Berkshire OLLI upcoming events

OLLI at BCC and BNRC Joint Hike - The Boulders, Pittsfield/Dalton (Wednesday, September 02, 2026)

Wed, 02 Sep 2026 13:30:00 GMT

OLLI at BCC and Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC) Joint Hike

Wednesday, September 2 at 9:30 a.m.
The Boulders, Pittsfield/Dalton

The Boulders is a 645-acre oasis tucked between Pittsfield, Dalton, and Cheshire. Owned by the Crane family for more than a century, its six-miles of trails wind through diverse ecosystems. Participants on this hike will take the Blue Trail to the Boulders at the top of the reserve where they will see the quartzite boulders for which the reserve is named. Beautiful views to the east and south, are the reward for the moderate ascent and descent on a forest road once used by cars to visit this Berkshire destination. Today, hikers see the mixed hardwood forest close up including oaks, maples, black cherry, hemlocks and white pines.

Directions to the trailhead and additional information about the hike are at https://www.bnrc.org/reserves/the-boulders

OLLI at BCC and the BNRC are offering joint hikes this summer and fall. These hikes are free for OLLI at BCC and BNRC members. You must register in advance and space is limited.

All hikes are on Wednesdays and begin at 9:30 a.m. We strongly recommend using hiking poles. If you don’t have them, we can provide poles for the hike. Good hiking shoes are essential. If we need to cancel the hike due to rain, we will notify participants by email by 7:00 a.m. the day of the hike.

Registration will open on Monday, August 17 at 9 a.m.

Allyn Burrows: TV or not TV: The Future of Shakespeare in the Berkshires (Wednesday, September 02, 2026)

Wed, 02 Sep 2026 19:00:00 GMT

OLLI at BCC Performing Arts Initiative Presents:
The Nancy Vale Memorial Talk

Allyn Burrows, Artistic Director at Shakespeare and Company will speak on:

TV or not TV: The Future of Shakespeare in the Berkshires

Wednesday, September 2, 2026
3:00-4:30 pm (note time change from original posting)

Free and open to the public, registration required.

In-person at the Shakespeare and Company, Lenox, MA

Allyn Burrows has been Shakespeare & Company’s Artistic Director since 2016. He was an artistic associate for several years and acted in numerous productions, including King John (King John), Much Ado About Nothing (Benedick), Henry V (Henry V), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Oberon), Henry IV, Part 1 (Hal), Measure for Measure (Angelo), Betrayal (Jerry), The House of Mirth (Lawrence Selden), Love’s Labours Lost (Berowne), Macbeth (Macduff), and The Complete Works of Shakespeare.

Allyn was the Artistic Director of Actors’ Shakespeare Project in Boston for seven years where directing credits included Romeo & Juliet, Pericles, Jon Lipsky’s Living in Exile, Richard II, and The Tempest. Acting credits for ASP include The Winter’s Tale (Leontes), Henry VI Part 2 (Gloucester and Jack Cade), Henry VIII (Henry VIII), Twelfth Night (Malvolio), Henry IV, Parts 1 & 2 (Hotspur and Pistol), Timon of Athens (Timon), All’s Well that Ends Well (Parolles), King Lear (Kent), Measure for Measure (Duke Vincentio), and Richard III (Duke of Clarence). In the Boston area, he has performed in productions of Can You Forgive Her at the Huntington Theatre, Breaking the Code at Underground Railway Theatre, Shipwrecked at The Lyric Stage, Oceanside, The Seafarer, Pursuit of Happiness, and The Homecoming at Merrimack Repertory Theater, and Five by Tenn, at Speakeasy Stage. He was an Elliot Norton Award recipient for The Homecoming, King Lear, and Five by Tenn and an IRNE Award Winner for Breaking the Code. Off-Broadway credits include Bug, Killer Joe, Louis Slotin Sonata, Closetland, and The Widowing of Mrs. Holroyd. He has worked at a number of theaters around the country, including Actors’ Theatre of Louisville, The American Conservatory Theatre, Long Wharf Theatre, The Denver Center, and The Walnut St. Theatre. Television credits include The Broad Squad, Law and Order, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, and Against the Law, and he can be seen in the films Don’t Look Up, The Company Men, Julie & Julia, and Manchester by the Sea.

Please note this program will be held in a tented outdoor theater.

Light refreshments will follow the talk.

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This event is supported through the generous philanthropy of Nancy and Michael Vale, whose bequest established the Michael and Nancy Vale Performing Arts Program at OLLI at Berkshire Community College. This endowed fund supports theater-based OLLI programming.

2026 Walking Tours: Indian Town, Stockbridge (Saturday, September 05, 2026)

Sat, 05 Sep 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Walking Tours:
Indian Town, Stockbridge, Mass.

Seven Sessions to Choose From!

All tours are in person and onsite, rain or shine.

Saturday, September 5 at 10:00 a.m.
Sunday, September 6, 1:00 p.m.
Saturday, September 12, 10:00 a.m.
Sunday, September 20, 1:00 p.m.
Saturday, September 26, 10:00 a.m.
Saturday, October 3, 10:00 a.m.
Sunday, October 4, 1:00 p.m.

Indian Town was chartered in 1737 as a mission to the Mohican tribe to teach them English, about Christianity and about English agricultural practices. Recently, the Stockbridge-Munsee community in Wisconsin worked with Housatonic Heritage and other local partners to create a tour of the most important Mohican sites along the main street of Stockbridge. Trained by one of the creators of the walking tour, OLLI members will lead participants along Main Street to learn about the Mohicans, who lived in what is now Stockbridge for thousands of years, and aspects of their culture which are still present today. Stops include the Carriage Barn at the Mission House, the burial grounds and the site of the 2021 archeological dig for the Mohican meeting house.

This walk is approximately 1.5 mi. round trip, and the sidewalks are accessible. Participants should be prepared to be walking and standing for about two hours.

This walking tour has been developed by the Stockbridge-Munsee Community highlighting the years in which they lived in Stockbridge. Presented in partnership with Housatonic Heritage. The walking tours are free and open to the public.

NOTE--Does not include a tour of the museum interior. An inside tour, for a fee, can be arranged before or after the free Heritage Walk.

A more detailed description of the tour can be found here.

For more information about the Stockbridge-Munsee Community, click here: https://www.nativeamericantrail.org/stockbridge-walking-tour/

Member Tour at the Berkshire Museum (Tuesday, September 08, 2026)

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 14:30:00 GMT

OLLI Special Events presents:

Berkshire Museum - Member Tour

Tuesday, September 8, 2026
Tour begins at 10:30 a.m.

In-person only at the Berkshire Museum, 39 South Street, Pittsfield

Join OLLI for a tour of two special exhibitions at the recently reopened museum.

Voices of Rebellion: Berkshires Revolutionary Legacy

This exhibition commemorates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence while contributing to nationwide efforts to mark the United States’ semiquincentennial. It explores the role of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, and its residents in the lead-up to the American Revolution, with particular attention to how the conflict shaped the lives of historically marginalized communities, including women and Black and Indigenous people. This exhibition features dozens of pieces from the museum’s collection, including a rare “broadside” of the Declaration of Independence, printed by Ezekiel Russell on July 17, 1776.

Mediterranea: American Art from the Graham D. Williford Collection

On loan from the Graham D. Williford Foundation, this exhibition features seventy-three works of late 19th and early 20th century paintings. The works provide an overview of the Mediterranean region and the rich diversity of its nature and culture, as seen through the eyes of American artists. Their paintings capture the environment, the distinct colors and atmosphere, the varied flora and fauna, and the uniqueness of the people who lived an ocean apart.

Admission

$15 OLLI Members and Guests

$5 OLLI Members with Berkshire Museum Membership

Space is limited, register today!

Register online or call 413.236.2190 (M-F 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.) to register by phone with a credit card.

This event is part of OLLI's Rev250 Project celebrating the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution.

William Clothier Watts, Grazing Sheep, Temple of Luxor, Egypt, c. 1915. Watercolor on paper. The Jean and Graham Devoe Williford Charitable Trust.

Improv Workshop with Michelle Oram (Tuesday, September 08, 2026)

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 17:30:00 GMT

Improvisation Mind Games Workshop with Michelle Oram

(Photo from the 2026 Summer One Semester's "Just Improvise!" course taught by Michelle.)

Three sessions:
Tuesdays, September 1, 8, and 15, from 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
at Berkshire Community College

In-person only.

This workshop is designed to make you laugh and have fun. Through a series of active mind games, students will:

Boost confidence and self-acceptance
Reduce fear of failure
Improve communication and active listening
Enhance creativity and quick thinking
Build teamwork and empathy
Provide stress release and joy
Learn to focus and concentrate
Adapt to ever-changing circumstances
Be courageous and vulnerable
Build awareness of how one thinks
Believe in the quality of one’s inner voice
Express one’s emotions

Students will learn the basic skills of improvisation: the concepts of give & take, justification, spontaneity, listening and most of all—PLAY.

The supportive, nurturing environment will help you practice the craft of creating scenes, building characters and taking risks that may surprise you.

A fun way to learn acting and the creative process—based on a lot of the games played on the TV show Whose line is it Anyway. If you are a writer, actor or just want to have a good laugh and unleash your creativity, this class is for you. No experience necessary.

Michelle Oram is a graduate of the Boston Conservatory of Music at Berklee. She was the founder of Stagestruck Performing Arts Center in NJ with three locations where she developed art, dance, drama, musical theatre and vocal programs for thousands of students from age 3-to adult and arts and education programs for over 25 schools and senior centers. Michelle loves using improvisation techniques in her acting classes and while directing. She studied with Chicago City Limits in NYC and developed the first Theater Sports Olympics in NJ in the late 80’s.

In 2017, she had the honor to direct Tony and Emmy award winner Len Cariou at the Milford Theatre in “Love Letters” launching the Milford Readers and Writers Festival 2017.

Many of her students are famous composers, vocal coaches, songwriters, dancers, teachers, music therapists and yoga instructors, but all share one thing in common--the importance of the arts in their daily lives.

Cost: $35 for OLLI at BCC members
$45 for non-members

Sign up today!

Register online or call 413.236.2190 (M-F 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.) to register by phone with a credit card.

Breath Workshop with Michelle Oram (Tuesday, September 08, 2026)

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 19:30:00 GMT

Vocal Breath Energy Clinic with Michelle Oram

Three sessions:
Tuesdays, September 1, 8, and 15, from 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
at Berkshire Community College

In-person only.

Learn about the Healing Powers of the Voice and its ability to melt away physical and mental tension.

Taught by Michelle Oram, who has been training singers for the past 40 years. This mini-clinic will help you break free from whatever makes you stop by silencing the restrictions of the mind.

This class can be done fully in a chair.

All classes end in a sing a-long.

In this mini-clinic, participants will learn:

Yogi Complete Breath
Alternate Nostril Breathing
Vocal Breath
Breath and Meditation
Breath and Vibration
Rhythmic Breathing
To integrate Eastern & Western approaches to singing.
Vocal exercises to help you improve your range.
How to actively listen.
How to “center yourself” and be in the NOW.
Most importantly–learn to sing for your health.

After graduating from the Boston Conservatory of Music, Michelle Oram explored breath-body mastery and integrated Eastern and Western approaches of Yoga, Tai-Chi, Alexander, and Bel-Canto techniques to help her get out of her head, into her heart and connect with the divine teacher within.

Michelle founded Stagestruck Performing Arts Center with numerous locations in NJ to help everyone discover the artist within. She developed art, dance, drama, musical theater, and vocal programs for thousands of students from ages three to adult. Because of the diversity in programs students were able to explore all their artistic possibilities. Many of her students have performed and directed on and off Broadway. Some are composers, vocal coaches, songwriters, artists, dancers, teachers, music therapists and yoga instructors, but all share one thing in common—the importance of music in their daily lives.

Because of her love of music Michelle has blessed to sing with some amazing big bands and jazz ensembles over the past 45 years and has also acted and directed in theaters throughout the East Coast. Her jazz band "…and All That Jazz" pays tribute to numerous styles of music—jazz, cabaret, blues, Broadway and pop—all with a unique twist.

Cost: $35 for OLLI at BCC members
$45 for non-members

Sign up today!

Register online or call 413.236.2190 (M-F 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.) to register by phone with a credit card.

Fall OLLI Players Auditions! (Tuesday, September 08, 2026)

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 20:00:00 GMT

FALL AUDITIONS FOR THE OLLI PLAYERS

The OLLI Players is a project of the Performing Arts Initiative of OLLI at Berkshire Community College, presenting Readers’ Theatre events throughout the year.

Register now to audition for the next OLLI Players staged reading

What: Into the Breeches, a comedy by George Brant

Where: Berkshire Community College

When: Auditions are Tuesday, September 8, 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Audition Process:
- Sign up for a one-hour slot by clicking the REGISTER button below
- You will be asked to read a scene from the play. No prepared auditions are required
Available roles:
- Four female roles (one is for an African American)
- Two male roles (one is for a gay male)
- A narrator and
- a stage manager are also needed
About the Production:

Rehearsals are September 26 through October 3.
Performance will be Sunday, October 4 at 2:00 p.m. in the Boland Theatre, BCC

For more information: Email director Jeannie Woods: OlliPlayers.Jeannie@gmail.com

----------------

For information about OLLI Players, see the website at https://berkshireolli.org/OLLIPlayers

The OLLI Players is a project of the Performing Arts Initiative of Berkshire OLLI, presenting Readers’ Theatre events throughout the year.

Supported by the Michael and Nancy Vale Performing Arts Program Endowment at OLLI at Berkshire Community College

Author Talk with Linda Kaye-Moses (Wednesday, September 09, 2026)

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 20:00:00 GMT

Join local author and artist Linda Kaye-Moses for a talk on her new novel:

The Argentera and the Tales of the Six Arabesques

Wednesday, September 9, 2026 at 4:00 p.m.
In-person at BCC
Free and open to the public

For over six hundred years, a Jewish goldsmith’s journal, describing the making of an enameled necklace, has been wandering far from where it was created in the Alsace to the Berkshire hills of western Massachusetts. And on one bright spring day, in a used bookstore in upstate New York, the journal is finally found by Miriam, a studio jeweler and book lover. Feeling that the journal found her, she sets out to solve the mysteries the journal poses and find the lost jewel. From an ancient tale in the 5th century BCE to the journal’s original home in the 14th century, to Venice and Spain, Miriam’s search reveals long-held secrets, changing her life and the lives of those around her forever. The Argentera and the Tales of the Six Arabesques, a generation-spanning story, is ultimately about the stubborn, uncompromising and unshakeable strength of the human will and the possibility of transformation hidden in every object formed by a creative hand.

Linda Kaye-Moses is an uppity, unruly octogenarian author and an award-winning studio jeweler, living a life amazed by the magic inherent both in writing and in her objets. She graduated from the University of Vermont with unofﬁcial majors in psychology, drama, and ancient history, so, naturally, she has been making her jewels for ﬁve decades and has always been a writer. She is the author of The Argentera and the Tales of the Six Arabesques; Pure Silver Metal Clay Beads; and a self-published memoir, Roots Stems and Branches; A Recollection. Her writing was included in Strong Shoulders and in Writing Fire: An Anthology Celebrating the Power of Women’s Words. She was a Writer’s Digest 2023 Award Winner. She lives with her husband in an old farmhouse, surrounded by lilacs and the green hills of western Massachusetts.

It's Not What You Think: An American Woman in Saudi Arabia (Thursday, September 10, 2026)

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 23:00:00 GMT

The OLLI Distinguished Speakers Series presents:

It's Not What You Think: An American Woman in Saudi Arabia

September, 10 at 7:00 p.m. ET

Online via Zoom

Envisioning a Better Future with Christopher Nye (Monday, September 14, 2026)

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 20:00:00 GMT

The OLLI Distinguished Speakers Series presents:

Envisioning a Better Future
with Christopher Nye

September 14 at 4:00 p.m. ET

Online via Zoom and in-person at Berkshire Community College
Free and open to the public.

Improv Workshop with Michelle Oram (Tuesday, September 15, 2026)

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 17:30:00 GMT

Improvisation Mind Games Workshop with Michelle Oram

(Photo from the 2026 Summer One Semester's "Just Improvise!" course taught by Michelle.)

Three sessions:
Tuesdays, September 1, 8, and 15, from 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
at Berkshire Community College

In-person only.

This workshop is designed to make you laugh and have fun. Through a series of active mind games, students will:

Boost confidence and self-acceptance
Reduce fear of failure
Improve communication and active listening
Enhance creativity and quick thinking
Build teamwork and empathy
Provide stress release and joy
Learn to focus and concentrate
Adapt to ever-changing circumstances
Be courageous and vulnerable
Build awareness of how one thinks
Believe in the quality of one’s inner voice
Express one’s emotions

Students will learn the basic skills of improvisation: the concepts of give & take, justification, spontaneity, listening and most of all—PLAY.

The supportive, nurturing environment will help you practice the craft of creating scenes, building characters and taking risks that may surprise you.

In 2017, she had the honor to direct Tony and Emmy award winner Len Cariou at the Milford Theatre in “Love Letters” launching the Milford Readers and Writers Festival 2017.

Cost: $35 for OLLI at BCC members
$45 for non-members

Sign up today!

Register online or call 413.236.2190 (M-F 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.) to register by phone with a credit card.

Breath Workshop with Michelle Oram (Tuesday, September 15, 2026)

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 19:30:00 GMT

Vocal Breath Energy Clinic with Michelle Oram

Three sessions:
Tuesdays, September 1, 8, and 15, from 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
at Berkshire Community College

In-person only.

This class can be done fully in a chair.

All classes end in a sing a-long.

In this mini-clinic, participants will learn:

Yogi Complete Breath
Alternate Nostril Breathing
Vocal Breath
Breath and Meditation
Breath and Vibration
Rhythmic Breathing
To integrate Eastern & Western approaches to singing.
Vocal exercises to help you improve your range.
How to actively listen.
How to “center yourself” and be in the NOW.
Most importantly–learn to sing for your health.

Cost: $35 for OLLI at BCC members
$45 for non-members

Sign up today!

Register online or call 413.236.2190 (M-F 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.) to register by phone with a credit card.

OLLI at BCC and BNRC Joint Hike - Thomas and Palmer Brook Trails, Great Barrington (Wednesday, September 16, 2026)

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 13:30:00 GMT

OLLI at BCC and Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC) Joint Hike

Wednesday, September 16 at 9:30 a.m. Thomas and Palmer Brook Trails, Great Barrington

BNRC and OLLI hikers will return to the Thomas and Palmer Brook trail this fall to hike the familiar trails through the meadow, past the wetland, and up to Whale Rock. Participants will then hike the newly opened connector trail that now links the Thomas and Palmer Brook system to the Three Mile Hill trails. Join this hike to explore this new trail that provides for human hikers but also adds a new link to an important wildlife corridor connecting Beartown State Forest and Monument Mountain. The trail ranges from accessible to moderate in difficulty.

Directions to the trailhead and additional information about the hike are at https://www.bnrc.org/reserves/thomas-palmer-brook

OLLI at BCC and the BNRC are offering joint hikes this summer and fall. These hikes are free for OLLI at BCC and BNRC members. You must register in advance and space is limited.

Registration will open on Monday, August 31 at 9 a.m.

The Battle of Bennington at the Bennington Museum (Thursday, September 17, 2026)

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 14:00:00 GMT

The Battle of Bennington at the Bennington Museum - Member Meet up!

Thursday, September 17, 2026
Gather at 9:45 a.m.
Tour begins at 10:00 a.m.

Stay for lunch after the tour

(option to buy a boxed lunch when you register)

In-person only at the Bennington Museum

75 Main Street

Bennington, VT 05201

Meet OLLI at BCC members at the Bennington Museum private tour of "The Battle of Bennington" with curator Jamie Franklin.

The Battle of Bennington, fought on August 16, 1777, has come to be known as a turning point in the American Revolution and an event that defines our town to many in the popular imagination. This reinstallation of objects and archival materials from the Museum’s permanent collection, the first in 25 years, centered around the museum’s beloved WPA-era mural by Leroy Williams, will tell the complex stories of the diverse participants and lives that were touched by the battle. From Joseph and Sarah Rudd’s first-hand accounts of their experience of the battle, including taking Loyalist neighbors as prisoners and fleeing to Williamstown on horseback with four children, to a portrait of Lieutenant Jonathan Holton, depicting the scars received from being shot in the face by a musket ball, this exhibition will bring visitors up close and personal with the people who lived through this historic event.

Participants will meet at the Bennington Museum.

You will have the option to pre-purchase a boxed lunch ($21.00) to enjoy with OLLI friends in a private room in the museum following the tour.

Cost: $25 for OLLI at BCC members and their guests

Optional boxed lunch: $21.00 per person

Space is limited, register today!

Register online or call 413.236.2190 (M-F 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.) to register by phone with a credit card.

This event is part of OLLI's Rev250 Project celebrating the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution.

Image: Prisoners Taken at Bennington Battle, August 16, 1777, 1938 Leroy Williams (1878-1965), Oil on canvas, 72 x 144 in., Bennington Museum Collection, Courtesy of the Works Progress Administration (WPA), Vermont Federal Art Project (FAP), A2048

Pilates - Lecture and Demo with Tanya Grillon (Friday, September 18, 2026)

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Pilates: The history and brief introduction to the practice

Friday, September 18
2:00 - 3:30 p.m.
In-person only at Bousquet Sport

Learn about the history of Pilates and its founder, Joseph Pilates, then try out some equipment with Tanya Grillon.

Attendees should wear loose fitting clothes or fitness attire and shoes will be removed for reformer demonstrations.

Tanya Grillon, Fitness & Pilates Program Coordinator
With a foundation rooted in ballet, Tanya Grillon brings grace, precision, and deep body awareness to every aspect of her work. After more than 20 years as a fitness instructor, she discovered her true passion in Pilates, a method that perfectly blends strength, control, and mindful movement.

Tanya went on to own and operate two successful Pilates studios in the Berkshires, where she built a reputation for high-quality instruction and transformative client experiences. As a STOTT-certified instructor, she combines classical principles with modern, evidence-based techniques to deliver safe, effective, and engaging programming.

Today, Tanya leads the Pilates Program at Bousquet Sport, where she oversees class design, instructor development, and overall program excellence. She is also passionate about education, offering workshops on the history of Pilates, including the fascinating connection to its creator, Joseph Pilates, as well as teaching how the method can truly reshape and strengthen the body from the inside out.

Cost: $15 for OLLI at BCC members,
$25 for non-members

Sign up today!

Register online or call 413.236.2190 (M-F 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.) to register by phone with a credit card.

Fall 2026 OLLI Term (Tuesday, September 22, 2026)

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

OLLI at Berkshire Community College

Fall 2026 Term

Beginning September 22, 2026

Our Fall term begins on September 22, 2026, and includes a mix of in-person, online, and hybrid (online and in-person) courses. All classes take place in Eastern Time.

Fall 2026 course descriptions can be found here.

Hiking classes are using a separate registration form. Register for hiking classes here.

Course cost:
$60 for one courses
$110 for 2 courses
$150 for 3 or more courses

To sign up for courses, you need to be an OLLI at BCC member. (Not a member yet? Join here.) Not sure which classes you want to take? Sign up for one or more Flexpasses, which allow you to attend six individual class sessions of your choice within a semester, as long as the class is not full. Click here to learn more about Flexpasses.

Note that our online courses are recorded, unless otherwise noted. If you cannot attend live, or if you miss a session or two, you can access that course's Padlet for the recording link and watch it at your convenience.

Questions? Contact us at olli@berkshirecc.edu or 413.236.2190. We look forward to hearing from you!

OLLI at BCC Sponsors include: Berkshire Health Systems

Hiking Classes - Fall 2026 (Tuesday, September 22, 2026)

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 13:30:00 GMT

Fall Hiking in September and October!

Hiking is a very popular OLLI at BCC offering.

To enable more people to be able to participate, registration for hiking classes is done separately, through this event page.

All OLLI at BCC members can sign up for one hiking class.
Each class costs $60 and is a separate charge from Fall 2026 course registrations.

Hiking Course Listings:For full descriptions, click here.

Crossing the Border Hiking Class
Instructor: Larry Bennett
Day: Wednesdays
Times: 9:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Sessions: 6
9/9, 9/16, 9/23, 9/30, 10/7, 10/14
Location: various
Limit: 15
Note early start date

Hiking in North County
Instructors: Wendy Donovan and Barry Weitzner
Thursdays
Time: 11:00 a.m.
Six Sessions - 9/24, 10/1, 10/8, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29
Limit: 12

Nature Walks in the Berkshires
Instructor: Bess Dillman
Fridays
Time: 9:30 a.m.
Six Sessions - 9/25, 10/2, 10/9, 10/16, 10/23, 10/30
Limit: 15

Register online or call 413.236.2190 (M-F 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.) to register by phone with a credit card.

Osher Online Fall 2026 (Tuesday, September 29, 2026)

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Osher Online is a program from the Osher National Resource Center (NRC) at Northwestern University. These classes are delivered by the Osher NRC via Zoom, with participants from all over the country. All times listed are Eastern time.

OLLI at BCC is excited to be a part of this program. Space is limited! Register early.

Osher Online classes are $60 each, and available to OLLI at BCC members only.

Each class has a limit of 13 students from each participating OLLI.

Registration closes September 14.

Osher Online classes are not recorded.

After you register for Osher Online classes, you will receive a welcome email from the Osher NRC. This email will include an Osher Online username and password as well as a link to the Osher Online Website, through which you will access your classes.

You will also have access to a pre-class orientation, where you'll get helpful information for accessing your class. There you'll find the class Zoom link, syllabus, discussion board and Customer Care contact information.

Available Courses:

The History and Experience of Route 66

Instructor: Peter Dedek
Mondays at 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Six Sessions - 10/5, 10/12, 10/19, 10/26, 11/2, 11/9

A Cosmic Grand Tour: The Realms of the Universe

CLOSED - AT CAPACITY

Instructor: Andrew Fraknoi

Tuesdays at 5:00 - 6:30 p.m.

Six Sessions - 9/29, 10/6, 10/13, 10/20, 10/27, 11/3

Apple at 50: How it Revolutionized Computing and Transformed Daily Life

Instructor: Leander Kahney
Tuesdays at 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Six Sessions - 9/29, 10/6, 10/13, 10/20, 10/27, 11/3

August Wilson and His American Cycle - The First Five: 1904-1957

Instructor: Ladrica Menson-Furr
Wednesdays at 5:00 - 6:30 p.m.
Six Sessions - 10/7, 10/14, 10/21, 10/28, 11/4, 11/11

The Magic Behind Film Scores:
The Role of Music in Great Movies-Part II

Instructor: Mike Argon
Wednesdays at 5:00 - 6:30 p.m.
Six Sessions - 9/30, 10/7, 10/14, 10/21, 11/4, 11/11

Tracing Our Roots: DNA, Family History, and the Politics of Identity

Instructor: Angelo Cervantes
Wednesdays at 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Six Sessions - 9/30, 10/7, 10/14, 10/21, 10/28, 11/4

Early 20th Century Avant-Garde: From Rebellion to Abstraction

Instructor: Lauren Weingarden
Thursdays at 5:00 - 6:30 p.m.
Six Sessions - 10/8, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29, 11/5, 11/12

Class details and videos from instructors can be found here.

The Dressmaker's Mirror: Sudden Death, Genetics, and a Family's Secret (Tuesday, October 06, 2026)

Tue, 06 Oct 2026 23:00:00 GMT

OLLI at BCC and Knesset Israel presents:

The Dressmaker's Mirror: One Family's Secret and How Genetic Testing Could Save Yours

with Dr. Susan Weiss Liebman

October 6 at 7:00 p.m. ET

Online via Zoom

In the wake of her 36-year-old pregnant niece’s sudden collapse and death, geneticist Susan Liebman embarked on a frantic search for answers. The hunt culminated in the discovery of a previously unknown heart disease gene and an Ashkenazi Jewish mutation within it. Against this backdrop, Liebman's The Dressmaker's Mirror: Sudden death, genetics, and a Jewish family's secret, intertwines heartfelt stories of generations of love, loss, and resilience, with insights into genetics and the ongoing genetic revolution. The book offers a compelling call to action, guiding readers of all ethnicities how to use the frequently overlooked tool of genetic testing to safeguard their families’ health and save lives.

Susan Weiss Liebman, PhD, is a geneticist who studied at MIT as one of relatively few women at the time, then taught genetics while running her own research laboratory for fifty years — first at the University of Illinois at Chicago and later the University of Nevada, Reno. After the sudden death of her young niece revealed a hidden genetic mutation running through her family, she became a medical detective and an advocate for genetic testing that can save lives. She is the author of The Dressmaker's Mirror: Sudden Death, Genetics, and a Jewish Family's Secret. She and her husband of fifty-seven years have two children and four grandchildren.

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Ticket information: Free and open to the public. Registration required.

This lecture will be recorded and posted to our YouTube channel.

This program has been generously sponsored by Marc Rudoltz and Lisa Hochman

Tribeca Gallery Tour (NYC Meetup) (Wednesday, October 07, 2026)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 15:30:00 GMT

OLLI at BCC Travel Committee is pleased to announce another meet-up trip in NYC:

Tribeca Gallery Tour with Artmuse

Wednesday, October 7, 2026
Signup deadline: Thursday, September 24
Tour: 11:30 a.m. - 1:15 p.m.

In-person only

Cost:
$130 per person for OLLI at BCC Members
$140 per person for non-members

Tour begins at Jack Shainman Gallery
46 Lafayette Street, New York, NY
Showing: Gordon Parks: Voices in the Mirror

This curated art tour for OLLI/BCC features 7-8 contemporary art galleries in Tribeca, led by Natasha Schlesinger. The tour will highlight exciting art exhibits,emphasizing both established and emerging artists. Discussions will focus on the concepts, processes, and understanding of the artists' work and careers.

Natasha Schlesinger is an award-winning art historian, art advisor, and curator with over 25 years of experience. She began her career in galleries in New York and London before working as a specialist at Christie’s auction house. She has lectured at Christie’s and Sotheby’s and taught at the Cooper-Hewitt Museum and New School graduate program.

Schlesinger holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Art History from Barnard College, Columbia University, and a Master’s degree from the Bard Graduate Center. In 2005, she received the Future Leaders of the Art World award from ArtTable.

Space is limited, register today!

Register online or call 413.236.2190 (M-F 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.) to register by phone with a credit card.

Author Talk with Joan Cohen: Aging is Murder (Wednesday, October 14, 2026)

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 23:00:00 GMT

Local Author Book Talk with Joan Cohen:

Aging is Murder

Wednesday, October 14, 2026 at 7:00 p.m.
Online via Zoom
Free and open to the public

Join us for a book talk, reading and Q&A with author and OLLI at BCC member, Joan Cohen!

When are you too old to perform a public service? Eighty-nine? Ninety? Four residents of Heyday Assisted Living think they're the ideal age to rid their country of hypocrites and liars. What do they have to lose? Why should mystery and murder be confined to a Clue game when, with a little resourcefulness, the skills of past careers can be revived to do so much good? Just don't mention the words "Fearsome Four" out loud!

Originally from Mount Vernon, New York, Joan Cohen received her BA from Cornell University and her MBA from New York University.

She pursued a career in sales, and executive management at computer hardware and software companies until she retired to return to school for an MFA in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She is the author of the novels Land of Last Chances, published in 2019, and The Deepfake, published in 2024. She has been a Massachusetts resident for many years, first living in Newton, where she raised her family, and later in Wayland. She now resides in Stockbridge, in the Berkshires, with her husband and latest canine addition.

You can find out more about Joan and her work at her website here: https://joancohenauthor.com/

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This lecture will be recorded and posted to our YouTube channel.

Living After Loss: Poetry for Holiday Time (Thursday, November 05, 2026)

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 18:30:00 GMT

Living After Loss:
Poetry for Holiday Time

Thursdays, November 5, 12, and December 3
1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
at Berkshire Community College
In-person only

Holidays and anniversaries ask much of a grieving heart. In this series draw on poetry as a stepping stone, a language, giving a place to land in honoring grief as you gently open to life is being lived in new ways after loss. Each session includes a time of centering, a check in, reading poetry, reflecting and writing and sharing your insights, learnings, vulnerabilities. Everything offered is optional.

Charlotte Nuessle, BSc, is a certified grief educator with David Kessler. She has led grief groups for 3 years. For the past 11 years she facilitated groups in exploring death and dying, as well as groups focused on strengthening resilience and personal development. She retired from a 25-year career in adaptive yoga and developing self-awareness for seniors and elders. Reading and writing poetry has given her a perspective on grief that opened creativity and possibility in the midst of loss.

Cost: $35 for OLLI at BCC members
$45 for non-members

Sign up today!

Register online or call 413.236.2190 (M-F 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.) to register by phone with a credit card.

Desiging a Life at Any Age (Thursday, November 12, 2026)

Thu, 12 Nov 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Designing a Life at any Age
with Mary B. O'Neill, Ph.D.

Two week series:
Thursdays:
November 12
November 19
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

In-person only.

We can’t chuck it all and abandon our present lives. We’re embedded in relationships and situations. We live in the real world. Yet, we have the opportunity at any time to bring creativity into our lives, take more control, and move incrementally into a better place. And have fun doing it!

This dynamic, interactive two-session workshop provides tools to help you (re)connect with your values, purpose, skills, and talents, and to discern paths forward at any stage in life, whether you're facing retirement or a career pivot, immersed in caregiving, or simply want more coherence in your days.

Drawing on Stanford's Designing Your Life and Life Design Catalyst methodologies, this hands-on, collaborative workshop blends self-reflection exercises with authentic, supportive conversations among fellow participants. You'll explore possibilities and create concrete steps to move you toward a life of alignment and clarity.

Our time together will cut through abstract overthinking about your future, increase efficacy and joy, and foster connections with fellow participants. You'll leave the workshop feeling unstuck, more compassionate toward yourself, and with real momentum toward a life that feels right for you.

Mary B. O'Neill, Ph.D., CCSP, has reinvented herself more times than Madonna — and has used every tool she teaches in this workshop to do it. She is the founder of You Doing You Life Design and Career Coaching and the Director of Life Design at Boston Global Communications and Performance. Mary holds a Ph.D. in philosophy and is a Stanford University-Certified Designing Your Life Educator and a Life Design Catalyst facilitator. She is an NCDA Certified Career Services Provider and has served as interim Career Services Coordinator at CT State: Northwestern.

Mary is a college instructor with extensive experience designing creative programs and curricula that foster personal reflection and growth. She created a popular Philosophy of Happiness course that integrates philosophy, neuroscience, psychology, and mindfulness, which she infuses into her life design work. In 2014, Mary earned the Systemwide Adjunct Award for Excellence in Teaching from the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU).

Cost: $35 for OLLI at BCC members
$45 for non-members

Sign up today!

Register online or call 413.236.2190 (M-F 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.) to register by phone with a credit card.

Living After Loss: Poetry for Holiday Time (Thursday, November 12, 2026)

Thu, 12 Nov 2026 18:30:00 GMT

Living After Loss:
Poetry for Holiday Time

Thursdays, November 5, 12, and December 3
1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
at Berkshire Community College
In-person only

Cost: $35 for OLLI at BCC members
$45 for non-members

Sign up today!

Register online or call 413.236.2190 (M-F 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.) to register by phone with a credit card.

Lecture and Tasting - Tales from the Grove: A Chemist’s View of Olive Oil (Tuesday, November 17, 2026)

Tue, 17 Nov 2026 21:00:00 GMT

Lecture and Tasting -
Tales from the Grove: A Chemist’s View of Olive Oil with Prof. Patricia O'Hara

Tuesday, November 17
4:00 - 5:30 p.m.
In-person only
at Berkshire Community College

Lecture and olive oil tasting with Patricia B. O'Hara, Amanda and Lisa Cross Professor of Chemistry, Emerita, Amherst College.

Join us for an exploration of the history, cultivation, harvesting and processing of olives and olive oil. What can we learn about the freshness and authenticity of oils based on some simple chemical tests that can protect us from rancid or fraudulent oils? How do we train our senses to appreciate some of the world’s finest extra virgin olive oils and what is the difference between cold press or first press? What are scientists learning about the health benefits of this “liquid gold”? Learn some tips about cooking with olive oil and hear of some of the non‐traditional and surprising uses of this vital substance.

Lecture will be followed by a guided tasting, and then some social time with cheese, bread, and more olive oil following the formal program.

Cost: $35 for OLLI at BCC members,
$45 for non-members

Sign up today!

Register online or call 413.236.2190 (M-F 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.) to register by phone with a credit card.

Desiging a Life at Any Age (Thursday, November 19, 2026)

Thu, 19 Nov 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Designing a Life at any Age
with Mary B. O'Neill, Ph.D.

Two week series:
Thursdays:
November 12
November 19
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

In-person only.

Cost: $35 for OLLI at BCC members
$45 for non-members

Sign up today!

Register online or call 413.236.2190 (M-F 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.) to register by phone with a credit card.

A Tale of Two Startles: Examining Escape Responses in Zebrafish with Josef Trapani, Ph.D (Thursday, November 19, 2026)

Fri, 20 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The OLLI Distinguished Speakers Series presents:

A Tale of Two Startles: Examining Escape Responses in Zebrafish

with Josef Trapani, Ph.D

November 19 at 7:00 p.m. ET

Online via Zoom

Living After Loss: Poetry for Holiday Time (Thursday, December 03, 2026)

Thu, 03 Dec 2026 18:30:00 GMT

Living After Loss:
Poetry for Holiday Time

Thursdays, November 5, 12, and December 3
1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
at Berkshire Community College
In-person only

Cost: $35 for OLLI at BCC members
$45 for non-members

Sign up today!

Register online or call 413.236.2190 (M-F 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.) to register by phone with a credit card.