Local bands to perform as other bands
Local music promotion company Fantastic Shows’ third annual Halloween show, on Thursday, Oct. 30, at 8 p.m. at the Marigold Theater in Easthampton, will feature three local bands performing as their favorite artists.
As part of the show, members of Dicey Riley will perform as The Pogues; Recent History will perform as Weezer and play the group’s self-titled album (also known as the “Blue Album”) in its entirety; and Rage is Relentless will perform as Rage Against the Machine.
Guests are encouraged to dress up for the costume contest.
Tickets are $15 to $20, sliding scale, at marigold.org/heavycovers.
Western Mass Vegan Food Fest returns
After a successful first run back in June, Western Mass Vegan Food Fest will return to Abandoned Building Brewery in Easthampton on Sunday, Oct. 26, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., rain or shine.
The vendor list includes Little Loaf Bakeshop, Belmont Vegetarian, Midcoast Vegan, Pulse Cafe, Yeah Dawg!, RastaRant, Mothers Moss, Vegan Pizza Land, Peckish, Veeg My Eats, Journey’s Lemonade, Wicked Whisk, Thai Chili Truck, Imposter Foods, Gnütze,
Grounded Confections, Nishmati Creations, Bridge Tofu, and Western Mass Rabbit Rescue.
This fest (unlike the first one, which had issues with long wait times) will have timed entry.
In a statement, festival founder Egg Henrici said, “The first fest was such a hit. Vendors and visitors all had a great time, and I’m excited to bring the local (and not-so-local — we had lots of visitors from out of state at the first one) vegan community together again, with even more food options this time.”
Tickets are free but mandatory and are available at wmassveganfoodfest.eventbrite.com.
Two ‘Frankenstein’ films showing at Amherst Cinema
Amherst Cinema will be showing the 1931 movie “Frankenstein” on Wednesday, Oct. 29, at 7:30 p.m.
The movie, based on the celebrated Mary Shelley novel, is about a scientist who uses body parts from corpses to make a new creation, known as the Monster (played by Boris Karloff).
Local film historian Nina Kleinberg will introduce the movie as part of Amherst Cinema’s “Pre-Code Classics” series of movies released before the restrictive Hays Code, which highly censored films from 1934 to 1968.
The theater will also screen the 2025 “Frankenstein,” starring Jacob Elordi as the Monster and Oscar Isaac as Dr. Frankenstein, at various times daily from Thursday, Oct. 23, through Thursday, Oct. 30.
Tickets are available at amherstcinema.org.
‘Yiddish Sherlock Holmes’ to be discussed
On Monday, Oct. 27, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., the Yiddish Book Center will co-host a virtual lecture about the character Max Spitzkopf, a fictional Viennese detective from a series of early-1900s Yiddish pulp novels, to celebrate a new English translation of the books.
According to the event description, Spitzkopf was “an undefeated foe of villains and passionate defender of the Jewish people.”
“These are not just detective stories but tales of Jewish ingenuity featuring an armed Jewish superhero. Spitzkopf rights the wrongs of a world rife with anti-Semitism using his extraordinary powers of deduction (though his revolver sometimes comes in handy),” according to a 2018 article in Pakn Treger, the Yiddish Book Center’s magazine.
Translator, playwright, performer and teacher Mikhl Yashinksy, who translated the Spitzkopf stories, will discuss how the books were written, disseminated and received by critics.
Admission is free; register on Eventbrite.
Queer Kids Fest is back
Queer Kids Fest, a festival for queer children, their families and allies, will return this year at 33 Hawley in Northampton on Saturday, Oct. 25, from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Admission is free.
It will feature music from the Grumpytime Club Band; a reading from Kyle Lukoff, author of “A World Worth Saving”; creative projects from Resilient Community Arts; a performance from Rhythm & Radiance Kids Chorus; free face painting; and a parade. Crooked Stick Pops, Sapsucker Gourmet Popcorn, and High Five Books will also be in attendance.
Five-minute open mic performance slots are available for young people between the ages of 6 and 18. To sign up for the open mic, visit nohoarts.org/events/category/queer-kids-fest-2025.
‘Spooktacular Ball for All’ returns to Easthampton
The nonprofit Resilient Community Arts will hold its annual “Spooktacular Ball for All,” fundraiser at CitySpace in Easthampton on Thursday, Oct. 30, at 7 p.m.
The event will feature dancing, drag, raffles, drinks, snacks, pumpkin decorating, mug decorating and a costume contest. The dress code is “terrifyingly glam,” with guests encouraged to wear a spooky costume, a fancy outfit, or both.
Masking is required for the first hour and strongly suggested for the remainder of the event.
Tickets start at $25; childcare is available for an additional $30, suggested donation, via givebutter.com/c/artequalshope. All proceeds will benefit Resilient Community Arts, because, according to he event description, “Nothing is scarier than arts funding cuts.”
