With the full heat of summer upon us, Berkshire gardens are growing like wild with riotous flowers bursting into bloom, vegetables proliferating and vines sprawling across fences and trellises – not to mention the weeds. We’ve got a few squash plants threatening to overrun the beans and peppers, the beans are overshadowing the beets and scallions and the tomato plants are growing tall as trees. I’ve already harvested a handful of cherry tomatoes and a few large zucchini – though gardeners from elevations lower and warmer than my Tyringham hillside are well ahead of me, having trouble keeping up with their crops. (You can see some creative examples of what to do with an overabundant harvest at the annual West Stockbridge Zucchini Festival on August 11, which concludes with fireworks at 9:30.)

The cultural scene is going through a similar spurt, with not-to-miss events proliferating wildly, running folks like me ragged as we try to see and do everything presented in the summer – which is, of course impossible when there’s so much going on. Choose any night and there can be at least 15 events – and sometimes more -- to choose from.

One strategy is to do a double-header: attend a matinee at one venue – say the Williamstown Theatre Festival or the Berkshire Theatre Festival -- and an evening at another – for example, Shakespeare & Co. or Barrington Stage Company. Single-evening performances, such as those at Tanglewood, The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, or The Colonial Theatre also have to be factored in. Fortunately, exhibits at the Norman Rockwell Museum, The Berkshire Museum, MASS MoCA and the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute allow for flexibility since they run all summer and can be seen any time of day, though the same can’t be said for the museum’s many special events. These include MoCA’s sing-along screening of “Fiddler on the Roof” on August 4 or theAugust 11 multimedia performance of “Cry Love” by Nanine Linning, part of the season of Dutch Arts in the Berkshires; The Berkshire Museum’s “Toytastic Family Day”on August 4 celebrating the “Kid Stuff” exhibit of classic baby-boomer-era toys; or the Clark’s “Night at the Musuem” featuring a screening of the film of the same name as well as other family-oriented events on August 11 from 5pm to 11pm, including a hike, a campfire complete with s’mores and ghost stories and a chance to tour the galleries after hours. The next day, there’s more family fun at the Pittsfield Ethnic Fair, spilling over from North Street on August 12 from noon to 7pm, with over 40 international food and craft vendors and two stages of music and dance including mariachi,  klezmer, polka, African, Irish, Polish and more performances from around the world. One also has to plan for the many free lectures and performances at Jacob’s Pillow or Shakespeare & Co.’s extensive Bankside Festival.

When you throw a new presenter such as The Berkshire Fringe into the mix, things get even more crazy. In just its third year, this upstart performing arts festival, which runs through August 5, presents six headline theatrical and musical performances, seven of the works in Suzan-Lori Parks’ “365 Days/365 Plays” project, new work by upcoming artists mentored by Emmy-Award-winning writer Laura Maria Censabella, plus a free pre-show music series in the lobby of the Daniel Arts Center at Simon’s Rock featuring a broad range of innovative musicians. It’s just as busy at Williamstown Theatre Festival, where in addition to filling three stages with theater, there’s a series of other events, such as late-night cabaret (next running August 9-12), recitals, children’s theater and presentations of new work on Fridays @ 3 (except on August 17, when Broadway veteran Raul Esparza stars at the Stage Manager in “Our Town,” directed by Roger Rees).

So here’s my own run-down: after dinner at Bombay Bar & Grill, A. and I caught the stunning U.S. premiere of Ballet du Grand Theatre de Geneve at the Pillow. Thursday: dinner at Sushi Thai Garden, then “Party Come Here” at the Williamstown Theatre Festival. Friday: hit the opening reception at the Lichtenstein Center for Julio Granda (there's a slightly later reception at the Store Front Artist Project  gallery, but one can only do so much!) head to Spice lounge for flatbread and gazpacho, then stroll down  North Street for “Black Comedy” at Barrington Stage. Saturday: afternoon press opening of BTF’s “Morning’s at Seven,” after which a cooling mojito at the Red Lion Inn’s graciously shaded courtyard sounds appealing.

That evening K and I could relax on the Tanglewood lawn as James Levine conducts an evening of Dvorak, including the Cello Concerto in B minor featuring Yo-Yo Ma. And on Sunday I’d like to take in “Blue/Orange” at Shakespeare & Co. The next week includes Mark Morris at the Pillow; a free performance of “Scapin” at Shakespeare & Co.; and the many delectable events surrounding Tanglewood’s Wine & Food Classic. None of which leaves much time for stopping the weeds from taking over my garden!

About Bess Hochstein
Buzz chronicler Bess J.M. Hochstein came to the Berkshires as a second-homeowner before deciding to move here full time. Previously a communications executive, she's now a freelance writer living in Tyringham with her corgis Duffy and Hobbs and K. She writes for several publications, including Berkshire Living, the Boston Globe, New England Wine Gazette, and Healing Lifestyles & Spas magazine.