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May 2019
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!
The Merry Month of May!
Courtesy of Friends of the Public Garden
May is a magical month in Massachusetts, beginning with Mother's Day on May 12, when restaurants and hotels put out their finery - and special courses - to honor moms everywhere. Don't miss the Duckling Day Parade in Boston's Public Garden on May 12, inspired by the classic children's book Make Way for Ducklings. You'll find thousands of proud families from around the world in town as the Class of 2019 graduates from our 120+ Massachusetts colleges and universities. And Memorial Day Weekend on May 24-27 ushers in the start of summer, another cause for celebration!

For more on what to see + do in Massachusetts, visit massvacation.com.
Featured Region: Martha's Vineyard 
There's no better time to visit than during May's vivacious Vineyard! Mother Nature is on full display and there's no shortage of fun to be had, including: the Annual Kids Trout Derby on May 4, 5 to 9 am; Bike MS: Ride the Vineyard on May 4, 7:30 am to 4 pm; Sheepapalooza on May 4, 10 am to 2 pm; Opening Day Bad Martha's Microbrewery on May 9 at noon; Pink & Green Weekend - Edgartown's annual celebration of Spring and Mother's Day - on May 10-12; Big Chili Contest on May 11, 11 am; Tea at the Cape Pogue Light on May 12, noon to 2 pm; MV Marathon & Half Marathon on May 18, 8:30 am to 12:30 pm; Vineyard Playhouse Kiss Me I'm Irish  May 18-19, 7:30 pm; MV Film Center's Nature as Inspiration Environmental Film Festival May 23-26; Honey Beehive Tours on Monday 25, 9 to 10:30 am; and the Vineyard Artisans Show Memorial Day Weekend May 25-26, 10 am to 4 pm! 

Find more events and information for Martha's Vineyard. 
Mohawk Trail Region
MASS MoCA in North Adams is a laboratory for ambitious projects and home to landmark exhibitions, including an immersive retrospective of James Turrell, virtual reality installations by Laurie Anderson, Sol LeWitt wall drawings, and a magisterial
suite of work by Anselm Kiefer. Our child-centered gallery, Kidspace, offers art-making on weekends, vacations and all summer long. Which is to say nothing of our 50 nights of music, film, theater, dance, and festivals that we
present throughout the year!

Find more events and information for The Mohawk Trail Region
MetroWest

The weather is finally warming up and it is putting a spring back in our step here in MetroWest! To put that renewed vigor to good use, join us in the MetroWest Global 6k for Water, and help bring clean water to the developing world. Another great event, aimed at keeping that blood pumping and face smiling, is Framingham's 3rd Annual Mural Mile Race and Market. This event features a road race, music, vendors, yoga and more! 

Find more events and information for MetroWest.   
Nantucket Island

Nantucket in May offers these arts & cultural events: Cheers to Charities Wine-Tasting Epernay Wines (May 2); Spring Art Week continues (May 1-5); Four Centuries Domestic Tour collaborative walking tour with commentary (May 11); Dreamland's MET Live Dialogues des Carmelites (May 11) and BOLSHOI Live Carmen Suite/Petrushka (May 19); Mother's Day concert at the Atheneum (May 12); Nantucket Wine & Food Festival (May 15-19) island-wide; Birdland Avenue & Hotel Mystic Concerts (May 16); ACK Arts Council concerts (May 16); and 48th Figawi Race Weekend (May 24-27)!

Find more events and information for Nantucket Island.
North of Boston
On Saturday, May 4, the Vintage Base Ball & Sheep Shearing Festival will take place at Spencer-Pierce-Little Farm in Newbury. Celebrate the Arts in Rockport with the Rocky Neck Art Opening on May 11. Also, on May 11, explore A Passion for American Art: Selections from the Carolyn & Peter Lynch Collection at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem. Don't miss visiting beautiful Marblehead for the Art Walk May 18 & 19!
 
Find more events and information for North of Boston.
Plymouth County

The Snug Harbor Community Chorus Concert will be presented at 7:30 pm pm on Saturday, May 11 at the Duxbury Performing Arts Center, and again at 2 pm on Sunday, May 12 at St Andrew's Church in Hanover! Treat your Mom and your whole family to a spring concert by the South Shore's Snug Harbor Community Chorus, including selections from Broadway, film scores, Americana, and the American song book. Tickets are available at Westwinds Bookshop and The Studio in Duxbury; tickets can also be purchased at the door at either venue. General admission is $15; children 10 and under are $5. For more information, visit snugharborcc.org.

Find more events and information for Plymouth County.
Southeastern Mass

The Old Colony History Museum is celebrating its 166th birthday with the 3rd annual Great Taunton Baking Competition! Participants will have their birthday themed cakes or cupcakes judged and the winner will win a fun prize! To enter, call 508-822-1622 or send an email.
The bake-off is on Saturday, May 4 at 1 p.m. The museum, located at 66 Church Green in Taunton, will be open and free to all!

Find m ore events and information for Southeastern Massachusetts
The Berkshires

Images courtesy of Norman Rockwell Museum. All rights reserved.
Norman Rockwell Museum , located in Stockbridge, celebrates 50 years as the nation's leading center for illustration art with special exhibitions that explore Rockwell's art, life and legacy - and the year 1969. Also on view is an installation of photographs, new media and artifacts from Stockbridge's Old Corner House, where the Museum was first established. Free gallery talks daily with admission. Tour the artist's studio (May-October) and dine al fresco at the seasonal Terrace Café. Kids & Teens Free!

Find more events and information for The Berkshires
Greater Merrimack Valley

The Merrimack Valley's biggest event returns for its 33rd year! The Lowell Folk Festival takes place July 26-28 in downtown Lowell. The festival gives attendees a chance to celebrate traditions, whether that means sampling from over twenty different traditional cuisines, learning from master craft artists, or by listening to traditional musicians brought to Lowell from all around the world. This family friendly festival has something for everyone, so come celebrate your traditions with us!

Find more events and information for
Greater Merrimack Valley.  
Central Massachusetts

Enjoy the weather and get outside this month in Central Mass! Connect with the elements at Wind, Waves & Light, an unconventional art exhibit at Tower Hill Botanic Garden. Celebrate Regatta Season on Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester. Attend one of the many US Rowing events, or learn something new on National Learn to Row Day, a free event on June 1st. Take a trip to Blackstone Valley and build your own itinerary rich in history, food and nature. Need more inspiration? Explore the Top Destinations to Experience Spring Bloom!

Find more events and information for Central Massachusetts.
Franklin County
Memorial Hall Museum in Deerfield opens for the season May 4-5 with an ArtWeek celebration of the sights, sounds, and tastes of Our Living Landscape. Our river valley provides a wealth of inspiration for a FREE weekend of art-making, tastings, and other sensory experiences. Inside the museum galleries, make your own mini souvenir album with scenes from our early 20th-century postcard exhibit, emboss soft metal with landscape designs, and create nature-themed paper quilt squares. Outside, ongoing activities include wet-felting, collage and other art workshops inspired by landscapes, bird-call identification, and tastings of local food and drink. Engage all your senses! Saturday, May 4 and Sunday, May 5, 11 am to 2:30 pm. Find more information here!

Find more events and information for Franklin County.
Greater Boston
Boston absolutely blooms in May! Art and culture aficionados' choices are limitless- the Spring Boston Pops are back in town, Margaret Atwood's best-selling novel The Handmaid's Tale is performed by the BLO, the high-heeled Kinky Boots kicks audiences and Cinderella entertains in a world where wishes still can come true. The Andy Warhol of late 19th century Paris - Toulouse-Lautrec - is on exhibition at the MFA, the monumental 9-channel sound and moving-image installation The Visitors can be seen at the ICA, and the Watershed is featuring Purple, an immersive video installation. The 3-day, multi-stage musical festival Boston Calling returns late May. And the city's ever-growing and ever-popular outdoor spaces invite you to enjoy artisan markets, public art installations, beer & wine gardens and musical performances. Best of all, there's still time to find your creative self with ArtWeek!

Find more events and information for Greater Boston
Cape Cod
Cape Cod's maritime heritage is legendary. Come, hear and experience this wonderful lore at the 26th Annual Cape Cod Maritime Days, a celebration of the Cape's rich maritime history happening throughout May! There is an exciting line-up of Cape-wide events, from lighthouse tours and nautical art exhibits to guided kayak excursions, historical lectures and walking tours. And check out our maritime-themed driving itineraries around the region! Find all of the events at CapeCodMaritimeDays.com.

Find more events and information for Cape Cod.
Greater Springfield
Gateway City Arts are in full swing Spring mode! On Friday, May 3, GWCA will host the event Holyoke Pride Celebration. The Bistro will serve their special event menu. Doors will open at 8 pm, with the DJ starting at 9 pm and Drag at 10 pm. Kick off your pride weekend at Gateway City Arts - DJ, dancing, and drag! Ft. DJ Slugzone, Hella Swagg-Tragedia, & Erryn Rocabich. For more info, check out their website.

Find more events and information for Greater Springfield.
Hampshire County
When the 1st of May hits Hampshire County, we can't wait to celebrate the return of warmer weather. Sunny days mean farmer's markets, paddling on the CT river, people-watching from café patios, open-air concerts at the Pines Theater. We could go on and on, but here's our short list: 1. Kick-off Pride season early on Saturday, May 4, Northampton's Pride Day. 2. On Memorial Day weekend, check out the Paradise City Arts Festival, 3 days of astounding visual arts. 3. Click here for a guide to spring and all seasons in our corner of western Massachusetts.

Find more events and information for Hampshire County.
Johnny Appleseed 
In Johnny Appleseed Country, May ushers in a season of apple blossoms, garden teas and fascinating historical piano concerts. Don't miss the apple blossom festivals at Sholan Farms in Leominster on May 18 or in Harvard on May 11 (along with the Ducky Wucky Race!) Stop by the Narragansett Historical Society in Templeton for tea in the serene gardens. And if you've never heard music by the masters performed on pianos of the composers' era, you're in for a treat when you visit Ashburnham on a Sunday afternoon!

Find more events and information for Johnny Appleseed Country. 
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