Events in Hampshire County today

Artists, art enthusiasts, and community members are welcome at the Fall Art Opening at the Mill District Local Art Gallery, an evening reception celebrating the current exhibition featuring work from more than 30 local artists, with pieces on view and available for purchase. New contributors for the Fall Quarter include Warren Smith, Theodore Rosenberg, Dave Madeloni, Theodore Bumpus, Tina Cote, JoAnn Carroll, Christopher Gendron, Leslie Lili Dahlqvist, Olivia Laura, Jude Pokorny, and Linda Carrier. Returning gallery artists this quarter include Dani Antes, Seija Cope, Eric Wojtowicz, Judy Vazquez, Christina Giebner, Sophie Theroux, Janice Alden, Heather Geoffrey, Victoria Munroe, Eric Talbot, Stacey Dakai, Jackie Gallo, Camille Tahar, Jamie Malcolm-Brown, Chris Bordenca, Ashley Ripolone, Gretchen Holesovsky, Lois Barber, Jerry T. Eide, Kaylee Pernice, Zahava Friedman, Stefania Amore, Julie Sawyer, Malea Rhodes, Jasper Cowley, Stephen Kotfila, Dana Volungis, Anita M. Walling, Kaitlin Scutari, Michaela Schwartz, Randi Stein, Fabio Deponte, Lesley Vanderpoel, Sara Deponte, Liz Armstrong, David A. Dickinson, Kristen Andrews, and Linda Carrier. Expect a relaxed atmosphere with conversation and light refreshments. Admission is free and an RSVP is requested. Photos and video may be taken during the event, and anyone who prefers not to appear in images can let gallery staff know.

Enjoy a free yoga class for adults held weekly on Fridays at the Library Annex. Instructor Brian Mulligan leads with a gentle approach that prioritizes proper alignment, safety, and a well-rounded practice. This is a drop-in session, and participants should bring a yoga mat. Brian holds a 200-hour yoga teacher certification and trained with Kim Valerie through the Iyengar-based Yoga Spirits in Beverly, Massachusetts. He is also certified to teach chair yoga through Lakshmi Voelker’s Get Fit Where You Sit program. Lakshmi Voelker has trained more than 1,600 chair yoga instructors and conducts trainings through Kripalu. The schedule may change, so check the library website for the most current time and location information.

Max Creek brings its long-running, genre-blending sound to The Iron Horse, drawing on more than four decades of music-making. The band folds rock, country, reggae, soul, jazz, and calypso into original material for a sound all its own. Sets are crafted in the moment from a catalog of more than 200 songs, moving from high-energy rockers to gentle ballads, extended jams, and big sing-alongs. The mood is joyful, with a lively stage presence that often spreads through the crowd, and fans of many ages turning out. The lineup features guitarist Scott Murawski, keyboardist Mark Mercier, and bassist John Rider, joined by drummer Bill Carbone and percussionist Jamemurrell Stanley. Tickets begin at $30 with fees included, and prices rise on the day of the event.

Head from Granby to Salem for a festive day trip without the hassle of traffic or pricey parking. The pick up point is Joy Travel Agency in Granby, MA, where free and secure all day parking is available. Travel in a comfortable 54 passenger charter bus with air conditioning and an onboard restroom. Once in Salem, enjoy ample free time to explore at your own pace, visit popular attractions, shop, and take in the Halloween atmosphere. Seating is limited to 54. For questions, call or text 413-275-4460.

This guided movement class introduces the 5Rhythms practice, using a variety of maps, clear instruction, and simple exercises to help participants drop into the dance. There are no steps to memorize, and the focus is on listening to the body’s own wisdom. During the session, one rhythm is highlighted while the full wave of flowing, staccato, chaos, lyrical, and stillness is also explored. There is time to arrive and move at your own pace, then follow gentle invitations offered through music and brief verbal prompts. You may be encouraged to deepen your solo dance, partner for a moment or longer, or join the larger group. Each gathering unfolds uniquely because you, the group, and the teacher are different every time. Newcomers are welcome, and an archival demonstration by founder Gabrielle Roth is referenced for those curious about the roots of the work. To support dancers with scent sensitivities, please come fragrance free by avoiding perfumed detergents, lotions, hair products, and essential oils as much as possible. Consent and courtesy shape all contact on the dance floor. Because the practice is nonverbal, make eye contact before initiating touch. If touch is not welcomed, communicate with a word or a clear signal such as a small bow, crossed arms, or stepping away. All are recognized and welcomed across race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, body size, language, and age. The space is intended to be accessible to all bodies. This gathering honors the Nipmuc, Pocumtuc, and Nonotuc peoples. The Native settlement where Northampton now stands was known as Norwottuck or Nonotuck, meaning the midst of the river. Respect is offered to those who lived, moved, and worked on this land.

Celebrate Halloween with trick-or-treating in Ware, Massachusetts.

Max Creek brings its long-running, genre-blending live show to The Iron Horse. The band folds rock, country, reggae, soul, jazz, and calypso into its own originals, shaping extended sets in real time from a catalog of more than 200 songs that range from driving rockers and heartfelt ballads to exploratory jams and big sing-alongs. The crowd typically spans generations, reflecting a community that has grown with the group over the decades. The core lineup of guitarist Scott Murawski, keyboardist Mark Mercier, and bassist John Rider dates back to the mid-70s, now joined by Bill Carbone and Jamemurrell Stanley on drums and percussion. A pre-show bar and event queue will be available. Tickets start at $30 with all fees included, and prices increase on the day of the show.

Guided gallery talks offer a deeper look at the exhibition on slavery and freedom in Northampton from 1654 to 1783, currently on view. Led by museum educator Emma Bresnan, each session examines the lives of individuals highlighted in the displays, explains how slavery operated in New England, and shares the research methods and sources that inform our understanding of Northampton’s history. Each talk lasts about 45 minutes. Admission is pay what you wish, and advance registration is not required. Private tours for groups or organizations can be arranged.

Continuing Not to Die is an intimate stage work conceived, choreographed, and performed by Michal Shahak, a long time somatic trauma therapist from Jerusalem who brings a deeply personal creative inquiry to the stage. Rooted in intuitive, embodied practice, the piece welcomes audiences into a shared, accessible space for honest human expression. Emerging in the wake of war, the work traces a period when Shahak, a Body-Mind Centering practitioner, felt estranged from her own senses and movement practice. When movement yielded no material, she turned to poetry, language, and imagery, shaping a choreographic response to an overwhelming reality. The piece reflects on the erosion of shared values, common ground, and social fabric in present day Israel, and lingers on the shift from living to merely existing, granting that state a dignified presence. Through this process, the act of making became a sanctuary, giving voice, shape, and motion to unspoken landscapes of grief and loss. Created in 2024, the work also engages with questions surrounding the legal rights of the dying. Original music is composed by Maya Belsitzman, with artistic guidance from Ayelet Ulman. Headshots are by Wassilios Nikitakis and performance photography is by Nino Herman. A Q&A with the artist follows the performance. This presentation is part of a weekend of additional workshops, Moving Through: Reflections and Performance on Times of Crisis, with guest artist Michal Shahak, held at Congregation B’nai Israel in Northampton. Co sponsored by Congregation B’nai Israel, Beit Ahavah, and Friends of Women of Vision, with generous support from the Jewish Federation of Western MA.

Hosted by Warrior's Art Room, the Shaped by Service Art Show is an HFS Storytelling Project exhibition that highlights how military service shapes creative expression and supports healing. Service members, veterans, and their family members share artwork informed by their experiences, with personal stories presented alongside the pieces. Artists who wish to take part in the storytelling component can indicate their interest during registration.

Cookie Club is an eight-session afterschool baking program for children ages 7–11, with participants ages 12 and older serving as counselors-in-training. In hands-on, teacher-led sessions, young bakers learn baking techniques and the science behind how ingredients affect cookies as they measure, mix, fold, and decorate. Each week features a different cookie, skill, and discovery, and participants take home some of their baking to share with their families.

Critter Club helps kids build real pet care skills through hands-on learning and visits from live animals.

Writers Night Out brings the community together at Forbes Library for an evening that opens with an Open Mic and culminates in a featured reading by Don Lesser. Advance registration is not necessary. If you would like to take part in the Open Mic, on-site signups are available and ten readers will be selected at random. The hosts are Jacqueline Sheehan, Rick Paar, and Beth Filson. Don Lesser holds an MFA in Fiction from UMass Amherst. He spent many years as a professional nonfiction writer producing business and technical content, and he also covered food for several years, with recognition from the Greenbrier Symposium for Professional Food Writers. He lives in Amherst, Massachusetts and now focuses on fiction. His first published novel is Crystal Springs.

A weekly gathering hosted by Kade Parkin, Dead Night brings together musicians and music lovers in a community-centered atmosphere. Whether you’re a longtime Deadhead or simply looking for an uplifting place to dance and connect with others, the night offers a welcoming setting to enjoy music and dance.

Boom Club is an eight-week, fire-free science club where kids explore explosions through activities such as volcanoes and fireworks chemistry.

Amherst Oyster Bar and the Amherst History Center of the Amherst Historical Society present a lecture series that offers an offbeat look at the past, created for students and anyone with a persistent curiosity. This edition focuses on the Atomic Age and artificial intelligence. Admission is $12 at the door and includes a drink. Seating is on a walk-in basis with no reservations required. Guests who stay for dinner receive 15 percent off food. Future sessions will explore themes such as alternative medicine and so-called snake oil, along with alcohol and resistance.

Share experiences from your life through movement, sound, emotion, and imagery, then see them reflected back through group enactment. The practice explores the essence and emotion within personal stories, making room for triumphs, challenges, different aspects of self, and shared empathy. For longer stories, participants may receive questions, direct the play, invite others to take part, express desires, or explore alternative endings. The journey is both individual and collective. Please bring evocative objects for the group to use.

Sing your heart out at karaoke, hosted by DJ PRL.