Upcoming Events In Western Mass
We strive to post the most current and accurate event information but changes and cancellations do occur so please check the official event website to confirm all details.
When you think back to some of your favorite childhood moments, very few of them probably happened when you were sitting at home watching TV. Instead, your most poignant memories probably revolve around that time you ended up with the home run ball at a baseball game, and the crowd cheered and you felt like a rock star, or at least like Babe Ruth.
Or maybe it was that time your family attended The Big E together and your dad bought you cotton candy and let you get all sticky-faced, and you watched your mom beat the midway games, and you felt like your heart was going to overflow with contentment and happiness.
In Western Massachusetts, events bring us together to celebrate our successes and recollect on our heritage. We’ve put together a list of some of the top yearly events in Massachusetts, things we and our local friends love doing to feel connected to our area and our community.
Top Yearly Western Massachusetts Events
Because of the beautiful area where we live, there are distinct Western Massachusetts-specific events that take place in each and every season. From leaf peeping in the fall to river rafting in the spring to skiing in the winter, you can find a wide range of things to do throughout the year, and some of our local events reflect the joyous beauty of our seasons.
Top Western Massachusetts Events for Spring
Springfield Annual Pancake Breakfast
Does anything scream “neighborly get-together more than a pancake breakfast? If your mouth is already watering over the thought of fluffy, buttery, syrupy goodness, you’re not going to want to miss the Springfield Annual Pancake Breakfast, typically hosted in May in downtown Springfield.
Bring your appetite, because it’s billed as the World’s Largest Pancake Breakfast, and be ready to feast on both good food and friendly conversation.
Paradise City Arts Festival (Northampton)
This Paradise City Arts Festival is ranked among the best in the country, and includes exhibits from more than 250 artists in all mediums. Artists flock to Western Massachusetts from around the country to be part of this visually dazzling display.
Come out to enjoy the weather that’s not quite summer, not quite spring, and stay to buy way too much from the vast selection of contemporary art pieces on display.
Brimfield Outdoor Antique Show
With spring in the air, you’ll want to get out and enjoy the largest outdoor antique and collectible show in the country. The Brimfield Outdoor Antique Show features over 5000 dealers throughout the quaint country town of Brimfield. And once is never enough – they do this in July and September, too!
Top Western Massachusetts Events for Summer
Baseball Season Opening Night
Baseball is the quintessential American pastime, and there’s really nothing that can top the nostalgia of being present on opening night.
The Westfield Starfires and Valley Blue Sox will kick off their seasons right at the start of the summer, and both promise to bring plenty of excitement to the community. Be sure you arrive ahead of gametime to root, root, root for the home team.
Yankee Candle Christmas in July
We love the unforgettable scents of the holiday season. Fir and balsam, spicy gingerbread, warm apple cider – the list could go on and on.
So naturally, Christmas in July is a must. At the flagship Yankee Candle Village, you can enjoy the holiday season, snap selfies with Santa (who might have traded in his traditional red velvet for a more relaxed Hawaiian shirt vibe) and enjoy crafting with Mrs. Claus.
It’s just what you need to get a little dose of holiday spirit and deal with the fact that you probably won’t be decorating your tree for at least a couple more months.
Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement
Meet Basketball’s best in the birthplace of the sport! Each summer, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame enshrines the best in the sport in Springfield. Rub elbows with the greatest to play the game and save time for a tour of the Hoop Hall.
Top Western Massachusetts Events for Fall
The Big E
Would this even be a reliable listing of Western Massachusetts events if The Big E weren’t included? The community gathering, more formally known as the Eastern States Exposition, is the biggest and best county fair you could imagine.
Every fall, The Big E brings together amazing food, parades, musical entertainment, agricultural exhibitions, car shows and more. There’s so much to see, do and taste – you’ll need more than one day to fully enjoy all The Big E has to offer.
Six Flags New England’s Fright Fest
Each autumn, Six Flags New England transforms into a fright-filled funzone for teens and adults. You’ll find scary shows, walk-through attractions and thrill rides that make the most of the season.
Top Western Massachusetts Events for Winter
Springfield Thunderbirds
The Springfield Thunderbirds are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League affiliated with the National Hockey League’s St. Louis Blues. Based in Springfield, Massachusetts, the Thunderbirds play their home games at the MassMutual Center.
Springfield, Parade of the Big Balloons
Can’t quite make it to New York City for the Thanksgiving parade? We’ve got you covered, with the Parade of the Big Balloons in downtown Springfield.
Enjoy bands, community gatherings and balloons that represent the best Western Mass has to offer – our favorite is definitely the 75-foot Cat in the Hat balloon.
Bright Nights at Forest Park
Holiday memories are made at Bright Nights at Forest Park. It’s just not the holiday season until you’ve driven through this holiday lighting extravaganza! Look for Santa’s Magical Forest, Dinosaur World and Seuss Land – it’ll become an annual tradition after the first mile.
Holyoke St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Run, walk or float over to the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Day Parade. This celebration of Irish heritage brings more than 400,000 guests to the community for a parade, music, food and fun.
It also includes traditional performances by the Holyoke Caledonian Pipe Band and the Road Race, Western New England’s largest race (featuring a 10k, a 2 mile walk and a Kids Fun Run).
Community events help us to celebrate what we have in common – a love of the arts, of sport, of nature. The human connection these events create is so important to both mental and physical well-being.
If you’d like to learn more about these community events and dozens of others coming up in Western Mass, or about the top yearly events in Massachusetts, check out our Events listings and customize a schedule just for you. Or, contact us, and let our team of knowledgeable locals help you prepare for a fun and unforgettable Western Mass adventure.
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February 2021
The Student Prince Restaurant, Game Month
Take a walk on the wild side! The Student Prince and The Fort Restaurant at 8 Fort Street in Springfield, MA brings you Springfield’s Original GAME MONTH throughout the entire month of February. A separate GAME MONTH MENU will feature amazing game dishes prepared exquisitely with game meats such as buffalo, boar, elk, rabbit, pheasant, venison, bison, quail and other meats and fish. We've brought some special additions to this years menu - like our Sloppy Doe Sliders & Elk…
Find out more »MGM Springfield, Ready, Set, Win!
Up to 655 winners will share $450,000 in FREEPLAY® and prizes, including four 2021 BMW 4 Series coupes! M life Rewards® members will receive one entry for every 50 Slot Points or 100 Tier Credits earned from table play. Win up to 10x Entries on Mondays and Fridays. Chances to win a BMW 4 Series Coupe February 13th & 27th. Saturday Prize Drawings every two hours from Noon - 8:00PM MGM Springfield is open 24 hours a day for slot play.…
Find out more »Springfield Museums, Hall of Heroes
Extended by Popular Demand, through March 14, 2021! Hall of Heroes brings visitors into the world of their favorite superheroes, crime-stoppers, gadgets and more through immersive experiences! As soon as you enter, you immediately find yourself in the thick of the action in an ambitious, custom-built space. Your journey takes you through several themed environments with surprises around each corner. An adventure fit for all ages that includes: Challenging, highly engaging interactive displays and tests Replicas and rare artifacts from past…
Find out more »Springfield Museums, Heroes in Healthcare
The Springfield Museums present Heroes in Healthcare: Celebrating Springfield’s Medical Community at the Wood Museum of Springfield History, on display through March 28, 2021. This exhibit traces the history of healthcare in Springfield and highlights some of its many heroes. From the Civil War through present day, doctors and nurses, public health employees, social workers and philanthropists have contributed significantly to improving the health of this community with their skills, compassion and vision. With the WHO’s declaration of the International…
Find out more »Springfield Museums, How People Make Things
Every object has a story of how it is made. How People Make Things celebrates that story—the people, the manufacturing processes and the technology used to make everyday objects in our world. Once, every product we used was made by hand, usually one at a time. Some things are still made that way. But over the years, people invented machines to make things quickly, more efficiently and less expensively. Almost everything you buy at a store is made in factories, by many…
Find out more »The Holyoke Merry-Go-Round, Give
For the month of February, Holyoke Merry-Go-Round will receive a $1 donation from each purchase of the $2.50 reusable Community Bag at the Stop & Shop store located at 2265 Northampton Street, Holyoke MA. Please consider purchasing one of these reusable bags (pictured below)! Our horses miss their riders! While we're closed, you can learn more about our horses by visiting our website. GALLOPING HORSE GALLERY Click the picture below to start exploring the horses of The Holyoke Merry-Go-Round. You…
Find out more »Norman Rockwell Museum, Exhibits
Pat Oliphant: Editorial Cartoons from the Nixon and Clinton Eras through May 31, 2021 Pulitzer Prize winning cartoonist Patrick Oliphant was described in 1990 by the New York Times as “the most influential editorial cartoonist” of his time. Spanning more than sixty years, Oliphant’s finely-tuned drawings have cast a clear eye on global politics, culture, the economy, and scandals, and his caricatures of American presidents and other powerful leaders are world renowned. In addition to thousands of daily editorial cartoons, he has…
Find out more »Springfield Museums, Exhibits
Chance Encounters - Mixed Media Constructions by Shawn Farley; through March 7. 2021. The Outwin: American Portraiture Today; through April 4, 2021. Chance Encounters - Mixed Media Constructions by Shawn Farley; Through–March 7, 2021. Massachusetts artist Shawn Farley creates sculptural assemblages that give new life to obsolete foundry molds and other found objects. By embracing chance and trusting her keen artistic instincts, Farley constructs clever compositions that take on human qualities and adopt their own personalities. To embark on her work, Farley searches…
Find out more »Pioneer Valley Jewish Film Festival
The best of independent cinema through a Jewish lens will be screened as part of the Pioneer Valley Jewish Film Festival. PVJFF is going virtual this year! From February 6 through March 22, enjoy award-winning films and conversations from the comfort of your own home. It's easy to participate: Check out our film lineup, then register for the films of your choice. You'll receive links that give you 48 hours to stream the films. Then, join us for Zoom discussions with filmmakers and other…
Find out more »Yiddish Book Center, Online
The Yiddish Book Center’s Wexler Oral History Project is a collection of over 1,000 in-depth video oral history interviews with people of all ages and backgrounds that represent a wide variety of perspectives on many aspects of Yiddish language and culture and of Jewish history, culture, and experience more broadly. As you explore the collection, you'll find native Yiddish speakers, world-renowned klezmer musicians, grandmothers, descendants of Yiddish writers, students, and more. The interviews are focused life histories, covering family background,…
Find out more »Northampton, Forbes Library Storywalk
Looking for something new to do with your kids? Check out our StoryWalk on the lawn! Enjoy the outdoors and a little exercise, and read a great picture book! From mid-February to mid-March we'll be featuring You Hold Me Up by Monique Gray Smith, illustrated by Danielle Daniel. Pick up a kit of take-home activities during self-service hours to bring the fun home, too. Wondering what a StoryWalk is? What is a StoryWalk? Check out this link: https://www.bostonchildrensmuseum.org/storywalk The StoryWalk is a collaboration between Forbes Library and…
Find out more »Springfield Symphony Orchestra, Homegrown
We're looking back at some favorites from the Homegrown series over the past year. This time around, it's SSO First Violin Romina Kostare with her daughters - Adea Turku, violinist with the Springfield Youth Orchestra, and Anisa Turku, violinist with the Springfield Youth Sinfonia - performing a violin trio arrangement of the song Por Una Cabeza by Argentine singer-songwriter and tango proponent Carlos Gardel. Enjoy some beautiful music from a talented family! The SSO homegrown series will bring something new…
Find out more »Abandoned Building Brewery, Ginger Love Cafe
Take Home Ginger Love Cafe Dinner and Beer A Beer Dinner experience enjoyed in the convenience of your home. Filipino food paired with your favorite Abandoned Building Brewery beers. Choose from 3 beer dinner packages and 2 different 4 pack of beer offerings. Click here to see the menus and pairings Pick up times are only between 5 and 6 pm. This way the food can be as fresh and hot as possible. Beer Option 1 includes 1) Curbside Pilsner…
Find out more »Connecticut Science Center, Exhibit
Genome in Me Explore what makes us—us in this immersive exhibition that invites visitors to take a closer look at the cutting-edge science of genomics. Visitors will discover how we are both unique and connected to others because of our genome. A genome is a unique set of genetic instructions that contain all of the information needed to build and develop any organism. It is what makes us all human. Explored through fun, interactive experiences, visitors of all ages will…
Find out more »The Student Prince Restaurant, Hunter’s Dinner
Join us as we celebrate the start of the Hunting season! February 25th for our LAST Hunter's Dinner of the season! Don't miss out! 6 COURSE WILD GAME DINNER WITH APPETIZERS FOR THE TABLE & DESSERT! This is your chance to Enjoy this MAGNIFICENT Meal - featuring our delicious Deep Fried Frog Legs, Buffalo Ribeye & more delicious delicacies. Tickets are $70/pp - Price includes tip & gratuity. Alcohol not included . No substitutions. RESERVE YOUR TABLE NOW
Find out more »Connecticut Science Center, Exhibit
Genome in Me Explore what makes us—us in this immersive exhibition that invites visitors to take a closer look at the cutting-edge science of genomics. Visitors will discover how we are both unique and connected to others because of our genome. A genome is a unique set of genetic instructions that contain all of the information needed to build and develop any organism. It is what makes us all human. Explored through fun, interactive experiences, visitors of all ages will…
Find out more »Kringle Candle, Winter Break
Tired of winter. Ward off any winter blues at Kringle Candle this weekend! We're holding our Winter Price Break Sale Event and We're open 11am to 7pm this Friday-Sunday, 2/26 to 2/28. See you then!
Find out more »Old Sturbridge Village, Winter Walks
This February, get out of the house and explore our scenic campus and learn about topics like candle dipping, doing laundry in the winter, food preservation, and more. The Village is open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Admission is half-priced through February 2021! Come enjoy a peaceful walk around our early 19th-century village. While on your walk stop by our numerous households and see what kind of winter activities kept a family busy. Our tradeshops will be active as well,…
Find out more »Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory, It Stinks
It's that time of year! Our voodoo lily or corpse flower is opening and is in full bloom now! Come see it in the next day or so. Bloom lasts about 5-7 days! * Admission to the building is LIMITED, starting at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Guests admitted on a first-come, first-served basis. The building will be cleared at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. to allow the next guests to enter.
Find out more »Back East Brewing Company, Beer and Food
We have quite the Friday planned this week for you! Join us in the taproom 3-10pm this Friday 2/26 for fresh Suzy Greenberg IPA and a new batch of Tony Goes Dancing DIPA Batch #29 (cans & draft available). This batch of Tony Goes Dancing features two of our favorite hop varieties, Citra and Galaxy which give this beer overflowing citrus, peach and passion fruit aromas with hints of grass. As if two freshly canned beers weren't enough we also…
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