These Haunted Hills
Look closely through the fall foliage, and you might see them: the ghosts of Berkshire County. Don’ t believe it? Sign up for a ghost tour, if you dare! At Hancock Shaker Village in Pittsfield, bricks are not the only things found in the dark halls of the1830 Brick Dwelling. Hear spine-chilling stories as you explore the village in the dark of night! The 90-minute Haunted Hancock Tour covers a quarter mile and is not for the faint of heart or those under 12.( October 22, 23, 24, 29, and 30, 7 p. m.) If anyone can conjure ghosts, it’ s Robert Oakes, author of Ghosts of the Berkshires. Join him for a Ghost Tour of The Mount in Lenox.( Fridays, 8 to 10 p. m. through Halloween.) Maybe you’ ll meet the same ghosts, maybe not, but Ventfort Hall, less than two miles from The Mount, invites you to Investigate the Paranormal— a five-hour event with David Ruby.( October 31, 7 p. m.) Mohawk Theater Haunted House in North Adams, themed Urban Legends & Cryptids, creates a frightening, free immersive journey for ages 12 and up.( October 23, 6 to 10 p. m.) hancockshakervillage. org; edithwharton. org; gildedage. org; discovernorthadams. com
Buster in the Berkshires
Buster Keaton performed in the Berkshires in 1928 at The Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield and The Playhouse in Stockbridge— sometimes on the same day! Keaton’ s hilarious antics return to the Berkshires with the Slapstick Film Series at the Clark in Williamstown. Kicking things off is Safety Last! on October 15 with Harold Lloyd, followed by three Buster Keaton films: The Navigator on October 22; Sherlock Jr. and Cops on October 29; and Steamboat Bill, Jr. on November 5. Following each screening is a talkback with Will Schmenner, the Clark’ s head of public programs and a Keaton expert and film scholar. Shows are free and begin at 6 p. m. No registration necessary. Also, don’ t miss The Met: Live in HD 20th anniversary season, which kicks off at the Clark on Saturday, October 3, at 1 p. m. with Mozart’ s Così fan tutte. The Mahaiwe in Great Barrington will air the broadcasts on Sundays at 1 p. m., pre-recorded from the Saturday live feed. clarkart. edu; mahaiwe. org
LEAF PEEP WITH A PURPOSE
Don’ t just leaf peep this autumn— explore historic gardens, cultural sites, nature walks, and local industrial-site ruins as you set off with a Housatonic Heritage guide on one( or more!) of 68 different interpretative tours over five weekends in September and October. Also on the list this year are Native American and African American history walks and an African American history bike tour. The 24th annual autumn Housatonic Heritage Walks are free and average 1.5 to 2 hours. They are led by historians, naturalists, and environmentalists and span Berkshire and Litchfield counties. housatonicheritage. org
Berkshire Coven in Drag
Halloween is not just for kids, and not just about the candy. If your Halloween guilty pleasure is about great costuming and things running amok, don’ t miss The Sanderson Sisters Spectacle by the region’ s premier drag trio, WERKQshires, starring Poppy DaBubbly, Bella Santarella, and Vuronika Baked. On October 16, catch them on conjuring up chaos, camp, and wickedly sharp comedy at The Foundry in West Stockbridge, which recently received a Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative( SIGBI) Safe Space Certification. Congrats! On November 6 at 7:30 p. m., Penny Arcade will perform her award-winning show, Longing Lasts Longer, a fierce, funny, and provocative blend of stand-up comedy, theater, and memoir set to a live rock-and-roll soundscape. thefoundryws. com( Photo courtesy of WERKQshires)
Fall 2026 BERKSHIRE MAGAZINE // 7