Explore Western Mass is your source for everything about Western Mass! Its where things are done for the first time.
The Greater Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Economic Development Council of Western MA. Western Mass is a culturally rich, northeastern region characterized by the synergy of three distinct and exceptional counties: Franklin, Hampshire and Hampden. Within 40 miles north to south, it is a rural pioneer frontier and eclectic academia hub and an urban economic center. There is no re
gion more fertile for the creation and fulfillment of ideas and experiences. Western Mass exists and always has for those with pioneering, irreverent, inventive, courageous and relentless spirits that will not rest until they have found their own first.
The Springfield Puerto Rican Parade will kick off at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday from Main Street and Wason Ave and will march through downtown ending where Boland Way and Main Street.
The parade highlights Latino music and traditions and is a way for residents in Western Mass learn about the culture and celebrate it.
Fall is coming to Massachusetts and with it you'll find so much more than just beautiful foliage! Check out the link below for fall festivals and events so special that you'll want to do more and stay longer - especially in Western Mass!
See what's happening this September around Massachusetts. Share This Email Share This Email View as Webpage September 2024 Welcome to the Colors of Fall Massachusetts will soon be ablaze with gorgeous
Join the Spirit of Springfield at Springfield’s September 11th Monument, to remember those lost in the events of September 11th.
To honor the fallen firefighters, police officers, EMT’s and members of the armed services, the Springfield Fire and Emergency Services and Springfield Police Department will hold the September 11th Remembrance Ceremony in front of Springfield’s September 11th Monument in Riverfront Park.
The ceremony will be held in the shadow of the monument. In response to the tolling of the fire bell, Emergency response vehicles will roll across the Memorial Bridge. A wreath will be laid on the monument. The program will close with a rifle salute and Taps by the Springfield Police Department.
The event will be held on September 11th at 6pm in front of the monument in Riverfront Park. This will allow guests to view the monument at night when the lights shine on the World Trade Center I-Beam and casts its shadow on the curved bronze wall making the Twin Towers appear between the 498 names of the first responders.
Attendance is free and limited seating is available.
The annual remembrance ceremony will honor the 498 first responders who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, and whose names are listed on Springfield’s monument.
The circus is coming to Mike's Maze at Warner Farm in Sunderland!
They’ve transformed a cornfield along the banks of the Connecticut River into an 8-acre circus-themed corn-ival! Experience what Wired Magazine called “the most elaborate corn maze in America!”
Activities:
🌽Explore an 8 acre maze of circus trivia and discover your inner circus performer
🌽Play games of strength and skill along Mike’s Midway
🌽Clown around in Mike’s Magnificent playground
🌽Shoot out of the Giant Slide like a human cannonball
🌽Send spuds soaring at the Potato Cannons
🌽Tip toe the tightrope atop the Rope Climber like a trapezist
🌽Embrace your inner aerialist and launch into flight on the Jump Pad
🌽Spin yourself into a hypnotic trance on the Rolling Tubes
🌽Ride and race the pedal carts on Dave’s Daredevil Derby
🌽Marvel at Mike’s Menagerie— petting zoo
🌽Enjoy all your fairground favorites served fresh at the Corn Cafe
Coming to the MassMutual Center!
Show me reptile show is BACK Sunday, September 15th!
Meet majestic pythons, colorful chameleons, and even bring home your own scaly friend! 🐢
From educational displays to a bustling marketplace filled with unique species and accessories, it’s a reptile lover's paradise! 🦎
GET YOUR TICKETS: https://www.massmutualcenter.com/events/detail/showmereptiles
Join the Springfield Armory National Historic Site for Worker Weekend
September 7-8.
celebrate the stories of former Armory workers. The weekend of free activities and programs explore the history of labor at the Armory and in Springfield and surrounding communities.
“Worker Weekend 2024 brings focus on honoring the workers of the Armory, which was in operation from 1797 to 1968 and has deep roots in Springfield,” said Superintendent Kelly Fellner. “We are grateful for the efforts of the members of the Friends of Springfield Armory and Jessica Scott, PhD candidate in public history at UMass Amherst, for supporting this effort.”
Both days will offer hands on family activities, historical craft demonstrations such as blacksmithing and tool making, blank firing demonstrations, and special talks and tours. I
Saturday will feature a WWII era big band music concert with the Heritage Pops Orchestra from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Sunday will feature programming about victory gardens, Women Ordnance Workers, researching your own family history, and a live interview with a former Armory engineer.
Now that fall has unofficially arrived, we're craving all apple everything! Just in time, comes through with the Cider Donut Sundae, featuring delicious vanilla soft serve ice cream, drizzled with apple syrup and topped with whipped cream and cinnamon sugar. Don't forget the cherry and one of their famous cider donuts to top it off 🍩
Labor Day Weekend in means ! Here are a few of the things we're most looking forward to:
🎡 MIdway full of fun rides
🏍 Motorcycle Thrill Show
🐷 Wee Wee Racing Pigs
🐴 Draft Horse Wagon Rides
🦜 Parakeet Encounter
Fall Fun Weekends start Saturday at Yankee Candle Village MA . Plan a long weekend visit this Labor Day Weekend. The fun continues all weekend AND Monday!
Live music, Paint a Pumpkin, a scavenger hunt, games and more!
Schedule of events:
✨ T.J. & The Peepers – all weekend, 12:00-4:00
✨ Paint-A-Pumpkin ($5 each) - all weekend, 11:00-5:00 (Santa pops in from 12:00-3:00)
✨Tom Ricardi and his Birds of Prey – Saturday, 12:00–3:00
✨ Free face painting - Sunday & Monday, 12:00-2:00
✨Enter for the chance to win a Yankee Candle Village "Flavors of Fall" gift package valued at over $250!
Do you scream for ice cream? If the answer is 'yes' here are some sweet spots in :
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Drop your favorite ice cream spot below 👇
Create a beautiful flower arrangement with flower truck and studio/the wine shop at blooms on August 27th at Tucker's in Southwick.
Blooms will lead you through the steps to create a classic Blooms arrangement and you'll learn some tips and tricks to keep your flowers fresher longer, design secrets, and more! All workshops include instruction, vase, use of tools and flowers.
Register here: https://bloomsflowertruck.com/shop/ols/categories/special-events-and-workshops
Join Historic Deerfield for a day-long event celebrating historic book arts. August 17th
📔 Meet artisans
📔 See demonstrations of wood cut illustration with noted artist Barry Moser
📔 Paper making with Elisa Lanzi
📔 Bookbinding with Barbara Blumenthal
📔 Letterpress printing with Historic Deerfield’s Printer-in-Residence Martin Antonetti
Historic Deerfield’s museum educators will be there to lead hands-on activities that include a paper marbling craft, folding a paper booklet, and more!
Visit the for FREE TODAY as part of the 's August Adventures!
🌟 Storytime with author/illustrator Ashley Belotte from 11-11:30
🌟 Special Storytime with David Covell & Julian Fletcher from 2-2:30
🌟 Riff's Food Truck 11-3
🌟 Crooked Stick Pops
Summertime is the best time to visit the Connecticut Trolley Museum for memories that will last a lifetime!
🌟 Trolley Rides
🌟 Crafting Station
🌟 Dress-up Station
🌟 Scavenger Hunt/I-SPY
🌟 LEGO Build
🌟 Fire Truck Museum
Celebrate Monday Funday at Holyoke Armour Yard!
A family friendly food and beer garden, Mondays at Armour Yard is focused on creating a fun space to enjoy excellent craft beer and local bites with great music and company.
Located on the beautiful Second Level Canal of downtown Holyoke.
✨ Holyoke Craft Beer
✨ White Lion Brewing
✨ Crave Food Truck
✨ Holyoke Hummus
✨ Blue Door Gatherings
✨ Holyoke Ice Cream Truck
✨ Music
The only thing better than a shopping trip is a Tax-Free Weekend shopping trip! Stock up this weekend at these great local shopping spots:
👜 Holyoke Mall at Ingleside
👜 Yankee Candle Village MA
👜 Lee Premium Outlets
👜 The Longmeadow Shops
👜 Village Commons
East Coast Gem & Mineral Show at Eastern States Exposition this weekend!
The largest show of this kind east of the Mississippi River!
✨ Over 130 great retail dealers and a separate venue with 45 wholesale dealers
✨ Mineral specimens, fossils, gemstones, beads, jewelry, meteorites for outer space, crystals, geodes, decorator items, and lapidary supplies and equipment.
✨ Discover minerals from around the around the globe, including Russia, China, India, Pakistan, Brazil, Morocco, Madagascar and more.
Summer fun awaits at New England Air Museum. Get up close to aircraft and check out exhibits like:
✈️ Boeing B-29 Superfortress
✈️ Sikorsky VS-44A Excambian
✈️ Lockheed F104C Starfigher
✈️ Goodyear Control Car
Check out for a fun day of axe throwing and craft beer tasting!
🍺 Stops at 3 local craft breweries
🍺 Transportation is provided
🍺 Axe throwing experience
🍺 Food at each stop
Kid's on Track at Union Station, Springfield MA is happening August 3 & 4!
🚉 Area model railroad clubs will have operating model railroads set up in the Union Station concourse, and children (of all ages) will have a chance to run trains.
🚉 CTrail is offering a special roundtrip train ride between Springfield and Hartford on both mornings.
🚉 Maggie the Railroad Clown will be at the event both Saturday and Sunday performing magic tricks, juggling, and creating balloon wizardry.
Fiestas Patronales de Holyoke! A 4-day festival showcasing the rich cultural diversity that IS Holyoke! Here's what's happening:
Immerse yourself in the music, food, and dance of Puerto Rican culture, which has become an integral part of what defines the City of Holyoke today.
August 1-4 in downtown Holyoke.
Explore Holyoke
Plan your visit to Old Sturbridge Village now for Redcoats & Rebels!
August 3rd and 4th
See the largest military re-enactment in New England with hundreds of costumed Revolutionary War reenactors, both soldiers and civilians, encamped on the Village Common.
Explore exhibits and galleries, watch demonstrations, and talk with costumed historians about everyday life in early New England.
Visitors can also tour the camps, witness recreated skirmishes and battles, see special presentations, chat with guest craftspeople, and enjoy fife and drum music.
Embark on unforgettable journeys on the Deerfield and Millers Rivers with Crab Apple Whitewater . Their trips cater to families, beginners, and seasoned rafters, ensuring everyone can enjoy the excitement of whitewater rafting.
Coming up next to 52 Sumner is Grammy Winning “Kindie Rocker” Father Goose, along with Special Guests and Friends rounding out a fantastic family friendly time geared towards kids but fun for adults too!
🎵 Two performances, this Friday and Saturday night
🎵 On Friday DJ Mike Grant hosts a dance party and Meet & Greet with Father Goose
🎵 Get tickets on Eventbrite
Make it a Monday Funday in Holyoke at Armour Yard!
🌟 Food Trucks
🌟 White Lion Brewing Company
🌟 Music
Visit Historic Deerfield to see recipes come to life from 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. on July 20 & 27 and August 3 & 10.
Cookbooks are a window into the changing tastes and trends in historic cookery. Open Hearth Cooks will be experimenting with recipes this summer that are uncommon today using guidance from these cookbooks including:
✨ flour pudding
✨ loaf cake
✨ alamode beef
✨ forcemeat
✨ fricassee
Dragon Boat Festival
July 20 at North Riverfront Park in Springfield, featuring the PVRC - Pioneer Valley Riverfront Club and Springfield Dragon Rays, rain or shine.
This Asian-themed festival includes races by premier dragon boat club teams, entertainment, music, food and vendors, as well as a Rose Ceremony to commemorate loved ones lost to cancer, and particularly breast cancer. Come for the racing, stay for the day.
Enjoy dozens of refreshing craft beers and cocktails from your favorite local breweries and delicious offerings from some of the best gourmet foods in town! At Six Flags New England Saturdays and Sundays through August.
Check out the Springfield Thunderbirds Community Caravan at Springfield's Forest Park this Saturday from 1-3. Featuring...
🌞 Boomer
🌞 Music
🌞 Face painting
🌞 Balloon artist
🌞 Touch A Truck
🌞 Street Hockey
Summer is Spectacular at Springfield Museums! The Museums are open daily this summer and programming changes often. Coming up this Saturday:
✨ Spark!Lab: Ocean Clean Up, 11 am-1pm
Design inventions to help clean trash out of waterways. Quadrangle Green (weather permitting)
✨ Giant Bubbles, 11:30 am-12:30 pm
Gather for Mr. Vinny’s Big Bubble showcase. Quadrangle Green (weather permitting)
✨ Toe Jam Puppet Band, 1-1:45 pm
An interactive musical performance for all ages! Quadrangle Green (Rain location: Davis Auditorium, Lower Level, D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts)
✨ Get into the Zone! 11 am-3 pm
Learn about the different ocean zones and who lives there. Quadrangle Green. (Rain Location: Various galleries, Springfield Science Museum)
✨ Feed the Shark, 11 am-3 pm
Play a game and learn about what and how sharks eat! Quadrangle Green. (Rain Location: Science Workshop, Springfield Science Museum)
✨ Crab Piggy Bank, 11 am-3 pm
Create a crustacean friend to collect change in! Quadrangle Green. (Rain Location: Science Workshop, Springfield Science Museum)
✨ Starfish Wand, 11 am-3 pm
Let your imagination run free and bring a little magic of the sea to land! Quadrangle Green (Rain Location: Art Discovery Center, GWV Smith Art Museum)
1441 Main Street
Springfield, MA
01103
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Did you miss the @mattoon.arts.festival today? That’s OK, it’s happening all weekend! Held in the city’s first historic district, on a street lined with restored brick Victorian row houses, the festival is the longest running arts festival in the Pioneer Valley. Featuring over 90 exhibitors, food vendors, and strolling musicians - there is something for everyone! Add to your list for tomorrow and enjoy!
The @thebigefair is ALMOST HERE! 9 more days to go...🤩 This year’s event will be held September 13-29th, 2024 - gates open at 8am! The Big E is the largest event on the east coast and the seventh largest fair in North America!🎉 ▫️Free entertainment and attractions 🎤 ▫️Delicious food 🍴 ▫️Authentic New Orleans Mardi Gras in the Big Parade ▫️International Plaza’s Dingle Peninsula Showcase☘️ ▫️North American Midway ▫️Farm-A-Rama🐑 ▫️Educational opportunities from the Avenue of States to the Storrowton Museum✏️ ...and MUCH MORE!🥳 ***Gate discounts*** ▫️September 13th - with a valid ID, active duty, retired military personnel and their dependents, along with Veterans (not including dependents), will receive FREE admission at the gate. ▫️Thursdays-Sundays after 5pm, admission at the gate drops to $11. ▫️Seniors receive admission for $16 on Sundays-Thursdays (valid for 60 years of age and older). 📍1305 Memorial Ave, West Springfield, MA We hope to see you at the Big E!!!☀️
Have you been searching for authentic Mexican food in the Springfield area? We’ve found your new favorite spot!🤩 @delrey211 serves a huge variety of Mexican delights every day of the week.🌮Go hungry, leave happy, and taste the best flan you’ve ever had.🍴 📍211 Worthington St, Springfield, MA
Hey #westernmass! Win tix to see world-class boxing from Down and Dirty XI at the @mm_center on September 14th! Tag the one you’d take and check back here Friday! Added value: you also win Carlos’s tee shirt! 🥊
Make the most of what’s left of this summer weather and enjoy your meals outdoors! To help you achieve this, we’ve compiled a list of some of your favorite patios with outdoor dining: - @logcabindelaney - @maxstavern - @nadimsdowntown - @unopizzeriaandgrill - @350grillsteakhouse Enjoy! ☀️🍴
Soak up what’s left of summer with an outdoor adventure!👇🏼 -Visit @berkshire.east for a variety of outdoor activities: zip lining, mountain bike trails, rafting, and much more.👏🏼 -Splash your way through @sfnewengland Hurricane Harbor, New England’s biggest water park!💦 -Experience a guided kayaking tour, paddlesports, or join a whitewater rafting adventure with @zoaroutdoor 🚣🏽♂️ There’s plenty of summer fun to still be had…make the most of what’s left of the summer sun!☀️
Your Summer Fridays are booked with Free Music Fridays at @mgmspringfield! Here are the upcoming performers you won’t want to miss: 🎵 8/16 Johnny Sixgun: Authentic Classic Rock The Way You Remember It 🎵 8/23 Brass Attack: MA’s Hottest Horn Band 🎵 8/30 Draw the Line: The Only Officially Endorsed Aerosmith Tribute Show 🎵 9/6 Aquanett: Tribute to 80s Rock N’ Metal #explorewesternmass #westernmass #livemusic #outdoormusic #funfrıdays
Costa at @mgmspringfield features everyone’s favorite Italian Classics! Head back to grandma’s kitchen as you indulge in traditional antipasto and pizza at this beautiful dining establishment inside the casino. 🇮🇹 Check the MGM website for specials and fun events to pair with your perfect pasta. 🍝
Catch outdoor live music at Student Prince Cafe and Fort Restaurant and Fort Restaurant during Sommerfest! July 26th Brian Chicoine July 27th Dan Lefebvre August 3rd Lauren Beluzo August 9th Jay Bernard August 10th Lisa Martin August 16th Andrew Henshon And more artists through September!
The 2024 Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival was a success! If you weren’t able to make it to the festival this year, there’s always next! Follow us to learn the 2025 festival dates. #explorewesternmass #westernmass #outdoormusic #livemusic
Catch outdoor live music at Student Prince Cafe and Fort Restaurant and Fort Restaurant during Sommerfest! July 26th Brian Chicoine July 27th Dan Lefebvre August 3rd Lauren Beluzo August 9th Jay Bernard August 10th Lisa Martin August 16th Andrew Henshon And more artists through September!
It’s 5 o’clock somewhere! Which means there’s no better time for the delicious pistachio martini at @350grillsteakhouse! This decadent treat makes the perfect after dinner sipper, pair it with dessert or replace dessert all together and order two. 😘
No Tickets? No Problem! Win 2 tickets to see Bill Burr at the MassMutual Center ! Tag the one you'll take and be sure to click the 'follow' button! Winner Announced on 9/11! #westernmass #explorewesternmass #comedyshow #BillBurrComedy
It's Fair & Festival season in #westernmass! Kick it off with free tickets to the @3countyfair! Comment below with your favorite thing about the Fair, like and follow both accounts. Then check back on Tuesday for the winners to be announced! #fallfestival #newenglandfairs #westernmass #explorewesternmass
Picture Yourself having a 🔥 time in Springfield! #westernmass #explorewesternmass #springfielddowntown
And the winner is.....Amanda (@thirty2flavors)! DM us your contact info to grab your tickets from the @massmutualcenter #westernmass #explorewesternmass #24kmagic #brunomars MGM Springfield
