Colrain, Massachusetts is a place which offers inspiration to many local artists. It’s preserved natural areas, rolling hills, ponds and streams, and wooded forests have captured many creative people and offered a wonderful place for them to work and live. Each year, these artists and creatives open their doors and welcome the community to [...]
One of the many great things about living in Western Mass is the thriving music and art scene. Our community places a strong importance on the arts and we are lucky to have many opportunities to enjoy live music locally. Hawks and Reed Performing Arts Center in Greenfield is a central hub for the live music scene with a constant offering of events and performances from both local artists and those passing through our area.
Every week there is something exciting happening at Hawks and Reed. This Friday, November 5th, check out the grammy-winning Rebirth Brass Band. They are a true “New Orleans institution,” mixed with funk and hip-hop to create their signature sound. Doors open at 8 pm and the show starts at 9 pm. Get your tickets here.
Then, on Saturday night, November 6th at 7 pm, enjoy the music of singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist Larry Campbell and singer-guitarist Teresa Williams. The duo toured in Levon Helm’s band for seven years and played with other famous artists like Phil Lesh, Little Feat, Jorma Kaukonen, and Jack Cassidy. Doors open at 5:30 pm. Find more information and purchase tickets here.
To finish off the weekend, Hawks and Reed is hosting Susan Werner on Sunday, November 7th at 7 pm. Susan, deemed by National Public Radio as “The Empress of the Unexpected,” performs original music ranging from rock/folk to Tin Pan Alley to gospel, country, chamber music and more. Learn more about her accomplishments and purchase tickets here.
To find out what other amazing shows are coming to the Hawks and Reed stage, go to hawksandreed.com.
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For more information about community happenings and real estate news visit Wanda's Blog at www.wandamooney.
With the cooler weather, beautiful fall foliage, and the sound of leaves rustling outside, you’re probably in the mood for fun Fall activities. This weekend, you can head to Bernardston for the annual Scarecrow in the Park competition. All are invited to enter the contest to create a scarecrow to stand in Cushman Park. The scarecrows are judged based on certain categories which this year will be Scariest, Funniest, Prettiest, Most Interesting Use of Materials, and the rotating category will be Science.
Come to Cushman Park this Saturday, October 16th and Sunday, October 17th to view all the scarecrows and enjoy live music, artists’ booths, delicious food, children’s activities, and the tractor parade. Follow Scarecrow in the Park on Facebook to preview the variety of artists and craftspeople who will sell their crafts at the event.
Scarecrow in the Park is a fundraiser for Bernardston Kiwanis Scholarship fund, so come out for a fun day at Cushman Park while supporting this wonderful local cause.
Click here for more information about Scarecrow in the Park or email scarecrowinthepark@gmail.com.
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For more information about community happenings and real estate news visit Wanda's Blog at www.wandamooney.
Every year, the artists of Colrain open up their doors to the public for gallery viewings, demonstrations, workshops, sales, and to meet and greet. Studio-goers are invited to print a map, hop in the car, and drive around to the various artists over the course of the weekend. This year, the Crafts of Colrain is coming to Shelburne Falls with a special pop-up event on Saturday, October 9th and Sunday, October 10th from 10 am to 4 pm.
Go to Shelburne Falls this weekend to check out the works of various participating artists. The following artists will be included in this special pop-up event at 50 State Street in Shelburne Falls: Carole Adams, Peggy Davis/Joe Kurland, Kevin French, Cynthia Herbert, Jim/Jill Horton-Lyons, Inge Jockers, Jen Kapitulik, Al Ladd/Marilyn Beal, Bob/Helen Olson, Tony Palumbo, Sarah Schoedel, and Olga Solomita. Check out the variety of hand-crafted works made from new and reused materials, including woodburning, hand-crafted jewelry, lamps and lights, planters, accessories, and more.
If you love the pop-up event, you’ll really love the open studio tours next month - November 13-14. Check out the event website for more details at craftsofcolrain.com. Follow Crafts of Colrain on Facebook for event updates and to preview some of the artists' works.
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For more information about community happenings and real estate news visit Wanda's Blog at www.wandamooney.
The 45th Annual Old Deerfield Fall Arts & Crafts Festival is this weekend! This craft fair comes as one of a three-part series of fairs organized each year to benefit the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association and is the only outdoor show of the three. Head to the show this Saturday and Sunday, September 18th and 19th to browse the creations of over 100 artisans, and enjoy delicious specialty food under the food tent. You’ll also have a chance to create your own crafts at the free family craft table.
The Old Deerfield Fall Arts & Crafts Festival is located in Old Deerfield, just off of Route 5 in Deerfield, Massachusetts. Park your car for free and take a free shuttle bus from one of the marked lots off of Routes 5 and 10 at Yankee Candle Corporate Headquarters. Admission to the show is just $5 per person and children 12 and under go for free. Proceeds benefit the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, a non-profit dedicated to the preservation of crafts and the history of our surrounding Deerfield area.
Follow the fair on Facebook for a chance to enter to win free tickets and shopping certificates. You’ll also see which artists are attending this year’s show on their page.
For more information, visit deerfield-craft.org.
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For more information about community happenings and real estate news visit Wanda's Blog at www.wandamooney.
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.
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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 [...]
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 [...]
Historic Deerfield has reopened for the 2021 season! Now through November 28, step into the past by touring one of their historic homes, attending a history workshop, or simply strolling the tree-lined streets of this 17th century village. Visit historic-deerfied.org for pricing and hours. Admission includes historic house tours, entry to the Flynt Center of Early New England Life, walking tours, the History Workshop, the Apprentice’s workshop, and any special programs scheduled during your visit. Purchase your tickets online here or at the Flynt Center of Early New England Life.
Deerfield’s first English settlers arrived in 1669, although Native Americans had inhabited the area for at least 8,000 years prior. The area was immediately attractive to settlers because of its fertile soil, due to its proximity to the Deerfield, Green, and Connecticut rivers. Over the years, the settlement was fought over many times, which is why the future generations took so much care in preserving the village’s history. Historic Deerfield, Inc. was founded in 1952 as an outdoor museum and the village has been on the National Register of Historic Landmarks since 1962.
Photo credit: facebook.com/HistoricDeerfield
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For more information about community happenings and real estate news visit Wanda's Blog at www.wandamooney.
Whether you’ve strolled across the Bridge of Flowers one time or thousands of times, there’s no doubt you felt the heartbreak of the Bridge’s closing last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Thankfully, life is moving on and the Bridge is once again open to its fans! As of June 1, 2021, the Bridge of Flower’s gates were opened for all to enter and surround themselves with the lovely flowers, vines, and blossoming trees that span the bridge.
The Bridge of Flowers was once a trolley bridge, which became outdated when automobile usage increased and freight was more frequently transported across the Deerfield River using the nearby Iron Bridge. The trolley company went bankrupt in 1927, leaving the trolley bridge covered in weeds, unable to be demolished since it carried the water main between the two towns. In 1929, Antoinette Burnham proposed the idea of converting the bridge into a garden and the Shelburne Falls Women’s Club sponsored the project.
For almost a century the bridge has hurdled challenges such as deterioration and flooding due to Hurricane Irene in 2011. However, the community has always stepped up for the bridge and pulled together efforts to raise funds to maintain the bridge and see to it that the plants were always cared for. To this day, the Bridge of Flowers remains a volunteer-run, donation-based project.
Head Gardener, Carol Laliberte DeLorenzo has held her position for the last 20 years, organizing the other volunteer gardeners, known as the Blossom Brigade. Along with her assistant, Elliston Bingham, Carol has made her gardening visions for the bridge a reality. This was made possible through monetary donations from supporters and friends of the Bridge, and through the hundreds of hours spent annually by the Brigade, planting, watering, and weeding the bridge in the early morning hours before the bridge becomes filled with visitors.
If you’re lucky enough to live in the village of Shelburne Falls, you might walk across the Bridge of Flowers on a regular basis, on your way to grab a coffee at Mocha Maya’s, or to pick up some groceries from McCusker’s Market, or maybe it’s part of your daily commute to work. If you’re traveling from farther away, the Bridge of Flowers could be the purpose of your visit, or just the cherry on top to your experience in such a lovely place. Either way, we are all grateful to have the Bridge of Flowers back into our lives this summer. Let’s all show our appreciation by making a donation, either small or large, to the Bridge’s donation box at our next visit or on their website, bridgeofflowersmass.org, and let’s see this magical garden over the river survive another century and more.
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For more information about community happenings and real estate news visit Wanda's Blog at www.wandamooney.
Photo Credit: Bridge of Flower's Facebook Page
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