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September 2019
Massachusetts is rich in arts & culture, so it's no surprise that exciting events, exhibits and festivals are held in the state's 16 regions all year long. Find out more!
Fall for Massachusetts!
Plum Island, Newburyport, Credit Kay Bice
September ushers in Massachusetts' shoulder season, an ideal time for visitors to explore the breadth and beauty of the Bay State without all the traffic and hassle of summer crowds. This glorious transition to autumn means cooler weather and deepened colors, ideal for bicycling and hiking, harvest fairs and heritage walks. September also marks a brand new season of arts and cultural activities, a time when museums, galleries, cultural centers and concert halls come alive with new exhibits, performances and creative expression.

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Featured Region: North of Boston
The Annual Intertribal POW-WOW takes place on September 7-8 at Plug Pond in Haverhill. The Native American cultural arts event is celebrating 31 years at the pond! Don't miss the 7th annual Taste of the Gables on September 15. Trails and Sails takes place September 20-29; be guided through unique landscapes on land and sea, explore historic properties, and take in cultural experiences throughout Essex National Heritage area during these 10 days of free events. On September 21, enjoy Haverhill's River Ruckus, an annual festival featuring live music, classic cars, great local foods and much more. Experience the American Music and Harvest Festival on September 28 - an event filled with American music including bluegrass, funk, folk, along with a variety of fun farm activities.

Find more events and information for North of Boston.
Plymouth County

Open Mic Tuesdays are just the start of a month of class acts at The Spire Center in Plymouth! The Friday/Saturday lineup includes comedy by Lenny Clarke, a tribute to Neil Young, jazz & blues jams, Kat Wright, Parsonsfield and its indie-roots sound, and a Van Morrison Tribute. All this and more throughout September! Enjoy plenty of restaurants to satisfy your taste buds before and after the performances. Plymouth ROCKs!

Find more events and information for Plymouth County.
Southeastern Mass

Enjoy some fall family fun at the 7th Annual Harvest Fun Day on Saturday, September 21 on the lawn of the Fairhaven Visitors Center! You'll find booths selling arts, crafts, home decor, handmade clothing, accessories and more. For the kids, there will be face painting, games, a bounce house and other fun things to see and do! Come by from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (141 Main Street in Fairhaven).

Find m ore events and information for Southeastern Massachusetts
The Berkshires

Photo: Ida Ten Eyck O'Keeffe American, 1889-1961, Variation on a Lighthouse Theme VII_ c. 1931-1932. Oil on canvas. The Buck Collection at the UCI Institute and Museum for California Art.
At the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, visit remarkable special exhibitions including Renoir: The Body, The Senses through September 22 (The Wall Street Journal calls this show "a must-see") and Ida O'Keeffe: Escaping Georgia's Shadow through October 14 (New York Times says this show is "inspiring"). Stroll the Clark's world-renowned permanent collection galleries and enjoy a woodland walk across the 140-acre campus for an exceptional experience of art in nature, all waiting for you in the Berkshires.

Find more events and information for The Berkshires
Greater Merrimack Valley

Heather Barker's Photography
On Saturday, September 21, all-terrain, human-powered, art sculptures made from repurposed materials will race over road, water, mud and sand! Lowell Kinetic Sculpture Race inspires the visionaries of the future by promoting the synthesis of the STEM fields, the arts, innovation, and physical activity. The race is free for all, open to all ages, and works with students of local universities, high schools, vocational schools, and after-school programs. For accessibility info, see the Spectator Guide.

Find more events and information for
Greater Merrimack Valley.  
Central Massachusetts

Summer may be winding down, but the abundance of events is not! Cheers with friends at Worcester Beer Week, celebrate at the many Pride festivals and happenings, or chow down at the Chili & Chowder fest. Can't have Fall without apples, visit Douglas Orchard & Farm for their Apple Fest and picking. Looking for something new? Check out these 8 quirky places in Central Mass, or make your own adventure to finish off Summer and kick off Fall!

Find more events and information for Central Massachusetts.
Franklin County
Discover Cornstock 2019 - Mike's Maze at Warner Farm in Sunderland! Come enjoy this artist-designed corn maze, along with themed games that will challenge you to solve puzzles and problems, and lead you on your exploration through the corn! This year's maze is Cornstock 2019, paying homage to Woodstock. Laugh and learn as you wander the 8-acre maze, encountering installations and trivia at every turn. Located on a working farm at the foot of Mount Sugarloaf, visitors enjoy gorgeous views of New England foliage. Runs through the fall.

Find more events and information for Franklin County.
Greater Boston
All good things must come to an end - not true in Boston in September! Outdoor festivals continue with the JP Music, Brazilian, Country in the City, Bostown Music Fest and Boston Arts Festival. The Cambridge Carnival is back for its 27th year, bigger & better. Musical selections range from Billy Joel, The Who and Chainsmokers to Concerts for One - free music experiences for 5,000 people: one listener and one musician at a time. The theatre season opens with the acclaimed American Utopian, the world premiere of The Purists - a story of music, mayhem and magic, and Tom Stoddard's tragicomedy Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead. A coincidence? The Centennial of the 19th Amendment and exhibitions of women artists of all ages, nationalities, mediums and levels of recognition are featured at the MFA, ICA and PEM.

Find more events and information for Greater Boston
Cape Cod
Fall is the perfect time to explore Cape Cod! Enjoy farmers' markets, New England's best golf, walking trails, beautiful beaches and fun-filled seaside festivals. The Harwich Cranberry & Music Festival on September 14-15 features local musicians and artisans. Shop for paintings, jewelry, photography, and other works of art while enjoying a wide variety of live on-stage entertainment! Experience the best in craft beer at the annual Cape Cod Brew Fest on September 21 at the Cape Cod Fairgrounds in Falmouth. And make your way on October 5 to the Mashpee Oktoberfest for authentic German music & dancing, a beer garden, kids' activities and local crafters. Read about these and other Fall Fests We Love in our latest blog!

Find more events and information for Cape Cod.
Greater Springfield
Feel like turning back time with an icon? Check out the virtual reality exhibit at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge. Travel back to Circa 1943 and experience the world from Norman Rockwell's lens. Explore the inspiration behind Rockwell's "Four Freedom Paintings" and learn about the context behind the content!

Find more events and information for Greater Springfield.
Hampshire County
Photo: Ocean Vuong reads at the 6th Annual Amherst Poetry Festival, Emily Dickinson Museum, Amherst
Autumn in Hampshire County brings the brilliance in many forms! Vibrant foliage? We've got it. Inspiring poetry? Hit up the Amherst Poetry Festival, September 19-22 to hear new works in Emily Dickinson's garden. Musical fun for the kiddos? Mister G Performs Live at The Carle on September 7. And don't miss your change to flex those artsy skills in a weekend workshop at Snow Farm: The New England Craft Program. Glassblown pumpkins...need we say more?

Find more events and information for Hampshire County.
Johnny Appleseed 
Festival season gets into full swing in September, from the Appleseed Country Fair in Phillipston on Labor Day weekend to the Oktoberfest (and Chair Luge!) in Gardner at the end of the month. In between those fabulous events, stop by the Sterling Fair,the Beer Fest-of-Ale at Wachusett Mountain Ski Area, and the Pepperell Fall Festival. Love local handcrafts? Don't miss the Homecrafters Fair at Sholan Farms, Craft Fair at Fruitlands Museum or the Townsend Arts & Crafts Festival!

Find more events and information for Johnny Appleseed Country. 
Martha's Vineyard 
Serene September! Oak Bluffs Open Market for jewelry, crafts, antiques (September 1); Vineyard Artisans Festival (9/1); Old Sculpin Gallery Exhibition (September 1-6); Summer Festival of Poetry (September 1); Ballroom Dance (September Sundays); Martha's Vineyard International Film Festival (September 3-8); Introduction: Nature Photography (September 3-4); Low Down Dirty Blues at MV Playhouse (September 3-7); MV Wind Festival (September 7); Alison Shaw Reception (September 7); Tivoli Day Street Festival (September 14); Beach Plum Forage/Jam Workshop (September 14); Craft Beer Festival (September 21); Culinary Weekend (September 27); and Martha's Vineyard Fashion Week (September 27-28).
 
Find more events and information for Martha's Vineyard. 
Mohawk Trail Region
FreshGrass Festival, happening September 20-22, is a wonderland of traditional and cutting edge bluegrass and roots music. This year's line-up might be the best yet - headlined by soul legend Mavis Staples, jamgrass faves Leftover Salmon, live-music superstars like Greensky Bluegrass, Calexico and Iron & Wine, Andrew Bird, and Amy Helm, world music from Tinariwen and Hanggai, film and live music by Aoife O'Donovan, and up-and-comers like Jade Bird. 3 days. 50+ bands!

Find more events and information for The Mohawk Trail Region
MetroWest

The air is getting crisp and so is the cider in Northborough as we inch closer to the annual Northborough Applefest. Not your granny (Smith)'s fall festival, this exciting four-day celebration (September 19-22) will feature moonwalks, fireworks, robotics shows, and great food! Keeping with the theme of community and celebration, don't miss the Ashland Day, Natick Days and Celebrate Holliston events, offering fun for all ages. Also, don't forget to march down to Wayside Inn on the 28th for a historical Revolutionary War reenactment.

Find more events and information for MetroWest.   
Nantucket Island

Credit Marina Jube
Sweet September on Nantucket! Afternoon Tea at Hadwen House Gardens (September 3 & 17, 2 pm); Broadway @ Dreamland (September 3, 7:30 pm); Virtual Walking Tour ("basket-makers of old" homes) with Nantucket Lightship Basket Museum; Fireflies at White Heron Theatre Company (September 3-14, Tues-Sat); Farmers & Artisans Markets by Sustainable Nantucket (Saturdays September 7, 14, 21 & 28); Master Artist Demonstrations with Artists Association of Nantucket (September 11, 6-8 pm); Terms of Endearment (September 12-30, Wed-Sun) at the Theatre Workshop of Nantucket; and Nantucket Fall Restaurant Week (September 30-October 6)!

Find more events and information for Nantucket Island.
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