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Food On The Go in Hampshire County
Bistro Bus | Taking It To the Streets
Where do you eat when you're on the go and enjoying the sights this fall? Learn where to get a hot and bubbling slice of pizza, track down one of the area's coveted food trucks, and warm up with one of the best cups of chowder around from Don Lesser, a local foodie who has lived, eaten, and worked in Hampshire Country for 30 very odd years.
Fall festivals, corn mazes, and more, oh my!
Photo by Lynne Graves
It's nearly time to throw those hands in the air, full of leaves: it's almost FALL in Hampshire County! Like a true New Englander, we love fall just as much as you do, from the abundance of apples and pumpkins to the stunning foliage and crisper weather. Western Massachusetts has an abundance of can't-miss fun fall activities including the very popular McCray's Farm Haunted Hayrides, Belchertown's Austin Brothers Valley Farm annual corn maze and hayrides, and Southampton's Rolling Acres Farm corn maze and fall activities right here in Hampshire County.
Art with a side of apples in Easthampton this fall
Photography by Patrick Brough
Farms and gardens are works of art in their own right, but how about visiting an apple orchard sprinkled with sculptures, poetry and dance this Fall? Art in the Orchard 2013 (AiO13) is a multifaceted sculpture exhibit on the grounds of Park Hill Orchard in Easthampton, Mass. The core project is a sculpture trail showcasing 3-dimensional outdoor works and installations created by local and regional artists open to the public daily beginning in late August. Additional events such as music, moonlight walks and performances are scheduled during most weekends through the festival's close on October 31.
Fair season is among us in Hampshire County
Agriculture is pretty important to us here in Hampshire County, and has been for hundreds of years. Our annual fairs really showcase all that we've got going on in one place. The Three County Fair in Northampton is Labor Day Weekend, Aug. 30 through Sept. 2; the Cummington Fair is Aug.22-25 at the Cummington Fairgrounds; and the Belchertown Fair is Sept. 20 through 22 on the Belchertown town common.
Want to experience a Hampshire County fair? Like us on Facebook and participate in our Fair Friday Facebook contest! Every Friday leading up to the Three County Fair, we'll post a question for you to answer. We will give a set of 4 VIP tickets to the Three County Fair to the person with the most creative responses for each of the 3 posts!
Watch a movie outdoors, sidewalk shop, and eat in a field in Hampshire County this week
Sidewalk Sales in Northampton
There's always something happening in Hampshire County, but this week do something you would normally do indoors, outdoors! Amherst's Hot Summer Nights movie series begins Wednesday, July 24, Northampton has its annual Sidewalk Sales July 25-28, and Whole Foods is hosting a farm dinner right in the middle of the field at a neighboring farm on Saturday, July 27.
Stay cool with summer art exhibitions in Hampshire County
Summer of Love at the Smith College Museum of Art
As the temperatures continue to fly high in Western Massachusetts this summer, step into the air-conditioned wonders of some of our world-class museums in Hampshire County: the Smith College Museum of Art, Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, and Mead Art Museum at Amherst College. Don’t miss your chance to take a trip to San Francisco in the sixties, experience art from antiquity to today, and wander through the whimsical world nature-based picture book art. Some of these summer exhibitions will close before you know it!
The stage comes alive in Hampshire County every summer
fo n’ ale by The Performance Project’s First Generation Ensemble
Every summer, Hampshire County in Western Massachusetts becomes home to some of the most original and stunning theater. Productions range from the professional, award-winning selections of New Century Theatre in Northampton, to the wildcard original works by experimental theater champions Ko Festival of Performance in Amherst. AND, there's even a little Shakespeare under the stars by Hampshire Shakespeare Company.
Free summer music from concerts in the park to concerts on the porch
Darlingside at Pulaski Park | Photo by Jamie Kent
There’s something special about summer nights that comes alive when there’s music in the air. There are definitely more smiles and probably even more tapping feet and clapping hands. A handful of communities provide these summer soundscapes at a multitude of weekly free outdoor summer concert series across Hampshire County. On Thursdays, check out the Angel Park's Summer Music Series in Williasmburg or the Music on the Porch Series in Florence, and on Fridays, there's Northampton's Summer Concert Series in Pulaski Park and Arts in the Park in Easthampton.
Discover the Americana Flair of the Hilltowns
Chesterfield Fourth of July
If you’re looking for a quaint and classic New England experience this holiday weekend or summer, look no further than our Hilltowns in Hampshire County. Head West on Route 9 just beyond the city of Northampton and you’ll transcend to a world with with lush tree-lined rolling back roads, no shortage of historic homes, and old-time country stores for pit stops along the way. The Chesterfield Fourth of July Parade festivities take place on July 4; the Hilltown Arts Festival is July 6; Bryant Day is on July 20 to celebrate poet and hilltown native William Cullen Bryant; the 158th Middlefield Agricultural Fair happens August 9 through 11 and the 145th Cummington Fair happens August 22 through 25.
Road Trippin’ by Bike
Photo by Joseph Hom
Do you like road trips? How about on two wheels? Our region has been called the best East Coast adventure destination for road biking, and we have some great bicycle touring companies to help you get rolling! Mount Major Adventures and Ride Noho's bicycle tours range from pleasurable treks for those looking to explore to extreme adventures for the experienced rider looking for the ultimate challenge.