THE FRIENDS OF BORDERLAND

The Friends of Borderland is a non-profit organization formed in 1972, dedicated to preserving and maintaining the Borderland property, the Ames mansion, and the heritage of the Ames family that created the Borderland Estate. We provide for the general public an interesting, informative and fun schedule of events to help them appreciate the natural and cultural resources that are available at Borderland State Park.

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Programs begin at the Visitors Center unless otherwise indicated. All parking lots have a $2 parking fee payable at the yellow machine in the Visitor Center parking lot.  All dogs must be on a leash.  For accessibility information call (508-238-6566). Note: Calendar is subject to change without notice.

PLEASE CLICK ON LINK TO VIEW ART PROSPECTUS 2008 and see "ART SHOW REQUEST FOR ENTRIES" at the bottom of this page.

CALENDAR EVENTS

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Sunday, May 11 & May 18 -  8 - 9 am

 

May Birding.   A fine May morning is the best time to see and hear the birds as they return in the spring migration, sing their distinctive songs and build their nests.  Join the Park Interpreter for a one-hour morning bird walk on Sunday mornings in May starting at 8am.  Bring your binoculars and bird book, or borrow ours.  For adults and school-age children.  Plan to walk about a mile over rough ground, hiking boots and long pants recommended.  Heavy rain cancels.

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Friday, May 16, noon - 12:45 pm

 

Quick Mansion Tour.  See the first floor of the Ames Mansion, plus the master bedroom suite and the art studio.  A great Friday lunch-break outing!  One tour only, 45 minutes.  First floor only is wheelchair-accessible.  Rain or shine.

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Saturday, May 17, late morning

 

Craft Table: paper flowers. The Park Interpreter and visitors make a craft project, materials supplies by the park and Friends of Borderland: $1 donation requested.  Today we’re making flowers from tissue paper.  On the patio at the Visitor Center, inside in case of rain.

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Sunday, May 18 and 25, 8-9am

May Birding.   A fine May morning is the best time to see and hear the birds as they return in the spring migration, sing their distinctive songs and build their nests.  Join the Park Interpreter for a one-hour morning bird walk on Sunday mornings in May starting at 8am.  Bring your binoculars and bird book, or borrow ours.  For adults and school-age children.  Plan to walk about a mile over rough ground, hiking boots and long pants recommended.  Heavy rain cancels.

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Sunday, May 18, 1 - 3 pm

 

SPECIAL EVENT: Ames Mansion Tours. The Friends of Borderland lead continuous tours of the Ames Mansion. This fully furnished former home of Oakes and Blanche Ames includes a 6000 volume library wing, an art studio and 18 other rooms; many beautiful paintings and other artworks.  Wheelchair accessible first floor only.  Park at the Visitor Center, enter through Mansion kitchen door.  Rain or shine. $3 donation per adult requested.  Visit the Friends gift shop for mementos of your tour.

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Saturday, May 24, late morning

 

Craft Table: fishing bottle.    The Park Interpreter and visitors make a craft project, materials supplies by the park and Friends of Borderland: $1 donation requested.  Today we’re making a caster for fishing out of a plastic bottle.  On the patio at the Visitor Center, inside in case of rain.

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Saturday, May 26, late morning 

 

Craft Table: sketching.   The Park Interpreter and visitors make a craft project, materials supplies by the park and Friends of Borderland: $1 donation requested.  Today we’re making sketches at the Ames Mansion – don’t be timid, you can do this and it’s fun!  Meet in front of the Mansion.  Rain cancels.

 

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BRISTOL CHAMBER ORCHESTRA

 

Free Summer Pops Concert at Borderland State Park from

 Sunday, June 1 @ 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm

 

Bristol Chamber Orchestra Pops presents Summer Pops Concert..  The program of artists and music is:

  • Clarinetist Todd Brunel - World Premiere jazz composition.

  • Jackie Ostergren - Vivaldi Flute Concerto "La Notte", the Night.

  • Violinist and Music Director, Harris Shilakowsky - Bach Violin Concerto in A minor.

  • Pianists, Kevin Lee & Sophie Tollefson - Bach Piano Concerto in F minor.

  • Excerpts from Bartok Romanian Folk Dances

  • Jazz Tunes by Cole Porter, Scott Joplin, the Beatles, Vangelis, fun Broadway tunes

  • & popular opera arias.

 

Music director Harris Shilakowsky founded the Bristol Chamber Orchestra in 1999. The Bristol Chamber Orchestra is a virtuoso chamber orchestra including strings, keyboards, woodwinds, brass, and percussion, both acoustic and electronic. It is the only fully professional chamber orchestra in Southeastern Massachusetts. BCO presents renowned guest soloists, choruses & dance companies and premieres works by contemporary composers. They perform studio recordings & broadcasts.

 

BCO Programs include music of all periods and styles. BCO professional musicians are also members of the finest musical organizations in New England including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Boston Pops, Boston Lyric Opera, Boston Ballet, Rhode Island Philharmonic, Brown University, New England Conservatory and Boston University faculty.  BCO performs small ensemble concerts and presentations, educational events, workshops, clinics and Young Artists Concerts, Pops concerts and special events; conventions & corporate affairs.  The orchestra and small select ensembles work in studios and sound-stages in the production of music for industrial applications including film, TV, videogames, commercials and live concert broadcasts.

 

The Bristol Chamber Orchestra Pops BCO POPS features guest jazz and popular artists and performs programs of holiday music, ethnic music, romantic, patriotic songs and themes from movies, Broadway, operetta and opera, inspirational music, blues to bluegrass, pop, rock and classical favorites. The Pops Orchestra performs with stars from Broadway, jazz performers, solo acts and groups.

 

The director, Harris Shilakowsky has performed with the Boston Symphony, Nashville Symphonies, the Buffalo Philharmonic, Handel-Haydn Society of Boston, Boston Pops, Boston Ballet, Pro Arté Chamber Orchestra, Boston Lyric Opera, the American Symphony and London Symphony Orchestra. He is former concertmaster of the Charleston, New Orleans, Omaha, Grand Rapids Orchestras & conductor of the Rocky Ridge Festival Orchestra.

 

This concert is free to the public and is sponsored by the not-for-profit Chamber Music Society of Easton, Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, and by a grant from the Easton Cultural Council supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council.  Many thanks to Mr. Don Rodman, HarborOne Credit Union, and the Sharon Music Academy and of course, the staff at Borderland State Park and the Friends of Borderland!

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Classic cars built before 1980 shimmer on parade in front of the Ames Mansion at Borderland State Park on Sunday, June 22nd, 2008!  This “First Annual Classic Car Show” is sponsored by Friends of Borderland.  Proceeds from the event assist, promote and protect historical and open space preservation as well as public programming for all to enjoy.

 

To register your car, please contact Kristopher Ventresco (ventrescok@hotmail.com), Friends of Borderland, 104 Norton Ave #4, South Easton MA 02375 before June 19th.  Registration fee is $20 per car, which includes a photograph of your car in front of the historic Ames Mansion.  This event is a “Super Wheels Showdown” qualifier.

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MANSION TOURS 2008

 

Join us for a guided tour of Blanche and Oakes Ames' Borderland Mansion.  Learn about Blanche Ames, artist & suffragette, and her husband Oakes Ames, botanist. The mansion was completed in 1912 and is preserved much as it was when the Ames family resided here.  Attractions include the beautiful two-story library, Blanche's art studio, an orchid room and a Civil War room.  Blanche's paintings are featured throughout the house. Our tours guides present a history of the family that lived here as well as describing the items of interest.  Questions are welcomed.

Sunday tours being at 1 pm and are admitted approximately every twenty minutes until 3 pm.  A complete tour of the mansion's three floors take a little more than an hour, and cost $3.00.  No admission charged for children 12 and under, or for members of the Friends.  Picture taking is not allowed inside the mansion, but postcards, books and souvenirs are available in our gift shop.

                                             TOUR DATES

  • SUNDAY, MAY 18

  • SUNDAY, JUNE 15

  • SUNDAY, JULY 20

  • SUNDAY, AUGUST 17

  • SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14

  • SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19

  • SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16

 

 

Misc. Information

Tennis on the Ames Mansion Court.  Daily, 8am-8pm.  Play tennis on the newly re-furbished court next to the back lawn at the Ames Mansion.  Bring your own rackets and balls.  Park at the Visitor Center, walk to the Mansion and proceed down the steps to the left of the Mansion, past the small stone pool and up the steps to the back lawn.  First come first served, free, just come and play.

 

Private Mansion Tours.  Available by special arrangement in advance with the Park Interpreter for groups of 10 to 20 people, Mondays and Thursdays 9am – 3pm.  $5 per person donation to benefit Friends of Borderland is requested.  Call 508-238-6566.

 

Unless otherwise noted, events meet at the Lawrence Newcomb Visitor Center, are free of charge and open to all, no pre-registration required.  Reasonable accommodation available upon advance request: call Ellenor at the Park, 508-238-6566.

 

Borderland State Park is located off Massapoag Avenue on the Easton/Sharon line.  There is a parking fee of $2 per car payable at the yellow machine; those over 62 should visit the office for a free lifetime pass.  Sponsored by Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation.  See the DCR Events Calendar at http://www.mass.gov/dcr/events.htm.

 

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For Prospectus, please click on this link

ART SHOW REQUEST FOR ENTRIES

 

The Friends of Borderland invite entries for the September 2008 Blanche Ames National Juried Art Exhibition.  The first place winner will receive $1250, second place $500 and third place $250.  The exhibition is scheduled for September 16 to October 4, 2008 in the library of the 1910 Ames Mansion at Borderland State Park, open to the public every day except Mondays.

 

Deadline for entries is July 25, 2008.  There is an entry fee of $25, covering up to three pieces.  A maximum of three works per artist may be submitted.  Artists must be 18 years of age or older, and be residents of the United States.  All work must be original and properly prepared for exhibition. 

 

For more information and to get an entry form, please email banjae@verizon.net or phone 781-784-6116 or stop in at the park Visitor Center, located off Massapoag Avenue

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Volunteers are always welcome.  If interested please send e-mail to janlcan@yahoo.com .