APR.-JUNE 2026April 2026APRIL 4 – IT’S THE EGGSTRAVAGANZA AT THE ZOO AT FOREST PARK!April 4 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Zoo at Forest Park,Sumner Avenue, Springfield, MA. This family-friendly event features a bunny trail, goodies for the kids, face painting and crafts, a visit from the Easter Bunny, a scavenger hunt with prizes and animal encounters. Advanced timed tickets required. Tickets: forestparkzoo.org/eggstravaganza APRIL 9-12 – ‘FESTIVAL OF FLOWERS’ OPENS TODAY AT THE SPRINGFIELD MUSEUMSApril 9 - 12, the 13th annual Festival of Flowers will fill the Museum of Fine Art, the Science Museum and the Wood History Museum with creative floral displays designed to bring paintings, vehicles and dinosaurs to life. Included with admission. Museums are located at 21 Edwards St.; hours are Tues.- Sat. 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. Sun. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Ticket info: springfieldmuseums.org/flowers APRIL 15 – VISIT THE WORLD AT AMHERST’S’ GLOBAL VILLAGE FESTIVALApril 15 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Amherst-Pellham Regional High School, 21 Mattoon St., Amherst MA. This vibrant event, designed to foster community inclusiveness, features international food trucks, performances showcasing traditional music and dance from various groups and vendors offering wares from around the world. info: tinyurl.com/mwpsrwm4 APRIL 9 – AGAWAM DEDICATES ITS OWN ‘LIBERTY TREE’ TODAYApril 19 at 2 p.m. on the grounds of the 1757 Thomas Smith House, 251 North West St., Feeding Hills MA. In remembrance of Boston’s Liberty Tree and in commemoration of the country’s 250th birthday, the Agawam Historical Society will plant an American Elm on the grounds of the Smith House. The House and 1920 Delmore Hawthorne Garage will be open for tours following the ceremony. Info: agawamhistory.org/events APRIL 25 – THE 5TH ANNUAL AMELIA PARK CORNHOLE TOURNEY IS TODAY!April 25 from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., the indoor arena at Ameilia Park, 21 South Broad St., Westfield, MA., will be hosting a day of cornhole, drinks, music and food. Cost is $30/player for teams of two. Cash prizes! Must register by April 17. Register: ameliaparkarena.org/cornhole APRIL 26 – ‘PAUL THE BEATLE’ TRIBUTE SHOW AT 52 SUMNER FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY!April 26 at 2 p.m. at 52 Sumner, the new performing space in Springfield, MA, singer-songwriter Bob Halligan returns with his one-man Beatlemania-style show that’s a tribute to Paul McCartney’s Beatle years. Tickets $20-25. tinyurl.com/yj2pwj39 May 2026MAY 1 – THE ‘PIECES OF TIME’ QUILT SHOW OPENS IN SPRINGFIELD TODAYMay 1 from 5-8 p.m. at the Springfield Elks Lodge, #61, 440 Tiffany St., Springfield, MA. the Pioneer Valley Quilt Guild will open a three-day show of member’s works, including a boutique and raffles. Show continues May 2, 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. and May 3, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Tickets $10; under12 free. pvquilt.org/ MAY 12-17 – BRIMFIELD’S SPRING OUTDOOR ANTIQUES SHOW OPENS TODAY!May 12-17, over 1/3 of a mile along route 20 in Brimfield, MA., will host over 5,00 antiques exhibitors in the largest outdoor antiques show in the country. Most fields open 8 a.m.- 5 p.m., larger fields have parking for $5-$10. No parking on state roads. Info: brimfieldantiquefleamarket.com MAY 16 – TODAY’S THE DAY FOR SPRINGFIELD’S ANNUAL PANCAKE BREAKFAST!May 16 from 8 to 11 a.m., come celebrate the city’s 390th birthday at the World’s Largest Pancake Breakfast! Tables stretch down Main Street to Court Square; menu includes pancakes with butter, syrup, juice coffee and milk. Breakfast tickets $3 adults, $1 kids. Music and entertainment too! Info: spiritofspringfield.org/events/worlds-largest-pancake-breakfast MAY 17 – CHAMBER PLAYERS PRESENT MOZART AND MORE AT 52 SUMNERMay 17 at 3 p.m. at 52 Sumner, the performance venue on Sumner Avenue in Springfield, MA., the Springfield Chamber Players present a program featuring music by Mozart and other composers. Tickets $10-$25. Info/tickets: tinyurl.com/5b3z42f6 MAY 24-26 – PARADISE CITY ARTS FEST RETURNS FOR MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND!May 24-26 at the Three County Fairgrounds, Northampton, MA., more than 200 of the country’s best artisans and craftspeople will showcase their work, plus food, music and more. Hours: Sat. 10 a.m.- 6 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.- 5 p.m., Mon, 10 a. m. - 4 p.m., Adults $14 online, $16 at gate. Kids free. Info: tinyurl.com/mpetvj3p June 2026JUNE 5 – ‘PETTY LARCENY’ RETURNS TO MGM FOR A FREE MUSIC FRIDAYS ENCOREJune 5 at 7:30 p.m. on the plaza at MGM Springfield, 1 MGM Way, downtown Springfield, MA. This award winning Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers tribute band returns to the city to finish the concert that got rained out last summer! Free admission and parking. Beverages, snacks available for purchase. Info: tinyurl.com/5n7ssbc6 JUNE 6 – ‘AMERICAN STORIES FROM REVOLUTION TO ROCKWELL’ OPENSJune 6 is the first day for this special exhibition, which will feature more than 150 works from the Revolution to the present, that will occupy most of the gallery space at the Norman Rockwell Museum, 9 Glendale Rd., Stockbridge, MA . Through Oct. 26. Info: tinyurl.com/48u82mrr JUNE 14 – THE 13TH ANNUAL LITTLE POLAND FESTIVAL OPENS IN NEW BRITAINJune 14 at 11 a.m. the largest Polish festival in New England kicks off at 202 Broad St., New Britain CT. Join visitors for a full day of colorful dancers, live music, Polish food, carnival rides, costumed characters and over 100 vendors lining the streets of Little Poland. Free admission. Info: littlepolandfestival.com JUNE 19 – THE ANNUAL GREEN RIVER FESTIVAL OPENS IN GREENFIELD TODAY!June 19 at the Franklin County Fairground, the 40th annual Green River Festival brings big names and local stars together for three days of music! Headliners include Charlie Crockett, Geese and Spoon. Full lineup for June 19-21, and ticket prices for single day and three-day passes available on the festival website. Info: greenriverfestival.com JUNE 27 – IT’S THE FIRST DAY OF THE 2026 SUFFIELD SUMMER FAIR!June 25 at 5 p.m., the gates open at 350 Mountain Rd., Suffield, CT., on the annual Suffield Summer Fair! Come enjoy amusement rides for all ages, classic fair food, live music, unique local vendors and a spectacular fireworks display on Saturday night. Fair runs through June 27. facebook.com/Suffieldrec JUNE 27-29 – PAUL SIMON BRINGS HIS ‘QUIET CELEBRATION’ TO TANGLEWOODJune 27at 7:30 p.m. and June 28 at 6 p.m., this iconic singer-songwriter from the 1970s takes the stage in the Koussevitzky Music Shed at Tanglewood in Lenox, MA. Simon’s appearance is part of the Popular Artist series. Info/tickets: tinyurl.com/5yshsfww 6 things... you need to know1. CURIOUS ABOUT AI? SENIOR PLANET HAS A GUIDEBOOKRoad Scholar—the iconic travel venue dedicated to helping elders explore the world — has created an Age Well page on its website with nine free lectures designed to help elders navigate various areas of aging successfully. It’s a great resource; no winter travel required! Download guide: tinyurl.com/42jy3759 2. LIFELONG LEARNING HELPS PRESERVE COGNITIONAccording an article in the Feb. 11, 2026, issue of Neurology, lifelong habits such as reading, writing and learning languages have a protective effect on cognition. People with the highest amounts of lifelong learning developed Alzheimer’s five years later, and cognitive decline seven years later, than people with less lifelong learning. Info: tinyurl.com/4huzdyde 3. TRAVEL SCAMS ARE GETTING MORE SOPHISTICATED, THANKS TO AIConsumer advocate Christopher Elliot, founder of the nonprofit consumer protection agency Elliott Advocacy, said travel scams are getting harder to spot thanks to AI’s ability to deepfake voices, create phishing messages with perfect grammar and even build official-looking, but fake, booking and travel websites. He said “red flags”such as payment sites requiring cryptocurrency, irregularities in URLs and customer service reps who can’t verify basic Information are signs it’s time to pause before proceeding. Trust your instincts if something feels off. Full article: tinyurl.com/33yktry8 4. AGING DOESN’T NECESSARILY MEAN PHYSICAL AND COGNITIVE DECLINEYale researchers Becca Leavy and Martin Salde published the results of a 12-year study testing the “widespread assumption [that] exists among scientists, health care providers and the public that later life is a time of inevitable and universal cognitive and physical decline” in the March 3 issue of Geriatrics. The study followed 11,000 individuals 65 and older for 12 years and though some delcined, 32% improved cognitively and 28% improved physically. Attitude towards aging seemed to play a big factor in outcome, as measured by the Philadelphia Geriatric Morale Scale. Info: mdpi.com/2308-3417/11/2/28 5. GAS PRICES ARE UP. CHECK OUT THESE WAYS TO SAVE ON A FILL UPA recent article from AARP offers 10 ways to save on your next tank of gas, from leveraging loyalty programs and credit card points to checking your tires, emptying your trunk and filling up on Sundays. Check out the full story to get all the pointers and advice to help you stretch your fuel budget. Info: tinyurl.com/2dwnya6e 6. COMEDIAN JOHN STEWART IS COMING TO TANGLEWOOD FOR ONE SHOW JUNE 20The host and producer of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” and the podcast “The Weekly Show,”brings his own brand of political satire– and his advocacy for veterans – to Tanglewood for one night only, June 20 at 7 p.m. Catch this rare night with him and his special guest band, Church and State. Info/tickets: Tanglewood.org , or 888-266-1200 Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sat. 12:30-4:30 p.m |
