July 2009

Greetings!

Massachusetts is rich in arts and culture, so it's no surprise that exciting events, exhibits and festivals are held in the state's 13 regions all year long. Find out more below and visit us now!

MASS JAZZ & MORE: Summer in Massachusetts
Summer in Massachusetts. Cue the Sax. Trombone. Drums. Jazz music is alive and well and MassJazz promotes jazz events across the State, from concerts to festivals, jazz series, clubs, radio shows, and music schools.

Craving Art? At Open Studios you can mingle with artists, pick up original art and be inspired. Find them at massvacation.com/arts.

Welcome back WorldFest!, an annual celebration of summer ethnic and cultural events...Greek festivals, Boston Carnival, powwows, Bastille Day and more, all in your own backyard.

Boston’s arts at your fingertips, Arts Boston website delivers theater, dance, opera, visual arts, film. Here you can check out arts events for whole family, download podcasts, and read and write reviews.

For many more Massachusetts travel ideas, click here!

FEATURED REGION: MARTHA'S VINEYARD

A Zambian Summer Celebration Concert will be held July 16, 2009 from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Historic Union Chapel in Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard! This concert, featuring the music of the 1970s award-winning band Aztec Two-Step, will benefit the Chikumbuso Women & Orphans Project, African Artists' Community Development Project. A pre-concert reception and silent auction will offer an opportunity to meet the band and the founders of the projects. Admission is $25. For more information, please call
1-860-889-4192.

Now open for the season, the Vineyard Playhouse in Vineyard Haven presents “Walking the Volcano” on July 15-August 8. This short play progression provides a glimpse into the generation that came of age in the 1960’s at different stages in its evolution. Then, enjoy a performance of William Shakespeare’s ‘Shrew” at the outdoor Tisbury Amphitheater from July 22-August 9. For ticket information, please call 508-696-6300 or visit www.vineyardplayhouse.org.

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NORTH OF BOSTON

Celebrate the sea North of Boston – both indoors and outdoors! From June 13 through September 7, 2009, the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem features 70 works of maritime art at The Golden Age of Dutch Seascapes. Then head to Salisbury for the second annual Merrimack River Maritime Festival, July 24-26. Enjoy tours aboard historic ships, along with pirate shows, fireworks, food and more. For more information on all things cultural in the North of Boston region, visit www.escapesnorth.com.

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GREATER SPRINGFIELD

The Westfield Downtown Business District will launch its Summer Sounds 2009 on the Green concert series on June 11, 2009 with renowned blues artist Debbie Davis and her band. Other free shows include Maia Sharp on July 9th, Changes in Latitudes on August 13th and Roomful of Blues on September 10th. Shows start at 7:30 pm, and food and drink stands are available. For more information, visit www.westfieldonweekends.org or call 413-562-2277.

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NANTUCKET ISLAND

The second annual Nantucket Comedy Festival, set for July 28-August 1, 2009, promises to be a yuk-fest this summer. Founded by New York and Nantucket comedian Kevin Flynn, the week features Mike Birbiglia and his one-man show, Ladies Night with stand up comedian Wendy Liebman, and a Night of Financial Humor. Also, Anne Meara and Jerry Stiller will be back, as will Chris Matthews as a guest host! Proceeds go to island charities. Visit nantucketcomedyfestival.org for tickets and latest performers, or call 508-228-1515.

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CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS

Experience a magnificent day of culture and celebration at the 7th Annual Blackstone Valley Celtic Festival. Come to Indian Ranch on beautiful Webster Lake on Saturday, July 25th from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. for a parade, children’s entertainment, dance, food, and more! Featured performances by fiddlers, bands and comedians will inspire the feeling of taking a trip to Ireland’s valleys, farms, and hills. Also coming August 3-14: Worcester Restaurant Week!

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MOHAWK TRAIL REGION

The Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MassMOCA) in North Adams presents Grammy Award-winning singer Aimee Mann in concert on Saturday, July 11, 2009 at 8 p.m. On July 16-August 1, the museum hosts the Bang on a Can Summer Music Festival! Join in the fun at daily (except Sundays) gallery recitals, treat your kids to instrument-making art classes in Kidspace, meet Steve Reich on a special weekend devoted to the master of minimalism, and savor the raucous excitement of the August 1st Marathon.

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THE BERKSHIRES

Starting June 26, 2009, Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum will host the premiere of a new one-woman play "Paris 1890: Unlaced!" Written by Juliane Hiam and starring Anne Undeland, the play provides a humorous, slightly risqué, but poignant glimpse into Parisian society of the Gilded Age. Performances run through September 6th. Also, be sure to see Ventfort’s newest exhibit "Something Old Something New: 200 Years of Berkshire Brides", and the beautifully intricate "Les Petite Dame Dames De Mode."

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FRANKLIN COUNTY

Franklin County Chamber of Commerce presents the 23rd Annual Green River Festival July 17-18, 2009 on the grounds of Greenfield Community College (I-91, Exit 26, Greenfield). The celebration – the area’s biggest summer outdoor event - combines music on two stages, food, crafts, dancing, kids’ activities and hot air balloon launches (weather permitting). Featured performers this year include Michael Franti & Spearhead, Kathleen Edwards, CJ Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band, and many more! Find ticket information and details at www.greenriverfestival.com.

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GREATER MERRIMACK VALLEY

The Lowell Folk Festival will be held in downtown Lowell on July 24-26, 2009.
This large scale, three-day outdoor event, presented free to the public, celebrates the roots, richness, and variety of American culture, including music, crafts, dancing, parades, ethnic foods and more on six outdoor stages throughout the downtown area. The Lowell Folk Festival is the largest free folk festival in the United States. Celebrating the 23rd year, visit www.lowellfolkfestival.org for more information.

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SOUTHEASTERN MASSACHUSETTS

Greater New Bedford Summerfest, set for July 3-5, 2009, is New Bedford's annual International Folk Festival! Enjoy six stages of performers, including traditional folk music and dance, contemporary acoustic, National and International acts. The festivities also include a juried arts & crafts fair, whaleboat races, great food and a fabulous fireworks display. Starting July 10th, the New Bedford Festival Theatre presents nine performances of the popular musical “The Producers” in the Zeiterion Theatre.

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PLYMOUTH COUNTY

The Hull Lifesaving Museum Maritime Festival will be held July 8-12, 2009 at Hull Lifesaving Museum on Nantasket Ave in Hull. Highlights include a Jolly Rogues concert (sea chanteys & Celtic), concert and clambake with Noddaclu (a reggae band) at Fort Revere, outdoor movie night, Newfoundland Dog Water Rescue Demonstration, Tall ship viewing opportunities, traditional boat gatherings, and the revival of an old tradition, the illumination of the Hull coastline. For more information, call 781-925-5433 or www.hulllifesavingmuseum.org.

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CAPE COD

On July 3-5, 2009, enjoy the annual Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Pow Wow, a popular three-day celebration that is an immersion in Native American culture, featuring fun activities, crafts, food, dance and music. The annual Auto Event will return to Heritage Museums & Gardens in Sandwich on July 11th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. On July 17-19, the 27th Annual Greek Cultural Festival will be held at the St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Centerville. And, for information on Cape-wide Fourth of July activities, including parades and fireworks, visit CapeCodChamber.org.

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BOSTON

The Annual Boston HARBORFEST will be held June 30-July 5, 2009, showcasing the historic city’s colonial and maritime heritage. Featuring concerts, historical tours, reenactments, and over 200 festival events around Boston’s historic downtown and waterfront districts. Also, the annual Fourth of July Boston Pops Esplanade Concert kicks off at 8 p.m. on July 4th, with conductor Keith Lockhart and special guest, Grammy Award-winning pop icon Neil Diamond. The concert will be followed by a spectacular fireworks display.

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