A one-day music festival in downtown Turners Falls during the season when we need it the most!

Here in New England, we commonly refer to this time of year as mud season. During late winter and early spring, the dirt becomes muddy from melting snow and we feel stuck between two seasons. The land is filled with neither shimmering white snow, nor blossoming flowers, but instead there’s just mud.

To help us through this less favorable season, the Shea Theater in downtown Turners Falls has put together a one-day music festival just when we need it most, Mud Season! This Saturday, March 19th, 2022 from 11:30 am to 9:00 pm, you can enjoy live music performed by musicians from around the region. The lineup includes some of the best roots Americana artists in the valley, such as Love Crumbs, the Barnrocket Racketeers, and Cloudbelly. 

Check out the full lineup of bands at mud-season.com. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. Purchase tickets in advance here. 

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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 has a multitude of amazing biking trails for all to enjoy. From mountain biking down Berkshire East in Charlemont to road biking along the Mohawk Trail, to the Canalside Rail Trail in Turners Falls, there is something for everyone. With so many routes for you to enjoy, you’ll want to make sure your bike is in good repair and ready for the next adventure.

Matt Sullivan has been in the bike and ski repair industry for over 20 years. Now, he has started his own business at 334 High Street in Greenfield plus a mobile bike service. Outer Limits Cycles is committed to bringing a convenient, high-quality bike service to the awesome people of New England. With Matt’s mobile shop, you don’t have to worry about transporting your bikes back and forth to the shop - he will come to you at your home, on the road, or at the end of the trail. 

Call Matt at 413-325-5143 or email [email protected] and check out his website, outerlimitscyclesmobile.com, for more information.

Be sure to also check out the Outer Limits Racing team!

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

This Saturday, March 12, 2022 join Relay for Life Franklin County for their Kick-Off Event. Whether you have already signed up for the Relay for Life event in June or are considering it, this a great opportunity to learn more about the event and meet other [...]

Visit Artspace’s Annual Pottery & Arts Sale on Saturday, March 5th, 2022 and purchase beautifully crafted items made by local artists. At the sale you’ll find a variety of unique crafts such as pottery, wood items, fiber art, jewelry, and more at accessible prices. While you shop, you’ll enjoy art demonstrations and performances by Artspace [...]

Avery’s General Store in Charlemont is one of the oldest general stores in New England. Opened in 1861, the store was passed down through five generations of Averys. Today the store is an employee-owned and employee-run business. Although it has changed hands over the years, it has always maintained its classic New England charm, proudly wearing the slogan “If you can’t find it at Avery’s, you probably don’t need it.” 

Over the years, the store has served the surrounding hilltown residents, making it easy to stop in for some quick groceries, rather than having to take the drive to Greenfield. At Avery’s you can find fresh house-made sandwiches and more fresh meat at their deli, local produce and groceries, hardware items, and more. The staff are incredibly helpful and friendly and they will always try to help you get what you’re looking for, even if they don’t have it on-hand at the moment. 

During these difficult times, Avery’s has maintained flexibility to be able to support the community and continue to provide its products and services. They offer contact-free curbside-pickup. Just call ahead and they will bring out your order to your vehicle. Avery’s is open Monday through Saturday, 8:30 am to 5:30 pm. Support this local business which has been a staple of our community for over 160 years so that it can continue to run for many more years.

Avery’s is located at 127 Main Street in Charlemont. Contact them at 1-413-339-4915 or [email protected]. Visit averysgeneral.store for more info!

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

Here in Franklin County, we are so lucky to have a variety of delicious eateries, who use fresh, local products. Wells Provisions in Charlemont is no different in that category. They use all local products such as coffee from Barrington Coffee Roasting Company, meat from Freeman Farms in Heath, vegetables from Good Bunch Farm, maple syrup from Winston Sugar House and more. Yet on top of all that, Wells Provisions brings a whole new flavor to the area. 

Wesley and Levi Janssen moved their family of five to Western Mass last year from New Orleans, where they had built their careers in the restaurant business. Now they are offering their fine dining New Orleans style dishes in a casual Western Mass hilltown environment. 

The menu at Wells Provisions includes classics from their home in the South such as Gumbo, Po-Boys, cajun poutine, and shrimp & grits. You can stop in for a delicious meal or pick up a gourmet ready-to-heat meal from their fridge and bring it home to enjoy. They offer a full breakfast menu, lunch menu, and they even have an ice cream window for scoops of local Maple Valley, Bart’s, and Snow’s ice cream. 

Check out my Community Video below showing my own visit to Wells Provisions with some words from Wesley and Levi. I highly recommend visiting this wonderful addition to our local business community. 

Visit their website at wellsprovisions.com for more information such as the menu, hours of operation, and stories from the Janssens in their blog.

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

This weekend, you can be a part of a 100-year-old Greenfield tradition. The Greenfield Winter Carnival Centennial Celebration is happening this Friday, February 4 through Sunday, February 6, 2022 with events all over Greenfield, Mass and even some events happening all month [...]

The Franklin County Festival of Trees, a three-weekend holiday season event starts today, Friday, November 26, 2021. The festival, which began in 2016, had to take a year hiatus last year due to the pandemic, but is happily returning this year. For the next three weekends, on Fridays 5-8 pm and Saturdays 12-6 pm, the Festival of Trees will be at Aromatic Fillers, 253 Greenfield Road in Deerfield, Massachusetts.

There will be as many as 100 or more decorated trees which have been sponsored by local families, individuals, and businesses. Attend the festival and enjoy the beautiful display of trees, plus enjoy exciting performances throughout the event. Purchase raffle tickets and enter the raffle for your favorite trees. At the end of the three weeks, on Sunday, December 12, a winner for each tree will be chosen. 

The idea behind the Festival of Trees, coordinated by April Healey and the Kiwanis Club, is to bring people together in a positive and joyous way while raising money for projects and programs which support the community. In previous years, the money raised benefited programs like Warm the Children, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Regional Dog Shelter, United Way of Franklin County, Stone Soup Café, Community Action Pioneer Valley and the Children’s Advocacy Center of Franklin County and North Quabbin. This year, the goal is to raise $30,000 for community grants.

Be sure not to miss this beautiful event and support local holiday fundraising. For more information, visit the Franklin County Festival of Trees Facebook page.
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For more information about community happenings and real estate news visit Wanda's Blog at www.wandamooney.com/blog.

Moonlight Magic returns to Shelburne Falls to kick off the holiday season in a joyous way. Moonlight Magic is held on Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) every year as a way to bring the community together in excitement for the holidays, while supporting our local shops, businesses, and artisans. This Friday, November 26th, 2021 the events start at 4 pm, when shops stay open later, vendors line the streets, and the holiday lights turn on throughout the village. 

The events continue through 9 pm with a Moonlight Magic Parade through downtown, plus a boat parade on the river! There will also be a special lighting of the community tree, visits with Santa, carolers, and performances. Especially fun this year will be Mo’s Fudge Factor’s Truffle Shuffle, a truffle scavenger hunt through the village! Be sure to buy tickets in advance for the Truffle Shuffle as there are only a limited number available.

Moonlight Magic is a great opportunity to do your holiday shopping. Be sure to stop by the book sale at the Arms Library, the craft fair at the Eagles Club, and the Makers and Artists Pop-Up Shop at The Mill on Conway Street. Not to mention, all the vendors and shops to explore throughout the village.

And of course, it wouldn’t be Moonlight Magic without lots of delicious food. Be sure to visit the many food vendors along the street or check out the local restaurants and eateries. 

For the full schedule of events and other information, go to shelburnefalls.com. 

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

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.com/blog.