Easthampton’s Cultural Chaos 2014

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The Stilt lady, who told us she was 10 years old, entertains at the Brass Cat.
The Stilt lady, who told us she was 10 years old, entertains at the Brass Cat.

Easthampton is becoming the place to be in Western Mass.  On Saturday my friend Jack and I  rode our bikes there from Northampton on the bike trail and we joined in the city-wide celebration called Cottage Street Cultural Chaos.

Indeed, it was chaos, there was so much going on in a small sector of town, Cottage Street.

BMX bikers demonstrated their trick riding on Cottage St.
BMX bikers demonstrated their trick riding on Cottage St.

First we parked our bikes and walked through One Cottage Street, where dozens of artists and craftspeople have studios.

It was open studio for many of them, and visitors streamed through viewing paintings, sculpture and other visual arts.  Outside just up Cottage Street, we were happy to see that they had blocked off the street and it was time for a street fair.

This old building was once the Dye Works, and soon will have 50 new apartments on Cottage Street.
This old building was once the Dye Works, and soon will have 50 new apartments on Cottage Street.

Nothing pleases me more than cutting off automobile traffic. There is such a domination by the car here in the sticks, it’s nice to shunt them off to the side and let people walk the whole street from sidewalk to sidewalk.

Booths were set up and vendors were selling barbecue, jewelry, and shops were open and people were everywhere, mingling in the sun.

The 'bouncer' at the Brass Cat's parking lot beer garden.
The ‘bouncer’ at the Brass Cat’s parking lot beer garden.

A BMX bicycle ramps were set up, and men on bikes did tricks, and in two parking lots, beer gardens were created.

This was an excellent idea—The Brass Cat had their beer tent in the parking lot, and next door, Whiskerz Pub was serving draft beer and hot dogs and hamburgers out back. All a nice addition to the multiple activities going on on the street.

The Quabog Wave provided great vocals and tight sax in their R&B tunes.
The Quabog Wave provided great vocals and tight sax in their R&B tunes.

Before we left we walked around to the back of the Dye Works building where 50 new affordable housing apartments are being built. The huge floor to ceiling windows and 14 foot high ceilings are going to be quickly sold, I’m sure.

I kept thinking about much fun it would be to live downtown in one of those. Maybe my country living in South Deerfield will come to an end some day and I’ll live there without a lawn mower or a dump sticker.

Brass Cat beer garden
A friendly pooch at the Brass Cat.