It’s Monday and we’re back with our roundup of the week’s events. Here are this week’s town government meetings, and cultural and recreational events that caught our eye.

ARHS Varsity Athletics at Home – Monday and Saturday

Catch ARHS varsity athletes in action at home this week! Boys Soccer vs. Hampshire Regional, Monday at 4:00 pm. Boys Football vs. Chicopee Comp, Thursday at 7:00 pm.  MORE

Town Council Candidate Debate – Monday

The Amherst Current hosts the second of two debates on Monday for voters to learn about Town Council candidates. The events will be roundtable discussions on the key election issues, facilitated by Stan Rosenberg, former state legislator and senate leader. On Monday, hear from candidates for Districts 2, 3, 4, and 5 Town Council seats. Monday, 7:30-9:30 pm in Bangs Community Center and on Zoom. MORE

Centennial Water Treatment Plant Ribbon Cutting – Tuesday

Join the Town of Amherst for a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony celebrating the opening of the new Centennial Water Treatment Plant!

The Centennial Water Treatment Plant provides up to 1 million gallons of clean drinking water per day to the Amherst water system. The previous facility, which went offline in 2018 after a lightning strike caused extensive electrical damage, needed to be replaced due to its aging infrastructure and changes in water quality that made the treatment process less effective. The new plant, located in Pelham, features advanced, more efficient treatment technology to keep Amherst’s drinking water safe, reliable, and sustainable. Tuesday, 12:00-1:00 pm at the Centennial Water Treatment Plan. All are welcome. MORE

Finance Committee – Tuesday

At its meeting on Tuesday, the Finance Committee will review an update on the impact property taxes of the school building project debt exclusion and will discuss an update on the Jones Library project debt service and impact on the Town’s capital plan. Tuesday, 2:00-4:00 pm on Zoom. MORE

Build Feminist Power: Book Talk by Diana Sierra Becerra and Conversation with Salvadoran Revolutionaries – Tuesday

UMass history professor Diana Sierra Becerra will present her new book, The Making of Revolutionary Feminism in El Salvador on Tuesday. It’s a history of daring women who organized one of the most combative labor movements in the Americas, took up arms to survive US-financed terror, and braided women’s liberation and socialism. Salvadoran women who participated in the revolutionary organizations of the 1970s and 1980s will join the conversation. Their efforts to build feminist popular power has important strategic lessons in an age of growing fascism. A book signing will follow with books available to purchase from Amherst Books. Free and open to the public. Tuesday, 5:00-6:30 pm in the Old Chapel at UMass. MORE

Regional School Committee – Tuesday

The Regional SC meets on Tuesday and will consider entering an executive session to discuss negotiations with the APEA, the union representing teachers, paraeducators, and clerical staff in the Regional, Amherst, and Pelham school districts. The SC and union have been negotiating since last fall for a new contract; the previous contract expired at the end of June 2025. The SC also will review reports about enrollment and class sizes for this school year and will get an update on the implementation of the bullying prevention and intervention plan. Tuesday, 6:30 pm in the library at ARHS and on Amherst Media. MORE

Governance, Organization, & Legislation Committee – Tuesday

The Town Council’s Governance, Organization, and Legislation Committee meets on Tuesday to review a proposed bylaw regarding public urination and defecation and proposed changes to public way policy. The Committee also will discuss Town Manager goals for 2026, charges for the Transportation Advisory Commission and Town Council committees, as well as vacancies on the Finance Committee and Charter Review Committee. Tuesday, 6:30-8:30 pm on Zoom. MORE

Trunk or Treat at the Mill District General Store – Wednesday

Bring the whole family for a Trunk or Treat at The Mill District General Store! Dress up in your best costume and enjoy a night full of laughter, community spirit, and spooky fun. The event features creatively decorated car trunks, plenty of candy, Herrell’s Ice Cream will have Teal Pumpkin toy treats, and activities for kids of all ages. Free. Wednesday, 4:30-6:30 pm in the North Square Plaza in the Mill District. MORE

From the Miraculous to the Material: Alan Lightman – Wednesday

The UMass Cornerstone Initiative welcomes Alan Lightman, physicist, novelist, and Professor of the Practice of the Humanities at MIT. Among the first at MIT to hold a joint appointment in the sciences and the humanities, Lightman’s writing explores the intersections of science, philosophy, religion, and spirituality. He is the author of numerous books including Probable Improbabilities, Searching for Stars on an Island in Maine, the international bestseller Einstein’s Dreams, and the novel The Diagnosis which was a finalist for the National Book Award. Wednesday, 5:30 pm in the Old Chapel at UMass. MORE

Board of Health Public Hearing: Nicotine-Free Generation – Thursday

The Board of Health is considering amending Amherst’s tobacco regulations to prohibit the sale of nicotine products – including cigarettes, vapes, smokeless tobacco, and nicotine pouches – to anyone born on or after January 1, 2005. The Board is holding a public hearing on Thursday to hear from residents and businesses in the community about the proposed prohibition. After the hearing, the Board will discuss and potentially vote on the proposed regulation change. Thursday, 5:00-7:00 pm in Room 101 at the Bangs Community Center. MORE

Mindful Movement in Nature – Saturday

Join the Kestrel Land Trust for this fall’s final Mindful Movement in Nature class with instructor Lynne Nicole Smith! Come experience the revitalizing benefits of yoga and qigong – tranquil mind/body practices – amidst the serene natural surroundings of Kestrel Land Trust’s headquarters. Experience firsthand how Lynne seamlessly weaves together the calming essence of yoga with the rejuvenating energy of Qigong. This mind-body practice promotes well-being and can help relieve physical, mental, and emotional tension. Newcomers and experienced practitioners alike are welcome. Attendance at previous classes is not required. Saturday, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm at the Kestrel Land Trust headquarters. MORE

Noirvember at Amherst Cinema – Sunday

Amherst Cinema presents Noirvember, kicking off with the Wachowskis’ Bound on Sunday afternoon. Featuring tales of crime, passion, and desperation, Noirvember returns to the big screen this fall, showcasing four exemplary neo-noirs. The highly stylized, hard-boiled crime movies of 1940s and 1950s Hollywood, collectively known as “film noir,” have had a profound influence on cinema throughout the decades and around the globe. For this year’s installment of Noirvember, Amherst Cinema turns the magnifying glass towards neo-noirs made across the latter half of the 20th century. These films channel the spirit of classic noirs while exploring stories, settings, and themes befitting their eras. See Bound on Sunday at 1:30 pm at Amherst Cinema. MORE

Special Storytime with Author Jason Chin – Sunday

Caldecott and Sibert Medalist Jason Chin will read his new book Hurricane during a special storytime at the Eric Carle Museum on Sunday. It’s a beautiful day on Hatteras Island, North Carolina. But while all seems calm now, a hurricane is barreling across the Atlantic, and everyone is wondering when it will hit the U.S. coast – and where. Jason will host a live drawing demo after the storytime. A book signing will follow the program. Sunday, 2:00-2:30 pm at the Eric Carle Museum. MORE

Mystery Author Talk – Sunday

When Ray Stannard Baker moved to Amherst in 1910, he brought with him a national reputation as a journalist. He also brought with him a secret identity as a writer of wholesome stories that were extremely popular. Retired Amherst journalist Nick Grabbe will give a talk on Baker and his alter ego Sunday  at 4:00 pm in the office at Wildwood Cemetery, where Baker is buried. Please RSVP to reserve a seat; seating is limited to 30. MORE

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Want more? We’ve gathered the event and program calendars from the many organizations and committees in Amherst onto Community Calendars. Check it out to find even more upcoming events.

Have an event you’d like us to spotlight? Email us TheAmherstCurrent@gmail.com.