Gathering warmth to carry us through the winter — #berkshireweekend

Winter makers and winter harvests are coming to us this week — as the Norman Rockwell Museum opens the first major retrospective in the U.S. on internationally known illustrator Leo Leonni, the nights are warming up with music.

Gangspil will perform an evening of Danish folk music in Dewey Hall, as Sonnich Lydom and Kristian Bugge weave together accordion, harmonica, fiddle and voice in high energy walzes and polkas, jigs, reels and breathless hopsas, and the “Sønderhoning” dance tunes from the Island of Fanø.

And over a ridge or two, the Dream Away Lodge in Becket celebrates the last weekend of their 2023 season with an evening of storytelling and a concert with the Winterpills, performing indy rock at the edge of the woods on October Mountain.

And the season of winter farmers markets and holiday markets is opening — GreylockWorks brings their annual Festive holiday market, and Berkshire Grown’s holiday farmers markets return here and in Great Barrington …

Pumpkins and gourds at Wild Oats Co-op Market in Williamstown.
Photo by Kate Abbott

Pumpkins and gourds at Wild Oats Co-op Market in Williamstown.



Winter holiday and farmers markets are coming in this week, as Leo Leonni’s artwork comes to the Norman Rockwell Museum, and Danish fiddler Kristian Bugge will perform with Gangspil at Dewey Hall.

Danish fiddler Kristian Bugge will perform with the trio Gangspil at Dewey Hall. Photo by Sophie Bech
Photo by Sophie Bech

Danish fiddler Kristian Bugge will perform with the trio Gangspil at Dewey Hall. Photo by Sophie Bech, courtesy of Kristian Bugge.

Events coming up

Winterberry glows in the sun at Windy Hill Orchard in Great Barrington.
Dec 9 2023 @ 3:00 pm
Great Barrington's annual holiday downtown celebration returns with a holiday market, bonfire and s'mores, music and parades, hayrides and more — and all stroll activities are free.
Holiday trains are running on the Hoosac Valley Line. Press image courtesy of Berkshire Scenic Railway.
Dec 9 2023 @ 3:30 pm
Santa will be visiting the Berkshires again this year and will join the Hoosac Valley Line's Tinseliner train for Christmas carols and good cheer.
Holiday trains are running on the Hoosac Valley Line. Press image courtesy of Berkshire Scenic Railway.
Dec 9 2023 @ 3:30 pm
Berkshire Scenic Railway offers live seasonal music and favorite holiday classics on their annual holiday cabaret trains.

By the Way Berkshires is a digital magazine exploring creative life and community — art and performance, food and the outdoors — and I’m writing it for you, with local voices, because I’ve gotten to know this rich part of the world as a writer and journalist, and I want to share it with you.

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