Garden report: the astilbe and stock have bloomed, I have pea-size sun gold tomatoes.
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Reminder Friday, June 19, Juneteenth, is a holiday. Town offices, the Bangs Center, schools and libraries will be closed.
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The annual Puffer’s Pond Pancake Breakfast is Saturday, June 13 from 8:30 to 11 a.m. at the Mill River Recreation Area.
Pay when you get there. Real maple syrup is served.
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Amherst’s Juneteenth celebration begins Sunday, June 14 at the West Cemetery at noon to honor the Black and Afro indigenous soldiers who served in the Civil War. The celebration continues with music and talks at Ancestral Bridges on Cottage Street at 1 p.m.
The Jubilee Community Celebration of Juneteenth will be held June 19 from 3 to 6 p.m. at St. Brigid’s Parish Hall sponsored by the Black Business Association of the Amherst Area and Sankofa Gumbo. The celebration includes, food, music, vendors fashion show and reading of a Frederick Douglass speech. The event is free and open to the public.
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Historic Northampton is holding walking tours, “Northampton Slave Economy, Walking Tour of Northampton” with Elizabeth Sacktor Sun., June 14 at 11 a.m. Additional forums will be held June 16 and 30 at 5:30 p.m. and June 22 at 10 a.m. There is a sliding scale fee. To register visit: HistoricNorthampton.org.
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Joan Kurtz, president of the Friends of Easthampton Dog Park, sent me an email about the bingo fundraiser Thursday, June 18th from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Glendale Ridge Winery, 155 Glendale Road, Southampton. There will be door prizes, doggie-bling, snacks and more, she wrote.
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Bruce Penniman of Amherst sent me an email noting that volunteers are needed for the reading of the Frederick Douglass speech that will be held Sunday, July 5 at 3 p.m. at the South Amherst Congregational Church. If interested email him at penniman@umass.edu. The event includes many activities which I will note in a column closer to the date.
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