SPRING 2024APRIL 4 – CALLING ALL ASTRONOMY BUFFS! LEARN HOW THE UNIVERSE MOVESApril 4 at 7:30 p.m. at the Springfield Science Museum, 21 Edwards St., Springfield, MA, Stars Over Springfield takes an in-depth look at how forces in the universe affect everything from the orbit of the moon to the way stars move through the seasons. Planetarium show. Rooftop telescope open for stargazing. Tickets $7, museum members $5. info: tinyurl.com/bdz5zwsa APRIL 5 – IT’S MAGIC WITH A SIDE OF COMEDY - ERIC EATON AT ROAR COMEDY CLUBApril 5 at 8 p.m. at the Roar Comedy Cub, MGM Casino, One MGM Way, downtown Springfield, MA. Eaton’s Magic for Adults tour has been a sellout across the U. S.! Don’t miss this Merlin Award (that’s the Oscars for magic) winner when he performs live in Springfield! Tickets start at $30 plus fees. info/tickets: tinyurl.com/4vzv35fw APRIL 13 – CATCH THE U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY BAND IN A FREE CONCERT TODAY!April 13 at 2 p.m. at Symphony Hall, 34 Court St., downtown Springfield, MA. Tickets required, pick up free at Pride stores, at One Financial Plaza from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, at Springfield Visitor Center or send self-addressed stamped envelope to: Spirit of Springfield, 1350 Main St., Suite 1004, Springfield, MA 01103. info: tinyurl.com/ppeexn6c APRIL 16 – BROADWAY SMASH ‘WAITRESS’ OPENS AT THE MAJESTIC TONIGHTApril 16 at 7:30 p.m. at the Majestic Theater, 131 Elm St., West Springfield, MA, the curtain goes up on this local production of the Tony award winning musical, “Waitress.” Follow an eclectic cast of characters at Joe’s Pie Diner as protagonist waitress Jenna navigates life and love through her grandmother’s pie recipes. Tickets start at $35. info/tickets: majestictheater.com/waitress APRIL 19 – HEAR “SOMETHING NEW” THIS AFTERNOON AT THE SYMPHONYApril 19 at 3 p.m. at Springfield Symphony Hall, 34 Court St., Springfield, MA, guest conductor JoAnn Falletta presents “Something New” a concert that “weaves together American, German, and Russian music with a French flair, offering a rich and diverse musical experience.” Info/tickets: springfieldsymphony.org/event/something-new/ APRIL 26 – THE 21ST ANNUAL ASPARAGUS POTTERY TOUR KICKS OFF TODAY!April 26 (and 27) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. — celebrate the creativity of the “Asparagus Valley” on your self-guided tour of eight pottery studios and the works of 29 artists! Tour includes towns of Florence/Northampton/Hadley, Greenfield, and the Mohawk Trail village of Shelburne Falls. Info: asparagusvalleypotterytrail.com/map MAY 4 – STEP ABOARD THE TROLLEY FOR A TOUR OF HARDWICK AND A WINERYMay 4 from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., enjoy a guided tour of the town of Hardwick, MA, aboard a vintage trolley! Stops include Hardwick winery for a tasting from their 24 vintages, tour of downtown Hardwick with lunch and visit to century-old award winning cheesemaker. Tickets $79. Info: bygoneexcursions.com/trolley-tours MAY 7 – VISIT THE SPRINGFIELD MUSEUMS DURING FREE FIRST WEDNESDAY!May 7 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., everyone is invited to visit the special and permanent exhibits of the Springfield Museums, located at 21 Edwards St., downtown Springfield, MA, for free! Free First Wednesdays take place the first Wednesday of the month through 2026. Info: tinyurl.com/dam85ut2 MAY 11 – VINTAGE CARS TEST THEIR METTLE AT THE WILBRAHAM HILL CLIMB TODAY!May 11 starting at 8 a.m., more than 20 historic race cars — and five vintage motorcycles — will begin racing each other to the top of Monson Road in Wilbraham, MA. Event includes classic car show with 250 entries, a craft fair, museum exhibits, food vendors and more. Event runs until 2 p.m. Free. Info: springfieldtoboston.com/wilbraham-hill-climb MAY 14 – IT’S OPENING DAY AT CHESTERWOOD IN STOCKBRIDGEMay 14 at 10 a.m., the Gilded Age summer home and studio of America’s foremost 20th century public sculptor, Daniel Chester French, creator of the Lincoln statue ins Washington D. C., opens for the season. Tours include home, studio and beautiful woodland trails and gardens. Closed Tuesdays. Info: www.chesterwood.org/plan-visit MAY 17 – TODAY’S THE DAY FOR SPRINGFIELD’S ANNUAL PANCAKE BREAKFAST!May 17 from 8 to 11 a.m., come celebrate the city’s 388th birthday at the World’s Largest Pancake Breakfast! Tables stretch down Main Street to Court Square; menu includes pancakes, bacon, syrup, juice coffee and milk. Tickets $3 adults, $1 kids. Music and entertainment too! Info: spiritofspringfield.org MAY 24 – SEE THE BEST IN ARTS & CRAFTS AT THE 2025 PARADISE CITY ARTS FEST!May 24 (and 25 and 26), you’ll find more than 200 of the best artists and craftspeople in the northeast displaying their works on the Three County Fairgrounds in Northampton, MA. Plus there’s music and food in the festival tent! Tickets: $14 online, $16 box office, three-day pass $18. Hours/Tickets: tinyurl.com/5chvt2p8 JUNE 6 – STAMPERCON COMES TO WEST SPRINGFIELD THIS WEEKEND!June 6 — and 7 — on the grounds of the Eastern States Exposition, Memorial Avenue, West Springfield, MA. A stamper’s delight! Shop supplies from the best vendors, and for $25, get a seat at a crop table and start creating! General admission $6. Info/hours: tinyurl.com/3fsxp5fp JUNE 8 – THE IRONMAN 70.3 RETURNS TO SPRINGFIELD TODAYJune 8 this popular half-Ironman triathlon brings hundreds of runners/bikers/swimmers to the streets of Western Mass. — and the Connecticut River! This is the third time this event has taken place in the Pioneer Valley. Registration, course in the link. Info: www.ironman.com/races/im703-western-massachusetts JUNE 10 – IT’S CROCS HAT GIVEAWAY NIGHT AT THE HARTFORD YARD GOATSJune 10 at 7:10 p.m. vs. the Akron Rubber Ducks at Dunkin’ Park in downtown Hartford, CT. The first 1,000 fans will get a free CROCS hat, and it’s baseball Bingo night, with lots of cool prizes! Tickets range from $12 to $39. Info/tickets: www.milb.com/hartford JUNE 15 – LAST CHANCE TO CATCH ‘RAGTIME’ AT THE GOODSPEED OPERA HOUSEJune 15 at 2 p.m. This matinee performance is the last opportunity to see the musical “Ragtime” at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, CT. Set in turn-of-the-20th century New York City, the play weaves together the stories of three fictional families — a socialite, immigrants and a musician — striving for the American Dream. Info/tickets: tinyurl.com/4d8mjezf JUNE 27 – THE GREEN RIVER FESTIVAL RETURNS TO GREENFIELD TODAYJune 20 — and 21 and 22 — The Franklin County Fairgrounds, 89 Wisdom Way, Greenfield, MA. will present three days of music and entertainment, including an exclusive Kidway offering fun for the younger set. Performance lineup online at greenriverfestival.com/the-lineup. Tickets: tinyurl.com/2s39udtj JUNE 27 – ‘A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION’ RETURNS TO TANGLEWOOD TODAYJune 21 at 7 p.m. in the Koussevitzky Music Shed at Tanglewood, 297 West St., Lenox, MA. Garrison Keeler and his band, the Royal Academy of Radio Actors, bring this iconic former National Public Radio program to the audience live! Tickets: secure.bso.org/syos/performance/27060 6 things... you need to know1. GET CREATIVE AND HELP ART STUDENTS GET SCHOLARSHIPSWould-be artists are invited to pick up a 6-by-6-inch canvas and paint or decorate to reflect the theme “I Love New England.” Pieces will become part of a 2025 New England mosaic sponsored by Agawam Artists and Artisans, and later sold for $25 per square to support art student scholarships. Canvases available at libraries in Agawam, West Springfield, Westfield, Southwick, East Forest Park, Chicopee, Longmeadow, East Longmeadow and the West Springfield Senior Center. Info: www.agawamarts.com/new-england-mosaic/ 2. MAKE THOSE HOME MODIFICATIONS EARLYDon’t wait for you — or a loved one — to have difficulty navigating your home. Consulting a home modification expert early can help prevent a crisis when a fall or other health issue arises. Many home modifications are now design-conscious, and can add beauty as well as safety to your home. To learn more about home modifications to age well in place check out the website. listed below. Info: hmota.net 3. ANY AMOUNT OF EXERCISE CAN HELP CUT YOUR RISK OF DEMENTIAA new study by researchers at the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, indicates that any level of exercise – from one minute to 35 minutes per day – can help reduce the likelihood of an individual developing dementia by 41%. Engaging in 70 to 140 minutes was associated with a 63% reduction and over 140 minutes was associated in a 69% reduction in dementia risk. The findings were based on data from a study of over 100,000 UK volunteers over the age of 63 who wore a health recording smartwatch-type device at weekly intervals over a four-year period. Reduction was shown despite some participants being considered frail. Article: www.eatingwell.com/exercise-to-lower-dementia-risk-41-11687021 4. BE PREPARED FOR ANTI-AMERICAN SENTIMENT WHEN TRAVELING ABROADIt’s no secret that policies of the current Administration have raised questions – and ire – from citizens around the world. And the fact that you are an American has the potential for some of the international consternation to be directed at you when traveling abroad. Christopher Elliot, author of the consumer website Elliot Report (www.elliott.org) and the new book, ”The Unauthorized Travel Manual,” offers tips — from his personal experience — in a new article titled “How to Avoid Anti-American Sentiment When Traveling Internationally.” Read his advice in the link. Info: tinyurl.com/bdhhhvnh 5. PLAN AHEAD TO SET UP A “PAYCHECK” SYSTEM TO FUND RETIREMENT EXPENSESA recent podcast from Roger Whitney, known as “The Retirement Answer Man” offered a step-by-step outline to help soon-to-be (or newly, or even already) retirees plan to put a weekly “paycheck” in their expense account — mimicking the cash flow most people had pre-retirement. Starting with the first five years of retirement spending,Whitney explains how to establish the accounts you will need, determine an income floor, how to invest for continued income and how to arrange for the recurring “deposits” from savings into your expense account. Podcast link: rogerwhitney.com/blog/582-how-to-set-up-your-paycheck-in-retirement 6. GET FREE ANSWERS TO MEDICARE QUESTIONSThe Medicare Rights Center operates a free helpline staffed by trained staff and volunteers, ready to answer questions about enrolling in the program, handling denials and appeals, eligibility for cost-saving programs, coordinating with other insurance and many other topics. Call: 1-800-333-4114  |
