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Clockwise from top left: MASS MoCA, North Adams; St.
Patrick's Day Parade, Cape Cod; Nantucket Christmas Stroll, credit
Michael Galvin; Boston Common in winter; American Textile History
Museum in Lowell
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Massachusetts
is rich in arts & culture, so it's no surprise that exciting
events, exhibits and festivals are held in the state's 16 regions all
year long. Find out more!
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The
most wonderful time of the year is here in Massachusetts. Everywhere
you go in December, you can enjoy caroling and choirs, holiday food
and shopping specials, sparking lights and good cheer. The cultural
scene is brilliant, with annual performances of the Boston Holiday
Pops, Nutcracker Ballet, Messiah, Dickens' Christmas Carol, Celtic
Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa celebrations and more. Tree lightings,
holiday festivals, main street shopping and community gatherings
abound. Visit our holiday page or search our December events for even more
ways to enjoy this special time of year.
For more on what to see + do in Massachusetts, visit massvacation.com.
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Featured Region:
The Berkshires
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Inside
and out, the Berkshires is truly a winter wonderland. While our
myriad of museums and cultural venues offer fantastic exhibits
and events
during the colder months, they also embrace the snow and cold and
offer outdoor fun. At The
Clark,
Project Snowshoe gets underway once the first real snow
comes. Here, you'll find a rack filled with snowshoes, free for you
to use while exploring the outdoor trails. Aside from this, ice
skating can be found on the pond right next to the museum when
weather permits.
Also, a little-known fact about Tanglewood
is that its grounds are open year-round, so bring your cross-country
skis and take in the amazing views, while dreaming of hearing strains
from the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Be sure to check out the new
Linde Center, which houses the Tanglewood
Learning Center. This year-round space will be
offering engaging programs for curious minds, including performances,
talks, films, master classes, and visual arts experiences throughout
the winter and beyond.
So, pack up the car and head to the Berkshires this winter for some
memorable winter fun! Find more events and information for The
Berkshires.
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Beginning
on Wednesday, November 27, join us for the 24th Annual display of Family Trees: A Celebration of Children's Literature,
a beloved holiday tradition at the Concord Museum! Enjoy 39 fanciful
trees and wreaths creatively decorated by museum volunteers to
illustrate treasured and new favorite children's books. We are
thrilled to welcome Pamela Zagarenski, Illustrator of Zola's Elephant
and two-time Caldecott-honor winning artist, as this year's Honorary
Chair. Benefit admission to support the museum's education
initiatives; museum members are free. November 27-January 5.
Find more events and information for Greater
Merrimack Valley.
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Discover
the rich culture of Central Massachusetts
with one of the region's seasonal events! Night Lights
celebrates winter, light, and nature together at Tower Hill Botanic
Garden. The Holiday
Festival of Crafts and stART on The Street
feature handmade goods from hundreds of local artisans. You can watch
A Christmas
Carol at the historical Hanover Theatre, or go back
in time at a living history museum with Old Sturbridge Village's Christmas by Candlelight
event.
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 Welcome
Yule: A Midwinter Celebration will be held Friday,
December 13 at 7:30 pm, Saturday, December 14 at 7:30 pm and Sunday,
December 15 at 2 pm at Shea Theater in Turners Falls. This winter
pageant emphasizes folk music and customs...expect mirth, song, dance
and good cheer! The program's storyline centers on the wisdom of
trees, the power of animals and the deep magic of music. This year's
highlights will include rousing harmonies, lively dances, and the use
of giant puppets throughout the show. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12
for children 5-16 years and seniors, free for kids under 5. Click
here to buy tickets now!
Find more events and information for Franklin
County.
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YULE
love BOSTON in December! Make a date with family and friends for a
classic holiday performance: The
Nutcracker, Black Nativity, Holiday Pops, Irving Berlin's White
Christmas, Disney on Ice, Worlds of Enchantment and
the debut of Dolly Parton's Smokey
Mountain Christmas. Take advantage of the Mayor's Holiday Special,
half-price tickets & dining deals all season long. Tree and
Menorah lightings, BLINK,
the sight & sound extravaganza, Holiday Strolls and open-air Holiday Artisan Markets
add to the spirit of the season. There are Teddy Bear Teas,
a Latke Party,
Gingerbread decorating and Zoolights!
While enjoying the sights and sounds of Faneuil Hall Marketplace, be
sure to add a pair of mittens or gloves to The Mitten Tree
in the North Market. Boston's holiday landscape also includes some
very "cool" igloos atop the Envoy Hotel, Frog Pond, in the
heart of Boston Common for outdoor skating and a ride on the
Greenway's festive carousel. Boston's 5+ week holiday season
culminates in the renowned festivities of First Night/First Day 2020
in Copley Square!
Find more events and information for Greater
Boston.
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This
holiday season, we suggest a little Cape! Join us for Christmas on Cape Cod and create
memories that will be cherished for generations. Every town and
village puts their special stamp on holiday-inspired events
throughout the month, including quaint village strolls, theater
performances, festive parades, spectacular light displays, and
Santa's arrival by boat! Families will love the Train to Christmas Town aboard
Cape Cod Central Railroad and Gardens Aglow at Heritage
Museums & Gardens in Sandwich. First Night celebrations in
Chatham, Provincetown and Sandwich round out the month-long
festivities. Visit ChristmasonCapeCod.com, or check
out our latest blog for a run down of
the holiday events and shop-portunties!
Find more events and information for Cape
Cod.
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This
year marks the 25th season of Bright
Nights in Springfield. The light show was born in 1995
by Patrick Sullivan, director of parks, buildings and recreation
management, alongside Judy Matt, President of The Spirit of
Springfield. Since its start, Bright Nights continues to provide fond
memories for families during the holidays! This year you can expect
to see a new display, honoring MGM Springfield. It will feature
4,728-LED lights displaying lions leaping and roaring. The park opens
November 27 and runs through January 5, 2020.
Find more events and information for Greater
Springfield.
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Celebrate
the sounds of the season and treat yourself to live music this
holiday! Grab your tix to a show at the historic Academy of Music
Theatre in Northampton - don't miss The Sweetback Sisters' Country Christmas
Sing-Along SPECTACULAR, with two shows on December 22
or catch Keb' Mo's Jingle Bell Jamboree on December
17. Experience award-winning fiddle virtuosos Natalie MacMaster and
Donnel Leahy in A Celtic Family Christmas in
Amherst and enjoy 30Boltwood's holiday jazz any
Friday this month!
Find more events and information for Hampshire
County.
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December
at the Clark Art
Institute offers great opportunities for enjoying art
and so much more! Visit the Clark's renowned permanent collection,
including works by Monet, Renoir, Pissarro, Sargent, and Homer. On
December 14, explore Arabesque,
a new exhibition featuring a rich array of German Romanticism,
Pre-Raphaelite, and Art Nouveau works. And enjoy lots of holiday fun,
including concerts, films, lectures, broadcasts of The Magic Flute
and The Nutcracker,
and free snowshoeing! Details at clarkart.edu.
Photo: Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
(French,
1864-1901), Divan Japonais, 1893. Color lithograph, 31 3/4 x 23 1/2
in. Smart Museum of Art, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois,
Bequest of Louise H. Landau
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Find more events and information for MetroWest.
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Credit
Emily Elisabeth Photography
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Nantucket's
all about the 46th Annual Christmas Stroll Weekend
(12/6-8), presented by The
Steamship Authority. It's December's centerpiece! This
beloved event offers: NHA's Festival of Trees
(12/7-31) & Holiday Homes (Fri-Mon through
12/30); Santa's Arrival & Parade (12/7 at 12:15 pm); Holiday Art Show; Holiday
House Tour; WHT's A Nantucket Christmas Carol;
a Christmas Marketplace (12/7) by Hy-Line
Cruises and more! See Matilda by Theatre Workshop
(through 12/14); and end the month/year with Nantucket New Year's!
Find more events and information for Nantucket
Island.
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The
Marblehead Christmas Walk on
December 5-8 is a signature event that captures the warmth of the
holiday season throughout the entire town. Don't miss the Lobster Trap Tree Lighting in
Gloucester on December 14! Join the North
Shore Music Theater for the production of A Christmas Carol December
6-22. Celebrate New
Year's Eve in Rockport, this is a family-friendly
year-end celebration of the arts in downtown Rockport.
Find more events and information for North
of Boston.
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 Plymouth
Center for the Arts on North Street in Plymouth will present "It's A Wonderful Life - Radio Play"
December 7-15! Performed by the Americana Theatre Company, this
beloved American holiday classic comes to captivating life as a live
1940s radio broadcast. With the help of an ensemble that brings a few
dozen characters to the stage, the story of idealistic George Bailey
unfolds as he considers ending his life one fateful Christmas Eve. Buy tickets now!
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 Christmas
Cheer...Christmas Lights...Hot Chocolate...Oh My! The Grinch may not
like Christmas, but we sure do over in Southeastern Mass! Come
celebrate the Season of Giving over in Taunton for the Annual
Lights on Festival December 7 from 3 to 8 pm. Witness
Santa's Arrival, sing carols and get in the Christmas spirit! Bring
the kiddos to visit the city known as Christmas City. Make sure you
check the nice list with Santa!
Find more events and information for Southeastern
Massachusetts.
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