Clay all day

HILLTOWNS – The annual Hilltown 6 Pottery Tour returns next weekend, July 27 and 28. The event, which includes a tour of pottery studios in Westhampton, Cummington, Ashfield, Williamsburg and Windsor, brings throngs of visitors to the area.

The Hilltown 6 is a group of nationally recognized potters based in western Massachusetts. Each summer on the last weekend of July, these potters open their studios to the public to see the variety of ceramics being made right here in the community.

The tour is free and open to the public, and will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both days. Potters will have their wares for sale and will be demonstrating activities such as stacking canister sets, surface decorating wheel-thrown pots, and decorating porcelain.

In addition to the local artists, guest artists visiting from far and wide will be hosted at each location.

Potters that will be participating in this event include Michael McCarthy (guest: Martina Lantin), Maya Machin (guests: Courtney Martin and John Ceci with intern Kayla McFarland), Hiroshi Nakayama (guests: Sumiyo Toribe, Waterwheel Clay, Ben Bonsall and Garrett Sanders), Constance Talbot (guests: Mathew Meunier, Beckie Kravitz and Ellen Grenadier), Christy Knox (guests: Doug Peltzman and Kristen Kieffer), Mark Shapiro (guests: Will Swanson, Jeffrey Lipton and Normandy Alden), Sam Taylor (guests: Tom White, Janel Jacobson, Hayne Bayless and Tandem Ceramics) and Robbie Heidinger (guests: Ben Eberle and Stuart Gair).

A map of the different studios is available online at https://www.hilltown6.com/map, but since cell reception can be spotty in certain parts of the tour, it is recommended that guests print out a copy of the map in advance.

Children’s music benefit concert

NORTHAMPTON – This Sunday, July 21, at the Pines Theater at Look Park, Latin Grammy-award winning children’s artist Mister G will be performing a benefit for Grow Food Northampton, an organization that “strives to create a just and resilient local food and farming system that nourishes the Pioneer Valley and protects and enriches the earth,” according to their website.

Ben Gundersheimer, who performs under the name “Mister G,” is a graduate of Amherst College and has released 14 albums of original, multicultural music and has received multiple awards including a Latin Grammy and five Parents’ Choice Gold Awards. Gundersheimer intertwines music and storytelling and uses songs and stories as tools to build connections between cultures and people.

Along with the performance, guests can enjoy games and activities about gardening and growing food, local food vendors including authentic Mexican dishes from Masa Mexicano, local food from River Valley Coop, popsicles from Crooked Stick Pops and beer from BLDG 8 Brewing.

The concert is free with a suggested donation of any amount (all proceeds will benefit Grow Food Northampton). Doors open at 5 p.m. and the concert starts at 6 p.m. If arriving after 4 p.m., there is a parking fee of $5.

‘Hedwig’ comesto western Mass.

EASTHAMPTON – From July 25 through July 27 at CitySpace, K & E Theater Group will be presenting “Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” an innovative and dark-humored rock ’n’ roll musical written by John Cameron Mitchell and Stephen Trask. The musical won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical in 2016.

The story revolves around Hedwig Schmidt, “an East German punk rock goddess whose botched sex change operation left her with just ‘an angry inch,’” according to K & E Theater Group’s website.

This production of “Hedwig” is directed by Eddie Zitka, who also stars as the eponymous character. Doors for the show will open at 7 p.m.; the show starts at 7:30 p.m. The recommended age is 14 and over due to mature themes, explicit language and sexual content.

Face coverings are highly recommended but optional for audience members and stage effects include strobes and bright moving lights.

A choir that will rock you

NORTHAMPTON – On the evening of July 27, the Academy of Music Theatre will be hosting a night of Queen music, performed by western Mass’ Rock Voices, an adult choir of over 200 people that sings rock music.

Rock Voices will be accompanied by a full band and will perform arrangements of Queen’s music by Tony Lechner.

Ticket prices range from $14 to $25 and can be purchased in-person, over the phone or online at aomtheatre.com. Children 12 and under are free. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the show runs from 7 to 9 p.m.

A drag show for the muses

EASTHAMPTON – On July 31, “Muses of the Marigold: Pirate’s Booty” will be presented at the Marigold Theatre. The show features local drag queens such as Magnolia Masquerade, Egg the Scallion, Limbo and Guy Montage.

“Pirates Booty” is the theme for this month’s theatrical drag show which is hosted every month by Andrew Curran (Magnolia Masquerade).

Doors for the show open at 7 p.m. and the performance, which is 18+, will begin at 9 p.m.

Tickets for the event can be purchased at Marigold Theatre’s website.

A summer full of art

NORTHAMPTON – Beginning today (July 19), over 75 works by 26 artists will be on display at the William Baczek Fine Arts Center as part of their Summer 2024 Group Exhibition. The exhibition includes photographs, paintings, prints and sculptures in both representational and abstract styles and is open to the public until Aug. 31.

Artists include Scott Prior, Larry Preston, Julie Beck, Yin Yong Chun, Laura Gurton, Jamie Young, Andrae Green, El Gato Chimney, Charlie Hunter, Andrew Haines, Matthew Cornell, Jeff Gola, Robert Sweeney, Susan Mikula, Mallory Lake, Travis Louie and Chie Yoshii.

The gallery is located at 36 Main St. in downtown Northampton and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

UMass Amherst journalism student Paige Hanson is arts and features intern for the Gazette and Recorder.