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February 2020
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!
Winter Happenings
Leap Year 2020 gives visitors an extra day to enjoy February in Massachusetts! Families and kids have plenty of choices during School Vacation Week (February 15-23). To enjoy culture and heritage activities, check out Black History Month events at local museums, or the exciting Lunar New Year celebrations.  

Snow or no snow, Massachusetts offers endless outdoor fun for visitors. Try ice skating, outdoor hiking trails. Take a leisurely stroll through any of our cities and towns or walk our stunning coastlines. 

For more on what to see + do in Massachusetts, visit massvacation.com.
Featured Region: Central Massachusetts

Did you know that the first Valentine's Day card was created in Worcester? Celebrate Valentine's Day in the heart of New England with a romantic dinner in an igloo, outdoor skating on the Worcester Common, or surrounded by candlelight and florals at Tower Hill Botanic Garden. In February we celebrate good food in Central Mass! Experience cuisine from around the globe - from Caribbean dishes to Salvadorian fare, you will fall in love with one of these great foodie gems! Inside scoop: Restaurant Week is a wonderful opportunity to visit! Mark your calendar for "Free February" and gain complimentary access to the Worcester Historical Museum and the Salisbury Mansion. To learn more about events in Central Mass, visit the Discover Central MA website!

Find more events and information for Central Massachusetts.
Franklin County
"You Are Here: A Juried Community Art Exhibit" is on display through February 29 (Wednesday-Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm) at Great Falls Discovery Center in Turners Falls! View work by regional artists in multiple media exploring maps, the significance of place, and movement across boundaries, curated by the artist collective Exploded View. Where do you live? Where are you from? Where do you dream? How do you find your way? Where are your borders? Do maps lie? During the month, you may also come upon members of Exploded View working in various corners of the building.

Find more events and information for Franklin County.
Greater Boston
LEAP into February with Broadway hits Mean Girls, Plaza Suite and Fiddler on the Roof. Choices for music lovers include Italian operatic pop Il Volo, American Country artists Little Big Town and Joshua Bell, and the Academy of St Martin in the Fields. CRASHfest, February's indoor global music festival, more your style? Or just maybe, Mike Tyler and Christopher Wayne, the Naked Magicians, is what you've been waiting for! Museums selections include Tschabalala Self: Out of Body, her first large scale exhibit reflecting on the iconographic significance of the Black female body in contemporary culture. Or digest the way we look at cooking and eating with Resetting the Table: Food and Our Changing Tastes. Boston's rich jazz history is celebrated in Jazz Scene in Boston: Telling the Local Story, and MassArt Art Museum, making contemporary art accessible to everyone, makes its debut. Black History Month offers many opportunities for exploration and celebration.as do Lunar New Year festivities. Disney On Ice entertains, as does the Children's Winter Festival on Boston Common.

Find more events and information for Greater Boston
Cape Cod
The annual Boatbuilders Show on Cape Cod returns to the Resort and Conference Center at Hyannis February 7-9! Explore a large selection of unique, custom and limited-production boats in wood and fiberglass. On Saturday, February 8, the quaint Osterville village of Barnstable sweetens the season with Osterville Chocolate Fest, featuring a chocolate dessert contest, dog parade, chocolate manicures, book signings, retail promotions and more. Then, on February 22-23, the world-class Cape Symphony will perform Tony-winning classics like "Seventy-Six Trombones" from The Music Man and outstanding revivals like Cabaret in "The Tony's: Broadway's Best."

Find more events and information for Cape Cod.
Greater Springfield
In celebration of Black History Month, Western New England University Art Gallery will present "Keeping the Arts Alive" by local artist and Springfield Native, Don Blanton through February 27. Blanton studied at the Merrick School of Art and Drama in Los Angeles, CA and currently owns the Distinctive Art Studio in Springfield. He believes that "art improves the quality of life" and runs the program "ArtEsteem". His work includes sculpture, painting, and wearable art. The gallery, located in the St. Germain Campus Center, will host a gallery talk on Thursday, February 6 at 4 p.m. followed by an artist reception from 5 to 6:30 pm. All gallery events are free and open to the public.
For information and directions to the gallery click here or call the University at 413-782-1203.

Find more events and information for Greater Springfield.
Hampshire County
Grab your valentine and make the most of the winter chill at the Ice Art Festival in downtown Northampton on Friday, February 14. A family-friendly winter tradition, the Northampton Ice Art Festival brings featured ice artists to the streets of downtown Northampton, allowing the public to watch them as they create temporal works of art. Completed works of art will be on illuminated display during Arts Night Out - and for as long as the weather permits! Learn more. Image Credit: Lynne Graves Photography

Find more events and information for Hampshire County.
Johnny Appleseed 
February is the shortest month of the year, but it can seem to last forever when winter lingers. Take heart! There are still fun things to do while you wait for spring to arrive! Spend a zen-sational evening working with soy-based wax to craft custom candles at Wachusett Mountain Ski Area on February 11. Polish your Polka skills (and enjoy ethnic eats!) at the Polish American Citizens Club's Polish Day on February 16. Or shake off the winter blues at the Cabin Fever Collectors Show in Baldwinville on February 23

Find more events and information for Johnny Appleseed Country. 
Martha's Vineyard 
Fermentation 101: Sauerkraut at Farm Institute (2/1); MetOpera Live Porgy & Bess MV Film Center (2/1); Shakespeare for the Masses: Quick & Painless & Free! (2/1+2) at MV Playhouse; Open Pottery Studio Featherstone (2/2); Monday Night @ Movies Gone with the Wind at MV Playhouse (2/3); 2020 Oscars Viewing Party at MV Film Center (2/9); Exhibit Opening: Emma Chambers Maitland at MV Museum (2/11); Sunday Funday Brew-Hike Long Point (2/23); MetOpera Live Agrippina (2/29) at MV FIlm Center.

Find more events and information for Martha's Vineyard. 
Mohawk Trail Region
Come celebrate the 200th birthday of Susan B. Anthony, born in the town of Adams in western Massachusetts, who fought for sexual equality and social justice. A Black & Red Gala Happy 200th Birthday Susan B Anthony event will be held Saturday February 15. On Sunday February 16, the Birthday Celebration continues at the Adams Free Library, when Anthony family descendants will perform suffrage music and a song written in tribute to Susan B. Anthony.   
 
Find more events and information for The Mohawk Trail Region
MetroWest

Love is in the air in MetroWest! This Valentine's Day, treat yourself to one of the most romantic movies of all time. The classic Casablanca is playing at TCAN in Natick February 14-20. For some swingin' rockin' rhythm & blues, check out The Love Dogs at THE BLACK BOX in Franklin's Cultural District.  Need February Vacation ideas for the kiddos? Visit Hopkinton Center for the Arts. More in MetroWest at metrowestvisitors.org!

Find more events and information for MetroWest.   
Nantucket Island

Met Live Porgy & Bess at Dreamland (2/1); Cisco Brewers presents Pints & Paints (Tuesdays 2/4+11+18+25); Oscar Shorts-Live Action at Dreamland (2/5 and 2/6); Chef's Table Film Asma Khan (visiting chef) at Atheneum (2/7); Valentines Small Works Artists Association of Nantucket, works celebrating Valentine's Day, love and the color red at Visual Arts Center (2/7-14); Bolshoi Live Swan Lake at Dreamland (2/23); 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche (staged reading) Atheneum (2/14); Cat Video Fest 2020 (2/22) at Dreamland; Met Live Agrippina at Dreamland at (2/29).

Find more events and information for Nantucket Island.
North of Boston
Snowshoe & Smore's at Appleton Farm on February 1: Join in this snowy exploration looping through the pastures and woodlands with a final stop at the farm stand for hot cocoa and smore's. Salem's So Sweet Chocolate & Ice Sculpture Festival will be celebrated February 7-9. Don't miss this decadent tradition of delectable chocolate, sparking ice sculptures, and Valentine's Day shopping! Newburyport and Amesbury host the Merrimack River Eagle Festival on February 15. Come celebrate the return of Bald Eagles and learn why the local habitat is so important to them! For more events go to northofboston.org

Find more events and information for North of Boston.
Plymouth County

The Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton will present the 2020 Biennial Members Exhibition, opening on February 8 and featuring 37 museum members - young students, mid-career makers, and those who have been full-time artists for decades. These works make it clear that ambitious and enthusiastic advocates for artistic expression are prevailing across the spectrum of generational diversity. Ceramics, furniture, photography, fiber, woodturning, speak to the multidimensional set of ways in which individuals are communicating through material means. Exhibit runs through November 8, 2020! Click here for more info.

Find more events and information for Plymouth County.
Southeastern Mass

Not into romantic Valentine's Day plans? Not to worry! Grab your significant other or a bunch of friends and head over to Greasy Luck in downtown New Bedford! This Valentine's Day dance party will feature throwback dance hits all n ight long. Doors open at 10 pm and the party goes until 2 am. Tickets are $10 and Red and White dress is not required, but strongly encouraged. Have fun and do the Cupid Shuffle!
 
Find m ore events and information for Southeastern Massachusetts
The Berkshires

Visit the Berkshires this February for the 9th annual 10x10 Upstreet Winter Arts Festival, a fun-filled 10 days in downtown Pittsfield! From February 13-23, enjoy fireworks, a new play festival, comedy, dance and music performances, unique a rt shows, outdoor recreation, and more. The 10x10 Upstreet Winter Arts Festival offers something for everyone, every day, so don't miss out! Book a stay in the Berkshires this February. Barrington Stage Company photo by Emma Rothenberg-Ware.
 
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ents and information for The Berkshires
Greater Merrimack Valley

Celebrating its 19th year, the Taste of Nashoba has been an annual event showcasing the best food and beverage options from the region to hundreds of attendees.  The Taste, scheduled for Tuesday, March 24, is the Chamber's largest and most popular social engagement of the year. Follow the event on Facebook and keep an eye on new sponsors, vendors and ticket partners. Tickets and details at nvcoc.com or call 978-425-5761!

Find more events and information for Greater Merrimack Valley.  
Regional Tourism Councils  
   
Funded by the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism