Sing Out Loud: Pride Karaoke Fundraiser
2026-06-05 17:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Hot Plate Brewing Co., 1 School Street, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
Hot Plate Brewing Co., 1 School Street, will host “Sing Out Loud: Pride Karaoke Fundraiser” on Friday, June 5, starting at 5 pm. The event is sponsored by Temescal Wellness and will raise money for Berkshire Pride programming in Berkshire County.
Every song submission requires a small donation to Berkshire Pride, and you can raise your voice and your donation by competing to climb higher on the song list. The more you donate, the higher you’ll be on the list to showcase your favorite tunes and support LGBTQ+ pride in our community!

First Fridays at Five: Art in the Park
2026-06-05 17:00 - 20:00 | Palace Park, 116 North Street, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
Downtown Pittsfield, Inc., First Fridays Artswalk, and First Fridays at Five will feature Hāna Kenny as the June “Art in the Park” artist.
Hāna will be popped up in Palace Park (near 122 North Street) from 5 to 8 pm, inviting the community to create art with her and discussing her process with all who are interested.
Hāna Kenny is a lifelong performance and visual artist, lately focused on watercolor and acrylic painting. She approaches each new piece with a sense of play, exploring the interaction between color and texture, and inviting imagery to organically emerge. She draws much of her inspiration from the beauty and complexity of nature and particularly enjoys painting with rain.
“Art in the Park” is supported in part by the Feigenbaum Foundation.
“Art in the Park” is supported in part by a grant from the Mass Cultural Council, and a grant from the Pittsfield Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

Dance and Drum with the Berkshire Rhythm Keepers
2026-06-05 17:30 - 19:30 | Downtown Pittsfield, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
At the June 5th First Fridays at Five, on North Street at the South end of the road closure, will be “Dance and Drum with the Berkshire Rhythm Keepers.” There will be a free Berkshire Rhythm Keepers performance from 5:40 to 6:25 pm, followed by a free dance class with Noel Staples-Freeman featuring live drumming by Aimée Gelinas, Dan Cohen, and the Berkshire Rhythm Keepers advanced drummers from 6:45 to 7:30 pm.
The Berkshire Rhythm Keepers are an intergenerational, multi-level community drum and song group founded and led by Aimée Gelinas M.Ed, Director of the Tamarack Hollow Nature and Cultural Center and co-founder of Gaia Roots and Trio Candela. The group is assisted by Dan Cohen. BRK participants attend Aimee’s weekly Monday evening drum and song classes at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts in Pittsfield, which is open to beginners, intermediate and advanced drummers. The group performs traditional music on folkloric instruments from West Africa and the Caribbean, as well as original creations. Members of BRK have been studying and performing together for 15+ years.
Aimée Gelinas M.Ed is a musician and naturalist educator who has been performing and facilitating educational programs for 30+ years. She is a skilled and seasoned nature educator and outdoor guide as well as a master percussionist and singer specializing in West African and Caribbean music specifically folkloric percussion such as Djembe, Doun Doun, Conga, Shekere, and more.
Daniel Cohen is a musician, music educator and outdoorsman. He co-founded and is the trails & intern coordinator for the Tamarack Hollow Nature & Cultural Center in Windsor, MA. Dan is a master guitarist in both electric and acoustic styles and skilled percussionist specializing in West African Doun Doun drums and percussion. He is a member of the world music ensemble Gaia Roots and co-founder of the groups Trio Candela and Sifer. He assists leading two intergenerational student drum performance ensembles: The Berkshire and The Valley Rhythm Keepers.
Noel Staples-Freeman is a cultural bearer, choreographer, and teaching artist whose work sustains African and African Diaspora dance as living traditions. She is the Artistic Director of Uprising Dance Theatre and the Berkshire African Dance & Drum Collective (BADD), offering intergenerational classes, workshops, and performances throughout the Berkshires. Sister Noel trained at the Billie Pope School of Dance, the Elma Lewis School of Fine Arts, and the Boston Conservatory, and earned a B.S. in Children’s Theatre with a minor in Dance from Emerson College. Her artistic lineage includes The Art of Black Dance and Music, Inc. (ABDM), directed by DeAma Battle and Bamidele Osumarea and Koumpo West African Dance Company under the direction of Master Drummer Ibrahima Camara. She is a teaching artist with Berkshire Pulse, CATA, Multicultural BRIDGE Solidarity House, OLLI, and Jacob’s Pillow, and holds community classes at the Berkshire Music School in Pittsfield. Noel is a graduate of the Blackshires Leadership Accelerator Program Cohort 3 (2025) and the EforAll Berkshire County Accelerator (2025). She serves as an Adjunct Professor of African Dance Theory.
In the case of inclement weather, “Dance and Drum with the Berkshire Rhythm Keepers” will be at WANDER, 34 Depot Street.

First Fridays at Five! "Art in the Park": Faces of Pittsfield Community Art Experience
2026-08-07 17:00 - 20:00 | Downtown Pittsfield, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
Join Downtown Pittsfield, Inc. and First Fridays Artswalk as they feature Maru Domínguez as the August “Art in the Park” artist. Maru will present a special “Faces of Pittsfield Community Art Experience” for the August 7 First Fridays at Five!
Faces of Pittsfield is a community photography project that celebrates the people who live, work, and visit Pittsfield through the art of portraiture. This August, we invite you to become part of the artwork itself.
Together, we will create a collaborative community portrait by painting and decorating our own faces and self-portraits, celebrating the diversity, stories, and connections that make Pittsfield unique. Through art, creativity, and shared expression, we will build a collective piece that reflects who we are as a community.
Come create, connect, and celebrate with us. All ages and artistic abilities are welcome!
Be part of the portrait. Be part of the story. Be part of Pittsfield.
Maru Domínguez is a photographer, artist, and community organizer based in the Berkshires, MA. Her work centers on storytelling, community building, and creating meaningful connections through art and culture.
“Art in the Park” is supported in part by the Feigenbaum Foundation.
“Art in the Park” is supported in part by a grant from the Mass Cultural Council, and a grant from the Pittsfield Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.
