Summer's here, and there's so much to see and do!

PRIME – June 2013 By Debbie Gardner debbieg@thereminder.com I hope you enjoy this month's look at the summer offerings in the Berkshires – both columnist Shera Cohen's account of her whirlwind immersion in the arts last summer and my column on some of this season's highlights, including several free offerings at some of the major venues. Living in Western Massachusetts, we truly are blessed to be just an hour's ride from one of the country's most renowned art meccas. I've never had the opportunity to sample as many different performances as Shera, but my husband and I were given a wonderful anniversary gift one year – tickets to an early-season concert at Tanglewood's Seiji Ozawa Hall. Dressed in our summer best - heels and a skirt for me, jacket and tie for my husband – we made our way up the Mass Pike to Tanglewood for the Friday night concert. I don't remember what composers were on the program that evening, but I do recall how, seated at the balcony rail, the music seemed to envelop us before spilling out through the hall's massive doors to wash over the overflow audience seated on the lawn. Part of me envied those lawn listeners, casually seated on blankets or in folding chairs, enjoying their wine and picnics al fresco as the musicians played. John and I promised each other that evening we would return to Tanglewood some future summer as lawn listeners, and would include our son, Evan, in the experience. He favors Mozart. I'm hoping perhaps, with an all-Mozart concert on July 26, this summer will be our year. But even if a trip to the Tanglewood isn't in your – or perhaps, our – plans for this summer, there will still be plenty of opportunities to enjoy good music al fresco right here in the greater Springfield area, as many towns offer free outdoor concerts during the summer months. Here is a sampling of where you can enjoy some music on a warm summer's eve: • East Longmeadow Rotary Concert Series, Wednesday nights at 7 p.m. on the East Longmeadow High School's Athletic Field, 180 Maple St. Concerts begin June 26. Free. Bring your own chairs. • Agawam SummerFest, Wednesday nights at 7 p.m. on Veteran's Green, in front of Phelps Elementary School, 689 Main St. Free. Concerts begin July 3. • West Springfield Parks and Recreation Department's 50th Annual Family Concert Series, Thursday nights at 7 p.m. The venue varies; visit www.west-springfield.ma.us and click on summer concert series for complete schedule. Free. Concerts began May 16. • Westfield Bank Sunday Night Concert Series, 6 p.m., in the Beveridge Pavilion Annex, at Stanley Park. Free. Visit www.stanleypark.org for more information. Concerts begin June 2. • Positively Holyoke Summer Concerts, Wednesday nights at 6 p.m. at Heritage State Park, Appleton St., Free. Bring your lawn chair. Concerts begin July 10. • Musical Moments in Amelia's Garden, Tuesday nights at 6:30 p.m. at Amelia Park Ice Arena, 21 South Broad St., Westfield. Free. Bring your lawn chair. Concerts begin June 4. • Easthampton Arts in the Park, summer performances Friday nights at 6:30 p.m. at the Bandshell, Millside Park, 2 Ferry St. Free. Bring chairs. Concerts begin June 7. • South Hadley Summer Concert Series, Tuesday evenings at 6:30 p.m. on the Town Common, Routes 47 and 116 in South Hadley. Free. Concerts begin June 11. Of course there will also be plenty of local theater to enjoy, too. Area offerings include a production of Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" at Hartford Stage through June 16 (box office at 860-527-5151 or visit www.hartfordstage.org ), The Nutmeg Summer Theatre Series in June and July (see page 17 for details), and the musical theater classic, "Hello Dolly!" at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Conn. through Sept. 8 (box office 1-860-873-8668 or visit http://www.goodspeed.org). I haven't even mentioned the myriad local museum offerings – for example the Springfield Science Museum opened a new interactive butterfly exhibit suitable for the whole family on May 24 – available this summer. Whatever you choose to do this summer, get out and enjoy the season!