Explore arts & culture happenings across Massachusetts.

Fan and follow us!


 

 

 

 

Sign up today to receive the monthly 

Arts & Culture Bulletin!

 

 

 

Header Photos

 

Clockwise from top left: Cranberry harvest; Hancock Shaker Village; Mayflower II/Plimoth Plantation; Christian Scott, Mass Jazz/Berklee College of Music; D'Amour Museum of Fine Arts, Springfield

  

 

 

March 2018

 

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!

 

Syrup, Shamrocks and Seven Gables

Massachusetts is never in short supply of reasons to celebrate. From agritourism riches to heritage standouts, the seasonal shift kicks off with syrup, shamrocks, and seven gables. Did you know that March is maple syrup month? With over 300 producers in MA and events like The Magic of Maple, agritourism never tasted so sweet. It's also Irish Heritage month, punctuated by the perennial favorite, St. Patrick's Day. Whether you're into parades, green beer, or the historic side of things, the whole family is welcome to join in the fun on this wear-all-green holiday. The House of the Seven Gables is marking a special milestone this year, turning 350! This beloved mansion, known to many by Hawthorne's book of the same name, has produced a host of special programs that carry throughout the year.


For more on what to see + do in Massachusetts, visit massvacation.com

 

 

Featured Region: MetroWest

In MetroWest, spring is so close we can taste it! That's because the 8th annual Taste of MetroWest, the region's premier culinary showcase, is March 20. Presented by the MetroWest Chamber of Commerce at the Framingham Sheraton, the Taste offers generous samples from the region's newest eateries, as well as 50 other restaurants, wineries, breweries, caterers, and markets. Later in March, feed your creative side at the Paradise City Arts Festival at the Royal Plaza Trade Center in Marlborough. From March 23 to 25, artists from all over the country will be displaying and selling the finest in American jewelry, art, fashion, and furniture. And don't forget to feed your child's curiosity at the Grand Opening Weekend of the newly renovated Discovery Museum in Acton, March 3-4. Find more events and information for MetroWest.  

 

 

Nantucket Island

Nantucket Island's 44th annual Daffodil Festival on April 27-29 promises to banish your winter doldrums! From early April to mid-May, daffodils burst forth across the island, adorning roadsides, gardens, and window boxes. This beloved event is a jubilant tribute to the advent of spring, and features an Antique Car Parade, Tailgate Picnic, and more. People and hounds "strut their stuff" for coveted awards at the whimsical Daffy Hat and Daffy Dog Parade, while little tykes star in their own procession, decorating bikes and hats Daffy-style. Find more events and information for Nantucket Island.

 

 

North of Boston

Cape Ann is known worldwide for its exciting concentrations of Winter Seabirds. Join the Cape Ann Birding Weekend on March 10 for a morning at sea, which will delight all levels of Birders! Next up, Salem Film Fest from March 22-29 is one of New England's largest documentary film festivals, presenting a rich and diverse collection of the year's best work from all over the world. Find more events and information for North of Boston.

 

 

Plymouth County

The Northeast Storytelling Conference & Festival will be held at the Hotel 1620 Plymouth Harbor in Plymouth on March 23-25. Join this fascinating look at authenticity in storytelling! How can we maintain the cultural integrity of historical and traditional tales? How can we develop a powerful yet authentic relationship between teller and audience? Featuring over 20 workshops, storytelling performances, Story Slam and Swaps, Friday keynote performer Tim Tingle, and Sunday Performer Motoko. Find more events and information for Plymouth County.

 

 

Southeastern Mass

Join AHA New Bedford for an all-day free event to explore the city's arts, history and agriculture on Thursday, March 8 in the heart of Downtown New Bedford! This month's theme is "I AM NEW BEDFORD: HERSTORY, HISTORY, and OURSTORY." There is a wide range of events across downtown listed on their website, with live music, art and shopping. New Bedford is where you come to learn, and explore art, history and culture all in one! Find more events and information for Southeastern Massachusetts

 

 

The Berkshires

The Berkshires come alive in spring, making it the perfect time to explore our world-class museums and take a hike. The barns at Hancock Shaker Village will be bursting at the seams with chicks, lambs, piglets, calves, and kids (young goats that is)! Bring the whole family for Baby Animals on the Farm from April 14-May 6. Also, join in the fun of Octoberfest in April on April 27 at Shaker Up Sausage and Beer Night, with a bit of fiddling on the side. Taste the best regional brews, meet the makers and the shakers, and enjoy delicious food from the region's finest. Find more events and information for The Berkshires

 

 

Greater Merrimack Valley

Mark your calendars for the "must attend" event of the region: the 17th Annual Taste of Nashoba Valley! Nashoba Valley Chamber anticipates over 40 vendors, offering everything from tender and tangy bbq pulled pork sliders to crispy lobster dumplings to dense and delicious whoopee pies. Event to be held on Tuesday, March 20 at Lawrence Academy in Groton. Tickets and details at nvcoc.com.
 Find more events and information for Greater Merrimack Valley. 

 

 

Central Massachusetts

Discover fun in Central Massachusetts this March! The Original Harlem Globetrotters will have fans on the edge of their seats at the DCU Center in Worcester on March 9-10. Join in the fun at Worcester's 35th Annual St. Patrick's Parade on Sunday, March 11, featuring festive floats, bands, color guards, clowns and boosters of Irish heritage. And see maple sugaring as it was done in early 19th-century rural New England in Old Sturbridge Village's working sugar camp during Maple Days, happening the following weekends in March: March 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, 24-25. Find more events and information for Central Massachusetts.

 

 

Franklin County

Piti Theatre's SYRUP: One Sweet Performing Arts Festival with Sandglass Theater will be held on Sunday, March 11 at Shelburne-Buckland Community Center in Shelburne Falls! The festival celebrates spring's return with a pancake brunch from 11 am to 2:30 p.m., featuring local syrups, a CD release party for Piti's new children's music album "Greatest Bits, Vol. 1," and their internationally acclaimed all ages musical "To Bee or Not to Bee" at 2:30 pm. Award-winning Sandglass Theater's beloved puppet tale "Punschi: follows at 3:45 pm, and the festival wraps up with a Sandglass puppet-making workshop. Find more events and information for Franklin County.

 

 

Greater Boston

MARCH IN. DINE OUT. Quite possibly the best 2 weeks of Winter! Make plans for DINE OUT BOSTON - March 18-23 & 25-30 - when area chefs stir things up with specially prepared prix fixe meals. Choose from the latest culinary hot spots, nationally known chain restaurants or local chef-owned bistros. Over 150 exceptional restaurants in the Greater Boston area are ready to serve you delicious meals at equally delicious prices. Check dineoutboston.com for participating restaurants, menus and reservations. Add to your experience by taking in a play, a concert, an exhibition or a game at the Garden before or after dining. Find more events and information for Greater Boston

 

 

Cape Cod

Don your green for the annual Cape Cod St. Patrick's Day Parade in Yarmouth on Saturday, March 10! Tim Kelley, meteorologist with New England Cable News and a Cape Cod native, will lead this year's festive parade as the Grand Marshal. 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. And on St. Patrick's Day itself, March 17, sham(rock) the day away at one of these festive Cape Cod restaurants & pubs! Find more events and information for Cape Cod.

 

 

Greater Springfield

The Holyoke St. Patrick's Day Parade (NOTE - Held March 18 this year, not the actual date of St. Pat's!) is one of the great annual public spectacles in Western Mass, drawing 400,000+ spectators from all over the US. Bands, public service units, floats and colleens march the streets of this proud city! Numerous restaurants and pubs hold celebrations too; viewers are well-advised to visit the parade site to learn about parking options and directions beforehand. Find more events and information for Greater Springfield.

 

 

Hampshire County

Spring gets a running start in the hills and valley of western Massachusetts. The first true sign is the billowing steam from the maple sugar shacks, where you  can watch the sap boiling, then sit down for a maple-inspired meal (you boil 10 gal of sap to make 1 quart of maple syrup!) Click here for a list of sugar shacks in Northampton, Amherst and the hilltowns of western MA. Our campus conservatories lovingly remind us of what's soon to come in greenhouses bursting with color at the Smith College Bulb Show and the "Gateway to Spring" Flower Show at nearby Mount Holyoke College through March 18. 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 Country

They're two great signs of Spring in New England: Maple syrup season and Easter eggs - and in Johnny Appleseed Country, they come with flair, starting with the Maple Sugar Tours at Hollis Hills Farm in Fitchburg. Enjoy breakfast or lunch, visit the sugarhouse and animal barn, take a horse drawn wagon ride, or hang out by the bonfire. With Easter drawing near, stop by the Museum of Russian Icons in Clinton to decorate wooden eggs to add to your Easter basket or give as gifts. Good-by Winter, welcome Spring! Find more events and information for Johnny Appleseed Country.

 

 

Martha's Vineyard 

Save the date for the 18th annual Martha's Vineyard Film Festival on March 15-18! It all started with a group of friends who had never been to a film festival deciding to create an alternative movie experience featuring fantastic films, amazing food, art and music.
Eighteen years later, the Festival still sparks discussion, gathers community and teaches kids in the rural Island town of Chilmark. See the festival in action and get inspired by the schedule at tmvff.org/festival! Find more events and information for Martha's Vineyard.

 

 

Mohawk Trail Region

Historic Deerfield will present its 2018 Patriot's Day Revolutionary Muster on Saturday, April 14! Travel back in time and rediscover the history behind the Patriot's Day holiday. Revolutionary times will come to life through demonstrations of period crafts and activities, fife and drum music, cannon and musket firing, and a muster. Historic Deerfield guides and cooks will interpret open hearth cooking and powder horn carving in the 1786 Hall Tavern. Horse-drawn wagon rides will transport visitors through the village, and all historic houses will be available for touring. 10 am to 4 pm. Find more events and information for The Mohawk Trail Region

 

Regional Tourism Councils  

   
Funded by the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism