Science

June 26th – July 2nd

The Valley Nerd Watch!

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

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

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

And obviously we’re playing Pandemic Legacy Season 2!

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

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

THIS WEEK

Art:

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

Board Games:

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

Books:

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

Computers:

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

Entertainment:

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

Kids:

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

Movies:

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

Science:

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

June 19th – June 25th

The Valley Nerd Watch!

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

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

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

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

THIS WEEK

Art:

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

Board Games:

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

Books:

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

Comic Books:

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

Community:

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

Entertainment:

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

Kids:

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

Movies:

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

RPGs:

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

June 12th – June 18th

The Valley Nerd Watch!

We just moved! Our new place is very very good and we like it but what we don’t like is that all of our muscles and organs are now gone. They transubstantiated about 4 hours into the move and now we’re mostly composed of noodles and it’s just not working out as well as organs used to. That’s why there’s a lot of “from the site” this week and why it’s coming out late! Jeez for real typing feels like work, why does moving ever happen.

Of note this week: we’re doing Nerd Nite tomorrow at the World War Two Club at 50 Conz St. in Northampton at 7:00pm EVEN THOUGH we are basically the most tired, it’s heroic.

Second: local creator Epidiah Ravachol (buy his games, buy his magazine, support local creators!) has a podcast about the Rockford Files and we’ll be honest we’re kind of excited. What even IS the Rockford Files? We’re gonna see if they ever explain that. This could be the next U Talking U2 2 Me!

Oh also also the book Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer was real good, read that one quick reminded us of some of the thinkier 70’s SF our dad liked and the Gwent free-to-play game they just put out? Weirdly good! Just like, good old-fashioned fun. Updated to be not as easy to cheese as the game featured in the game The Witcher 3, which is good.

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

THIS WEEK

Art:

Monday, June 12th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Reception for New Americans by the NHS Teen Advisory Group, and Paintings and Photographs by Jan Ruby-Crystal and Ellen Augarten
What it says on the tin, we guess! A reception for new pals and some excellent paintings and photos!
Tuesday, June 13th
Sunderland Public Library [20 School St., Sunderland, MA 01375] at 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM
Sunderland Short Story Series presents Linda Putnam and Kim Mancuso
Linda Putnam will be reading “Two Kinds” by Amy Tan, and Kim Mancuso will be reading “Hell-Heaven” by Jhumpa Lahiri!
Wednesday, June 14th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Forbes Library Zine Club
Zines! Zines about beans, zines about Commander Keen, zines about greens, zines about spleens! If you can dream it you can zine it!
Saturday, June 17th
Sunderland Public Library [20 School St., Sunderland, MA 01375] at 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Portable Herb Gardens
Paint a terracotta pot to brighten up a window or a porch! Plant herbs in them, then eventually harvest and consume those herbs! Make those herbs into more of yourself!

Books:

Tuesday, June 13th
Odyssey Bookshop [9 College St, South Hadley, MA 01075] at 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Dusty Miller, Danger Under Ground
From the site: “In Danger Under Ground, Alice is on the move again as she follows the trail of a highly charged kidnapping. Her friend Felicia, her dashing French lover Gerard, and their young tattooed friends Warp and RubyStarr must expose this politically-motivated crime.”
Thursday, June 15th
Odyssey Bookshop [9 College St, South Hadley, MA 01075] at 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Linda Greenlaw, Shiver Hitch
From the site: “Jane Bunker thought she’d escaped the pollution, noise, and dead bodies of the big city when she left her job as a Miami homicide detective and moved back to the idyllic town of Green Haven, Maine. But through her work as a marine insurance investigator, it appears she’s left behind the bustle of the city, but not the murder.” But the murder’s the worst part!

Card Games:

Friday, June 16th
Modern Myths [34 Bridge Street #4, Northampton, MA 01060] at 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Friday Night Magic: Amonkhet Draft
From the site: “Friday Night Magic: Amonkhet Draft. This is a limited booster draft using the new set, Amonkhet! Tournament with Swiss Pairing. Entry: $18.00 Prizes: At least one AmonkhetBooster, promo cards, and possibly winning more boosters depending on match results.

Community:

Monday, June 12th
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Transportation Justice for Franklin County MA
We’re assuming this is about public transit conditions in Franklin County and how they affect the lives of residents in unequal ways which we as a community must address rather than a pitch for a new Star Trek police procedural but we can’t be 100% certain.

Computers:

Monday, June 12th
MYSTERY LOCATION at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Using Elastisearch – Monthly Full Stack Meetup
From the site: “Half database and half search engine, Elasticsearch powers things like GitHub’s code search, eBay’s item listing, and Netflix’s internal logs and metrics. Come learn about the basics of Elasticsearch and full-text indexing from Ross Johnson, who has been using Elasticsearch for 6 years to power document search in web apps.” Take a look at the meetup group to sign up and see the MYSTERY LOCATION! https://www.meetup.com/wmasswebdev/events/240263959/
Wednesday, June 14th
Last Call Media [136 West St., Suite 01, Northampton, MA] at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Agile Methods Meetup
From the site: “Are you curious about flow-based Agile methods? Kanban provides a continuous flow of project work, in contrast to Scrum’s iterative process. In this session, Lisa Sieverts will provide an overview of Kanban, we’ll see the magic of limiting work-in-progress, and we’ll share stories and insights”
Thursday, June 15th
Last Call Media [136 West St., Suite 01, Northampton, MA] at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
June 2017 Western Mass Drupal Users Group Meeting
From the site: “6:00 Welcome & Introductions, 6:10 Upcoming Events / Announcements, 6:15 Tip of the Month, 6:20 Module of the Month, 6:30 Lightning Talks (5-10 minutes talks on a brief topic), 7:15 Presentation “What are Drupal 8 Plugins?”, 8:00 Adjourn” … Comprehensive!
Northampton Community TV [380 Elm St., Northampton, MA] at 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
WordPress Developers and Admins
From the site: “WordPress sure is a neat platform, but what if your WordPress site is based on selling products or services? WooCommerce is a popular plugin that helps make it easy for your customers to buy your products and services inside the WordPress framework. Marjorie Ray will provide a short overview of how she uses Woocommerce on her children’s educational toy site.” and more!

Entertainment:

Wednesday, June 14th
Palmer Public Library [1455 N Main St, Palmer, MA 01069] at 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Ukulele With David Hyde Costello
Do you find you lack Ukulele music in your life? Address that.

History:

Saturday, June 17th
Historic Northampton [46 Bridge Street, Northampton, MA 01060-2406] at 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Chaotic Freedom in Civil War Louisiana: The Origins of an Iconic Image by Bruce Laurie
From the site: “Bruce Laurie will speak on his research into two Pioneer Valley soldiers who changed the course of the Civil War. Laurie’s work culminated in the essay, “Chaotic Freedom” in Civil War Louisiana: The Origins of an Iconic Image, a Working Titles e-book published by The Massachusetts Review.”

Kids:

Friday, June 16th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM
Spoken Word with Rah and Kat
From the site: “Calling kids, tweens, and teens- try out our new spoken word program in the Children’s Department! The first meeting will be Friday June 16th, at 3:30. Rah represented Northampton at the 2017 Women of the World Poetry Slam, and Kat holds a Masters in Poetry. Come create, experience, and learn about poetry with us!”
Saturday, June 17th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Scientific Kids Club
From the site: “Learn about an assortment of tiny critters this month as Ralph & Steven explore entomology, the study of insects! Register here https://goo.gl/forms/iBh193ojpudlHU1n2!”

Movies:

Wednesday, June 14th
Forbes Library [20 West St, Northampton, MA 01060] at 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Film: AWAKE
From the site: “AWAKE is a Josh Fox-directed film chronicling the native-led peaceful resistance at the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation near Cannon Ball, North Dakota, against the construction of the $3.7 billion Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL), intended to carry fracked oil from North Dakota’s oil fields through native land and under the Missouri River, the water source for the Standing Rock reservation (and 17 million people downstream).”
Saturday, June 17th
Millside Park [2 Ferry St., Easthampton, MA] at 8:30 PM to 11:30 PM
The Dark Crystal
Free movie! Popcorn and refreshments available for purchase, bring a blanket and bug spray! Watch this weird as heck old Henson film on the big screen!

RPGs:

Saturday, June 17th
Modern Myths [34 Bridge Street #4, Northampton, MA 01060] at 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM
Free RPG Day!
RPGs for you to play free all day! Bring some friends and head down to the … quay. Shoot. No we lost the plot there. Head Modern Myths to play some games and then buy some games!

Science:

Monday, June 12th
World War 2 Club [50 Conz St., Northampton, MA 01060] at 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Nerd Nite NoHo
Come see ‘A History of Public Benefits’ by Monk Kelley and ‘The Economy is a Badly Designed Game’ by Aaron Jensen! The rare set of talks that actually relate to one another!
Tuesday, June 13th
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Pollinators Need Our Help Now
From the site: “With a chaotic climate, so much foul weather, and many other threats to their existence, there can be no better time to start supporting native bees and butterflies, and no better way than planting pesticide-free flowers and making nests in our yards and public spaces. Come see what we can do to brighten the futures for these critically important beneficial insects.”
Wednesday, June 14th
Historic Northampton [46 Bridge Street, Northampton, MA 01060-2406] at 9:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Downtown Northampton’s “Wild” Night Life: Moths, Fireflies & Other Night Flying Insects
From the site: “Presented by moth aficionado Betsy Higgins, the evening will include an indoor slide presentation about the diversity of moths in our area. Following this, we will head outdoors to check out the variety of night-flying insects drawn to Higgins’ black lights and mercury vapor lamps. The evening will conclude with a light show, courtesy of thousands of fireflies in the nearby meadows.” pre-registration required at lsanders@historicnorthampton.org, $10 members, $15 non-members!

June 5th – June 11th

The Valley Nerd Watch!

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

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

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

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

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

THIS WEEK

Art:

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

Board Games:

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

Books:

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

Comic Books:

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

Community:

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

Computers:

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

Entertainment:

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

History:

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

Kids:

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

Movies:

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

RPGs:

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

May 29th – June 4th

The Valley Nerd Watch!

Have a good Memorial Day tomorrow, readers!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

THIS WEEK

Art:

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

Board Games:

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

Books:

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

Comic Books:

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

Community:

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

Entertainment:

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

Kids:

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

Movies:

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

Science:

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

May 22nd – May 28th

The Valley Nerd Watch!

Boss Baby was oddly good, some real nice physical comedy animating from Dreamworks. Good job, Dreamworks! Good job team of probably 100 animators doing some of the most grueling and boring work possible for only acceptable pay!

We would also like to point you once again to the excellent new Valley meetup about film making! The Western MA Film Makers Meetup! It is neat, and it’s a good excuse to go to fun events and meet new people to spend time with. Who doesn’t need a bit of that in their lives?

Also! News this week: Greenfield Games changed locations! They’re no longer renting, either! They bought a place just down the street from their old location. It’s a bit bigger, a bit nicer, and in general it seems things are going well for them. Look for them at 228 Main St. in Greenfield!

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

Anime Club:

Wednesday, May 24th
Palmer Public Library [1455 N Main St, Palmer, MA 01069] at 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Anime Club
Anime! Anime is sometimes great and sometimes not, debate which anime are which with some pals at this club!

Art:

Thursday, May 25th
Mead Art Museum [41 Quadrangle Dr, Amherst, MA 01002] at 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Summer Exhibitions Opening Reception
Celebrating the opening of summer exhibitions, featuring alumni artists and collectors! THere are delicious refreshments and there’s a bar if you’re over 21! Well, technically there’s a bar whether even if you’re under 21, it’s just that if you’re under 21 the bar won’t give you alcohol. Free and open to the public!
Holyoke Public Library [250 Chestnut St, Holyoke, MA 01040] at 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM
Teen Writing Workshop
Instructor Abby Forcier will be on hand to offer guidance and support for any written work you care to produce! Anything that strikes your interest you can work on and then share with the group if you like!
Friday, May 26th
Mead Art Museum [41 Quadrangle Dr, Amherst, MA 01002] at 2:30 PM to 3:00 PM
Gallery Talk: Artist Michael Mazur ’57
Betsy Garand, Senior Resident Artist at Amherst College and Gail Mazur, poet and wife of the late Michael Mazur ’57. This event is in conjunction with an exhibit of his work, and it’s free and open to the public!

Board Games:

Tuesday, May 23rd
Holyoke Public Library [250 Chestnut St, Holyoke, MA 01040] at 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Game On!
Board games in the teen room! Have fun with the library collection or bring your own!

Community:

Monday, May 22nd
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 6:00 PM to 7:45 PM
Animal Friend Loss Support Group
We’re pretty sure this is a support group for those of you who have lost an animal friend, which is very sad. If it turns out that the support group is entirely made up of animals talking to each other about friends they have lost we apologize but there was no description on the site!
Holyoke Public Library [250 Chestnut St, Holyoke, MA 01040] at 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM
Financial Skills
Learn to save! Learn to spend! Learn to hide quarters behind the ears of other people! All the necessary skills to become a financial wizard!
Tuesday, May 23rd
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 5:15 PM to 7:00 PM
Greenfield Tree Committee
Do you like trees? Want to have some say about where and when trees appear in Greenfield? This is literally the only group for you!
Wednesday, May 24th
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM
Safe Schools Safe Streets Coalition
No description for this one but we have the impression they don’t actually mean they want to keep the physical schools and the physical streets safe but are using those as a sort of synechdoche for the community itself and in particular children within the community.

Kids:

Tuesday, May 23rd
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art [125 West Bay Rd., Amherst, MA 01002] at 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM
Whole Book Approach Storytime with Megan Dowd Lambert
Families will enjoy a Whole Book Approach storytime with Megan Dowd Lambert, author and Senior Lecturer in Children’s Literature at Simmons College!
Wednesday, May 24th
Greenfield Public Library [402 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301] at 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Young Writer’s Group
“Author and teacher Nell Wright will work with young writers ages 10-14 on Wednesdays. The group will meet in the Greenfield Room from 4 -5pm. The group is limited to 8 participants and preregistration is required. Call 413-772-1544 extension 5 for more information. This class is free thanks to the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library.”

Movies:

Holyoke Public Library [250 Chestnut St, Holyoke, MA 01040] at 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Teen Movie: A Thousand Words
Watch Eddie Murphy in a really odd family film that takes an old aphorism and turns it into a sort of terrifying curse designed to teach someone how to listen better via the threat of death. Gruesome!

RPGs:

Palmer Public Library [1455 N Main St, Palmer, MA 01069] at 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
RPG Club
Play RPGs with some people! They’re going to be great and so are you! Try playing World Wrestling RPG! It’s fun trust us.

Science:

Tuesday, May 23rd
Sunderland Public Library [20 School St., Sunderland, MA 01375] at 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM
Food and Habitat for Pollinators through the Seasons
What plants attract pollinators to your garden? What will make bees and butterflies really jazzed to see your plants? Ashley Schenk has been teaching permaculture-based landscape design since 2011, having founded Broadfork Permaculture. Learn how to plant, what to plant, and how to create neat wildflower meadows!

May 15th – May 21st

The Valley Nerd Watch!

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

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

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

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

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

THIS WEEK

Art:

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

Board Games:

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

Books:

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

Card Games:

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

Comic Books:

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

Community:

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

Computers:

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

Entertainment:

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

History:

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

Kids:

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

Movies:

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