Issue #76 | Friday, May 25, 2023

North Adams FIRST Friday will be held on June 2 in downtown to celebrate the kickoff of LGBTQIA+ Pride Month and Mayor Macksey’s Fitness Challenge. Enjoy fitness and pride-themed activities, and visit our downtown business!

Several of our downtown shops, galleries, restaurants, fitness organizations, and our First Friday crew will be organizing events focused on Pride and Progress.

Theme-related events taking place:

-North Adams Pride is sponsoring the Rainbow Eagle Street Art initiative where Public Arts Commission & Mayor Macksey-approved rainbow art will be painted right on the street. 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm | Eagle Street Parklet

-The “Eagle Street Lounge” will have beer and wine for sale, as well as free music, and seating available right on Eagle Street. Drink cups may not leave Eagle Street. 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm | 5 Eagle Street

-Gong Baths, produced by Anahata Schoolhouse Yoga, will be available at Terra Nova Church | 85 Main Street

Gallery, Shop, & Restaurant events:

-Installation Space: ENMESHED by Katy Rodden Walker, On View 5:00 pm-8:00 pm | 49 Eagle Street
-Gallery 51: Opening Reception for FRACTURED DELIGHTS. A solo exhibition featuring the work of WANG Chen. On view 5:00 pm-8:00 pm. An immersive experience.
-Many more to come!

For more information visit nachamber.org/firstfridays.

North County Happenings

Upcoming

May 26 | 7:30 p.m. | BAAMS’ Benefit Concert | Adams Theater
May 27 | 8-1 p.m. | Pine Cobble School Plant Sale
May 27 | 6-8 p.m. | Future Lab[s] Closing Reception
May 27 | 8 p.m. | Phony Ppl at MASS MoCA
May 27 | 7:30 p.m. | Misty Blues Celebrates the Queen of Blues | Adams Theater
May 29 | 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Hexagon Bagels & Coffee Pop-up at Heart’s Pace
May 29 | 11 a.m. | Williamstown Memorial Day Parade
May 30 | 4:30 p.m. | 1Berkshire Entrepreneurial Meetup at Trail House Kitchen & Bar
May 31 | 5:30 p.m. | Brien Center Community Talks at North Adams Library

June 2 | 5-8 p.m. | North Adams FIRST Fridays | Proud of Progress
June 2 | 5-8 p.m. | Hoosac Harvest Seedling Swap at The Plant Connector
June 3 | 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. | North Adams Outdoor Farmers Market | Saint Anthony Parking Lot
June 3 | 10 a.m. |Second Annual Northern Berkshire Events Committee Golf Tournament
June 8 | 5 p.m. | Ferrin Contemporary Closing Reception | Linda Sikora: Darkening Ground
June 15 | 12 p.m. | FREE Accounting Webinar for Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners hosted by KB Accounting
June 16 | 11:30-1:30 p.m. |Northern Berkshire Community Coalition Annual Meeting | Greylock Works
June 18 | Wells Provisions Crawfish Boil | Pop-Up at The Airport Rooms at Tourists
June 23 | 5-9:30 p.m. | North Adams Pride Celebration | MASS MoCA Courtyard
June 24 | 12-6 p.m. |Third Annual Adams Street Fair | Adams Visitor Center
June 30 | 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Business Resource Expo | The Stationary Factory

Save the Date

North Adams Coffee Dates in the Eagle Street Parklet start this June. Want to sponsor a date? Reserve your spot here.


Adams Coffee in the Armory Court | 7:30 to 9 a.m.
June 1
June 22
July 13
August 3
August 24
September 14

Monthly Events

Every Saturday | 9-1 | Williamstown and North Adams Farmers Market
Every Sunday | 9:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. | Mini Maker Market at Greylock Works
Every Friday | 8-close | Karaoke at State Street Tavern
Every 1st & 3rd Sunday | 7 p.m. | Karaoke Night at The Log in Williamstown
Every Friday | 6-8 p.m. | Common Craft Night at Common Folk
Every Friday | 4 p.m. | Bingo at North Adams Elks Lodge
Every Other Wednesday | 6 p.m. | Trivia at Bright Ideas Brewing
Every 1st & 3rd Thursday | 7 p.m. | Live DJ Lounge at Bright Ideas Brewing
Every 2nd Monday of the Month | 6:30-7:30 p.m. | Free Pregnancy Loss Support Group | Movement Matters Healing Arts
Now On View: Megan Karlen/Conscientious Cloth, “Flax is Linen” Window Display | 77 Main St. | First in a series of fiber installations to amuse and educate. Free sidewalk viewing. 

Windsor Lake Concert Series

Weekly June 7 - August 30 | 6:30-8 p.m.
This FREE weekly concert series is hosted by the City and made possible by Adams Community Bank.

These concerts combine great music with the beautiful natural backdrop of Windsor Lake, located at the intersection of Kemp Ave. and Bradley Street. Pack a picnic, bring a chair or blanket, and let the sweet sounds of music and water carry you away on a warm summer night.

Parking is free and the bathrooms will be open at the time of these concerts.
Swimming, fishing, kayaking, and canoeing are allowed at the lake. All cancelations will be called by 3PM on the day of the concert.

6/7-Heartwood Junction
6/14-The Hale Mountain Band
6/21-Greg Caproni
6/28-Pandemic Relief
7/5-Eli Elkus
7/12-Bluesday Night
7/19-BANG ON A CAN
7/26-The Riverbenders
8/2-E.R.I.E.
8/9- No Concert- North Adams Downtown Celebration
8/16-Sky Full of Dippers
8/23-The Eagles Community Stage Band
8/30-Sean Magwire

Want your event listed? Submit the listing here

Trendsetter Award Nominations are NOW Open!

The Berkshire Trendsetter Awards are back! These awards recognize outstanding initiatives, talented people, and innovative organizations moving the Berkshires forward. Nominate your business or another outstanding business today.

Learn more about the awards and submit your nomination here! Deadline to nominate is Friday, June 16, 2023.

In the News

Opportunities

Mass Cultural Council: Festivals & Projects Grant

DEADLINE APPROACHING to apply for the FY24 cycle of our Festivals & Projects grant program at Mass Cultural Council.

 Festivals & Projects provides one-year $2,500 grants to support organizations with activities incorporating the arts, humanities, or sciences that provide community and/or public benefit. Eligible programs will include projects, festivals, and/or activities that are publicly available between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024.

You can now watch the information session recording and/or download the slide deck. We encourage you to drop-in on virtual office hours to ask our staff questions about the program or application. You can read the full program guidelines, see a blank copy of the application before you get started, and review Frequently Asked Questions on our website as well. 

   The application for the FY24 round of Festivals & Projects is available in our grants management system now, and the deadline to apply is June 8.

Biz-M-Power Updates

The program has increased the matching grant from a 1:1 match to a 2:1 match. This means businesses receive $2 from MGCC for every $1 raised in crowdfunding. There is approximately $5.8 million in funding still available. This program is open until June 30, 2023. Monthly reviews will be posted on MGCC Biz-M-Power website.

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

• May 30 Grant | Collective Futures Fund 2023

• Jun 8 Grant | MCC Festivals + Projects

• Jul 23 Grant | Martha Boschen Porter Fund

• Aug 1 Grant | Berkshire Taconic Artist Resource Trust (for individuals)

• ongoing Grant | MGCC Digital Capabilities Grant

• ongoing Grant | Hilary Teachout Covid-19 Relief Grant

• ongoing Grant | The Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant

• ongoing Grant | Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation Grants

• monthly Awesome Foundation Grant

• rolling Adobe Creative Residency Community Fund

• rolling Independent Journalism Grant

• rolling Eyebeam Center for the Future of Journalism

• rolling Foundation for Contemporary Arts Emergency Grants

• rolling Creative Capital x Skoll x Kickstarter Funds for Asian/Black/Indigenous/Latinx Creators

• rolling A.P.E. Open Call for Project Proposals

• rolling BridgeSong Fund: Emergency Relief for Women, Nonbinary, and Genderqueer Artists of Color

• rolling New England Musicians Relief Fund

• ongoing NEFA Grant Finder List

EVENTS

• May 27 Phony Ppl at MASS MoCA

• monthly Open Studios at Walkaway House

• every 4th Wednesday: Writer's Group at Bear and Bee

• 2nd Tuesday (monthly) Herbalist Meet-Up at Common Folk

• weekly Berkshire Environmental Action Team Volunteer Opportunities

• monthly events at Plant Connector

• monthly events at Savvy Hive

• weekly Common Craft Night at Common Folk

Workshops & Webinars

Steps to Start a Business
June 5 | 8:30 a.m.

If you are considering starting a business or in the early stages of launching one, this workshop will outline everything you need to know. In this workshop, you will:

• Develop your business idea and planning

• Review the importance of a business plan

• Gain an understanding of the process and requirements for starting a business, including;

• Legal structures

• How to choose and register a business name and entity How to obtain an employer identification number, licenses, permits and insurance

• Determining your financing needs

• Understanding employer responsibilities

• Learn about available resources and training

Managing Credit and Debt
June 6 | 6 p.m.

This workshop will focus on the importance of credit and debt management. Your credit history is an indication of how you’ve managed debt and your utilization can be the determining factor of ensuring your access to capital or additional loans. During this session we will focus on:

         1) Credit Optimization

         2) Building, Repairing, and Maintaining Credit

         3) Efficiently Managing Debt

Creating a Marketing Plan
June 8 | 10 a.m.

Join our friends at HarborOne Bank for this webinar all about Creating a Marketing Plan. Have you been following the same marketing plan and feel like the results are always the same? Not bad, but not great. Maybe it’s time to look at it with a fresh set of eyes and a new perspective.

A lean marketing strategy involves focusing on the most efficient and effective ways to reach and engage with potential customers while minimizing resources and costs. We will discuss:

• Customer Profiles

• A simple S.W.O.T.

• F.A.S.T. Goals

• Analyzing your Resources

• Using the 3 E’s

The Berkshire Flyer

Connect with Us!

North Adams Chamber Business Development Team
Marketing: Makayla-Courtney McGeeney
Business: Nico Dery