Irish heritage runs deep In Western Mass – especially in March when the region honors and celebrates all things Irish. So don your finest tartan and join in the fun! Start the celebration at the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Day 10K Road Race on Saturday, March 18th. It’s the largest race in Western New England, with thousands competing for cash prizes. Stick around for the legendary citywide celebration and St. Patrick’s Day Parade the next day, featuring marching bands, colorful floats and the Philadelphia Mummers string band. This parade is so popular that – along with other national treasures like New Orleans’ Mardi Gras, the Daytona 500 and the Rose Parade – it has been designated a Local Legacy by the Library of Congress. 

For a complete listing of all there is to do in Western Mass, check out our Calendar of Events and be sure to book a cozy hotel room to make it a March getaway!

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March gets musical in Hampshire County! Explore the Back Porch Festival, a 3-day affair featuring dozens of performances in downtown Northampton. Legendary a cappella showcase The Silver Chord Bowl, now in its 39th year, comes to the Academy of Music on March 12th. On St. Patrick’s Day, Big Bad Bollocks puts on its annual holiday concert at The Drake in Amherst. Bombyx Center for Arts & Equity rounds out March with Christian McBride's New Jawn, a quartet headed up by the Grammy-winning jazz bassist. Hear it all in Hampshire County!

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The warming days of March herald maple season here — and a visit to a local sugarhouse will be a treat for the whole family! On Maple Weekend — March 18 & 19— you can learn about the syrup-making process at Dave’s Sugar House in Ashby or Sweet Water Sugarhouse in Royalston. Sample syrup on snow at Big Head Fred’s in Lunenburg — or enjoy a full, maple-topped breakfast (and live music) at Hollis Hills Farm in Fitchburg. Maple season is short, but it’s oh, so sweet!

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Photo credit: Peter Simon

Martha’s Vineyard’s March is a near-spring celebration! Along with greening-up, stunning trails, never a dull moment on MV — Felix Neck Nature Heroes (3/1-3/4), Taco Tuesdays, Screech & Hoot Full Moon Owl Prowl 3/17 at 7 pm, Yoga at the MV Museum with YogiJay Saturdays 8:30-9:30 am (3/5, 3/12, 3/19, 3/26) Cape Poge Winter Beach Safari 3/19 at 12 pm, Met Opera Live: Don Carlos (3/26) Offshore Ale’s live music 7 pm Wednesdays & Thursdays. It’s all here — find your Vineyard!

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Across Shared Waters is on view until July 16th at the Williams College Museum of Art! Much as the headwaters of Asia’s major rivers form in the Tibetan plateau and flow into the world’s seas, interest in Tibetan art and culture has circulated globally, inspiring artists within Tibetan regions and throughout the world. Contemporary Artists in Dialogue with Tibetan Art from the Jack Shear Collection presents works by contemporary artists of Himalayan heritage alongside traditional Tibetan Buddhist rolled paintings, or thangka.

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A new art gallery show Break Away, celebrating women's empowerment in honor of International Women's Month, opens March 8th at the Hopkinton Center for the Arts and continues through April 20th. Located near the start of the Boston Marathon in Hopkinton, the "Break Away" exhibition will feature two formidable female artists: Bobbi Gibb and Chelsea Steele. Bobbi Gibb is known to many as an icon of women's empowerment as the first woman ever to run and complete the Boston Marathon; her exhibit will include a broad selection of her bronze figurines. Chelsea Steele is a New England photographer drawn to photograph people in situations that bring the viewer’s awareness of their strength, beauty and struggles.

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Photo credit: Emily Elisabeth Photography

Nantucket’s March —twixt winter and April’s 47th Nantucket Daffodil Weekend —signs of spring begin to blossom. Beaches dazzle, trails green up, and visitors arrive on shore. Find your new favorite meal at one of Nantucket's restaurants and explore the unique offerings at island shops. MMA story hours-live- critter events, Bird Walks; Friday Wines & Rinds @ Bartlett Farm, free guided Sunday wellness walks, free guided explorations @ Linda Loring; Nantucket Science Festival (3/18) at MMA; NCF winter walks; Nantucket’s Maritime Quiz Show (3/23). Stay, shop, sip, dine, stroll, beachcomb, paint or photo, cycle, hike, or off-road at Coskata-Coatue.

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One of the area’s most beloved artists, Jeff Weaver, will be the subject of a special exhibition as part of the Cape Ann Museum’s contribution to Gloucester’s 400+ Anniversary. This Unique Place: Paintings & Drawings opens March 18th, featuring oil paintings, pastels, and charcoals, all focusing on the built and nature landscape of Cape Ann. Come to Salem, See the World at the Salem Film Festival, March 23–April 2! This year’s event will be a hybrid format consisting both of in-person and virtual screenings & events, and filmmaker Q & A’s.

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Journey south of Boston this month and experience the fun and history of the South Shore Irish Heritage Trail! With trail “stops” in Scituate, Hingham, Plymouth and more, it’s a great way to enjoy this beautiful coastal region through the lens of Irish American heritage. Celebrate heroes, rebels, soldiers, mossers, shopkeepers and more. Download the See Plymouth mobile app to learn more about celebrating in Plymouth County and then come visit, learn, sing, dine and stay with us!

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ESCAPE is something we’ve all been dreaming of, and this is your chance to get away. Explore our expansive coastline or the cuisine of our diverse cultures. It’s finally time to exhale and relax. We have concerts, history, food and plenty to explore … Do it all, or sit and relax. Less than an hour from Boston and minutes away from Providence. Your escape is here waiting for you in Southeastern Massachusetts.

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Tanglewood is ready for summer! Tanglewood has announced its summer line-up and tickets go on sale March 9th at tanglewood.org. Create a summer concert line-up that’s all your own, with performances starting June 22 by the BSO, Boston Pops, and some of the biggest names in classical music, jazz, folk, and more. Start making your summer plans to visit the Berkshires today and ensure that a visit to Tanglewood is on your itinerary!

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The newest twist on Concord’s classic tour from the Concord Visitor Center is a 90-minute chocolate filled experience that will introduce guests to the downtown Concord area. Tours every Friday and Saturday through March at 1 p.m. The tour will touch on the town’s revolutionary and literary history, while visiting sites such as The Milldam, Monument Square, The Old Hill Burial Ground and more! Stops include Gräem Nuts and Chocolate, Priscilla’s Candy Shop, the Concord Cheese Shop and the Nosh. The cost is $30 adults; $25 seniors and students. Register now!

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Spring blooms early this March at Worcester Art Museum with Flora in Winter, as well as during Chestnut Hill Farm’s Spring Sensations Guided Hike. Pasta Dinner is served at Worcester Center for Crafts’ annual fundraiser, filled with food and ceramic skills. The Hanover Theatre gathers Hansel & Gretel and Peter & the Wolf, Paddington Bear and Aladdin for spirited family-friendly shows, while the Assabet Valley Chambersingers share their vocal talents and Turn the World Around.

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Crossroads: Changes in Rural America is on display through March 18th at Great Falls Discovery Center in Turners Falls.This traveling exhibit produced by the Smithsonian Institution's Museum on Main Street program offers small towns a chance to look at their own paths to highlight the changes that affected their fortunes over the past century. Find local exhibits on Franklin County, the most rural mainland county in Massachusetts, with Crossroads related programming focused on farming, indigenous culture, industry, art, music and our sense of place.

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Dine Out Boston returns March 12-25! With nearly 150 participating restaurants, Meet Boston's signature culinary program invites patrons from home and away to explore new restaurants with old friends or old restaurants with new friends. These deliciously priced menus provide savory experiences at great value. Book your Dine Out Boston reservation today!

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Don your green for the annual Cape Cod St. Patrick's Day Parade in Yarmouth on Saturday, March 11! The parade, which kicks off at 11 am on Route 28 in Yarmouth, features dozens of marching bands, bagpipe units, floats, Irish Step Dancers, Clydesdales, antique cars and family friendly entertainment. Also in March: In celebration of Women’s History Month, we’re calling out a group of fearless and fiery females from Cape Cod’s past and present, to honor these women’s vital contributions to American history and society. Read the blog series here.

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