Last call for South County TRIAD spaghetti dinner tickets

SOUTH DEERFIELD — The final few tickets for South County TRIAD’s annual spaghetti dinner fundraiser are on sale ahead of the Thursday, Oct. 17, event. The dinner will start at 5:30 p.m. at the South Deerfield Polish American Club, located at 46 South Main St.

Tickets are $15 and benefit South County TRIAD, which is a regional partnership between senior citizens, law enforcement and service providers. Tickets can be purchased at the South County Senior Center, located at 22 Amherst Road in Sunderland, or by calling Sharyn Paciorek at 413-665-3017 or Marie St. Peters at 413-433-3590.

Library hosting film screening, discussion on slave trade

SUNDERLAND — The Sunderland Public Library will screen “Traces of the Trade: A Story From the Deep North,” a film tracing the slave trade to Bristol, Rhode Island, on Saturday, Oct. 19, at 2 p.m.

The film follows the DeWolf family from 1769 to 1820, as they sailed from Rhode Island to West Africa to trade rum for African men, women and children, before taking the captives to Cuba or auctions in other ports, which made James DeWolf, a 19th-century U.S. senator, one of the richest men in the country.

Following the film, the library invites folks to participate in a discussion of the documentary’s themes, led by Anne Kerth, an assistant professor in the W.E.B. DuBois Department of Afro-American Studies at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

The event is free and open to the public. It follows in the footsteps of previous programming at the library exploring the full history of the region.

“People here really want to know what happened in this area, both the good and the bad. They want to know the truth, even if it is painful and uncomfortable. The history of the slave trade in the Northeast is not well-known, and viewers of this film will have their eyes opened,” Aaron Falbel, head of adult services at the library, said in a statement. “Enormous profits, which came at the expense of enslaved Africans brought here against their will, enriched many of the families in our region. In this program, with the help of Professor Kerth, we will lift the corner of the proverbial rug and expose this neglected history to the light of day.”

Mount Toby Concerts welcoming Friction Farm

LEVERETT — Modern folk duo Friction Farm will perform Saturday, Oct. 19, at 7 p.m. at 194 Long Plain Road as part of Mount Toby Concerts.

Friction Farm is the husband-and-wife duo of Aidan Quinn and Christine Stay, who combine storytelling, social commentary and humor to create songs about everyday life, local heroes and quirky observations.

A suggested donation of $15 to $25 is requested at the door. Tickets can be reserved by emailing diacrowe@yahoo.com or calling 413-835-1695.

Ball in the House to return to Watermelon Wednesdays

WHATELY — In a rare repeat performance, a cappella group Ball in the House will be returning to Watermelon Wednesdays on Sunday, Nov. 3, at Whately Town Hall, 194 Chestnut Plain Road.

With an extensive repertoire of R&B, soul, blues, hip-hop, jazz and pop music, the Boston-based group is being welcomed back for a performance after visiting Whately in 2023. Watermelon Wednesdays founder and Director Paul Newlin said he usually doesn’t “have a show two years in a row, but this ensemble has to be seen to be believed.”

Doors open at 2:30 p.m. and the show begins at 3 p.m. Cider and doughnuts will be served. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased at watermelonwednesdays.com.

Daughters of the American Revolution hosting genealogy workshop

SUNDERLAND — The local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution will host a genealogy workshop on Saturday, Oct. 26, at the Sunderland Public Library, located at 20 School St.

The workshop will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. and will kick off with a presentation by professional genealogist and Massachusetts Daughters of the American Revolution Registrar Rachel Trousdale on researching “forgotten” patriots: Native Americans, African-Americans and French Canadians who contributed to the revolution.

Attendees will have a chance to meet with a trained genealogist to discuss their own family history. Refreshments and door prizes will also be provided.