Listings, Events, Attractions -1/3 - 1/30/2010

Through Jan. 3, The 25th Annual Festival of Trees at the Berkshire Museum. Each year, the Berkshire Museum spruces up the galleries with scores of festive trees decorated by community organizations, businesses, and school children. This year, to mark the Festival's Silver Anniversary, the trees have been inspired by the theme Silver Bells. Call 443-7171 to order tickets now for this exclusive Berkshire County holiday party. Festival of Trees hours: Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun., noon-5 p.m. Closing Christmas and New Years Day. Close at 2 p.m. Christmas Eve and New Years Eve. Admission: $12 adults ($6 members); $6 children three to 18 ($3 members). Ongoing through Jan. 10, Tonality at The Berkshire Museum. A companion exhibition to the 25th Annual Festival of Trees, Tonality explores the silver hues of winter through a sterling selection of work from the museum's permanent collection. Several pieces in Tonality have not been on display for decades because of their fragility, but they have now been taken out of storage and will remain on view through Jan. 10, thanks to the recent installation of climate-control systems throughout the museum. Ongoing, Women's Nordic Ski Clinics, Notchview Reservations, Windsor, MA. Women practice improving skills and fitness levels in an encouraging environment. Instructing includes video tape of skier's technique. Advanced beginner through intermediate; eight women per clinic. Trustees of Reservations members $40; non-members $50. Pre-registration with instructor required. Call Jeanne at 634-2123. Jan. 1, First Night Northampton. Broadway performers Jean McClelland, vocalist, and her husband Bill, pianist, will ring in the new year at First Night Northampton with a program of songs from the Great American Songbook in Lyman Hall, First Church, Northampton at 7 p.m. Jan. 1, Bach at New Year's. In one of the classiest New Year's traditions around, the Berkshire Bach Ensemble rings in 2010 with Bach's six Bradenburg concerti, 3 p.m.; $17-$37, Colonial Theatre, 111 South St., Pittsfield. Info: 997-4444; thecolonialtheatre.org. Jan 3. Card and Collectible Show, The Chicopee Boys and Girls Club will be hosting a collectible show from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. in the Boys and Girls Club gym, 580 Meadow St., Chicopee. The show features coins, sports and non-sports cards, card supplies, autographs, vintage cards, T-shirts, gift items and more. Handicap accessible. Admission $1, children under 10 free. All proceeds to benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Chicopee. For info call Joe at 593-6046. Jan 5. and ongoing, The SeniorNet Computer Center at the Springfield Jewish Community Center offers a variety of monthly computer courses for adults. Classes begin Jan. 5. In January there will be a day class in Computer Basics and an evening class in the Internet and Google. Also offered in January are two special workshops Connecting with Friends and Family and another Organizing Files and Folders. There are openings in most courses. Call 732-1336 for info on available spots in January and also for info regarding other courses. Watch for an evening class to be schedule soon in Excel. Jan. 9, Northampton Winter Fare, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Most farmers' markets, farmstands, and CSAs have closed for the season, but locally grown food can still be found in the Valley. On Jan. 9 a vibrant, diverse farmers' market and community event is coming to Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School. CISA (Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture) is organizing the first Northampton Winter Fare based on Greenfield's very successful Winter Fare celebration, which is held in February. In addition to perusing an amazing array of local food, shoppers can mingle over hot soup, attend one of the educational workshops schedule during the market, and barter home-preserved local food with their neighbors. Volunteers are still needed to make this event happen. Contact Claire Morenon, program coordinator, at 665-7100 or claire@buylocalfood.org to sign up or to learn more. Jan 9-10, 20th Annual Springfield Bridal Show, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Eastern State Exposition, 1305 Memorial Ave. For two days the Better Living Center becomes a one-stop shop for everything wedding related. DJs, caterers, florists, and, of course, dressmakers will be on hand to convince you they're the ones to help make your special day just a little more memorable. Cost: $8. For info call 860-563-2111; jenksproductions.com. Jan 9, The uNi Coffeehouse Concert Series, presents Aoife Clancy and Robbie O'Connell of the Clancy Legacy, 8 p.m., Unitarian Universalist Society Meetinghouse, 245 Porter Lake Dr., Springfield. For info/reservations call 562-3990; website uNiCoffeehouse.org. At the door: $15. Together in concert Aoife Clancy (pronounced "Eefa") and Robbie O'Connell share the joy of presenting the very best of Irish and Irish-influenced songs, tunes, and humor. Jan 9, Winter Trails Day, Notchview Reservation, Windsor, MA, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Come out and play in the snow. Snowshoes and trail passes will be available free for two-hour periods. Free activities include cross-country ski lessons for all experience levels, classical and skating lessons, a wax clinic and a winter snowshoe hike. Watch a free skijoring demonstration of how to ski with your dog. Snowshoes, hike and lessons are free for all, with regular trail fees for other activities. Rent skis from your local ski shop or call in advance to arrange for ski rentals. Quantities of snowshoes are limited. Call the Trustees of Reservations at 684-0148 to pre-register or for more info. Jan. 10, Crooked Still, Iron Horse Music Hall, 20 Center St., Northampton, 7 p.m. Come in from the cold for a night of modern bluegrass with these local favorites. This show is a celebration of the relaunch of No Depression (nodepression.com), a Web version of the beloved roots magazine that closed in 2008. Cost: $23. Info: 586-8686; iheg.com. Jan. 10, Sneak Peak: Snowshoe Trek and Track, 1-4 p.m., Little Tom Reservation, Mountain Park Access Road, Holyoke. Explore the winter wonderland of this future Reservation while traversing the hills and fields of Little Tom (Quien habla espanol). Beginners welcome depending on interest this could be an easy or moderate hike. Meet at the Mountain Park Access Road I-91 overpass (off Rte 5). Snowshoe rentals available ($10/pair) or bring your own. Call in advance for snowshoe rental. Trustees members free, others $10 donation requested. Call the Trustees of Reservations at 532-1631, ext. 13, or email pvregion@ttor.org to pre-register or for more info. Jan. 14, Dream Homes: From Cairo to Katrina, an Exile's Journey by Joyce Zonana, 7 p.m. The National Yiddish Book Center, located on the campus of Hampshire College, 1021 West St., Amherst, will host a community reading and discussion series to explore fascinating works of classic and contemporary Jewish novels. Discussions are free and will be led by local scholars. Books are available at a 20 percent discount. Pre-registration is suggested. For more info call 256-4900, ext. 124. To order books call 800-783-9272 or visit www.greatjewishbooks.com. Jan. 23, A Night in Scotland. Deerfield Inn to celebration Scottish traditions with annual Robert Burns' Night at Champney's Restaurant, Deerfield Inn, 5:30 p.m. Traditional Scottish dinner including a large Scottish meno that includes Cock-a-leekie soup, traditional haggis with a dram of malt, tossed winter salad of mixed greens with goat cheese, broiled salmon with citrus butter, and venison, beef and lamb fricassee, all for just $50 p/p. Also included will be traditional Scottish music by bagpiper Eric Goodchild, pianist and singer Gisele l'Italien and Celtic harp by Barbara Russell. For more info or to make reservations call 774-5587 or e-mail jane@deerfieldinn.com. Jan. 24, Groom at Notchview (Brown Bag Lunch Series), Notchview Reservation, Windsor, MA, 12:30-1 p.m. Bring a brown bag lunch and pull up a chair in the Budd Visitor Center to learn what goes into preparing the snow surface that we all love (or occasionally hate). Talk presented by the Trustees staff. Call the Trustees of Reservations at 532-1631, ext. 13, or email pvregion@ttor.org for more info. Jan. 26, Italian Language Classes. The Italian Culture Center, 56 Margaret St., Springfield, will offer Italian language classes for eight weeks beginning Jan. 26. Beginner and Intermediate classes will be on Tuesday from 6-8 p.m. The cost for the courses will be $95 for those without the textbook and $85 for those with the textbook. Call to register or for info, 784-1492. Jan. 27, Climate Change and Your Land: What Can You Do?, Park 1: Carbon and Forest Sequestration (snow date Jan. 28), 6:30 p.m., Buckland Shelburne Community Center, Shelburne Falls. What does a rapidly changing global climate mean for my land? Come learn how your woods can play a role in reducing carbon emissions and get info about the new pilot carbon trading program in Mass. Free, preregistration required. Call the Highlands Community Initiative at 268-8219. January 28, Moonlight Skiing and Poetry at Notchview, Notchview Reservation, Windsor, MA, 7-9 p.m. This is a traditional Nordic ski event with a new twist. Join in a Renga poetry group after skiing to immortalize the evening's experience. We'll show you how. Bring some friends or come alone, and enjoy some cider and opcorn after the skiing. Trustees members: free. Non-member: adult $11, child $3. Call the Trustees of Reservations at 532-163, ext 13, or email pvregional @ttor.org for more info. Jan. 30, Full-Moon Family Snowshoe Hike, 7-8:30 p.m., Peaked Mountain, Monson. Enjoy Peaked Mountain at night under the full moon. Leslie Duthie of Norcross Wildlife Sanctuary will lead the way in this joint program with Norcross. Beginners welcome. Snowshoe rentals available ($10/pair) or bring your own. Reservations required for shoe rental and requested for all. Trustees members free, non-members $5. Call the Trustees of Reservations at 532-1631, ext. 13, or email pvregional @ttor.org for directions and other info.