Saturday, Sept. 17

UM Football 6:30 p.m.

The Massachusetts football team will host rival Rhode Island at McGuirk Alumni Stadium on Saturday in what could be its final home opener before the team makes its way to the Football Bowl Subdivision.

The Minutemen will take on URI, the same team they faced when the stadium was dedicated back in 1965. Following this season, the stadium will go under renovations to accommodate the needs of FBS football teams.

For the contest, UMass will start with quarterback Kellen Pagel after much debate about who would get the starting spot.

Last season, the Minutemen fell, 37-34, to the Rams in a heated contest. Tail back Jonathan Hernandez, who will compete on Saturday, rushed for 124 yards for two touchdowns.

UMass will make its way home after successfully defeating its only opponent this season, Holy Cross, 24-16, back in August.

The Minutemen won’t return to McGuirk until Oct. 8 when they face Central Connecticut on Band Day. There are two more games after that in Amherst, on Nov. 5 and Nov. 19.

Following this home opener and the rest of the season, the Minutemen will find a new home in Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass. The Minutemen will face off against New Hampshire on Oct. 22 in their soon-to-be home.

Holyoke Community College Alzheimer’s walk 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

The Pioneer Valley is walking to help find a cure for the 5.4 million Americans who have Alzheimer’s disease. The annual walk, which takes place at Holyoke Community College, is a fundraiser for families and individuals who have been touched by Alzheimer’s. There is a .5 mile walk and a 1.5 mile walk available. Registration starts at 8:30 a.m. and the walk starts at 10 a.m.

For more information, email [email protected].

The Big E 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

A New England classic, the Big E opens this weekend in West Springfield with fair games, rides, livestock and most importantly food – lots and lots of food. New to the Big E culinary plate this year is the Hot Diggid-E Dog – a hot dog wrapped in bacon, topped with a spicy coleslaw and sprinkled with jalapeños – and the New England Dog – a hot dog wrapped in bacon topped with baked beans and cheddar cheese. There will also be a circus exhibit and BIXBY’s Rainforet Rescue.

Tickets are $15 at the gate. For more information, visit thebige.com.

Apple Picking with the Newman Center 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

The Newman Student Association will be sponsoring a trip to Outlook Farms in Westhampton. Attendees will be able to pick half a peck of apples, which they can take home for free. Interested people should meet in the Newman Center parking lot at 11:30 a.m. Transportation will be provided.
For more information, visit the Newman Student Association Facebook page.

Neon Nights: LGBTQ and Ally Fall Dance 9 p.m. – 1 a.m.

Kicking off the fall semester, the Stonewall Center will be hosting a dance party with DJ Studebaker Hawk, who was voted the areas best DJ by The Valley Advocate. Taking place in the lobby of the Fine Arts Center, glow sticks and sunglasses will be provided to party goers. The event is free and open to the public.
For more information, visit umass.edu/stonewall.

Sunday, Sept. 18

The Pawn Shop – Fox Proprietors Exhibit

This new exhibit opened in Hampden Gallery in Southwest Sept. 11. The exhibit is a recreation of a pawn shop with only 2-D paper drawing with foxes as the store owners. The concept was created by artists Tim Winn and Zehra Khan and constructed using paper and wood.

According to the artist statement, the exhibit “explores notions of the commercial and sentimental value of objects and the negotiable value of drawing and art.”

For more information, visit umass.edu /umhome/events/articles/130667.php.

Ceremony to Honor Black Civil War Veterans 2 p.m.

At the West Cemetery in Amherst, a ceremony will be held to honor black civil war veterans from Amherst. Admission is free.

For more information, email [email protected].

“The Cloth from which We Are Cut” 2 p.m.

To commemorate the 100 anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, a fire that killed 149 factory workers, the National Yiddish Book Center in Amherst will host a free concert by the Yiddish Community Circle of the Boston Workmen’s Circle. Titled A Besere Velt, which translates to A Better World, the concert will tell the story of Jewish immigrants in industrial America.

For more information, visit westernmassafsc.org/calendar/jwj/jwj912.html#Anchor-Sunda-59866.

Cello Theory Dance 3 p.m.

A dance performance choreographed by Billbob Brown, promises to be an event of “poignancy, hilarity and fun,” according to the website advertising the event. It will take place in the Bezanson Recital Hall in the Fine Arts Center. Tickets are $3 for UMass student and $5 for students.

For more information, visit umass.edu/music.