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In This Issue
Iconic Massachusetts
Nantucket Island
North of Boston
Plymouth County
Southeastern Mass
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
MetroWest
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Header Photo Credits

Clockwise from top left:  Hampshire County: Eric Carle Museum; Greater Springfield: Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden, Springfield Museums; Franklin County: Green River Festival; Greater Boston: Outside the Box Festival; Martha's Vineyard: Edgartown Lighthouse  
 

 
 
August 2015
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!
Tasteful Massachusetts
For all you foodies out there, now is the ideal time to savor the culinary riches of Massachusetts.  From the new Boston Public Market, which opened July 30th, to the storied Marshfield Fair, a South Shore tradition since 1866, you can enjoy hundreds of farmers markets and agricultural fairs through October in Massachusetts! Dine Out Boston, Bourne Scallop Fest, North Quabbin Garlic & Arts Fest, Rockport Harvest Festival, The Big E - so many tasty choices!  Find full details on MOTT's Culinary Calendar. 

Plan your next getaway to Massachusetts! 
Featured Region: Nantucket Island

Nantucket Festival Season continues with a "A Day on Darling" August 5th, rain or shine. The Nantucket Garden Club's 61st Annual House Tour features homes and gardens in the historic Darling Street area. The annual Nantucket Preservation August Fete on August 6th is a special celebration of Nantucket's historic architecture. This year's event features Nantucket's historic west end, Madaket. Tour Madaket Millie's shack and unique area cottages along Massachusetts Ave! Enjoy a tented reception following the tour including local cuisine, live music and silent auction.

Then, join us for the ultimate Nantucket experience: the 19th annual  Boston Pops on Nantucket on August 8th. Presented by Nantucket Island Resorts Jill and Stephen Karp.
Bring a gourmet picnic and a comfortable blanket to experience outstanding music and a stunning fireworks show on Nantucket's famous Jettie's Beach!

Find more information on Nantucket Island.  

North of Boston
Pack your picnic basket and get ready to enjoy a summer of great music at Castle Hill on the Crane Estate!  Set on Castle Hill's spacious, picturesque lawn, this summer concert series features performances by Soul City, Entrain, HELP!, and more of your favorite artists.  Bring the whole family for a night of fun games, terrific music, and marvelous food (available from on-site vendors) Thursday evenings through September 3rd. Find more information on North of Boston.
Plymouth County

The month of August is so full of Arts and Culture events and activities in Plymouth County that it's next to impossible to choose even a few to share with you here! Visit our calendar of events on the new and improved SeePlymouth.com for a list of more than sixty-five (and growing by the day) unique and exciting things to do in Plymouth County this August. Find more information on Plymouth County.

Southeastern Massachusetts

The Art Drive runs Saturday, August 8th and Sunday, August 9th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Now in its eighth year, this open studio event organized by Dartmouth and Westport artists of diverse and unique talents emphasizes educating visitors in some very unusual and dramatic studio settings, spotted among the area's villages, lovely farm land and sea coast. Visitors will also have the opportunity to view the works of a guest artists at several of the studios! Click here to learn more. Find more information on Southeastern Massachusetts. 

The Berkshires

The Berkshire Crafts Fair will be held August 14-16 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Monument Mountain Regional High School in Great Barrington. Celebrating high quality crafts for 42 years! This juried show of 89 master artisans offers traditional and contemporary jewelry, furniture, ceramics, textiles, glassware, woodwork, and more. The exhibition and sale draws master artisans from California to Florida to Maine. Proceeds benefit innovative educational initiatives and programs at Monument Mountain Regional High School. Find more information on The Berkshires. 
Greater Merrimack Valley
The dog days of summer are here, and we can't wait for the crisp autumn air that September will bring. Of course, September 11-13 is also the weekend of The Lowell Food & Wine Festival presented by Merrimack Valley Magazine! 18 Culinary events, including Food Truck Madness, The Grand Tasting, Taco & Tequila, Sips & Sweets and a variety of Wine and Beer Dinners have something for everyone's taste buds. Click here for tickets! Find more information on Greater Merrimack Valley.
Central Massachusetts

Come to Old Stubridge Village on August 1-2 and check out the largest military re-enactment in New England! Redcoats and Rebels features nearly 1,000 soldiers portraying what life was like during the Revolutionary War. The day will include mock battles and skirmishes, Tours of the camps, canon demonstrations, training demonstrations, musket drilling with kids, martial music, 18th-century dancing, 18th century baseball, and much more! Visit centralmass.org for more information. There's always so much, so close. Find more information on Central Massachusetts.
Franklin County

D2R2 - The Deerfield Dirt Road Randonnee will be back August 22! The Deerfield Dirt-Road Randonnee was conceived in the 1990's as just a favorite dirt-road loop in the hilltowns of Franklin County. Since its birth as an organized event in 2005, many have hailed D2R2 as the hardest, most beautiful, most fun, most traffic-free, most unique, and overall best ride that they have ever done. D2R2 includes courses to suit any rider. 180K, 160K, 115K, 100K, 40-mile Green River Tour & 20 mile Family Ride. Find out more! Find more information on Franklin County. 

Greater Boston

Enjoy classic movies al fresco at the Prudential Center Garden, on the terrace at the Boston Harbor Hotel, Christopher Columbus Park or at the Hatch Shell.  Kinky Boots kicks at the Opera House the bard's tragic King Lear performs on Boston Common and Waitress premieres at the ART. Outdoor concerts of all genres can be heard at the BPL, MFA, ICA, Georges Island, City Hall Plaza and along the Greenway. James Taylor and Zac Brown score at Fenway. It's easy to be green at Boston GreenFest and even easier to take advantage of Dine Out Boston (August 16-28), when 150 restaurants serve up cool food at even cooler prices! Find more information on Greater Boston. 

Cape Cod
The Citizens Bank 30th Annual Pops by the Sea outdoor concert will be held on the Hyannis Village Green on Sunday, August 9th! Relax to the sounds of the Boston Pops, with special celebrity guest conductors Charlie Gibson, Connie Chung & Maury Povich. Order tickets today at ArtsFoundation.org! Then, enjoy the beats of the 11th Annual Provincetown Jazz Festival on August 13th at The Crown & Anchor in Provincetown and on August 17th at the Cotuit Center for the Arts in Barnstable. Featuring renowned jazz musicians from around the world! Find more information on Cape Cod.
Greater Springfield

The Springfield Jazz and Roots Festival takes place in Court Square located in downtown Springfield on August 8th and will fill the city with incredible entertainment and vendors the whole family can enjoy. On August 29th, the first ever Valley Fest will also take place in downtown featuring over 50 brewers throughout Western MA and beyond! For more information on these great events and others visit valleyvisitor.com.  Find more information on Greater Springfield.

Hampshire County
Beginning August 13th, Park Hill Orchard in Easthampton welcomes visitors to view 28 new works of art for the third edition of Art In the Orchard. This self-guided sculpture trail winds through grounds of a quintessential working New England apple orchard. Pick your own apples, bring a picnic, and relax in a special setting where art meets nature. Additional events such as music, storytelling, and theater pieces will be programmed most weekends through Halloween.   Find more information on Hampshire County.
Johnny Appleseed Country

Take a tasteful tour of Johnny Appleseed Country, starting with the August 1st Mass. State Chili Cook-Off in Winchendon!  Add a little ethnic flair at the Polish Picnic in Gardner (August 16th) before focusing on the fruits of the harvest at Carlson Orchards' Peach Festival in Harvard (August 16-17) and the Farm Fresh Festival at Wachusett Mountain August 29-30). And a visit to the New England BBQ Society Cook-Off in Templeton on August 30th will wrap up your tour on a high note! Find more information on Johnny Appleseed Country.

Martha's Vineyard 
The Harlem Fine Arts Show will be held August 10-12 at the Harbor View Hotel in Edgartown! The HFAS is the largest traveling African Diasporic art show in the United States, currently touring New York, Washington D.C., Chicago, and Martha's Vineyard. Inspired by the Harlem Renaissance, HFAS provides a platform for African Diasporic visionaries, as well as American visual artists, to exhibit and sell their artwork.  Come view and/or purchase incredible works from acclaimed artists and visionaries. Find more information on Martha's Vineyard.
Mohawk Trail Region
Spend a day in old New England! Visit Historic Deerfield, an authentic 18th-century New England village in the Connecticut River Valley of Massachusetts. Tour beautifully restored museum houses with period architecture and furnishings. See Yankee ingenuity at work in demonstrations of colonial-era trades. And explore their world-famous collection of early American crafts, ceramics, furniture, textiles and metalwork. It's a celebration of New England heritage. Plan your visit around their many events - visit historic-deerfield.org! Find more information on the Mohawk Trail Region. 
MetroWest

Every palate will be pleased in MetroWest on August 15th, when two adjoining municipalities offer their biggest culinary events of the year! The 3rd Annual Spirit of Hudson Food & Brewfest takes place along Main Street from 3 to 7 p.m. 130 craft beers and dozens of food tastings are included in the ticket price. Ten minutes south, Food Truck Festival of Marlborough features 20 food trucks, noon to 5 p.m.  Both events take place rain or shine. Find more information on MetroWest. 
Regional Tourism Councils  
 
Funded by the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism