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

Clockwise from top left: The Collings Foundation, Stow; Battleship Cove, credit Nancy Marshall; Blacksmith Art & Music Festival, Fitchburg; Williamstown Dancers, credit Williamstown Cultural District; Cider Hall Farm in Amesbury, credit MOTT    
 
March 2015
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!
3-Of-A-Kind: Chocolate Culture

Nibble. Sip. Indulge! Taza is known for its stone-ground, Mexican-style, organic, dark chocolate. See the whole bean-to-bar process and Taza's vintage chocolate-making machines at

Taza's Chocolate Factory Tour in Somerville. Yes, they give out samples! Take just one sip of the rich, silky drinking chocolate (dark, milk, and white chocolate versions) at L. A. Burdick Chocolate Shop and Cafe in Harvard Square, Cambridge, and you'll see why hot chocolate isn't just for kids anymore. To go: Burdick's iconic chocolate mice. For the ultimate chocolate extravaganza, head to the Cafe Fleuri Chocolate Bar in Boston. More than 100 chocolate desserts: brulees, Boston Crème pie, crepes, chocolate fountains...accompanied by live contemporary jazz. Sweet. Plan your next getaway to Massachusetts! 
Featured Region: Hampshire County
While there might still be snow on the ground, March is filled with early signs of spring not to be missed! Warm up at the annual Spring Bulb Show at Smith College (March 7-22), which draws its inspiration from the renowned garden at Giverney of the French Impressionist painter Claude Monet. March is the peak of maple season, when it's finally warmed up enough for the sap to flow. Celebrate all month long at seasonally open sugarhouses and mark your calendars for Mass Maple Weekend (March 21-22). March is also when the treasured Emily Dickinson Museum reopens for the season (March 4), and we celebrate the famous Very Hungry Caterpillar at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art (March 22) in Amherst. Find more information on Hampshire County.
Johnny Appleseed Country
It's a farewell to winter, a welcome to spring...and a delicious New England tradition! The process of collecting sap from seemingly sleeping trees, creating clouds of steam and producing that oh-so-sweet delicacy known as maple syrup marks the change in seasons in Johnny Appleseed Country. To see it happen, and taste the results, visit Hollis Hills Farm in Fitchburg on weekends from mid-March into April, or stop by Heifer Farm in Rutland on March 7-8 and 14-15, where you can also enjoy the syrup on pancakes! Find more information on Johnny Appleseed Country.
Martha's Vineyard 
The 15th Annual Martha's Vineyard Film Festival will be held March 19-22! Come to cozy Chilmark to enjoy four days of the best independent films from home and around the world!  Although venues are used throughout the Island, most of the movies are shown at the Chilmark Community Center, where folks park themselves on huge sofas, eat fresh-made popcorn and enjoy a brilliant range of vibrant films. For schedules and tickets visit tmvff.org; for all Island info visit mvy.com. Find more information on Martha's Vineyard.
Mohawk Trail Region
Spring is an ideal time to visit the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown and explore its highly acclaimed new building and campus, honored by the Wall Street Journal as one of 2014's Best of Design!  Explore the Clark's  magnificent  permanent collection and discover new works in a special exhibition, "Machine Age Modernism: Prints from the Daniel Cowin Collection" (open from February 28─May 17, 2015), which presents an exceptional group of machine age prints produced in the years between World Wars I and II. Dining, shopping, and a full-series of public events and activities make a visit to the Clark a must on any itinerary! Find more information on the Mohawk Trail Region. 
MetroWest

Celebrating the first weekend of spring, Paradise City Arts Festival brings its signature curated selection of 175 of the nation's most exciting makers of one-of-kind furniture and home furnishings, fashion, jewelry, paintings and sculpture to Royal Plaza Trade Center Marlborough on March 20-22. The largest and most diverse show of its kind in the Boston area, this event has also been named among the top ten art fairs in America! Find more information on MetroWest. 

Nantucket Island

The ultimate Nantucket history trivia competition returns to the Whaling Museum on Saturday, March 7th! This light-hearted Sixth Annual History Quiz Bowl features teams going head-to-head for "history glory" and fabulous prizes in front of a lively audience. This year's questions will be derived from award-winning island author Nat Philbrick's book In the Heart of the Sea, soon to be released as a major motion picture from Warner Bros. Entertainment. Photo Courtesy of Nantucket Historical Association. And save the date for the upcoming Nantucket Daffodil Festival April 24-26....celebrate spring 'Daffy-style! Find more information on Nantucket Island.  

North of Boston
Photo: Michelle Behre '14
This spring, Montserrat College of Art is truly "artrageous!" Join them for their annual Artrageous!29 auction party on Saturday, March 28th. Enjoy incredible live and silent auctions (featuring more than 250 pieces by established, emerging, and local artists), music, live art creation, and so much more as you help to support financial aid awarded to 98% of Montserrat's students.  This event is sure to sell out - for more information or to purchase your tickets, click here! Find more information on North of Boston.
Plymouth County

The winter weather certainly hasn't slowed things down at The Spire Center for Performing Arts in Plymouth! The month of March offers a full calendar of events to help shake off the winter blues, including an Open Mic Challenge 3/19, the 7th Annual Limelight Magazine Music Awards 3/21, All Star Open Jazz Jam 3/26, A Winter of Jazz - The Berkley Concert Jazz Orchestra 3/28, and The Shaun England Band 3/29. Get all the details here! Find more information on Plymouth County.

Southeastern Massachusetts

Throughout the month of March, the streets of Downtown New Bedford will be "bombed" with yarn! The New Bedford Art Museum is partnering with local crotcheters and knitters for its annual Fiber Bombing Project, bringing a splash of color to the winter season. Their latest exhibit, "Blind the Divide," will also be showing throughout March until April 12th. Head to visitsemass.com/events to plan your trip, then make your way and relive your stay using #VisitSEMass. Find more information on Southeastern Massachusetts. 

The Berkshires

The Berkshire Festival of Women celebrates the voices and visions of women writers of all ages with workshops, readings, performances and screenings at more than 30 venues throughout Berkshire County - at least one event every day of the month of March, Women's History Month! Now in its fifth year, the Festival is expanding into year-round programming, including weekend writing retreats and workshops, a summer leadership institute for girls, and more.  See full events listings at berkshirewomenwriters.org. Photo credit Y.J. Sirker. Find more information on the Berkshires. 
Greater Merrimack Valley
The American Textile History Museum presents Artist Textiles: Picasso to Warhol, an extraordinary exhibition of art on fabric with rare pieces, many never before seen on public display, from the masters of modern art, including Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, Salvador Dali, Henri Matisse, Joan Miro, Marc Chagall, and Raoul Dufy. Organized by the Fashion and Textile Museum in London. On view at ATHM now through March 29, 2015. Photo Credit: Salvador Dali, Number Please. Find more information on Greater Merrimack Valley.
Central Massachusetts

Join us on Sunday, March 8th for Worcester's annual community-wide, St. Patrick's Day Parade! This year's celebration will include all of the holiday's staples you've come to admire like floats, bands, clowns, color guards, and boosters of Irish heritage! Local heroes will also make an appearance including fire fighters, elected officials and more. Food, fun, and entertainment await everyone! Festivities will begin at noon, and the parade will travel through Park Ave. Find more information on Central Massachusetts.
Franklin County

On Saturday, March 21st, join us for SYRUP: One Sweet Performing Arts Festival at Memorial Hall in Shelburne Falls! Piti Theatre Company presents the world premiere of their all ages musical-clown performance about electrosmog "Innocenzo" at 3 p.m., followed at 5 p.m. by highlights from the high-flying cirque show RUCKUS! by Nimble Arts, an award-winning troupe with Cirque de Soleil veterans. SYRUP celebrates spring with syrup tasting, free pickles, a raffle and door prizes in a historic venue. $12 adults, $5 children under 12. Details and tickets  at www.ptco.org/syrup. Find more information on Franklin County.  

Greater Boston

March in Boston is about Food, Wine & Friendship! Make plans for DINE OUT BOSTON, March 1-6 & 8-13, when area chefs stir things up with specially prepared prix fixe meals. Choose from the latest culinary hot spots, nationally known chain restaurants to local chef-owned bistros. Restaurants select their price point 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. And of course there are numerous plays, concerts and exhibits to catch before or after dining out in Boston! Find more information on Greater Boston. 

Cape Cod
Don your green for the 10th Annual Cape Cod St. Patrick's Day Parade in Yarmouth on Saturday, March 7th! Cindy Fitzgibbon, meteorologist for NewsCenter 5 EyeOpener, will serve as Grand Marshal of the festive parade, which kicks off at 11 a.m. Then, for the fourth 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 watch world-class athletes at the top of their game on March 7-8. Book your Cape Cod getaway online today! Find more information on Cape Cod.
Greater Springfield

The Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade on March 22nd is the 2nd largest in the US and a cherished institution since 1952. Streets fill with people from near and far celebrating Irish heritage, civic pride, faith, family, friendship and tradition. This regional event attracts over 400,000 spectators, and is the Pioneer Valley's biggest homecoming of the year! The parade also coincides with an exciting 10k and 2 miler walk filled with entertainment along the way Find more information on Greater Springfield.

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