Programming

September 17th – September 23rd

The Valley Nerd Watch!

We’re moving at the moment and it’s late so the only thing we’re going to do here is say register to vote, vote in November and be sure to vote YES ON PROP 3! Be a part of the Blue Wave, make things a bit less awful next year.

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, September 20th
Mead Art Museum [41 Quadrangle Dr, Amherst, MA 01002] at 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
Gallery Talk with Vanja Malloy
“Drawn entirely from the Mead’s permanent collection, Timing Is Everything presents artworks that visualize concepts of time: linear and cyclical, absolute and relative. It questions the role of time in memory and the many factors that have influenced human perception of the past, present, and future, including seasons, geography and technology. Join us for a gallery talk with Curator of American Art Vanja Malloy to learn more about this exhibition. Free and open to all!”
Emily Dickinson Museum [280 Main St, Amherst, MA 01002] at 6:45 PM to 10:00 PM
Amherst Poetry Festval
“6:45PM Doughnuts and Death: A Baker’s Dozen of Emily Dickinson’s Most Depressing Poems at West Cemetery. 8:30-10PM Festival Screening with director Madeline Olnek: ‘Wild Nights with Emily’ in Emily Dickinson’s garden”
Gandara Youth Development Center [306 Race St., Holyoke, MA] at 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Radioplasma Recording Studio Sessions
Meet in the Teen Room to walk as a group to the Radioplasma Recording Studio to get some hands on experience with journalism, storytelling, and sound mixing! SOUNDS cool! Get it? See that? Nice.
Friday, September 21st
Emily Dickinson Museum [280 Main St, Amherst, MA 01002] at 6:45 PM to 10:00 PM
Amherst Poetry Festval
“12-2PM Emily Dickinson Poetry Discussion Group with Professor Chris Benfey, at the Center for Humanistic Inquiry, 5-6:30PM We grow Accustomed to the Dark exhibit, reading and live performance at the Herter Gallery at UMass Amherst., 8PM Poetry in the Planetarium with The Astro Poets at Bassett Planetarium. Space is very limited and advance reservations are strongly recommended.”
Emily Dickinson Museum [280 Main St, Amherst, MA 01002] at 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM
Emily Dickinson Poetry Discussion Group
“Session Topic: Tropic Hints. This discussion will take its inspiration from Dickinson’s 1879 exchange with her Amherst childhood friend Helen Hunt Jackson.”
Saturday, September 22nd
Mead Art Museum [41 Quadrangle Dr, Amherst, MA 01002] at 1:00 PM to 1:30 PM
Close Looks at the Mead
“Stop by the Mead to find new connections among works on view with student museum educators. Each week we’ll focus on different themes, so feel free to keep coming back for more and check our website and Facebook page for weekly themes. Free and open to all!”
Jones Library [43 Amity St., Amherst, MA 01002] at 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Local Talent: Poets Read at the Jones
Poets at the Jones! Excellent time to listen to excellent work!
Emily Dickinson Museum [280 Main St, Amherst, MA 01002] at 6:45 PM to 10:00 PM
Amherst Poetry Festval
“6AM-9PM The Emily Dickinson Museum and Mass Poetry present the Emily Dickinson Poetry Marathon, a one-day reading of all 1,789 of Dickinson’s poems at the Emily Dickinson Museum. To find out more about the Marathon click here., 10:30AM Poetry Reading at the Jones Library, 1:30PM-3PM Writing with Miss Emily: A poetry writing workshop, 2:30PM Ghosts and Demons: A POETRY MASTERCLASS with Shayla Lawson and Dorothea Lasky at the PowerHouse, 5:30PM The NoNo Project, a collaboration of Union Street Records and Attack Bear Press at Hope and Feathers, 8PM Shayla Lawson and Ocean Vuong in Emily Dickinson’s garden., 9PM Latenight Garden Party”
Emily Dickinson Museum [280 Main St, Amherst, MA 01002] at 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM
Emily Dickinson Marathon 2018
“On Saturday, September 22, Emily Dickinson lovers of all ages can get up with the birds to join the Emily Dickinson Poetry Marathon, a day-long marathon reading of all 1,789 poems by Emily Dickinson. The Marathon, now in its 14th year, is the cornerstone event of the Amherst Poetry Festival, which celebrates the literary legacy of the Pioneer Valley. The Marathon will take place from 6 a.m. to approximately 9 p.m. at the Emily Dickinson Museum. The event is free and open to the public. Parking is available on Main Street and on surrounding streets.”
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Artists’ Reception for Frankie Dack and Olwen Dowling
Landscape paintings and an art reception! Always good for looking at neat paintings and eating cheese.
Holyoke Public Library [250 Chestnut St, Holyoke, MA 01040] at 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM
Comic Collages
Make your own collage out of old recycled comic books! They’ve got like 20 copies of Spider-Man #1 and they’re chopping the heck out of them!
Sunday, September 23rd
Emily Dickinson Museum [280 Main St, Amherst, MA 01002] at 6:45 PM to 10:00 PM
Amherst Poetry Festval
“3PM-4:30PM jubilat/Jones reading with Ellen Doré Watson and Rafael Campo at Jones Library”

Board Games:

Wednesday, September 19th
Brass Cat [65 Cottage St, Easthampton, MA 01027] at 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM
Wednesday Games
Wednesday Games is excellent and you should 100% attend every chance you get. Lots of good drink, good folks, and often delicious pizza!
Saturday, September 22nd
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, September 18th
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 a critique group! Speak to other people about your work, and trade opportunities for development as well as writing and publishing tips. You can also read and discuss stories with other members! For more info call the library at 413-772-1544!
Wednesday, September 19th
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 books meet to read and get some feedback! The group is facilitated by following SCBWI guidelines but you don’t have to be a member to participate. Learn to write better and also meet some colleagues!
Thursday, September 20th
Odyssey Bookshop [9 College St, South Hadley, MA 01075] at 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Jordy Rosenberg, Confessions of the Fox
“Confessions of the Fox is, at once, a work of speculative historical fiction, a soaring love story, a puzzling mystery, an electrifying tale of adventure and suspense, and an unabashed celebration of sex and sexuality. Writing with the narrative mastery of Sarah Waters and the playful imagination of Nabokov, Jordy Rosenberg is an audacious storyteller of extraordinary talent.” Sounds interesting! Author Jordy Rosenberg is a professor of 18th-Century Literature, Gender and Sexuality Studies + Critical Theory at The University of Massachusetts-Amherst.
Saturday, September 22nd
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Flash Fiction and Memoir
“Contributors to WriteAngles Journal, an online publication of WriteAngles, Inc., will read their short, short stories and personal essays. Everyone attending the reading will be eligible to submit to the fall edition of WriteAnglesJournal (https//writeanglesconference.com/wajournal/).The event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. Questions? Contact writeanglesjournal@comcast.net”
Sunday, September 23rd
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art [125 West Bay Rd., Amherst, MA 01002] at 12:30 PM to 3:30 PM
Meet Dav Pilkey!
“Meet Dav Pilkey, author/illustrator of the bestselling Captain Underpants and Dog Man series! Pilkey will talk about his new book, Dog Man: Lord of the Fleas, do a live drawing, and share fun trivia with the audience. Following the 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm auditorium programs, guests can get books signed by Pilkey and enjoy photo opportunities with Dog Man and Captain Underpants!”

Card Games:

Monday, September 17th
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, September 18th
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 raitry 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, September 20th
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, September 21st
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.”
College Church [58 Pomeroy Terrace, Northampton, MA] at 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Pioneer Valley Planeswalkers
“”The Pioneer Valley Planeswalkers are a new club that seeks to build a diverse, inclusive, and friendly environment in which to play Magic: the Gathering. Though several of us are indeed nerdy white dudes, we’re keen to recruit members who might not fit the traditional stereotype of trading card gamers. Everyone interested in Magic: the Gathering is welcome, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, age, or experience. If you liked the vibe at Northampton’s Modern Myths and feel like you don’t fit in as well at other area M:tG venues, we’ll save you a seat. Please park in the back lot. While the church has generously provided us with a wonderful space to use, we are not affiliated with them. The standard Pioneer Valley Planeswalkers event is booster draft. $10 buys three packs of the current set to draft. There’s no prize support, as the focus is on building and playing fun decks and just generally enjoying ourselves.” This sounds like a great new event if you’re into Magic and don’t feel like heading to OTW!

Community:

Wednesday, September 19th
Jones Library [43 Amity St., Amherst, MA 01002] at 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM
Creating Community for Women with Chronic Illness
A monthly support group for women living with any sort of chronic illness, free and open to the public!

Entertainment:

Wednesday, September 19th
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 – Here Lies Inter’d
“Al and Betsy McKee will discuss early New England cemeteries. Al and Betsy McKee live in a house built in Longmeadow around 1801 by the gravestone carver Hermon Newell. Once they discovered that their house was built by a stonecutter, they began to learn more about early gravestones in the Connecticut River Valley and nearby New England towns. This talk will cover gravestone photography, original appearance of graveyards, symbolism, carvers and stories carved in stone.”
Thursday, September 20th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Cookies with a Curator
Get cookies! Walk around Forbes and listen to a show and tell about various museum objects they’ve got on hand! Just a nice as heck time. “September’s talk will be by Local History Librarian Elise Bernier-Feeley on the architecture and construction of Forbes Library. Learn more about Architect William C. Brockelsby’s life, career and buildings.”
Friday, September 21st
Prodigy Minigolf and Gameroom [116 Pleasant St, Suite 018, Easthampton, MA] at 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Pioneer Valley Game Developer Night
“Prodigy holds a monthly night for local Pioneer Valley 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 striving for that great game! If you are a developer and are interested in participating in this event, please let us know. All developers pay a $5 table fee for displaying their game. All others pay the regular $12 Friday admission price for the full gameroom; open until midnight.””
Saturday, September 22nd
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Experience the Book Party
Mary Poppins at the Library
Sunday, September 23rd
Yiddish Book Center [1021 West St., Amherst MA 01002] at 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
CONCERT | The Sarah Rose Lazarus Concert | Grand Tango, with Ethan Lazarus and Carl Algermissen
“Carl Algermissen (piano) and Ethan Lazarus (cello) have been performing together for over 35 years. Known for writing their own original arrangements of tango music by Astor Piazzolla, this special performance will include a few of those hits mixed along with Tango, Jewish and klezmer music. They’ll be performing pieces by Chicago composer Leon Stein, “Dance Ebraico,” an original piece by Ethan, “Ragtime Hora,” and a Klezmer-inspired tango by Piazzolla, “Milonga Picaresque. COST: Member | $8, General Admission | $10”

History:

Saturday, September 22nd
Historic Deerfield [5005, 5005, 80 Old Main St, Deerfield, MA 01342] at 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM
Open Hearth Cooking Demonstration: It’s Pumpkin Time
Pumpkin Time! The best time of the year for Pumpkins! “Before the pumpkin spice lattes and muffins of today, people were eating dishes made from Connecticut Field and Long Island Cheese pumpkins. It was a dependable crop and stored well over the colder months providing a reliable source of food. Meet the workhorse of the Colonial kitchen – the pumpkin.” The workhorse of the Colonial field was the horse.
Historic Deerfield [5005, 5005, 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!
Historic Northampton [46 Bridge Street, Northampton, MA 01060-2406] at 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
History of Land Use at Fitzgerald Lake Conservation Area
“Laurie Sanders will lead a walk along Boggy Meadow Road to the dam and Cooke’s Pasture, focusing on the economic, social, and environmental history of this area. While the woods and lake may look pristine to the casual observer, there is a long history of human intervention just below the surface. From colonial times to the damming of Broad Brook in the late 1960s that created Fitzgerald Lake, the 850 acres of FLCA have undergone many changes. Laurie is the co-executive director of the Northampton Historical Society and a longtime friend of BBC. She is the author of Rediscovering Northampton–The Natural History of City-Owned Conservation Areas, which is available as a download on the BBC website. “

Kids:

Monday, September 17th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM
Minecraft Club
Minecraft with friends at Forbes! Sign up in advance at the Children’s desk or by calling 587-1010. We think the kids have moved on to making Fortnite the thing that literally every child spends all their time playing but Minecraft is probably a more thorough creative outlet.
Tuesday, September 18th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM
LEGO Club
Ages 5 and up can enjoy an afternoon playing with LEGOs!

Movies:

Monday, September 17th
Westfield Athenaeum [6 Elm St, Westfield, MA 01085] at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Film Series – Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
A viewing of the documentary “Won’t You Be Neighbor?” No registration required and also we’ve heard it’ll make you weep!

RPGs:

Saturday, September 22nd
Westfield Athenaeum [6 Elm St, Westfield, MA 01085] at 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Dungeons and Dragons
Contact Tristin Anderson at a mysterious pub by the name of trisdragon2@gmail.com to begin your wonderous adventure in the Boys and Girls Library Activity Room! KAPOW!

Technology:

Monday, September 17th
Click Workspace [9.5 Market St., Northampton MA] at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Monthly Full Stack Meetup – Chopped, but with Golang
“If you’ve never seen or heard of the popular cooking show Chopped, this is how it works: Chopped is a cooking competition with three rounds, and in each round the competing chefs are given a basket with four mystery ingredients and have to make a dish that uses all of them in some way. In this meetup, we’ll run a similar friendly competition with Golang – attendees will break up into teams of ~two developers, be given a “basket” of random Golang packages and a “staple pantry”, and see what you can come up with before the meetup ends! We will share what we’ve each created at the end of the meetup.”
Thursday, September 20th
Northampton Community TV [380 Elm St., Northampton, MA] at 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Western Mass WordPress
“This meetup is open to anyone interested in WordPress: newbies, developers, designers and administrators. All are welcome. Current projects (20 minutes) • Problems and Solutions (30 minutes) • Finding a good theme (60 minutes) – Themes are complicated while seeming simple. So many to choose from but what are the pitfalls? Are they written to be efficient? How do you tell? Will they work well with SEO plugins like Yoast? Join our WordPress guru John and find a theme that’s just right for your needs. • Decide next meeting topics (10 minutes) What to bring: You may wish to bring a laptop to take notes or to share your screen on the projector. You need a HDMI port if you want to share your screen.”

Teens:

Friday, September 21st
Sunderland Public Library [20 School St., Sunderland, MA 01375] at 3:30 PM to 5:50 PM
4H Babysitting Course
Learn how to keep kids from leaping out a window into the busy street below and other helpful tips from the 4H folks! And learn how to get a good babysitting job!
Saturday, September 22nd
Westfield Athenaeum [6 Elm St, Westfield, MA 01085] at 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Teen/Tween Writing Workshop
“Professor Leah Nielsen will be continuing her popular writing workshops into the school year! Join us each month for time to write and share with your friends. Leah will guide you and help improve your writing skills. For students in grades 5-12. Please register!”
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September 10th – September 16th

The Valley Nerd Watch!

Come to Nerd Nite! It’ll be a really fun one and also we’ll have big news to announce! And prizes!

‘Take it With a Grain: What Can Sand Piles tell us About Traffic and Cancer?’

Granular materials are all around us, yet are still poorly understood, hence an explosion of interest in these systems in the physics community in the last few decades. Granular materials also serve as a model systems for any dense system of interacting “particles,” be it crowded cars on the road or crowded cells migrating in the body. This presentation will explore several examples of where research into granular materials has given insight into more humanly relevant examples, such as traffic and cancer.

‘BetterTogether: Relationship Hacks from a Seasoned Divorce Attorney’

Seasoned divorce attorney, mediator and author Gabrielle Hartley explains that by making three important shifts earlier on in their relationship many of her clients may have been able to avoid coming to her office in the first place. This talk explores how by incorporating these simple skills rather than splitting  you may become better together.

Also we got Spider-Man the game but can’t play it until we finish some work and daaaang we want to play that danged game!

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, September 12th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Forbes Library Zine Club
Zines about jeans are all the rage right now!
Thursday, September 13th
Mead Art Museum [41 Quadrangle Dr, Amherst, MA 01002] at 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Fall Exhibitions Opening Reception
“Please join us to celebrate the opening of our new lineup of fall exhibitions at the Mead Art Museum. Drawn from our permanent collection, these exhibitions offer new narratives of gender and time, and reveal new directions in the Mead’s collecting practices. All are invited for an artistic experience that explores themes across centuries, continents and media!” Art! Cheese! Delightful!
Gandara Youth Development Center [306 Race St., Holyoke, MA] at 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Radioplasma Recording Studio Sessions
Meet in the Teen Room to walk as a group to the Radioplasma Recording Studio to get some hands on experience with journalism, storytelling, and sound mixing! SOUNDS cool! Get it? See that? Nice.
Friday, September 14th
Historic Northampton [46 Bridge Street, Northampton, MA 01060-2406] at 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Landscapes/Dreamscapes, Arts Night Out and Print Fair
“View the exhibition Landscapes/Dreamscapes on Northampton’s Arts Night Out. The September Print Fair will feature eight artists showing and selling their original hand-pulled prints: Nancy Haver, Erika Radich, Maggie Nowinski, Margo Temple, Janet Winston, Kate Jenkins, Doris Madsen, Lilian Jackman”
Smith College Museum of Art [20 Elm St, Northampton, MA 01063] at 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Free Second Friday
“4–7 PM Hands-on! Art making for all ages, inspired by works on view. Canvas Constructions: Use precise lines to construct your own tape resist painting made up of basic shapes, inspired by László Moholy-Nagy’s K I. 6 PM Open Eyes: Guided conversation exploring a different art object each month. Museum Shop open + complimentary light refreshments.”
Saturday, September 15th
Mead Art Museum [41 Quadrangle Dr, Amherst, MA 01002] at 1:00 PM to 1:30 PM
Close Looks at the Mead
“Stop by the Mead to find new connections among works on view with student museum educators. Each week we’ll focus on different themes, so feel free to keep coming back for more and check our website and Facebook page for weekly themes. Free and open to all!”
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art [125 West Bay Rd., Amherst, MA 01002] at 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM
A Community Celebration: The Very Hungry Caterpillar Turns 50!
Tons of events! Eric Carle will speak about his work, you can meet Western Mass Pollinator Networks, meet the Very Hungry Caterpillar themself, see a presentation with Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory and Gardens, see an ASL reading of the book, and then get refreshments! Delightful celebration of a spectacular book!

Books:

Monday, September 10th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM
Preston Browning Jr. Author Reading
“Preston M. Browning, Jr., a retired English professor, has published three books: Flannery O’Connor: The Coincidence of the Holy and the Demonic in O’Connor’s Fiction, Affection and Estrangement: A Southern Family Memoir, and the most recent, a collection of ten essays entitled Struggling for the Soul of Our Country. He has been writing poetry for decades, with poems appearing in The Friends Journal, Phase & Cycle, The Pikestaff Forum, The Ecozoic Reader, and other journals.” Hear poems from a good poet!
Tuesday, September 11th
Odyssey Bookshop [9 College St, South Hadley, MA 01075] at 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Author Panel: Holly Black, Cassandra Clare, & Scott Westerfeld (Moderated by David Levithan)
“Holly Black is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Spiderwick Chronicles (with Tony DiTerlizzi) and the Newbery Honor-winning novel Doll Bones. Her other books include The Good Neighbors graphic novels, and the novels The Cruel Prince, The Coldest Girl in Coldtown, The Darkest Part of the Forest, Tithe, Valiant, and Ironside. With Cassandra Clare she is the author of the Magisterium series, a New York Times bestseller. She currently lives in the realm of Western Massachusetts. Cassandra Clare is the author of City of Bones, the first book in The Mortal Instruments trilogy and a New York Times bestseller. Her The Infernal Devices series has spawned three #1 bestsellers. With Holly Black she is the author of the Magisterium series, a New York Times bestseller. Born overseas, Cassandra spent her early years traveling around the world with her family and several trunks of books. She lives in Massachusetts. Scott Westerfeld is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Uglies series, which has been translated into 35 languages; the Leviathan series; Afterworlds; Horizon; and many other books for young readers. He was born in Texas and alternates summers between Sydney, Australia and New York City.” So many great authors together in one place!
Wednesday, September 12th
Odyssey Bookshop [9 College St, South Hadley, MA 01075] at 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
John Bonifaz, The Constitution Demands It: The Case for the Impeachment of Donald Trump
“Three veteran constitutional attorneys say there’s no way around it: The Constitution demands that Donald Trump must be impeached. And in clear language using compelling logic rooted firmly in the Constitution, they detail why the time to start is now—not in the indefinite future after criminal investigations have ended. In fact, much of Trump’s impeachable conduct lies outside the scope of ongoing federal criminal investigations.” Vote, folks. Vote for the love of heck.
Thursday, September 13th
Odyssey Bookshop [9 College St, South Hadley, MA 01075] at 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Wayétu Moore, She Would Be King
“Wayétu Moore’s powerful debut novel, She Would Be King, reimagines the dramatic story of Liberia’s early years through three unforgettable characters who share an uncommon bond. Wayétu Moore is the founder of One Moore Book and is a graduate of Howard University, Columbia University, and the University of Southern California. She teaches at the City University of New York’s John Jay College and lives in Brooklyn.” Get a signed book at the event!

Community:

Thursday, September 13th
Northampton Brewery [11 Brewster Ct, Northampton, MA 01060] at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Meet and Greet the Western MA Sci-Fi Meetup
“Here’s a chance to get together in a different setting and meet new folks! Please note, I’m posting it in a few different meetup groups, so it won’t be just members of this group for this particular event. Note that even if there is a chance of rain, it should be ok as there is an awning. Easiest place to park is the parking garage (first hour is free plus it’s basically right next door to the Brewery).” Good food, good beer, good folks to talk about sci-fi with!

Entertainment:

Monday, September 10th
World War 2 Club [50 Conz St, Northampton] at 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Nerd Nite NoHo
Nerd Nite! This month we’ll learn what sand has to do with cancer and learn how to be happy together from a divorce attorney! And a big announcement from the excellent host! It’ll be exciting!
Tuesday, September 11th
Historic Northampton [46 Bridge Street, Northampton, MA 01060-2406] at 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM
From Northampton to the Boundary Waters
“For the third consecutive year, Historic Northampton is teaming up with Paradise City Dragon Boat for a trip on the Connecticut. Betsy Powell, Head Coach of Paradise City Dragon Boat, will begin the outing with a paddling lesson. Once we’re a ways up river, Laurie Sanders, naturalist & Co-Director of Historic Northampton, will explain about the rich human and natural history in this stretch between Elwell Island and the Hatfield boundary. ​Registration required|$25-$35 | Ages 18+” A dragon boat is nothing compared to a boat dragon. They can breathe yachts.
Wednesday, September 12th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 7:00 PM to 8:15 PM
Rub Wrongways Fifth Musicians in Residence Event
“The members of Rub Wrongways Records, an independent record label from Northampton, are embarking on a musical odyssey in 2018 as the Forbes Library Musicians in Residence. The label’s Jason Mazzotta and Henning Ohlenbusch, two well-known staples of the area’s music scene, will curate a series of performances and workshops.” This is the fifth event! Free and open to all!
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
The Last Warlord: The Life and Legend of Dostum
“Author Brian Glyn Williams will discuss his new book, The Last Warlord: The Life and Legend of Dostum. The book details how, after 9/11, the CIA contacted the mysterious Afghan-Mongol warrior to help U.S. Special Forces-Afghan cavalry campaign succeeded against all odds in liberating Afghanistan’s holiest shrine and brought warriors from vastly different cultures together to fight their common Taliban enemy.” Like in that one movie!
Thursday, September 13th
Palmer Public Library [1455 N Main St, Palmer, MA 01069] at 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM
Anime Club
Watch anime! We’re watching Azumanga Daioh right now. It’s very, very funny. What a good show. What a good dog.

History:

Tuesday, September 11th
Jones Library [43 Amity St., Amherst, MA 01002] at 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM
Does My Voice Count? Voter Suppression Then and Now
“This slide presentation and discussion follows the work of a handful of students, moved by compassion and the call to action for social justice by going to Mississippi to help register black voters during Christmas vacation in 1965. We will also explore the consequences of the 2013 repeal of a key provision of the Voting Rights Act. More than 50 years later, what has changed?” Free and open to the public!
Friday, September 14th
​33 Hawley Street, Northampton, MA 01060 at 7:00 PM to 9:30 PM
Historical Footnotes: Dancing Through Northampton’s History
“Historic Northampton and A.P.E.@Hawley Street join forces for a special collaboration on September 14 & 15 to celebrate the opening of the new Flexible Performance Space at the Arts Trust’s building, 33 Hawley Street. Linking contemporary dance works, site-specific films, music, and visual art with Northampton’s rich history, twelve area artists and their collaborators will offer a range of surprising ecological and cultural perspectives, all with ties to Northampton’s past.” $15 at the door, $12 online at https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3596843 Event no. 3596843!
Saturday, September 15th
​33 Hawley Street, Northampton, MA 01060 at 7:00 PM to 9:30 PM
Historical Footnotes: Dancing Through Northampton’s History
Same thing as the Friday show!
Historic Deerfield [5005, 5005, 80 Old Main St, Deerfield, MA 01342] at 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM
Open Hearth Cooking Demonstration: It’s Pumpkin Time
Pumpkin Time! The best time of the year for Pumpkins! “Before the pumpkin spice lattes and muffins of today, people were eating dishes made from Connecticut Field and Long Island Cheese pumpkins. It was a dependable crop and stored well over the colder months providing a reliable source of food. Meet the workhorse of the Colonial kitchen – the pumpkin.” The workhorse of the Colonial field was the horse.
Historic Deerfield [5005, 5005, 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:

Monday, September 10th
Westfield Athenaeum [6 Elm St, Westfield, MA 01085] at 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Library Building Blocks Club
“Bring your imagination to the library for our exciting Library Building Blocks Club. We will spend about an hour developing masterpieces with lego blocks. The creations will be on display in the Boys’ and Girls’ Library for all to see. This program is open to children ages 3 and up. “
Tuesday, September 11th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM
LEGO Club
Ages 5 and up can enjoy an afternoon playing with LEGOs!
Friday, September 14th
Sunderland Public Library [20 School St., Sunderland, MA 01375] at 11:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Story Time
Stories, songs, crafts, and general merriment for children aged 3-5 and their caregivers!
Saturday, September 15th
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!

Movies:

Monday, September 10th
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Movie Screening: 12 Strong
“The film, based on Doug Stanton’s non-fiction book Horse Soldiers, tells the story of U.S. Army Special Forces sent to Afghanistan immediately after the September 11 attacks. The CIA contacted the mysterious Afghan-Mongol warrior to help U.S. Special Forces wage a covert war in the mountains of Afghanistan that ended in a stunning victory. It sheds light on how the desperate Special Forces-Afghan cavalry campaign succeeded against all odds in liberating Afghanistan’s holiest shrine and brought warriors from vastly different cultures together to fight their common Taliban enemy.”
Wednesday, September 12th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Film: Censored Voices
“Censored Voices is an Israeli film drawn from censored audio tapes made within weeks of soldiers returning from the 1967 Six Day War. The film project was the initiative of Israel’s best known anti-war author and activist Amos Oz to be shown in advance of the current 70th anniversary of the Israeli state and the Palestinian Nakba. These men were appalled at what they were required to in the 1967 war and nearly 50 years later gather to discuss the tapes in a 2015 film made by Israeli filmmaker Mor Loushy complete with raw, real military footage. Oz and his friends are seen a half-century later listening to those tapes of their younger selves and discussing how they see the impact of that war on current Israel/Palestine, and the Occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. Free and accessible. The Resistance Film series is co-sponsored by The Resistance Center of Western MA and the Northampton Committee to Stop the Wars.” Scheduled for June, but it’s here now!
Saturday, September 15th
Holyoke Public Library [250 Chestnut St, Holyoke, MA 01040] at 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Teen Movie: Isle of Dogs
“Find out what happens when a boy goes looking for his dog, in this fun animated sci-fi movie.” Do NOT mix this up with A Boy and His Dog.
Westfield Athenaeum [6 Elm St, Westfield, MA 01085] at 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Family Movie – Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
“Drop in to the Lang Auditorium for a free movie! We provide snacks and drinks. A poor but hopeful boy seeks one of the five coveted golden tickets that will send him on a tour of Willy Wonka’s mysterious chocolate factory. Rated: G (1 hour 40 minutes) Registration NOT required.” Also, many children are murdered using candy!
Sunday, September 16th
Yiddish Book Center [1021 West St., Amherst MA 01002] at 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
FILM | “Absent”
“For over a century, Mărculeşti was a vibrant Jewish agricultural and mercantile community in Bessarabia (now present-day Moldova). In July 1941, the village was the site of an unimaginable atrocity. Seventy-four years later, few speak honestly about what happened. Absent is a cinematic portrait of the ghost village of Mărculeşti, its current inhabitants, and their complex relationship with history.” COST: Student | $4, Member | $6, General Admission | $8

RPGs:

Thursday, September 13th
Palmer Public Library [1455 N Main St, Palmer, MA 01069] at 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
RPG Club
RPG Club is for fans of RPGs! Meet up with fellow players and chat about playing roles! Maybe try out one of the many RPGs made by Valley Creators!

Science:

Tuesday, September 11th
Sunderland Public Library [20 School St., Sunderland, MA 01375] at 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM
Green Burial – The Environmentally Friendly Option
Green burial might be the best option if you want to not continue destroying the environment from the great beyond, but we’re going to stay true to the traditions of our family. We’ll hide our Phylactery somewhere no mortal will ever uncover and continue to bedevil the world as a lich until the sun burns out. This presentation will give you some info about green burials in general and options for green burial in Massachusetts!
Thursday, September 13th
Nacul Center [592 Main St., Amherst] at 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM
OEB Science Cafe: Exploring the Highs and Lows – How Rewards and Drugs Interact with Our Brains
Dr. David Moorman will explain how your neurological reward system plays an important role in your daily life, and how adding drugs to the equation can toss some wrenches at this complex system. Always good to learn more about the thing that lets you learn more!

Technology:

Tuesday, September 11th
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. We’ll be meeting from 6:00 – 8:30pm on the second Tuesday of the month. Dinner and drinks are on us!” Free dinner just for making your community better? Lovely!
Wednesday, September 12th
Last Call Media [136 West St., Suite 01, Northampton, MA] at 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Agile Methods Meetup: Getting real about forecasting
“Agile Methods Meetup September: Getting real about forecasting… stop lying and start communicating! Let’s talk about forecasting! How are you using your tools? What are the challenges? Be sure to RSVP here so we know how much food to get: https://aug.atlassian.com/events/details/atlassian-northampton-presents-getting-real-about-forecasting-stop-lying-and-start-communicating” If you get good enough at it eventually you can see the entire history of the universe spread out in front of you like a map. Great for sprint planning!

Teens:

Monday, September 10th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Teen Arts Program: Sun Prints
“The Teen Arts Program presents Sun Prints! Use light-sensitive paper to make art from nature’s finest shadows. Materials provided. This is a teens only event.” Be sure not to accidentally summon any Shadow Demons.
Wednesday, September 12th
Holyoke Public Library [250 Chestnut St, Holyoke, MA 01040] at 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM
Teen Creative Writing Group
Drop by the Teen Room to play writing games, work on your writing, and get inspired to write more! Write!
Thursday, September 13th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 3:30 PM to 4:15 PM
Comics Club
“Join Callie for the September meeting of the Comics Club! We’ll discuss, share, and create comics and graphic novels! There will be artists’ supplies, materials to put your own books together, and time to receive and give recommendations! Intended for elementary, tween, and teen readers and artists, this meeting will run from 3:30 to 4:15.” Comics are great! Check out Comics N’ More in Easthampton to get more comics!

Video Games:

Tuesday, September 11th
Prodigy Minigolf & Gameroom [Eastworks, 116 Pleasant St, Easthampton MA] at 7:30 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 natural. Ages 13+! Try beating people exclusively with Yoshi if you want everyone to feel very annoyed.

 

August 27th – September 2nd

The Valley Nerd Watch!

Have you been to Eastworks lately? What about Mill 180 Park, The Indoor Park That Accidentally Made Itself Look Exactly Like What a Child Wants to Climb Upon? They’re both nice places full of nice things! Like parm fries.

Also in case you weren’t aware, there’s a massive nation-wide prison strike.

Rebels incarcerated in prisons across the nation are preparing for a nationwide strike demanding humane living conditions, access to rehabilitation, sentencing reform and the end of modern day slavery.

You can support the strikers here, and prison policy reform in general here. The Prison Policy Initiative is based in Easthampton!

Finally, Dead Cells is a lot of fun if you’re into that sort of thing and we are.

Oh and actual finally via Kathy Aidala of Mount Holyoke College:

Mount Holyoke College is presently renovating 8,000 square feet to expand our maker capabilities and to better integrate these capabilities into our academic mission. We are searching for the Technical Lead and Design Mentor, who will run the day-to-day activities of the Makerspace, along with the Makerspace Coordinator, and help to foster an inclusive climate and collaborative learning environment.

A primary component of the job will be to mentor the highly varied interdisciplinary projects, which requires flexibility and broad knowledge of how to make a wide range of products using many different materials.

See full ad here. Feel free to contact me with any questions. We will begin reviewing applications beginning September 4, with an anticipated start date in mid-November.

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, August 28th
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM
Art Shoes with Trouble
“Join artist Trouble Mandeson for a hilarious, insightful and thought provoking evening. Trouble’s shoes are the featured exhibit of the month in our display cabinet by the main circulation desk. She transforms mundane shoes into spectacular works of art and you can too! We’ll spend the evening playing with glue guns, glitter, charms and more. Space is limited and this program is for ages 13 and up. Please pre-register at the main circulation desk or call 413-772-1544” Oddly enough Trouble’s middle name is also Trouble.
Thursday, August 30th
Gandara Youth Development Center [306 Race St., Holyoke, MA] at 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Radioplasma Recording Studio Sessions
Meet in the Teen Room to walk as a group to the Radioplasma Recording Studio to get some hands on experience with journalism, storytelling, and sound mixing! SOUNDS cool! Get it? See that? Nice.

Community:

Tuesday, August 28th
Jones Library [43 Amity St., Amherst, MA 01002] at 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM
Town of Amherst: Candidates At-Large Night
“Free and open to the public; sponsored by the League of Women Voters.” Meet the folks for whom you will vote!

Entertainment:

Thursday, August 30th
Palmer Public Library [1455 N Main St, Palmer, MA 01069] at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Anime Club
Anime! We watched ‘Spiral’ recently and it was pretty great. Rare that quickly solving a puzzle ring is presented as a power move.

Kids:

Tuesday, August 28th
Westfield Athenaeum [6 Elm St, Westfield, MA 01085] at 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM
Experimental Art
“Learn new techniques for working with different art mediums as you complete a project with Miss Susan. Dress for mess! Registration is required and begins on Tuesday, July 24th. Ages 8-12 years old” We usually dress for mess unintentionally.
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM
LEGO Club
Kids! Play with LEGO! It’s fun!
Jones Library [43 Amity St., Amherst, MA 01002] at 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Be Your Best Self (Ages 4-16)
“Bring friends and family for a fun activity and motivational message about healthy habits from Distinguished Young Woman of Massachusetts 2019, Mina Liang.” We’re actually the Distinguished Young Collective Being of Massachusetts 2027, if you weren’t aware. We’re quite distinguished!
Wednesday, August 29th
Westfield Athenaeum [6 Elm St, Westfield, MA 01085] at 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Ice Cream Social
“Kids who participated in the Summer Reading Club are invited to this special Ice Cream Social. All ages welcome, but please register.” Our ice cream went out to socialize last week and we’ve not seen it since.
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 11:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Creative Movement and Drama for Toddlers
“Go on a creative adventure with your child as you move your bodies and stretch your imaginations. The class is designed to give caregivers the opportunity to connect with their children in a joyful and playful environment and take home creative tools to incorporate into everyday life. Starting with a picture book, and adding in music, movement, and imaginative props, together, we will bring the story the life! The class is geared towards children 18 months-5-years old. Taught by Sarah Marcus.”
Thursday, August 30th
Westfield Atheneum [6 Elm St, Westfield, MA 01085] at 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM
Library Building Blocks Club
Kids! Play with LEGO! It’s fun!

Movies:

Monday, August 27th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Far Out Film Discussion: Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives
“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 the 2010 film Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, written and directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul. View the trailer here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk-EoUb0nvg Copies of the film will be available in the Reference Dept. and the Arts and Music Dept. Join us in the Community Room on Monday August 27th at 7:00pm to discuss the film!” We can recall our own past lives and weirdly enough we used to be you!
Friday, August 31st
Sunderland Public Library [20 School St., Sunderland, MA 01375] at 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Outdoor Film Series: A Wrinkle In Time
Watch A Wrinkle In Time outdoors! It’s a classic story, translated into a film we’ve heard more mixed things about but heck it’ll be fun, always a good time to watch movies outdoors! This is a rain date because dang this year has been a real rainy one.

RPGs:

Tuesday, August 28th
Westfield Athenaeum [6 Elm St, Westfield, MA 01085] at 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Dungeons and Dragons
Dungeons! Dungeons! Dungeons! Dungeons! DUNGEONS! D! U! N! G! E! O! N! S! Less into the dragons though, they’re so mean. Contact Tristan Anderson at trisdragon2@gmail.com for more… info… aw shoot we’re sorry… Tristan’s a dragon
Thursday, August 30th
Palmer Public Library [1455 N Main St, Palmer, MA 01069] at 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
RPG Club
Play a game where you pretend to be another person! That covers a pretty wide range, so we don’t know exactly what’ll be up here but for some reason most of these games involves swords and dragons at some point. Even if someone tells you you’re going to be playing an RPG about minding a small convenience store, take a few levels in Longswords just in case.

Teens:

Tuesday, August 28th
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Tween and Teen Back to School Party
“Get out and have some fun before school starts! Mario Kart 8 playoffs with our new Nintendo Switch. Make kindness buttons for your backpack and learn to fold secret note origami. For grades 5-12. Free and fun! Pizza included.” If you work hard enough at it we’re confident you can make pizza be included in school as well.
Thursday, August 30th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 3:15 PM to 4:15 PM
Workshop for Young Sound Artists and Podcasters
Learn how to record and edit audio, and make a piece of sound art of start a podcast! Intended for all teens who haven’t somehow already become internationally successful artists/podcasters. Recording equipment is provided, but feel free to bring a smartphone or tablet if you have one. Sign up required. Visit us at the Young Adult and Children’s Desk or call (413) 587-1010.

Video Games:

Tuesday, August 28th
Prodigy Minigolf & Gameroom [Eastworks, 116 Pleasant St, Easthampton MA] at 7:30 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 natural. Ages 13+!
Sunday, September 2nd
Another Castle [30 Olive Street Suite 2, Greenfield, MA] at 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
MAKE TALK PLAY | Game Demo Night!
“Join us at Another Castle for our first official Pioneer Valley Game Developer demo-night! We’re inviting all our local friends and family to share their projects of passion. What have you spent your year working on so far? Swing by on the evening of September 2nd from 7 – 9pm to play our colleagues games, and let us play yours! Need special accommodations or equipment? Send us a message here and we’ll make sure you’re set up right.”

 

August 13th – August 19th

The Valley Nerd Watch!

 

Nerd Nite! Tomorrow! Be there and be square! It’ll be fun, we’re talking comic books and mafia history in the Valley. It’s at the World War 2 Club in Northampton, 50 Conz St., 7pm – 9pm. Hang out, meet new people, have fun. $5 at the door to pay our speakers and organizers, and a charity bake sale!

Also! Check out Wednesday Games at the Brass Cat in Easthampton at 7pm – 11:30pm this week to win a free copy of excellent game (edited by the Valley’s own Josh Yearsley) Root! It’s very good and fun and it comes with a full walkthrough!

And for the love of everything good in the world REGISTER TO VOTE! Do it NOW. Vote in all of your local elections for candidates whose policy proposals involve NOT harming you and your fellow Valley citizens. It’s extremely important to do this. The deadline is August 15th!

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, August 13th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Forbes Library Zine Club Presents: Queer & Feminist Zine Memoir
“Come check out a reading of local & traveling zinesters, putting a queer twist on memoir, history, and creative storytelling. Jordan Alam (Letters to Self), Mae Allard (Giving It Up: Relations of a Celibate Slut), and Elvis Wolf (Homos in Herstory) will present their tales, images, and words – on the topics of personal memory, radical celibacy, and the ghostly, continuing presence of the past. “
Thursday, August 16th
Jones Library [43 Amity St., Amherst, MA 01002] at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Jones Library Stichin’ Group
Stich! We assume like… cross-stich? But who knows maybe this is about wound care.
Westfield Atheneum [6 Elm St, Westfield, MA 01085] at 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Bucket Drumming with Mr. Dan
“Due to the popularity of this program on July 12th, we are happy to offer a second program. Learn how to make music and keep rhythm using buckets and sticks. This program will be taught by Mr. Dan, a music education student at Westfield State University. Ages 8-12 years old. Registration required and space is limited. Buckets are generously being donated by Rocky’s Ace Hardware, Free Street, Westfield, MA”
Friday, August 17th
Gandara Youth Development Center [306 Race St., Holyoke, MA] at 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Radioplasma Recording Studio Sessions
Meet in the Teen Room to walk as a group to the Radioplasma Recording Studio to get some hands on experience with journalism, storytelling, and sound mixing! SOUNDS cool! Get it? See that? Nice.

Board Games:

Wednesday, August 15th
Brass Cat [65 Cottage St, Easthampton, MA 01027] at 7:00 PM to 11:30 PM
Wednesday Games – Root Giveaway!
“Well folks, it’s finally happened! Root, which you all had a hand in shaping, is officially released upon the world! Let’s celebrate! I’ll get my hands on as many copies as I can so as many folks as possible can get to play. And anyone who plays will be entered for a chance to win their own copy plus the Riverfolk Expansion!” Root’s a great game! What a good idea for a featured game.

Books:

Tuesday, August 14th
Holyoke Public Library [250 Chestnut St, Holyoke, MA 01040] at 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM
Bikes and Books
The library and the Urban Bike School are teaming up! Discuss a book, take a bike ride after! We were much more in the discuss a book, play a videogame after crowd but this seems like it’d have more benefits overall.
Wednesday, August 15th
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 books meet to read and get some feedback! The group is facilitated by following SCBWI guidelines but you don’t have to be a member to participate. Learn to write better and also meet some colleagues!

Community:

Wednesday, August 15th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM
Western Massachusetts Mathematics Partnership
“The Western Massachusetts Mathematics Partnership strives to bring PreK-16 math educators in Western Massachusetts together to learn from each other in order to improve student learning. We do this by facilitating opportunities to explore and appreciate mathematics and math teaching practices with a growth mindset. We believe this enables educators to support diverse learners who believe in themselves. During our monthly meetings, we plan events and discuss long-term projects.” Get tips on how to teach mathematics from fellow educators!
Saturday, August 18th
Sunderland Public Library [20 School St., Sunderland, MA 01375] at 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Interview with Confidence
Preparation is key to a good job interview! You’ll learn how to prepare in this class, and find out how to deal with phone and skype interviews as well!

Entertainment:

Monday, August 13th
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM
Muggle Quidditch at Hillside Park
“Muggle Quidditch, the popular wizard’s game, will be played on Mondays starting July 9 @ 6pm at Hillside Park. The Recreation Department will be sponsoring this program and you will need to register through the Rec Department http://www.greenfieldrecreation.com/youthandteens.html by July 3. Be sure to reserve your place on the teams!” All the excitement of Quidditch, none of the excitement of the flying part of it!
World War 2 Club [50 Conz St, Northampton] at 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Nerd Nite NoHo
This month! See Justin Casico (like the watch) talk about how the mafia came to Springfield, and Ellie Hillis discuss her feminist comics agenda! Comics! The Mafia! They go together like… actually wait those go together alright. Best comics mobster? Not even a content, Hammerhead. $5 cover at the door, give any amount to charity to get a baked good!
Wednesday, August 15th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 6:30 PM to 7:45 PM
Lawn Concert by Tim Eriksen and Friends
“Original and traditional Americana music from New England, southern Appalachia and the Balkans. ” Free, bring a blanket and a low chair to hang out and listen!
Thursday, August 16th
Palmer Public Library [1455 N Main St, Palmer, MA 01069] at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Anime Club
Watch anime! Watch one about robots! Or witches! We heard good stuff about Little Witch Academia! That’s an option!
Westfield Atheneum [6 Elm St, Westfield, MA 01085] at 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM
Ultimate Fandom Trivia/Summer Reading Celebration
“How well do you remember the Avenger movies? Think you know everything about Harry Potter? Or is Stranger Things more your cup of tea? Then come give your best guesses. You will be in groups, so if Marvel isn’t your thing you’ll have someone else to help you out. We will also be celebrating the end of Summer Reading with pizza and ice cream! The raffle prizes will also be drawn. However you do not need to attend to win! For students going into grades 6-12. Please register!”

Kids:

Tuesday, August 14th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM
LEGO Club
LEGO! For Kids ages 5 and up!
Jones Library [43 Amity St., Amherst, MA 01002] at 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Engineering Boot Camp
“Make your own hand-held game console! International Engineering Firm L3KOE is hosting a 3-day STEAM boot camp exploring design, coding, and 3D printing with a team of engineers. Participants must be able to attend all 3 sessions. Pre-register in the Kids’ Room, or by contacting us at 413-259 -3091//teens@joneslibrary.org. Registration closes 24 hours in advance. “
Wednesday, August 15th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM
Snackbeard Concert
Snackbeard the pirate takes time off from we presume snacking upon the remains of his victims to bring music to kids 4-10 at the library!
Jones Library [43 Amity St., Amherst, MA 01002] at 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Engineering Boot Camp
Day 2 of the camp!
Holyoke Public Library [250 Chestnut St, Holyoke, MA 01040] at 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Youth Leadership Program
A hands-on series during which the youth will have the opportunity to develop leadership skills and interact with their community through games, conversations, field trips, and other activities! You’re going to want to pay attention to how to lead, the youth, we really need you to tell us to stop being horrible.
Thursday, August 16th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 3:30 PM to 4:15 PM
Comics Club
Join Callie in the Children’s + YA Department for a meeting to make your own comics and talk with other comic fans! Intended for elementary and tween readers. Have you read Squirrel Girl? It’s great read that one. Ms Marvel is also really good!
Jones Library [43 Amity St., Amherst, MA 01002] at 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Engineering Boot Camp
Day 3 of the camp!
Saturday, August 18th
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art [125 West Bay Rd., Amherst, MA 01002] at 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Happier Family Comedy Show
Happier Valley Comedy is the heart of improv comedy in Western Mass! Let your family’s creativity flourish in an accepting improv atmosphere! Geared for kids aged 5-12, call 413-559-6336 to get tickets!
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!

Movies:

Monday, August 13th
Westfield Atheneum [6 Elm St, Westfield, MA 01085] at 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Movie Monday
A movie! Snacks! Drinks! No registration required. The current movie is Coco, which is a pretty good movie!
Holyoke Public Library [250 Chestnut St, Holyoke, MA 01040] at 3:30 PM to 6:00 PM
Teen Movie: Howl’s Moving Castle
A new Teen Film! One of those films that are invisible to the eyes of non-teens, and indeed leave the memory as a mist once you hit 20. But we’ve heard good things about Howl’s Moving Castle, you should check it out!
Friday, August 17th
Sunderland Public Library [20 School St., Sunderland, MA 01375] at 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Outdoor Film Series: A Wrinkle In Time
Watch A Wrinkle In Time outdoors! It’s a classic story, translated into a filme we’ve heard more mixed things about but heck it’ll be fun, always a good time to watch movies outdoors!
Saturday, August 18th
Jones Library [43 Amity St., Amherst, MA 01002] at 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM
Hot Summer Saturday Movie Matinee: Dreamgirls
“This 2006 film is an adaptation of the Broadway hit about the ups and downs of a 1960s girl group, starring Jamie Foxx, Beyoncé Knowles, Eddie Murphy, Danny Glover, and Jennifer Hudson, who won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role. This film is rated PG-13. Free & open to the public. “
Sunday, August 19th
Yiddish Book Center [1021 West St., Amherst MA 01002] at 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Film | “L’Antiquaire” (“The Art Dealer”)
“This drama from renowned French director François Margolin (The Flight of the Red Balloon) follows a Jewish woman who embarks on a journey to recover family paintings stolen by the Nazis. During her investigation, she discovers some family secrets are best kept hidden.”

RPGs:

Tuesday, August 14th
Westfield Atheneum [6 Elm St, Westfield, MA 01085] at 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Dungeons and Dragons
Contact Tristin Anderson at a mysterious pub by the name of trisdragon2@gmail.com to begin your wonderous adventure in the Boys and Girls Library Activity Room! SHAZAM!
Thursday, August 16th
Palmer Public Library [1455 N Main St, Palmer, MA 01069] at 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
RPG Club
RPGs are great! Play Noirlandia, or Questlandia, or Dread, or Monsterhearts, or Apocalypse World, or Dogs in the Vineyard, or One Thousand and One Nights, or any of a lot of amazing games created right here in this Valley! They’re all very good!

Technology:

Tuesday, August 14th
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. We’ll be meeting from 6:00 – 8:30pm on the second Tuesday of the month. Dinner and drinks are on us!”

Teens:

Monday, August 13th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Teens Only: Make a Sharpie Tie-Dye T-Shirt
Teens! Steal a shirt from your least favorite parent and turn it into a sharpie tie-dye shirt! Then when you have the hang of it make your own! Bring a t-shirt to decorate!

August 6th – August 12th

The Valley Nerd Watch!

You should check out Nerd Nite! It’s happening Monday the 13th, at the World War 2 Club in Northampton!

‘How the Mafia Came to Springfield’ – Justin Cascio

Pasqualina Albano and Carlo Siniscalchi were local royalty on Water Street in Springfield’s Little Italy at the start of Prohibition. But in his first year as the self proclaimed Bootleg King, Carlo was killed, leaving Pasqualina to rule in his stead. She forged a bond with New York’s Genovese crime family, and continued her family’s business, a legacy that endures to this day.

‘Ask Me About My Feminist Comics Agenda’ – Ellie Hillis

Women are the future of comics. From the success of Kickstarters like Check, Please! to the fact that women are over 50% of the active floppy comics readership, big publishers may be missing out on the true core demographic of comics.

This week you should go to the Forbes Library Zine Club, it’s full of good people and good zines, and you can contribute to both of those!

Also, make sure to register to vote! You can do so here: https://www.sec.state.ma.us/ovr/! You want to make sure to vote this year so that you can contribute to making our state better. Speaking of: https://www.freedommassachusetts.org/, vote Yes on 3! It will make the state safer for people who are trans and that’s extremely important.

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, August 8th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Forbes Library Zine Club
Talk about zines! Create Zines! Those two things mostly, but we guess you could probably get in some yoga as well.
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM
Artists’ Reception for Karen Evans, Leni Gaudet, and Jenny Tibbetts
“Shared Visions is an exhibit showcasing the work of three local women artists whose paintings explore the world around them. Karen Evans finds inspiration in the landscape, from farmland to the townships of Western Massachusetts. Leni Gaudet captures the reflections and light in still life and nature. Jenny Tibbetts explores light and color in urban and rural themes.” Eat cheese while you think about this excellent artwork!
Friday, August 10th
Smith College Museum of Art [20 Elm St, Northampton, MA 01063] at 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Free Second Friday
Free art! At a great museum! But still donate if you can! It’s important to support the museum. Get there early to experience Painting in Reverse, painting on plexiglass with quick-drying permanent markers inspired by the exhibition 体 Modern Images of the Body from East Asia!
Historic Northampton [46 Bridge Street, Northampton, MA 01060-2406] at 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Landscapes/Dreamscapes, Opening Reception and Print Fair & Arts Night Out
“Join us for an Arts Night Out reception for the exhibition Landscapes/Dreamscapes, an exhibition of contemporary prints from Zea Mays Printmaking with objects and images from Historic Northampton’s collection. The August Print Fair will feature printmakers: ​Dan Chiaccio, Jennifer Gover, Nick Osetek & Sheryl Jaffe.” Prints are always fun, we did printmaking in art class as kids and dang if they were not very poorly constructed. Presumably these are GOOD prints though.
Saturday, August 11th
Zea Mays Printmaking (320 Riverside Drive, Florence, MA 01062) at 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
BIG INK at Zea Mays Printmaking
“Large scale woodblock printing on the BIG TUNA traveling press in the courtyard of Zea Mays Printmaking. Ongoing throughout the day. The public is welcome to come watch as six artists print giant woodblocks.”
Sunderland Public Library [20 School St., Sunderland, MA 01375] at 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Paper-Making
Recycle to make your own paper! Drop in, open to all ages, but if you’re 10 or younger you should bring an adult! Note that the program is outdoors and will need to be cancelled if the weather takes a turn for the worse!
Sunday, August 12th
Zea Mays Printmaking (320 Riverside Drive, Florence, MA 01062) at 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
BIG INK at Zea Mays Printmaking
“Large scale woodblock printing on the BIG TUNA traveling press in the courtyard of Zea Mays Printmaking. Ongoing throughout the day. The public is welcome to come watch as six artists print giant woodblocks.”

Board Games:

Friday, August 10th
Burger King Community Room [344 King St., Northampton, MA 01060] at 6:30 PM to 10:30 PM
Tabletop Game Night
“Join us for another day of tabletop board/card game playing. 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, Star Trek: Five-Year Mission, King of Tokyo, 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 front entrance, just head to your right, then straight back.” Board games with friendly people! Try new stuff! Everyone loves Azul at the moment!

Books:

Tuesday, August 7th
Odyssey Bookshop [9 College St, South Hadley, MA 01075] at 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM
T. Greenwood, Rust & Stardust
“Based on the experiences of real-life kidnapping victim Sally Horner and her captor, whose story shocked the nation and inspired Vladimir Nabokov to write his controversial and iconic Lolita, this heart-pounding story by award-winning author T. Greenwood at last gives a voice to Sally herself.” Register for free here: https://www.odysseybks.com/event-rsvp

Community:

Tuesday, August 7th
Jones Library [43 Amity St., Amherst, MA 01002] at 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Town Hall with Josh Zakim for Secretary of State
“Come hear from the Democratic candidates for Secretary of State and learn about the important role this office plays from the state archives to securities to corporations to elections and it is one of the few contested statewide races this year. Free and open to the public.”
Saturday, August 11th
Sunderland Public Library [20 School St., Sunderland, MA 01375] at 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Resume Writing 101
Up-to-date resume writing techniques for you to learn! Tailor a resume using keywords and learn how to format it effectively for online submissions! You’ll also learn how to write an effective cover letter. The whole package!

Computers:

Tuesday, August 7th
The Foundry [24 Main St., Northampton, MA] at 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Northampton Webdive – After Work
“Join a community of web professionals and gain experience in public speaking, leadership, event planning, and networking with peers and leaders in the tech industry.” Talk about work, then once you’ve gotten comfortable enough talk about anything but work because for real you need to take some time off.
Wednesday, August 8th
Last Call Media [136 West St., Suite 01, Northampton, MA] at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Agile Methods Meetup
This week at the Agile meetup: “Let’s talk about the terms used (Epics, Stories, Tasks, Subtasks) in breaking down our work into actionable pieces and discuss how they fit into our tooling.” Plus free pizza!

Entertainment:

Monday, August 6th
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM
Muggle Quidditch at Hillside Park
“Muggle Quidditch, the popular wizard’s game, will be played on Mondays starting July 9 @ 6pm at Hillside Park. The Recreation Department will be sponsoring this program and you will need to register through the Rec Department http://www.greenfieldrecreation.com/youthandteens.html by July 3. Be sure to reserve your place on the teams!” All the excitement of Quidditch, none of the excitement of the flying part of it!
Tuesday, August 7th
Historic Northampton [46 Bridge Street, Northampton, MA 01060-2406] at 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM
From Northampton to the Boundary Waters
“For the third consecutive year, Historic Northampton is teaming up with Paradise City Dragon Boat for a trip on the Connecticut. Betsy Powell, Head Coach of Paradise City Dragon Boat, will begin the outing with a paddling lesson. Once we’re a ways up river, Laurie Sanders, naturalist & Co-Director of Historic Northampton, will explain about the rich human and natural history in this stretch between Elwell Island and the Hatfield boundary. ​Registration Required |$25-$35 | Ages 18+” We had no idea Historic Northampton was powerful enough to fell dragons and turn them into boats but it is pretty cool.
Thursday, August 9th
Palmer Public Library [1455 N Main St, Palmer, MA 01069] at 12:30 PM to 3:30 PM
CON-ANON: 5th Annual Fan Convention
A fan convention! Snacks, games, a cosplay contest, and a panel! And more! We presume! Probably other people will be there!

Kids:

Monday, August 6th
Westfield Atheneum [6 Elm St, Westfield, MA 01085] at 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM
Makerspace
Explore “cool technology” learning how to use 3D software to create and print objects, experiment with robotics and virtual reality. This program is for kids! 7-12 only. Registration is required and space is limited.
Tuesday, August 7th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM
LEGO Club
Kids! Play with LEGO! It’s fun!
Wednesday, August 8th
Westfield Atheneum [6 Elm St, Westfield, MA 01085] at 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM
Library Building Blocks Club
Kids! Play with LEGO! It’s fun!
Westfield Atheneum [6 Elm St, Westfield, MA 01085] at 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM
Battle of the Bands: Rock Band!
Rock Band! Dang if that’s not one of the most fun games ever. Worth it despite the terrible cost in plastic specialty single-purpose instruments. Give it a go while it’s set up in the library! Just whatever you do don’t try Tangled Up In Blue on drums. Open to kids in grades 6-12!
Friday, August 10th
Westfield Atheneum [6 Elm St, Westfield, MA 01085] at 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Archaeology Rocks!
“Prepare to be amazed and fascinated as you learn about ancient history and archaeology in this hands-on-program. Hold and examine stone tools and other artifacts crafted by people thousands of years ago. Engage in a dialogue with presenter J.K. Quackenbush about the tools and people of ancient times. Ages 6 and up. Registration is required and space is limited.” Quackenbush, just an amazing last name. We hope it’s one of those ones that’s based on what you were up to in town. The town quacker, hiding in bushes to add a bit of scenic audio to any perambulation.
Saturday, August 11th
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art [125 West Bay Rd., Amherst, MA 01002] at 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Special Storytime: Vanessa Brantley Newton
“Join author/illustrator Vanessa Brantley Newtown as she reads from her new book, Grandma’s Purse, an adorable, energetic ode to visits from grandma that shows how an ordinary day can become extraordinary.” Our own grandmother’s purses were filled with silt and pliers for the most part.
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Jurassic Roadshow
“The fantastic Jurassic Roadshow is coming to town. Featured will be interactive stations with exciting information and hands on learning about fossil and dinosaurs.”

Movies:

Tuesday, August 7th
Westfield Atheneum [6 Elm St, Westfield, MA 01085] at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Summer Reading Movie: Forever My Girl
Watch Forever My Girl, a movie about what we assume is an immortal girl. Maybe a vampire? Impossible to tell.
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM
Sing Along Movie Night
“Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down- get ready to sing along with Bert, Mary Poppins and the whole gang! Bring the whole family for our special sing along movie nights. Wear costumes, bring props and be ready to sing, sing, sing!”
Wednesday, August 8th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 8:00 PM to 10:15 PM
Coco on the Lawn – Rain Date
Bring a blanket and a picnic basket for your dinner, then watch a good movie on the lawn, the way it was meant to be seen!
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Film: Conviction
“Conviction is a documentary film about three Dominican nuns who took the proliferation of nuclear arms in the country personally. These women saw it a their duty, their mission, their religious calling, to break into a missile silo in Colorado, chant, pour their own blood and get jailed for their beliefs. They were convicted and sentenced to Federal Prison for their non-violent protest at a Minuteman III missile site in Northern Colorado. This 48-minute film evokes important conversations about the role of religion in politics, the role of nuclear weapons in national defense and the role of International Law in the Federal Courts.”
Saturday, August 11th
Jones Library [43 Amity St., Amherst, MA 01002] at 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM
Hot Summer Saturday Movie Matinee: Hairspray
Another family-friendly classic from John Waters! It’s a very cute film!

RPGs:

Tuesday, August 7th
Westfield Atheneum [6 Elm St, Westfield, MA 01085] at 5:45 PM to 7:45 PM
Dungeons and Dragons
The big old standard one! The RPG with swords and shields and dragons and dungeons! It’s fun and you can play it with pals!

Teens:

Monday, August 6th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Bath Bombs Teens Only
Only teens could be so anarchically carefree as to desire the knowledge offered in this hour-long course. Only a teen would want to take the humble bathtub and turn it into a weapon! Are they making a statement about the idle comforts of the bourgeois by turning what was a source of pleasure into a terrifying oh we’ve been told they’re like bubble bath capsules sorry
Westfield Atheneum [6 Elm St, Westfield, MA 01085] at 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM
Makerspace
Explore “cool technology” learning how to use 3D software to create and print objects, experiment with robotics and virtual reality. This program is for teens! 13-18 only. Registration is required and space is limited.

Video Games:

Tuesday, August 7th
Prodigy Minigolf & Gameroom [Eastworks, 116 Pleasant St, Easthampton MA] at 7:30 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 natural. Ages 13+!

 

July 23rd – 29th

 

The Valley Nerd Watch!

Check out the new fun thing in the hottest town in the Valley, Easthampton! It’s Prodigy, a mini-golf/games place open Wed – Sun for folks 13 and up, 13-15 accompanied by parents! There’s kind of a long story there but basically it’s got a complex mini-golf course handmade by a person who’d like fewer 6 year-old kids to destroy it. What is it with Eastworks attracting people who accidentally make business that are basically designed for small children to annihilate?

There are foods! There are drinks! You can play games and mini-golf! Costs about $10 for a full day of admission, which is pretty nifty! Really, just go check it out already local businesses need your cash and it costs less than a movie.

ALSO! We have job news for you! Are you looking for work? Why not be a physics technician at Mount Holyoke College? You’d be responsible for:  “1) supporting and maintaining classroom demonstrations, 2) supporting research labs (minor repairs and maintenance), and 3) advising students on technical aspects of research projects when appropriate. ”

You should apply if it sounds fun!

“The ideal candidate will have some training in machining and CAD design, can execute minor electronic repairs, and has a bachelors in physics or a related field. However, we will also consider candidates who have extensive technical experience regardless of degree, OR who have substantial physics/engineering expertise and are eager to develop technical skills. (An enthusiastic recent graduate may be qualified.)

We especially encourage women and people from underrepresented groups to apply. ”

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, July 25th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Forbes Library Zine Club
Talk about zines! Create Zines! Those two things mostly, but we guess you could probably get in some light cardio as well.
Thursday, July 26th
Gandara Youth Development Center [306 Race St., Holyoke, MA] at 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Radioplasma Recording Studio Sessions
Meet in the Teen Room to walk as a group to the Radioplasma Recording Studio to get some hands on experience with journalism, storytelling, and sound mixing! SOUNDS cool! Get it? See that? Nice.
Sunday, July 29th
Historic Northampton [46 Bridge Street, Northampton, MA 01060-2406] at 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Factual and Fictitious Geography in the Nuremburg Chronicles
A double-feature! Lecture by New York artist Tate Klacsmann, followed by a live wood-cut demonstration by local artist Nancy Haver! Both arts are currently exhibiting in Historic Northampton!

Board Games:

Monday, July 23rd
Greenfield Games [238 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Tanks from GF9
All day on Monday, and possibly future Mondays, the Tanks crew is around to teach people a fun and accessible new miniatures game! It’s about home-care workers oddly enough. To be fair it’s about home-care workers who are represented in-game by highly detailed little models of tanks, and helping an elderly client is represented as a sort of combat tactics game.
Saturday, July 28th
Greenfield Games [238 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Greenfield Games Summer Auction
Summer auction! The silent auction part is already happening, so check out Greenfield Games for a chance to get some great games. Then, on the 28th there’s the live auction! Come in any time to register for a number early and bid if you can’t make it! This is the biggest shopping day of the year if you’re into board games!

Books:

Tuesday, July 24th
Odyssey Bookshop [9 College St, South Hadley, MA 01075] at 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Lauren Groff, Florida in conversation with Judith Frank
“In her thrilling new book, Lauren Groff brings the reader into a physical world that is at once domestic and wild–a place where the hazards of the natural world lie waiting to pounce, yet the greatest threats and mysteries are still of an emotional, psychological nature. A family retreat can be derailed by a prowling panther, or by a sexual secret. Among those navigating this place are a resourceful pair of abandoned sisters; a lonely boy, grown up; a restless, childless couple, a searching, homeless woman; and an unforgettable, recurring character–a steely and conflicted wife and mother.”
Holyoke Public Library [250 Chestnut St, Holyoke, MA 01040] at 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM
Bikes and Books
The library and the Urban Bike School are teaming up! Discuss a book, take a bike ride after! We were much more in the discuss a book, play a videogame after crowd but this seems like it’d have more benefits overall.
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Author Talk — Eric Rieseberg and Helen Noble
“Rieseberg’s “Heroes Alongside Us” is a tribute to the men who were the key to his and many others success in life. The book defines what success is, how to achieve it, and the rewards of that achievement.” We define success as having twenty cookies. “Noble’s “25,000 Seeds: Where Love Grows” follows Claire Patterson takes a consulting project in an Ohio farming community. She can handle this; it’s business as usual. Stepping way out of her comfort zone, she finds that fewer distractions in the rural region leaves her with more free time than she’s had in years”… to pursue romance!
Friday, July 27th
Odyssey Bookshop [9 College St, South Hadley, MA 01075] at 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Ottessa Moshfegh, My Year of Rest and Relaxation
“From one of our boldest, most celebrated new literary voices, a novel about a young woman’s efforts to duck the ills of the world by embarking on an extended hibernation with the help of one of the worst psychiatrists in the annals of literature and the battery of medicines she prescribes”

Card Games:

Friday, July 27th
Greenfield Games [238 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Friday Night Magic
Friday Night Magic! This is one of the best opportunities you have to competitively play a wonderful game that also maybe keep a diary of how much you spend on it. Two tournaments starting at 6pm, $5 for each, one’s going to be Standard Format, one’s Modern! Win packs and promo cards!

Community:

Tuesday, July 24th
Jones Library [43 Amity St., Amherst, MA 01002] at 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
Free Lunch at the Library
“All children under the age of 18 are welcome to a free hot lunch at the Jones Library. Join us for a fun library program before, or come just for lunch. Adults over the age of 18 are welcome to purchase a meal for $3.50. ” Libraries: useful for the community!
Thursday, July 26th
Jones Library [43 Amity St., Amherst, MA 01002] at 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM
Creating Community for Women with Chronic Illness
From the site: “We hold a monthly support group for women living with a variety of chronic illnesses (e.g. autoimmune disorder, MS, arthritis, Crohn’s and colitis, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Lyme disease, etc.). It is free and open to the public. http://www.joneslibrary.org/calendar.aspx?EID=4913“
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
The Thursday Morning Club: Buz Eisenberg on the First Amendment
“The New England First Amendment Coalition will present a discussion on the First Amendment from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on July 26 at the Greenfield Public Library as part of the library’s Thursday Morning Club at the Greenfield Public Library.The program will feature Buz Eisenberg, an attorney and First Amendment expert. The event is free and open to the public.”

Entertainment:

Monday, July 23rd
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM
Muggle Quidditch at Hillside Park
“Muggle Quidditch, the popular wizard’s game, will be played on Mondays starting July 9 @ 6pm at Hillside Park. The Recreation Department will be sponsoring this program and you will need to register through the Rec Department http://www.greenfieldrecreation.com/youthandteens.html by July 3. Be sure to reserve your place on the teams!” All the excitement of Quidditch, none of the excitement of the flying part of it!
Wednesday, July 25th
Holyoke Public Library [250 Chestnut St, Holyoke, MA 01040] at 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM
Dances and Rhythms of Puerto Rico with Brendaliz Cepeda y Las Mujeres de Bomba Group
“Brendaliz Cepeda and her folklore group provide traditional music from Puerto Rico. Brenda y las Mujeres de Bomba has been working in the community teaching youth and adults about drumming, dancing and the history of Bomba y Plena. For more information,or registration 413-420-8101 or library@holyoke.org”
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM
The Music of Star Wars: A Celebration of John Williams’ Film Scores
“GPL is pleased to welcome back Aaron Krerowicz with a new program: The Music of Star Wars: A Celebration of John Williams’ Film Scores. Often called a “space opera”, one aspect of the Star Wars films that helped make them such a pop culture phenomenon was composer John Williams’ iconic music. This 60-minute multimedia presentation showcases music from all eight episodes.”
Thursday, July 26th
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art [125 West Bay Rd., Amherst, MA 01002] at 2:30 PM to 3:30 PM
Lyra Music Festival and Workshop: Young Artist Program Special Concert
Classical music for kids that’s “just right”! Then, an Instrument Petting Zoo where kids can hold and play with some instruments that are presumably worth very little money.
Friday, July 27th
Historic Northampton [46 Bridge Street, Northampton, MA 01060-2406] at 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM
Full Moon Group Sing
Sing in a group to welcome the full moon, as you do!
Saturday, July 28th
Cummington Fairgrounds [97 Fairgrounds Road, Cummington MA] at 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM
Massachusetts Renaissance Faire: Time-Travelers Weekend
Isn’t this every weekend at a Ren Faire?
Sunday, July 29th
Prodigy Minigolf & Gameroom [Eastworks, 116 Pleasant St, Easthampton MA] at 12:00 AM to 4:00 AM
Prodigy Late-Night Decathlon
Ten events covering the range from physical games like shuffleboard to classic arcade games like Ms Pac-Man to toys like Simon! You can purchase a ticket to the Decathlon and get all-day access Saturday! NO REFUNDS they want to make clear so be ready to be up late. The most points gets $100 + a medal, 2nd most gets $50 and a medal, third gets a month of free membership plus a medal!

Kids:

Monday, July 23rd
Holyoke Public Library [250 Chestnut St, Holyoke, MA 01040] at 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Cooking Class
Cook at the library! Learn how to cook new things, learn about nutrition, and eat tasty food after you prepare it!
Tuesday, July 24th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM
LEGO Club
Kids! Play with LEGO! It’s fun!
Thursday, July 26th
Jones Library [43 Amity St., Amherst, MA 01002] at 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Build-a-Beat (Ages 7 & up)
Learn how to use Beat Lab and Chrome Music Lab to create your own beats to share with friends! Pre-Register at kids@joneslibrary.org!
Palmer Public Library [1455 N Main St, Palmer, MA 01069] at 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Young Adult Cupcake Wars
Decorate a cupcake! Win a prize! Open to ages 10 and up, register at the Youth Services Desk!
Westfield Atheneum [6 Elm St, Westfield, MA 01085] at 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM
Crazy Crafternoon & Tech Tinkering
Craft a masterpiece with craft supplies! Make circuits! Play with cool things! Register by calling 413-562-6158! Ages 5 and up welcome.
Friday, July 27th
Palmer Public Library [1455 N Main St, Palmer, MA 01069] at 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM
Moana Sing & Dance Along
Sing and dance along to Moana! A movie that probably required like 10,000 hair animators. Families with kids 3 and up are welcome, enjoy a craft and snacks while you’re singing and dancing! Well. Not WHILE.
Westfield Atheneum [6 Elm St, Westfield, MA 01085] at 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Harry Potter Afternoon
Celebrate a slighty early birthday for Harry Potter by making a wand, drinking some butterbeer, and playing would you rather! For students going into grades 6-12, register with oeberli@westath.org because space is limited!

Movies:

Wednesday, July 25th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 8:00 PM to 10:15 PM
Coco on the Lawn
A free screening of Pixar’s great new movie “Coco”! Bring a blanket and some food, wait until dark and then leave, stunning the crowd as they try to figure out what sort of person leaves before the film starts! Or just watch a fun movie, should start around 8:30pm.
Sunday, July 29th
Yiddish Book Center [1021 West St., Amherst MA 01002] at 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
FILMS | “Iom Romi” (“A Day in Rome”) & “Cuba’s Forgotten Jewels: A Haven in Havana”
“Iom Romì chronicles a day in the life of the contemporary Jewish community of Rome. From dawn to dusk, through the voices of several characters living and working in the historic Ghetto quarter, Iom Romì tells the story of a community both fiercely independent and distinctly Roman. | Cuba’s Forgotten Jewels was born of the tales that Marion Kreith told her daughter, co-director Judy Kreith, about her escape from Nazi-occupied Belgium and her teenage years in 1940s Havana. Marion and other refugees interviewed in the film recall their lives in wartime Havana: the draw of Cuban food, music and dance, its language and people, and the challenges they faced in this unfamiliar land. The film features an original soundtrack of Cuban and Jewish music. “

RPGs:

Tuesday, July 24th
Westfield Atheneum [6 Elm St, Westfield, MA 01085] at 5:45 PM to 7:45 PM
Dungeons and Dragons
Dungeons? We have dungeons. Dragons? Eeeeessssh. Hmm. HMmHmHMMMph. Dragons. Real dragons? The big kind? Fire ones? We don’t have fire ones… Ice? No no no ice dragons. What’s that? Like a dead dragon? We could get you a dead dragon! Wait, but still moving? Oh UN-dead, no no none of those. SSsssss sss s s hm. Hm. We can do gerblins! Will those do?

Science:

Monday, July 23rd
The Harp Irish Pub [163 Sunderland Road, Amherst MA] at 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM
OEB Science Cafe: Sleep on It: The Neuroscience of Sleep and Dreams
Why do we sleep? Weirdly difficult to answer question. Dr. Rebecca Spencer will give you the whole buzz, along with trivia and appetizers!
Tuesday, July 24th
Amherst College, Merrill Science Center [220 South Pleasant St, Amherst MA] at 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Soccer Robot Presentation
“Disappointed that the USA wasn’t in the World Cup? Come watch the Team Amherst soccer robot win against itself on Tuesday, July 24 in the Merrill Atrium! A formal presentation will be given at 2 p.m. and the rest of the hour will be a demonstration of the robot’s skills.” That sounds spectacular. What if it’s good? That’d be weird. It can’t be like a robot person, it has to be a little battlebot type thing or something right?

Technology:

Wednesday, July 25th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Python Coding Club
Meet with people interested in learning to code and work on some projects and exchange tips! Participants should bring computers and of course download Python and something to code with. We like Atom a lot, it’s got nice integrations and such.

Teens:

Friday, July 27th
Holyoke Public Library [250 Chestnut St, Holyoke, MA 01040] at 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
It’s LIT: Summer Sex and Relationship Series at the Library
In partnership with the River Valley Counselling Center, youth will have a chance to talk about sex, relationships, sexuality, and how to stay safe happy and healthy. Frankly these sorts of workshops should be attended by everyone every year in our experience. This stuff remains confusing forever. Snacks are provided, and there’s a $50 gift card you can earn for completing the whole series!

Video Games:

Tuesday, July 24th
Prodigy Minigolf & Gameroom [Eastworks, 116 Pleasant St, Easthampton MA] at 7:30 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 natural. Ages 13+!

 

July 16th – July 22nd

The Valley Nerd Watch!

Into the Breach is really, really good. Spectacular, even. Give it a shot if you’re at all interested in games in which you move around robots on a map and try to destroy gigantic bugs! It’s fun in part because so much of it is just like improvising a solution to a push-pull puzzle.

This week we highly recommend you hit up the Greenfield Games events and tell them – at length – how much you appreciate the fact that they have started posting events to a dedicated website instead of Facebook, the least fun website to visit!

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, July 16th
Greenfield Games [238 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Monthly Painting Workshop
Painting workshops with Andrew! All you need to do is show up ready to paint! All materials are provided. Though wait, that seems implausible. Do they mean all paints? All we know about miniatures is that they’re wildly expensive. Maybe they’ve got like extras or plastic ones that are cheaper. Anyway, these are questions you can most easily resolve by attending the event!
Tuesday, July 17th
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 kids, talk to other adults who do the same! Facilitated by Nell Wright, it’s a chance to share tips, discuss skills, and get input about stories!
Wednesday, July 18th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM
Rock Painting
Bring a rock! Paint the rock! Bring as many rocks as you like, really. A few practice rocks can’t hurt.
Thursday, July 19th
Gandara Youth Development Center [306 Race St., Holyoke, MA] at 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Radioplasma Recording Studio Sessions
Meet in the Teen Room to walk as a group to the Radioplasma Recording Studio to get some hands on experience with journalism, storytelling, and sound mixing! SOUNDS cool! Get it? See that? Nice.
Friday, July 20th
Sunderland Public Library [20 School St., Sunderland, MA 01375] at 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM
Stitch Camp (2)
Sew and embroider a cute mini animal out of felt! Be careful not to allow your hubris to overwhelm you, causing you to create a felt animal so real that it comes to life. That’s too much responsibility! Lead by Heather Wynne, a local designer who specializes in textile products! Pre-registration required! Call 413-665-2642!

Board Games:

Monday, July 16th
Greenfield Games [238 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Tanks from GF9
All day on Monday, and possibly future Mondays, the Tanks crew is around to teach people a fun and accessible new miniatures game! It’s about librarians oddly enough. To be fair it’s about librarians who are represented in-game by highly detailed little models of tanks, and re-shelving books is represented as a sort of combat tactics game.
Wednesday, July 18th
Brass Cat [65 Cottage St, Easthampton, MA 01027] at 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM
Wednesday Games – Sagrada
Sagrada is great! Kind of a dice-based solitaire you play against several other people that’s about building a nice stained-glass window. Give it a shot at the next delightful Wednesday Games!

Books:

Tuesday, July 17th
Holyoke Public Library [250 Chestnut St, Holyoke, MA 01040] at 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM
Bikes and Books
The library and the Urban Bike School are teaming up! Discuss a book, take a bike ride after! We were much more in the discuss a book, play a videogame after crowd but this seems like it’d have more benefits overall.
Wednesday, July 18th
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 books meet to read and get some feedback! The group is facilitated by following SCBWI guidelines but you don’t have to be a member to participate. Learn to write better and also meet some colleagues!
Thursday, July 19th
Odyssey Bookshop [9 College St, South Hadley, MA 01075] at 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM
Ben Goldfarb, Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter
Oh that makes a ton of sense: a book about how what we think is a reasonable natural environment is actually the consequence of massive amounts of beaver-hunting for the fur trade. And since beavers literally terraform things in a visible manner even in small groups, it stands to reason that having basically none of them around makes for a damaged environment. Learn more from actual expert Ben Goldfarb at this talk! Register here: https://www.odysseybks.com/event-rsvp
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM
Local Author Talk – Norman Schell and the Ballade of Mary Reede
“On Thursday, July 19, at 7pm Norman Schell will speak about his new novel, The Ballad of Mary Reede at LeVanway Meeting Room of the Greenfield Public Library. The reading and a video presentation will be followed by a discussion of Piracy, past and present, and Slavery past and present. The program is free and open to the public. Copies of the novel will be available for those interested.”

Card Games:

Friday, July 20th
Greenfield Games [238 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Friday Night Magic
Friday Night Magic! This is one of the best opportunities you have to competitively play a wonderful game that also maybe keep a diary of how much you spend on it. Two tournaments starting at 6pm, $5 for each, one’s going to be Standard Format, one’s Modern! Win packs and promo cards!

Community:

Saturday, July 21st
Building Autistic Community, Inc. [8 Washington St, Westfield MA] at 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Saturday Autism and Asperger’s support group
“This group is an opportunity for support and discussion for people on the autism spectrum. This group is a “safe space” for adults in our community and is not intended as a parenting group; family members are encouraged to get in touch with us for relevant resources for their needs. Adults 18+ who identify with autism, Asperger’s, or other murky labels. For a number of reasons, including the difficulty of getting a diagnosis as an adult, a formal clinical diagnosis is not required.”

Entertainment:

Monday, July 16th
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM
Muggle Quidditch at Hillside Park
“Muggle Quidditch, the popular wizard’s game, will be played on Mondays starting July 9 @ 6pm at Hillside Park. The Recreation Department will be sponsoring this program and you will need to register through the Rec Department http://www.greenfieldrecreation.com/youthandteens.html by July 3. Be sure to reserve your place on the teams!” All the excitement of Quidditch, none of the excitement of the flying part of it!
Tuesday, July 17th
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
I Was (And Still Am) a Teenage Metal Head
Local rock musician and Academy of Rock instructor and founder Matt kim will share his coming of age story through his love of electric guitar!
Wednesday, July 18th
Westfield Atheneum [6 Elm St, Westfield, MA 01085] at 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Summer Reading Event – Johnson Organs: Westfield’s Famous Organ Builder
Johnson Sophia Lorenzo Organs, the famous organ builder of Westfield. Who made a new liver for the Queen of England in 1987? Johson Sophia Lorenzo Organs. Who invented a new organ that’s capable of seeing time as color? Why of course, it was none other than Johnson Organs! Spectacular.
Thursday, July 19th
Palmer Public Library [1455 N Main St, Palmer, MA 01069] at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Anime Club
Anime! We’ve heard great things about My Hero Academia or as it’s known in Japan “[My Hero Academia]* *translated from Japanese”
Saturday, July 21st
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Developing a Podcast
Do you want to make a podcast? Good news! You actually already have one it’s 2018 we’re all currently interviewing someone on or being interviewed by someone for a podcast. But we could all use two! Talk to this local entertainment and pop culture reporter who’s thinking about starting a podcast and wants to collaborate with someone else in town! Bring your lap top and see what comes out of this brainstorming session!
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art [125 West Bay Rd., Amherst, MA 01002] at 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
13th Annual Children’s Book Festival: Four Seasons, Five Senses
A day celebrating the seasons! An exhibition, book signings, storytimes and art projects with artists from the Western Massachusetts Illustrators’ Guild. Drawing demonstrations! Films! Journaling workshops! The Happier Family Comedy Show! It’s going to be a packed day.
Sunderland Public Library [20 School St., Sunderland, MA 01375] at 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Magic Show with Robert Clarke
A magician who has managed to not be destroyed by the crowds of Boston is a magician who has honed their craft to a fine edge. See the magic in person! Also juggling, which is impressive as well though not breaking any laws of physics.
Cummington Fairgrounds [97 Fairgrounds Road, Cummington MA] at 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM
Massachusetts Renaissance Faire: Pirate Weekend!
Pirates! Though not as much of a pop cultural phenomenon as they once were they are still a fun thing to dress up as! You can have a fun time and either eat a big turkey leg because it’s kind of fun or NOT do that because they’re really actually bad as heck. You should hit up one of the actually delicous foods on offer! Turkey legs at these things usually taste like someone brined a sponge.

History:

Thursday, July 19th
Historic Northampton [46 Bridge Street, Northampton, MA 01060-2406] at 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Summer Lecture Series: Uncovering Hidden Histories through the Portrait of a Woman in Silk
Zara Anishanslin, Assistant Professor of History at the University of Delaware, will help you understand how you can use the Portrait of a Woman in Silk to uncover hidden histories of this world too terrifying and portentious to commit to mundane works. But beware, the Woman in Silk is known to be as devious as she is wise, delve neither too deep nor too greedily into the knowledge she holds!

Kids:

Monday, July 16th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM
Minecraft Club
Children! Play some Minecraft with friends!
Tuesday, July 17th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM
LEGO Club
Kids! Play with LEGO! It’s fun!
Wednesday, July 18th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Forest Park Zoo on the Go!
Meet some delightful animals and learn about how they’re adapted to survive in the wild! Touch and observe these crazy critters, and ask questions of your own!
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM
Family Night: The LEGO Lady
Apparently she’s always a big hit! What does she do, though? Juggling? Maybe dressage. Hm.
Thursday, July 19th
Palmer Public Library [1455 N Main St, Palmer, MA 01069] at 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Escape from the Wizard’s Tower
Can you solve the puzzles, find the keys, and escape the room? If you can’t, you’re going to be eaten by a dragon! Children… we wish you the best of luck. Open to ages 10 and up, pre-register at Youth Services Desk or by calling 413-283-3330!
Palmer Public Library [1455 N Main St, Palmer, MA 01069] at 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM
Escape from the Wizard’s Tower
Did you solve the 2pm puzzle? Did your parents look oddly distraught? Well… here’s to another success story!
Saturday, July 21st
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!

Movies:

Monday, July 16th
Westfield Atheneum [6 Elm St, Westfield, MA 01085] at 2:00 PM to 3:45 PM
Movie Monday: The Wizard of Oz
A movie! Snacks! Drinks! Probably non-alcoholic drinks because it’s all-ages, no registration required. The current movie is Wizard of Oz, which is a pretty good movie!
Holyoke Public Library [250 Chestnut St, Holyoke, MA 01040] at 3:30 PM to 6:00 PM
Teen Movie: Princess Mononoke
This is one of our favorites! It’s just… very intense, and subtle in a way that we needed as a younger gestalt entity representing the myriad entites writing for this site. Plus we saw it in theaters once and it was really neat as heck, highly recommend seeing it on as big a screen as possible.
Tuesday, July 17th
Sunderland Public Library [20 School St., Sunderland, MA 01375] at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Movie: Wonderstruck
Two kids from different eras set out on their respective journies of discovery that if we know anything about narrative conventions will in no way wind up being related. Also, as far as we can tell from the poster they’re being pursued by spectral wolves.
Wednesday, July 18th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 8:30 PM to 10:30 PM
Casablanca on the Lawn
A classic movie on the library lawn! It’s a great night that you’ll love, particularly if you bring a blanket and some snacks! Free to all, film rolls once it’s dark.
Friday, July 20th
Sunderland Public Library [20 School St., Sunderland, MA 01375] at 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM
“Walk-In Theater” Outdoor Film Series
Matilda is like Carrie, but for kids! Also a great way to convince any smart kids in your life that they should keep reading so that they can eventually manipulate objects with their minds!
Saturday, July 21st
Jones Library [43 Amity St., Amherst, MA 01002] at 2:30 PM to 5:00 PM
Hot Summer Saturday Movie Matinee: La Bamba
This is a biography of Ritchie Valens, a young rocker who made it big and died in a plane crash with Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper. The tagline is “Born in Poverty, Destined for Stardom, He Lived the American Dream”, which is kind of eliding over the whole “died in a plane crash tragically young” part.

RPGs:

Tuesday, July 17th
Westfield Atheneum [6 Elm St, Westfield, MA 01085] at 5:45 PM to 7:45 PM
Dungeons and Dragons
Dungeons? We have dungeons. Dragons? Eeeeessssh. Hmm. HMmHmHMMMph. Dragons. Real dragons? The big kind? Fire ones? We don’t have fire ones… Ice? No no no ice dragons. What’s that? Like a dead dragon? We could get you a dead dragon! Wait, but still moving? Oh UN-dead, no no none of those. SSsssss sss s s hm. Hm. We can do displacer beasts! Will those do?
Thursday, July 19th
Palmer Public Library [1455 N Main St, Palmer, MA 01069] at 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
RPG Club
Play a game where you pretend to be another person! That covers a pretty wide range, so we don’t know exactly what’ll be up here but for some reason most of these games involves swords and dragons at some point. Even if someone tells you you’re going to be playing an RPG about minding a small convenience store, take a few levels in Longswords just in case.

Technology:

Monday, July 16th
Click Workspace [9.5 Market St., Northampton MA] at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Monitoring with Prometheus – Monthly Full Stack Meetup
Alberto Castro will come to talk about Prometheus! The man we all love, who gave us the fire-gift that stays the wolf and makes meat so tasty and delicious. We don’t understand how that relates to oh it’s a monitoring toolkit that’s open-source that is neat, Alberto will give you a rundown of when and where it might be a good idea to use Prometheus! Door code for the event and slots left are at the Meetup site! https://www.meetup.com/wmasswebdev/events/250097838/

Teens:

Thursday, July 19th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 3:15 PM to 4:15 PM
Workshop for Young Sound Artists and Podcasters
Learn how to record and edit audio, and make a piece of sound art of start a podcast! Intended for all teens who haven’t somehow already become internationally successful artists/podcasters. Sign up at the YA Desk!