Summer is here and so are all the best events and activities in Western Mass. Love scouring estate sales and searching for treasures? Don’t miss Brimfield Antique Flea Market – America’s oldest outdoor antique flea market. It takes place July 9-14 with thousands of dealers. The sound of jazz and roots fills the streets of Springfield surrounding Stearns Square on July 12 & 13, when the annual Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival returns. The long-awaited Vault is now open at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. This limited-time exhibit offers an innovative experience unlike anything the Hoop Hall has ever produced. Set in an actual bank vault, Celtics legends from the past and present take visitors on an epic journey to discover the true meaning of Celtics Pride!

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Photo: Lynne Graves

Explore the arts in Hampshire County! Visit The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art for a Portuguese/English bilingual storytime, or drop in for an author appearance at Odyssey Bookshop. Catch Shawn Colvin and KT Tunstall on stage at the Academy of Music, and hear Patty Griffin in concert at BOMBYX. Discover a Picasso at the Smith College Museum of Art, or discover your creativity by booking time in Emily Dickinson’s writing room. Art abounds in Hampshire County!

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There’s nothing quite like a barrage of parades, concerts, and fireworks when Independence Day rolls around—and communities throughout Johnny Appleseed Country welcome the Fourth with a bang! Love a parade? Fitchburg has a great one! Looking for fireworks? Gardner, Fitchburg and Pepperell have you covered! In the mood for a patriotic concert? Head to Fruitlands Museum in Harvard, where the Concord Band takes to the outdoor stage. Think the Fourth is just one day? Think again: These celebrations run from June 29 right through the holiday!

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July on Martha’s Vineyard is perfection! Its dazzling beaches, sprawling verdant fields and farms, hiking/biking paths and all manner of recreation will keep everyone engaged! So many events and activities — farm tours, farm markets, Oak Bluffs Open Market, Edgartown Village Market, Chilmark Flea Market, Run-the-Chop Challenge, Children’s July-4th Parade, Vineyard Artisans Summer Festival, Vineyard Cup Regatta, Vineyard Haven Band concerts, Featherstone Gala, Jewish Culture Festival, Granary Gallery Premiere and more. Visit, stay, dine, shop, swim, kayak, SUP … it’s all here!

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Downtown North Adams is the Place to be this Summer! At Eagle Street Beach Party on July 27, they don’t need an ocean to have a beach. More than 250,000 pounds of sand is spread - curb to curb - the entire length of Eagle Street. At the 26th Downtown Celebration on August 14, bands play everything from Dixieland to Rock and Roll. Delicious aromas fill the air as local restaurants and vendors provide all kinds of wonderful food. And the 12th Annual Motorama welcomes all things motorized on Sunday August 25.

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Happy Birthday, America! Enjoy “Stars & Stripes Over Framingham” on June 28; Celebrate Holliston’s laser show on 7/4; and Franklin’s July 3-7 carnival, concerts & fireworks. Delight in the many musical offerings: 7/5 Scott Brewer and the Diplomats at HCA; 7/11, 7/15 & 7/20 Claflin Hill Symphony Summer Concert Series; and 7/13 Greg Hawkes with Eddie Japan at TCAN. Visit the American Heritage Museum on 7/13 -14 for a reenactment of the WWII Pacific Saipan Campaign. See website for details.

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Photo: Jamie Holmes

July is Nantucket’s summer-heart. Gardens awash in blooms, shimmering-beaches, summer-light, happy sun-gilded faces. Endless activities — swim, surf, kayak, SUP, sail, sunbathe, slow lunches, romantic dinners. Independence Day (7/4); Dance Festival (7/9-14); Night-at-the-Museum Cocktail Party (7/12); Nantucket-by-Design (7/15-18); Nantucket Garden Festival (7/23-25); Cocktail, Sunset sails, oyster farm tours, Stargazer Gala (7/25), live music at Cisco Brewers. Hike 9,000-acres of trails; cycle 32 miles of bike-trails; Nantucket Triathlon (7/20) shop, stay awhile, paint, read, children’s/family nature activities. Explore island-wide with The Wave bus, free until 30 September.

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Misselwood Concours d’Elegance, one of the most scenic and fun concours shows on the East Coast happens July 19-21. Featuring the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, '50s American Orphans, Cars with Curves, and Cars of the Copperstate 1000! Yankee Homecoming Celebration is a family tradition, taking place July 27–August 4, in Newburyport. Events include live music, historic walking tours, outdoor markets, art shows, a parade, and fireworks.

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Enjoy some FREE time in Plymouth: Free Wednesday Nights live music on Plymouth Waterfront, including food trucks & 50/50 raffle (79 Water Street); Wednesday Walks FREE guided walk at Plymouth’s Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuary. View native plant and animal species, 2 miles over level terrain (60 Beaver Dam Road); and Arts on the Green, where you can immerse yourself in creativity across ceramics, painting, and sculpture mediums, offering the chance to explore the vibrant artistic community of Plymouth. FREE and open to the public on July 20 from noon to 4 pm (26 Court Street).

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Celebrate Independence Day and enjoy all the festivities in Southeastern Mass! View the City of Fall River fireworks aboard the USS Massachusetts - get your tickets here. Take Fall River's new water taxi along the waterfront and enjoy the city pier activities. Head over to New Bedford's Working Waterfront for their fireworks on July 4th, or take the South Coast Artists Annual Open Studio Tour on July 16&17. The Whaling City Festival is back at Buttonwood Park Zoo July 11-14. NB Roots and Branches Festival is on July 20. Visit the Coastal Wine Trail and walk Horse Neck State Beach!

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Love live performances? Check out six world-class theaters in the beautiful Berkshires! Begin your theater adventure at the multi-stage Shakespeare & Company, and then head to Barrington Stage for award-winning plays and musicals. After that, catch a show at one of Berkshire Theatre Group’s multiple stages - and be sure to visit Williamstown Theatre Festival for internationally acclaimed performances. You won’t want to miss any of the WAM Theatre productions! Finally, complete your experience with a show produced by Great Barrington Public Theater. You’re guaranteed all the feels from the talent gracing these Berkshire stages!

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Experience the ultimate Pink Floyd tribute concert with Into the Floyd - International Pink Floyd Tribute at NARA Park in Acton on Friday, July 19 from 8 to 10:30 pm! Get ready for an electrifying evening of classic hits and mesmerizing visuals, which will transport you to the iconic soundscape of Pink Floyd's timeless music. Brace yourself for a mind-blowing laser light show that will add an extra dimension to the performance. The combination of stunning visuals and the band's impeccable musicianship will create an unforgettable experience. Buy tickets now!

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From the String Queens at JMAC, to free summer concerts on the plaza at Hanover Theatre - you won’t want to miss these summer events in Central MA! Farmers markets and free outdoor movies are back on the Worcester Common: Watch Ryan Reynolds in "Free Guy", a funny, action-packed movie filmed in Worcester, MA. At New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill, discover large-scale, site-specific, kinetic art dancing in the wind for a limited time.

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Step into a world of whimsy and wonder as Circus Smirkus presents the 2024 Big Top Tour: The Imaginarium. Join Vermont’s award-winning youth circus at the Franklin County Fairgrounds in Greenfield on Saturday, July 20 at 6 pm; Sunday, July 21 at 11 am and 5 pm; and Monday, July 22 at 1 pm and 6 pm. Enjoy amazing aerial acts, acrobatics, clowning, and juggling performed by talented kids ages 11 to 18. Experience a magical toy shop springing to life. Tickets are available at smirkus.org and at the door. Don't miss out!

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Photo: Kyle Klein

Shakespeare on the Common returns July 16-August 4 with "The Winter's Tale." These FREE performances occur nightly at 8pm near the Parkman Bandstand on Boston Common. Commonwealth Shakespeare Company's Artistic Director Bryn Boice makes her Common directorial debut in this captivating tale of intrigue, betrayal, jealosy and hope. Arrive by sundown to take in this wonderful Boston summer tradition!

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Hydrangeas are the signature flower of Cape Cod, and the annual Cape Cod Hydrangea Fest will celebrate these beautiful blooms at their peak! Tour some of Cape Cod's most spectacular private gardens during the 10-day summer garden celebration, happening July 5-14. In addition to garden tours benefiting local nonprofits, highlights include workshops by leading international horticulturalists, promotions at participating nurseries, and painting demos by renowned local artists. Get a guide to all the flowery fun that awaits here, or find the full line-up at CapeCodHydrangeaFest.com!

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