The Lowell Summer Music Series is presented by the Lowell Festival Foundation and Lowell National Historical Park. The 2021 Season is its 31st year of presenting national recording artists in a beautiful outdoor setting near an historic textile mill and boardinghouse in historic Downtown Lowell! Many well-known artists - like Kenny Wayne Shepherd and more - will be performing. Patrons bring lawn chairs and blankets to view the show from the lawn. Premium Seating provides a chair in the first few rows right in front of the stage. The series features ticketed evening concerts on weekend evenings and a series of free children’s shows called Free Fun For Kids on Wednesday and Thursday mornings. Boarding House Park is located at 40 French Street in downtown Lowell in front of the Boott Mills. Some shows may be moved to Lowell Memorial Auditorium, 50 East Merrimack Street, in 2021 to meet health rules.

Tickets are available for purchase by phone at the Etix Customer Service Center at 1-800-657-8774 or lowellsummermusic.org.

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Photo: In early June, you can download the free Smile City Culture Passport, packed full of savings, at VisitSmileCity.com.

We’re all smiles and celebration this June, first with the launch of the Smile City Culture Passport, then ArtsWorcester’s Biennial Block Party on June 12—a date that also marks the start of Worcester Art Museum’s Iconic Jersey exhibit, a nod to fashion in baseball. Plus, WCLOC & JMAC bring back live theater with The Niceties, with Worcester Historical Museum. Finally, Summit Wynds offers a tranquil end of June, with a Lavender Farm Fest for your family.

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The Asparagus Valley Pottery Trail will be open June 12-13 (in person), with an online opening of June 11! Tour nine studios with 20 nationally recognized potters. Easily reached from Boston, Hartford, and the Albany area, the free, self-guided tour winds along the beautiful back roads and scenic historic towns of the Asparagus Valley, a local name for the upper Connecticut River valley of western Massachusetts. The Pottery Trail celebrates the rich agricultural history and cultural vitality of the area, as well as the longstanding connection between pottery and food!

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As of May 29, Boston is fully open and welcoming visitors to explore our historic city! Come experience our beautiful waterways and lush urban green space, meander through diverse neighborhoods pulsating with vibrant culture and eclectic culinary offerings, take in a game or concert, and see why Boston is at the intersection of contemporary and traditional, modern and iconic, cosmopolitan and quaint.

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Looking to get your cultural fix on Cape Cod? Look no further than Arts Cape Cod, which has a growing list of itineraries that highlight the best of arts and culture in our region. From Sandwich's deep-rooted ties to glassmaking to the nation's largest continuous art colony in Provincetown, there is plenty to fill your cultural plate this summer. These arts-themed itineraries are just one way that the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod, the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce, and the Town of Barnstable are shining a spotlight on our region's creative economy, as part of the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism's My Local MA initiative.

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Let’s face it. We missed a lot last year. Rightfully so during a global pandemic! But Massachusetts is open for business and now is the time to come back to Western Mass and do all the things you missed last year. Things like Six Flags New England, Yankee Candle Village’s Wax Works, the Basketball Hall of Fame, MGM Springfield and the Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum. You’ll also find plenty of outdoor (and indoor!) dining and live music once again in Western Mass!

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Restrictions have been lifted and we have missed you! So come out to Hampshire County – the Other Side of Massachusetts – and let’s go out when you get here! Experience our open spaces and outdoor recreation, from walking food tours to our nature and biking trails. Enjoy an outdoor performance of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at the Park Hill Orchard in Easthampton or celebrate Juneteenth at the David Ruggles History Center in Northampton. We just want you to come visit and have an outstanding time. 

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Get your taste buds ready! Harvest season has begun in Johnny Appleseed Country! From juicy strawberries — still warm from the sun and bursting with flavor — to asparagus, rhubarb and chard, fresh produce is cropping up at pick-your-own farms and on the tables at farmers’ markets throughout the region. Need more incentive to visit local farms and orchards this month? How about live music, outdoor dining, and opportunities for the kids to meet baby farm animals? June is an ideal time for a taste-filled ride through the countryside!

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Photo credit: Peter SImon

Martha’s Vineyard’s June is idyllic. Families, couples or solitary pilgrims stroll beaches, trails, see Gingerbread cottages, jump-off Jaws Bridge. There are stark Chappaquiddick and Up-island’s quaint serenity contrasting with port-town museums, restaurants, shops, boutiques, galleries and artisans markets. Ride a carousel, kayak/SUP, sail, fish, bicycle, golf, take an art class, attend Featherstone’s Musical Mondays or see a film. Martha’s Vineyard is safe and ready to welcome you back, Vineyard-style —and there’s no style you need more right now!

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Join us for live theatre this summer in Williamstown! The Box Office opens on June 22. Rediscover the power of live theatre with a season of three world premieres (July 6-25 Nine Solo, July 13-August 8 Row & July 20-August 8 Alien/Nation) unlike anything you have experienced before and yet every bit as artistically excellent, culturally rich, and impactful as the work you have come to expect from Williamstown Theatre Festival.

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Every Thursday - June 3 through July 29 from 5 to 7:30 pm - ‘Natick Nights’ will be showcasing the entertainment and artistry that’s unique to Natick Center. There may be street performers, a walking history tour, a performance, a gallery opening, artist demonstrations, maybe a beer or wine tasting, restaurant specials, and featured merchant specials! These are just a few of the things that we will have on Natick Nights, so come downtown and “Make a Night of It!”

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Photo credit: Emily Elisabeth Photography

Nantucket’s cherished summer will arrive soon —beach roses, barbecues, long lazy beach days, sailing, fishing, farmers-and-artisans markets, Cisco Brewers, cycling and verdant conservation trails, lighthouses, al fresco dining, golf, and sightseeing. The light is magical, the vibe laid-back, the cuisine divine and shopping perhaps better than 5th Avenue! With its majesty and beauty, rose-bedecked and stately houses and welcoming islanders, visitors feel the spell that remote, deeply-blessed Nantucket endows. Come visit, safely and unforgettably, here on summer’s best secret escape!

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Cape Ann Artisans Open Studios Tour takes place on June 5 & 6 from 10 am to 5 pm. Come explore the artisans exquisite natural surrounding and see the fine art and craft inspired by the scenic North Shore! The Peabody Essex Museum presents “In American Waters,” an exhibition that casts a new light on our relationship with the sea. Now open until October 3rd. Celebrate the 122nd Amesbury Days, which will begin on June 25th – July 4th. Find more events on NorthofBoston.org.

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The Fine Art of Photography 11th Annual Juried Competition & Exhibition is on display at the Plymouth Center for the Arts! Plymouth Center for the Arts began 50 years ago as the Plymouth Outdoor Art Show, successful attracting artists and visitors from all over the region. In 2008 the organization opened Plymouth Center for the Arts on North Street in the historic Russell Library. Visit the Plymouth Center for the Arts Gallery in-person at 11 North Street in historic downtown Plymouth! Hours are Wednesday through Saturday 10 am to 4 pm and Sunday 1 to 4 pm. View the online gallery here!

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With a crazy year, leaving us feeling trapped. We could all use an escape! Southeastern Massachusetts is so close to home you’ll be here by noon! What you won’t be is looking at the same four walls, because you’ll be too busy taking a stroll by the ocean, finding that art you’ve been needing & having the freshest seafood possible… most importantly making memories that will help you escape. Go to visitsemass.com for more information.

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Outdoor art abounds in the Berkshires! Explore the Land of Enchantment on the grounds of Norman Rockwell Museum, this exhibit features original works based on classical and contemporary mythology, fairy tales, fantastical heroes, and villains. SculptureNow has returned to The Mount and boasts 30 contemporary, large-scale sculptures situated throughout their beautiful grounds. If you are headed to the northern part of the county, be sure to take in Ground/Work at the Clark Art Institute, their first outdoor exhibition and is not to be missed.

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