6 Things to Add to Your Mid-Summer Bucket List
Can you believe July is already half over? As the summer months continue to slip away, here are a few things to add to your things to do in Massachusetts summer bucket list.
Take a dip
What better way to cool off than to go for a swim? We may not be near the ocean, but we have the Connecticut River and lots of little swimming holes. Popular swimming spots include Puffer’s Pond in Amherst and the DAR State Forest in Goshen.
Catch a deal
Smith College Museum of Art in Northampton | Photo by Lynne Graves
If summer savings are your thing, we’ve got a few deals you can’t miss. During the summer at Look Memorial Park, attractions are half-price on Wednesdays. The Smith College Museum of Art has free admission through August 31, 2014 while the second and third floor galleries are closed for the Gallery Reinstallation and Reinterpretation Project. And if you’re a shopaholic, the much-anticipated Downtown Northampton Sidewalk Sales are July 24 through 27.
See something old that’s new again
Perched on the Mt. Holyoke Range, the Skinner House, once a swanky mountain-top hotel in the 1800s, has recently reopened to visitors after four years of renovations. Guests are welcome to catch the views of the Connecticut River Valley from the porch throughout the week and explore the house on weekends.
Ever hear of Yidstock? It's the Yiddish Book Center's annual Festival of New Yiddish Music.Yidstock brings the best in klezmer and new Yiddish music to the stage July 17 through 20.
Try the local ice cream
Mt Tom's Homemade Ice Cream in Easthampton | Photo by Lynne Graves
There’s no shortage of delicious local ice cream in western Massachusetts being made right on site. For some places, the cows are even right outside the door!
Cool off in a theater—or enjoy under the stars
From Shakespeare to contemporary performances, the summer theater season in western Massachusetts has something for every taste. New Century Theatre in Northampton has a few more laughter-packed professional shows this season at the Mendenhall Center for the Performing Arts at Smith College. For something a little out there, The Ko Festival of Performance in Amherst features four weeks of theater based on the season theme of WORK | JOB | CAREER | CALLING. And Hampshire Shakespeare Company does The Comedy of Errors (through 7/20) and Julius Caesar (7/23-8/3) under the stars at the Renaissance Center in Amherst.
Catch some outdoor tunes
Aaron Lewis and Friends at the Pines Theater at Look Park in Northampton | Photo by Lynne Graves
Summer and music go hand-in-hand. The Collective Music Group once again hosts the Northampton Summer Concert Series every Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. from July 18 through August 30. This year the concerts take place on the Courthouse Lawn at the intersection of Main and Pleasant Streets. For a jam-packed day of music, arts, cultural diversity and dance, don’t miss the FallsFest Music and Arts Festival on Saturday, July 26, 2014, at Beachgrounds Park in South Hadley Falls.
What else would you put on this list?