A Berkshires tradition turns 85 this year! Don’t miss out on any of the excitement: come celebrate Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival’s 85th anniversary season. June 17th through August 27th, 2017.

Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival is America’s longest-running international dance festival. The Pillow Dance festival has filled Berkshire summers with a wealth of dance performances, workshops, and more since 1932.

The 85th anniversary Pillow Dance Festival promises even more excitement. More than 200 free performances are on the schedule, along with numerous special and members-only events.

Highlights of the 2017 Pillow Dance Festival ticketed performances include:
The Miami City Ballet, the Paul Taylor Dance Company, The Washington Ballet, and UK-based artist Aakash Odedra. Camille A Brown, 2016 Jacob’s Pillow Dance Award recipient, returns and Eiko Otake presents a special, limited engagement piece.

The free and always popular Inside/Out performances will be back for Pillow Dance 2017. The performers include both established and emerging dance companies. Past performances have included classical ballet, contemporary, tap, hip-hop, flamenco, swing, and many international styles. Audiences are encouraged to interact and enjoy the shows as a community and each performance is followed by a brief Q&A session.

Highlights of the 2017 Inside/Out series include:
Pilobolus Dance Theatre, Thunderbird American Indian Dancers, Sounds of Korea, and Canada’s Red Sky Performance.

Beyond all the amazing performances, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival will keep you busy with classes, talks & tours, and exhibits. Plus, you’re on National Historic Landmark grounds! Take a look around, explore, there are even 30-minute walking tours. Hungry? Feel free to have a picnic on the grounds or dine at one of the on-site restaurants.

Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival 2017

June 17th through August 27th
358 George Carter Rd, Becket, MA 01223
Looking for tickets, a full schedule, or other details? Visit www.jacobspillow.org.

Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival Lodging
Tickets are going fast and lodging is, too. If you’re hoping to attend one or more Pillow Dance performances, time is of the essence! Applegate Inn is a mere 15 minutes away from Jacob’s Pillow Dance! In fact, our convenient location in Lee, MA, puts all the best of the Berkshires right at your fingertips! Talk about convenience – but more than that, comfort and service as well. Stay at Applegate Inn for the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival or anytime you’re in the Berkshires!

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Come out to the Berkshires July 1st through the 3rd, 2017 for the Berkshires Arts Festival! The annual festival attracts top artists and art fans from across the US and Canada for a weekend of art and crafts, live music, food, drink, and much more.

The Berkshires Arts Festival is much more than just some open-air arts and crafts show.

In the 16 years since its inception, the Berkshires Arts Festival has become one of the most respected annual summer art events in the country. It’s certainly one of the most prominent annual events in the Berkshires! 200 artists come from around the country to showcase their newest and best works.

The Berkshires Arts Festival is a juried event, so you know you’ll see only the finest works. Artists are selected based on originality of their designs, technical execution, overall aesthetics, and presentation. The open medium show means you’ll see a wide variety of works: furniture, jewelry, glass, ceramics, fiber art, paintings, sculpture, and more.

Attendees to the event will be able to peruse and buy art that strikes their fancy. More than that, you’ll also have the opportunity to meet and often chat with the artists. What a wonderful way to attach some personal history to a beautiful piece of art!

One of the other great aspects of the festival is its location: Ski Butternut! Ski Butternut is a popular Berkshires ski resort in Great Barrington. This beautiful mountain setting only adds to the fun of the weekend. Attendees will find vendors both inside Ski Butternut’s air-conditioned upper lodge as well as in tents around the lodge.

While the art at the show is definitely serious business, the Berkshires Arts Festival itself is a casual, friendly affair. Great food, live music, and plenty of activities for the entire family help maintain a relaxed atmosphere for casual collectors, serious art buyers, and looky-loos alike.

Perhaps best of all, if you miss this year’s Berkshires Arts Festival, blink and you’ll have another opportunity! The Berkshires Arts & Culture Festival is right around the corner as well scheduled for August 17th through the 20th at Eastover Estate in Lenox, MA!

Along with bringing more great art to the area, the Berkshires Arts & Culture Festival plans to offer a number of opportunities to improve your own artistic skills. Workshops and seminars scheduled for the event include relief printmaking, jewelry making, silk marbling, clay throwing, and more!

Berkshires Arts Festival

July 1st through the 3rd, 2017
Friday & Saturday: 10am-6pm | Sunday: 10am – 5pm
Ski Butternut, 380 State Road, Route 23, Great Barrington, MA 01230

Berkshires Arts & Culture Festival

August 17th through the 20th, 2017
Thursday: 5pm-9pm | Friday & Saturday: 10am-6pm | Sunday: 10am – 4:30pm
Eastover Estate, 430 East Street, Lenox, MA 01240

Be sure to visit the festival website for tickets, directions, and more information on either event.

Berkshires Arts Festival Lodging
Applegate Inn is just minutes away from Ski Butternut in Great Barrington and the Eastover Estate in Lenox. In fact, our convenient location in Lee, MA puts all the best of the Berkshires right at your fingertips. Better yet, our Berkshires B&B has eleven, beautifully appointed, luxury suites with private baths, fireplaces, and spa tubs that are so comfortable you wont care where it’s located! Stay at Applegate Inn and discover a kind of hospitality and service you’ve only dreamed of.

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Art in the Berkshires is never far away and the warmth of summer brings out some of the best. Chesterwood is currently presenting “Out of Site,” a contemporary outdoor sculpture exhibition that no art lover should miss.

Chesterwood is a National Trust Historic Site preserving the country home and studio of Daniel Chester French (1850-1931). French is considered America’s foremost sculptor of public monuments. He sculpted the Minute Man monument in Concord and the the Lincoln Memorial Abraham Lincoln, among other works.

The 122 acre estate now serves as a popular museum and sculpture garden. The facility hosts numerous events and programs throughout the year, including an annual contemporary sculpture exhibition.

This year’s exhibition, “Out of Site: Contemporary Sculpture at Chesterwood” features the work of 14 artists. The challenge put before them this year was to develop new pieces or adapt existing ones for museum’s landscape. The pieces had to reflect the environmental, cultural, and aesthetic attributes of the sculpture garden grounds.

Some of the pieces take their cues from the natural world and dramatic outdoor setting at Chesterwood. Others explore different aspects of the home through built structures. The exhibit includes giant creatures, illusive forms in mixed media, and narrative displays that address the passage of time in our present day lives.

Out of Site artists include:
Roberley Bell
Colin C. Boyd
Matt Crane
Roger Bisbing
Chrissy Scolaro
Brian Kane
Michael Oatman
Portia Munson
Derek Parker
Deborah Zlotsky
Amy Podmore
Douglas Culhane
Matt La Fleur
Amelia Toelke

Chesterwood will be offering free walking tours of the exhibit and special programs with the artists in July and August. Visit Chesterwood online for more details.

Out of Site: Contemporary Sculpture at Chesterwood

June 16 through October 9, 2017
4 Williamsville Road, Stockbridge, MA 01262

Berkshires Lodging
Applegate Inn in Lee, MA is your Berkshires B&B home away from home. Let our 11 beautifully appointed suites whisk you away to a world of unrivaled comforts. Enjoy the best modern conveniences in a Gilded-Age setting. Reserve your room at Applegate Inn, today!

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The 2017 Berkshire Jewish Film Festival season has begun! 12 films spread over 6 consecutive Mondays, July 10th through August 14 in the Duffin Theater at Lenox Memorial High School.

The 31st annual Berkshire Jewish Film Festival is one of the longest running events of its kind in the country. While it started out as a much smaller affair, held at the Knesset Israel sanctuary, the festival has grown every year to its current venue at the 500-seat, up-to-date, Duffin Theatre at Lenox Memorial High School.

More than 100 films are previewed for the festival. Despite a prominence of Jewish themes and content, Berkshire Jewish Film Festival films are meant to be screened before a varied audience – not just Jews. Consequently, films are also picked for their universal ability to move, inform, amuse, and inspire audiences.

This year’s festival continues the tradition with 12 films from the United States, Israel, Poland, Portugal, India, Hungary, the Netherlands, and England.

2017 Berkshire Jewish Film Festival Schedule

Freedom Runners and Joe’s Violin – July 10, 4pm
The 90 Minute War – July 10, 8pm
Across the Waters – July 17, 4pm
My Hero Brother – July 17, 8pm
Big Sonia – July 24, 4pm
Bang! The Bert Berns Story – July 24, 8pm
Keep Quiet – July 31, 4pm
Bogdan’s Journey – Aug 7, 4pm
Moos – Aug 7, 8pm
The Pickle Recipe – Aug 14, 4pm
Who’s Gonna Love Me – Aug 14, 8pm

All screenings are open to the public, seating is general admission. Matinees are $7, and evening performances $10. All proceeds go towards the Hebrew School of Knesset Israel

Berkshire Jewish Film Festival

Mondays, July 10 – August 14, 2017
Duffin Theatre at Lenox High School
197 East Street , Lenox, MA 01240
Visit knessetisrael.org for tickets and more information, or call 413-445-4872, ext. 10.

Berkshire Jewish Film Festival Lodging
No matter what it is that brings you to the Berkshires, Applegate Inn is the answer to all your lodging questions. Let us pamper you with candlelight breakfasts, afternoon wine and cheese, evening cognac and chocolates, and our signature attentive service. Our convenient location in the heart of the Berkshires puts the best of the area at your fingertips – but our 10 beautiful rooms and Carriage House may prove just as captivating! Spoil yourself and book your stay at Applegate Inn today!

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The 26th annual Stockbridge Summer Arts & Crafts show is right around the corner, August 19th and 20th, 2017. This beloved event has become a regional staple, drawing talented artisans and craftspeople from around the region for nearly 30 years.

Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to get a head start on your holiday shopping – or even something just for you!

The Stockbridge Summer Arts & Crafts Show is a popular 2-day event held at Bidwell Park in Stockbridge. More than 80 jury-selected artists and crafters from around the country will coming to historic Stockbridge to display their wares.

Items for sale will represent a cross section of the creative arts. Ceramics, fiber arts, glass, wood, metal, and leather in both decorative and functional forms will be for sale. Jewelry, painting, photography, sculpture, mixed media, and more will round out the offerings.

In addition to all the wonderful handmade goods, the Stockbridge Summer Arts & Crafts Show also offers specialty foods. You’ll find booths loaded with fresh and delicious local fruits, vegetables, and jams, breads, and more from Berkshire farmers and food producers. Yum!

Bidwell Park, where the Stockbridge Summer Arts & Crafts Show takes place, is within easy walking distance of the old town shopping area. Here you will find a number of  specialty shops, galleries, and excellent restaurants. It’s also near the section of Main Street made famous by Norman Rockwell in his 1967 painting: “Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas“.

Stockbridge Summer Arts & Crafts Show

August 19th and 20th, 2017
10am to 5pm Saturday, 10am to 4pm on Sunday
Bidwell Park – 50 Main St, Stockbridge, MA 01262
Be sure to visit stockbridgechamber.org for more information and a full list of exhibitors.

Berkshires Lodging
Applegate Inn, your Berkshires getaway headquarters in Lee, MA is just 5 minutes from Downtown Stockbridge. The convenient location of our Berkshire B&B lays the best of the Berkshires at your feet. We’ll spoil you with candlelight breakfasts, afternoon wine and cheese, and evening cognac and chocolates. Book your stay at Applegate Inn today!

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Come to the Berkshires this September for the 41st Annual Josh Billings Runaground Triathlon. “The Josh,” scheduled for Sunday, September 17th, 2017, is one of the oldest and largest bike-canoe-run triathlons in the country.

The Josh Billings RunAground Triathlon has been held in Southern Berkshire County every year since 1976. This makes it one of the oldest continuous annual triathlons in the country, second only to California’s Eppie’s Great Race, which is two years older. The Josh Billings Triathlon includes a 27 mile bike ride, a 5 mile canoe/kayak/SUP sprint, and a 6.2 mile run.

The triathlon starts off from the Price Chopper in Great Barrington, MA with a 27 mile bike race. The race takes the cyclists through scenic back country roads and 5 towns to Stockbridge Bowl in Stockbridge. Here the cyclists hand off their wrist bands teammates waiting to paddle their way through the second leg.

The paddle portion of the Josh Billings RunAground Triathlon is a 5-mile paddling sprint around Stockbridge Bowl (Lake Mahkeenac). Paddlers may use canoes, kayaks, or stand up paddle boards as their vehicle of choice. The race around the lake ends at Camp Mah-Kee-Nac where the paddlers toss their wristbands to runners waiting on the beach.

Runners catch their teammates wristband and strike out around the lake for the main gate of Tanglewood Music Festival in Lenox; a little over 6 miles. Thousands of fans will be waiting to cheer at the finish line – then it’s time to PARTY at Tanglewood!

The Bash at Tanglewood includes live music, great food, awards, vendors, and a Kid’s Race to wind up the day. The annual Josh Billings Triathlon is always good time for both competitors and spectators alike. The race has a friendly, tongue-in-cheek feel that it gets from its namesake, Josh Billings.

Josh Billings is the pen name of renowned humorist, Henry Wheeler Shaw. Shaw, who was better known than his contemporary, Mark Twain, was born in Lanesboro, MA in 1818. One of his more famous sayings, “To finish is to win” is the motto of the RunAground and part of its fun-loving, not-too-serious attitude.

2017 Josh Billings RunAground Triathlon Schedule
Saturday, September 16
12pm to 5:30pm – Race Registration at The Arcadian Shop, 91 Pittsfield Road, Lenox, MA
2pm – Ironperson meeting in the cafe area with Kent Lemme
5pm to 7:30pm – Free Spaghetti Dinner at Bousquet Ski area in Pittsfield with music by ‘Dugway’.

Sunday, September 17
8am to 8:30am – “Last Minute” packet pickup at the bike start/boats to Stockbridge Bowl
8:30am – Bikers report to the Price Chopper parking lot
9am – Paddlers report to the Stockbridge Bowl boat ramp
9:30am – Race begins at the Price Chopper parking lot in Great Barrington
10:30am – Runners: report to Camp Mah-Kee-Nac
12pm to 4pm – The Bash at Tanglewood with a great band-‘THE PRESCRIPTION’
12pm to 1pm – Kids Race Registration at the Tanglewood United Way tent
2pm – 19th Annual Free Kid’s Fun Run on Tanglewood Grounds (1/2 mile of fun)

The Josh Billings Triathlon is 501c3 organization and donates proceeds to the Berkshire United Way located in Pittsfield, Ma.

Josh Billings RunAground Triathlon

September 17, 2017
Race starts 9:30am at Price Chopper, Rt 7, Great Barrington, MA
Visit joshbillings.com for more details and tickets. You can also follow developments as they happen on the triathlon’s Facebook page.

Josh Billings Triathlon Lodging
Whether you’re planning on competing or just spectating at the Josh Billings RunAground, you’ll want to acquire your accommodations now before they’re all snapped up! Let Applegate Inn be your home away from home during the triathlon. Our location in Lee, MA puts you less than 15 minutes away from the start of the race – and/or The Bash at Tanglewood. Soak up the comforts of a “gilded-age” inn on six park-like acres with a stay at our Berkshires B&B: Applegate Inn.

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Come out and help celebrate the town of Lee’s annual birthday! Lee Founders Weekend 2017 is scheduled for September 14th through the 17th and promises three days of fabulous food, music, and fun in the Berkshires.

Lee, MA turns 240 this year and Lee Founders Day Weekend is the town’s annual birthday bash. Founders Weekend not only celebrates our hometown and all those who have helped to make it the great place but also its bright future! Come out and help us celebrate in small town Berkshires style with our Founders Day Parade, Duck Derby, Taste Of Lee, live music, arts and crafts, and so much more.

In fact, there’s so much to do, all there is space to share here are the highlights of Lee Founders Weekend 2017.

Lee Founders Weekend 2017 Highlights
All Day Friday & Saturday – Street Artisans/Craft Fair
Vendors offering one-of-a-kind, handmade jewelry, wood carvings, clothing, decorative items, and much more. Also contests, raffles, and more.

Thursday, September 14
Fairmount Cemetery Tour, 5pm –
Join the Lee Historical Society for a tour of Fairmount Cemetery and the colorful, historical figures interred within.
Friday, September 15
CreativeLEE XVII, 3pm to 5pm –
The 17th annual exhibit of local art sponsored by the Lee Library Association, 100 Main St.
Live Music on Main Street, 4pm to 8pm –
Robin O’Herin, Housatonic Philharmonic, and Moonshine Holler
Taste of Lee, 5pm to 8pm –
Dine al fresco on Lee’s Main Street with live music and offerings from Lee’s finest restaurants and local food vendors. One of Lee Founders Weekend’s biggest attractions!

Saturday, September 16
5K Road Race, 8am –
Come watch the runners tackle the Finnegan Course at Lee High School. You can even register to join in!
Hometown Parade, 10am –
Come experience a good, old-fashioned, main street parade. Floats, marching bands, clowns, fancy cars, horse-drawn wagons, and more will keep you entertained. The highlight of the weekend – don’t miss it!
Big Green Egg Cooking Contest, 11:30am to 1:30pm –
Come out and watch as local restaurant chefs compete for the title of “The Best Non-Beef Burger in Town!” as prepared in a Big Green Egg cooker.
Festival Latino, 2pm to 8pm –
A community festival featuring Latin American Dance troupes and a variety of Latino foods in Church Park. www.festivallatino.org

Sunday, September 17
Kiwanis Club of Lee Pancake Breakfast, 8am to 11am –
The annual Lee Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast at Saint Mary’s School is the best way to start the last day of Lee Founders Weekend 2017. Delish!
CTA Vintage Tennis Tournament, 10am –
Held at the Greenock Country Club, come watch as the players compete in this old-school tennis tournament!
Lee Lions Club Duck Derby, 2pm –
Join in the fun of the annual Duck Derby for only $5 – or just watch as hundreds of rubber duckies float through Downtown Lee on the Housatonic River. The first duck across the finish line wins $500, with many more prizes available for runners up.

Lee Founders Weekend 2017

September 14th through the 17th, 2017
Get more information on Lee Founders Weekend 2017 with a visit to www.leechamber.org.

Lodging for Lee Founders Weekend 2017
Applegate Inn is more than proud to be part of the Lee community. Our Berkshires B&B offers you 11 beautifully appointed suites, complete with private baths, fireplaces, and spa tubs. No matter when you’re here or what brought you, Applegate Inn is your ticket to service and relaxation in the Berkshires. Book your stay today!

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The Lenox Apple Squeeze is a free, 2-day harvest celebration and street festival. Artisans, farm stands, performers, and lots of happy visitors fill downtown Lenox with music, laughter and plenty to do, see, eat, and drink. Don’t miss out: September 23rd and 24th, 2017.

It can be difficult to face the end of summer, especially since it always seems to disappear almost as soon as it arrives. Welcoming fall rather than mourning summer is the key – and one of the best ways to celebrate fall is by attending the 38th annual Lenox Apple Squeeze.

This long-standing, Berkshire County harvest tradition transforms downtown Lenox, MA into a fun and engaging street festival. Live bands, a 5k race, activities for the kiddos, and over 150 vendors will be spread out around downtown.

Local artisans will offer unique handmade items, such as jewelry, quilts, wood carvings, and more. This wide selection of one-of-a-kind, handcrafted items makes for a fantastic early holiday-shopping opportunity. Local stores, galleries, and restaurants also get in on the game with sidewalk sales, specials, and other incentives.

Lenox Apple Squeeze is also a good place to hear some of the region’s best bands. This year’s music line-up is bigger than ever before with 10 bands on 3 stages providing 2 days of toe-tapping tunes.

2017 Lenox Apple Squeeze Music Schedule
Saturday –
10am – Freevolt
11am – The Elovators
12pm – Dwight and Nicole
1:45pm – Billy Strings
3:30pm – Whiskey Shivers
5:30pm – Wild Adriatic
Sunday –
11am – Swale
12pm – 5 Gun Draw
1:45pm – Sierra Hull
3:30pm – The Steeldrivers

All that shopping and bopping is bound to make you hungry. Worry not!

If there is one thing the Lenox Apple Squeeze is known for it is food, food, and more food! Not only will there be every apple dish you can think of (and even a few you can’t!) on hand, there will also be corn chowder, food trucks, foot-tall cake slices, and the ever popular taco in a bag.

Adults will also be happy to discover the Berkshire’s own Balderdash Cellars on hand with free tastings and bottles for sale. This year’s beer garden is once again hosted by Angry Orchard Hard Cider and Sam Adams, so you know you’ll be able to find something tasty to quench your thirst.

So go ahead: make your plans now to attend the 38th annual Lenox Apple Squeeze. There may be no better way to bid farewell to summer.

Lenox Apple Squeeze 2017

September 23rd and 24th – 10am to 5pm
Downtown Lenox, MA
Head on over to www.lenox.org for more information.

Lenox Apple Squeeze Lodging
Applegate Inn, in Lee, MA is just minutes away from downtown Lenox. Our Berkshires B&B offers eleven beautifully appointed suites with modern conveniences and all in the warmth of a traditional setting. Book your stay now to assure your room at our Select Registry property during this popular Berkshire County harvest festival.

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October, peak foliage season for the Massachusetts Berkshires, is just weeks away. If you’re an unabashed leaf-peeper, now is the time to plan your Berkshires fall foliage getaway!

There is always something to see or do in the Berkshires but few things exceed the beauty or popularity of our colorful fall foliage. Bright displays of leafy color under a crisp, blue autumn sky are inspiring, drawing you out of doors to soak up their magnificence.

One of the best ways to immerse yourself in the Berkshires fall foliage is with a short road trip. The scenic byways of the Berkshires offer endless possibilities but a few favorites come to mind.

Jacob’s Ladder Trails
Route 20 from Lee to Russell, MA – 30 mile
Jacob’s Ladder Trail Scenic Byway is one of the most popular Berkshires fall foliage drives and starts off right here in Lee, MA. This scenic rural roadway runs through foothills, open fields, small towns, and along the Westfield River. The route provides plenty of opportunities for hikes in the Chester-Blandford State Forest. You’ll also be passing by Jacob’s Pillow Dance, Tanglewood, Edith Wharton’s The Mount, and Ventfort Hall.

Mount Greylock Scenic Byway
Along Rockwell and Notch roads through Mount Greylock, then Reservoir Road to North Adams
Lanesborough to North Adams, MA through Mount Greylock – 16 miles
This route starts off from Mount Greylock State Park in Lanesborough, about 20 miles north of our Berkshires B&B in Lee, MA. Mount Greylock is the highest point in Massachusetts, with an elevation of 3,491 feet. This vantage point provides dramatic, sweeping views of not just Berkshires fall foliage but those of five states! The trail ends at Western Gateway Heritage State Park, in North Adams.

Mohawk Trail Byway
Route 2, Greenfield to Williamstown, MA – 65 miles
The Mohawk Trail Byway is probably the most famous and popular of the Berkshires fall foliage drives. It is one of the oldest roads in the nation, named after an ancient Mohawk trade route. Not only is it an amazingly scenic drive, it also offers over 100 attractions to see, including old pilgrim churches, and the Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne Falls. The start of the trail in Williamstown, MA is around an hour from Applegate Inn.

The Berkshires remain a hive of fun activity in autumn, with numerous seasonal events occurring throughout the region. The annual Fall Foliage Parade in North Adams on Sunday, October 1st comes to mind. Then there’s the Berkshire Botanical Garden Harvest Festival in Stockbridge, on October 7th and 8th.

Accommodations for your Berkshires Fall Foliage Getaway

Applegate Inn is a Select Registry property, offering modern conveniences in the warmth of a traditional setting. Our Gilded Age inn is on 6 park-like acres just a half mile’s walk from historic downtown Lee. Our eleven suites include private baths, fireplaces, and spa tubs. Let us help to make your Berkshires fall foliage getaway the best it can be with top-tier amenities and an insider’s knowledge of the area. Book your stay at Applegate Inn today.

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Get in the “spirit” for Halloween all through the month of October in the Berkshires with Ghost Tours at Edith Wharton’s The Mount!

Edith Wharton’s The Mount is always good for a visit. Edith Wharton (1832-1937) was an American novelist, short story writer, and designer who wrote over 40 books in 40 years, including “The Age of Innocence,” “Ethan Frome,” and “The House of Mirth.” She was the first woman awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, among other honors.

In 1901, Edith Wharton purchased 113-acres in Lenox and then designed and built her Berkshires home: The Mount. The Mount was restored as a cultural center and historic house museum in 1997 and is now a National Historic Landmark. Although Edith Wharton only lived here for ten years, every aspect of the estate, inside and out, still evokes Wharton’s creative spirit.

The Mount is open daily from May through October for house and garden tours and sees close to 40,000 visitors a year.  The Mount also hosts special events,  performances, lectures, and outdoor sculpture exhibits.

Come October, The Mount gets a little spookier than usual as it begins offering Ghost Tours in honor of Halloween. Various people claim to have had paranormal experiences at The Mount and even Edith Wharton admitted to sleeping with the light on, saying: “… I don’t believe in ghosts, but I’m afraid of them.”

Now you can take a tour of her famous home and see for yourself if the stories are true! The Mount has been home to writers, actors, wealthy families, hardworking servants, and even served as a school for teenage girls. Surely, if ghosts exist, some would be found at this historic site!

Ghost Tours of The Mount are a guided, two-hour experience that will take you to the most haunted parts of the estate. Those who hope to attend should wear warm clothes, sensible shoes, and be prepared for a spooky evening. Leave children under 12 at home with a sitter! The tour includes around a half-mile walk with some steep areas and is not suitable for wheelchairs.

Ghost Tours aren’t the only spooktacular attractions at The Mount this time of year. You can also attend an afternoon of ghost stories with professional storyteller, Tom Lee, on the 29th. October 31st sees a reading of a Wharton ghost story by Ariel Bock.

Attendees are encouraged to come to the special Halloween Ghost Tours in costume. Costumed attendees may join in a contest for best costume, with the winner receiving a season membership to The Mount!

2017 Ghost Tours at Edith Wharton’s The Mount

October 13th, 14th, 20th, 27th, & 28th – 5:45pm, 7pm, 7:45pm, 9pm

“Put in the Mood for Ghosts:” Storytelling with Tom Lee
October 29th – 5pm and 6pm

Ariel’s Annual Halloween Reading
October 31st – 5pm and 6pm

Halloween Ghost Tour
October 31st – 8pm, 10pm, 12am

Tickets for these events sell out FAST. If you hope to attend, grab your tickets now at For tickets and more information: www.edithwharton.org

Edith Wharton’s The Mount Lodging
Visiting a haunted house can be a lot of fun – but I wouldn’t want to sleep there! Whenever you’re in the Berkshires, stay in one of Applegate Inn’s 11 beautifully appointed rooms and suites. Our private baths, fireplaces, spa tubs, and signature breakfasts will have you feeling like royalty. Our Berkshires B&B is located in Lee, MA in the heart of the Berkshires, putting you in the center of the action. Book your stay at Applegate Inn today!

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Get into the holiday spirit this season with a visit to Hancock Shaker Village! See how Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas were celebrated through numerous events from the famous, living museum. From late October through to a week before Christmas in December.

Hancock Shaker Village has been open tot he public since 1961 but they usually close until after their big, fall harvest festival, mid October. This year, however, they’ve decided to share the way of the Shaker holidays by adding a number of events from Halloween to Christmas.

Many folks likely imagine an austere and severe group of people when they think of Shakers. They would likely be surprised to learn that the Shakers were some of the people who brought the Halloween and Christmas traditions to the United States. Back in 1790 when they arrived here, very few others dressed up for Halloween or made a big deal about Christmas – but the Shakers did!

Now you can see just what that must have been like by visiting Hancock Shaker Village this fall! The schedule includes everything from a Shaker Halloween dress-up, to a special Shaker harvest supper, and events depicting the Shaker Christmas.

strong>Hancock Shaker Village Holiday Events Schedule
October
6, 20, & 27 – Haunted Hancock
28 – Halloween at Hancock – 11am to 3pm

November
4 – Food for Thought: with Virginia Willis 6pm to 9pm
16 – Wreath ‘N Sip – 7pm to 9pm
24 – Thanksgiving on the Farm – 10am to 4pm
25-26 – Hancock Holidays – 10am to 4pm
25 – Shop Small Saturday – 10am to 4pm
25 – Grateful: Shaker Supper – 6pm to 8pm

December
2-3, 9-10, 16-17 – Hancock Holidays – 10am to 4pm
2-9 – Candlelit Evening at the Village
16 – Holiday Tea 1:30pm to 3pm & 4p to 5:30pm

A visit to the Village is always fun and informative but these special Hancock Shaker Village holiday events really up the ante. Stop by for wine and holiday craft making at the Wreath and Sip. Enjoy a candlelit, harvest dinner of autumn’s local bounty at the Grateful: Shaker Supper. Escape modern materialism with a Candlelit Evening at the Village: live music, festive food, storytelling, and caroling.

Come celebrate the holiday season in the beautiful Berkshires at Hancock Shaker Village!

Holidays at Hancock Shaker Village

1843 West Housatonic St.
Pittsfield MA, 01201
Visit the Hancock Shaker Village website for tickets and more information.

Hancock Shaker Village Lodging
Hancock Shaker Village living museum is less than twenty miles from our Berkshires B&B. In fact, our convenient location in Lee, MA puts the best of the Berkshires right at your feet. Berkshire Botanical Gardens, the Norman Rockwell Museum, Jacobs Pillow, Tanglewood, Jiminy Peak, and more. Book your stay at Applegate Inn today!

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Come experience a classic, Norman Rockwell painting come to life during the annual Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas 2017 – December 1st and 3rd, 2017!

Visitors to our neck of New England often remark that many a view before them looks as if it could have come straight out of a painting. Sometimes they are spot on. Many scenes in the Berkshires have starred in famous works, particularly those of Norman Rockwell. As you may already know, Rockwell spent the last 25 years of his life in Stockbridge and the town is home to the Norman Rockwell Museum.

You’re undoubtedly familiar with Norman Rockwell’s famous “Home for Christmas (Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas)” painting. The 8-foot-long work has come to symbolize Christmas in America and is one of Rockwell’s more famous pieces.

The town of Stockbridge returns the favor of being immortalized with an annual celebration of the painting, the artist, and the town itself!

A big part of Stockbridge’s charm comes from the fact that it has changed so little over the decades. This makes re-enacting the scene from Rockwell’s famous Christmas painting that much easier. The scene is so convincing, in fact, that visitors can be excused for feeling like they’ve accompanied one of Dickens’ ghosts to a Christmas past!

But Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas 2017 is so much more than just a simple recreation of a painting. It’s a weekend of fun activities.

Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas 2017 Schedule
Friday, December 1st –
Readings Around The Hearth – 5pm to 6:30pm
Gather ’round to hear classic stories of the season presented by the Stockbridge Library, Museum & Archives held at the library. Free Admission.

Saturday, December 2nd –
Holiday House Tour ~ 11am to 4pm
Take self-guided tours of historic homes: Blantyre, Eastover, Naumkeag, Historic Merrell Inn, Charles Owen House, and The Old Rectory. Tickets are available in advance through Stockbridge chamber or on the day of at the Red Lion Inn.

Children’s Holiday Story Time at the Stockbridge Library ~ 11 to 11:30am

Caroling Luminaria Walk ~ 6pm to 7-m
Meet in front of The Red Lion Inn on Main Street with your candle or flashlight and join the festive caroling followed by a Luminaria walk to the First Congregational Church.

Holiday Concert ~ 7:30pm
A joyful holiday musical program by the Berkshire Lyric and the Blafield Children’s Chorus held at the First Congregational Church.

Sunday, December 3rd –
Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas Recreation ~ 12pm to 2pm
See America’s Main Street at Christmas-time the way Norman Rockwell did, complete with vintage automobiles, costumes, and more.

Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas 2017

December 1st through the 3rd, 2017 – 12pm-2pm
Stockbridge Chamber of Commerce, 50 Main Street,Stockbridge, MA
Visit stockbridgechamber.orgfor more details and tickets.

Stockbridge Main Street At Christmas Lodging
Applegate Inn is a historic Berkshires B&B located just minutes from Stockbridge and a great many other attractions. In fact, our convenient location makes exploring the Berkshires a snap. Of course, our amenities are so plush and numerous, you may find yourself not wanting to leave! Book your holiday getaway at Applegate Inn now and treat yourself to the best hospitality in the Berkshires!

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There’s nothing quite like a Berkshires skiing getaway and Applegate Inn makes it even easier to plan yours with our Berkshires lodging packages!

There is always something happening in the Massachusetts Berkshires, even during the winter. In fact, that’s an excellent time to visit!

If you think our rolling hills are lovely during summer, just wait ’til you see them under a sparkling blanket of snow. The same can be said of our quaint, New England towns once they’re decked out for the holidays.

Museums and historic houses, like the Norman Rockwell Museum, Edith Wharton’s The Mount, Melville’s Arrowhead, and the Berkshire Museum, are open. Many run special fall and winter programs or events that our summer-only visitors miss out on.

This is true of the Berkshire theater scene, as well. The excellent live stage performances don’t stop just because it’s winter. Mahaiwe, Shakespeare & Company, the Colonial Theatre, and others offer programs throughout the year that you won’t want to miss.

Shopping, antiquing, and special holiday events are other great reasons to visit – but nothing attracts like all the Berkshires skiing opportunities. The Massachusetts Berkshires can satisfy you whether you’re a fan of downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, or snowboarding. You can also enjoy inner-tubing, sledding, snowshoeing, and snowmobile tours!

Best of all, our Berkshires B&B, Applegate Inn, is conveniently close to many of the area’s best winter-sports resorts!

Cranwell Resort – www.cranwell.com
55 Lee Road, Lenox, MA – only 10 minutes from Applegate Inn.

Bousquet Mountain Ski Resort – www.bousquets.com
101 Dan Fox Drive, Pittsfield, MA – only 15 minutes from Applegate Inn.

Canterbury Farm Cross Country Skiing – www.canterbury-farms.com
1986 Fred Snow Road, Becket, MA – only 20 minutes from Applegate Inn.

Ski Butternut – www.skibutternut.com
380 State Road, Route 23, Great Barrington, MA – only 20 minutes from Applegate Inn.

Hilltop Orchards – www.hilltoporchards.com
508 Canaan Road, Route 295, Richmond, MA – only 20 minutes from Applegate Inn.

Catamount Ski Area – www.catamountski.com
Route 23, South Egremont, MA – only 20 minutes from Applegate Inn.

Maple Corner Farm – www.maplecornerfarm.com
794 Beech Hill Road, Granville, MA – only 40 minutes from Applegate Inn.

Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort – jiminypeak.com
37 Corey Road, Hancock, MA – only 40 minutes from Applegate Inn.

Notchview – www.thetrustees.org
Old Route 9, Windsor, MA – only 45 minutes from Applegate Inn.

Berkshires Skiing Getaway Specials

From November to May, Applegate Inn offers a variety of Berkshires lodging specials that will put some of the sting out of your Berkshires skiing plans.

Our Mid-Week Lodging Special includes 2 complimentary mid week ski lift tickets to Butternut Ski resort (Monday-Friday) or a complimentary cross country ski package at Hilltop Orchards. The latter includes a wine tasting of up to six different wines and a 10% savings on all wines purchased!

Our Mid-Week Lodging Special is not our only Berkshires ski season lodging package.

We also offer considerable savings through our two night and three night lodging packages.

If you’d like to take advantage of these – or any – of our Berkshires lodging specials, let us know at (413) 243-4451. Be sure to check out all the Berkshires lodging specials on the Applegate Inn Specials page.

See you soon!

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Ring in 2018 with a relaxing Berkshires getaway and save! Applegate Inn’s New Year’s Eve Lodging Package gives you a number of reasons to celebrate the season!

There are a million reasons to enjoy a Berkshires getaway at any time of the year but our New Year’s Eve lodging package really ups the ante. What better way to welcome 2018 than with a stay in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts and Applegate Inn as your home base? We’re surrounded by the very best of the Berkshires and you can be, too!

Skiing, shopping, museums, the stage, and the charm of mother nature are all within easy reach when you book a stay at our Berkshires B&B. Best of all, we make it easy and exciting with our 2017 New Year’s Eve Lodging Package.

Applegate Inn’s New Year’s Eve Lodging Package

Our holiday lodging package includes a champagne and hors d’oeuvres reception at 6pm, New Year’s Eve. Come New Year’s Day, you’ll be treated to a candlelight gourmet brunch. Other perks include daily wine and cheese cocktail hours and brandy and chocolates in your room.

You’ll also receive a special lodging rate for New Year’s Eve, 2017.
$330 for King Size Luxury Suites (Rooms 1, 7, 8, 9, 10)
$240 for Queen Size Bed (Rooms 2, 3, 4, 5)
$190 for Smaller Queen Size Bed (Room 6)
$340 for Carriage House Cottage (2 Queen Bedrooms) for 1 couple.
$420 for Carriage House Cottage (2 Queen Bedrooms) for 2 couples.

Other nights during your stay will go at the regular off-season rate. A two night stay is required.

If you’d like to take advantage of Applegate Inn’s New Year’s Eve Lodging Package, just call (413-243-4451) or email us and let us know. We’ll provide more information and specific rates to help you plan your New Year’s Eve getaway.

Be sure to check out our other Berkshires lodging specials, as well. Happy Holidays!

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Ring in 2018 with an evening of Purcell, Mozart, Boyce, Bartok, and Bach when The Berkshire Bach Society presents Bach at New Years 2017.

We are so very lucky to have a group like the Berkshire Bach Ensemble here in our area. They are the oldest continuing, member-based, non-profit music organization in Berkshire County. The group focuses on the works of J.S. Bach and his musical peers, present concerts that range from solo instrumental recitals to large choral works with full orchestra.

Bach at New Years has been a Berkshire County New Year’s Eve tradition since 1993. Sell-out audiences year after year at Mahaiwe led to an expanded performance schedule. There are now three separate opportunities to experience Bach at New Years!

Bach at New Years 2017/2018 Performance Schedule
Saturday, December 30 – 7:30pm
Academy of Music
274 Main St, Northampton, MA 01060

Sunday, December 31 – 6pm
Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center
244 Main St #3, Great Barrington, MA 01230

Monday, January 1 – 3pm
Troy Savings Bank Music Hall
30 Second Street Troy, NY 12180

This year’s Bach at New Years concert features Berkshire Bach Ensemble’s director Eugene Drucker, Founder of the Emerson String Quartet, as both director and soloist. The program is about 2 hours long, including a 15-minute intermission.

If you enjoy classical music or are simply looking for something sublime to finish off 2017 and begin 2018, Bach at New Years is the answer!

Bach at New Years Program 2017-2018
Mozart: Divertimento in D, K. 136
Purcell: Chacony | Fantasias, Cebell and Fanfare, Prelude and Celebration
William Boyce: Symphony No. 1 in B flat Major for oboes and strings.
Mozart: Violin Concerto — K. 219 (the Turkish – Drucker soloist)
Bartok: Duos for Two Violins, Sz. 98: New Year’s Greetings
J.S. Bach: Contrapunctus # 9 from The Art of the Fugue.
Mozart-Bach: Three fugues for four voices from the Well-Tempered Clavier
J.S. Bach: Orchestral Suite No. 1

Bach at New Years2017/2018

Tickets for these concerts go very quickly, especially for the New Year’s Eve performance. If you plan to attend, you’ll need to act fast to get your tickets before they sell out!

Tickets for the December 30th performance at the Academy of Music can be purchased online at www.aomtheatre.com or you can call: (413) 584-9032 x105.

Tickets for the New Year’s Eve performance on December 31st at Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center can be purchased online at www.mahaiwe.org or via phone: (413) 528-0100.

Tickets for the New Year’s Day performance on January 1st at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall can be purchased online at www.troymusichall.org or by calling (518) 273-0038.

The Applegate Inn New Year’s Eve Lodging Special
Applegate Inn’s 2017 New Year’s Eve lodging package includes a New Year’s Eve reception of champagne and hors d’oeuvres, a New Year’s Day gourmet brunch, special lodging rates, and other perks. View more details on our Berkshires Lodging Specials and Packages page – and Happy New Year!

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Happy New Year! We’re off to a running start with tickets for Tanglewood 2018 going on sale to the general public on Sunday, January 28th. Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival 2018 has also been announced. Now is the time to solidify those Berkshire summer getaway plans!

It may still be cold out but the announcements of Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival and Tanglewood 2018 are reminders of summer’s approaching warmth. Both beloved festivals fulfill an annual, Berkshires tradition of world class music and dance performances going back nearly a century.

Tanglewood Music Festival 2018
Tanglewood 2018 celebrates Leonard Bernstein’s 100th birthday with a series of performances from the conductor-composer’s varied body of works. Performances are set to include Chichester Psalms, Songfest, Trouble in Tahiti, and Candide. The Oscar-winning film version of West Side Story with a live score a la the BSO is sure to be extremely popular.

August 25th, Bernstein’s birthday, sees a special gala concert featuring an astonishing array of guest artists and conductors. Andris Nelsons, Keith Lockhart, John Williams, Audra McDonald, Yo-Yo Ma, Thomas Hampson, and many, many others.

The 2018 Tanglewood Popular Artist series already includes a host of worthy attractions, with more sure to be added as summer approaches. Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me, James Taylor, and more.

Tanglewood 2018

Tickets for Tanglewood Music Festival 2018 go on sale to the general public at 10am, Sunday, January 28th, 2018. Applegate Inn partners with Tanglewood each year for an inside track on tickets to our guests. Our Berkshires B&B is less than 6 miles from the Tanglewood campus. We’d love to help coordinate your stay with a Tanglewood concert or three. Give us a call at (413) 243-4451 and we’ll see what we can do!

Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival 2018
Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival is America’s longest-running international dance festival. The 86th annual festival promises a jam-packed season of debuts and world premieres, collaborations, and the long awaited return of favorites.

Highlights include The Royal Danish Ballet, the U.S. debut of Compañía Sharon Fridman, and an artist-curated program by New York City Ballet’s Daniel Ulbricht.

Groups like PHILADANCO!, Limón Dance Company, Houston Ballet, and ODC/Dance return to the Pillow for the first time in years in 2018.

Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival 2018

Tickets for Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival 2018 are on sale now and will, as always, go fast. Lodging, too, becomes a premium as the season approaches. Now is the time to acquire your tickets and reserve your room.

As with Tanglewood, Jacob’s Pillow Dance is just minutes away from our Berkshires B&B in Lee, MA, Applegate Inn. Our convenient location, plush guest rooms, and a history of unmatched service and comfort make us the obvious choice for lodging anytime you’re in the Berkshires. Book your stay at Applegate Inn today!

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Valentine’s Day is the perfect excuse to express your love and the Berkshires are the perfect place to do it. Treat that special someone to a Valentine’s Day getaway in the Berkshires with one of Applegate Inn’s romantic lodging packages.

A Valentine’s Day getaway means different things to different people. That’s part of what makes our corner of the Massachusetts Berkshires so perfect a romantic destination: there are so many wonderful things to do together here!

Outdoor recreation is available in myriad forms. We’re surrounded by skiing opportunities, whether you prefer downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, or snowboarding. Snowshoeing, snowmobiling, and both indoor and outdoor ice-skating are also available.

Cultural activities abound, as well. Melville’s Arrowhead Farm, Berkshire Botanical Gardens, Norman Rockwell Museum, Tanglewood, Mahaiwe, and so many others are all within easy reach. Like skiing opportunities, our Berkshires B&B is surrounded by world class theaters, museums, gardens, and galleries.

When it comes to dining, the Berkshires are in a class of their own. Though the scene is ever-changing, we try to keep our list of the Best Berkshires Restaurants up to date.

No matter what it is you two do while you are here, Applegate Inn’s Romance Package is a great place to start!

Our Berkshires Romance Package includes:
Two nights lodging in one of our wonderful fireplace rooms
A sumptuous 3 course dinner for two
Chocolate and a split of champagne

You can enjoy this special offer in our Queen Room for only $545. You can also upgrade this package to the King Suite for $715. The King Suite includes a steam shower, soaking tub, or two-person whirlpool tub.

Valentine’s Day falls on a Wednesday this year, so our Mid Week Lodging Specials may also come in handy.

Applegate Inn’s Mid Week Lodging Special includes 2 nights midweek, Sunday through Thursday (your 2 nights can be Thursday and Friday but other restrictions apply). Options available for this special include:

A $50 Gift Certificate towards dinner for 2 at one of our 6 favorite restaurants
(the restaurant list and other details for this special can be viewed here)
OR
2 complimentary mid-week ski-lift tickets to Butternut Ski resort
OR
A Complimentary Nordic (cross country) ski package at Hilltop Orchards, with wine tasting
OR
2 complimentary passes to The Norman Rockwell Museum
OR
Special for February, a complimentary bottle of Furnace Brook Winery’s award-winning Blanc de Blancs champagne and a decedent chocolate treat.

Valentine’s Day Getaway in the Berkshires

As you can see, Applegate Inn is ready to go all out to make sure your Valentine’s Day getaway in the Berkshires is the best it possibly can be.

To take advantage of these or any of our Berkshires Lodging specials, all you need do is let us know what you have in mind when booking and we’ll do the rest.

Be sure to visit our Applegate Inn Specials and Packages page for details, restrictions, and other available add-ons.

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Pittsfield’s annual 10X10 Upstreet Arts Festival is back and with it comes Barrington Stage Company’s 10X10 New Play Festival. This fast-paced event sees ten new plays performed in just over an hour and a half! February 15th through March 4th, 2018.

The 10X10 Upstreet Arts Festival in Pittsfield, MA is an annual showcase of music, film, visual art, spoken word, comedy, dance, theater, and more. The festival sees 66 events at 12 different venues, and all based around the number 10. The diverse roster of local and regional participants includes the Berkshire Museum, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, and Hancock Shaker Village.

The 10X10 New Play Festival, presented by Barrington Stage Company, is one of the more popular events of the 10X10 Upstreet Arts Festival. It features ten new plays, chosen from hundreds of submissions, and performed by an ensemble cast of six actors. More than that, these ten plays are performed in just over an hour and a half!

You can imagine the sheer energy of the actors to get through so much material, so many characters, so quickly. The annual 10X10 New Play Festival is always quite the experience, with plenty of humour and thought provocation.

The lineup for 2018’s 10X10 New Play Festival includes a wide variety of stories:

The Fly – Time to relax in the park and enjoy a sandwich – but a pesky fly has other ideas.

Run-On Sentence – A woman visits her aging father in prison and finds that coming home is no laughing matter.

Joy Ride – An estranged daughter brings her father’s ashes home for a dignified send off only to find her free-spirited mother has loftier plans.

Fargo 3D – For the would be patrons of the Fargo 3D theater, sneaking food in is a serious business.

Seven Minutes in Heaven – What happens hen two teens are thrown into a closet for a game of “seven minutes in heaven?”

Perspective – A couple finds their relationship threatened by a certain woman with an inscrutable smile when their favorite painting is moved to a new room at the Louvre.

The Secret to a Healthy Relationship – Couples therapy can lead to some revealing truths and, as one couple learns, a truly terrible date night.

Beatrix Potter Must Die! – A desperate American farmer travels back in time for an unusual solution to his plague of rabbits.

Old Aquatics – A volunteer driver must summon all his patience as he tries to shepherd home a very unruly reveler on New Year’s Eve.

Kamasutra – A Hackensack couple reexamine their love and marriage amidst the erotic carvings of the Chandela Temples in India.

10X10 New Play Festival 2018

Thursdays through Sundays, February 14th to March 5th, 2018
Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays – 7:30pm | Saturdays and Sundays – 3pm
Barrington Stage Company’s Germain Stage
at Sydelle and Lee Blatt Performing Arts Center
36 Linden Street, Pittsfield, MA
Visit barringtonstageco.org for tickets and more information.

10X10 New Play Festival Lodging
Applegate Inn is just 20 minutes drive from the 10X10 Upstreet Arts Festival festivities in Pittsfield, MA. In fact, thanks to our convenient location in Lee, MA virtually all of the best of the Berkshires are at your feet when you stay with us. Further, you will enjoy unrivaled comfort and style in the 11 beautifully appointed guestrooms of our historic Berkshires B&B. Enjoy all the best modern conveniences in an old-world setting with a stay at Applegate Inn!

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Spring is still in waiting in the wings, so it may be hard to think about your summer plans. With tickets for the 2018 Tanglewood Popular Artists Series on sale, however, you may want to try! Tanglewood is offering a host of music stars and legends again this summer, including Roger Daltrey, Andy Grammer, and the Steve Miller Band!

People tend to think of Tanglewood Music Festival as primarily a vehicle for classical music – and they’re not wrong. That being said, they also offer a variety of pop music events alongside the more staid music festival. Past years have seen such talent as Dolly Parton, Joan Baez, and Bob Dylan.

2018 is no slouch, either with Roger Daltrey of The Who performing his band’s legendary “TOMMY” album with the Boston Pops Orchestra. The Steve Miller Band will make their first visit to the Tanglewood stage in the company of guitarist Peter Frampton. Multi-platinum pop star Andy Grammer will also make his Tanglewood debut in 2018.

Recent additions to the schedule include a June evening of David Crosby with Mary Chapin Carpenter and Chris Hillman with Herb Pedersen. Tanglewood also recently announced a June 1st show with Ry Cooder and Emmylou Harris.

Other highlights include James Taylor returning for two Independence Day weekend shows, “Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me!” and Bela Fleck and the Flecktones.

2018 Tanglewood Popular Artists Series Lineup

June
15 – Roger Daltrey performs The Who’s TOMMY with the Boston Pops – 8pm
16 – David Crosby with Mary Chapin Carpenter / Chris Hillman &
Herb Pedersen – 7pm
17 – Stephen Stills & Judy Collins – 2:30pm
21 – Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me! – 8pm
22 – Andy Grammer – 7pm
24 – Boston Pops and Audra McDonald – 2:30pm
30 – Live From Here at Tanglewood with Chris Thile – 5:45pm

July
1 – Ry Cooder / Emmylou Harris – 2:30pm
2 – Steve Miller Band with Peter Frampton – 7pm
3 – James Taylor at Tanglewood – 8pm
4 – James Taylor at Tanglewood – 8pm
7 – The Boston Pops present Bernstein’s On the Town- 8pm

August
7 – Tanglewood on Parade – 8pm
11 – John Williams’ Film Night – 8pm

September
2 – Steve Martin and Martin Short: An Evening You Will Forget for the Rest of Your Life with The Steep Canyon Rangers and Jeff Babko – 2:30pm

Tanglewood Popular Artists Series 2018

Tickets for Tanglewood Popular Artists Series are available online at www.bso.org. Be on the lookout for more shows being added to this series in the coming months. You can keep up to date on the Tanglewood site or by following Tanglewood on Facebook.

Tanglewood Lodging
Tickets for these concerts will go quickly, so plan ahead – but don’t forget lodging! Applegate Inn, in Lee, MA is mere minutes from the Tanglewood campus. Our Berkshires B&B offers 10 guest rooms and a carriage house surrounded by 6-acres trees, gardens, and manicured lawn. Book your Berkshires getaway today at Applegate Inn!

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March is Massachusetts Maple Month! Maple sugaring houses are boiling down their sap and filling the air with the delicious scent of fresh, Massachusetts maple syrup. Now is your chance to come and experience the Berkshires maple syrup harvest up close!

Berkshires maple syrup producers have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of spring. Sugaring houses all around the Berkshires are busy boiling down the sap they’re collecting to produce fresh and delicious Berkshires maple. It’s a tradition that occurs every spring, mid-February to mid-April. Once temperatures reach 40 degrees or more and the sugar maple sap begins to run again, it’s maple sugaring time!

Maple tree farms – sugarbushes – hang their sap buckets on taps driven into the trunks of sugar maples and collect the dripping sap. The buckets are then collected and the contents boiled down to remove the water, leaving pure maple syrup behind. Up to 86 gallons of sap may be needed to get just 1 gallon of syrup!

Best of all, you can come and experience the Berkshires maple syrup harvest in person!

March is Massachusetts Maple Month, with a special Maple Weekend set for March 17th and 18th. Maple Weekend is the annual celebration of the Massachusetts Maple harvest. The event sees both maple farms and restaurants participating with special maple themed-events and specials.

Many maple sugaring houses that are NOT directly participating in the Maple Weekend still open their doors during the season for tours, samples, maple breakfasts, and much more. The Lee, MA area is no exception with 6 Berkshires maple producers within 25 miles of our Berkshires B&B!

Ioka Valley Farm
3475 Rte 43 Hancock 01237 – website
Ioka Valley Farm is very close yo our Berkshires B&B and will be participating in Maple Weekend 2018 (8am to 3:30pm). Guests will enjoy maple tours, tastings, and a chance to enjoy a mpale breakfast in their Calf-A.

Windy Hill Farm
1 Sam Hill Road Worthington 01098 – website
Windy Hill Farm is participating in Maple Weekend 2018, Saturday and Sunday, 8am to 2pm. Visitors can watch sap gathering and boiling, as well as enjoying pancakes and a full line of maple products.

High Hopes Sugarhouse
1132 Huntington Road (Rte. 112) Worthington 01098 – website
High Hopes Sugarhouse will offer tours, demos, samples, maple products, and more on Saturdays and Sundays throughout the maple sugaring season. They’re also participating in Maple Weekend – 7am to 2pm.

The Red Bucket Sugar Shack
584 Kinne Brook Road Worthington 01098 – website
The Red Bucket Sugar Shack offers maple products year ’round and a pancake restaurant weekends during maple sugaring season.

Steve’s Sugar Shack
34 North Road Westhampton 01027 – website
Visit Steve’s Sugar Shack 7am to 1pm on Maple Weekend 2018 for breakfast and to watch Steve boil and explain the process. A special opportunity on Sunday, 10am to 11am, for an outdoor demonstration of gathering sap with a team of oxen.

Maple Corner Farm
794 Beech Hill Road Granville 01034 – website
Tour the sugarhouse, learn the sugaring process, and enjoy samples of fresh Berkshires maple syrup and other maple products. Breakfast available from 8am to 2pm.

Berkshires Maple Syrup Harvest 2018

Maple Weekend 2018 – March 17th and 18th
Learn more about Maple Weekend 2018 at the Massachusetts Maple Producers website. The site includes an excellent maple-maker map and restaurant list to help you find those participating in Maple Weekend 2018.

Berkshires Spring Lodging
Applegate Inn would love to be your home base no matter what brings you to the Berkshires. Our gilded-age inn sits on six park-like acres in beautiful Lee, MA. We have 11 plush guest rooms suites to choose from and a long list of amenities that will have you feeling like pampered royalty. So go ahead: book your room now for a front row seat to spring in the Berkshires at Applegate Inn!

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