Last year's inaugural event was rather organic - and coincidental - as several gay-themed events were scheduled to take place simultaneously over Columbus Day weekend. 'This administration and this mayor, we're dedicated to having a community that's diverse, tolerant and welcoming to everybody,' she said. That's precisely the sort of uneasy feeling city leaders hope to vanquish, according to Megan Whilden, director of Pittsfield's Office of Cultural Development and the coordinator of this weekend's second annual Out in the Berkshires.Īlthough the three-day Pittsfield event, which starts Friday and runs through Columbus Day weekend, is geared toward the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning (GLBTQ) community, plenty of straight people are expected to come out for the music, dancing, food and fun, according to Whilden.
