Bee Weeks 2014
What Happened in 2014?
April 19 – 27: Amherst
4/22: “More Than Honey”: documentary screening in the Woodbury Room, Jones Library, 7 pm. Co-sponsored by the Jones Library and All Things Local. More Than Honey Flyer
4/23: “Bee Smart: Amherst” workshop and panel at UMASS Stockbridge School of Agriculture, 2 pm – 3:30. Bee Smart flyer
4/ 23 – 4/25: To Bee or Not to Bee residency at the Hitchcock Center’s April School Vacation Camp, public performance on 3/25 with campers
4/26: To Bee or Not to Bee at the Amherst Sustainability Festival on the Town Common, 10 am, followed by “How to Plant a Bee Garden” workshop by Meredith Wecker from the The Benson Place. Download the Festival Flyer
Ongoing: bee book displays at Amherst Books and the Jones Library
Special Offer: free labor and expertise from local bee-advocate and gardener for the first two Amherst homeowners (or business owners with a public lawn space) who contact Piti Theatre to say they’d like to put in a bee garden. Contact us for an obligation free quote on materials.
May 10 – 18: Hilltowns
5/3: Bee-themed Artwalk in Shelburne Falls, 4 – 8 pm
5/16 – 5/18: Show Me the Honey: Bees, Hives and Other Apian Miracles (Dan & Bonita Conlon at the Rowe Center)
5/17: BLOOM! Festival at Benson Place, Heath (sustainably grown blueberry farm) featuring To Bee or Not to Bee at 1:30 pm
5/12 – 5/23: To Bee or Not to Bee residency at Sanderson Academy with public performance
Ongoing: pollinator book display at Arms Library, Shelburne Falls
June 6 – June 15: Greenfield
6/6: Bee-Themed First Night Greenfield featuring honey tasting at Green Fields Market
6/7: “How to Plant a Pollinator Garden” with local pollinator expert Tom Sullivan from 9 – 10 am followed by the 4th annual Bee Fest at 2nd Congregational Church, 10 am – noon. Download Poster
6/8: Just Roots Spring Farm Festival, 3 – 7 pm (includes performance of To Bee or Not to Bee at 6 pm)
6/14: Multi-award winning documentary screening: “Full Signal: The Hidden Cost of Cell Phones” at Green Fields Market, 144 Main Street, 2nd Floor meeting room, at 5 pm followed by info session including simple precautions people can take to protect themselves from electrosmog, the effects of wireless communication on bees and special guest Patricia Burke, a leader of the fight against “smart” meters in Massachusetts.
6/14-6/15: Plant Flowers Greenfield! Weekend of bee-friendly flower planting around town. First three “abutter pairs” of home/business owners OR individual homeowners who contact us will receive a free 1/2 hour “pollinator corridor/pollinator garden” consultation from expert Tom Sullivan of Pollinators Welcome. The public is invited to listen in to these consultations at 10 am, 11 am and 12 pm on 6/14. Contact us for locations or check www.beeweek.org
6/28: Hands-on “Introduction to Beekeeping” workshop at Just Roots
Ongoing: display of bee-themed books in children’s room of the Greenfield Public Library
July 7 – 13: Springfield
Wed, 7/9: To Bee or Not to Bee at Springfield Museums at 1 pm plus sustainability expo
Sat., 7/12: Festival of the Bees at the Mason Square Branch Library, 11 am – 3 pm. Celebrate our favorite pollinators with a number of different activities for families and children. Build houses for native bee populations using recycled materials. Enjoy talks (and samples!) from local beekeepers. See Piti Theater Company’s performance of To Bee or Not to Bee at 11:30.
More about the show:
Farmer James has lost his bees, there’s only gruel to eat and now the townspeople (the audience) have arrived to protest, chanting “There’s no good food, we’re in a bad mood.” To Bee tells James’ comic, tragic and ultimately hopeful story – complete with puppetry, clowning, dance, live music and lots of audience participation. Piti created the show to raise awareness about the honeybee’s plight and gives children and adults tools for helping bees thrive in their communities.
Current Collaborators
Amherst: All Things Local, Amherst Sustainability Festival, Amherst Books, Grow Food Amherst, Hitchcock Center for the Environment, Jones Library, UMASS. Hilltowns: Sanderson Academy, Greater Shelburne Falls Area Business Association, The Benson Place. Greenfield: Greening Greenfield, Greenfield Public Library, 2nd Congregational Church, Just Roots. Springfield: Springfield Museums, Springfield Libraries, Gardening the Community. General: Tom Sullivan (Pollinators Welcome)
Thank You 2014 Sponsors!
Angels
Producers
Directors
Better World Auto Club
Clean Air Lawn Care
Todd Lococo, ND
Actors
Magical Child
Tire Warehouse, Greenfield
Generous “seed” funding has been received from:
New England Grassroots Environment Fund
Mass Cultural Council STARS program
Heath, Springfield, and Amherst Cultural Councils*
Learn more and bring a bee week to your town!
*This program is supported in part by a grant from the Heath, Springfield and Amherst Cultural Councils, local agencies which are supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.