Fan and follow us!
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Header Photos
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Clockwise from top left: Beneski Museum of Natural History at Amherst College, Amherst;
JFK Hyannis Museum on Cape Cod, credit Paul Scharff; Magic Wings Butterfly Conservancy and Gardens, South Deerfield; Rainbow Fleet at Brant Point, Nantucket, credit Michael Galvin; Leroy Maddix - Grass Dancer, credit North American Indian Center of Boston
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Massachusetts is rich in arts & culture, so it's no surprise that exciting events, exhibits and festivals are held in the state's 16 regions all year long. Find out more!
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Snap, Crackle, Boom into Summertime!
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It's official - summer is here! A sunny breeze, good company, and exciting events are sure to make this a July to remember. Everything's coming up red, white, and blue with statewide
Independence Day celebrations. The fun continues post-sparkles and
Pops in the South Coast with world-class music and family-friendly activities at the
New Bedford Folk Festival. To the west,
Tanglewood gets in the groove with a blend of crowd-pleasing contemporary and classical concerts. On the foodie front, it's all about
culinary variety this month from an Asian Street Food Night Market to traditional clam bakes, and even a BeerBQfest. Then there's the one of a kind
Brimfield Antique Show - an ideal day trip for shoppers and antique lovers - where casual browsing can quickly turn into an exciting treasure hunt.
For more on what to see + do in Massachusetts, visit
massvacation.com.
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Featured Region: Southeastern Mass
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Southeastern Massachusetts is your hub destination for your summer vacation! All summer long, there are ferry services from Fall River to Block Island, also New Bedford to Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket. On the Block Island ferry - passenger lounge features a food and beverage concession, four satellite flat screen televisions, and comfortable table and bench seating for 300 passengers. On the SEASTREAK ferry - relaxing and enjoyable cruise onboard a high-speed luxury catamaran. Amenities like plush seating with spacious legroom, climate controlled cabins and an open-air top deck, 360-degree panoramic windows, bathrooms, free high speed Wi-Fi, and a full-service cash bar. For daily ferry schedules to Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket,
go here. For daily ferry schedules to Block Island,
go here.
Find more events and information for
Southeastern Massachusetts.
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The Berkshires
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Discover Arrowhead this summer! This historic museum is most notable for being the home of American author Herman Melville and where he wrote Moby Dick. In August you can celebrate Melville's birthday on August 1 with Old Salts Day, when seafarer visitors get in free, or join them for a hike up Monument Mountain on August 5. Other not-to-miss summer events and exhibits are their Moby Dick reading marathon from August 2-4, their production of a new play Billy Budd in a Breadbox, their fairy house village and a new WWII memoir about a B-26 pilot. Find more
events and information for
The Berkshires
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Greater Merrimack Valley
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The Longest Running "Free" Folk Festival in America celebrates 32 years on July 27-29, on five stages in Downtown Lowell! Join us at the
Lowell Folk Festival for traditional music & dance from national and international cultures, enjoy ethnic cuisine, and learn from master crafters. Visit
LowellFolkFestival.org. For more fun things happening in the Greater Merrimack Valley this summer, visit
merrimackvalley.org. Find more events and information for
Greater Merrimack Valley.
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Central Massachusetts
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Enjoy summer in Central Massachusetts! From July 5 to August 26, join Old Sturbridge Village and Brian Clowdus Experiences as they bring the beloved story of
Charlotte's Web alive with a live musical production inspired by classic tale by E.B. White. Head on down to Lake Quinsigamond and participate in the
Woo Town WakeFest running from July 13-15. Enjoy lake views and live music by
Jamey Johnson at Indian Ranch on July 15th. Learn more about other exciting summer events in Central Massachusetts
here! Find more events and information for
Central Massachusetts.
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Franklin County
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The Green River Festival will be held July 13-15! The Green River Festival is Western Massachusetts' signature summer event. For one weekend, Greenfield Community College hosts an outrageous celebration of world class music, great local food, beer & wine, a handmade craft fair, and lots of family games and activities. It's topped off with four hot air balloon launches and a spectacular Saturday night balloon glow! Find more events and information for
Franklin County.
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Greater Boston
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Boston POPS in July! The city celebrates the cuisine, music, dance, visual arts and traditions of world cultures with
Harborfest and
4th of July festivities kicking off the month. Passports aren't required to celebrate the
Caribbean Expo on the Greenway July 14, and the traditional Italian feasts in the North End all summer long. Latin heritage is celebrated throughout the month.
Caliente! fills City Hall Plaza on July 21 and the South End hosts the 2-day
Festival Betances July 21 & 22. Cultural festivities continue at City Hall Plaza for the 3-day
Puerto Rican Festival. Theatre lovers can take a magic carpet ride with Disney's
Aladdin, witness the emotions laid bare in Grammy Award-winning Alanis Morissette's original story
Jagged Little Pill, and spend an evening with Montmartre's
Moulin Rouge. Find more events and information for
Greater Boston.
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Cape Cod
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Hydrangeas are the signature flower of Cape Cod, and the annual
Cape Cod Hydrangea Fest will celebrate these beautiful blue, pink and white blooms at their peak! Tour some of Cape Cod's most spectacular private gardens during the 10-day Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival, from July 6-15. Festival highlights include private garden tours organized by (and benefiting) local nonprofits and museums, workshops presented by leading international horticulturalists, a hydrangea-inspired Cocktail Trail, and other special hydrangea-themed events & promotions. Find the full line-up of Hydrangea fun at
CapeCodHydrangeaFest.com! Find more events and information for
Cape Cod.
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Greater Springfield
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Springfield's downtown is your destination for three great recurring July events! Do you love cool vintage cars (plus burgers, brews and music)? Check out
Cruise Night every Monday from 5 to 7:30 pm at Court Square. For great live music, amazing food and (naturally!) locally-brewed beers, catch
White Lion Wednesdays from 4 to 8 pm (except July 4). Find farm-fresh local produce, specialty food items and hand-crafted merchandise at the
Downtown Springfield Farmer's Market every Friday from 11 am to 3 pm at Tower Square Park. Find even more to explore at
explorewesternmass.com! Find more events and information for
Greater Springfield.
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Hampshire County
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Western Massachusetts,
the other side of Massachusetts, breathes an indie spirit that one visitor described by saying "the people there are doing what they love to do." Dine and shop with our restaurateurs and shop owners who create and curate feasts for your body and soul, jamming our historic downtowns in
Amherst,
Easthampton and
Northampton. Celebrate local food al fresco at one of our
farm dinners with linen tablecloths in the field where the food is grown. Take in our
indie rock scene or spend a weekend - July 13-15 - at the
Green River Music Festival, a
Rolling Stone magazine "must-see" music festival. Get
the full scoop on our indie spirit for ideas all year round. Find more events and information for
Hampshire County.
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Johnny Appleseed Country
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Sousa marches. New Orleans swamp-rock. Country tunes. Whatever your musical tastes, you're sure to enjoy an earful in Johnny Appleseed Country this summer! Town commons and city parks invite you to set up a lawn chair or roll out a blanket for a melodious afternoon or evening. Consider this sampling: summer band favorites by
Winchendon Winds, a professional orchestra; rock classics by the
Leominster Colonial Band; or toe-tapping Dixieland at
Gardner's Monument Park. Pick a town. Pick a date. There's always music in the air! Find more events and information
for
Johnny Appleseed Country.
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Martha's Vineyard
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The Featherstone Center for the Arts will set the stage for
"The Daughter of the Regiment
" July 27-29! Come enjoy this classic comic opera with an orphaned heroine, class wars, singing soldiers, long-lost relatives and forbidden love, all sung in the original French. Featuring your English-speaking spiritualist The Duchess Crackentorp, divining the operatic future through her crystal ball. Think a mash-up of Lady Bracknell, Madame Arcati and Ru Paul! A galloping seventy minutes under the Featherstone/Tilton opera tent, rain or shine. Find more events and information for
Martha's Vineyard
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Mohawk Trail Region
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Visit the Village of Shelburne Falls, home of the world-famous
Bridge of Flowers, the glacial potholes, myriad art galleries, excellent restaurants and shops, and fabulous events. The magic of Shelburne Falls brings visitors back again and again! This summer, experience the
40th Bridge of Flowers Classic Road Race (attracting over 1,000 participants) on August 11 and the festive and home-grown
Iron Bridge Dinner on August 26. Find more events and information for
The Mohawk Trail Region.
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MetroWest
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July in MetroWest starts off with a bang as Franklin hosts its annual six-day
4th of July carnival! Beginning on June 29, with a live concert by the Groove Doctors, the celebration of food, music, and family fun culminates with Franklin's famous fireworks display on July 3! To further stimulate the senses, Natick will be holding it's
11th annual Art Walk on July 19 with live music, food, and demos from 60+ local artists on the sidewalks throughout downtown. Find more events and information for
MetroWest.
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Nantucket Island
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Grab a mat and join the
Nantucket Yoga Festival July 6-8! Classes will be held under a tent at Bartlett's Ocean View Farm. From July 11-14, don't miss the laughter!
The Nantucket Comedy Festival welcomes top comedic acts to the Dreamland Theater to fundraise for Stand Up & Learn (a program for the island's comedic youth). Register now for the annual
Nantucket Triathlon on July 21 - participate in either the sprint or the children's triathlon! Find more events and information for
Nantucket Island.
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Plymouth County
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Join talented Heather Sears for a
fantastic night out on Saturday, July 14 creating beautiful Sea Glass Frames! No experience necessary, supplies provided. Choose from a variety of sand, shells, sea glass, driftwood, and sea-inspired accessories! Have your own special collection you'd like to work with? Feel free to bring that! 7 pm at M.I.Y - A Make It Yourself Studio, 27 South Park Avenue in Plymouth. Cost is $40. This is a 21+ BYOB event.
Register here! Find more events and information for
Plymouth County.
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