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February 2021
Greetings!
There are lots of ways to celebrate Massachusetts in February, with Black History Month, Lunar New Year, Valentine's Day, President's Day, School Vacation Week and plenty of outdoor activities.

Our state initiative, My Local MA, encourages all of us to support local businesses, including farms and restaurants, art galleries and cultural venues, Main Street retailers and family-owned companies. And please, don't forget to #MaskupMA!

You can find more information at findmylocalma.com or visitma.com.
Featured Region: North of Boston
You're invited to Salem's So Sweet Chocolate and Ice Festival February 1-14! A decadent tradition of delectable chocolate, sparkling ice sculptures, and Valentine's Day shopping! When winter returns to the lower Merrimack Valley, so do Bald Eagles and Snowy Owls and other exciting winter wildlife. This year, join the Merrimack River Eagle Festival February 9-14 online and in-person for events celebrating these special winter residents. Join the Cape Ann Museum February 26 at 1 pm for a Virtual Lecture Series with Dr. Kabria Baumgartner and Dr. Elizabeth Duclos-Orsello on the rich history of African Americans in Essex County. On display now through April 4 at the Addison Gallery of American Art is Yoko Ono: Mend Piece. In this exhibit, Ono proposes communal mending as an act of healing. Participants are asked to bind the fragments of shattered materials together using common household items. The resulting creations are displayed on nearby shelves, evidence of the power of collective action. Ono's meditative environment inspires reflections on the tumultuous concerns of society, as well as personal struggles. For more events go to NorthofBoston.org.

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

The Plymouth Center for the Arts is hosting Winter Art classes for adults, teens and children through February 20, 2021! Classes include oil painting, watercolors, ceramics, jewelry, drawing and much more! Most classes are virtual. Plymouth Center for the Arts is committed to following CDC guidelines, social distancing, and having clean and safe classrooms. Special instructions and guidance will be provided for all on-site activities to ensure students and visitors understand and follow stay healthy requirements. Find information on Adult Classes and Children's Classes.

Find more events and information for Plymouth County.
Southeastern Mass

Preparing for a post-pandemic parade of visitors, Cisco Bar & Kitchen is under construction on the beautiful New Bedford waterfront. Cisco Brewery and local restaurant entrepreneur Steve Silverstein will open this spring with a seaside restaurant/entertainment complex featuring the best of the South Coast food and fun!  
 
Find more events and information for Southeastern Mass
The Berkshires

February is all about love (of nature) with Berkshire Wildlife Sanctuaries! Pleasant Valley in Lenox offers 7 miles of trails, from 1/3-mile accessible trail to Pikes Pond to a strenuous hike up Lenox Mountain. The scenery is swoonworthy! Yaktrax and snowshoes available for loan. Need a night out? Get dressed up (in layers) for an evening nature program. You may not find your lovebird, but register for a birding workshop and discover your newest passion in the Berkshires.

Find more ev
ents and information for The Berkshires. 
Greater Merrimack Valley

Distance learning has us all looking for things to engage kids of all ages. Why not take advantage of History at Home, virtual experiences offered by the Concord Museum? Videos are available to watch online that show what it was like to live and work in the Colonial era. From Craftsmanship & Apprenticeship to Colonial Cooking and Colonial Clothing, from Paul Revere's ride to the Minutemen and much more, these videos filmed on location, bring this time period to life. There is also a free weekly newsletter that is filled with fun videos, activities and images for all ages. Find out more!

Find events and information for
Greater Merrimack Valley. 
Central Massachusetts

Benjamin Adwetewa-Badu, Street Blues. Courtesy of ArtsWorcester
9 Ways to Explore Central MA this February: 1. Discover Worcester's Black-owned fashion brands; 2. Support WHM's Worcester Black History Project; 3. Attend Preservation Worcester's Worcester's Royal Corsets lecture; 4. Order takeout from Worcester's
Black-owned restaurants; 5. Take a romantic winter walk; 6. Learn the history of local Black sports superstar "the Worcester Whirlwind" 7. Practice yoga on the trails; 8. Scope out our Instagram Guides; 9. Watch a virtual performance filmed at Mechanics Hall

Find more events and information for Central Massachusetts.
Franklin County
The Virtual Winter Lecture Series at Historic Deerfield will feature the topic "Speaking Up: Histories of American Protest and Activism." Protest and dissent are an integral part of American political and cultural identity. Join virtual webinars devoted to exploring vibrant, lesser-known histories of American activism, including how women of color transformed the women's suffrage movement and the raucous electoral politics of the post-Civil War era. Find out more!

Find more events and information for Franklin County.
Greater Boston
Envoy igloo photo credit Jason Wessel Photography
Greater Boston abounds with unique "outdoor" dining experiences this winter! Experience panoramic views of Boston with the Envoy's Igloos, or chill with the Igloo Village at 75 on Liberty Wharf. Mouth-watering tacos are available in your own personal pod at Rosa Mexicano, while the Igloo Wonderland at the Inn at Hastings Park features romantic twinkling lights, faux-fireplace heaters and mini speakers. Head to Cambridge and cozy up with local, seasonally inspired cuisine at Tululla's Greenhouses. 
 
Find more events and information for Greater Boston
Cape Cod
Rest and recharge with a warm and cozy winter escape to the Cape! Sit fireside at a romantic inn or quaint B&B. Indulge yourself at a full-service resort. Take a brisk beach walk on a sun-filled day, or savor a spa experience. Explore hiking and biking trails, visit a brewery, and enjoy delicious locally sourced seafood. Some of the Cape's creative restaurant owners have even masterfully prepared al fresco seating options to keep you warm and fed all winter long! Find treasures in dozens of shops and art galleries. Book your stay and warm up this winter on Cape Cod!

Find more events and information for Cape Cod.
Western Mass
Western Mass is known as a land of firsts and for good reason.  Springfield, one of at least 36 in the US, but it was the first.  We're also home to the first armory commissioned in the country, the first home of beloved author and illustrator Theodor 'Seuss' Geisel, where the American-made automobile was manufactured, the first board game and so much more.  Find you firsts by visiting the Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Volleyball Hall of Fame, Springfield Armory National Historic Site and Yankee Candle Village.  Enhanced cleaning and social distancing protocols are in place.

Find more events and information for Western Mass.
Hampshire County
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Turn up your love for the arts with virtual events from Hampshire County! Tap into the creative energy of artists by treating yourself or someone special to a piece from the Paradise City Marketplace. Looking for a fun way to learn from home with the kids? Don't miss the latest offering from the Eric Carle Museum in Amherst! Ladysmith Black Mambazo will stream live on Wednesday, February 17th presented by the UMass Fine Arts Center.

Find more events and information for Hampshire County.
North Central Massachusetts 
Biking, hiking, skiing...you've spent the early months of winter burning pent-up energy and trying to stay fit. Now it's time to sit back, relax, and simply enjoy the fresh air and natural beauty of Johnny Appleseed Country! Head out to Cornerstone Ranch in Princeton for a private hayride or sleigh ride designed for families or couples. Relax to the clip-clop rhythm while taking in the scenery, then linger by the campfire with hot cocoa and s'mores to end your perfect New England day.  

Find more events and information for North Central Massachusetts.  
Martha's Vineyard 
On Martha's Vineyard, February's a wonderful time to show the love by loving what's local!  Winter's bare trees and solitude reward strollers/hikers with wildlife, gorgeous terrain, vistas - Trails MV app will guide you! Enjoy your very own beach maybe. Visit timed-entry Martha's Vineyard Museum; Island Alpaca, Gingerbread Cottages (always a joy!), shop (most shops open year-round), cycle (paths always open), exciting programs at Cape Poge/Long Point Wildlife-Refuges, take lighthouse-safaris, dine-in/take-out at island restaurants, browse/shop/learn Featherstone Center for the Arts, photograph island beauty. Stay safe, apart and continually-inspired  to Love Local MV!

Find more events and information for Martha's Vineyard. 
Mohawk Trail Region
There is no better way to enjoy the winter and the Mohawk Trail Region than heading outside to play in the freshly fallen snow, with hundreds of acres of wide-open spaces and plenty of room to cross-country and downhill ski, snowboard, snowshoe, tubing, fat tire biking, ice skating, hike one of the many tree cover trail or the outdoor art trails. Great outdoors promotes socially distancing experience. Project snowshoe, Berkshire East Mountain Resort, Mohawk Trail State Forest-DCR

Find more events and information for The Mohawk Trail Region
MetroWest

Valentine Projects for the whole family at Framingham Library! Sign-ups begin on February 1, supplies are limited. Take & Make Kit: Valentine Critters (Ages 4-12): Make your own fuzzy, googly eyed valentine critter. All materials and instructions provided. Take & Make Kit: STEM Valentine's Circuit Bookmarks (Ages 9-14) Create a light up Valentine's Day themed bookmark using circuits, LED light, and a battery! All materials are provided in a kit available for curbside pickup.

Find more events and information for MetroWest.   
Nantucket Island

February on Nantucket is occasionally balmy! Afoot at its 214+ conservation properties, beautiful, wide wonderful vistas (and wildlife) prevail! Deserted beaches enchant with dreamy morning/evening light. Enjoy downtown's 800+ pre-Civil-War leaf-free buildings. Tuck in for a latte, shop solo, stay a night or two. Dawdle over romantic dinner before strolling the Harbor. Visitors often have much of Nantucket to themselves - imagine that! Winter can make it better! Yes, pinch yourself - just look where you are!

Find more events and information for Nantucket Island.
Regional Tourism Councils  
   
Funded by the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism