BOSTON— May 29, 2013— Massachusetts takes great pride in its arts and cultural offerings, and there’s nothing that demonstrates that more than a summer lineup teeming with opportunities. From our traditional array of world-class museums and attractions to an exciting lineup of special exhibits, theatrical performances, and festivals, there’s more than enough to entertain and educate people with all interests and backgrounds this summer. Learn something new, step out of the everyday, and join us as we celebrate all our Commonwealth has to offer. Below are just a few of the many arts and cultural listings on the calendar this summer.
Greater Boston
Cambridge Arts Festival, Cambridge
This annual festival, which takes place on June 1, focuses on emerging artists and provides a space for artists, musicians and performers to display their talents at no charge. cambridgeartsfestival.com
Tuck Everlasting, Boston
Based on Natalie Babbitt’s novel set in a small New England town, this production of Tuck Everlasting will be held July 28-August 18, at the City Emerson Colonial Theater. boston.broadway.com
Outside the Box Festival, Boston
Taking place July 13-21, Outside The Box 2013 is the first annual, citywide, multi-arts festival based in Boston, Massachusetts. With a wealth of theatres, concert halls, conservatories, performing arts centers, and educational institutions for the arts in the region, Outside The Box will capture talent and enthusiasm and generate creative energy from every corner of the city. outsidetheboxboston.org
Roxbury International Film Festival, Boston
Films celebrating people of color. Film screenings, workshops, and panel discussions take place at the Museum of Fine Arts, Massachusetts College of Art, Wentworth Institute of Technology, Northeastern University, the Roxbury Center for the Arts at Hibernian Hall, and the Coolidge Corner Theatre. roxburyinternationalfilmfestival.org
Shakespeare on the Common and Summer Concert Series, Boston
A Boston tradition since 1996, CSC has been presenting fully-staged productions of Shakespeare plays free-of-charge to Boston audiences. Sponsored by New England Conservatory, Commonwealth Concerts is a series of pre-show concerts featuring a wide range of musical stylings before performances of Shakespeare on the Common. commshakes.org/performances/Shakespeare-on-the-Common
North of Boston and Greater Merrimack Valley
Salem Jazz and Soul Festival
This free, two-day festival occurring August 17-18, renews the vibrant jazz scene that began in Salem in the 1920’s, when musicians from the Big Band era played at the seaside park in Massachusetts. The festival adds soul, blues, and funk while highlighting talented musicians from Boston’s North Shore and beyond. salemjazzsoul.com
Lowell Folk Festival, Lowell
July 26-28, the town of Lowell will host the finest traditional artists from across the country. Besides musicians, there will also be crafts, demonstrations, and food. lowellfolkfestival.org
Salem Arts Festival, Salem
This year’s festival, running the weekend of June 7-9, celebrates all forms of art, from fine art and performance to new media, culinary art, and installations. There will be a gallery of juried artists’ work in Old Town Hall, indoor and outdoor performances, a street fair, and a community art market, all of which are free and open to all. salemartsfestival.com
Concert in the Round, Lexington
The Lexington Symphony Orchestra will gather for an informal concert at the Cory Hall on Saturday, June 8. There will be individual performances, selections from sections of the orchestra, and a Q&A. lexingtonsymphony.org
South of Boston
Pembroke Arts Festival, Pembroke
August 10-11 on the Pembroke Town Green, local art, live music, and local businesses will come together under one big tent for the 46th annual festival. pembrokeartsfestival.org
Singin’ In the Rain by the New Bedford Festival Theatre, New Bedford
The stage adaptation of this romantic comedy about the early days of sound film will be performed at the Zeiterion Performing Arts Center, July 26-August 4. zeiterion.org
New Bedford Folk Festival, New Bedford
New Bedford Folk Festival brings together over 70 renowned and emerging performers and 90 juried arts and crafts vendors in New Bedford’s authentic historic district during the first weekend in July. newbedfordsummerfest.com
Duxbury Art Association Midsummer Art Show, Duxbury
This year’s show will take place on Saturday & Sunday, August 3 & 4, and will be “back on the bay” at the Duxbury Bay Maritime School Boat Shed on Duxbury Bay. The event will feature member artists’ work, children’s artwork, wet paint artists, an art bin sale and a Festive Cocktail Party on Saturday night in the boat shed and on surrounding the lawn. The party will include Duxbury Bay oysters, a wet paint art auction, an awards ceremony, live music and breezes off the bay. duxburyart.org
Cape Cod and the Islands
Arts Foundation of Cape Cod Outdoor Symphonies, Hyannis and Orleans
The Arts Foundation of Cape Cod are presenting the 28th Annual Citizens Bank Pops by the Sea Concert, Sunday, August 11, on the Hyannis Village Green and the 24th Annual Cape Cod Five Pops in the Park Concert, Saturday, August 24 at Eldredge Field. For either event, tickets are $20 in advance for lawn seats and $50 for festival seats, with VIP tables available. artsfoundation.org
Woods Hole Film Festival, Woods Hole
The 22nd Woods Hole Film Festival will take place in various locations around the town, screening more than 100 independent films from July 27-August 3. There will also be workshops, panel discussions, parties, and other special events. Tickets are $10 per screening, and passes are also available. woodsholefilmfestival.org
Nantucket Comedy Festival, Nantucket
This festival, occurring July 12-14, brings top comedians to locations around Nantucket. You can have a few laughs and do good at the same time—all proceeds go to the education non-profit Stand Up & Learn! nantucketcomedyfestival.org
11th Annual Art in the Village Festival, Barnstable
Local artists and musicians will come together June 29-30 for two days of paintings, pottery, jewelry, photography, live music, children’s activities, and much more. capecodartassoc.org
Pops by the Sea Concert, Hyannis
The 28th Annual Citizens Bank Pops by the Sea Concert will be held Sunday, August 11, on the Hyannis Village Green. The concert will be from 5-7 pm, but the gates will open at 1 pm. The Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra will be conducted by Keith Lockhart with celebrity guest conductor Blythe Danner. Tickets in advance are $20 for lawn seats and $50 for festival seats, with VIP tables available. artsfoundation.org
Cape Cod Five Pops in the Park Concert, Orleans
The 24th Annual Cape Cod Five Pops in the Park Concert will be held Saturday, August 24, at Eldredge Field from 5-7 pm, with gates open at 3 pm. The Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra will be performing with Artistic Director and Conductor Jung-Ho Pak. Tickets are $20 in advance for lawn seats and $50 for festival seats, with VIP tables available. artsfoundation.org
“The Billingsgate Project,” Wellfleet
250 Anniversary Committee member Dina Harris is the head writer for an original theater production performed at the Harbor Stage Company showing the history of how what was once Billingsgate became the town of Wellfleet. The opening show is Thursday, July 18, at 7:30 pm, with reoccurring performances through August 10. Tickets are $20. wellfleet250.org
Nantucket Legends: Foggy Facts and Fictions, Nantucket
Nantucket’s past is full of stories, and the Nantucket Historical Association Whaling Museum wants to separate the myth from reality. The exhibit, on display from April 26-November 15, explores some of the island’s most curious tales, including the first Nantucket tea party, R. H. Macy’s red star tattoo, Tony Sarg’s sea serpent hoax, the origin of roof walks on Nantucket Houses, Folger’s Coffee, and Nantucket Reds. nha.org
Central Massachusetts
Music & Art Weekend, Sturbridge
June 15-16, the Old Sturbridge Village will present 19th century popular music and art through over 50 singers, dancers, musicians, and artist demonstrations. Father’s Day deals are available. osv.org
Drawing Club at the Worcester Art Museum, Worcester
Whether you’re just starting to learn how to draw or you’ve been an artist all your life and are just looking to get inspired, you have plenty of opportunity to practice during the Worcester Art Museum’s Drawing Club. Held every Wednesday afternoon in a different gallery to always give a new perspective on art, participants may bring their own supplies or use those provided by the museum. worcesterart.org
Stageloft Repertory Theater, Sturbridge
This professional theater produces about 10 main stage shows a year, including musicals, comedies, and dramas. The 2013 season includes Fiddler on the Roof, The Kitchen Witches, and The Moustrap. stageloft.com
ONE Exhibit, ArtsWorcester, Worcester
ArtsWorcester has been exhibiting the works of new and established artists since 1979. ONE, opening June 7 and on display until September 2, will showcase artwork by members of ArtsWorcester, with any member allowed to submit one piece of art to this non-juried, non-themed exhibit, creating a vibrant and diverse collection with different mediums and subjects. artsworcester.org
10th Asian Festival, Worcester
The Southeast Asian Coalition and the various Asian communities in Central Massachusetts come together to celebrate and share their cultural heritage through dance performances, costumes, music, and food from many Asian countries. The festival will take place June 30th at the Italian-American Cultural Center in Worcester. seacma.org
Western Massachusetts
Williamstown Theatre Festival, Williamstown
This almost 60-year-old tradition attracts some of the top talent and young artists in theatre, producing both reinvented classics and original plays. This year’s season is June 26-August 18 over multiple venues. wtfestival.org
New Century Theatre’s 23rd Season, Northampton
Since 1991, New Century Theatre’s goal has been to produce new works alongside classic dramas and comedies that may not have been produced in a while. This year’s season is a blend of comedies and plays with heart, such as “Lend me a Tenor” by Ken Ludwig, “The Sunset Limited” by Cormac McCarthy, “Good People” by David Lindsay-Abaire, and “God of Carnage” by Yasmina Reza. newcenturytheatre.org
Ko Festival of Performance, Amherst
Now in its 22nd season, the Ko Festival of Performance at presents original works by core company members and guest artists to provide unusual and exciting entertainment for the Pioneer Valley. The theme of this year’s season, running from July 5 through August 4, at Amherst College, is “Courage.” kofest.com
Berkshire Theatre Group, Pittsfield and Stockbridge
The summer lineup for the Berkshire Theatre Group is a mix of individual shows and theatrical performances. In addition to the many concerts and regular series, they will be presenting The Lion in Winter, Oklahoma!, and more. berkshiretheatregroup.org
WordXWord Festival, Pittsfield
The WordXWord Festival offers programs year-round, culminating in an 8-day festival, August 11-18, in venues across downtown Pittsfield. Both participants and audience are able to perform and take part in workshops on writing, spoken word, and song. wordxwordfestival.com
The Summer of Love: Psychedelic Posters from the SCMA Collection, Northampton
Featuring designs by some of the major California poster artists of the 1960s, “The Summer of Love” exhibit at the Smith College Museum of Art explores one visual side of 20th century American counterculture. The exhibit will be up from June 14-September 15. smith.edu/artmuseum
Barrington Stage Company, Pittsfield
The Barrington Stage Company, the Berkshires’ non-profit professional theatre company, has several shows planned for this summer. First is Bashir Lazhar, about a political refugee turned teacher; then Muckrackers, a story about political differences and privacy rights; and finally Southern Comfort, a musical about a transgendered couple in rural Georgia. barringtonstageco.org
Art for All: Additions to the Collection from Antiquity to Today, Amherst
This exhibit at the Mead Art Museum celebrates the recent growth of Amherst College’s art collection through 130 diverse works of art, most on view for the first time, representing a cross-section of the over 900 objects that have entered the Mead’s collection since 2007. The wide-ranging display will be open in two parts over July and August. amherst.edu/museums
Berkshires Arts Festival, Great Barrington
Locals and visitors alike can gather at Ski Butternut for the Berkshires Arts Festival, which is now extended to two weekends, July 4-6 and 12-14. berkshireartsfestival.com
About MOTT
The Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism (MOTT) is the state agency dedicated to promoting Massachusetts as a leisure-travel destination. An integral part of the state’s economy, tourism generates more than $915 million in state and local taxes and $14.4 billion in travel related expenditures and supports 121,500 in-state jobs. Web site: https://www.massvacation.com/
Contact: Lisa Simmons, MOTT
617-973-8508
Vicki Cimino, Connelly Partners
617-470-8878