Planning Your Visit
The Williamstown Theatre Festival is located in one of the most
beautiful parts of the country-the Berkshires of western Massachusetts.
Festival performances are held at the ?62 Center for Theatre and Dance
of Williams College, 1000 Main St., on Route 2, Williamstown. Visiting the Berkshires unlocks a world of New England scenic beauty, thought- and sense-provoking historical experiences, exhilarating sports and recreation, and world-class festivals alive with music, theater and dance. Follow the links above for information on getting here, where to stay, what to do and where to dine. You'll find a wealth of information to help you plan the perfect visit.
Lodging & Dining
Williamstown Theatre Festival visitors have an abundance and wide variety of lodging and dining options from which to choose. Summertime finds restaurants full and inns, B & Bs and hotels booked-it is best to plan as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
The Williamstown Chamber of Commerce (800-214-3799) maintains an up-to-date list of dining and lodging options in Williamstown and the immediate surrounding area. The Berkshire Visitors Bureau's Lodging Reservation Service can help you find lodging that fits your needs, fancy, and price range. Call their lodging reservation hotline at 800-237-5747 extension 140 or visit them online for more details.
Williamstown Area Restaurant Listings from the Williamstown Chamber of Commerce
Williamstown Area Lodging Listings from the Williamstown Chamber of Commerce
Getting to Williamstown
The Williamstown Theatre Festival is located just east of the junction of Routes 2 and 7 in the center of Williamstown, Massachusetts, approximately three hours by car from New York City and Boston, one hour from Albany, NY.
Arts & CultureBY CAR
Directions & Parking
BY BUS
Bonanza Bus Lines (888-751-8800) offers bus service between Williamstown and New York City, Boston and many other major cities. In Williamstown, Bonanza stops at the Williams Inn, just one block from the Festival.
Bus Service throughout the Berkshires is provided by Berkshire Regional Transit Authority (413-499-2782, TTY 413-448-2108, 800-292-2782).
BY TRAIN
Amtrak (800-USA-RAIL) offers service to Pittsfield (30 minutes south of Williamstown) on the Lake Shore Limited which runs between Boston & Chicago. Amtrak also runs frequently between New York City and Albany. Visitors may take a taxi to Williamstown or arrange for limousine service in advance by contacting Norm's Limousine Service (800-486-4946 or 413-663-8300).
BY AIR
Albany International Airport is served by major airlines. Visitors may take a taxi to Williamstown or arrange for limousine service in advance by contacting Norm's Limousine Service (800-486-4946 or 413-663-8300) or Airport Limo Service/Yellow Cab (518-869-2258).
Rich not only with natural beauty, the Williamstown area is a cultural mecca of world-class arts institutions. Foremost among WTF's many artistic partners, friends, and neighbors:
MassMoCA is the largest center for contemporary arts in the United States. The institution is dedicated to the creation and presentation of provocative visual and performing arts pieces, and of works that blur conventional distinctions between artistic disciplines. In addition, MassMoCA functions as a laboratory for the contemporary arts, fostering experimentation by artists, encouraging collaborations among institutions, and allowing visitors a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process.
The Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute is both art museum and research center, welcoming visitors year-round to experience its outstanding collections of European and American art in an intimate setting of profound natural beauty. Surrounded by 130 acres of expansive lawns, meadows, and walking trails, the Clark is home to exceptional examples of European and American painting and sculpture, master prints and drawings, English silver and porcelain, and early photographs. The museum is best known, however, for its extraordinary collection of French Impressionist paintings.
One of the finest college art museums in the country, the Williams College Museum of Art houses 12,000 works that span the history of art. Within the broad range of time periods and cultures represented, the collection emphasizes modern and contemporary art, American art from the late 18th century to the present, and the art of world cultures. In addition to displaying works from the permanent collection, the museum organizes loan exhibitions of outstanding works from other collections.
Images Cinema is the area's only year-round Independent Film House. Images showcases the best of independent film, and sponsors discussion groups, film festivals, and other movie-related events.
Williamstown Film Festival will celebrate its Tenth Anniversary season this fall over two weekends packed with events. Young filmmakers mix with established artists like Alec Baldwin, Sigourney Weaver, David Strathairn, Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman at seminars and screenings of hot new independent films. With all titles shown once to ensure quality encounters between artists and audiences, WFF has been called "an idyllic experience" and "a world-class festival with a small-town heart."
The Berkshires, "America's Premier Cultural Resort," is also home to: Tanglewood (summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra), Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, The Berkshire Museum, and The Norman Rockwell Museum.
There are many other fine visual and performing arts organizations throughout the Berkshires. Visit the Berkshire Visitors Bureau for a full listing.
Williams College Museum
MassMoCA
The Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute