Greetings! Massachusetts is rich in arts and 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 below! 

 

QUICK TAKE: Boston's "left bank": cafes, museums, and bookstores. SEE & DO: Explore campus museums: holography at the MIT Museum; American, Asian, and European art at the Harvard Art Museums; the Great Mammal Hall at the  Harvard Museum of Natural History. Or pick up tickets for a show at the American Repertory Theatre. Stroll along Tory Row, then check out the street performers in  Harvard Square. Now it's time for a cappuccino at an outdoor café. EAT & SLEEP: Head to Oleana for sublime eastern Mediterranean cuisine, then unpack your bags at the Charles Hotel in the heart of Harvard Square.    

 

Plan your next cultural getaway to Massachusetts!

Join us for the 19th Annual Cape Cod Maritime Days, a celebration of the Cape's rich maritime history, from May 13-June 10! There is an exciting line-up of nearly 60 Cape-wide events, from lighthouse tours, nautical art exhibits and maritime lectures to guided kayak excursions and the 11th Annual Cape Cod Maritime Festival on the Hyannis waterfront (June 9-10). Find a schedule of events and great Maritime Days accommodations packages at www.CapeCodMaritimeDays.com.

Also coming up: Heritage Museums & Gardens in Sandwich will host the first major exhibition of Norman Rockwell's work ever held in the Metro Boston area beginning on May 5th! The Cape Cod Museum of Art in Dennis presents "The Tides of Provincetown: Pivotal Years in America's Oldest Continuous Art Colony (1899-2011)" exhibit May 19-August 26.     

 

For more information on Cape Cod, click here.

The Brimfield Antique and Collectibles Show takes place May 8-13 along Route 20 in the town of Brimfield! This is the largest outdoor antique show in New England, with over 5,000 dealers from around the country found among 21 fields, each approximately 3 to 5 acres.  Here you'll find everything from handcrafted decorative items to one-of-a-kind jewelry, large furniture pieces, artwork and more.  Brimfield is a mecca for collectors of all kinds of antiques.     

 

Spend Memorial Day Weekend at Northampton's award-winning Paradise City Arts Festival, set for May 26-28 at Three County Fairgrounds in Northampton! This is truly one of the most spectacular fairs of fine craft, painting and sculpture in the whole country, lauded for its fresh, innovative approach. Boston Magazine writes, "There's no better place in the country to pick up original artwork than the Paradise City Arts Festival." Admission $12 adults, $10 Seniors. Visit www.paradisecityarts.com for a $2 coupon.

 

Click for more information on Hampshire County-Amherst and Hampshire County-Northampton.  

Experience history on May 18-20 at a Civil War Re-Enactment at the Henshaw Farm in Templeton! Visit military campsites, see period displays & demonstrations, and hear the cannons roar as the North and the South engage in battle. Part of Templeton's 250th anniversary celebration. Next up: What will the next generation of artists bring to the New England art scene? Get a preview at Visions '12, running through June 30th at Fitchburg State University. Showcasing the year's best original student work.

 

For more information on Johnny Appleseed Country, click here.

The 14th Annual Spring Artisan Festival will be held May 26 & 27 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Grange Hall in West Tisbury. Opening show of the season! Come and see all the new work the featured Island Artists have created this winter! Free parking and admission, great catered food, many demonstrations, playground for kids. For more information, call 508-693-8989 or visit www.vineyardartisans.com!  

 

For more information on Martha's Vineyard, click here.

For more information on the Mohawk Trail Region, click here. 

Shop & Explore MetroWest, running May 26-June 3, features special promotions and discounts at more than 75 cultural attractions, retailers, restaurants, and services throughout the region. Amazing Things Arts Center, the Center for the Arts in Natick, Damianos Photography, Danforth Museum of Art, Five Crows Gallery, Garden in the Woods, Palettes, and Wild Ruby Gallery are just some of the places offering special prices and opportunities. For a full list, visit www.metrowestvisitors.org, and get the free Shop & Explore app, too!

For more information on MetroWest, click here.

Over the past 15 years, the Nantucket Wine Festival has blossomed into one of the nation's most celebrated wine and food events! With the help of The White Elephant Hotel, most of this year's festival will be staged entirely in the heart of downtown Nantucket.  Events include the Grand Tasting, Great Wines In Grand Houses Dinners, Celebrity Chef & Winemaker Auction Dinner and much more..  Visit www.nantucketwinefestival.com  for more information on this spectacular event.

 

For more information on Nantucket Island, click here.

Honor Rockport's historic red fishing shack at Motif #1 Day on May 19th! Enjoy children's activities, poetry readings, art exhibits and live music. Check out Gloucester's Cape Ann Museum to see "Ships at Sea: A Celebration in Cape Ann's Role in the Maritime Trades" before it closes! Then, participate or watch the Essex River Race on May 19th, where amateur boaters and masters alike race down the river. For more cultural events North of Boston, visit www.escapesnorth.com.   

 

For more information on North of Boston, click here.

The 36th Annual Festival of the Arts will be held Saturday, May 26th and Sunday, May 27th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the North River Arts Society at 157 Old Main Street in Marshfield! Sponsored by the North River Arts Society, highlights of this celebration in historic Marshfield Hills Village include a Juried Art & Sculpture Exhibit, Art Sale-in-the-Barn, Juried Photography Exhibit, Artisan's Sale, Feature Barn, Silent Auction, Food Tent, Children's Activities & Young Artists' Exhibit. Visit www.northriverarts.org.

 

For more information on Plymouth County, click here 

Southeastern Mass is brimming with history, mystery & the sea! ATTLEBORO: Arts Museum, Capron Park Zoo, Nat'l. Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette. FALL RIVER: Battleship Cove, Lizzie Borden House Museum, F.R. Historical Society and Marine Museum. NEW BEDFORD: Whaling National Historical Park, Whaling Museum, Rotch-Jones-Duff House Museum, Ft. Taber/Ft. Rodman Military Museum, Art Museum, Ocean Explorium. TAUNTON: Old Colony Historical Society Museum, Reed & Barton, Liberty & Union heritage, Silver City Trail, Wild & Scenic Taunton River. 

 

For more information on Southeastern MA, click here.

Revolutionary Revelry celebrates Lexington every day in May, beginning with a May Day celebration complete with Maypole dancing and family picnic! Take a bike tour, or chat with artists at Open Studios or at the "Park Your Art" exhibit and auction. Visit the alpacas at the Lexington Battle Green BBQ Festival. Hear the William Diamond Junior Fife & Drum Corps at the Parade & Muster, or the Lexington Pops Chorus at their spring concert.   

 

For more information on Greater Merrimack Valley, click here.

Celebrate the Spirit of Springtime with the May Day Festival in Southbridge on Saturday, May 12th from noon to 6 p.m. There's fun for all ages with a Maypole dance, traditional food, puppets and much more! For another exciting Spring festival, head to West Brookfield for the Asparagus & Flower Heritage Festival  happening Saturday, May 19th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Learn how asparagus came to New England, enjoy an array of asparagus filled dishes, and have fun doing a traditional Maypole dance! 

 

For more information on Central Massachusetts, click here.

Summer Museum Exhibitions in Boston include "Lost Egypt: Ancient Mysteries, Modern Science," which opens at the Museum of Science in Boston May 27th! See archaeologists uncover the city of builders of the world's first skyscrapers: the pyramids. The Boston Pops 2012 season, under the direction of Keith Lockhart, opens in style on May 9 with Broadway sensation Bernadette Peters! The Boston Pops' 2012 theme, Visions of America, inspires a season dedicated to celebrating many of this country's greatest musical traditions.  

 

For more information on Greater Boston, click here.