October 1, 2025: A more fun adulting

We’re doing the stuff of big kids, because it’s good to remember that keeping a little youth in your perspective is a very good thing. In Easthampton, we visit everyone’s houses to experience a city wide music celebration. The 3rd annual Easthampton Porchfest takes place Saturday, Oct. 4, now with three centralized neighborhoods to explore western Massachusetts sounds in. We speak with organizers Felicia Jadczak and Steve Collicelli about the talent and community this iteration brings to town. And in Amherst at the Eric Carle Museum, they’re showing more than your littles a world of exploration. Executive Director Jennifer Schantz talks about the many offerings they have for adults at the museum that are just as engaging as the picture books they celebrate, including The Carle After Dark, which sprang forth from one of their successful summer programs. And speaking of celebrating books, Merriam Webster announced the release of a new dictionary. The 12th Collegiate Edition Dictionary arrives in November, and we speak with our resident wordster Emily Brewster about the 22 year update process, and the changes made within those pages that are helpful to a modern generation.