Storytimes near Forbes Library

Community Room

Join us down in the Forbes Library Community Room on Thursday nights for some generative writing, light socializing, and low-stakes sharing. We warmly welcome writers of all genres and all levels of experience. Meet-ups start with a friendly check in, followed by a 20-minute writing prompt and optional share-out. This is an inclusive, collaborative creative space. Many of our writers have become regulars, and we cherish our growing community. We also understand that one's capacity and enthusiasm for participation fluctuates - come when you can, and stay as long as you like. Absolutely no problem if you can't make it - we look forward to seeing you next time. We are also working toward online accessibility - contact noholitsociety@gmail.com with questions or visit us at https://noholitsociety.org Follow us on Instagram @noholitsociety Read Lit Society news and subscribe to our free newsletter via Substack: https://noholitsociety.substack.com/ About us: Northampton Literary Society is a vibrant and supportive community of readers, writers, and artists of all kinds. We are always seeking and offering opportunities for creative expansion and collaboration. Let's make meaningful connections and grow our writing community!

Hess Performance Stage

Western Massachusetts Jam Band Juggernaut, The Friendship Band is kicking off another Summer of Rocking Out with a performance at Forbes Library's brand new outdoor Amphitheater! The Friendship Band was created with a small grant by Whole Children and Milestones programs. The band was offered an enrichment class for kids and young adults with disabilities, with the original mission of making friends -Hence the working title band name that has stuck for going on two decades now. The Friendship Band brings their inclusive, booty-shakin', funk, and funky brand of original music to stages all over Western Mass this Summer! Stay Tuned! And see y'all at Forbes on July 10th at 4PM!!

Bak Study Room

Calling all writers! Let's write and work on our stories together. Saturdays through August 29, 1-3pm Meet in the Forbes Library Bak Study Room (second floor) More information: @zukiswa._

Watson Room

This group is for writers and illustrators at any level of experience who are passionate about creating stories for kids and teens. We meet every Saturday from 3-4:30 pm in the Watson Room at the Forbes Library. We alternate our meeting formats to keep things engaging: on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month, we hold critiques and group discussions. On the remaining Saturdays, we host writing sprints, guest speakers, or other creative activities depending on the schedule. Our focus is on building a supportive critique group where we can share work, offer constructive feedback, and grow as creators. While we lean toward picture book projects, writers and illustrators working on middle-grade and YA are welcome to join as well. Our group welcomes SCBWI members and hopes to connect with others in the SCBWI community, though you don’t need to be a member to join us. New members are especially welcome as we grow this creative community. Bring your work-in-progress, your ideas, or just your enthusiasm! For more information, please contact Margaret Frothingham: mkfrothingham@gmail.com

Library Grounds

The Three County CoC and PLE Action Board are collecting essential items for our unhoused community members, to ensure they stay safe and comfortable during the summer heat. We are seeking items such as men's and women's clothing (including underwear), toiletries, and camping gear; new or gently used only please. Staff will be onsite at Forbes on July 14 from 10am-1pm. Online registry: https://www.myregistry.com/giftlist/plesummercoolingkits Items of particular need: Clothing Boots Light Breathable Footwear (Flip-flops, Sneakers) Shirts Shorts Sun visor/hats Sweatpants Thin socks Underwear Cleaning Laundry Detergent Sheets Lysol/Clorox Wipes Washing Detergents Heat Bottled Water Cooling Packs Instant Cold Packs Neck Fans Personal Hygiene Anti-Chafing Sticks Combs Deodorant Shaving Cream Menstrual products Shower Bag Shampoo and conditioner Body wash Other Essentials Backpacks Can Openers Chairs with Umbrellas Fresh Water Filters Head lamps Power Station Proper Utensils for Grilling Solar Power Bank Wagons Sleeping Bed Mat/Camping Pad Sleeping Bags Tarps Tents

Community Room

Join us down in the Forbes Library Community Room on Thursday nights for some generative writing, light socializing, and low-stakes sharing. We warmly welcome writers of all genres and all levels of experience. Meet-ups start with a friendly check in, followed by a 20-minute writing prompt and optional share-out. This is an inclusive, collaborative creative space. Many of our writers have become regulars, and we cherish our growing community. We also understand that one's capacity and enthusiasm for participation fluctuates - come when you can, and stay as long as you like. Absolutely no problem if you can't make it - we look forward to seeing you next time. We are also working toward online accessibility - contact noholitsociety@gmail.com with questions or visit us at https://noholitsociety.org Follow us on Instagram @noholitsociety Read Lit Society news and subscribe to our free newsletter via Substack: https://noholitsociety.substack.com/ About us: Northampton Literary Society is a vibrant and supportive community of readers, writers, and artists of all kinds. We are always seeking and offering opportunities for creative expansion and collaboration. Let's make meaningful connections and grow our writing community!

Arts and Music Department

Calling all writers! Let's write and work on our stories together. Saturdays through August 29, 1-3pm Meet in the Forbes Library Arts & Music Department (second floor) More information: @zukiswa._

Watson Room

This group is for writers and illustrators at any level of experience who are passionate about creating stories for kids and teens. We meet every Saturday from 3-4:30 pm in the Watson Room at the Forbes Library. We alternate our meeting formats to keep things engaging: on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month, we hold critiques and group discussions. On the remaining Saturdays, we host writing sprints, guest speakers, or other creative activities depending on the schedule. Our focus is on building a supportive critique group where we can share work, offer constructive feedback, and grow as creators. While we lean toward picture book projects, writers and illustrators working on middle-grade and YA are welcome to join as well. Our group welcomes SCBWI members and hopes to connect with others in the SCBWI community, though you don’t need to be a member to join us. New members are especially welcome as we grow this creative community. Bring your work-in-progress, your ideas, or just your enthusiasm! For more information, please contact Margaret Frothingham: mkfrothingham@gmail.com

Community Room

🎶 Traditional mBira music meet-up group to learn how to play mBira brought to you by Kusha Aura of koganinJazz.

Coolidge Museum

Community Room

Join us down in the Forbes Library Community Room on Thursday nights for some generative writing, light socializing, and low-stakes sharing. We warmly welcome writers of all genres and all levels of experience. Meet-ups start with a friendly check in, followed by a 20-minute writing prompt and optional share-out. This is an inclusive, collaborative creative space. Many of our writers have become regulars, and we cherish our growing community. We also understand that one's capacity and enthusiasm for participation fluctuates - come when you can, and stay as long as you like. Absolutely no problem if you can't make it - we look forward to seeing you next time. We are also working toward online accessibility - contact noholitsociety@gmail.com with questions or visit us at https://noholitsociety.org Follow us on Instagram @noholitsociety Read Lit Society news and subscribe to our free newsletter via Substack: https://noholitsociety.substack.com/ About us: Northampton Literary Society is a vibrant and supportive community of readers, writers, and artists of all kinds. We are always seeking and offering opportunities for creative expansion and collaboration. Let's make meaningful connections and grow our writing community!

Watson Room

General meeting of the Western Massachusetts club of the CPUSA

Bak Study Room

Calling all writers! Let's write and work on our stories together. Saturdays through August 29, 1-3pm Meet in the Forbes Library Bak Study Room (second floor) More information: @zukiswa._

Watson Room

This group is for writers and illustrators at any level of experience who are passionate about creating stories for kids and teens. We meet every Saturday from 3-4:30 pm in the Watson Room at the Forbes Library. We alternate our meeting formats to keep things engaging: on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month, we hold critiques and group discussions. On the remaining Saturdays, we host writing sprints, guest speakers, or other creative activities depending on the schedule. Our focus is on building a supportive critique group where we can share work, offer constructive feedback, and grow as creators. While we lean toward picture book projects, writers and illustrators working on middle-grade and YA are welcome to join as well. Our group welcomes SCBWI members and hopes to connect with others in the SCBWI community, though you don’t need to be a member to join us. New members are especially welcome as we grow this creative community. Bring your work-in-progress, your ideas, or just your enthusiasm! For more information, please contact Margaret Frothingham: mkfrothingham@gmail.com

Community Room

Join us down in the Forbes Library Community Room on Thursday nights for some generative writing, light socializing, and low-stakes sharing. We warmly welcome writers of all genres and all levels of experience. Meet-ups start with a friendly check in, followed by a 20-minute writing prompt and optional share-out. This is an inclusive, collaborative creative space. Many of our writers have become regulars, and we cherish our growing community. We also understand that one's capacity and enthusiasm for participation fluctuates - come when you can, and stay as long as you like. Absolutely no problem if you can't make it - we look forward to seeing you next time. We are also working toward online accessibility - contact noholitsociety@gmail.com with questions or visit us at https://noholitsociety.org Follow us on Instagram @noholitsociety Read Lit Society news and subscribe to our free newsletter via Substack: https://noholitsociety.substack.com/ About us: Northampton Literary Society is a vibrant and supportive community of readers, writers, and artists of all kinds. We are always seeking and offering opportunities for creative expansion and collaboration. Let's make meaningful connections and grow our writing community!

Bak Study Room

Calling all writers! Let's write and work on our stories together. Saturdays through August 29, 1-3pm Meet in the Forbes Library Bak Study Room (second floor) More information: @zukiswa._

Watson Room

This group is for writers and illustrators at any level of experience who are passionate about creating stories for kids and teens. We meet every Saturday from 3-4:30 pm in the Watson Room at the Forbes Library. We alternate our meeting formats to keep things engaging: on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month, we hold critiques and group discussions. On the remaining Saturdays, we host writing sprints, guest speakers, or other creative activities depending on the schedule. Our focus is on building a supportive critique group where we can share work, offer constructive feedback, and grow as creators. While we lean toward picture book projects, writers and illustrators working on middle-grade and YA are welcome to join as well. Our group welcomes SCBWI members and hopes to connect with others in the SCBWI community, though you don’t need to be a member to join us. New members are especially welcome as we grow this creative community. Bring your work-in-progress, your ideas, or just your enthusiasm! For more information, please contact Margaret Frothingham: mkfrothingham@gmail.com

Community Room

SANE, or Support and Accountability in Novel Editing, is the monthly writing group of the Western Mass Writer's Guild, formerly Western Mass NaNo. All writers (not just novel writers) are welcome at SANE. Having a work to edit is not a requirement. Meetings include writing/editing "sprints," idea collaboration, and general camaraderie. Sharing excerpts and feedback are not features of meetings. Bring your writing in whatever form that takes, whether it's laptop, pen and paper, or typewriter. For more information about the Western Mass Writer’s Guild, check out our website (https://wmawriters.wordpress.com/mission-statement/) or discord (https://discord.gg/yVbpBCR).

Community Room

Join us down in the Forbes Library Community Room on Thursday nights for some generative writing, light socializing, and low-stakes sharing. We warmly welcome writers of all genres and all levels of experience. Meet-ups start with a friendly check in, followed by a 20-minute writing prompt and optional share-out. This is an inclusive, collaborative creative space. Many of our writers have become regulars, and we cherish our growing community. We also understand that one's capacity and enthusiasm for participation fluctuates - come when you can, and stay as long as you like. Absolutely no problem if you can't make it - we look forward to seeing you next time. We are also working toward online accessibility - contact noholitsociety@gmail.com with questions or visit us at https://noholitsociety.org Follow us on Instagram @noholitsociety Read Lit Society news and subscribe to our free newsletter via Substack: https://noholitsociety.substack.com/ About us: Northampton Literary Society is a vibrant and supportive community of readers, writers, and artists of all kinds. We are always seeking and offering opportunities for creative expansion and collaboration. Let's make meaningful connections and grow our writing community!

Watson Room

HU is an ancient name for God, used for thousands of years as a prayer and sacred chant to attune oneself to the presence of God. Sound of Soul events offer the chance to chant HU and enjoy spiritual conversation in the company of like-hearted Souls. Presented by the Massachusetts Satsang Society Inc.

Bak Study Room

Calling all writers! Let's write and work on our stories together. Saturdays through August 29, 1-3pm Meet in the Forbes Library Bak Study Room (second floor) More information: @zukiswa._

Watson Room

This group is for writers and illustrators at any level of experience who are passionate about creating stories for kids and teens. We meet every Saturday from 3-4:30 pm in the Watson Room at the Forbes Library. We alternate our meeting formats to keep things engaging: on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month, we hold critiques and group discussions. On the remaining Saturdays, we host writing sprints, guest speakers, or other creative activities depending on the schedule. Our focus is on building a supportive critique group where we can share work, offer constructive feedback, and grow as creators. While we lean toward picture book projects, writers and illustrators working on middle-grade and YA are welcome to join as well. Our group welcomes SCBWI members and hopes to connect with others in the SCBWI community, though you don’t need to be a member to join us. New members are especially welcome as we grow this creative community. Bring your work-in-progress, your ideas, or just your enthusiasm! For more information, please contact Margaret Frothingham: mkfrothingham@gmail.com

Community Room

Join us down in the Forbes Library Community Room on Thursday nights for some generative writing, light socializing, and low-stakes sharing. We warmly welcome writers of all genres and all levels of experience. Meet-ups start with a friendly check in, followed by a 20-minute writing prompt and optional share-out. This is an inclusive, collaborative creative space. Many of our writers have become regulars, and we cherish our growing community. We also understand that one's capacity and enthusiasm for participation fluctuates - come when you can, and stay as long as you like. Absolutely no problem if you can't make it - we look forward to seeing you next time. We are also working toward online accessibility - contact noholitsociety@gmail.com with questions or visit us at https://noholitsociety.org Follow us on Instagram @noholitsociety Read Lit Society news and subscribe to our free newsletter via Substack: https://noholitsociety.substack.com/ About us: Northampton Literary Society is a vibrant and supportive community of readers, writers, and artists of all kinds. We are always seeking and offering opportunities for creative expansion and collaboration. Let's make meaningful connections and grow our writing community!

Bak Study Room

Calling all writers! Let's write and work on our stories together. Saturdays through August 29, 1-3pm Meet in the Forbes Library Bak Study Room (second floor) More information: @zukiswa._

Watson Room

This group is for writers and illustrators at any level of experience who are passionate about creating stories for kids and teens. We meet every Saturday from 3-4:30 pm in the Watson Room at the Forbes Library. We alternate our meeting formats to keep things engaging: on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month, we hold critiques and group discussions. On the remaining Saturdays, we host writing sprints, guest speakers, or other creative activities depending on the schedule. Our focus is on building a supportive critique group where we can share work, offer constructive feedback, and grow as creators. While we lean toward picture book projects, writers and illustrators working on middle-grade and YA are welcome to join as well. Our group welcomes SCBWI members and hopes to connect with others in the SCBWI community, though you don’t need to be a member to join us. New members are especially welcome as we grow this creative community. Bring your work-in-progress, your ideas, or just your enthusiasm! For more information, please contact Margaret Frothingham: mkfrothingham@gmail.com

Coolidge Museum

Join us down in the Forbes Library Community Room on Thursday nights for some generative writing, light socializing, and low-stakes sharing. We warmly welcome writers of all genres and all levels of experience. Meet-ups start with a friendly check in, followed by a 20-minute writing prompt and optional share-out. This is an inclusive, collaborative creative space. Many of our writers have become regulars, and we cherish our growing community. We also understand that one's capacity and enthusiasm for participation fluctuates - come when you can, and stay as long as you like. Absolutely no problem if you can't make it - we look forward to seeing you next time. We are also working toward online accessibility - contact noholitsociety@gmail.com with questions or visit us at https://noholitsociety.org Follow us on Instagram @noholitsociety Read Lit Society news and subscribe to our free newsletter via Substack: https://noholitsociety.substack.com/ About us: Northampton Literary Society is a vibrant and supportive community of readers, writers, and artists of all kinds. We are always seeking and offering opportunities for creative expansion and collaboration. Let's make meaningful connections and grow our writing community!

Bak Study Room

Calling all writers! Let's write and work on our stories together. Saturdays through August 29, 1-3pm Meet in the Forbes Library Bak Study Room (second floor) More information: @zukiswa._

Watson Room

This group is for writers and illustrators at any level of experience who are passionate about creating stories for kids and teens. We meet every Saturday from 3-4:30 pm in the Watson Room at the Forbes Library. We alternate our meeting formats to keep things engaging: on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month, we hold critiques and group discussions. On the remaining Saturdays, we host writing sprints, guest speakers, or other creative activities depending on the schedule. Our focus is on building a supportive critique group where we can share work, offer constructive feedback, and grow as creators. While we lean toward picture book projects, writers and illustrators working on middle-grade and YA are welcome to join as well. Our group welcomes SCBWI members and hopes to connect with others in the SCBWI community, though you don’t need to be a member to join us. New members are especially welcome as we grow this creative community. Bring your work-in-progress, your ideas, or just your enthusiasm! For more information, please contact Margaret Frothingham: mkfrothingham@gmail.com

Community Room

Tradition mBira music meet-up to learn mBira music of Zimbabwe. For the ethnomusicologist, anthropologist interests, adults as a new hobby etc. Presented by: Kusha Aura by koganinjazz

Community Room

Join us down in the Forbes Library Community Room on Thursday nights for some generative writing, light socializing, and low-stakes sharing. We warmly welcome writers of all genres and all levels of experience. Meet-ups start with a friendly check in, followed by a 20-minute writing prompt and optional share-out. This is an inclusive, collaborative creative space. Many of our writers have become regulars, and we cherish our growing community. We also understand that one's capacity and enthusiasm for participation fluctuates - come when you can, and stay as long as you like. Absolutely no problem if you can't make it - we look forward to seeing you next time. We are also working toward online accessibility - contact noholitsociety@gmail.com with questions or visit us at https://noholitsociety.org Follow us on Instagram @noholitsociety Read Lit Society news and subscribe to our free newsletter via Substack: https://noholitsociety.substack.com/ About us: Northampton Literary Society is a vibrant and supportive community of readers, writers, and artists of all kinds. We are always seeking and offering opportunities for creative expansion and collaboration. Let's make meaningful connections and grow our writing community!