Friday night in Northampton is Arts Night Out, and Smith College’s “Second Friday” – admission to the museum is free. At 5.30, artist Lesley Dill gives a free talk about her latest work, currently on exhibit.

Easthampton has a day full of events on Saturday. The Bear Fest kicks off this weekend with the unveiling of the artist-decorated bears at 2pm on Cottage St. That day also features three art openings (Juli Kirk, Barbara Johnson, and Brigita Fuhrmann), a small art/craft fair by the Etsy Western MA Street Team, and Bear Festivities continue behind Easthampton Savings Bank, on Main Street, after the unveiling. Art Walk from 5-8pm caps off the evening. And as an added bonus, the opening of the new bar and restaurant everyone in town has been waiting for, Venus and The Cellar Bar on Main Street. If you can’t make any of the events, definitely pop into town at some point after the unveiling – more than 30 bears will be placed at various locations downtown until October.

Also on Saturday, in Amherst is Eric Carle’s 80th birthday bash, featuring an exhibit by the Western MA Illustrators’ Guild.

Get all the details on these events (and more!) at The Valley Arts Newsletter.