Circus & The Bard: A Tempest Tossed
Shakespeare & Company, Lenox
Thursday, July 23 – Sunday, July 26
Shakespeare & Company and Spirit of the Circus reunite for a playful mash-up of jaw-dropping circus acts paired with Shakespeare’s beloved characters. When high-flying feats meet the Bard’s words, sparks fly, laughs abound, and something truly magical happens. Most performances are at 2:30 p.m.; some at 11:30 a.m.; none are at night.
Bands on Brewster
Floyd Mercantile: Peter Mulvey and Jenna Nicholls
Brewster Court, Northampton
Thursday, July 23 from 6 – 8 p.m.
Veteran folk singer-songwriter Peter Mulvey joins forces with vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Jenna Nicholls in Floyd Mercantile, their new acoustic duo. Their recently released self-titled album mixes original songs with imaginative interpretations of jazz standards and older popular tunes, bringing together Mulvey’s richly observant songwriting and guitar work with Nicholls’ warm, vintage-inflected style. Hear the duo at this free outdoor installment of Northampton’s Bands on Brewster summer concert series.
Mothing in the Garden
Berkshire Botanical Garden, Stockbridge
Thursday, July 23 from 8 – 10 p.m.
Did you know this is National Moth Week? It began in central New Jersey in 2012 as a celebration of the beauty, diversity, and ecological importance of moths. At this family-friendly event, participants can make their own antennae, enjoy a moth-themed snack and play pollinator games while waiting for darkness to fall. Then head outside to observe some nocturnal visitors and contribute to a citizen science project along with more than 200,000 participants worldwide.
Antique Motorcycle Show and Swap Meet
Franklin County Fairgrounds, Greenfield
Gates open Friday, July 24 and Saturday, July 25 at 8 a.m.
Judging begins Sunday July 26 at 9 a.m.
The Yankee Chapter of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America returns to Greenfield, where the national organization was founded, for a gathering of vintage motorcycles and the people who restore, ride and admire them. Wander among bikes at least 35 years old, browse a sprawling swap meet for antique parts and memorabilia, and watch as carefully preserved machines are evaluated in national judging. Admission is $5; bring an eligible antique motorcycle and get in free.
Mozart Concertos and Tchaikovsky Symphonies at Tanglewood
Koussevitzky Music Shed and Lawn, Tanglewood, Lenox
Augustin Hadelich, violin
Friday, July 24 at 8 p.m.
In the first of three concerts pairing Mozart concertos with Tchaikovsky symphonies, BSO Artist-in-Residence Augustin Hadelich returns to Tanglewood as the soloist in Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 5. Music Director Andris Nelsons then leads the BSO in Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 3, “Polish.”
Paul Lewis, piano
Saturday, July 25 at 8 p.m.
Paul Lewis is the soloist in Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 27, the composer’s final piano concerto. Nelsons then conducts Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4, a work filled with brilliant orchestration, sweeping melodies, heartfelt romanticism and echoes of Russian folk song.
Himari, violin
Sunday, July 26 at 2:30 p.m.
For the final concert, Himari makes her BSO and Tanglewood debuts as the soloist in Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 1. The program opens with Esa-Pekka Salonen’s Gambit and culminates with Tchaikovsky’s blazingly triumphant Symphony No. 5.
Amchitka
Chester Town Hall Theatre, Chester
Friday, July 24 – Saturday, Aug. 8.
In a monitoring station at Amchitka, a volcanic island 170 miles off the coast of Alaska used for underground nuclear testing in the 1960s, three scientists find themselves cut off from the outside world as an event seems to be underway. But what? This new philosophical thriller will be playwright Mark St. Germain's 20th play premiere in the Berkshires.
Composing Color: Paintings by Alma Thomas from the Smithsonian American Art Museum
Smith College Museum of Art
On view Friday, July 24 – Sunday, January 10
Inspired by nature, the cosmos, and music, artist Alma Thomas (1891–1978) created vibrant paintings that transcended established categories, drawing on elements of gestural abstraction and color field painting while forging a style entirely her own. This exhibit features works from the world’s largest public collection of the artist’s paintings and offers an intimate view of Thomas’s evolving practice during her most productive years, from 1959 to 1978.
Hilltown 6 Pottery Tour
Saturday, July 25 and Sunday, July 26 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
On the history page of their website, Hilltown 6 says that “potters tend to thrive in secret hollows and on quirky hilltops.” Intrigued? Make your way through the 20th annual pottery tour, visit the studios of 8 potters, meet guest artists, and experience a diverse and textured range of ceramic artistry. There are scheduled educational demonstrations on both days.
Amherst Community Band
Sweetser Park, Amherst
Saturday, July 25 at 6:30 p.m.
Your summer calendar is incomplete without at least one community band concert in a park. Here’s a good one! The Amherst Community Band is welcoming back Juli Sansoucy, who conducted the ensemble many years ago, as guest conductor for a free concert in Sweetser Park. The program includes Gershwin’s “Summertime” from Porgy and Bess, Sousa marches and several crowd-pleasing John Williams favorites, including “The Raiders March,” “The Imperial March” and the “Olympic Fanfare and Theme,” along with other classics for concert band. Bring a lawn chair. In case of rain, the performance will move to St. Brigid’s Church at 122 North Pleasant St.
Unreconciled
The Academy of Music, Northampton
Saturday, July 25 at 7 p.m.
Galvanizing audiences nationally and internationally, Unreconciled is a solo tour de force that stand up to an institution that wants silence. Thirteen-year-old Jay Sefton dreamed of being an actor and was cast as Jesus in a school play directed by the parish priest — later defrocked and named in a grand jury report for sexual abuse of minors. Told with unflinching honesty and surprising humor, Sefton exposes the wider system that denies justice to survivors, taking audiences on a magic carpet ride through love and bewilderment in a whiskey-drenched, sports-crazed suburb of 1980s Philadelphia.
Grammerhorn Wren / Teen Driver / Couchboy
The Heavy Culture Cooperative, Easthampton
Saturday, July 25 at 8 p.m.
I’ve driven by this building on the “circle” in downtown Easthampton for 30 years. Constructed in 1865, it has a strong history in the city — as the former high school, an annex to the old town hall, a massage school, and bar. It’s now home to The Heavy Culture Cooperative. It’s mission is to provide a music and performing arts venue that embraces various subcultures within the underground arts community.Grammerhorn Wren is a Greenfield-based “medium-spicy post-whatever/rock music band.” They may stop by The Fabulous 413 on Friday. Teen Driver and Couchboy will also perform.
Gillian Grogan
Second Congregational Church, Greenfield
Monday, July 27 at 6 p.m.
Northern California singer-songwriter Gillian Grogan opens a new concert series at Second Congregational Church, created to bring a wide variety of sounds into the church’s historic sanctuary on the Greenfield Common. Grogan calls her music “full-bodied folk,” weaving together elements of folk, indie rock, soul and the natural world. She is currently crisscrossing the country on her Bloom or Bust tour, sharing music from her forthcoming second album, Honey Moon.
Pioneer Valley Symphony Summer Sing: Rachmaninoff Vespers
First Congregational Church, Amherst
Tuesday, July 28 at 7 p.m.
Here’s your chance to sing Rachmaninoff’s achingly beautiful Vespers led by Jonathan Harvey. PVS Summer Sings are open community events, each led by a different conductor, who conduct a sing-and-play-through after taking a little time to work on tricky sections. Choral enthusiasts of all experience levels are welcome to participate. Instrumentalists can join a pick-up chamber orchestra — in this case to play a choral part in this a capella piece.
Bang on a Can: LOUD Weekend
MASS MoCA, North Adams
Thursday, July 30 – Saturday, Aug. 1
Bang on a Can’s LOUD Weekend brings more than 70 adventurous musicians to MASS MoCA for three packed days of experimental music in the museum’s galleries, stages, and outdoor spaces. This year’s lineup includes the Bang on a Can All-Stars performing a new arrangement of Philip Glass’s Glassworks, guitarist Yasmin Williams, pianist Conrad Tao, the percussion/synth duo NOMON, and tons more. LOUD Weekend is the grand finale of Bang on a Can’s three-week summer residency at MASS MoCA.
Masters of Sonic Liberation
Holyoke Media, Holyoke
Thursday, July 30 from 7:30 – 10 p.m.
Experimental musicians Bonnie Kane and John Loggia present this monthly series devoted to adventurous sounds, including free jazz, improvisation, electronics, noise and contemporary composition. Kane and Loggia perform together as KaneLoggiaHYPOTHESIS and often welcome guest artists and ensembles to join them. Expect an evening of fearless, spontaneous music-making.
COMING SOON
We The People: Our Shared Past, Present, and Future
Tanglewood, Lenox
Saturday, Aug. 1 – Sunday, Aug. 9
Yo-Yo Ma curates an ambitious week of concerts, conversations and community gatherings exploring the American experiment. The series begins with free events around the Berkshires, including a sunrise gathering at Bousquet Mountain, and continues at Tanglewood with a reimagined Tanglewood on Parade, and orchestral programs featuring Ma and an eclectic group of guests. The residency concludes with music by John Tavener, Kayhan Kalhor and Osvaldo Golijov. Some events are free; others require tickets or advance registration; some are sold out.
Michael Kosta
Iron Horse, Northampton
Saturday, Aug. 8 at 7 and 9:30 p.m.
Emmy Award-winning comedian Michael Kosta is a senior correspondent and frequent host of Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, where he brings a wry, self-assured style to political satire and interviews. Before turning to comedy, Kosta played professional tennis—a career change he recounts in his memoir, Lucky Loser: Adventures in Tennis and Comedy. He’ll perform two shows at the Iron Horse, a good indication that tickets may move quickly.
NEPM Smart and Funny People
Hidden Brain: On Stage with Shankar Vedantam
Academy of Music, Northampton
Friday, Aug. 21 at 7 p.m.
Are there parts of our minds that are hidden from us? This question launched the Hidden Brain podcast ten years ago. Since then, Hidden Brain has helped millions of listeners accomplish their goals, improve their relationships, and develop a deeper understanding of their emotions. Now, host and creator Shankar Vedantam brings seven key insights from the first decade of Hidden Brain to the stage. Whether you’re new to the show or a longtime listener, this evening of science and storytelling will change how you think about yourself.
21st Annual Harvest Supper
Court Square, Greenfield Town Common
Saturday, Aug. 22 from 4:30– 7:30 p.m.
Every August, the Franklin County community comes together to share the bountiful summer harvest. Farmers, local producers, and chefs all donate their time, talent, and products to create an amazing meal with 100% locally sourced ingredients. Enjoy a nourishing, chef-prepared meal made with ingredients donated by more than 50 local farms and producers from across the Pioneer Valley. This supper is made for neighbors, by neighbors! In addition to the farm-table feast, there’s face painting, art making and live music.
South Mountain Concerts 2026 Season
South Mountain Concert Hall, Pittsfield
Sundays, Sept. 6 – Oct. 11 at 3 p.m.
This series was founded in 1918 by Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge, an influential arts patron known as the fairy godmother of chamber music. She built an intimate 440-seat hall on a wooded Pittsfield hilltop using timbers from an old textile mill. Designed expressly for chamber music, the rustic hall has cushioned antique church pews and superb acoustics that allow every musical detail to reach the back of the room with wonderful clarity. For more than a century, South Mountain has welcomed musicians including Leonard Bernstein, Leontyne Price, Rudolph Serkin, and many of the world’s leading chamber ensembles. The 2026 season continues that tradition.