Guests of Brook Farm Inn in Lenox, Massachusetts have lots of places to choose from, if they enjoy a  casual nightclub with live music. There’s Castle Street Cafe in Great Barrington, Club Helsinki also in Great Barrington, and Lion’s Den in Stockbridge. All of these have intimate, friendly atmospheres, good food and drink, and great music.

The 22nd annual Berkshire Jewish Film Festival will be presented on consecutive Monday nights begining July 7.  The films will be shown at the Lenox Memorial High School’s Duffin Theater Lenox Massachusesetts.  The theater is a five minute drive from Brook Farm Inn at 197 East Street.  It has a large capacity, comfortable seating, air conditioning, and excellent visibility.  Matinees will start at 4:00 pm and evening presentations at 8:00 pm.

The first evening presentation will be the highlight of the festival.  Academy award winning actress Helen Hunt stars in and direct the 2008 film “Then She Found Me.”  Also starring are Bette Midler, Colin Firth and Matthew Broderick.  The film is based on a novel by Elinor Lipman who will be making a personal appearance that night.

For more information call Congregation Knesset Israel at (413) 445 4872 ext 11 or visit www.knessetisrael.org .

Shakespeare and Company theater group previewed “The Ladies Man” by Charles Morey on Memorial Day Weekend.  This hilarious French farce is adapted from George Feydeau’s “Tailleur Pour Dames.”  Guests of Brook Farm Inn who saw the performance gave it rave reviews.  They praised it for its high energy and comedic timing.  The play features one of our favorite actors, Elizabeth Aspenlieder.  She stared in “Rough Crossing” last season and will be featured in “Bad Dates” premiering in January.

Shakespeare and Company is located around the block from Brook Farm Inn.  We bought our tickets for this Saturday nights  show.  Get your tickets by calling the box office at 413 637 3353 and then call us at 800 285 7638 to book your room at Brook Farm Inn.  See you at the theater!

Who would have thought? An exhibit combining Norman Rockwell and Herman Melville!  It’s opening tomorrow night at Arrowhead, Melville’s home in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.  And that’s very close to Brook Farm Inn, in Lenox, Massachusetts.  The exhibit features the original color study of Rockwell’s mural showing Pittsfield in 1854, and includes clothing, tools, and other items found in the buildings in the mural.  Sounds like a great activity for Memorial Day Weekend, or any time this spring and summer.

The public and is invited to a Library Restoration Sneak Preview and Ribbon-Cutting Saturday, May 24, 2008 – 4pm - 8pm .  A Wine Reception, Victorian Tea, Sweets and Savories will follow the ceremonies.  The cost of the event is $35 per person.   RSVP to Ventfort Hall at 413-637-3206
Ventfort Hall is located a short walk from Brook Farm Inn in Lenox Village. 

Take a Walk with Van Gogh

More information from Brook Farm Inn about the Art Walk…

  On Saturday May 24th and Sunday May 25th 11-5, Lenox, Massachusetts will open its art season with a new logo as we all walk along with the cheerful fellow carrying the Van Gogh.  We will be walking along Main or Housatonic or Church Street enjoying the wide array of works in the 15 participating galleries 

  The Berkshire Bach Society, under the direction of James Bagwell, will be presenting ORFEO ed EURIDICE on Friday May 9th.  The semi-staged “Opera In Concert” will be performed at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington begining at 8pm.  Tickets are available at the Mahaiwe box office or by contacting the Berkshire Bach Society at 413 528 0100. 

Lenox, MA: Jun 4–7  ·  Berkshire Invitational Croquet Tournement will be held at the Lenox Croquet Club.  For more information contact David Ekstrom at 413-443-4957 or drekstrom@hotmail.com .  The event is sanctioned by the United States Croquet Association.  One of the competitors, who will be staying at Brook Farm Inn, describes the event as “cutthroat croquet.”

The Close Encounters With Music Company will be presenting “GYPSY!” on Saturday, May 24 at 6PM. The performance will be at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington, MA. The works of Bizet, Haydn, Monti, Ravel and Brahms will be featured. Yehuda Hanani is artistic director. The theater is only a 20 minute drive from Brook Farm Inn in Lenox, MA, and promises to be a great evening of musical entertainment.

Here in Lenox, Massachusetts, one of the local treasures is Ventfort Hall, an 1893 Gilded Age “cottage,” built by the sister of J.P. Morgan. You can take tours, and also enjoy historic exhibits and events there. During the month of May, there are a number of events, and it’s within walking distance of the Brook Farm Inn bed and breakfast. On Saturday, May 10 there’s a Mother’s Day Celebration, and on Saturday, May 17, the New England Baroque Soloists will perform. So, a Berkshires getaway is a great idea for Mother’s Day.

Lenox Massachusetts: The Berkshire International Film Festival begins May 15 and runs thru May 18 in nearby Great Barrington. Films will be shown at the Triplex Cinema and the BIFF annual Achievment in Film Award will be given to actor Kevin Bacon at the Mahaiwe Theatre on Friday May 16. The Biff will showcase the latest in independent feature, documentary, short, and family films. There will also be panel discussions and special events focusing on filmmakers and artists from both sides of the camera. Contact Kelley Vickery at kelley@biffma.com or 413 528 8030 for more information.