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Clockwise from top left: Strange Fruit, Outside the
Box festival; Thomas Ortiz Dance, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival;
Redcoats & Rebels, Old Sturbridge Village; Mashpee Wampanoag
Tribal Pow Wow; Lowell Folk Festival
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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!
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Featured Region:
Franklin County
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Green
River Festival will be held July 14-16 at the
Greenfield Community College campus in Greenfield! The Green River
Festival is Western Massachusetts' signature summer event. For one
weekend every July, enjoy a truly outrageous celebration of world
class music, great local food, beer & wine, a handmade craft
fair, and lots of family games and activities. It's all topped off
with four hot air balloon launches and a spectacular Saturday night
balloon glow. The festival features performers from many genres of
music, from folk to indie rock, reggae to Cajun & Zydeco, Alt.
Country to blues and everything in between. This musical smorgasbord
unfolds with over 30 bands on three stages featuring easy access plus
great sound and sight lines. You're guaranteed to discover your next
favorite band! Book a balloon ride here. Find
the festival line up here.
Find more information on Franklin
County.
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Boston
POPS in July! So much so that July should be 2 months
long! Harborfest
& Fireworks Spectacular kick off the official
start of summer followed by countless outdoor markets, festivals,
feasts and bona fide fun. Missed the Tall Ships? Then catch Ocean Liners at the PEM,
a more terra-firma experience at the Sand Sculpting Festival, or
any number of sightseeing, music and culinary cruises for on deck
experiences. TD
Garden hosts Tom
Petty for 2 nights, the Landmarks Orchestra
debuts its' Esplanade
series on July 19, NKOTB
score at Fenway
Park and WICKED
casts its spell through July 23. Several venues will be showing
classic, comedy and family-friendly films outdoors; and a
contemporary Romeo
& Juliet appears on Boston Common
from July 19-August 6. And the Greenway's cultural experiences
extend from the 2-day FIGMENT
Festival, to zip-lining 220' across the parkland to
frolicking in the fountains! Find more information on Greater
Boston.
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Hydrangeas
are the signature flower of Cape Cod, and the annual Cape
Cod Hydrangea Fest will celebrate these beautiful
blue, pink and white blooms at their peak! Take a glimpse into some
of Cape Cod's most spectacular private gardens during the 10-day Cape
Cod Hydrangea Festival, from July 7-16. Festival highlights include
private garden tours organized by (and benefiting) local nonprofits
and museums, workshops presented by leading international
horticulturalists, a hydrangea-inspired Cocktail Trail, and other
special hydrangea-themed events & promotions. Find the full
line-up of Hydrangea fun at CapeCodHydrangeaFest.com!
Find more information on Cape
Cod.
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"60 Days of Summer" at the Naismith
Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame: Daily at 1 pm
through August 30, the Hall hosts various appearances, autograph
signings, magicians, trick dribblers and jugglers, mascots, giveaways
and much more, totally FREE of charge to all museums guests! These
appearances are updated daily so be sure to check the date of your
visit and see what exciting programming the "60 Days of
Summer" and all of Western
Mass has to offer! Find more information on Greater
Springfield.
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In
July, Hampshire County's hills, valleys and downtowns explode
with music! Klezmer music lovers will flock to Yidstock, a festival of new
Yiddish music, July 13-16 at the Yiddish Book Center in Amherst.
Stroll through our downtowns in Amherst,
Easthampton, Northampton and South
Hadley for weekly summer music concerts. Enjoy a sunset
concert from the top of the Holyoke Range July 14-16,
the Green
River Festival is Western Massachusetts' signature
summer event. an outrageous celebration of world class music. Click
to find more reasons to visit
the other side of Massachusetts. Find more information
on Hampshire
County.
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Admit
it. You've always wanted to peek into someone else's attic, to see
the antiques and ephemera that might be lurking there. How about
poking into the attics of entire communities? Summer is a great time
to visit local historical societies, whose collections span ages and
interests. Examine Iver Johnson bicycles in Fitchburg. See decades of
wedding dress fashions in Gardner.
Learn about the furniture, lamp and pail industries that fueled Ashburnham's growth. Go ahead,
take a peek. History awaits your visit! Find more information on Johnny
Appleseed Country.
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First Friday
in Vineyard Haven will be held Friday,
July 7 from 4 to 8 p.m. The Vineyard Haven Harbor Cultural District
celebrates as artists partner with retailers for a street lined with
art, live music, design, creation and imagination! Stroll the shops
and galleries, meet artists and see their most recent works on
display. For all your Martha's Vineyard info, visit MVY.com. Find more information
on Martha's
Vineyard.
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Visit
the Village
of Shelburne Falls, home of the world-famous Bridge of
Flowers, the glacial potholes, excellent restaurants, and beautiful
galleries. The magic of Shelburne Falls brings visitors back again
and again to experience the fabulous events throughout the summer,
including the Bridge
of Flowers Classic Road Races attracting over 1,000
participants (August 13) and the festive Iron Bridge Dinner
serving 400 patrons dining al fresco on the Iron Bridge (August 21).
Find more information on The
Mohawk Trail Region.
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The
second half of July really heats up in MetroWest, with favorite
annual events taking place throughout our geography! The Natick
Center Cultural District's ArtWalk on July 20 caps off Restaurant Week
with art, music, and commerce flowing through the downtown. The
four-day Franklin Cultural Festival showcases
the artistic, musical and culinary talent in a half-dozen locations,
July 26-29. On July 29-30, at the entertaining Race of the Century, horses,
vintage autos, stagecoaches, and other historic transportation vie to
win! Find more information on MetroWest.
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Grab
a mat and join the Nantucket
Yoga Festival July 7-9 - classes will be held under
tent at Bartlett's Ocean View Farm. From July 12-15, don't miss the laughter!
The Nantucket Comedy Festival
welcomes top acts to the Dreamland Theater to fundraise for Stand Up
& Learn (a program for the island's comedic youth.) Register now
for the annual Nantucket
Triathlon, participate in either the sprint or the
children's triathlon. Find more information on Nantucket
Island.
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Marblehead Festival of Arts takes
place July 1-4! Celebrate the arts at this festival of music, visual
arts, written and film arts and plenty of other events for family fun
and enrichment. Northshore
Music Theatre presents Disney's Beauty and the Beast
July 11-July 30; this musical is based on the 1991 Academy
Award-winning animated film Disney's Beauty and the Beast, a classic
story about finding love in unexpected places. Find more information
on North
of Boston.
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The Onset Summer of Love Concert Series
will be held at the Onset Band Shell every Wednesday evening June
28-August 30 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. FREE and family friendly! The
lineup for July includes: July 5 - Daddy O! (50's, 60's Swing);
July 12 - Just Like That (Eclectic Rock Covers); July 19 - Double
bill with Movin' On/Ultimate Benetar-Bad Co. Tribute/Pat
Benetar/Heart Tribute; and July 26 - Groovy Afternoon-A Tribute to
the Woodstock Era, '69-'72. Find out more here! Find more
information on Plymouth
County.
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Head
to New Bedford on July 8-9 for the Annual New Bedford Folk Festival,
voted one of "New England's Greatest Celebrations" by The Boston Globe.
Enjoy two full days of the best in contemporary, Americana,
traditional, blues and Celtic folk music. More than 100 artists will
perform on nine stages throughout historic downtown New Bedford -
ranging from the 1,200 seat Zeiterion to the intimacy of the
Meet-The-Performer stage! Find more information on Southeastern
Massachusetts.
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Edith
Wharton's beloved home, The Mount, is located in the
Berkshires of Western Mass. Wharton designed and built The Mount as a
country retreat. Her days there were filled with writing, picnics,
and strolls in the gardens. The evenings were for intimate dinners
with friends and lively discussions on the terrace. Today, The Mount
offers tours of the house and gardens, including a Backstairs tour
and our popular Ghost tour. Special events include music, theater,
readings and an outdoor sculpture show! For directions and hours,
visit EdithWharton.org.
Find more information on The
Berkshires.
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The
Longest Running "Free" Folk Festival in America celebrates
31 years on July 28-30, on five stages in Downtown Lowell! Join us at
the Lowell
Folk Festival for Traditional Music & Dance from
National & International Cultures, enjoy Ethnic Cuisine, and
learn from Master Crafters. Visit LowellFolkFestival.org.
For more fun things happening in the Greater Merrimack Valley this
summer, visit merrimackvalley.org.
Find more information on Greater
Merrimack Valley.
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