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In This Issue
MetroWest
Nantucket Island
North of Boston
Plymouth County
Southeastern Massachusetts
The Berkshires
Greater Merrimack Valley
Central Massachusetts
Franklin County
Greater Boston
Cape Cod
Greater Springfield
Hampshire County
Johnny Appleseed Country
Martha's Vineyard
Mohawk Trail Region
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Header Photo Credits

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 2014
Greetings! 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!
  
CULTURAL ROAD TRIP: EASTHAMPTON
Luthier's Co-op
QUICK TAKE: Former mill town, now reinvented by artists and creative types. SEE & DO: In the Cottage Street Cultural District, live bluegrass and local beers are on tap, vintage guitars & banjos for sale, at Luthier's Co-op. Music in vinyl form is at Platterpus Records. Bibliophiles head to White Square Books for its eclectic stock and comfy chairs. Craftspeople flock to New England Felting Supply, housed in a 1920s vaudeville theater. Cottage Street Studios hosts Open Studios; Art Walk rolls out visual, music, and performance art. Nash Gallery has contemporary crafts and fine arts exhibits.  CONE CULTURE: Locals believe that Mt. Tom's Homemade Ice Cream is a cultural experience. Find out for yourself. EAT & SLEEP: Dine at the Apollo Grill; stay at the Park Street B&B. 

Featured Region: MetroWest
MetroWest has 100 reasons to get out of the house right now and experience the region's rich offerings! Through March 9th, Shop & Explore MetroWest     offers 100 ways to save at least 20% at cultural venues, restaurants, retailers and services.  You'll enjoy 20% discounts on purchases ranging from dinner at Wayside Inn (America's oldest continuously operating inn), to handcrafted gifts at Five Crows Gallery & Handcrafted Gifts, to pampering at Invidia Salon & Spa, to admission tickets at Museum of Russian Icons and summer kids programs at Hopkinton Center for the Arts.  A project of the MetroWest Visitors Bureau, Shop & Explore MetroWest also offers discounts at a dozen retailers at Natick Mall. For a full list of participating businesses and cultural venues, and to print out a Shop & Explore savings pass, go to our Shop & Explore website.  Find more information on MetroWest.
Nantucket Island
Laugh all year long with the Nantucket Comedy Festival! Come back to the island March 8th for Hot! Hot! Hot! Native Caribbean comedians Carl Yard and Desi Walker bring hot tropical fun with Caribbean-themed humor. All events at the Nantucket Dreamland Film & Performing Arts Center with Nantucket Comedy Festival Founder & Executive Director Kevin Flynn. Adult Performance 7:30 p.m. Show Tickets $20.  Find more information on Nantucket Island.
North of Boston
Photo: Lyndon Douglas, Barbican Art Gallery

What do you get when you introduce 70 Zebra finches to Gibson Les Paul and Thunderbird bass guitars? The Peabody Essex Museum's groundbreaking exhibition FreePort [No. 007]: Celeste Boursier-Mougenot! A unique melodious experience, the finches in Boursier-Mougenot's installation, from hear to ear, create a euphony of sounds and music as they explore and interact with their environment. The installation will be exhibited through April 13th. Due to the popularity of the exhibition, reserving tickets online is recommended.  Find more information on North of Boston.

Plymouth County

The Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton hosts the exhibit  "The Stories We Tell: Works by Tommy Simpson, Michelle Holzapfel and Binh Pho" starting March 9th! The Stories We Tell explores the imaginative visions of three internationally-recognized artists: Tommy Simpson, Michelle Holzapfel, and Binh Pho.  The multi-media exhibition includes furniture, vessels, sculpture, painted reliefs, ceramics and textile designs, each reflecting the artists' unique narrative qualities through underlying themes of nature, history and whimsy.  Find more information on Plymouth County.

Southeastern Massachusetts

Get ready for Spring! The 26th Annual Greater New Bedford Home Show is scheduled for March 8-9. The largest home and lifestyle show in the region will feature exhibitors, demonstrations and workshops on home improvement, arts & crafts, gardening and more. The Attleboro Art Museum's 18th Annual Flower Show, scheduled for March 20-23, is an eagerly anticipated springtime tradition. Lush gardens and floral displays fill the Museum's Gallery during this celebration of art and nature!  Find more information on Southeastern Massachusetts.   

The Berkshires

Creative juices are flowing in the Berkshire hills in March! The creativity of more than 150 talented women and girls will be on display at the Fourth Annual Berkshire Festival of Women Writers, a county-wide, multi-venue celebration of women's creative expression. Highlights include an appearance by Gloria Steinem and Peggy Seeger, this is truly a celebration of the written word and is a Festival not to be missed!  Find more information on the Berkshires.

Greater Merrimack Valley
Jack Kerouac is one of the most important American authors of the 20th century - best known for his classic On the Road, a novel that captured the spirit of the time and continues to inspire readers.  Come to Lowell the weekend of March 7-8 to celebrate Jack's 92nd Birthday! During the weekend there will be exhibits, readings, panel discussions, tours & live music. For a full schedule of events click here!  Find more information on Greater Merrimack Valley.
Central Massachusetts

Knights! is a major arms and armor exhibition at the Worcester Art Museum that will reveal both the mythological power of armor and examine it within its broader social and art historical context. Featuring work from both the Higgins Armory and Worcester Art Museum collections, Knights! will mark the first step in the long-term integration of the Higgins Armory into WAM. You don't want to miss out on Knights! Opening on March 29th.  Find more information on Central Massachusetts.  
Franklin County

The Great Falls Discovery Center in Turners Falls presents the art exhibit Children of the Swift River Valley March 7-8! This family-friendly exhibit of historic photos focuses on the children of the Swift River Valley before it was flooded. The free exhibit will be open Fridays and Saturdays through the end of March. Also that weekend, the 35th Annual Pottery and More Seconds Sale will be held at Greenfield Community College Dining Commons on Friday, March 7th from 6 to 9 p.m. and Saturday, March 8th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  Find more information on Franklin County.

Greater Boston

March in Boston is about Food, Wine & Friendship! Make plans for DINE OUT BOSTON, March 16-21 & 23-28, when area chefs stir things up with specially prepared prix fixe meals. Choose from the latest culinary hot spots, from nationally known chain restaurants to local chef-owned bistros. Restaurants select their price point, which meals they'll serve and create their own distinctive menus- the options for diners are endless. Plan now to get in on DINE OUT BOSTON at dineoutboston.com for participating restaurants, menus and reservations. Find more information on Greater Boston

Cape Cod

Don your green for the annual Cape Cod St. Patrick's Day Parade in Yarmouth on Saturday, March 8th! TV personality Charlie Moore a.k.a. The Mad Fisherman will serve as Grand Marshal of the festive parade, which kicks off at 11 a.m.  Then, for the third consecutive year, the top four Division I Women's Hockey East college teams will meet at the Hyannis Youth & Community Center on Cape Cod to compete for a guaranteed trip to the National Championship Tournament! Come and watch world-class athletes at the top of their game on March 8-9. Find more information on Cape Cod. 

Greater Springfield

On Sunday, March 23rd at noon, Irish eyes will be smiling as the Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade begins! Chock full of brightly decorated floats, pretty colleens, uplifting music played by sharply-dressed bands, great sounds from The Mummers from Philadelphia and so much more, this parade is attended by approximately a quarter of a million people annually, and is second only to New York as the country's largest St. Patrick's Day Parade.  Find more information on Greater Springfield.  

Hampshire County
March is officially Maple Month in Massachusetts, perhaps the sweetest time of year! Sugarhouses with restaurants are already open, like the North Hadley Sugar Shack in Hadley; Steve's Sugar Shack and Strawbale Cafe in Westhampton; and the High Hopes Sugar Shack, Red Bucket Sugar Shack, and Windy Hill Farm in Worthington. Don't miss Mass Maple Weekend, March 22-23, presented by the Maple Producers Association, when sugarhouses across the state host events and restaurants feature maple dishes.  Find more information on Hampshire County.
Johnny Appleseed Country
From paintings to photographs to pottery, works by local artists are in the spotlight this month in Gardner, when the Gardner Area League of Artists holds its Spring Art Show on March 21-23 at the Polish American Citizens Club. And there's more! Carved moose antlers, cabinetry and wheat weaving are also among the pieces in the "Made in Gardner" exhibit at the Gardner Museum, running from March 12th through May. Come explore vibrant art scene in The Chair City! Find more information on Johnny Appleseed Country.
Martha's Vineyard
The Martha's Vineyard Film Festival is happening March 13-16! This annual Film Festival brings together film lovers from near and far to gather in our community living room, the Chilmark Community Center filled with couches - for a weekend of amazing independent films, fabulous local food, music, and art! For more information, tickets and special events visit www.tmvff.org, 'like' us on Facebook for daily updates or call 508-645-9599.  Find more information on Martha's Vineyard.
Mohawk Trail Region
The Bay State Winter Games return to Berkshire County in 2014 for the 29th year, attracting athlete's age 8 to 80 from five New England states! The event will be held  March 21-23, with Figure Skating at Williams College in Williamstown and Ice Hockey at the Peter Foote Memorial Rink in North Adams. The Bay State Skate Figure Skating Show will be held March 22nd at Williams College!  Find more information on the Mohawk Trail Region

Regional Tourism Councils  

The Berkshires  Cape Cod  Central Massachusetts  Franklin County  
Greater Boston  Greater Merrimack Valley  Greater Springfield  
Hampshire County  Johnny Appleseed Country  Martha's Vineyard  
MetroWest  Mohawk Trail  Nantucket Island  North of Boston  
Plymouth County  Southeastern Massachusetts