets $15 in advance, $20 at the door. Full calendar of events here.
FRIDAY MARCH 6: JONES LIBRARY TOPPING OFF CEREMONY. 2:30 p.m. (rescheduled from Feb. 26) behind the Strong House, 67 Amity Street. Celebrate a milestone in the Jones Library Renovation and Restoration Project by joining us for the Topping Off Ceremony. All members of the public are welcome to attend. A Topping Off Ceremony is a customary way to celebrate a significant milestone during the construction of a new building, when one of the last steel beams is put in place. The ceremonial beam (painted white) will be placed in the Amity Street parking lot directly across from the Library beginning on Wednesday, February 25, 2026. Community members can sign the beam on Wednesday and Thursday (February 25 and 26) at their convenience. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the public to literally put their mark on the newly renovated and restored Jones Library. On Friday, February 27, the beam will be returned to the construction site.
FRIDAY MARCH 6: OPENING RECEPTION AT GALLERY A3 FOR ROMANUM, AN EXHIBIT OF MIXED MEDIA WORKS BY RON MAGGIO. 28 Amity 1D in the Amherst Cinema complex. 7 p.m. Free and open to all. A collection of mixed media works by Ron Maggio, inspired by the wall paintings (or frescos) from houses and villas of Rome, Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Boscoreale, dating from the second century B.C. and the first century A.D. More info.
SATURDAY MARCH 7: AMHERST DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS. 11am, Bangs Community Center (new location!), 70 Boltwood Walk, Registered Democrats will gather to elect 17 delegates and 4 alternates to represent Amherst at the 2026 State Democratic Convention. Please RSVP for the caucus via the link.Individuals aged 16 and above who have registered or pre-registered as Democrats in Amherst may vote and can be elected as delegates or alternates during the caucus. Youth (age 16 to 35), people with disabilities, people of color, veterans, and members of the LGBTQ+ community not elected as delegates or alternates are encouraged to apply to be add-on delegates at the caucus via this form.
SATURDAY MARCH 7: FOLK SINGER DEBRA COWAN AND A SALUTE TO WOMEN AT PVFS MONTHLY SONG AND STORY SWAP. 7 to 9 p.m., First Church, 165 Main Street. A former middle school math teacher who left her career to pursue music in Edinburgh, Scotland, Debra Cowan has become a full-time performer known for bridging the old and new with a refreshing stage presence. She is widely praised for her warm alto voice and her mastery of both unaccompanied singing and guitar-based arrangements in the great tradition of folk legends like Joan Baez and Judy Collins. At song and story swaps, people of all ages and experience levels gather to share traditional, newly written, or personal stories and songs. You can tell, sing, or lead everyone in singing, or request a song or a story. Listeners are welcome. The theme for the opening round of sharing for the March event is “ Here’s to the Women.” Admission is free, with a suggested minimum donation to the artist of $7.50. Free parking is available in the lot behind the church.
SATURDAY MARCH 7: 9TH ANNUAL BLACK ART MATTERS FESTIVAL: PERFORMANCE SHOWCASE. 7 p.m., Eighmy Powerhouse, Amherst College. The Black Art Matters Festival is an annual Amherst College student festival celebrating Black creativity at Amherst College. Please attend our visual artsreception on Thursday, March 5th, at 6 pm at the Mead Art Museum. We would love for you to join us in celebrating and supporting our creative community.
SATURDAY MARCH 7: PETER BERNSTEIN QUARTET. 8 p.m., The Drake, 44 North Pleasant Street. Peter Bernstein has been playing and recording since 1990. His recordings have featured musicians such as Brad Mehldau, Christian McBride, Greg Hutchinson, Jimmy Cobb, Bill Stewart, Larry Grenadier, Gerald Clayton, Sullivan Fortner, Peter Washington, Doug Weiss, and Joe Farnsworth, among other. His latest recording is “Better Angels” and features Brad Mehldau, Vincente Archer, and Al Foster. He is appearing at the Drake as part of the Northampton Jazz Festival with Aaron Goldberg, Vincent Archer, and Joe Farnsworth. Tickets $30 in advance, $35 at the door. Full calendar of events here.
SUNDAY MARCH 8: CHAMBER AT THE DRAKE: JOHNNY GANDELSMAN. 4 p.m., The Drake, 44 North Pleasant Street. Grammy-winning violinist and producer Johnny Gandelsman integrates a wide range of creative sensibilities into a style unique among today’s violinists. He is a founding member of Brooklyn Rider and a member of the Silk Road Ensemble. Tickets $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Full calendar of events here.
MONDAY MARCH 9: “BELFAST, MAINE:” A DOCUMENTARY DIRECTED BY FREDERICK WISEMAN. 6:30 p.m. March 9 and 11 a.m. Saturday, March 14, Amherst Cinema, 28 Amity Street. BELFAST, MAINE is a film about ordinary experience in a beautiful old New England port city. It is a portrait of daily life with particular
emphasis on the work and the cultural life of the community. New 4K restoration. This Spring the Amherst Cinema will present four films by one of the most respected and influential documentarians in film history. Tickets $12.25.
FRIDAY MARCH 13: CUPPA JOE WITH LIBRARY DIRECTOR SHARON SHARRY. 8 to 9:30 a.m., Amherst Coffee, 28 Amity Street. The “Cuppa Joe with Paul” coffees are a monthly event. Residents and others are welcome to share their concerns, offer suggestions, or just get to know each other.
SATURDAY March 14: SPECIAL MEETING OF THE TOWN COUNCIL AND AMHERST FINANCE COMMITTEE – FOUR TOWNS MEETING. 9:00 A.M. – 11:00 A.M. Amherst Regional Middle School Library, 170 Chestnut Street. Discussion of the draft of the FY27 Regional School Budget. There will be no public comment.
SATURDAY MARCH 14: “BELFAST, MAINE:” A DOCUMENTARY DIRECTED BY FREDERICK WISEMAN. 11 a.m., Amherst Cinema, 28 Amity Street. BELFAST, MAINE is a film about ordinary experience in a beautiful old New England port city. It is a portrait of daily life with particular emphasis on the work and the cultural life of the community. New 4K restoration. This Spring the Amherst Cinema will present four films by one of the most respected and influential documentarians in film history. Tickets $12.25.
SATURDAY MARCH 14: SECOND ANNUAL CHEESE FEST AT PROVISIONS. 1 to 4 p.m., Provisions in the Mill District, 65 Cowls Road. Join Provisions in The Mill District for their second annual Cheese Fest! They will be sampling a variety of delicious cheese, along with wine pairings, beer pairings, cheese flavored snacks, and fondue. Additionally, They will be welcoming neighbors – Herrell’s Ice Cream who will be sampling their Cheesecake & Cannoli ice cream. This is an event any cheese and food lover will not want to miss!
MONDAY MARCH 16: COMMUNITY MEETING: FLOODING AND CULVERTS. 6 p.m., Town Hall Town Room, 4 Boltwood Walk. Share your experiences with local flooding. Help identify problematic culverts and road washouts. Contribute to the town’s hazard mitigation planning. Your knowledge is crucial! Let’s work together to protect our town from future storms. Dinner will be served to all attendees. To RSVP or for questions, contact brucestedman1@gmail.com.
WEDNESDAY MARCH 18: BOOK READING: WHEN A LOVED ONE IS DYING: CONVERSATIONS ABOUT CARE, CONNECTION, AND COPING. 12 noon, Venture Way Collaborative, 200 Venture Way, Hadley. Amherst’s Hospice of the Fisher Home invites all to a free presentation by Maureen Groden, an experienced hospice nurse, who will read from her newly-released book When a Loved One is Dying and facilitate a discussion on end-of-life care and the emotional and practical challenges families face. Light refreshments will be provided.
MONDAY MARCH 23: AUDITIONS, THE MISSOULA CHILDREN”S THEATER PRODUCTION OF THE SECRET GARDEN. 4 p.m. Amherst Regional Middle School Auditorium, 170 Chestnut Street. Amherst Community Theater will hold auditions for The Missoula Children’s Theater’s production of The Secret Garden. Auditions will be held at the Middle School on Monday, March 23 at 4 p.m. The production will go from rehearsal to stage in just one week, with two performances scheduled for Saturday, March 28, at 1:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. Auditions are open for everyone in grades K-12. More info
SATURDAY MARCH 28: THE MISSOULA CHILDREN”S THEATER PRODUCTION OF THE SECRET GARDEN. 1:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. Amherst Regional Middle School Auditorium. More info here and 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 We Stand for Peace and Justice Amherst. 4-4:30 p.m. in the center of town in front of the Bank of America Building (1 S. Pleasant St.) Join Amherst community members from various affiliations, who come together every Tuesday to stand out in downtown Amherst for social justice, peace, and in support of our immigrants neighbors in danger. We often sing while standing together, accompanied by a guitar or drum. More info
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
SUNDAYS AND TUESDAYS FEBRUARY 1-17: THE BEFORE TRILOGY. 1:30 p.m. Sunday February 1, 8, and 15 and 7p.m. Tuesday February 3, 10, and 17, Amherst Cinema, 28 Amity Street. Follow Jesse and Celine as they meet on a train and spend a night wandering the city in Vienna, then reconnect nine years later in Paris, and finally as a married couple on vacation in Greece. Richard Linklater’s marvelous trilogy: “Before Sunrise,” “Before Sunset,” and “Before Midnight” starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy. Tickets.
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
EVERY WEDNESDAY IN FEBRUARY AND MARCH: SOUTH CHURCH SUPPER AND CALMING, CANDLELIGHT MUSICAL SERVICE. 5:30 p.m. supper, 6 to 6:30 p.m. service, South Church, 1066 South East Street. South Church is offering a special series of community suppers and calming, candlelit, musical services every Wednesday in February and March. You can come for just the supper, just the service, or both! 5:30 p.m.: A friendly community supper with soup, salad, and bread fresh from the famous South Church kitchen. Vegetarian & gluten-free options, donation optional. RSVP’s for supper appreciated but not required, email office@amherstsouthchurch.org .6:00–6:30 p.m.: Calming, candlelit, musical service based on the practices of the Taizé Community in France, including live music, prayer, and time for quiet reflection. It’s like yoga for the soul! The Taizé Community was formed to promote peace and understanding
after WWII. All are welcome.
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+.
EVERY THURSDAY: IRISH MUSIC AT THE HARP. 4 to 7 p.m., The Harp, 163 Sunderland Road. Banish the cold and damp of the past months with Irish music. There may be Fiddle, Flute, Tin Whistle, Guitar, Mandolin, Banjo, Bagpipes, Bouzouki, Bodhran and ?. It’s always a surprise who shows up. Jigs, Reels, Hornpipes, Flings, Polkas, Slides, and Waltz’ from around the Celtic world. Food, drink, friendship and a relentless cacophony of rhythmic tones. Undeterred by the chaos and heartbreak of our troubled world, As a favorite jig of mine says, We’re always Happy to Meet and Sorry to Part. Who knows? .it might help banish misfortune for a moment. And, you may find out what a Luachrachan is. Or how to pronounce “Cuil Aodh.” I hope to see you.
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.
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.
NOW THROUGH FRIDAY MARCH 6: ROMANUM – MIXED MEDIA BY RON MAGGIO AT GALLERY A3.
28 Amity Street 1D in the Amherst Cinema complex. Hours: TH-SUN, 2-7 p.m. A collection of mixed media works by Ron Maggio, inspired by the wall paintings (or frescos) from houses and villas of Rome, Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Boscoreale, dating from the second century B.C. and the first century A.D. More info.
NOW THOUGH THURSDAY MARCH 21: ART EXHIBITION – ANTHONY DISCENZA’S DAEMONOMANIA. Heter Art Gallery at Harold F. Johnson Library Center, Hampshire College, 893 West Street. Encompassing a diverse range of appropriated materials, Discenza’s Daemonomania centers on how operative metaphors drawn from occult and supernatural belief inform our relationship to technology. Across a variety of media, the exhibition contemplates the complex entanglements of mass consumption, resource exploitation, thermodynamic expenditure, and wish fulfillment that mark our contemporary moment.
NOW THROUGH MONDAY APRIL 27: MABEL LOOMIS TODD EXHIBIT TO BENEFIT THE EMILY DICKINSON MUSEUM. Mill District Local Art Gallery, 91 Cowls Road. The Mill District is pleased to announce its newest front window gallery installation: The Mabel Loomis Todd Exhibit. The exhibit presents a rarely seen collection of Todd’s paintings created for a book of her father’s poetry. Learn more about the exhibit.
NOW THROUGH APRIL: SPRITES, SPELLS, AND SPLASHES: MAGICAL BEINGS IN PICTURE BOOK ART. Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. The Eric Carle Museum opens its new exhibition on Saturday, November 22. The show includes picture book artwork of fantasy creatures like mermaids, fairies and wizards from more than 40 classic and contemporary books. “From the brownies of the British Isles to the djinns of the Middle East, magical beings abound in folklore. These creatures exist in a parallel world within and alongside humans,” said Isabel Ruiz Cano, associate curator. “Picture book art can be a powerful bridge between cultures, a keeper of stories, and a source of wonder that allows us to see the invisible. Although we may not always be able to spot these creatures, the artists in this exhibition bring their mysterious forms to light.” The museum is open Wednesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from 12 to 5 p.m.
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 26 THROUGH SUNDAY MARCH 1: AMHERST COLLEGE ANNUAL LITFEST. Various locations and times. Writer and Amherst College alum Dan Chiasson ’93, says being part of this year’s LitFest — the annual literary festival at the college — is more than just an opportunity to see former U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg or to share his new book. It’s a homecoming to the place that fostered his writing talents. The festival’s guest speakers include Buttigieg, in conversation with writer Cullen Murphy ’74; novelist and Harvard professor emerita Jamaica Kincaid H’96, in conversation with Jennifer Acker ’00; and poets Lena Khalaf Tuffaha and Evie Shockley, in conversation with Ruth Dickey, executive director of the National Book Foundation. For information and registration, see here.