We’re lucky to live in an area where most towns organize summer concert series, summer theater is plentiful, and mind-blowing museums are just a short drive away.
Summer TheaterThe Valley can has a right to brag about its theater scene: how many rural areas can boast a dozen or more theater companies?
We’ve got: TheatreTruck, Silverthorne, Hampshire Shakespeare, the Majestic Theater, Stageloft Repertory Theater, Hampshire Shakespeare Company, New Century Theater, PainBox Theatre, Real Live Theatre, Serious Play Theatre, Til Lalezar Theatre, Eggtooth Productions, UMass Theater, Double Edge Theatre, Chester Theatre Company, and Barrington Stage Company. And I’m pretty sure they’ve all got summer shows planned. Offerings will include Hamlet, Stupid Fucking Bird, Moscow Moscow Moscow Moscow Moscow Moscow, The Music Man, Kunstler, Speech and Debate, The Life and Death of Queen Margaret, and You Don’t Know Jack.
Free Town ConcertsMany communities host their own free summer concert series, often sponsored by the community’s parks and recreation department or a local service club, like the Rotary Club. Here are some of the series happening now:
West Springfield Summer Concert Series: Thursdays, 7 p.m. The location changes between the Town Common, High School auditorium, Storrowton Village Green Gazebo, and a few other venues. Upcoming performers include: The Kings, and Ethel Lee Ensemble. (413) 781-3020, wsparkandrec.com.
Agawam SummerFest: Thursdays, 7 p.m. School Street Park, which has concessions and a water spray park. Upcoming performers include: Pandemonium, Storm Front a Billy Joel Tribute. wsparkandrec.com
East Longmeadow Rotary Club Concert Series: Various days, 180 Maple St.; Shows start around 6:30-7 p.m. Upcoming acts include: Trailer Trash, and Sam Falcetti’s New England Digital Accordion Orchestra. elrotaryclub.org.
MusicFest: Thursdays, 7 p.m. on the Park Square Green or the lot at 55 Elm St. Upcoming performers include: Eaglemania, Stumpy McToad. westfieldonweekends.com.
Positively Holyoke Summer Concert Series: Wednesdays, 6-8 p.m., at Heritage State Park on Appleton Street. Entertainers will include: Brass Attack, Out of the Blue, and Ireland Parish. A beer and wine garden is on site and this year, drinks can be taken back to your seat. Holyoke.org.
Chicopee Library Summer Concert Series: Thursdays, 6:30 p.m., in the Emily L. Patruka Central Library’s amphitheater. Upcoming acts include: Appalachian Still, and Sarah the Fiddler. (413) 594-1800, ext. 3; cbagley@cwmars.org; chicopeepubliclibrary.org.
Summer Concert Series at the Village Commons, South Hadley: Thursdays, 6:30 p.m. Upcoming acts include: Union Jack, Leather and Lace, and West Summit. Southhadleyma.gov.
Downtown Beats Summer Music Series: Thursdays, 6:30 p.m. on the Amherst Town Common. Featured bands will include: Mamma’s Marmalade, Shokazoba, and The Alchemystics. Amherstdowntown.com.
Downtown Northampton Summer Concert Series: Starting July 21, Fridays, 6 p.m. on the Courthouse lawn or Pulaski Park. Vendors will be present. Upcoming bands include: Midnight Snack, Nomad v. Settler. northamptonartscouncil.org.
Concerts in the Park: At Greenfield Energy Park on various days throughout Some of the upcoming acts include: Tret Frue and Mark Erelli. greenfieldrecreation.com.
Building 6 at MASS MoCAWith the recent opening of the Robert W. Wilson Building at MASS MoCA (B6), the contemporary arts museum has doubled in size. The new mill building-turned arts space features, well, art, music, and a bike path through the building. Right now, the building is featuring the work of artists Robert Rauschenberg, Louise Bourgeois, Jenny Holzer, and Gunnar Schonbeck. Even if you don’t consider yourself an “arts” person, MASS MoCA is a great museum to visit. The modern art is enormous in scale and impact. The exhibits are whimsical, fun, and, on occasion, all-encompassing. MASS MoCA out in North Adams, always makes for a good day trip, but with the new building, there’s even more reason to check it out. Gallery admission is $8-$20; kids under 6 are free. Plus the ArtBar, with art-making projects for kids, is open during weekends and school breaks.
Arts Nights OutArts Nights Out celebrate a community’s culture. Galleries and music venues throw open the doors and invite the public in. Restaurants often offer deals, shops stay open late, and performers roam the streets.
Arts Night Out Northampton is the second Friday of every month, 5-8 p.m.
ArtWalk Easthampton: Second Saturday of the month.
Amherst’s First Thursdays Arts Night Plus: First Thursday of the month.
Gallery Walk, the first Friday of the month in downtown Brattleboro, 5:30-8:30 p.m.
First Fridays, Greenfield.
Museums
Here’s what we got and why you should go: Amherst College Museum of Natural History, Amherst College: Local dinosaur bones
Emily Dickinson Museum: The Homestead and the Evergreens, Main Street, Amherst: She lived here, you guys
Brattleboro Museum & Art Center, Vernon Street, Brattleboro: Building, exhibits, and a view
Edwards Memorial Museum, North Road, Chesterfield: Features a Victorian parlor and old organ as well as period dresses and antique furniture
Historic Deerfield, Old Main Street, Deerfield: A complex of old buildings and artifacts culled into a museum
Wistariahurst Museum, Cabot Street, Holyoke: Preserving the home and tremendous landscape of the richie-rich Skinner family
The Museum of the Gilded Age at Ventfort Hall, Walker Street, Lenox: An imposing Elizabethan-stayle mansion built in 1893 for J. P. Morgan’s sister, Sarah.
Smith College Museum of Art, Elm Street, Northampton: More than 25,000 items in the archives
The Berkshire Museum, South Street, Pittsfield: Art, natural science, and history all together
Herman Melville’s Arrowhead, Holmes Road, Pittsfield: He wrote Moby Dick here, as well as three other novels
The Museum of Fine Arts, Edwards Street, Springfield: An Art Deco-style museum.
Springfield Science Museum, Edwards Street, Springfield: It’s been a while since you’ve seen the giant T-Rex, hasn’t it?
Dr. Seuss National Memorial, Edwards Street, Springfield: Brand new and ready for you!
The Pan African Historical Museum, Main Street, Springfield: Awesome collection of local African American history
The Titanic Museum, Main Street, Indian Orchard: Collecting artifcats from the Titanic since before it was cool
Norman Rockwell Museum, Glendale Road, Stockbridge: The worlds’ largest collection of original Rockwell art
The Clark, South Street, Williamstown: Fine art never looked so good. The museum was recently renovated and is a must see for any art lover.
