Spring into Fun - March, April, May

Dust off those winter blues with a visit to the Massachusetts' Pioneer Valley. A burst of yellow daffodils, the smell of springtime rain, and the lush green of newly mowed grass make this a special time to visit.

March with the Irish as Holyoke plays host to the second largest St. Patrick's Day Parade in the United States with bands, floats, the Mummers and more. Satisfy your need for something sweet with the taste of Maple at sugarhouses scattered throughout the hill towns of the Valley. You'll shake off that early spring chill with the warmth coming from weather-beaten sugarhouses, boiling sap from sugar maple trees into pure maple syrup. There's nothing like it. Be sure to bring home a jug to sweeten your favorite morning pancakes. Or, come on out for the World's Largest Pancake Breakfast, named a Local Legacy event by the United States Library of Congress. Springfield continues its friendly competition with Battle Creek, Michigan, serving up more than 70,000 helpings of pancakes in downtown Springfield.

For outdoor thrills, strap yourself in and enjoy ziplining at Berkshire East or Deerfield Valley Canopy Tours, both located in Charlemont.  You’ll breeze through the trees and enjoy an unforgettable view of the natural beauty of western Massachusetts.  If you want to kayak, canoe or raft along the Deerfield River – whether enjoying a leisurely float or a white-knuckle experience, contact Zoar Outdoor, Moxie Outdoor Adventures or Crab Apple Whitewater Rafting, all in Charlemont.  April marks the opening of Six Flags New England (weekends only until Memorial Day Weekend) in Agawam.

Antique lovers will enjoy the thrill of the hunt as they search for that special treasure at the Brimfield Outdoor Antique Show, a trio of shows held in May, July and September, where more than 4,000 dealers from near and far come to shop and sell their wares.  The Old Deerfield Spring Sampler Craft Fair takes place in April at Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield, and you don’t want to miss the twice-yearly Paradise City Arts Festival, held at Northampton’s Three County Fairgrounds (held Memorial and Columbus Day weekends) where you’ll take in museum-quality crafts, live music and some of the area’s best cuisine.

Fishing enthusiasts know that springtime means the migration of shad, trout and other fish common to the area.  To get a good look at the wonders of nature, make time to visit the Robert Barrett Fishway in Holyoke, the McLaughlin Fish Hatchery in Belchertown and the Turners Falls Fish Viewing Facility during those peak times of the year.

As the Valley lifts itself out of its wintry chill and lets in the warmth of springtime, there are endless opportunities to explore nature, recreational pursuits, arts and much more!  Let spring in the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts awaken your sense of adventure.

Average Temperature:
March High • 45 Low - 28
April High • 59 Low - 37
May High • 71 Low - 48

Let the Summer Sun Shine • June, July, August

Summer is the season that never sleeps - from a morning set of tennis, lunch-time picnic, afternoon golf game, to an evening concert outdoors, there's just no end to summertime pleasures in the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts.

Some of the country's most notable artisans, craftsmen and antique dealers visit the Pioneer Valley each summer and display their finest. The Old Deerfield Summer Craft Fair, "one of the 25 best craft fairs in America," brings together more than 260 exhibitors from throughout the country in the beautiful setting of a historic village.  The picturesque town of Amherst hosts the annual Taste of Amherst each June, a multi-day food and music festival on the town’s historic town common. 

The Fourth of July is celebrated in grand style, with most of the towns and cities of the Pioneer Valley holding fireworks displays and festivities.  Two of the most prominent include Star Spangled Springfield, which is headquartered in Court Square in downtown Springfield and Old Sturbridge Village’s Independence Day Celebration.

Warm summer weather means more opportunities to enjoy great live music outdoors.  Springfield is the setting for the Hoop City Jazz & Art Festival, which takes place in July, and the Stearns Square Concert Series, which offers top blues, rock and pop acts for free on Thursday nights from June to September.  Another notable event is the Annual Big Band Concert that is held at the Springfield Armory National Historic Site and features the toe-tapping sounds of 1940s big bands.  Further up the Valley is Greenfield’s Green River Festival, a multi-day event with music, crafts, food, balloon launches and more, as well as the annual Glasgow Scottish Lands Festival, which salutes all things Scottish and Celtic, held in Northampton.  Deemed one of only six “best small music festivals” by Time Magazine, the Sevenars Concert series, held in Worthington, features the celebrated Schrade-James family pianists. 

There's excitement for the whole family at Six Flags New England in Agawam. The largest theme park in New England is home to Bizarro, one of the nation’s top-rated coasters, as well as Goliath and the popular water park, Hurricane Harbor.  There are plenty of perfect rides and attractions for the little ones as well, and endless options for family-style meals and snacks.

Take in a new view of the Pioneer Valley from the historic Connecticut River when you enjoy the narrated river cruises on The Lady Bea Cruise Boat, out of Brunelle's Marina in South Hadley, and Northfield Mountain's Quinnetukut II.

Enjoy the quiet solitude of your own thoughts or the laughter-filled companionship of friends or family while hiking or biking the roads and trails of the Pioneer Valley. Many of the region's parks and state forests allow biking and most have trails for a range of skill levels. Whatever your interests, you'll fill your summer days with endless fun in the Massachusetts' Pioneer Valley.

Average Temperature:
June High - 79 Low - 57
July High - 83 Low - 61
August High - 81 Low - 60

Visions of Autumn - September, October, November

As the summer heat slowly gives way to the soft breezes of fall, Mother Nature pulls out her brush and paints a canvas of yellow, red, and orange throughout Massachusetts' Pioneer Valley. If you're lucky enough to travel our winding roads at this special time of year, you will be richly rewarded with breathtaking vistas at nearly every turn. Some of the most colorful fall foliage can be seen along the Mohawk Trail (Route 2), Berkshire Trail (Route 9), and College Highway (Routes 5, 10, and 202).

There are plenty of detours along the major foliage routes that will take you into towns that offer some surprising events and activities. Be sure to stop at one of our apple orchards for a jug of fresh-pressed cider and a bag of apples for the ride - they'll be the best you've ever tasted. Let the kids run through a pumpkin patch and pick the biggest pumpkin they can find or take a laughter-filled hayride. Need to stretch your legs? We've got miles of easy hiking trails in our state parks and forests.

Basketball fans can glimpse at the legends of the game when they come to Springfield the weekend after Labor Day to take part in the annual Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Weekend. 

The Big E, New England’s largest Fair, takes place over 17 days at West Springfield’s Eastern States Exposition Fairgrounds.  Jam-packed with top entertainers, the Fair also offers countless agricultural exhibits and competitions, delicious food and cooking demonstrations, shopping, arts and crafts, a daily circus and a Mardi Gras-style parade that winds its way around the grounds.  Let the good times roll!  The Three County Fair comes to Northampton every September, offering music, food, midway rides and agricultural events.

Each autumn CityStage and Springfield Symphony Hall unveil another season of high-quality professional theatre. The AHL Springfield Falcons take to the ice and the Springfield Armor kick off another season at the MassMutual Center Arena.  Downtown Springfield is also host to the Mattoon Street Arts Festival each September, which also marks the annual Flagship Festival at Yankee Candle Village in South Deerfield, where candle fans can see what’s new at this one-of-a-kind attraction.  The award-winning Old Deerfield Fall Craft Fair is also held in September

Things get downright spooky at Six Flags New England on weekends in October when the park presents Frightfest, their final hurrah before the end of the season.  Also that month, the Volleyball Hall of Fame Induction takes place in Holyoke.

November brings more terrific events, including the Fall Chrysanthemum Show at the Botanic Garden of Smith College, the Old Deerfield Christmas Sampler craft show at Eastern States Exposition and the Parade of Big Balloons, featuring the beloved Cat in the Hat and other helium-inflated characters making their way down Main Street in Springfield.

So if this is your favorite time of year, make an autumn date to visit the Massachusetts' Pioneer Valley.

Autumn Average Temperature:
September High • 73 Low - 50
October High - 63 Low - 40
November High - 49 Low - 32

A Winter of Wonder • December, January, February

If you're a winter person, you'll find the Pioneer Valley's snow covered mountains and evergreens, icy lakes and chilly north winds invigorating. Winter in the Valley is the perfect time for some great outdoor fun.

Cross-country enthusiasts will want to explore the numerous groomed trails throughout the region. The 8.5-mile Norwottuck Rail Trail will take you from Northampton to Amherst, traveling through the town of Hadley and across the Connecticut River along the way. Or, shush along 25 miles of trails at the Northfield Mountain Recreation and Environmental Center. And, there's nothing like ice skating or enjoying a sleigh rally in the crisp New England air. When you're ready to relax, you'll find plenty of cozy inns and bed & breakfasts nearby. And once you come in out of the cold, there's nothing like the warmth of a season steeped in old New England holiday tradition.

December is a festive time of year in the Pioneer Valley. Townspeople and visitors come together to share in the joy of the season by attending the many holiday festivals, plays, concerts and church fairs held throughout the Valley. Share in the spirit at Bright Nights at Forest Park, which starts the Friday before Thanksgiving each year, and be dazzled as you wind along the 3-mile drive-through holiday extravaganza with more than 600,000 twinkling lights arranged in a variety of displays illuminating a celebration of the multi-cultural fabric of Springfield. You'll be enchanted!

The town of Northampton holds its popular First Night celebration on New Year’s Eve with parades, parties, entertainment and a variety of exciting activities for the entire family. Enjoy numerous live concerts featuring various music styles, a full roster of special events and then join in the countdown to the New Year as the ball rises over the historic Hotel Northampton. Earlier in the day, the city of Holyoke kicks off the New Year with First Night Jr., a family celebration sure to delight all.

The winter months are an ideal time for a family trip or weekend getaway. So, dress warmly, pack up your gear and come to the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts for a winter of wonder.

Average Temperature:
December High - 37 Low - 2
January High - 32 Low - 15
February High - 36 Low - 18

Further north, the Turners Falls Riverculture celebrates Turners Falls as a destination for arts, recreation, culture and history.  Visitors enjoy open artist studios, historic tours, music, theater, museums and much more.

Springfield, the largest metro region in the Pioneer Valley, offers a variety of options for arts and culture fans.  At CityStage, theater buffs can embrace musicals, modern dramas or slapstick comedy. Springfield's historic Symphony Hall features Broadway shows, dramas, comedies, concerts, children's theater and special performances and is also home to the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, performing classical, pops, family, educational and chamber music. 

The Springfield Museums at the Quadrangle include the George Walter Vincent Smith Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts, where guests can take in world-class artwork, sculpture and treasures from around the world; the Springfield Science Museum, home of the Seymour Planetarium, the country's oldest operating planetarium; the Lyman & Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History, which showcases some of Springfield’s most innovate contributions and inventions; and the playful Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden which features five bronze sculptures honoring the Springfield native and some of his most famous creations. 

Among the many institutions for youth in the arts is the Massachusetts Academy of Ballet in Holyoke, a training school for students interested in pursuing a career in classical ballet.  Passport Holyoke is a collaboration of several Holyoke-based arts entities and offers several events year-round.  No visit to Holyoke is complete without a stop at the grand Wistariahurst Museum, a historic Victorian American estate with guided tours and gardens.

Indian Orchard’s Titanic Museum and the Titanic Historical Society contain an intriguing collection of Titanic-related memorabilia.  Museum founder Ed Kamuda served as both a research assistant and an extra for "Titanic," the hit movie about the doomed luxury vessel. 

Each summer, the Pioneer Valley's art scene is enhanced by the addition of some exceptional performance series and festivals. The Stearns Square Concert Series, held on Thursday evenings through the season, is set in downtown Springfield’s Stearns Square and attracts thousands of revelers to enjoy its lineup of rock, pop and blues acts.  Holyoke’s Mountain Park is a newly-reopened venue for summer concerts featuring music’s top performers.  Sevenars Concerts, recognized by Time magazine as "one of the best small music festivals in the USA," features the celebrated Schrade/James family pianists, prize-winning newcomers and renowned artists and unfolds in Worthington during the summer months.  

The scenic Berkshires is home to Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, which presents dance from the world over, including several free performances, as well as the famed Norman Rockwell Museum, which honors the life and art of the legendary painter.  Famous names are found onstage each summer at the Williamstown Theatre Festival where the works of gifted playwrights continue to attract faithful attendees.

Smith College Museum of Art
Elm Street at Bedford Terrace, Northampton, MA 01063
413-585-2760
www.smith-edu/artmuseum
Contact: Margi Caplan
413-585-2770

Paradise City Arts Festival
30 Industrial Drive East, Northampton, MA 01060
413-587-0772/800-511-9725
www.paradisecityarts.com
Contact: Geoffrey and Linda Post

New Century Theatre
P.O. Box 186, Northampton, MA 01061-0186
413-585-3220
Off-season phone number: 413-587-3933
www.newcenturytheatre.org
Contact:  Sam Rush

Museums10
97 Spring St., Amherst, MA  01002
413-256-8316
www.museums10.org
Contact:  Kevin Kennedy

The Fine Arts Center
10 Curry Hicks, University of Massachusetts
Amherst, MA 01003-9267
413-545-3671
www.umassfineartcenter.com
Contact: Shawn Farley

Mullins Center
University of Massachusetts Amherst
200 Commonwealth Avenue, Amherst, MA 01003
413-545-3001
www.mullinscenter.com
Contact: Paul Dionne

Beneski Museum of Natural History, Amherst College
11 Barrett Hill Drive, Amherst, MA  01002
413-542-2165
www.amherst.edu/museums/naturalhistory
Contact:  Peter Crowley

Hampshire College Art Gallery
893 West St., Amherst, MA  01002
413-559-5544
Contact:  Carolyn Arnold

Mead Art Gallery at Amherst College
Amherst College, Amherst, MA  01002
413-542-2000
www.amherst.edu/museums/mead
Contact:  Karen Cardinal

Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art
125 West Bay Rd., Amherst, MA  01002
413-658-1100
www.carlemuseum.org
Contact:  Sandy Soderberg

Turners Falls Riverculture
One Avenue A
Turners Falls, MA 01376
(413) 863-3200
www.turnersfallsriverculture.org
Contact:  Lisa Davol

CityStage
One Columbus Center, Springfield, MA 01103
413-788-7646
www.citystage.symphonyhall.com
Contact: Tina D'Agostino

Springfield Symphony Hall
c/o CityStage
One Columbus Center, Springfield, MA 01103
413-788-7646
www.symphonyhall.com
Contact: Tina D'Agostino

Springfield Symphony Orchestra
1350 Main Street, Springfield, MA 01103
413-733-2291
www.springfieldsymphony.org
Contact: Susan Bennett

The Springfield Museums
220 State Street, Springfield, MA 01103
413-263-6800
www.quadrangle.org
Contact: Sara Orr

Massachusetts Academy of Ballet
4 Open Square Way, Holyoke, MA  01040
413-536-6200
www.massacademyofballet.com
Contact:  Rose Flachs

Passport Holyoke
1 Court Plaza, Holyoke, MA  01040
413-322-5655
www.passportholyoke.org
Contact:  Melissa Boisselle

Wistariahurst Museum
238 Cabot Street, Holyoke, MA  01040
413-322-5660
www.wistariahurst.org
Contact:  Melissa Boiselle

The Titanic Museum
208 Main Street, Indian Orchard, MA 01151
413-543-4770
www.titanichistoricalsociety.org
Contact:  Ed Kamuda

Stearns Square Concert Series
Springfield Business Improvement District
1441 Main Street, Springfield, MA  01103
413-781-1591
www.springfielddowntown.com
Contact:  Don Courtemanche

Mountain Park
Route 5, Holyoke, MA  01040
413-534-5634
www.iheg.com
Contact:  Eric Suher

Sevenars Concerts, Inc.
30 East End Avenue #3A, New York, NY 10028
212-288-4261
Summer Address:
Route 112 at Ireland Street South, Worthington, MA 01098
413-238-5854
Contact: Rolande Schrade

Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival
358 George Carter Rd., Becket, MA  01223
413-243-0745
www.jacobspillow.org
Contact:  Mariclare Hulbert

Norman Rockwell Museum
9 Route 83, Stockbridge, MA  01262
413-298-4100
www.nrm.org
Contact:  Margit Hotchkiss

Williamstown Theatre Festival
P. O. Box 517, Williamstown, MA  01267
413-597-3400
www.wtfestival.org
Contact:  Lisa Bender

Midway up the Valley, the scenery changes a bit to incorporate the distinctly artistic and collegiate flavors of Northampton, Amherst and their nearby towns.  Downtown Northampton, in particular, is a popular mecca for the thousands of nearby college and university students, as well as art aficionados, who enjoy its eclectic shops, restaurants, galleries and clubs.  Amherst and Northampton, in particular, are popular for being gay-friendly towns.

The final northernmost segment of the valley is where all the urban hustle and bustle fades away, leaving pristine scenery, rolling hills and lush landscape.  Outdoor enthusiasts pursue hiking, biking, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing and horseback riding amid the rural splendor.  Whether people are seeking attractions or distractions, they’ll find both – in abundance – in the Pioneer Valley.

Greater Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau
1441 Main Street, Springfield, MA  01103

Nash Dinosaur Track Quarry
Rt. 116, Amherst Rd., S. Hadley, MA  01075
413-467-9566
Contact:  Kornell Nash

Interskate 91
2043 Boston Rd., Wilbraham, MA  01095
413-543-4664          
www.Interskate91.com
Contact:  Mike Galarneau

Nomads Adventure Quest
100 Bidwell Road, South Windsor, CT  06074
860-290-1177
www.nomadsadventurequest.com
Contact:  Tracey Nation

Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden
21 Edwards St., Springfield, MA  01103
413-263-6800
www.springfieldmuseums.org
Contact:  Sara Orr

The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art
125 West Bay Rd., Amherst, MA  01002
413-658-1100
www.carlemuseum.org
Contact:  Sandy Soderberg

Emily Dickinson Museums: The Homestead & The Evergreen
280 Main St., Amherst, MA  01002
413-542-5084
www.emilydickinsonmuseum.org
Contact:  Jane Wald

Yankee Candle Village
Routes 5 & 10, S. Deerfield, MA  01373
877-636-7707
www.yankeecandle.com
Contact:  Laurie McDonald

New England Falconry
P. O. Box 352, North Maple St., Hadley, MA  01035
413-259-1466
www.newenglandfalconry.com
Contact:  Chris Davis

Smith & Wesson Shooting Sports Center
299 Page Blvd., Springfield, MA  01104
413-846-6400
www.smith-wesson.com
Contact:  Jay Bathgate

Eric Carle Museum
125 West Bay Rd., Amherst, MA  01002
413-658-1100
www.picturebookart.org
Contact:  Sandy Soderberg

Six Flags New England
1623 Main Street
P. O. Box 307
Agawam, MA  01001
413-786-9300
www.sixflags.com
Contact:  Jennifer Mance, Director of Marketing