Final summer concert set for Tuesday

GREENFIELD — Tuesday, July 25, at 7 p.m. will mark this year’s final summer concert for the Greenfield Military Band at Energy Park.

“It has been an exciting season for the GMB with concerts at local nursing homes, the annual fireworks concert at Beacon Field and this year the fabulous dedication of the Greenfield Public Library in addition to the [Energy Park] concerts,” band Director Al Benjamin said in a statement. “We are delighted that Greenfield has a special place for music in our city.”

The program will open with “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “The Klaxon March.” It will also include “American Patrol,” “Irish Suite,” “Hallelujah,” “Jazz Rondo,” “What a Wonderful World,” “A Tribute to Glenn Miller,” and selections from “Oliver,” “A Johnny Mercer Medley” and “The Lion King.” The band ends each program, which may be adjusted by the conductor, with a march.

Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets. The concert will be canceled in the event of rain.

The concert is sponsored in part by the Greenfield Cultural Council, Greenfield Cooperative Bank, Greenfield Savings Bank, Franklin First Credit Union, City of Greenfield, The Arbors at Greenfield, Charlene Manor Extended Care and RegalCare.

Author discussion with Ryan Bernsten set for Tuesday

GREENFIELD — The Greenfield Public Library will host a talk with Ryan Bernsten, author of “50 States of Mind: A Journey to Rediscover American Democracy,” on Tuesday, July 25, at 6:30 p.m.

Bernsten undertook a 23,000-mile journey through all 50 states to answer the question: Is America as divided as it seems? “50 States of Mind: A Journey to Rediscover American Democracy” is a work of travel nonfiction that aims to offer readers a fresh perspective on U.S. politics, while asking how to infuse humanity and nuance back into political conversations to keep democracy strong.

For more information about this and other library programs, visit greenfieldpubliclibrary.org or call us at 413-772-1544. This program, sponsored by the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library, is free and open to the public.

Community Preservation Committee seeks public input for second year of funding

GREENFIELD — The Community Preservation Committee is seeking public input ahead of the next round of Community Preservation Act (CPA) funding.

The committee hosts a public hearing annually to gather feedback on community priorities. This year, the hearing will be held Thursday, July 27, at 5:30 p.m. at the John Zon Community Center. Residents can also join remotely via Zoom.

The committee allocates funding to projects submitted by individuals, community groups, nonprofits and the city government that enhance affordable housing, historic preservation and outdoor recreation/open space. Members of the public can view the committee’s current Community Preservation Plan at tinyurl.com/2p9bcnhb. Feedback gathered at the public hearing will be incorporated into the plan as part of the committee’s annual update.

Comments can be mailed to the attention of Christian LaPlante, 14 Court Square, Greenfield, MA 01301 or emailed to cpc@greenfield-ma.gov. Comments must be received by Aug. 10, at noon.

Applications for proposed CPA projects will be available in August. Pre-applications must be submitted by Sept. 15 and final applications are due by Nov. 15. The committee will review proposals before making recommendations to the Greenfield City Council, which ultimately votes on which projects will receive funding.

Crossroads Cultural District Committee beautifies Downtown Greenfield

GREENFIELD — The Crossroads Cultural District Committee has spearheaded a project showcasing businesses, events and venues that are cultural assets to the district by highlighting them on 72 banners, designed by nearly 20 local artists, on light posts downtown.

The committee initiated the project after receiving a $15,000 grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council. The committee collaborated with the Community and Economic Development Department and Crossroads Cultural Council member Christy Moore, who is also the city’s recreation director, to strategize how the banner project would be executed. Following a request for proposals, GVH Studio of Bennington, Vermont was chosen to produce and install the 72 banners.

“We are really excited to be able to brand the cultural district, and we look forward to people coming downtown to see the banners and discover new things at the same time,” Crossroads Cultural District Committee Chair Caitlin von Schmidt said in a statement.

The list of cultural assets highlighted by the banners includes: 10 Forward, Artspace Community Arts Center, Coop Concerts, Chance Dance Studio, Energy Park, Fiske Avenue Pocket Park, Federal Street Books, Goose Divine Energy, the Greenfield Center for Arts and Industry (includes the Greenfield Gallery, The Hive Marketplace and Studio Seven), Greenfield Community Television, Garden Cinemas, Greenfield Public Library, Greenfield Records, Greenfield Skate Park, Hawks & Reed Performing Arts Center, the Historical Society of Greenfield, Imaginary Bookshop, The LAVA Center, The Literacy Project, Looky Here, Madhouse Multi-Arts, Pushkin Gallery, Taproot Threads, TEOLOS Gallery and World Eye Bookshop.

The banners can be found on Bank Row, Court Square and Chapman, Davis, Federal, Main, Miles and Olive streets.

Council on Aging chosen by Big Y for Community Bag Program

GREENFIELD — Store leadership at Big Y’s 237 Mohawk Trail (Route 2) location has selected the Council on Aging to receive a $1 donation from every purchase of the store’s $2.50 community bags for the month of August.

The Community Bag Program facilitates community support with the goal of making a difference in the vicinity where shoppers live and work. More than $340,000 has been donated to more than 2,000 nonprofits since the program launched in January 2019.

Store leaders choose a different nonprofit to benefit from the Community Bag Program each month.

To learn more about the Greenfield Council on Aging, visit tinyurl.com/425t6dvp.

July 31: Advice from literary agent

GREENFIELD — Literary agent Doug Grad will offer advice to writers and aspiring writers during a Zoom talk on Monday, July 31, at 7 p.m. The talk is presented by the Greenfield Public Library in collaboration with the Tewksbury Public Library.

Grad will share the hard reality of the business of publishing — from landing a deal with a major publisher to self-publishing a manuscript. He’ll also give an overview of publishing — how the publishing industry has changed in recent years and the steps to getting a book published, from the writer’s ideas to the bookstore (or library) shelves.

Grad, a 37-year veteran of the publishing industry, is president of Doug Grad Literary Agency. Prior to starting his own agency in 2008, Grad spent the previous 22 years as a senior editor at four major New York publishing houses.

This program is free, but registration is required. Register for the Zoom link at tinyurl.com/3a7dtfjz.

Local artist Gyuri Képes’ exhibit on display in August

GREENFIELD — The LAVA Center at 324 Main St. will display a new art exhibit, “Viscera,” by local artist Gyuri Képes throughout August.

An opening reception will be held Saturday, Aug. 5, from noon to 3 p.m. The exhibit can also be viewed during gallery hours (Mondays and Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Thursdays from 5 to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from noon to 3 p.m.) as well as during special events (see the events calendar on the website for details).

Screen printing, acrylic, graphite, digital illustration and collage are some of the mediums that Képes uses, often in combination and assembled onto a mix of materials such as paper, plywood, canvas, plastic and epoxy resin. Several designs were created more than a decade ago and were later refined, repurposed and superimposed.

Képes is a longtime resident of western Massachusetts and a graduate of the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

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