Blog / Culture
Enter to Win Tickets to Columbus Day Weekend Events
Paradise City Arts Festival | Northampton
Mid-October is not only the peak of foliage season in western Massachusetts, but it’s also especially packed with things to do on Columbus Day Weekend. Since we’ve already told you about some of the awesome things to do this fall, we’d like to give you the chance to win tickets to attend a few of them! Up for grabs is a pair of VIP one-day passes to the 20th Annual Paradise City Arts Festival in Northampton at the Three County Fairgrounds (October 11-13) and a pair of full-access passes for the Northampton International Film Festival at the Academy of Music Theatre (October 10-12). Each is a separate prize so there will be two random winners notified on Wednesday, October 8, 2014. Click to read more and enter.
ICYMI from Visit Hampshire County September 23, 2014
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Mount Holyoke College | South Hadley | Photo by Michael Malyszko
In case you missed it, there's a pop-up shopping event happening in Northampton, new artworks in Easthampton, and a few lists we've made over the past couple weeks. Here's a roundup of our favorite finds elsewhere on the internet we've shared on Facebook and Twitter.
Pack Your Calendars with Fall Festivals and More in Western Massachusetts
Mike's Maze, Sunderland | Photo by Lynne Graves
Are you ready for fall? Well it’s here as the chilled temps have clearly proven recently. If you’re anything like us here in western Massachusetts though, fall is your favorite time of year. While fall can be all about celebrating the harvest and Halloween, there’s also a lot going on in the arts, nature, and on a bike here. (Though we’ve certainly got the harvest festivals and haunted happenings down this year!). We have to admit, even as we were compiling this list we were overwhelmed by the number of things to do in western Massachusetts this fall. But after we took a deep breath, we grabbed our calendars and started planning fall adventures galore. We hope you’ll find something you’d like to do, too!
Amherst Live showcases local stories
Amherst Live creator Oliver Broudy calls the show "a mashup of The Daily Show, TED Talks, and The Moth Story Hour with a hyperlocal twist." The third installment of Amherst Live happens Saturday, September 13 at the Bowker Auditorium at UMass Amherst at 7:30 p.m. followed by an after party for networking and discussion.
Five Ways to Eat Your Way Through Western Massachusetts
Good Stock Farm, Hatfield | Photo by Kevin Miyazaki
With several new restaurants and a cooking school open and a handful of food-centric events like the Cummington (Aug. 21-24) and Three County (Aug. 29-Sept. 1) Fairs and Northampton's annual Restaurant Week (Sept. 7-11), you'll have no shortage of ways to fill your belly in western Massachusetts as this summer comes to a close.
In Case You Missed It from Visit Hampshire County Aug. 8, 2014
#nofilter Sunset over the Connecticut River | Hadley, MA
Here are a few more of our favorite finds from our quest for all things Hampshire County this week that we shared on Facebook and Twitter that you might have missed. This week it's sunsets, haunted houses and throwbacks.
6 Things to Add to Your Mid-Summer Bucket List
Chesterfield Gorge | Photo by Lynne Graves
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, from sidewalk sales to swimming holes, Shakespeare to rock music and more!
Three can’t-miss festivals in June
The River's music tent at the Taste of Amherst
The summer is off to a spectacular start here in western Massachusetts. Maybe you just attended the Asparagus Festival or Taste of Massachusetts Wine Festival, but if you’re still looking for things to do in Massachusetts, our arts, culture, and culinary celebrations don’t stop there. Don't miss Cottage Street's Cultural Chaos block party June 14, the Taste of Amherst June 19-22, and Django in June on June 20 & 21.
Kick off New England’s Pride Season in Northampton
Pride Day, Northampton | Photo by Transit Authority Figures
We’re full of pride all year round in Hampshire County, but the sparks really fly the first weekend of May every year when Northampton’s Annual LGBT Pride Day kicks off Pride season in New England. Join the Pride Parade and Celebration Saturday, May 3 from noon to 5 p.m. and celebrate Northampton's newest store for men, Hero Men's Gear, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Extend the celebration to embark on a walking tour of Northampton's LGBTQ history with the Sexual Minorities Archives on Sunday, May 4 at 2 p.m.
Explore prehistoric culture in Western Massachusetts
The Hitchcock Ichnology Collection at the Beneski | Photo by Lynne Graves
Did you know some of the earliest dinosaur tracks found in North America were discovered right here in Western Massachusetts? This spring, explore our prehistoric past at museums, in the great outdoors, or even on stage!