The Green River Festival has been a staple event of summer for Franklin County and Western Mass for over 30 years. After skipping last year due to the pandemic, music-lovers across the region are excited for the festival’s return this year.

The Green River Festival is known to always have a good lineup of artists and this year is no different. This year’s headlining musicians are Jon Batiste, Shakey Graves, Ani DiFranco, Drive-By Truckers, and Valerie June. There will be plenty of other amazing performances as well by artists from near and far including Son Little, Twisted Pine, Kimaya Diggs, Appalachian Still, and more. 

As usual, there will be lots of vendors serving up delicious fresh foods, such as vegan dishes, Latin American foods, craft ice cream, craft beer, and more. The Maker’s Market will also be back with an assortment of craft vendors offering unique crafts and products for sale, such as glassworks, jewelry, CBD products, artwork, and more. 

The Green River Festival returns this year on a new date in a new location! Normally, this annual event occurs in mid-July at the Greenfield Community College lawn. However, this year the Green River Festival returns at a later date to allow more opportunity for festival-goers to get vaccinated and in a new space to maintain a safe environment for all.

This year’s festival is this weekend - Friday, August 27 - Sunday, August 29th at the Franklin County Fairgrounds in Greenfield, MA.

Check out the full lineup of artists, vendors, and information on tickets, camping, and more at greenriverfestival.com. 

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For more information about community happenings and real estate news visit Wanda's Blog at www.wandamooney.com/blog. 

When the days start to get slightly shorter and the occasional autumn breeze whips through the hot, humid air, we think not about the end of summer but rather the return of the Heath Fair! The 103rd Heath Fair is this Saturday, August 21st and Sunday, August 22nd and it’s promised to be the G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Times!). These 2 days will be packed with agricultural events, live music, food, crafts, and more!

A day at the Heath Fair is always exciting for all ages. Some of the events and exhibits you’ll see are the Horse Draw, Truck Pull, Master Gardener Tent, Horse Gymkhana, Antique Tractor Pull, and Classic Car Cruise, just to name a few. In between events, you can enjoy tasty food and drink at the Beer Tent, the Heath Firefighters Association Chicken BBQ, and other local vendors. Then dance it off while listening to the live music of Meadows Brothers, Opal Canyon, The Wildcat O’Halloran Band, and more. Check out the full schedule events of here.

You can purchase your tickets in advance online here or in person at Avery’s General Store in Charlemont, Hager’s Farm Market in Shelburne and the Shelburne Falls and Greenfield branches of the Greenfield Cooperative Bank. Otherwise you can purchase them at the fair, just remember there are no ATMs and no cell service out in the country.

See you at the Fair!

For more information, visit heathfair.org. Check out the video below to get you excited the Heath Fair: 

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For more information about community happenings and real estate news visit Wanda's Blog at www.wandamooney.com/blog. 

Summer Evening Strolls at Historic Deerfield

Historic Deerfield’s Summer Evening Strolls are a must-do activity during the summer in Western Mass. The last stroll of the season on Sunday, August 22 will show you how to “listen to the land in Deerfield.” This tour will open up your senses and show you how to notice the land’s constant changes. You’ll discover how the land is always active through bird songs, sounds of a farm, and selected poetry.

Tours will depart from Historic Deerfield’s Visitor Center at Hall Tavern every 15 minutes from 4 to 7 pm and cost $10 per person.  Tickets must be purchased in advance, using this link, or before 4 pm on the day at the Flynt Center.

Learn more about the tour here.

Dine at Champney's Restaurant and Tavern after the tour!

Participants who wish to dine at Champney’s Restaurant and Tavern at the Deerfield Inn will receive a 20% discount on entrees. You can make a reservation to dine on their website here.

For more information and to see other upcoming events and tours, visit historic-deerfield.org.

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For more information about community happenings and real estate news visit Wanda's Blog at www.wandamooney.com/blog. 

Make your pet famous through the Dakin Humane Society Pet Photo Contest!

Your pet could be featured on their 2022 Calendar. Simply submit your favorite high-quality photo of your pet, then share your entry with friends and family to collect votes for your pet’s [...]

Last month, the Shelburne Falls Trolley Museum finally reopened its doors after skipping its 2020 season due to the Coronavirus Pandemic. The Trolley Museum is a staple of Shelburne Falls and the community is so overjoyed to see its [...]

One of the draws of Shelburne Falls is the rich artistic community within the village. Walking down the streets of the village center, you’ll find many galleries, artists’ shops, crafts stores, and other unique places for creating and buying [...]

Have these hot summer days given anyone else a craving for ice cream?

One of my favorite places to grab a scoop is Ice Cream Alley in downtown Greenfield. They offer a changing assortment of flavors from local ice cream producers, including Bart’s Ice Cream, Flayvors of Cook Farm, Herrell's, and more! Check out their website here for a full list of vendors and to see what flavors they’re serving now. They even have delicious vegan ice cream from FoMu in Boston. 

Ice Cream Alley also boasts a lovely outdoor seating area where you can enjoy your ice cream. It’s a great way to stop and take in the scenery of downtown Greenfield. Below is a short and sweet video which shows the shop and an interview with one of the owners. Visit Ice Cream Alley and support a local business while treating yourself!

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For more information about community happenings and real estate news visit Wanda's Blog at www.wandamooney.com/blog. 

Franklin County is a wonderful place to get outside and connect with nature. One of the ways that locals and visitors alike love to do so is by trout fishing. The Deerfield River offers some of the best fly fishing in the eastern US both for wild and stocked trout. The stretch of river below Fife Brook Dam consists of fast moving water, [...]

Mohawk Trail Concerts has been presenting high quality chamber music to Western Massachusetts in an informal, friendly setting since 1970. Catch the last two events of the Mohawk Trail Concert Series for the 2021 [...]

One of the greatest perks of living in the Pioneer Valley, is the abundance of farms and therefore farm-fresh fruits, vegetables, and other agricultural products. Now that summer is officially in full swing, so too are the area Farmers’ Markets. Grab your reusable bag and get over to one of these markets to load up on fresh fruits and [...]