Events

June 14, 2026

A black and white photo of a man smiling while holding a banjo. Behind the photo is an image of a handwritten letter and an envelope addressed to Mrs. Ida Roberts.

6th Annual Juneteenth Legacy Celebration

This event calls us to reflect on the return of Black and Afro-Indigenous soldiers from Amherst who served in the Massachusetts 54th Regiment and the 5th Cavalry during the Civil War, many of whom were neither welcomed nor recognized. Together, we will honor their legacy, uplift the generations that followed, and create a space that reflects the kind of community we want to be today. We will celebrate with a homecoming in their honor on the 161st anniversary of their walk home.

Come with us as we move from an invigorating remembrance at West Cemetery to a homecoming celebration at Ancestral Bridges, featuring Avery Sharpe with a Juneteenth jazz set in tribute to Gil Roberts and Dr. Fred Tillis.  This year, we welcome Pam Tillis, who will share memories of her father, Amherst musician and Ancestral Bridges icon Gil Roberts, and guide us on a journey across time and geography — from UMass to Amherst College to backyard improv sessions in Amherst, Massachusetts to Reedy Chapel in Galveston, Texas, where the 5th Cavalry stood in 1865. 

Sep. 25, 2025 - Jan. 4, 2026

Hats: A Celebration of History and Culture Through the Art of Millinery in Amherst

A special townwide exhibit showcasing historic and modern hat designs representing the fashion, style, traditions, and unseen labor that fueled the hat making industry in the Connecticut River Valley and beyond.

Display locations and dates are as follows (confirm details with each location separately):

Nov. 10, 2025 7:00 pm

“The Art of Costume Design for Film & TV”

Seminar discussion and book signing with award-winning costume designer Mona May, followed by a special screening of the cult film Clueless (1995).

Moderated by Anika Lopes, milliner and founder of Ancestral Bridges.

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