Pocumtuck Homelands Festival will be held August 7-8 from 10 am to 5 pm at Unity Park Riverfront in Turners Falls! A celebration of Native American art, music and cultures with special guests: Tom Porter, Mohawk Spiritual Leader and Annawon Weeden, actor, activist, dancer and artist with Mashpee Wampanoag, Narragansett and Pequot heritage. Live music with Jennifer Kreisberg, who comes from four generations of Seven Singing Sisters through the maternal line. Black Hawk Singers. Traditional music by the Kingfisher Singers; contemporary Algonquin music with Nulhegan-Abenaki singer-songwriter Bryan Blanchette, Justin Beatty. emcee. Superior Native American arts and crafts vendors, Eastern Woodlands skills demonstrations, Ceremonial Stone Landscapes display, children’s activities including making corn husk dolls with Kerri Helme; social dancing, history presentations, Native American food vendors and more. This event is free, welcoming, accessible, and fun for all ages and backgrounds. There will be a free raffle to win a birch bark basket by Jennifer Lee. Find out more!

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Dine Out Boston returns August 8-21!  'Dining Out: Together Again' is the theme of this year's summer program as MA residents and visitors look to enjoy delicious meals at delectable prices across Greater Boston's diverse restaurant scene. Visit dineoutboston.com to browse menus at approximately 100 participating restaurants. From the North End to the South End, and throughout all Greater Boston, Dine Out Boston has showcased the city's eclectic and exquisite culinary offerings for two decades.

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Cape Cod was made for summer! Beach pails and boat sails, hiking trails and parasails. Bike, photograph, beachcomb, surf, golf, explore sights, go fishing or clamming, or simply hammock to ocean rhythms. Explore Main Street shops, and Old King's Highway's 60-mile end-to-end magic! Kayak or SUP around Cape lakes, rivers and ponds, or go on an epic whalewatch adventure. Grab a beach blanket and experience a perfect Cape Cod sunset. End the day with a lobster bake or al fresco seafood dinner, and a movie under the stars at the Wellfleet Drive-In. Start planning your Cape Cod vacation!

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Live music is back and better than ever in Western Mass. Free Music Fridays are in full swing on the MGM Springfield Plaza, Courtyard Concerts are presented daily at Uno Pizzeria & Grill at the Springfield Riverfront and the Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival returns to Downtown Springfield on August 14. But that’s not all, there are plenty of venues offering live music in clubs, restaurants and outdoor venues so check the Explore Western Mass events calendar frequently for updates!

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For outdoor adventure, there’s no place like Hampshire County on the Other Side of MA, and Adventure East is your ticket to great outdoor fun. Whether you want to customize your own outdoor adventures or take advantage of a scheduled experience, just visit Discover Western Massachusetts and check out the many options. From canoeing or water paddling along the Connecticut River to forest bathing and outdoor yoga in one of Hampshire County’s tree-filled sanctuaries, you will hear nature calling.

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What could be more “country” than an agricultural fair? Johnny Appleseed Country is dishing up a humdinger of a fair this month! The 138th Bolton Fair is billed as the place where “friends, agriculture, education and creativity unite” — and no wonder! Animal shows and contests, entertainment, working craftsmen, an action-packed midway...it’s all happening at the fair on August 12-15 at the Fairgrounds in Lancaster. Come celebrate our heritage, culture and community!

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Photo credit: Peter Simon

Martha’s Vineyard is never more perfect than in August! Beach days/evenings, fiery sunsets, barbecues, al fresco dining, clambakes, kayaking /SUP, sunset or other cruise, artisans festivals, ever-magical Grand Illumination and the return of the wildly popular Ag Fair! Visit island galleries, shops, farms, museums, cycle byways and cycling-trails, play golf, tennis, explore Chappaquiddick and other Trustees properties, hiking trails, flea and farmers markets. Find something new — restaurant, gallery, beach, new nightlife, fishing-spot, excursion, horseback riding, tour. Find yourself here!

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Wilco has announced the return of the band’s Solid Sound Festival, set to take place at MASS MoCA May 27–29, 2022. The Wilco-curated multi-disciplinary music & arts festival. set to feature Wilco as headliners. In addition to the multitude of galleries at MASS MoCA which include long-term installations by James Turrell, Laurie Anderson, Sol LeWitt, and Jenny Holzer, Solid Sound 2022 will offer a fully programmed comedy stage, outdoor pursuits that explore The Mohawk Trail Region of Massachusetts, family activities, and much more.

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On Sunday August 8, Hopkinton Center for the Arts Amphitheatre hosts Sunday Jazz Jam with the MetroWest Jazz Project! Perfect for musicians, jazz afficionados, or those just looking for something fun and safe to do outdoors. Plenty of space to spread out, meet up with friends, and enjoy the music! One-hour concert will be followed by a public jam session open to both recreational and professional musicians. Visit hopartscenter.org/events-calendar for a full calendar of fantastic events this month.

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Photo credit: Emily Elisabeth Photography

Nantucket is most sumptuous in August, when sublime watercolors gently paint the island. As yet-undone island pleasures? Take that sunset sail; eat dinner by moonlight; hit the dance floor; gaze at stars, meteors, planets; and finally visit Coskata-Coatue. Across Nantucket, cool and shady verdant trails offer respite from midday heat. Visit fun-filled Cisco Brewers or Gaslight’s shows; browse air-conditioned merchants or catch a movie; pickup a new beach read. Here you are, safe, 30 miles at sea!

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Schooner Thomas E. Lannon Perseid Meteor Showers Sail will be August 11 & 12. What better way to catch this amazing show than watching from the water! Enjoy Cape Ann Artisan’s Summer Mini Tour on August 15 from 9 am to 4 pm. A special, private visit with a small group of Cape Ann Artisans. Cider Hill Farm is celebrating all things sunshine and peaches August 14-15 & 21- 22. The multi-weekend event will feature free live music, outdoor hard cider bar, family-friendly activities, hayrides, food truck specials, homemade peach treats, cut-your-own flowers and pick-your-own peaches.

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Onset Bay Association presents the 2021 Onset Summer of Love Concert Series on Wednesday evenings in August from 6:30 pm to 9 pm! August 4, The Neil McCarthy Band; August 11, Rudderless; August 18, Gunpowder and Lead; and August 25, That 60s Band. All shows also feature comedian Tom Stewart. Suggested donation of $5 gets you into the weekly raffle of $100 cash prize and a tote of cool concert gear! Plenty of free parking. Leashed, well behaved dogs welcome. Family friendly and wheelchair accessible! Find out more.

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ESCAPE is something we could all use. Especially after last year, am I right? Escape is closer than you think when you travel to Southeastern Massachusetts. Less than an hour from Boston and minutes away from Providence. We have some stunning views, incredible food, and plenty of things to, or NOT do when you want focus on fun, relaxing and do NOTHING at all. Your escape right here waiting for you. 

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Photo credit: Kacey Hatch

No visit to the Berkshires is complete without a tasting tour at one or more of our local wineries, distillers, and/or breweries. If wine is your fancy, take a tour and sample the libations at Hilltop Orchards, Balderdash Cellars, or Les Trois Vineyard & Winery, be sure to pick up a bottle or two to take home with you. Are you more of a beer aficionado? Then stop on by Bright Ideas Brewing or Big Elm Brewing and enjoy some memorable craft brews, there is something for every palate. Then finish out your tasting tour with a visit to Berkshire Mountain Distillers, where you can sample their award-winning spirits and be inspired to create your own Berkshire craft cocktail. 

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We are so excited for Let’s Go Out, Lowell Restaurant Week - happening now through Saturday, July 31! Lowell Restaurant Week will spotlight Lowell as a unique dining destination with a variety of cuisines with a global appeal. Presented by Lowell Plan, The City of Lowell, Greater Lowell Chamber of Commerce, Greater Merrimack Valley CVB and sponsored by Lowell Five Bank and funded by the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism.

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Summertime in Smile City features art, cuisine and discounts at local digs. See Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar on the steps of City Hall, courtesy of The Hanover Theatre & Downtown BID. Worcester Restaurant Week is back August 2 through August 14, so you can enjoy discounted three-course meals on global cuisine, at places like Flying Rhino, Bocado, and Russo Italian. For more savings, sign up for a free Smile City Passport & explore all of the city’s cultural attractions.

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