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Spring Lambs at Hancock Shaker Village

Season Opens Saturday, April 16

By: - Mar 29, 2022

(HANCOCK, MA - March 29, 2022) In just a few weeks, Hancock Shaker Village will open its barn doors and welcome visitors to meet our Baby Animals and celebrate new life on the farm. This beloved annual ritual of renewal marks the beginning of spring in the Berkshires and kicks off the museum’s spring/summer programming. This year’s dynamic program includes a campus-wide exploration of the connection between the Shakers and contemporary Asian art, a gem of an exhibition about the design and functionality of the broom, and popular events ranging from goat yoga to outdoor lawn concerts to Food for Thought.

“Spring at Hancock Shaker Village is a joyous time,” said Director Jennifer Trainer Thompson. “Our farm literally ‘springs’ to life and there may be nothing cuter than a baby animal. When you add to that 20 historic buildings, and a lot of creative programming --- from farm talks to concerts to the spiritual richness of brooms --- you find a union with content that creates an unparalleled experience. Welcome back, and welcome to our 2022 season!”

Baby Animals returns for its 20th Anniversary celebration on Saturday, April 16 (through Sunday, May 8). Meet our newest arrivals and partake in hundreds of events and activities, from daily Livestock 101 talks with our farm team, to a talk on the enduring Shaker influence on design, to walks, games, and talks daily. Enjoy Easter brunch in Bimi’s Café, and follow a scavenger hunt to find the Easter chicks. On Sheep Shearing Weekend Saturday & Sunday, April 23 and 24, watch our flock get their annual haircuts. Follow the wool from fleece to fabric during After the Shearing Weekend, Saturday & Sunday April 30 and May 1. And don’t forget our Behind the Scenes tours for a personalized experience. Highly popular, there are a limited number of spots in each tour and they sell out quickly. Find blacksmithing, woodworking, dyeing, spinning, and weaving demos, plus on weekends, take a pony ride and have your face painted. Open 11-4 daily. 

In 2022 Hancock Shaker Village will also present its first major exhibition on contemporary Asian art, featuring three artists working on the cutting edge of international art trends.  A Spirit of Gift, A Place of Sharing is a campus-wide exhibition opening May 30 that explores the link between 19th century Shaker and contemporary Asian art. Featuring three artists—Yusuke Asai of Japan, Kimsooja of Korea, and Pinaree Sanpitak of Thailand—the campus-wide exhibition connects the forms rooted in various Asian sensibilities and aesthetics as manifested in the contemporary visual language of these three artists, sharing an intense concentration of minds, handcrafted intimacy, and unique use of space. Although worlds apart in origin and distance, these artists and the Shaker community are all dedicated to a place of sharing. This is the third time in the last 30 years that Hancock Shaker Village has explored a connection between Asian aesthetics and the very American religious utopian Shaker movement. More information about the exhibition which runs May 30-November 14 can be found here.

In the Chace Gallery, Swept: This Work I Will Do features the work of artist and broom squire Cate Richards who, inspired by Shaker broom makers, will create sculptural objects with established broom making techniques to explore issues of gender, race, equality, and other topics.  Some of Richard’s sculptures are made of traditional broom making materials (broomcorn and wood) while others will use fiber, plastic, and metal. These anachronistic sculptures comment on the history and potential historical gaps of American broom making, highlight contemporary broom making practices, and explore the Shaker idea of the broom as a spiritual object. The exhibition opens June 17 and runs through November 27, 2022.

In the Brick Dwelling, several of the historic period rooms are being reconceived, featuring themed gallery spaces. In each of these rooms, the Shaker design legacy for American artists will be on display as well as masterpieces from important collections. Rarely seen objects, furniture, and textiles from Hancock’s collection will be on view alongside period rooms that depict Shaker favorites. Themes such as Death and Mourning, Textile Processes, and Look Again! a close study of chairs from various Shaker communities, will offer new and varied perspectives on the Shaker beliefs and practices.

Enjoy a Friday night under the stars with our Back Porch Concerts. Bring a blanket or chair and claim a spot on the lawn. The bar’s open, and Bimi’s café will be serving supper or picnics at our summer concert series which starts July 1 with Boston singer-songwriter Ali McGuirk, described by The Boston Globe as, “a soul singer who evokes comparisons to Amy Winehouse but rocks even harder.” Friday July 22 enjoy Grammy nominated Carolina Chocolate Drops member Hubby Jenkins and his Americana music sound. Regional favorites with national acclaim, The Nields return with their sisterly harmonies and sharp story-telling Friday, August 12. And September 2, award-winning banjoist, fiddler, singer and ethnomusicologist Jake Blount takes the Back Porch stage to perform music that draws upon bluegrass and blues influences, specializing in the traditional music of African Americans and indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands.

An inspired menu combined with an opportunity for vibrant discourse is the recipe for our Food for Thought dinner series. Artisanal cider maker Berkshire Cider Project joins us for a special Cider Maker's Dinner on July 14. Learn more about making their fine, sparkling hard cider from heirloom apples gathered in our historic orchard at an al fresco multi-course savory dinner featuring craft cider pairings. August 18 Know Your (Chignon) Farmer features a beautiful collaboration between our farmers and two rising food stars.  Lucky guests will walk the gardens (glass of wine in hand) with our farmers, then settle down for food-from-scratch dinner in the barn prepared by Mariah and Justin Forstmann from Chingon Taco Truck. Chingon’s culinary mission is to connect with the land and food culture of the Berkshires, and they’ll be working directly with our farm team to make a special dinner. 

HANCOCK SHAKER VILLAGE SPRING/SUMMER 2022 SEASON AT A GLANCE

BABY ANIMALS FESTIVAL

April 16 - May 8

Daily 11am-4pm

Daily activities for all ages during Baby Animals – for schedule, visit HancockShakerVillage.org   

VIP BEHIND THE SCENES TOURS

April 16 - May 8

Daily 10am-11am
Hop aboard our hayride and get the dirt about our farm from our farmers. Learn little known facts and secrets about the Shaker farm, and pet baby goats, lambs, and piglets. Tours are limited to 20 people and happen only once daily so sign up soon here. Fee includes admission to the Village for the day. FEE $40-50 per person

EASTER AT THE VILLAGE

Sunday, April 17, 11am-4pm

An Easter Egg Hunt AND baby animals - what could be better? On the Egg Hunt, use your phone to help Mother Hen find her missing eggs and receive a fun Easter surprise. Good cluck! INCLUDED IN ADMISSION/FREE FOR MEMBERS 

EASTER BRUNCH

Celebrate Easter with a family-style brunch at Bimi’s Cafe (with mimosas!) $25 per person, children 2 and under free. Served family-style, seats must be reserved in advance: https://bit.ly/BimisEasterBrunch

 SHEEP SHEARING WEEKEND

Saturday & Sunday, April 23 and 24, 11am-4pm

This is the weekend our sheep shed their winter wool, getting their annual haircuts by champion shearer Fred DePaul. Talk to our expert farmers as they shear our flock, smell and touch the lanolin, and learn about pasture-raised sheep. INCLUDED IN ADMISSION/FREE FOR MEMBERS 

AFTER THE SHEARING WEEKEND

Saturday & Sunday, April 30 and May 1, 11am-4pm

Follow the wool from sheep to cloak with spinning, dying, and weaving demonstrations throughout the day. Meet regional fiber artisans. Enjoy hands-on activities and learn how fleece becomes a sweater. Meet and pet the spring babies, too. A wooly, wonderful weekend of classic New England fun. INCLUDED IN ADMISSION/FREE FOR MEMBERS 

TALK: The Enduring Legacy of Shaker Design – From Maya Lin to Ikea

Saturday April 30, 3pm - 4pm

From Donald Judd’s daybed to Virgil Abloh’s Markerad Ikea chair, the enduring influence is evident, with the Shaker aesthetic becoming a touchstone of American vernacular design. Join Director Jennifer Trainer Thompson and Curator Linda Johnson for this talk exploring iconic examples of Shaker design influence on artists and designers ranging from Maya Lin to Tory Burch. Fees: $20 /Free for Members

MOTHER’S DAY 

Sunday, May 8, 11am-4pm

Baby animals and moms. Bring your mom, daughter, and friends to explore the 19th century gardens and 20 historic buildings and wonder at our baby animals. Moms take home complimentary seeds to remember their special day as they grow. INCLUDED IN ADMISSION/FREE FOR MEMBERS 

EXHIBITION: A Spirit of Gift, A Place of Sharing

May 30 – November 14, 2022

GOAT YOGA

Saturday, June 11, 10am

TICKETS $25/22.50 FOR MEMBERS

WORKSHOP: Oval Box

Saturday, June 11 (10am-3pm) and Sunday, June 12 (10am-2pm)

FEES:  $150/$135 FOR MEMBERS, plus a $25 materials fee

EXHIBITION: Swept: This Work I Will Do

June 17 – November 27, 2022

 

GOAT YOGA

Saturday, June 25, 10am

TICKETS $25/22.50 FOR MEMBERS

 

WORKSHOP: Weave a Basket

Saturday June 25, 10am - 3pm

FEES: $50/$45 FOR MEMBERS, plus a $20 materials fee

 

BACK PORCH CONCERT: Ali McGuirk

Friday, July 1 Doors open 6:30pm/Show 7pm 

TICKETS: ADVANCE $20; DAY OF SHOW $25

 

GOAT YOGA

Saturday, July 9, 10am

TICKETS $25/22.50 FOR MEMBERS

 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Cider Makers Dinner

Thursday, July 14, 6pm

TICKETS $95

 

BACK PORCH CONCERT: Hubby Jenkins

Friday, July 22 Doors open 6:30pm/Show 7pm 

TICKETS: ADVANCE $20; DAY OF SHOW $25

 

GOAT YOGA

Saturday, July 23, 10am

TICKETS $25/22.50 FOR MEMBERS

 

BACK PORCH CONCERT: The Nields

Friday, August 12 Doors open 6:30pm/Show 7pm 

TICKETS: ADVANCE $20; DAY OF SHOW $25

 

GOAT YOGA

Saturday, August 13, 10am

TICKETS $25/22.50 FOR MEMBERS

 

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Know Your (Chignon) Farmer

Thursday, August 18, 6pm

TICKETS $95

 

GOAT YOGA

Saturday, August 27, 10am

TICKETS $25/22.50 FOR MEMBERS

 

WORKSHOP: Weave a Napkin Basket

Saturday, August 27 10am - 2:30pm

FEES: $45/$40 FOR MEMBERS, plus a $10 materials fee

 

BACK PORCH CONCERT: Jake Blount

Friday, September 2 Doors open 6:30pm/Show 7pm 

TICKETS: ADVANCE $20; DAY OF SHOW $25

 

GOAT YOGA

Saturday, September 17, 10am

TICKETS $25/22.50 FOR MEMBERS

 

GOAT YOGA

Saturday, September 3, 10am

TICKETS $25/22.50 FOR MEMBERS

 

ONE-ON-ONE WORKSHOP: BLACKSMITHING, WEAVING, OR WOODWORKING

Have you ever longed to learn an age-old trade? Become an apprentice for a day, and learn alongside some of our trade masters. Learn blacksmithing, weaving or woodworking in a private session – you can even pick a date and time that’s convenient for you and the instructor. What a great Mother’s Day or Father’s Day gift! Available starting April 16; 2 hours minimum.

FEE $100/90 FOR MEMBERS for a 2-hour session; materials fee may also apply

A Spirit of Gift, A Place of Sharing is made possible with generous support from the W.L.S. Spencer Foundation and contributing support from Alan Beller. Additional support is provided by Noriko Kashiwagi.

Baby Animals is made possible with generous support from lead sponsor ROAM: an Xtina Parks Gallery. Additional sponsorship support provided by Guardian and The Red Lion Inn.

Goat Yoga is made possible with generous support from MountainOne.

 

 

 

ABOUT HANCOCK SHAKER VILLAGE

Hancock Shaker Village is a living history museum on 750 acres in the heart of the Berkshires. A National Historic Landmark, the property includes 20 historic Shaker buildings dating back to 1783, and the oldest working farm in the Berkshires. The museum is home to more than 22,000 artifacts including furniture, textiles, hymnals, and everyday goods, making it one of the premier Shaker collections in the world.

Hancock Shaker Village is located at 1843 West Housatonic Street in Pittsfield Mass. Open daily 11-4 starting 4/16/22. For more information about Hancock Shaker Village, please contact Carolyn McDaniel at cmcdaniel@hancockshakervillage.org or visit HancockShakerVillage.org.