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.
Historic Deerfield
Historic Deerfield, Inc., is dedicated to the heritage and preservation of Deerfield, Massachusetts and the Connecticut River Valley. Historic Deerfield, Inc., which maintains more than 50 buildings in Old Deerfield, focuses on the significance of small-town America to the national culture. Founded in 1952, the museum includes 12 historic houses, which are regularly open to the public as well as the exhibition building, the Flynt Center of Early New England Life. It stewards a nationally significant collection of approximately 28,000 household artifacts both rare and common – including furniture, metalwares, textiles, needlework, ceramics, and more – many with documented histories of local ownership or manufacture. These authentic objects document the stories and founding years of our nation, and through them, visitors learn the stories of generations of real people whose beliefs, belongings, lifestyles, conflicts, economy, and technology unlock the door to the past and help us to better understand today.
JOSIAH DWIGHT HOUSE
The Josiah Dwight House, built around 1725, features striking architectural elements, such as window, door, and dormer pediments as well as a brightly colored facade. Once used as a rooming house, the home originally stood in Springfield, Massachusetts, but was later moved to Deerfield after the structure was threatened with demolition.
Regular Season Hours
April 14, 2018 – December 23, 2018
Open daily 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Memorial Libraries
Open Tuesday – Friday 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Museum Gift Shop & Bookstore
Open Wednesday- Monday (Closed Tuesdays) 10:30 a.m. -4:30 p.m.
The museum is closed on Thanksgiving Day.
• A free orientation film is shown throughout the day at the Visitor Center at Hall Tavern.
• Museum Houses Guided Tours start on the hour.
• Two museum houses are open all day for self-guided tours.
• The Apprentice’s Workshop at Dwight House is open for demonstrations from 12:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m.
Plan your visit using our village map.
Winter Hours
Historic Deerfield’s winter hours go into effect on Monday, December 24. The Flynt Center of Early New England Life will be open Saturdays and Sundays, December 29, 2018 – April 9, 2019 from 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Visitors can enjoy current exhibitions and “The Museum’s Attic” gallery. The Henry N. Flynt Library will be open Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. The Museum Gift Shop & Bookstore is open every day except Tuesday, 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. The museum will reopen for the 2019 Season on Saturday, April 13, 2019.
Seasonal Winter Admission: $7 Adults, $5 Youth (ages 6-17), under 6, Deerfield/South Deerfield residents, and members free. Historic Deerfield’s museum houses are closed to the public during the winter months (January-mid-April), however pre-arranged tours-by-appointment, school tours and group tours are scheduled.
January 2021
Historic Deerfield, Winter Lecture Series
History of Chocolate in Early New England There’s nothing better than chocolate – especially on a cold winter’s evening. This multipart program explores the impact of chocolate, first introduced into the colonial American diet in the late 17th century. A series of short lectures and interactive question sessions include information on the introduction of the beverage to Europe and its social, military, and medicinal uses, the botanical nature of the cacao plant, how chocolate was processed and prepared, and what…
Find out more »Historic Deerfield, Winter Lecture Series
2021 Winter Lecture Series Protest and dissent are an integral part of American political and cultural identity. Join us this winter for three virtual webinars devoted to exploring vibrant, lesser-known histories of American activism including the radical abolition movement of the 19th century, how women of color transformed the women’s suffrage movement, and the raucous electoral politics of the post-Civil War era. Sunday, January 24, 2021 2 p.m. "Equal to the Best Written Pamphlets": Ceramics and the Abolition Movement Presented…
Find out more »February 2021
Historic Deerfield, Winter Lecture Series
History of Chocolate in Early New England There’s nothing better than chocolate – especially on a cold winter’s evening. This multipart program explores the impact of chocolate, first introduced into the colonial American diet in the late 17th century. A series of short lectures and interactive question sessions include information on the introduction of the beverage to Europe and its social, military, and medicinal uses, the botanical nature of the cacao plant, how chocolate was processed and prepared, and what…
Find out more »Historic Deerfield, Winter Lecture Series
2021 Winter Lecture Series Protest and dissent are an integral part of American political and cultural identity. Join us this winter for three virtual webinars devoted to exploring vibrant, lesser-known histories of American activism including the radical abolition movement of the 19th century, how women of color transformed the women’s suffrage movement, and the raucous electoral politics of the post-Civil War era. Sunday, February 28, 2021, 2 p.m. Presented by Cathleen Cahill, Pennsylvania State University Sunday, March 28, 2021 Presented…
Find out more »March 2021
Historic Deerfield, Winter Lecture Series
2021 Winter Lecture Series Protest and dissent are an integral part of American political and cultural identity. Join us this winter for three virtual webinars devoted to exploring vibrant, lesser-known histories of American activism including the radical abolition movement of the 19th century, how women of color transformed the women’s suffrage movement, and the raucous electoral politics of the post-Civil War era. Sunday, March 28, 2021 Presented by Jonathan Grinspan, National Museum of American History, Washington D.C. Free, registration is…
Find out more »April 2021
Historic Deerfield, Patriot’s Day Revolutionary Muster
Members of the public are invited to rediscover the history behind the Patriot's Day holiday and the "shot heard 'round the world" at Historic Deerfield on Saturday, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. The museum presents its annual Patriot's Day Revolutionary Muster, offering a full day of activities for visitors of all ages throughout the village, including a colonial-era encampment. The Revolution played out in different ways all across Massachusetts as people responded to the news of what happened on…
Find out more »May 2021
Historic Deerfield, Mother’s Day
Moms receive free admission to the museum on Mother's Day. Handmade Chocolates and Specialty Candies www.RichardsonsCandy.com
Find out more »