History

June 26th – July 2nd

The Valley Nerd Watch!

Pandemic Legacy was really really good! It was down to the wire on our last two games and boy howdy jeez it was just a very good time. We planned to play one or two games and we just had to finish it out because dangit we were so close on our first loss in December.

We’re amazed at how effective that game was at remaining a real nail-biter until the bitter end, even with all the upgrades and exploits and just experience that you gather as you play. The twists and turns in the rules always keep you on your toes, and we often lost the first game of the month and eked out a win in the second, each time thinking well NEXT game’s gonna be really easy because look at this amazing upgrade we just got.

A true triumph of the Legacy style, and we really hope that Local Creator Rob Daviau turns his designer’s eye to more cooperative games.

And obviously we’re playing Pandemic Legacy Season 2!

Speaking of board games, we got a note from local boardgame creators the TESA Collective! They’re a co-op that created a game about organizing to enact social change, which sounds pretty cool! It’s called Rise Up: The Game of People & Power! We’ll have more on it this week!

Go check out the Valley Creators page! As always, be sure to check out our Patreon and the Weekly Events page! There are a lot of fun things happening this and every week! And don’t forget to check out the updated Book Clubs List!

THIS WEEK

Art:

Tuesday, June 27th
Jones Library [43 Amity St., Amherst, MA 01002] at 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Teen Craft: Henna – SUMMER READING Build a Better World
Design a henna “tattoo” at the workshop! They’re a semi-permanent way to make your hands and feet look cool, and that is fun! Learn about the tradition of henna and make your own body art! Pre-register in the Kids’ Room or call 413-259-3091 or email teens@joneslibrary.org! You receive an extra ticket to enter the weekly drawing of summer reading prizes for attending this activity!
Jones Library [43 Amity St., Amherst, MA 01002] at 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM
Establishing Mood, Story, and Visual Interest in Landscape Photography
Explore essential elements of landscape photography that can make your unique vision come to life! Michael Zide, photographer and photo-educator, will help you understand both the technical and the aesthetic methods to make your vision of a landscape come to life!
Wednesday, June 28th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Forbes Library Zine Club
Zines! Zines about beams! Zines about screams! Zines about Ice Cream! You can do a zine about anything you can dream!
Thursday, June 29th
Holyoke Public Library [250 Chestnut St, Holyoke, MA 01040] at 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Teen Writing Workshop
Write! Write anything, really. The more you write the better you write! Bring whatever you’re writing and writing instructor Abby Forcier will be on hand to offer some guidance!
Sunday, July 2nd
Mead Art Museum [41 Quadrangle Dr, Amherst, MA 01002] at 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Sunday Sketch at the Mead
Sketch! Draw whatever you like in the company of other artists of all skill levels. Paper, pencils, erasers, drawing boards, and gallery stools all provided! Free and open to the public!

Board Games:

Tuesday, June 27th
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Ice Cream and Air Conditioning Board Game Night
Settle in for some board games and ice cream! Intended for ages 12-17!
Holyoke Public Library [250 Chestnut St, Holyoke, MA 01040] at 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Game On!
Take a break from your summer homework to play a game with friends! The teen room has tons of teen games like Teen Pandemic and Teen Catan! No they’re the normal versions, teens just play regular games we apologize for the goof.
Wednesday, June 28th
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM
Family Night
Family games, puzzles, and building projects! Everything you need for a good night with the family.
The Brass Cat [65 Cottage St #101, Easthampton, MA 01027] at 7:00 PM to 11:30 PM
Wednesday Games at the Brass Cat!
It’s the one-year anniversary! Play a bunch of board games with a friendly crowd in the nice outdoor area behind the Brass Cat! It’s a great Easthampton bar that is perfect for settling in and playing a bunch of games for a night. The featured game this week will be Clank! A Deck-Building Adventure. In Clank, everyone’s a treasure hunter looking to get the most out of the caverns beneath an abandoned castle before a dragon wakes! Watch this video to learn how to play ahead of time if you like! https://youtu.be/EZQyr5JkbBY

Books:

Wednesday, June 28th
Odyssey Bookshop [9 College St, South Hadley, MA 01075] at 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Michael Ponsor, The One-Eyed Judge
Michael Ponsor, local author, former criminal defense attorney and current senior US district Judge fro Western Massachusetts returns to his character Judge Norcross for another novel following a dramatic court case! Sidney Cranmer faces a horrendous accusation from the FBI and U.S. District Judge David Norcross is hearing the case while caring for his young nieces!
Thursday, June 29th
Packards [14 Masonic St., Northampton, MA] at 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM
Childhood’s End + Dinner
For June, the lovely folks at the Western MA Sci-Fi Meetup are reading Childhood’s End! It’s a venerable classic of the golden age, and well worth reading for the first time or returning to if you’ve already read it! In it, aliens arrive on earth who look almost exactly like our worst nightmares, literal demons! But it’s not an invasion! It’s something far stranger.

Computers:

Sunday, July 2nd
The Quarters [8 Railroad St., Hadley, MA] at 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
MAKE TALK PLAY: Game Dev Co-working
Local game devs! Paul Hake of HitPoint Studios, whom based on our data all of you worked for for around a year, is moving forward with a game dev co-working space to open in Greenfield soon! Join Paul and the PVGD to learn about the space, pricing, and sign up if you’re interested! Of course, also just have a fun time hanging out at The Quarters!

Entertainment:

Monday, June 26th
Palmer Public Library [1455 N Main St, Palmer, MA 01069] at 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Mobile Mini-Golf in the Library
A fun unique mini-golf course in the library! Suitable for kids and adults of all ages, set up in the common area of the library and outside!

Kids:

Tuesday, June 27th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 2:00 PM to 2:30 PM
Forest Park Zoo on the Go!
Meet some animals from the zoo and learn about them! Animals are neat. Registration is required, please sign up at the children’s desk!
Wednesday, June 28th
Sunderland Public Library [20 School St., Sunderland, MA 01375] at 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Simple Machines!
In this presentation, David Costello will demonstrate how to build and use simple machines like wheel-and-axles, levers, pulleys, and inclined planes! David has samples of each type of simple machine, and a bunch of examples of how you can use them with puppets! Build a big enough ramp and it’s technically a simple siege machine!
Palmer Public Library [1455 N Main St, Palmer, MA 01069] at 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM
The Creature Teachers
As far as we can tell, a chinchilla, a lizard, a snake, a ferret, an owl, and some cockroaches teach you things. Possibly math?
Jones Library [43 Amity St., Amherst, MA 01002] at 10:00 AM to 10:45 AM
David Hyde Costello Author Visit – Little Pig Saves the Ship!
Celebrate a local author! David Hyde Costello’s newest book, Little Pig Saves the Ship, is releasing this week, and he’s paying a special visit to the Jones to celebrate! Based on the adorable as heck cover image, the moniker “little pig” is a joke because the pig is clearly hundreds of feet tall, towering over the little ship!
Thursday, June 29th
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art [125 West Bay Rd., Amherst, MA 01002] at 1:30 PM to 2:00 PM
June 29, 1999 … in 2017!
Asparagus in Antwerp! Courgettes in Cranston! Broccoli in Brussels! In David Wiesner’s book, a young girl’s science project sends seedlings into the atmosphere and precipitates an invasion of gigantic veggies! A special story-time will be followed by a collaborative project where young artists will create a window installation of what they see flying through the sky!

Movies:

Monday, June 26th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Far Out Film Discussion: Dogtooth
Watch the film FIRST! They’re not screening it! It’s like a book club, but for weird movies! This one is a modern classic about a couple who keep their kids locked away from society, telling them that it’s not safe for them to leave. This leads to strangeness and tension, kind of predictably. You can watch via Kanopy.com, sign up with your Forbes library card and stream it online! https://forbes.kanopystreaming.com/video/dogtooth
Wednesday, June 28th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 8:30 PM to 11:00 PM
Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone
A free screening of the first Harry Potter film on the Forbes Library Lawn! You can bring a blanket and some snacks and the film will start when it’s dark! All are welcome, for more details check out cinemanorthampton.org!
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Film: FIXIT
Learn about how for-profit healthcare is destroying lives and how Medicare for all could be a reasonable path out of the hole the US managed to dig itself into. Having recently taken a trip to Australia, believe us they’re super smug about how bad our healthcare system is. Let’s show the danged Australians and completely incidentally our big sister that the US can do better!
Holyoke Public Library [250 Chestnut St, Holyoke, MA 01040] at 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Teen Movie Screening: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
Celebrate the end of the school year with a modern classic about friendship and identity that we’ve legit heard is a solid movie despite the fact that the title is way more pant-focused than we tend to look for in our films.
Friday, June 30th
Jones Library [43 Amity St., Amherst, MA 01002] at 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Family Summer Movie Matinee – October Sky
A free screening of October Sky, about a young kid in a coal-mining town who’s so inspired by the launch of Sputnik that he decides to build a rocket of his own. He gets some help from friends and the high school teacher who believes he can do it! This showing will include a take-home STEM activity for kids following the film!

Science:

Monday, June 26th
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM
Food and Habitat for Pollinators through the Seasons
What plants look attractive to bees and other pollinators? Learn how to choose plants and shrubs that will help pollinators and contribute to the whole Valley erupting in flowers every year! Ashley will share tried-and-true plants and shrubs and techniques for planting!

June 19th – June 25th

The Valley Nerd Watch!

Once you have moved into a new place, it is impossible to ever not feel tired again. Also, boxes.

Anyway! Happy Father’s Day folks! We celebrated by buying a copy of the first volume of Usagi Yojimbo and a copy of Faith Erin Hick’s The Adventures of Superhero Girl. Also, some videogames. Our father would have approved of the comic books but not of the videogames, because he was incapable of honestly addressing his own hobbyist inclinations.

Also in case you haven’t already gotten Pandemic Legacy by local creator Rob Daviau let us say: get that game, play that game. It’s lovely! It’s maintaining tension and interest 15 games in!

Go check out the Valley Creators page! As always, be sure to check out our Patreon and the Weekly Events page! There are a lot of fun things happening this and every week! And don’t forget to check out the updated Book Clubs List!

THIS WEEK

Art:

Monday, June 19th
Sunderland Public Library [20 School St., Sunderland, MA 01375] at 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM
Lou’s Upcycling!
“Lou will teach the teens how to make a pouch out of fused plastic! This pouch can be used as a wallet, a pencil case, coupon holder, and more! You may bring your own plastic to make your item more personal or you can use the plastic provided! Help the environment by reusing your trash!” There are only 15 spots available, so call 413-665-2642 to reserve a spot!
Tuesday, June 20th
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM
Book to Art Club
“Use your love of a favorite book(or books) to create a cool collage. Each participant will get a copy of “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe” for use as inspiration for the July meeting. Refreshments, air conditioning and books- what could be better?!”
Wednesday, June 21st
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) Writing Critique Group
“Writers of picture books, middle grade and YA meet to read and receive feedback about their work-in-progress from the group, facilitated by leaders following the SCBWI guidelines. You don’t have to be a member of SCBWI to participate.”
Thursday, June 22nd
Holyoke Public Library [250 Chestnut St, Holyoke, MA 01040] at 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM
Teen Writing Workshop
“Bring a piece of creative writing, an essay for school, a short story, etc. to work on and share with the group! Writing instructor and tutor Abby Forcier will be on hand to offer guidance and support.” Contact Rachel at 413-420-8119 for more information.
Saturday, June 24th
Holyoke Public Library [250 Chestnut St, Holyoke, MA 01040] at 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Collages
Collages! Make a collage! Stick stuff together until it looks neat!
Sunday, June 25th
Mead Art Museum [41 Quadrangle Dr, Amherst, MA 01002] at 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Sunday Sketch at the Mead
“Drop in and draw with us at the Mead on Sundays this summer! Artists of all skill levels are welcome to sketch works in the galleries or outside in our sculpture courtyard. We will provide paper, graphite pencils, erasers, drawing boards and gallery stools every Sunday through July 30. This series is free and open to the public.”

Board Games:

Tuesday, June 20th
Holyoke Public Library [250 Chestnut St, Holyoke, MA 01040] at 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Game On!
“Take a break from homework to play games with your friends! The teen room has a collection of new games and old favorites!” Contact Rachel at 413-420-8119

Books:

Tuesday, June 20th
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Children’s Book Writers Group
“Adults who write for children are invited to attend a critique group in the Greenfield Room the third Tuesday of each month from 6 to 8 pm. The group will be facilitated by Nell Wright. Participants will discuss skills, share tips and opportunities for development, and read and discuss their stories. For more information, Call the library at 413-772-1544.”
Wednesday, June 21st
Odyssey Bookshop [9 College St, South Hadley, MA 01075] at 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Politics, Crime, and Social Issues in Fiction with Jaqueline Sheehan, Randy Susan Meyers, and Ellen Meeropol
“”Q. What’s more fun than one author with her new novel? A. THREE authors and three new novels! (Especially when they ask the questions you’re too polite to pose.)” Featuring The Widow of Wall Street, Kinship of Clover, and The Tiger in the House!
Saturday, June 24th
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 10:00 AM to 1:30 PM
Friends of the Greenfield Public Library Book Sale
Buy books to support your local library!
Sunday, June 25th
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art [125 West Bay Rd., Amherst, MA 01002] at 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
12th Annual Children’s Book Festival: Dig It! Build It! Dream It!
“10:00am – 4:00pm: Free with Museum Admission, 10:30 am: Groundbreaking Celebration (Orchard), 11:00 am: Special Storytime with Tom Lichtenheld (Auditorium), 11:30 am: Book signing with Tom Lichtenheld (Great Hall), 12:30 pm: Cupcakes celebrating Eric Carle’s birthday!, 1:00 – 2:00 pm: Happier Family Comedy Show (Auditorium), 2:00 pm: Storytime (Reading Library)”

Comic Books:

Monday, June 19th
Modern Myths [34 Bridge Street #4, Northampton, MA 01060] at 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Queers in Comics and Games
Meet some local folks, talk to them, and generally have an enjoyable evening! This discussion is moderated by the store manager, Melissa!

Community:

Saturday, June 24th
Jones Library [43 Amity St., Amherst, MA 01002] at 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Speak Up for Change for Women: How (and Why) to Speak Up without Freaking Out
“Public speaking expert Cathy McNally is offering a series of free workshops to women activists and advocates who would like to become more effective and confident public speakers. These workshops will offer speaking tips to women who want to inspire and motivate others at rallies, meetings, hearings, or other events.” contact McNally to reserve a space at cathy@speakersisterhood.com
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Poetry as Resistance
“What, exactly, is the work of words? How does poetry differ from other instances of language in the political sphere? How can poetry be used to disentangle us from systems of oppression? How can it move us closer to equality and liberation? In this interactive workshop, we will have a guided conversation about these and other related ideas. Participants will then have an opportunity to apply these ideas by either writing their own piece, or by reading materials brought by the trainer, before coming back together to discuss what we created/discovered. No prior experience is necessary. All are welcome to this safe, inclusive space.”
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 12:15 PM to 1:45 PM
Informational Session on Adoption from Foster Care
“Interested in adopting? This informational event is open to anyone considering adoption from foster care. Come hear about the adoption experience from adoptive parents and adoption professional, Diane Tomaz, Director of Family Support Services at the Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange. Light refreshments will be served.”

Entertainment:

Monday, June 19th
Sunderland Public Library [20 School St., Sunderland, MA 01375] at 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Circus Minimus
For the summer reading kick-off event, experience the wonder of a one-man circus in a suitcase!
Wednesday, June 21st
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
The Taste of Franklin County Honey
“Bonita and Dan Conlon of Warm Colors Apiary will teach us how bees produce honey, information about various floral sources and a honey tasting of some of Warm Colors seven varieties.”
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 7:00 PM to 8:15 PM
The Alchemystics in A Midsummer Night’s Lawn Concert
“Fueled by their passion to explore beyond the edges of traditional musical boundaries and their diverse ethnic and musical backgrounds, the Alchemystics blend reggae, politically infused hip-hop, gritty soul, hard-driving rock, and pulsing Jamaican, Cuban and Trinidadian rhythms into an utterly unique and distinctively original new sound.”
Thursday, June 22nd
Palmer Public Library [1455 N Main St, Palmer, MA 01069] at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Anime Club
Watch some Anime with friends! We recommend starting a play-through of Persona 5 and just doing that for the next year.
Odyssey Bookshop [9 College St, South Hadley, MA 01075] at 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Prospects for Impeachment
“Two experts on the Constitution, Chris Pyle and Bill Newman, will lead a discussion of prospects for the impeachment of Pres. Trump at the Odyssey Bookshop, 9 College Street, South Hadley, at 7:00 pm on Thursday, June 22.They will lay out the issues and discuss, with the audience, the law and prospects for specific articles of impeachment. Chris Pyle is a veteran of Watergate era investigations and professor of constitutional law and civil liberties at Mount Holyoke College. He worked for the Senate Subcommittee on Constitutional Rights, the Senate Subcommittee on Government Organization, and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (the Church Committee). Bill Newman has practiced law in Northampton since 1976 and been the director of the Western Massachusetts Office of the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts since 1987.”
Friday, June 23rd
Sunderland Public Library [20 School St., Sunderland, MA 01375] at 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM
Sunderland Community Sing
Welcome to all ages and abilities! Everyone has a right to the Joy of Song! If the weather’s nice they’ll be singing outside under the Elm Tree, there will be prize baskets for kids! Bring snacks!
Saturday, June 24th
Mead Art Museum [41 Quadrangle Dr, Amherst, MA 01002] at 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Community Day: Mead Tea Party
“You’re invited to a festive summer afternoon at the Mead! Sample iced tea and sweet treats as you pose for a photo in a seventeenth-century English room, discover drinking vessels from around the world, plant a seed, sketch a landscape and more! Feel free to bring your own picnic to enjoy outdoors if you wish.” Free and open to all!

Kids:

Tuesday, June 20th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM
Make Your Own Mermaid Tail
Please bring a knee-high sock! Ages 4+ in the community room!
Wednesday, June 21st
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 11:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Music and Books with Mr. Liam
“Mr. Liam brings music, stories, and activities to the library! Come have fun with other toddler, preschoolers, and caregivers.”
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM
Minecraft Club
“Minecraft Club’s June meeting. Call 587-1010 or sign up at the Children’s Desk. Make sure to let us know whether you will be using a library laptop, or bringing your own device!”
Saturday, June 24th
Sunderland Public Library [20 School St., Sunderland, MA 01375] at 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
BIM BAM! Bilingual Music and Movement with Tom & Laurie
A highly interactive bilingual Spanish/English program that gets the whole family moving, gesturing, singing, and generally having a nice time! Sing along and have fun with Tom & Laurie!

Movies:

Tuesday, June 20th
Sunderland Public Library [20 School St., Sunderland, MA 01375] at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
The LEGO Batman Movie
Watch the best movie about Batman at the Sunderland Public Library!

RPGs:

Thursday, June 22nd
Palmer Public Library [1455 N Main St, Palmer, MA 01069] at 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
RPG Club
Play an RPG today! Try the locally-developed Apocalypse World!

June 5th – June 11th

The Valley Nerd Watch!

Happy Summertime, folks! We recommend taking the opportunity in this time of sunlight and sunheat to go outside and hang about! Amble around in the daytime and watch the stars at night! We’re… gonna take a minute to get on out there. We’ve got like a couple dozen hours of Persona 5 to go. We’ll keep the windows open though!

This week is jam-packed! People are getting excited about getting out and about. Have a lot of fun!

Speaking of fun we had a great time playing around with Sculptris this weekend! We were taught how to do things by an local expert and we got to make a little demon that kind of looks like a pillow and a little alien with bug eyes!

It’s weird playing around with 3D modelling and realizing it’s way way easier than drawing just because it gives you a lump of clay that you can fool about with instead of the terror of a blank page. If we could do this in VR we’d grab a headset today.

Go check out the Valley Creators page! As always, be sure to check out our Patreon and the Weekly Events page! There are a lot of fun things happening this and every week! And don’t forget to check out the updated Book Clubs List!

THIS WEEK

Art:

Thursday, June 8th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM
The Art of Letter Writing
Letters! The old-school, the real stuff, the stuff you have to physically put on a piece of paper in order to communicate! Write some letters and discuss what letter-writing is as you write! Mostly it’s just and excuse to indulge in some good old asynchronous communictation!
Friday, June 9th
Smith College Museum of Art [20 Elm St, Northampton, MA 01063] at 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Free Second Friday
Make your own bookmarks! Explore an art object in detail! Get free refreshments! Get in the museum for free! It’s a seriously great museum, check it out if you haven’t already.
Historic Northampton [46 Bridge Street, Northampton, MA 01060-2406] at 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Contained and Constrained by Karen Battles and Leslie Lyman
Artists Leslie Lyman and Karen Battles ahve each created artworks that draw from the Historic Northampton archives and reinterpret them. They’re presented in a context designed around the ideas presented in the 19th century etiquette guide “Social Etiquette or Manners and Customs of Polite Society”.
Sunday, June 11th
Mead Art Museum [41 Quadrangle Dr, Amherst, MA 01002] at 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Sunday Sketch at the Mead
Drop in and sketch something interesting at the Mead! Paper, graphite pencils, erasers, drawing boards, and stools provided! It is a great chance to hone your skills while looking quite serious and artistic!

Board Games:

Saturday, June 10th
Burger King Community Room [344 King St., Northampton, MA 01060] at 12:30 PM to 6:30 PM
Tabletop Gaming Day
Board games with friendly people! Bring one you love! Play some classics! Bring in your favorite games and meet some new people who are very excited to play them with you.

Books:

Thursday, June 8th
Odyssey Bookshop [9 College St, South Hadley, MA 01075] at 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Julie Lekstrom Himes, Mikhail & Margarita and Jim Shepard, The World to Come: Stories
Two great Massachusetts authors with two great books! One book of short stories covering historic tragedy and the pitfalls of the everyday, and one about the terrors of being a writer in 30’s Russia!

Comic Books:

Wednesday, June 7th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM
Comics Club
A monthly meetup to discuss and share your favorite comics! You’ll also get a chance to create one of your own with provided artist supplies! Intended for elementary, tween, and teen readers and artists!

Community:

Tuesday, June 6th
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM
Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity Information Session
Learn how to become a homeowner through the Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity program!
Saturday, June 10th
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity Information Session
Learn how to become a homeowner through the Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity program!

Computers:

Tuesday, June 6th
Sunderland Public Library [20 School St., Sunderland, MA 01375] at 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM
The ABCs of Apple Computers
New to Apple? Learn about the built-in features of these magical machines. But not the literally magical ones! Those are for advanced users. No Sorcerer’s Apprentic shenanigans in this course please. Please register in advance by telling the library!
The Foundry [24 Main St., Northampton, MA] at 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Northampton Webdive – After Work
A regular meetup of designers! Whether you work on the web, or just work on some sort of code for some sort of thing in general, or just want to hang out and talk about hobby work, they’re there for you to gripe with!
Wednesday, June 7th
MGHPCC [100 Bigelow St., Holyoke, MA] at 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM
3D Game Day
What’s the best way to become inspired to make a game? Playing a game! What’s the worst way? Eating an Xbox controller. Never works. Wait! No shoot that’s how Noby Noby Boy was inspired dang. Anyway! Play games with friends! Mario Kart! Gang Beasts! Minecraft! VR games like Minecraft! and The Night Cafe in VR and various demos! Play and learn and then hey maybe make a game in Unity!

Entertainment:

Monday, June 5th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Food and Habitat for Pollinators through the Seasons
How do you attract bees and other pollinators? Flowers have been dealing with this for a while! Ashley Schenk has been speaking with the flowers in the proverbial sense for a while now teaching and practicing permaculture landscape design and he’ll let you in on all the pollinator-attraction secrets so you can have a pretty garden that’s also useful to the local ecosystem!
Wednesday, June 7th
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
First Wednesday Speaker Series: The French in the Americas
“First Wednesday Speaker Series welcomes Jeanne Douillard presenting “Silent Presence: The French in New England” a unique look at the history of “un petit people” The French in the Americas. “
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 5:00 PM to 6:15 PM
Design, Build, Grow Your Landscape!
Landscape Designer and owner of Wilder Hill Gardens Lilian Jackman and Landscape Consultant Vivian Felten will show you how to grow colorful and beauitful landscapes that are ecologically sound to boot!
Thursday, June 8th
Palmer Public Library [1455 N Main St, Palmer, MA 01069] at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Anime Club
Watch anime! We recommend locally-developed anime like Cowboy Bebop or Evangelion!
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
2nd Annual Spelling Bee
“The Friends of Greenfield Public Library is hosting the 2nd Annual Spelling Bee as part of the Beek Week Celebration. Form a team of three and register at the Library by June 7. The event will be held on June 9 at 6pm at the Second Congregational Church on Court Square. Food and raffles are a part of the fun.” We’ve never been a part of Beek Week but we’ve been reliably informed that there’s no better time to find the freshest, most chitinous beeks.
Saturday, June 10th
Sunderland Public Library [20 School St., Sunderland, MA 01375] at 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM
Edible Plants of the Northeast with Naturalist and Landscaper John Root
Free admission! Plus you get edible perennials offered for sale at the event! Grow your own food! Well, a small part of your own food. We’re like 99% certain that without a full-on meadow of these things out back you’re not going to manage to survive on flowers alone. Still! It’s interesting stuff!
Historic Northampton [46 Bridge Street, Northampton, MA 01060-2406] at 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Call Me Professor or Students and Respect on Campus by Rob Cox, Special Collections at the Umass Archives
Rob Cox takes a look at the student attitudes at Umass to understand what respect has meant to students and faculty at our gigantic local institution over the years, and whether a “culture of respect” is passing or if it’s just the latest iteration of a long line of kids these days complaints. Personally we felt most respected in class when students had the kindness to pretend to type while they watched videos instead of listening to us.
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM
24th Annual Northampton Garden Tour
Rain or shine! Tour gorgeous gardens with a gregarious group! Tour tickets cost $15 ahead of time and $20 the day of! You can get raffle tickets as well to win gift certificates, compost, a landscape consult, or gardening supplies! All proceeds go to fund the Forbes Library!

History:

Saturday, June 10th
Holyoke Public Library [250 Chestnut St, Holyoke, MA 01040] at 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Cada Familia Tiene una Historia – Every Family has a Story
An exhibit of the family and personal histories shared with the Nuestros Senderos Project. There will be refreshments around 2pm, then speakers Ramon Borges-Mendez of Clark University and Joel Blanco-Rivera of the University of Puerto Rico. This is a free event and all are welcome to come learn!

Kids:

Wednesday, June 7th
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Puzzles, Patterns, and Picture Books
Explore puzzles, explore patterns, explore picture books, explore the uncharted Arctic if you dare! But specifically this program’s for the first three. Teacher Sue Creighton will lead with some books and crafting! Intended for ages 8-12!
Saturday, June 10th
Odyssey Bookshop [9 College St, South Hadley, MA 01075] at 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Summer Brain Quest Kick-Off Event
Expand your brains with the Odyssey! Draw a plant, find some shapes, eat marshmallows after an interminable wait during which an adult attempts to teach you delicious delicous math. Receive a Brainiac Award Certificate and a gift bag full of awesome goodies when you complete two activites!

Movies:

Tuesday, June 6th
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM
GPL Teen Pizza and Movie Night
Francesca and Steve are going to show a movie and provide some snacks! It’s going to be a delightful time during which you will get a chance to we’re going to say definitely yell at a film with some friends. Intended for ages 12-17!
Wednesday, June 7th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM
The Brush Shop – A film by Stan Sherer
Learn about the history of the Brushworks, the big old brick complex in Northampton that now houses a bunch of local artists and craftspeople! The reason it’s the Brushworks is because it used to be a gigantic toothbrush manufacturing complex! See interviews and archival photographs that look back on when Northampton was an industrial town!
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 8:30 PM to 9:50 PM
Moana Lawn Screening
Hang out on the lawn for the screening of this new Disney classic! Definitely not going to get rained out THIS week!
Friday, June 9th
Amherst Cinema Arts Center [28 Amity St., Amherst, MA] at 9:30 PM to 11:00 PM
Spaceballs
See the movie that you like that’s kind of very funny but then kind of not that funny as you remember but also you love Star Wars and it does hit with some of the stuff and… the point is it’s a decent parody and we watched it like 90 times as a kid during that magical time in our lives when no amount of repetition killed a joke.

RPGs:

Thursday, June 8th
Palmer Public Library [1455 N Main St, Palmer, MA 01069] at 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
RPG Club
Play RPGs with some friendly people! We recommend locally-developed games like Noirlandia or Dread!

May 29th – June 4th

The Valley Nerd Watch!

Have a good Memorial Day tomorrow, readers!

Get excited for the June 12th Nerd Nite at the World War 2 Club in Northampton! It’s going to be about the vagaries of our economic system, which is a topic both tragic and comic! Kind of comediotragious, which is a word to describe that sentiment we just invented.

Check out the Western MA Film Maker’s Group! They’re having a get-to-know-you potluck June 11th! If you are interested in making films and you live around here you really kind of have no excuse, there’s not going to be a more specifically tailored group for you to hang out with we don’t think.

We would like to also take the opportunity this week to point you toward a bunch of locals with Patreons:

–Worlds Without Master is a great fantasy RPG/Story/Comic magazine!

–Xenoglyph is a bunch of neat art and RPGs and writing and such!

–Meguey Baker is a lot of interesting games in the vein of like… tag. Real base-level intriguing social games.

–Legends of Fomora is a fantasy comic about a place with children adventurers and ant-creatures and magic and very dangerous forests and the first arc is pretty neat!

–KC Green is the person from the Valley that has maybe most made a splash in the general culture? He’s also very good at making comics!

And that’s not even all of them! Wow, we do have a vibrant creative community full of people who definitely deserve to get some of your cash, don’t we?

Go check out the Valley Creators page! As always, be sure to check out our Patreon and the Weekly Events page! There are a lot of fun things happening this and every week! And don’t forget to check out the updated Book Clubs List!

THIS WEEK

Art:

Wednesday, May 31st
Palmer Public Library [1455 N Main St, Palmer, MA 01069] at 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Ukulele With David Hyde Costello
Learn to play ukulele in a nice environment! No musical background neecessary, beginners welcome! It’s free and open to adults onnly, register at (413) 283-3330!
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Needle Felting and Fiber Crafts
Create beautiful needle and fibercrafts! The helpful and talented Lisa Melnick will teach you to create three-dimensional objects out of simple materials! You should bring some materials if you’d like, and supplies will be available for purchase at the library!
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM
Writing Room Reading
Listen to a reading of some of the work from a bunch of different writers who’ve been hanging out and working at Forbes! Naila Moreira, Susan Stinson, Alice Thomas, and many more will be there to share their work!
Thursday, June 1st
Holyoke Public Library [250 Chestnut St, Holyoke, MA 01040] at 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM
Teen Writing Workshop
Instructor Abby Forcier will be on hand to offer guidance and support for any written work you care to produce! Anything that strikes your interest you can work on and then share with the group if you like!
Emily Dickinson Museum [280 Main St, Amherst, MA 01002] at 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Amherst Arts Night Plus
Open mic! Poetry Reading! A one-night special art exhibit! Open mic signups from 5pm – 6pm, and then it begins at 6pm. The featured poets are Tara Jean Bernier and Catherine Weiss, and the featured artist is Julia Waves.

Board Games:

Wednesday, May 31st
Holyoke Public Library [250 Chestnut St, Holyoke, MA 01040] at 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Game On!
Board games in the teen room! Have fun with the library collection or bring your own!

Books:

Saturday, June 3rd
Holyoke Public Library [250 Chestnut St, Holyoke, MA 01040] at 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Holyoke Remembers Mary Doyle Curran
Mary Doyle Curran was a writer born in Holyoke in 1917, who got a PhD and then was a professor at UMass Boston! She was an important part of the Irish American community and keynote speaker Jules Chametzky will let you know more about this neat person! And there’s a bus tour of Curran’s Holyoke!

Comic Books:

Saturday, June 3rd
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Wonder Woman Day
Celebrate Wonder Woman during the opening weekend of the film! GPL will have exhibits, activities, freebies, screenings of the original “Wonder Woman” TV show, and more! All ages are welcome, and the event takes place throughout the library!

Community:

Saturday, June 3rd
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Kick-off Party: Awareness Fair, Summer Reading Sign-ups, and Book Sale
Stroll through a Bazaar on the West Lawn and meet people from various community organizations to learn what they do, sign up for summer reading, see the AEIO Ukes perform, get a balloon twisted by local jim Jim, see Percy Jackson the therapy dog do freestyle tricks, get a temporary tattoo, and buy some great books! A spectacular day for the whol family!

Entertainment:

Friday, June 2nd
Emily Dickinson Museum [280 Main St, Amherst, MA 01002] at 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Garden Days
Help make the Dickinson Museum beautiful by helping out in the garden! Join a group of other friendly volunteers to cultivate the beautiful grounds! No need to be an expert, just learn from the folks who volunteer there all the time! You can also tour the archeaological dig going on at the same time!
Emily Dickinson Museum [280 Main St, Amherst, MA 01002] at 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM
The Products of My Farm Are These: Farming with the Dickinsons
Landscape historian and garderner Marta McDowell will lead a program about the various edibles that the Dickinson’s grew, cooked, and ate! You’ll also see how you can grow your own delicious fruits and vegetables in your own New England garden! This will take place both indoors and outdoors, so dress for the weather! It’s $10 for museum members and $13 for non-members!
Saturday, June 3rd
Historic Northampton [46 Bridge Street, Northampton, MA 01060-2406] at 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM
Super PAC Band: An Acoustic Concert on the grounds of Historic Northampton
Historic Northampton will host the Super PAC Band, a group of talented local musicians who “play for the general good will and your listening pleasure!” Sounds delightful! Bring a blanket, picnic, and your friends and family!

Kids:

Saturday, June 3rd
Odyssey Bookshop [9 College St, South Hadley, MA 01075] at 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM
Wonder Woman Day
Create your own superhero identity! Make a unique symbol for them and a backstory, and also work on some Wonder Woman coloring pages! Recommended for ages 4-11! There’s still time to get your character into Justice League or Infinity War if they’re neat enough!

Movies:

Tuesday, May 30th
Holyoke Public Library [250 Chestnut St, Holyoke, MA 01040] at 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Teen Movie: A Thousand Words
Watch Eddie Murphy in a really odd family film that takes an old aphorism and turns it into a sort of terrifying curse designed to teach someone how to listen better via the threat of death. Gruesome!
Wednesday, May 31st
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 8:30 PM to 9:50 PM
Moana Lawn Screening
Hang out on the library lawn for a screening of the recent hit Disney animated movie Moana! When a terrible curse is incurred by the demigod Maui, a chieftan’s daughter answers the call to set things right! Free for all, bring blankets and a picnic!
Sunday, June 4th
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art [125 West Bay Rd., Amherst, MA 01002] at 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Cinema Sunday: Funny Face (1957)
Enjoy a screening of a classic musical at the Carle! A romatic comedy starring Fred Astaire, Audrey Hepburn, and Kay Thompson! We presume that like many Fred Astaire films there’s a strong subplot about the community organizing behind all those coordinated song and dance acts.
Yiddish Book Center [1021 West St., Amherst, MA 01002] at 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Film: The Green Park
The story of The Green Park, a glamorous hotel on the British Riveria! The kosher establishment opened in 1943, and this film follows decades of Jewish history that took place in and around it.

Science:

Saturday, June 3rd
Jones Library [43 Amity St., Amherst, MA 01002] at 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM
Massachusetts Birds of Prey
We’re kind of assuming this is just a big room full of birds of prey. Watch out! They’ll scratch you right up.

May 15th – May 21st

The Valley Nerd Watch!

Hello folks! Happy Mother’s Day! On this day we want to call out our extremely excellent mom! She’s pretty great, she supports us on Patreon which is very appreciated, and it is her combination of community spirit and an intense sublimated orneriness that we call upon to do our weekly rounds! Thanks mom for everything and let us know if you need anything because we’re in some deep debt to you at this point.

Also speaking of our dear mom, we’d like to call out a local artist: Mary May! We got one of her neat freehand fractal paintings as a gift for our mom and we like them a lot, and she also makes jewelry and does some oil painting work. Check her out on Instagram at @mmayjewelry and ask for commissions via mmayjewelry [at] gmail [dot] com! You can also head to the Shelburne Falls Coffee on King St. in Northampton to purchase her work on display and also to say “I enjoy your work so much I want to give you money for it” which will make her happy!

We’d like to again call specific attention this week to the newly formed Western MA Film Makers Group! Per their description: “Western MA Filmmakers Group is a chance for people making film to network, attend events, and build community.”

Are you interested in creating film, or just a big fan of film in general? Meet up with fellow “cinephlicks” as everyone agrees we should call them and share, discuss, question, brainstorm, and in general get some support, feedback, and community!

Go check out the Valley Creators page! As always, be sure to check out our Patreon and the Weekly Events page! There are a lot of fun things happening this and every week! And don’t forget to check out the updated Book Clubs List!

THIS WEEK

Art:

Wednesday, May 17th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Needle Felting and Fiber Crafts
Sculpt three-dimensional objects in felt! Make jewelry! Sculpt faces, make figures, embellish clothing with needle felting! Felting needles and supplies will be available for purchse! Feel free to bring your own projects to work on with fellow felters!
Friday, May 19th
Emily Dickinson Museum [280 Main St, Amherst, MA 01002] at 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM
Poetry Discussion Group: Reading Dickinson through Different Critical Lenses
“Part 2 of this two-part session will include a review of the sociological lenses applied in Part 1 and an introduction to one or more psychological lenses (Freudian, archetypal). Participants will look at several more Dickinson poems using a variety of approaches. The session will conclude with a discussion of the value added from applying critical theories to Dickinson’s poetry.”

Board Games:

Wednesday, May 17th
The Brass Cat [65 Cottage St #101, Easthampton, MA 01027] at 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Wednesday Games at the Brass Cat!
Wednesday Games this week features a gigantic game! Mechs vs. Minions is a big old sort of board-game tower-defense that seems neat and has really cool miniatures! As always the Brass Cat is a delightful bar with a nice little outdoor terrace and the regular Wednesday Games crowd is friendly and eager to teach you fun games!

Books:

Monday, May 15th
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM
Author Reading and Signing – Roxann Davis
Local mystery novel writer Roxann Davis will be reading from her debut novel! The novel, “Nightbeat”, will be available for sale at 25% off and every sale will be donated to the GPL! What a lovely thing to do. Refreshments will also be served!
Holyoke Public Library [250 Chestnut St, Holyoke, MA 01040] at 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM
Conversation with Author Series: Mary Newman and her book, “Edible Flowers”
“Most of us like to look at them, but why on earth would anyone want to eat them? As Constance L. Kirker and Mary Newman show in this book, however, flowers have a long history as a tasty ingredient in a variety of cuisines. The Greeks, Romans, Persians, Ottomans, Mayans, Chinese, and Indians all knew how to cook with them for centuries, and today contemporary chefs use them to add something special to their dishes.” Delicious flowers!
Tuesday, May 16th
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Children’s Book Writers Group
Do you write children’s books? Come hang with fellow writers and discuss the process! Learn the business from pros, offer advice and feedback to fellow artists, generally come together and talk about making art for young folk!
Wednesday, May 17th
Odyssey Bookshop [9 College St, South Hadley, MA 01075] at 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Renee Ahdieh, Flame in the Mist, & Holly Black, The Darkest Part of the Forest
Two excellent authors discuss and present readings from two wonderful books! Flame in the Mist is about the daughter of a samurai who’s an alchemist! She gets embroiled in an assassination plot and infiltrates the very clan of assassins sent to kill her! The Darkest Part of the Forest is about a young woman living in a world that intersects with the fairy realm and a mysterious boy in the glass coffin that finally wakes up!
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) Writing Critique Group
“Writers of picture books, middle grade and YA meet to read and receive feedback about their work-in-progress from the group, facilitated by leaders following the SCBWI guidelines. You don’t have to be a member of SCBWI to participate.” Make your writing better!
Friday, May 19th
Gateway City Arts [92 Race St, Holyoke, MA 01040] at 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Dennis Lehane, Since We Fell
Since We Fell follows former journalist Rachel Childs, who lives as a shut-in after an on-air mental breakdown. Otherwise she’s doing alright, until she’s sucked into a terrifying conspiracy! Rachel has to deal with some real tough times for certain.
Sunday, May 21st
Yiddish Book Center [1021 West St., Amherst, MA 01002] at 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Lucky Broken Girl with Ruth Behar
Based on Behar’s own childhood, Lucky Broken Girl is a coming-of-age story about a young Cuban-Jewish immigrant girl as she adjusts to her new life in New York City.

Card Games:

Saturday, May 20th
Modern Myths [34 Bridge Street #4, Northampton, MA 01060] at 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Amonkhet Game Day
We’re just assuming this is a Magic the Gathering thing based on “game day” and now we’re going to check! ~time passes~ YES IT WAS! Dang we’ve gotten acceptable at this. Play Magic! Get some booster packs! Engage successfully in that hobby you like!

Comic Books:

Monday, May 15th
Modern Myths [34 Bridge Street #4, Northampton, MA 01060] at 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Queers in Comics and Games
Talk to excellent people about comics and board games and video games, it’s a lovely time! Moderated by the magnanimous manager of Modern Myths, Melissa, you can rest assured that it’ll be a good chat!

Community:

Monday, May 15th
Palmer Public Library [1455 N Main St, Palmer, MA 01069] at 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM
Palmer Town Council Community Meeting
Meet up to discuss the present and future of Palmer, a nice town! You probably don’t go to all of these we are guessing because town council meetings can be a bit boring, but it’s also the place you can sloooowly steer the Ship of Town toward things you think are useful and dang if you are not doing it imagine your least sensible neighbor doing it! Because they are, they’re working to officially designate your home as a Tire Fire Preserve and Place Where Foxes Can Do That Terrifying Yelling All The Time.
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 4:00 PM to 7:30 PM
Citizen Discussion Group
Discuss things with your fellow citizens!
Tuesday, May 16th
Jones Library [43 Amity St., Amherst, MA 01002] at 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Round the World Women
We have no information about this whatsoever so we’re assuming it’s a sort of documentary about what it was like to be around the World Women, a superhero team.
Saturday, May 20th
Sunderland Public Library [20 School St., Sunderland, MA 01375] at 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Book, Bake, and Plant Sale
Special offer on books! Get a GROCERY BAG of books between 1pm and 3pm for just $7! Come earlier if you’re looking for quality instead of quantity. Also, eat some good baked goods and maybe grab a few plants to brighten up your domicile! Everything you need in one place: the Sunderland Public Library!
Jones Library [43 Amity St., Amherst, MA 01002] at 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Speak Up for Change for Women
Practice speaking up in a supportive environment that will help you get better at advocating for political change! We frankly go into a sort of fuge state of nerves when speaking in public that we only hope results in being convincing so we are totally into the idea of learning to better express important political points! There’s never been a more important time to really loudly insist that people don’t do horrifying things.

Computers:

Thursday, May 18th
Mount Holyoke College [50 College St, South Hadley, MA] at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
May 2017 Western Mass Drupal Users Group Meeting
“Those who attended Drupalcon 2017 Baltimore will talk about the event and sessions they liked. We will also have a discussion about how to structure our meetings in the future, using ideas from the Boston Drupal Group and others. Hope to see you there!”
Northampton Community TV [380 Elm St., Northampton, MA] at 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
WordPress Developers and Admins
Do you work with WordPress? So do a bunch of other people in the Valley! Provide your expertise or call upon the expertise of others to solve problems and generally make WordPress work for you!

Entertainment:

Monday, May 15th
Holyoke Public Library [250 Chestnut St, Holyoke, MA 01040] at 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM
Labyrinth Around America Tour
Huh, what an interesting thing! “Labyrinth Around America is a an initiative to take a labyrinth around the United States, making stops in each state that marks the border of the mainland … the initial intention is to encircle the mainland with a trail of positive energy, bringing an invitation for people to come together in walking this wonderful path.”
Thursday, May 18th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Cookies with a Curator
Informal conversation, show and tell with objects in the Forbes Collection, snacks! What a delightful time.
Saturday, May 20th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Truth to Power: Writers Respond to the Rhetoric of Hate and Fear
“Cutthroat, A Journal of the Arts presents poetry and prose from writers from the Connecticut River Valley, Marilyn Nelson, Doug Anderson, Leslie McGrath, Kate Bell, and Howie Faerstein.” Hear from a lot of good writers and poets!

History:

Wednesday, May 17th
Palmer Public Library [1455 N Main St, Palmer, MA 01069] at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Donald Blais, Jr. Speaks About President John F. Kennedy
A talk in honor of the 100th anniversary of the President’s birthday, May 29th. It’s free and open to the public, so get out there and learn about one of the significant figures of the American 20th century!

Kids:

Tuesday, May 16th
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM
Teen Graphic Novel & Fan Fiction Club
Open to all 12-17 year-old fans of Graphic Novels! What do you like? What don’t you like? Do you write fan fiction? Do you read fan fiction? All are welcome! Share what you read and write with fellow fans!
Wednesday, May 17th
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Wednesday Wizards
“Wednesday Wizards: Learning and fun at the Library, meets from 4pm-5pm in the LeVanway Room of Greenfield Public Library. Kids become wizards of science and learn various concepts with experiments. Each session a guest presenter will introduce a science concept with a book and activity sure to inspire creativity. This activity is open to all and free thanks to the Friends of Greenfield Public Library.”
Saturday, May 20th
Sunderland Public Library [20 School St., Sunderland, MA 01375] at 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Llamas in Pajamas in the Library!
Meet a llama! A real llama! They’re adorable! Aaaah some of them have little poofy hairdos and that’s wonderful, but all of them are like super long-necked dogs with very soft fur! Then Debbie from Country Quilt Llama Farm and her excellent llama you just met will share the story Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney and teach kids about what llamas do!
Holyoke Public Library [250 Chestnut St, Holyoke, MA 01040] at 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Girl Scout Information Day
Elena of Avalor, who appears to be pretty danged awesome, isn’t afraid to try new things, and neither are Girl Scouts! Learn what it is to be a Girl Scout with an Elena of Avalor themed activity!

Movies:

Wednesday, May 17th
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Global Warming Documentary
What we know: “The National Alliance of Concerned Americans for the Well- Being of All People are sponsoring the movie with discussion and Q & A.” what we don’t know: what movie is playing.

May 8th – May 13th

The Valley Nerd Watch!

Hello and yes! We’re back! This is again a live feed of everything interesting that we can remember to tell you about in the area that we define as the Pioneer Valley which roughly conforms to the common physical locations named as such.

We’d like to call specific attention this week to the newly formed Western MA Film Makers Group! Per their description: “Western MA Filmmakers Group is a chance for people making film to network, attend events, and build community.”

Are you interested in creating film, or just a big fan of film in general? Meet up with fellow “filmeophans” as everyone agrees we should call them and share, discuss, question, brainstorm, and in general get some support, feedback, and community!

The first event they’re all headed to this week is the Focus Locus Presents: Selected Shorts by Kramer, Perry, & Sanders! Check it out in their inimitable company this Tuesday, May 9th, at 7:00 PM at the Parlor Room at Signature Sounds [32 Masonic St., Northampton, MA 01060]. Afterward they’ll do a Producers Group, during which they’ll give a rundown of the sort of supportive feedback they’re hoping to provide at these meetups!

Also of note this week: On May 9th, A.E.G.I.S: Combining Robot Strategy Game will be relaunching their Kickstarter! They’ve got a slightly lower goal, a slightly prettier game, and the same excellent basic gameplay that we so enjoyed when we played it last year! You should definitely check it out when it goes live and see the Facebook Launch Party group!

Go check out the Valley Creators page! As always, be sure to check out our Patreon and the Weekly Events page! There are a lot of fun things happening this and every week! And don’t forget to check out the updated Book Clubs List!

THIS WEEK

Art:

Monday, May 8th
Sunderland Public Library [20 School St., Sunderland, MA 01375] at 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Animal Rocks!
Make some cute animal rocks to spruce up anywhere that needs sprucing! You can even just place them around town if you want. Paint them so they look cute and make you happy! Sign up in advance at the library if you can by calling 413-665-2642.
Wednesday, May 10th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Forbes Library Zine Club
ZINES! Zines for teens! Zines for fiends! Zines for beans! Bean zines for green teen machines! There’s never enough! Talk, create, have a good time!
Friday, May 12th
Historic Northampton [46 Bridge Street, Northampton, MA 01060-2406] at 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Opening Reception for “Laws Change. People Die. The Land Remains” curated by Sally Curcio and Anna LaPrade Seuthe
“An exhibition of paintings and sculpture by five Western Massachusetts artists who reflect on how our actions impact the landscape. The five artists are Jesse Connor, Sally Curcio, Karen Evans, Anne LaPrade Seuthe and Jenny Tibbetts.” – Sounds like a wondeful opportunity to expand your mind, get to know the area beter, and eat small cheeses.
Smith College Museum of Art [20 Elm St, Northampton, MA 01063] at 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Free Second Friday
Free artwork! Free culture! Generally being immersed in the wonder of an excellent local museum!
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Arts Night Out Reception for Northampton High School Student Art Exhibition
“Student artwork from the Foundations of Art, Drawing & Painting 1 & 2 , Ceramics 1 , Sculpture and Honors Art 1-4 classes at Northampton High School will be exhibited. The selection of artwork is curated by teachers Lisa Leary and Sheryl Jaffe, who collectively teach approximately 200 students each year.”
Saturday, May 13th
Emily Dickinson Museum [280 Main St, Amherst, MA 01002] at 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM
Poetry Walk
“The Emily Dickinson Poetry Walk marks the anniversary of the poet’s death (on May 15, 1886) with readings of her poetry at historic sites in Amherst. This spring’s Walk will feature Dickinson’s works inspired by the natural world and the plants she grew in her conservatory at the Homestead, which has been restored this spring.” Conduct the rites that keep Dickinson contained! Seal her grave anew!
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 2:00 PM to 3:45 PM
Weaving Social and Political Issues into your Writing
“Join authors Naila Moreira and Ellen Meeropol for a two hour writing workshop. We’ll focus on ways to weave thorny issues – climate change, racism, war – into our fiction and nonfiction. Come prepared to imagine, to hope, and to write. Ellen Meeropol is the author of the political and environmentally-themed novels House Arrest, On Hurricane Island, and Kinship of Clover. Naila Moreira, author of poetry chapbooks Gorgeous Infidelities and Water Street, has written nonfiction for The Boston Globe, Seattle Times, Daily Hampshire Gazette and other publications.”

Board Games:

Friday, May 12th
Burger King Community Room [344 King St., Northampton, MA 01060] at 6:30 PM to 10:30 PM
Tabletop Game Night
“Bring a game that you’d like to share, if you have one. Beginners are welcome. We most often play Euro strategy games, but you are welcome to bring any game you’d like to share. Some of the games we’ve played in the past include: Pandemic, 7 Wonders, Ticket to Ride, Carcassonne, Settlers of Catan, Dominion. The Community Room is all the way in the back. If you come in the side entrance, the room is directly to your right. If you come in the main entrance, just head to your right, then straight back. “
Saturday, May 13th
Palmer Public Library [1455 N Main St, Palmer, MA 01069] at 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Palmer Scholastic Chess Tournament
Four sections: K-3, 4-6, 7-9, 10-12, round one starts at 10am on the dot! There’s a four-round swiss system and tropies to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in each category! Entry is free, and you should bring a chess set and clock if you have them and a bagged lunch! For a power play just bring an edible chess set for lunch, that’s intimidating.

Books:

Wednesday, May 10th
Holyoke Public Library [250 Chestnut St, Holyoke, MA 01040] at 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM
Samuel E. Abrams talks about “Education and the Commercial Mindset”
“Drawing on his book, Education and the Commercial Mindset (Harvard University Press, 2016), Sam Abrams, a Holyoke native, will discuss the divergent paths taken by education policymakers in Chile, Finland, Sweden, and the United States. In addition, Abrams will address the implications of Donald Trump’s presidency for schooling in the United States. Joining Abrams on stage for a Q&A will be Gus Morales, another Holyoke native and a veteran local teacher.” Understand why you were educated in the manner you were educated! Get a clear picture of what it is that US education policy prioritizes and what you can do about it!
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 7:00 PM to 8:45 PM
Writers as Climate Activists
“Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time, threatening the very fabric of our society. Here, three writers use fiction, young adult fiction, and memoir to explore this thorny problem.” Ellen Meeropol, Brian Adams, and Jennifer Browdy will read at this event.
Thursday, May 11th
Odyssey Bookshop [9 College St, South Hadley, MA 01075] at 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Hala Alyan, Salt Houses
“Lyrical and heartbreaking, Salt Houses is a remarkable debut novel that challenges and humanizes an age-old conflict we might think we understand—one that asks us to confront that most devastating of all truths: you can’t go home again.” We actually have found that we’ve been able to go home again. You’re just generally not allowed back in the the door so you just need to critique the new family’s garden from the other side of the street.
Saturday, May 13th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 4:00 PM to 4:45 PM
Water Street Book Launch
“Author reading and signing with Naila Moriera, Forbes Library’s Writer in Residence. Set at an old converted farmhouse apartment by the Mill River, the poems of Water Street explore the tension between freedom and domesticity as reflected in the natural world: the minks, bats, frogs, spiders, and wasps, as well as the plants and trees and the river itself. “

Community:

Monday, May 8th
Westhampton Public Library [Town of Westhampton, One South Road Westhampton, MA 01027] at 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Women, Crime, and Justice: Mass Incarceration and Mothering
“Nicole Hendricks of HCC will present. The number of women behind bars or under some form of correctional control has risen significantly in the last four decades, where now, no country incarcerates more women than the United States. At the intersections of this crisis, we find disproportionate numbers of women of color, and poor women, many of whom leave behind children, and are more likely to be locked up thousands of miles away from those children. What are the collateral consequences for our communities when parenting takes place behind bars?”
Tuesday, May 9th
Yiddish Book Center [1021 West St., Amherst, MA 01002] at 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
“The Future of Hate” with Ilan Stavans
“Anti-Semitism remains an inextricable part of contemporary life. In today’s America, it finds partners in unlikely places, from the government to college campuses to rural communities. In this series of three talks, each with a different focus, author and Amherst College Professor Ilan Stavans considers the “new normal” in today’s United States and the ways anti-Semitism manifests in regions as diverse as Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East.”
Thursday, May 11th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Plant Swap
“This monthly plant swap is free and open to the public to encourage the exchange of plants and other garden related items. You many bring as few or as many of the following items as you like: perennials, annuals, edibles, seeds, garden produce, tools or any other garden related items.”
Friday, May 12th
Sunderland Public Library [20 School St., Sunderland, MA 01375] at 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM
SNAP Help
A lot of people don’t apply for supplemental nutrition assistance because they don’t know they’re eligible! You should check it out even if you own a home or a car or make a wage. It’s important to make sure you’ve got all the food you can get!
Saturday, May 13th
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 2:00 PM to 5:30 PM
League of Women Voters Event
Unspecified event for the League of Women Voters! But you can trust that whatever it winds up being it will be useful and pertinent. Contact Nicole Moore at nicolemmoore [at] hotmail [dot] com for more information!
Jones Library [43 Amity St., Amherst, MA 01002] at 12:30 PM to 3:00 PM
Represent US Meetup
“Introductory Meeting: Learn about http://www.Represent.US and how you can help fight corruption and get Big Money out of politics.” Fight the forces that are likely causing you real and immediate harm every day of your life!

Computers:

Wednesday, May 10th
Last Call Media [136 West St., Suite 01, Northampton, MA] at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Agile Methods Meetup
Meet up and discuss the Agile methodology! Get your dev team on track to use the hip new management technique, but also learn from sensible people how to actually do the thing. Plus they’re nice and you’ll probably make friends!
Thursday, May 11th
Last Call Media [136 West St., Suite 01, Northampton, MA] at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Hack for Western Mass Meetup
Meet and dicuss your ongoing projects for the community! Or if you’ve never been, lend your expertise to an existing project or propose a new useful way to give back to the community we all so love!

Entertainment:

Thursday, May 11th
Palmer Public Library [1455 N Main St, Palmer, MA 01069] at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Anime Club
Watch anime with people! We’ve been playing Persona 5 lately so we can say with confidence that anime is good.
Saturday, May 13th
Sunderland Public Library [20 School St., Sunderland, MA 01375] at 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Tea and Chocolate: A pleasant Pairing
Well. That’s kind of driect. We suppose so! They are pleasant alone and better together! Sample tea and chocolate pairings, learn what pairs best, and they say learn the “health benefits” but let’s be real people the benefits in both cases are the same: these foods taste good and it makes you feel nice to eat them.
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Doctor Who Club
Free and open to all! Discuss what exactly this doctor is, why he’s doing what he’s doing, and which way he’s going next!

History:

Saturday, May 13th
Historic Northampton [46 Bridge Street, Northampton, MA 01060-2406] at 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Wildlife Changes in Northampton: From Nonotuck to Now by Laurie Sanders
“During the last 500 years, major changes have occurred in Northampton’s wildlife. Wolves and passenger pigeons and mountain lions are gone, while beaver, bear and turkeys, which had disappeared for decades, are now back in abundance. In this presentation, Laurie Sanders will highlight some of the major trends and changes that explain the mix of animal species that we now encounter in Northampton, from its urbanized center to its wilder spaces.” Learn about where you live! Learn why all the deer in the Valley have a sort of subtle red glow to their eyes and you never see them move, you just see them appear near your windows late in the evening.

Movies:

Monday, May 8th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Far Out Film Discussion: Eraserhead
“Far Out Film Discussion is formatted like a book club: check out the film, watch it at home, and attend the meeting to discuss it. (We will not be screening the film at the program.) Our next movie is Eraserhead – a black and white surrealist film from 1977 which was written, produced and directed by David Lynch. Copies of the film will be available in the Reference Dept. and the Arts and Music Dept. You can also watch the film via Kanopy.com – sign up for a free account with your Forbes library card and stream it online : https://forbes.kanopystreaming.com/video/eraserhead“
Wednesday, May 10th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Film: The National Bird
“This 2016 documentary follows the dramatic journey of three whistleblowers who are determined to break the silence around one of the most controversial current affairs issues of our time: the secret U.S. drone war. At the center of the film are three U.S. military veterans. Plagued by guilt over participating in the killing of faceless people in foreign countries, they decide to speak out publicly, despite the possible consequences.”
Friday, May 12th
Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel at 11:30 AM to 6:30 PM
DAY-2-PLAY: 4th Western MA Film and Media Exchange
“Join filmmakers, television and other industry professionals for a day of technical seminars and hands on-demonstrations with the latest lighting, camera and broadcast equipment. The Exchange also includes lunch, keynote speaker, and networking opportunities with others in the industry. Vitec Videocom brings their Roadshow to Springfield. You don’t want to miss it!” This sounds kind of amazing and we’re really appreciative of the new Western MA Film Makers Group for bringing it to our attention!

RPGs:

Thursday, May 11th
Palmer Public Library [1455 N Main St, Palmer, MA 01069] at 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
RPG Club
Play RPGs with some people! They’re going to be great and so are you!

Science:

Monday, May 8th
World War 2 Club [50 Conz St., Northampton, MA 01060] at 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Nerd Nite May: Korean Comic Books and the Roma
Learn about the fascinating world of Korean Comic Books from Nathan Chung, who read a lot of them while growing up in South Korea! We’ve been big fans of American comic books for a while and it’s going to be exciting to learn more about a style from which we’ve read only a few works! Then we’re going to find out about the history of the Roma, a people whose complex history and tense current relationship with Europe will be explained to us by Christine Hurst, who’s currently working on her MSW at Rutgers.
Thursday, May 11th
Nacul Center [592 Main St., Amherst, MA] at 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM
OEB Science Cafe: Laura Doubleday presents Dangerous Liasons: Pollinators, Herbivores, and the Quirky Sex Lives of Plants
Plants are at a very basic level absolutely odd and the way they reproduce is a big part of it. Flowers, pollen, bees, seeds, there are so many moving parts and so many physical transfigurations involved! Learn more from the spectacular Laura Doubleday!

April 24th – April 30th

The Valley Nerd Watch!

We’re going on vacation! BUT because we’re frankly astounding and dedicated and very pretty and dogs like us, they just know we’re putting together a bunch of pre-made Nerd Watches! They’re distinguishable from the normal ones because they all have this up top and they’re all filled with “from the description:” because we had to do 88 individual events and danged that is just a heck of a thing.

And because Liz Popolo is our only current Platinum Ultra Level Patreon Supporter, we’re gonna link her site here: check it out! It’s great, she’s a great artist and you should give her money!

Go check out the Valley Creators page! As always, be sure to check out our Patreon and the Weekly Events page! There are a lot of fun things happening this and every week! And don’t forget to check out the updated Book Clubs List!

THIS WEEK

Art:

Tuesday, April 25th
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM
Teen Craft Night
Craft, teens! Craft to your heart’s content!
Wednesday, April 26th
Mead Art Museum [41 Quadrangle Dr, Amherst, MA 01002] at 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM
A Conversaton with Artist Vitaly Komar
From the description: “Join Russian-born conceptual artist Vitaly Komar for a conversation with Henry Steele Commager Professor and Professor of Russian Art Stanley Rabinowitz about Amherst’s renowned Thomas P. Whitney, Class of 1937, Collection of Russian Art; Russian art and culture in the United States since the 1970s; and the experience of being a Russian émigré artist. The talk will be followed by a reception at the Mead. All are welcome to attend!”
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Needle Felting and Fiber Crafts
From the description: “We’ll start with simple shapes and learn how to join them together. I’ll show how to sculpt faces and embellish figures. Some rough knitting wools like Lopi can be added. You can also embellish wool clothing with needle felting. The library will supply some wool. Additional supplies (foam work base and felting needles may be available for purchase at the library or New England Felting Supply in Easthampton.” make stuff with felt!
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Forbes Library Zine Club
ZIIIIINES! ZINES ZINES ZINES! Zines are the magazines of the future and the past! They’re the magazines of right now! They’ve always been inside you! Your organs are all zines!
Thursday, April 27th
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Friends of the Greenfield Public Library Annual Poetry Contest
We assume this is just a place where you shout your poetry as loud as you can until someone tells you you win.
Saturday, April 29th
Jones Library [43 Amity St., Amherst, MA 01002] at 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM
Explore Music and Sound! Presented by UMass Music Educators
From the description: “Join students from the Umass Department of Music Education for a “found sounds” activity all about making music with everyday objects and “finding sounds.””

Board Games:

Modern Myths [34 Bridge Street #4, Northampton, MA 01060] at 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM
Weekly Board Game Night
Board games at Modern Myths! It’s always an amazing time with extremely nice people to play with or against and a wide variety of games to try!

Books:

Tuesday, April 25th
Gamble Auditorium, Mount Holyoke College [Lower Lake Rd South Hadley, MA 01075] at 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM
Amy Goodman/Democracy Now!: The Enemy Is Not The Enemy Tour
From the site: “In 1996 Amy Goodman began hosting a show on Pacifica Radio called Democracy Now! to focus on the issues and movements that are too often ignored by the corporate media. Today Democracy Now! is the largest public media collaboration in the US, broadcasting on over 1,400 public television and radio stations around the world, with millions accessing it online at DemocracyNow.org. Now Amy, along with her journalist brother, David, and co-author Denis Moynihan, share stories of the heroes—the whistleblowers, the organizers, the protesters—who have brought about remarkable change.” Democracy Now’s a cool show. You can listen to it on 91.1 WMUA and 103.3 VFR!
Palmer Public Library [1455 N Main St, Palmer, MA 01069] at 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Ware’s Boys of Summer: Book Talk with Stephen Katz
Learn about those boys, those delightful boys in Ware! They’re here for summer and the party’s just geting started!
Wednesday, April 26th
Odyssey Bookshop [9 College St, South Hadley, MA 01075] at 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Jessica Shattuck, The Women in the Castle
From the site: “In one of the finest examples of historical fiction in recent years, Jessica Shattuck gives the reader a more complex understanding of what civilians experience living under an oppressive and cruel regime, as well as the shattered civil society that remains after the war has ended.”
Saturday, April 29th
Odyssey Bookshop [9 College St, South Hadley, MA 01075] at 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Independent Bookstore Day at the Odyssey Bookshop!
From the site: “There will be light refreshments in the morning, a bonus gift with every purchase over $50, and giveaways throughout the day. Win additional prizes by participating in our bookstore scavenger hunt! Winners will be entered into a raffle for a $50 gift certificate to The Odyssey. Also, don’t forget to stop by our “shelfie” station to take the perfect IBD selfie while posing with your favorite book!” Gifts! Books! Delight! Wonder! What more could a person ask for?

Card Games:

Friday, April 28th
Modern Myths [34 Bridge Street #4, Northampton, MA 01060] at 7:00 PM to 10:30 PM
Friday Night Magic BOOSTER DRAFT
From their description: “Your $16 entry fee includes MA sales tax, and purchases 3 Booster packs to draft with and adds 1 pack of the current set to the prize pool. Everyone who completes the event will receive at least 1 prize pack, with extra packs (donated by Modern Myths) and special promotiona” Play MTG, support a great local shop!

Community:

Wednesday, April 26th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Law Enforcement Panel
From the description: “Panel discussion on community policing with law enforcement officials and activists including Northampton Police Chief Jody Kasper; Hampshire County Sheriff Patrick Cahillane; Don Perry, local activist and founder of Project Operation Change; and Laura Briggs, chair of Women, Gender, Sexuality Studies at UMass Amherst.”

Computers:

Tuesday, April 25th
Sunderland Public Library [20 School St., Sunderland, MA 01375] at 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM
Drop-In Technology Help
Having technology issues? Then get some assistance! It’s never a bad idea to ask for help with annoying tech things? Did you know that people as intelligent and well-read as us have found out a full YEAR later that the reason the TV wasn’t connecting to the computer was that we plugged the HDMI cable into the wrong place? And we’re to clarify we’re NOT just incredibly bad with technology despite how that fact makes us seem.
Saturday, April 29th
Holyoke Community College [303 Homestead Ave., Holyoke, MA] at 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
PodCamp 2017
Tickets are just $15 for students, $40 plus $3.19 fee for the rest of us. The after party is free but requires a free ticket. From the website: What is Podcamp? PodCamp is an un-conference about social media and online marketing, where we can all share and learn in an open environment. Anyone with something to contribute and a desire to learn is welcome to join. PodCamp isn’t just about podcasting! If you’re interested in blogging, social media, social networking, podcasting, video on the net or just someone curious about new media, then please join us. Go to the Podcamp site to register! http://www.podcampwm.org/

Kids:

Thursday, April 27th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM
LEGO Club
LEGO Club! Build things and play with them around other kids! Ages 5 and up!

Movies:

Friday, April 28th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Coraline
Coraline is a really scary movie! Discuss the book that it was based on and the movie itself! It’s a really good film!

RPGs:

Thursday, April 27th
Modern Myths [34 Bridge Street #4, Northampton, MA 01060] at 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Dungeons & Dragons
New players welcome! Old players welcome! Harpsichord players welcome! Speaking of: play a Bard, everyone! They’re always the most fun.
Palmer Public Library [1455 N Main St, Palmer, MA 01069] at 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
RPG Club
Play RPGs with some people! They’re going to be great and so are you!