The Valley Nerd Watch!
Thank you for voting! It was important and you did it. Have this congratulations from the folks at Freedom Massachusetts:
We did it: Dignity and respect for our transgender friends and neighbors remains the law in our Commonwealth!
We may not know the final margin until tomorrow, but right now Yes on Question 3 is leading—a powerful, unmistakable message from Massachusetts voters that we value our transgender friends and neighbors, and want everyone to feel safe and welcome here.
The voters said something else too, to the entire nation: We will not let the forces of discrimination use fear and lies to turn us against our neighbors. Because of the team we built, we can say tonight that Massachusetts is the first state in the nation to uphold protections for transgender people at the ballot box!
That team included 70 paid employees, 1,500 local coalition partners and more than 4,000 volunteers who filled more than 15,000 volunteer shifts. Collectively, Yes on 3 staff and volunteers knocked on more than 300,000 doors and made more than 2 million phone calls, resulting in more than 100,000 conversations with voters across Massachusetts.
To celebrate, you should attend Wednesday Games this week! It’s a ton of fun and you get to play excellent games picked out by people who really know how to pick fun games!
Also you should check out Magestry! It’s a local LARP that seems nice and fun, and it’s free if you want to go play an NPC. Which is kind of win-win if you’re nervous about trying out a new fun time, because it gives you some structure while you’re exploring your new LARP!
Oh! And we haven’t told folks to go check out The Beast Peddler’s shop recently! It’s so neat! You can get a custom-made Mandrake Root pet or Three-Eyed Goat Person pet!
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, November 13th
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM
Write-In for National Novel Writing Month
Open to the public! Come write your danged novel, it’ll be great!
Wednesday, November 14th
Palmer Public Library [1455 N Main St, Palmer, MA 01069] at 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Crafternoon: Decorative Paper Pumpkins
Well, you start with the decorative ones. Once you get a bit more advanced you can move on to the edible paper pumpkins! Limited spots available, call 413-283-3330 ext. 0 to reserve a spot!
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM
NaNoWriMo Young Novelists Write-In
“National Novel Writing Month is an annual writing project that takes place during the month of November. Kids and teens, grades 3-12, are invited to join the Forbes Library Novelists and spend the month of November hiking through their own endless imagined worlds. They set their own word-count goals for the month and can participate in twice-weekly write-ins held at the library with snacks and inspiring chatter.” Write your novel! Be a star!
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Forbes Library Zine Club
Zines! Teeny Zines, Clean Zines, Spleen Zines, Green Zines, Mean Zines, Tambourine Zines! All sorts of zines!
Holyoke Public Library [250 Chestnut St, Holyoke, MA 01040] at 3:45 PM to 6:00 PM
Wistiriahurst Museum Visit for Teens
“Teens are invited to see a new textile exhibit at the Wistariahurst Museum. We will be meeting in the Teen Room, and walking to the museum as a group.” Textiles! Very good and neat to look at and learn about.
Thursday, November 15th
Jones Library [43 Amity St., Amherst, MA 01002] at 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
A Reading of Shanti Arts Authors
“Join us for a poetry reading by four Shanti Arts Authors: Susan Currie, James B. Nicola, Karla Van Vliet, and Wally Swist. Shanti Arts founder Christine Cote will provide the introduction. Books will be available for purchase and signing.” Books will also be available for reading and touching!
Jones Library [43 Amity St., Amherst, MA 01002] at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Jones Library Stitchin’ Group
Stich! That’s what you do when you’re stitchin’.
Friday, November 16th
Emily Dickinson Museum [280 Main St, Amherst, MA 01002] at 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM
Emily Dickinson Poetry Discussion Group: Emily Dickinson’s Planet
“When Emily Dickinson wrote to Thomas Wentworth Higginson about “Planetary Forces,” was she thinking about astrophysics? geopolitics ? environmental changes? Something more philosophical? What did the idea of earth’s planetarity mean to Dickinson and her circle, and what does it mean to us?”
Board Games:
Tuesday, November 13th
Off The Wall Games [41 Russell St, Hadley, MA 01035] at 6:30 PM to 10:00 PM
Board Game Night
Play board games! Specifically, this night is for Citadels! We’ve tried that and we loved it so maybe you will too! You can also give $5 to eat some pizza. Also it says here that you get 15% board games that evening… so… hm. Uncertain what that means. 15% of all board games? You just… lop a piece off? You’ll need to ask!
Wednesday, November 14th
Brass Cat [65 Cottage St #101, Easthampton, MA 01027] at 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM
Wednesday Games at the Brass Cat
Wednesday Games! The best game night in all of the Valley! A great bunch of folks who all play games and hang out and that’s nice. This week: “For any of you who know me and my gaming tastes, you’ll know that the ZMan Deluxe Card game series is one of my favorite go-to lines on the market. I’ve positively worn out my copies of Arboretum and Parade! Well this week, I’m bringing you another game from that line, Archaeology: The New Expedition! Archaeology is a set collection game about searching for treasures to sell to nearby museums. With a little bit of luck, you may even find a secret monument filled with valuable treasures! Watch the weather though, sandstorms are on the horizon and they will blow away your precious discoveries for other industrious archaeologists to collect themselves! No Pun Included Reviews – Archaeology – The New Expedition https://youtu.be/1BOC-rQLE8g As always there will be a great big pile of games on offer for you to dig into. Bring your friends, enjoy a beverage, play some games! See you on Wednesday!”
Friday, November 16th
Prodigy Minigolf & Gameroom [Eastworks, 116 Pleasant St, Easthampton MA] at 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Pioneer Valley Monthly Game Developer Demo Night #4
“Prodigy holds a monthly night for local game developers to come and show off their new or old creations. The public can come and try out new games and give needed feedback to developers attempting to make great games! If you are a developer and are interested in participating in this event, please let us know! All developers who bring a demo to test and play get free admission! Other developers looking to network get a discounted weekend admission at $10. All others pay the regular $12 Friday admission price for the full gameroom; open until midnight.” That sounds so fun! There are a ton of folks who make amazing games in the Valley, and this is a great opportunity to see what they have on offer!
Saturday, November 17th
Off The Wall Games [41 Russell St, Hadley, MA 01035] at 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM
A Song of Ice and Fire Tournament
“$15 entry free includes pizza lunch (please inform TO of dietary restrictions as you will be accommodated) Pre-registration begins at 11 AM; dice roll promptly at 12 PM! 50 pts., 2 lists! 3 rounds – 2 hours per round! No painting restriction! Scenarios TBD. This event is open to players of all skill levels and experience” Pizza! White Walkers! What more could you possibly want? Also wait we had no idea this game existed. We tried the card game a ways back, that was nice!
Palmer Public Library [1455 N Main St, Palmer, MA 01069] at 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Palmer Scholastic Chess Tournament
There are four sections: K-3, 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12. It’s a 4-round Swiss System and there are trophies for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. Entry is free!
Books:
Tuesday, November 13th
Odyssey Bookshop [9 College St, South Hadley, MA 01075] at 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM
Janet Bowdan, Making Progress
“Bowdan’s poems pay attention to behaviors we may not want to notice of ourselves, woven with humor & affection into the story of her blended family against a backdrop of society’s evolving expectations of girl, woman, wife & mother.” Janet Bowdan grew up in South Hadley, 1.1 miles from the Odyssey. In fact her parents settled here largely because of its proximity to the Odyssey. Janet got most of her exercise walking to the Odyssey, selecting a book, charging it to her account, and walking home. She’d have read the book by the next day and therefore had to walk back again. It was always her goal to write her own book and give a reading at the Odyssey.” That’s so nice! Excellent job chasing that dream!
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM
From Bensonville to Buxton: Two Florence Families’ Flight After the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850.
“A historical talk by Steve Strimer at the Edwards Library in Southampton on two Florence families’ flight to Buxton, Ontario after the Fugitive Slave Law was passed by the United States Congress on September 18, 1850. Presented in conjunction with the All Hamptons Read series of events.”
Wednesday, November 14th
Odyssey Bookshop [9 College St, South Hadley, MA 01075] at 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM
Jennifer L. Armentrout, The Darkest Star
“In the world of the Lux, secrets thrive, lies shatter, and love is undeniable. #1 New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout brings her trademark drama and intrigue to a new romantic YA science fiction series with The Darkest Star. A girl pulled into in a world she doesn’t understand finds herself confronted by long-buried secrets, a betrayal that could tear her life apart…and Armentrout’s most swoon-worthy book boyfriend yet.” We’ve always striven for swoon-worthy but we tend to land at moon-worthy. It’s a hassle having to deal with all these orbits!
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Author Event: Allen Young
“Local author, Allen Young, will discuss and read from his new autobiography, Left, Gay and Green: A Writer’s Life, on Wednesday, November 14 at 6 pm in the LeVanway Room of Greenfield Public Library. Having grown up during the sixties and early seventies, when political activism was at an all-time high, Young chronicles his full and rich life with stories and photographs that reflect his strong social commitment and dedication to making a difference in the world.” We’re pretty sure we’re giving the 60’s a run for the money when it comes to activism!
Thursday, November 15th
Odyssey Bookshop [9 College St, South Hadley, MA 01075] at 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM
Suparna Roychoudhury, Phantasmatic Shakespeare: Imagination in the Age of Early Modern Science
“Professor Suparna Roychoudhury will read from and discuss her book, Phantasmatic Shakespeare. What was Shakespeare’s understanding of imagination, and what made his depictions of imagining so vital and rich? Roychoudhury describes how, in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, imagination was an element of early modern cognitive psychology—it was the faculty of the mind that produces mental images, or phantasms.” This sounds neat! We don’t often grapple with the idea of how contemporaneous people understood what we think of as kind of eternal art.
Amherst College [220 South Pleasant St., Amherst, MA 01002] at 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM
“The Edge of the Petri Dish: Wizards and Prophets,” by Charles C. Mann ’76
“Charles C. Mann ’76, a local author, will give a talk on his most recent book, The Wizard and the Prophet. In 40 years, Earth’s population will reach 10 billion. Can our world support that? What kind of world will it be? Those answering these questions generally fall into two deeply divided groups– wizards and prophets, as Mann calls them.”
Saturday, November 17th
Odyssey Bookshop [9 College St, South Hadley, MA 01075] at 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM
Mike Curato and Little Elliot at Yankee Candle!
“Mike Curato is bringing Little Elliot to Yankee Candle on November 17th for their Tree Lighting Event! At 1:30pm, 2:15pm, and 3:00pm he will read, do a drawing demo, and sign books. This event will take place at Yankee Candle in conjunction with other Tree Lighting events throughout the day. The lighting will take place around 5:00pm. Mike Curato loves drawing and writing almost as much as he loves cupcakes and ice cream (and that’s a LOT!). ” Adorable! We like writing less than we like cupcakes and ice cream, but that’s not a bad thing it’s just a fact!
Card Games:
Monday, November 12th
Off The Wall Games [41 Russell St, Hadley, MA 01035] at 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Monday Night Modern
“$5 Entrance. 4 rounds. 4-0 $20 credit. 3-0-1 $15 credit. 3-1 $10 credit. 2-0-2 $5 credit. Rounds and prize support may subject to change based on attendance.”
Tuesday, November 13th
Off The Wall Games [41 Russell St, Hadley, MA 01035] at 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Tuesday Summer Pauper
“$5 Entrance. Ban list and common rarity used is the MTGO list. Full rules can be found here on the mothership: https://magic.wizards.com/en/game-info/gameplay/formats/pauper. Prizes very based on the number or rounds”
Thursday, November 15th
Off The Wall Games [41 Russell St, Hadley, MA 01035] at 6:30 PM to 10:00 PM
Thursday Booster Draft
“$13 Entrance. 3 rounds. 3-0 $19.50 credit or 6 packs. 2-0-1 $13 credit or 4 packs. 2-1 $6 credit or 2 packs. Keep what you draft! Rounds and prize support may subject to change based on attendance”
Friday, November 16th
Off The Wall Games [41 Russell St, Hadley, MA 01035] at 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Friday Night Magic
“$5 Entrance. 4 rounds. 4-0 $20 credit. 3-0-1 $15 credit. 3-1 $10 credit. 2-0-2 $5 credit. Rounds and prize support may subject to change based on attendance.”
Entertainment:
Wednesday, November 14th
Westfield Athenaeum [6 Elm St, Westfield, MA 01085] at 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Gavel Club
That’s it. Gavel. Club. Gavel Club? Like… do you discuss your favorite gavels? How many different types of gavel are there? Whatever you do with Gavel Club, this is the time to do it!
Westfield Athenaeum [6 Elm St, Westfield, MA 01085] at 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM
Speaker Series – Complimentary Lives: The professional and personal relationship between Booker T. Washington and Samuel E. Courtney
“Presented by Holly Robbin, this book covers the professional and personal relationship between Booker T. Washington and Samuel E. Courtney. Both born into slavery and both dedicated their lives to educating the Negro in the late 1800s and into the 1900s. Courtney was educated at the Westfield Normal School from 1882 to 1885. Later attended Harvard Medical school and became a practicing physician in Boston.”
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 7:00 PM to 8:15 PM
Rub Wrongways Sixth Musicians in Residence Event
“On November 14, Ryan McGovern Quinn will discuss how music can present complex ideas concisely, and how the songs have proven malleable enough to stay relevant a century later. Featuring performances by: Henning Ohlenbusch, Lesa Bezo, Thane Thomsen, and Ryan McGovern Quinn” Free and open to all! The last one!
Thursday, November 15th
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Thursday Morning Club: Philippe Simon: Bonobos and the Evolution of Happiness
“The Thursday Morning Club welcomes Philippe Simon presenting Bonobos and the Evolution of Happiness. The Thursday Morning Club features local people with interesting hobbies, skills or something to share with the community.” Happiness is a very vital predator in a lot of ecosystems, so it’s a good thing that Bonobos helped it evolve!
Saturday, November 17th
Historic Deerfield [80 Old Main St, Deerfield, MA 01342] at 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM
Open Hearth Cooking Demonstration: Time for Pie
“Who doesn’t love pie? As the fall settles in and the days get shorter, our cooks will be busy in the kitchen making pies. Pies were a common dish served as part of the meal. They were savory or sweet—sometimes both— with surprising flavor combinations. Come and learn about pie” You can put ‘come and learn about pie’ at the end of any paragraph and we’re there. “We will whisper the sharp secret to you that flenses flesh from bone! Come learn about pie!”
History:
Thursday, November 15th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM
Cookies with a Curator – Sojourner Truth in Florence
“‘I Will Shake Every Place I Go To: Sojourner Truth in Florence’ Exploring Sojourner Truth’s life while living in Florence 1843-1856 and the lessons she gives us for our times. We will explore some children’s books about Sojourner, introduce the walking tour of her house and environs in Florence, and lead discussion on her importance to us now.” Plus cookies!
Friday, November 16th
Historic Northampton [46 Bridge Street, Northampton, MA 01060-2406] at 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM
The Gilded Cage: Northampton’s Last Water-Powered Elevator: A Film by Stan Sherer
Learn about the history of the Masonic Block, that big stretch of Main Street in downtown Northampton that has Fitzwilly’s in it. And specifically, about how they installed an elevator that was powered by the Northampton city water pressure until 2016! Apparently a pretty standard thing at the turn of the previous century, this one was distinguished mostly by being fancy as heck. Sherer’s film shows you exactly how this works and speaks to elevator operators and service-people about how neat it was. Free and open to the public, with a second showing at 4pm!
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Josiah: The Story that Sparked the Civil War
“Josiah Henson (1789-1883) spent 41 years as a slave. He was a dynamic, driven man with unyielding principles who overcame incredible odds to escape his cruel masters and improve the lives of hundreds of freed people throughout his long life. Though immortalized by Harriet Beecher Stowe in her seminal, society-changing novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin and catapulted to international fame in 1852, his story has been largely lost to history. Until now. Including interviews with leading experts and Henson descendants, JOSIAH is an unmissable documentary about one of history’s greatest lost figures. Narrated by Danny Glover.”
Saturday, November 17th
Holyoke Public Library [250 Chestnut St, Holyoke, MA 01040] at 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM
Everything you ever wanted to know about the Census (almost)
“Join us for an introduction to one of the most useful sources for family history research: Census records. Hillary Schau will delve into the history of the U.S. Federal Census and explore how the census questions and census-taking changed over time. She will demonstrate how to search census records and interpret what you find, pointing out the most common pit-falls and problems. Hillary will also explore some U.S. Census substitutes for the 1890 Census (destroyed by fire) and show participants how to find non-U.S. census records using Ancestry Library Edition. Limited to 30 participants. Pre-registration strongly recommended: (413) 420-8107.”
Sunday, November 18th
Historic Deerfield [80 Old Main St, Deerfield, MA 01342] at 12:00 PM to 4:30 PM
A Clean Sweep: The History and Crafting of Brooms
“Come to the History Workshop and learn all about brooms, and broom making. See our crop of broom corn, sweep with a hand-made broom and make a small, serviceable whisk broom to take with you.” Everyone could use a good whisk broom!
Kids:
Tuesday, November 13th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 3:30 PM to 4:15 PM
LEGO Club
Play LEGO, kids! Ages 5 and up!
Wednesday, November 14th
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM
Tinkrlab
Oooh they took out the ‘e’! They’re New Media! “Greenfield Public Library is excited to announce a Tinkrlab Program presented by NMH senior Mia Flowers. Tinkrlab is an introduction to programming and 3D printing for students in grades 6-8. Mia is looking for 12 students to participate in her program. Please contact Mia at mflowers19@nmhschool.org to sign up.” Neat! Programming is extremely fun!
Friday, November 16th
Sunderland Public Library [20 School St., Sunderland, MA 01375] at 5:00 PM to 5:30 PM
Children’s Classical Music Concert with the Quark Quartet
The Quark Quartet will present a concert for all ages featuring classical and contemporary music! Franz Josef Haydn, Maurice Ravel, Jim Henson, Sam Pottle, Coldplay, and Pharrell Williams! Violin, Viola, and Cello (known as Violot by many) will go through a bunch of wonderful music in a kid-friendly setting!
Jones Library [43 Amity St., Amherst, MA 01002] at 10:30 AM to 11:00 AM
Bilingual Mandarin Storytime
Hear stories and songs in Mandarin and English!
Saturday, November 17th
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art [125 West Bay Rd., Amherst, MA 01002] at 2:00 PM to 2:30 PM
Special Storytime: Randall de Sève and Pamela Zagarenski
“In Zola’s Elephant, New York Times bestselling author Randall de Sève and two-time Caldecott-honor winning artist Pamela Zagarenski tell a tender, witty friendship story of imagination gone wild, and show how assumptions often cause us to misjudge—and miss out. But with a little courage, new opportunities and new friendships can be made.”
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Raina Telgemeir Fan Club
Grades 4-7 are welcome to come hang out and talk about the extremely excellent work of graphic novelist Raina Telgemeier! She’s so good. Discuss your favorites with fellow fans, and make a craft! Just drop by, no registration necessary!
Sunday, November 18th
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art [125 West Bay Rd., Amherst, MA 01002] at 1:30 PM to 2:00 PM
From Story to Stage: The Littlest Matryoshka Comes to Life
“Join author Corinne Demas, illustrator Kathryn Brown, puppet maker and show creator Therese Brady Donohue, and composer Karen Tarlow as they give a PowerPoint presentation illustrating the process of bringing The Littlest Matryoshka from book to stage.”
Movies:
Tuesday, November 13th
Jones Library [43 Amity St., Amherst, MA 01002] at 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Film & Discussion Series: Eyes on the Prize: Power!
“Tonight’s screening delves back into history with an episode of “Eyes on the Prize”, the award-winning documentary. The episode is: Power! (1966-1968) This will provide a context for discussing the way that many white people’s fears of people of color taking power and outnumbering white people seem to be driving much of the hate-based, divisive politics today. A discussion follows. Free and open to the public” We like that the phrasing makes it seem as though the discussion isn’t something planned or desired, it’ll just roll in like the weather.
Wednesday, November 14th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Film: Dark Money
“Dark Money a political thriller, examines one of the greatest present threats to American democracy: the influence of untraceable corporate money on our elections and elected officials. The film takes viewers to Montana—a frontline in the fight to preserve fair elections nationwide—to follow an intrepid local journalist working to expose the real-life impacts of the US Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision. Through this gripping story, Dark Money uncovers the shocking and vital truth of how American elections are bought and sold. First shown on PBS POV, this Sundance award-winning documentary, released July 13, 2018, is directed/produced by Kimberly Reed (PRODIGAL SONS) and produced by Katy Chevigny (E-TEAM)Hosted by the Resistance Film Series of the Northampton Committee to Stop the Wars,Resistance Center for Peace and Justice, Represent Western MA Trailer: https://www.pbs.org/video/dark-money-trailer-20vifr/” Hey we’re gonna go out on a limb here and say that there may be problems with the US system of electing representatives!
Thursday, November 15th
Amherst College [220 South Pleasant St., Amherst, MA 01002] at 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM
Russian Film Screening: “Life is Full of Fun” (ЖИЗНЬ ЗАБАВАМИ ПОЛНА)
“Life is Full of Fun (ЖИЗНЬ ЗАБАВАМИ ПОЛНА) directed by Petr Todorovsky • 2002 • 98 minutes! The extraordinary lives of several ordinary families who share a communal apartment in a provincial town during the early 1990s! This movie will be shown in Russian with English subtitles, and will be screened at both 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 15.”
Sunday, November 18th
Yiddish Book Center [1021 West St., Amherst MA 01002] at 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
FILM | “My Mexican Shivah” with Q&A
“Set in Polanco, a Jewish quarter of Mexico City, this is a gentle comedy about how the death of a man results in the celebration of his life. The film, based on a story by Ilan Stavans, is a festival favorite and features a musical score performed by The Klezmatics. Ilan Stavans is the Lewis-Sebring Professor of Humanities, Latin American, and Latino Culture at Amherst College, publisher of Restless Books, and host of the NPR podcast “In Contrast.”” As always, student $4, members $6, general admission $8.
RPGs:
Friday, November 16th
Tolgy Wood: Chesterfield Camp [32 Sugar Hill Road, Chesterfield MA] at 7:00 PM to 11:59 PM
Magestry LARP Autumn Game 4
“It is a time of warm fires, mulled cider, colorful leaves, crunching bones, and cries in the night… Elmerton boasts a rich environment where you can engage in lots of combat, explore the world at your leisure, and participate in intellectual and role-play heavy plots. There is something for everyone in this small town! Now is a perfect time to join Magestry as either a PC or an NPC and meet great new people!” You can go for free as an NPC, and you don’t need to hang for the entire weekend!
Saturday, November 17th
Westfield Athenaeum [6 Elm St, Westfield, MA 01085] at 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Dungeons and Dragons
Dungeons! Dungeons! Dungeons! Dungeons! DUNGEONS! D! U! N! G! E! O! N! S! No dragons, oddly… Contact Tristan Anderson at trisdragon2@gmail.com for more… info… THERE’S THE DRAGON!
Tolgy Wood: Chesterfield Camp [32 Sugar Hill Road, Chesterfield MA] at 7:00 AM to 11:59 PM
Magestry LARP Autumn Game 4
You can go for free as an NPC, and you don’t need to hang for the entire weekend!
Sunday, November 18th
Tolgy Wood: Chesterfield Camp [32 Sugar Hill Road, Chesterfield MA] at 7:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Magestry LARP Autumn Game 4
You can go for free as an NPC, and you don’t need to hang for the entire weekend!
Science:
Tuesday, November 13th
Amherst College [220 South Pleasant St., Amherst, MA 01002] at 4:15 PM to 5:15 AM
Assistant Professor Daniel McCarron, University of Connecticut: “Taming Molecules with Light”
“Laser cooling and trapping have revolutionized atomic physics, enabling a wide range of advances in science and technology. In recent years, it has become clear that general methods to produce ultracold molecules would have a similarly broad scientific impact. The rich internal structures of molecules make them versatile tools for a variety of experiments in ultracold chemistry, precision measurement and quantum simulation. However, this same structure poses challenges once believed to be fatal to any attempt at laser cooling.” Learn about how they’re working on it!
Technology:
Tuesday, November 13th
Common Media [84 Russell St., Hadley, MA] at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Hack for Western Mass
“After quick updates on our ongoing projects, we’ll discuss upcoming projects and then get hacking to make a difference in our communities. Come to the meetup! Be a part of the discussion and join a team working with an organization working on issues in our communities! Join the Slack group to participate in the online discussion: https://h4wmslack.herokuapp.com/” They do good work for folks around the Valley, you should help out if you can!
Wednesday, November 14th
Last Call Media [136 West St., Suite 01, Northampton, MA] at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Agile Methods Meetup: Measuring for Improvement
“How is your team continuously improving? Is it? How can you tell? What are you measuring and how are you using that to improve? Kelly Albrecht will discuss continuous improvement and demonstrate ways to think about it and to accomplish it as part of regular teamwork. Teams of the Valley! Maybe you’re not on an Agile team or you work on your own, but if you’re responsible for producing work (or want to be), come, share and learn. Let’s meetup and share our knowledge of process, communication, structure, team roles, dos and don’ts… etc. PLEASE Make sure to register here: https://aug.atlassian.com/events/details/atlassian-northampton-presents-measuring-for-improvement” But please, consider… what will happen if your team never STOPS improving? What if it improves so much that it can’t be contained!?
Thursday, November 15th
Northampton Community TV [33 Hawley St., Northampton, MA] at 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
WordPress Developers and Admins
“• Current projects (20 minutes) – Introduce yourself, tell us what you are working on at the moment and what you are learning about. • Problems and Solutions (30 minutes) – Bring us your current problems and we’ll use groupthink to try to solve them. If you have a laptop to demonstrate your issue, bring it and we’ll plug you into the projector. • Troubleshooting WordPress (60 minutes) – We’ll look at the 40 most common WordPress errors and how to fix them, including the horrible white screen of death. Curiously some of these are caused by your web host and can be related to third party security tools. Learn what to do when bad things happen and how to recover your site if necessary. We’ll also get a Gutenberg editor update. There is a lot of flux as to when it will be officially rolled out. • Decide next meeting topics (10 minutes)”
Teens:
Tuesday, November 13th
Holyoke Public Library [250 Chestnut St, Holyoke, MA 01040] at 4:15 PM to 6:30 PM
Pokemon Fan Club
Pokemon cards, Pokemon games, Pokemon go! Tournaments! Card games in general! Trading! Art! Snacks! Pokemon Let’s Go comes out in like a week, that could be fun at the next one! Yaaay pocket monsters
Wednesday, November 14th
Palmer Public Library [1455 N Main St, Palmer, MA 01069] at 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM
Movie Night for Teens with Special Needs
Big screen showing of Mary and Max, a touching claymation movie about characters with Autism! Recommended for ages 14 and up, people of all abilities are welcome! There’s popcorn too!
Thursday, November 15th
Holyoke Public Library [250 Chestnut St, Holyoke, MA 01040] at 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM
Teen Creative Group
Drop by the Teen Room to play writing games, work on your writing or drawings or whatever, and get inspired to create more! Write! Create art! Play games!
Friday, November 16th
Sunderland Public Library [20 School St., Sunderland, MA 01375] at 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM
Yarn Painting
Create a work of art out of a canvas and some yarn! This is intended for people ages 10 – 17. Create some art in the style of Mexico’s Huichol Indians!
Video Games:
Tuesday, November 13th
Prodigy Minigolf & Gameroom [Eastworks, 116 Pleasant St, Easthampton MA] at 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Tuesday Night Smash League – Super Smash Bros Melee
Ah, the best Smash Bros we assume because it’s the one we hear most about! Signup starts at 7pm, matches start at 8pm, double-elimination bracket and it’s $10 to enter. You can win money! Spectators also have to pay $10 so frankly it seems like you should not be a spectator, because why not just play the danged game maybe you’ll find out you’re a natrual. Ages 13+! Try beating people exclusively with Yoshi if you want everyone to feel very annoyed.
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