Make the most of summer in the Valley!

I’ve always felt fortunate to live in this part of Western Massachusetts. For one thing the Valley aspect of the area means the weather is fairly moderate (with the exception, of course, of the 2011 June 1 tornado and late October snowmageddon) and we enjoy a predictable march of the four seasons.

We also live in the midst of a thriving arts community – with music, theater, art shows, museums, performances and other events a regular part of the fabric of life around here no matter what the weather.

But summertime always brings us so much more.  And because my own summer plans were in a bit of a flux this year – our son graduated from high school in June and will be starting college in the fall – I started really paying attention to all the entertainment and activities happening locally in June, July and August.

I’ve shared the results of my research in this month’s feature – a listing of as many of the things to do in the area as I could fit in the space this issue provided.

But there was so much more that I couldn’t fit in! Here’s a little more of what didn’t make it into  the listing on page 8:

• Fourth of July Celebrations! From the East Longmeadow fireworks on the 3rd and Parade on the 4th to the Star Spangled Springfield activities (slated for Blunt Park this year) to city and town celebrations throughout the area, there’s plenty of local ways to remember our nation’s Independence Day!
• Car Cruises – if you’re a car enthusiast, you’ll find these events all over the Valley, including the Monday night Cruise in downtown Springfield, and the Thursday night Cruise at the Moose Club in Chicopee.
• Wednesday Folk Traditions – the July garden concerts at the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum in Hadley, and their Perfect Spot of Tea with music Saturday afternoons through Aug. 18 (Info:www.pphmuseum.org).
• Museums – from the four gems at the Quadrangle in Springfield, to the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art to the homes of writers like Emily Dickinson, Herman Melville and Edith Wharton, to living history at Old Deerfield and Sturbridge Village –there’s plenty of history and education to be had around here.

That’s not all the things that are happening – I didn’t even touch on all the free kid’s events you can take the nieces and nephews and grandkids to –  there just wasn’t room! But I hope I’ve given you some fodder for planning your own 2018 summer of fun. Don’t waste a minute!

Thanks for reading,

Debbie Gardner
debbieg@thereminder.com