Revolutionary Valley Regional Tourism Council

Lowell Walks: Portuguese in Lowell
2024-09-14 10:00 - 11:30 (America/New_York) | Portuguese American Civic League of Lowell, Central Street, Lowell, Massachusetts, 01852, United States
Join researchers and archivists from the University of Massachusetts Lowell’s Portuguese American Digital Archive, Nikki Tantum, Gray Fitzsimons, and Nicole Catarino on a walk around the Back Central neighborhood. In the late 1800s, increasing demands for cotton cloth production provided jobs and opportunity for the first Portuguese immigrants arriving in Lowell. In the decades that followed more Portuguese immigrants moved to the city and wove their lives and cultures into the neighborhood of Back Central, creating a new community that still exists today.
This walk will highlight these stories just as the photography exhibit “The Portuguese in Lowell: The Familiar and the New” does, but through a different lens. This exhibit highlighting photographs captured by Pedro Letria is on display at the Boott Cotton Mills Museum through February 2025.
Join us for this upcoming Lowell Walks event, a guided walking tour. Tours are about 90 minutes, are free, and include a moderate amount of walking. No reservations are necessary, and tours are conducted rain or shine.
Free parking is available where the tour meets: Portuguese American Civic League of Lowell, 512 Central Street.

Wonderland Ball
2024-09-14 19:00 - 22:00 | Andover Old Town Hall, Andover Old Town Hall, 20 Main St, Andover, MA, 01810, United States
The Wonderland Ball will be a whimsical evening of historical dancing. Elegant attire inspired by Alice in Wonderland, historical dress, and historical “fancy dress” are encouraged. Light refreshments will be served. No partner is required and beginners are welcome! The event will be held in the stately and historic Andover Old Town Hall, which is perfectly situated for a pre-ball dinner at one of Andover’s many excellent restaurants. Public parking is available throughout the town center. The Andover Commuter Rail Station is within walking distance of Old Town Hall.
Dancing will include a mix of contra dances, quadrilles, and round dances (often called “couple dances”). Contra dances and quadrilles are done by many couples together arranged in long lines, squares, or circles around the ballroom and do not require any special footwork – just walking! These dances will be taught throughout the ball, and will be the majority of the program. We will also teach a selection of the evening’s dances at the afternoon workshop for those who want to give them a try. All dancing will be done to recorded music, so you will be able to practice to the songs you’ll dance to in the evening.
This event is presented by The Footwork and Frolick Society, a non-profit educational organization focused on 18th and 19th century dancing and amusements of all kinds. Tickets are available at multiple price points: $35 student/$45 standard/$65 supporter and can be purchased at https://www.footworkandfrolick.org/upcoming-events/wonderland-ball

Live Greek & Middle Eastern Music and Bellydancing
2024-09-14 20:00 - 23:00, 2024-09-21 20:00 - 23:00, 2024-09-28 20:00 - 23:00, 2024-10-05 20:00 - 23:00, 2024-10-12 20:00 - 23:00, 2024-10-19 20:00 - 23:00 | Athenian Corner Restaurant, 207 Market Street, Lowell, 01852, United States
Live music and dancing featuring the Athenian Corner Ensemble

Sunset Yoga on the Lawn
2024-09-17 18:00 - 19:00 | Forge & Vine, Forge & Vine, 128R Main St, Groton, MA, 01450, United States
Join us on the Lawn at Forge & Vine for a refreshing Sunset Yoga class overlooking iconic Gibbet Hill (sunset is scheduled for 6:51 pm – perfect timing for our class!) All levels class, no yoga experience necessary. Come for the sunset and stay for the food truck and trivia at The Groton Inn following class at 7pm if you can!
Come as a drop in for $25 or if you are a WellBeing Fitness class pass or membership holder you can use your pass for this class.

Make a Mess: Paint with What?? at Discovery Museum
2024-09-19 10:00 - 12:00 | Discovery Museum, Discovery Museum, 177 Main St, Acton, MA, 01720, United States
You won’t find any paintbrushes in today’s program! We’ve searched the backrooms of the Museum to find silly objects to use instead. Which of our unconventional painting tools will end up being your favorite?

1774 and All That: Reflections on a Long Year of Revolution
2024-09-19 19:00 - 20:00 | Concord Museum, Concord Museum, 53 Cambridge Tpke, Concord, MA, 01742, United States
On September 19, 2024, the Concord Museum will commence its highly anticipated fall forum series with a special discussion featuring Mary Beth Norton, renowned historian and award winning author of the landmark text 1774: The Long Year of Revolution. This exciting event marks the beginning of a series of programs hosted by the Concord Museum leading up to the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution.
Norton will explore the pivotal period leading up to the American Revolution and the dramatic events that occurred between December 1773 through April 1775, including the Boston Tea Party and the Battles of Lexington and Concord.
In 1774: The Long Year of the Revolution, Mary Beth Norton chronicles the 16 months, during which colonists loyal to King George III began discordant “discussions” that led to their acceptance of the inevitability of war. Norton will be joined in conversation by the Society of Colonial Wars of Massachusetts to discuss this transformative era and its impact on American history, highlighting its significance in leadup to the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution.

Open Mic Night
2024-09-20 18:30 - 20:00, 2024-10-04 18:30 - 20:00, 2024-10-18 18:30 - 20:00 | Mill No. 5, Mill No. 5, 250 Jackson St, Lowell, MA, United States
Open Mic night is back! Every first and third Friday, come share your music! Express yourself! Grab a drink, enjoy some food & support your local arts community!!

Lowell Kinetic Sculpture Race 2024
2024-09-21 09:00 - 16:00 | Market Street, Market Street, Lowell, Massachusetts, 01852, United States
Kinetic Sculptures are all-terrain, human-powered, art sculptures, engineered to race over road, water, mud and sand. Kinetic sculptures are amazing works of art; many are animated with moving parts like blinking eyes, opening mouths, heads that move side to side and up and down. These machines of art are usually made from what some people consider “junk” or better put, recycled materials. Each kinetic team has a theme and consist of pilots, pit crew and support crew. Spectators are encouraged to either watch from the sidelines or follow the race on their bikes (obeying all traffic laws that apply).

31st Annual Arts and Crafts Festival
2024-09-21 10:00 - 16:00 | Lawn of the Lexington Visitors Center, 1875 Mass Ave, Lexington, MA, 02420, United States
Join 60 artisans from all over New England to shop and be insprited by their talents!

Addison Gallery Opening Reception
2024-09-21 16:00 - 18:00 | Addison Gallery of American Art, Chapel Avenue, Andover, Massachusetts, 01810, United States
Join us in celebrating the new exhibitions: enjoy great company, light refreshments, and the best of American art! Free and open to the public.

In Conversation: Kay WalkingStick and Wendy Nālani E. Ikemoto
2024-09-22 13:00 - 14:15 | Addison Gallery of American Art, Chapel Avenue, Andover, Massachusetts, 01810, United States
Join artist Kay WalkingStick and exhibition curator Wendy Nālani E. Ikemoto, Vice President and Chief Curator of the New-York Historical Society, for an engaging, informal conversation about the themes presented in Kay WalkingStick / Hudson River School. The exhibition, organized by New-York Historical Society, places landscape paintings by WalkingStick in conversation with 19th-century Hudson River School paintings, celebrating a shared reverence for nature while engaging crucial questions about land dispossession and its reclamation by Indigenous peoples and nations. This program is free but space is limited and registration is required. Event will be held in Kemper Auditorium, adjacent to the Addison.
Image: Kay WalkingStick, Wampanoag Coast, Variation II, 2018. Oil on panel in two parts. Collection of Agnes Hsu-Tang, Ph.D., and Oscar Tang. © Kay WalkingStick

Meet the Artist: Stevie Leigh at Discovery Museum
2024-09-22 13:00 - 15:00 | Discovery Museum, Discovery Museum, 177 Main St, Acton, MA, 01720, United States
Meet local artist Stevie Leigh who upcycles fabric scraps to create unique pieces of clothing that look as good on a body as they do hanging on a wall. Bring a stuffed animal from your home to design and construct a new outfit for your furry friend using your imagination and a variety of creative materials.

Stone Walls of New England with Kevin Gardner
2024-09-28 10:00 - 11:00 | Moses Greeley Parker Memorial Library, Dracut, Arlington Street, Dracut, MA, 01826, United States
Kevin Gardner is a lifelong resident of Hopkinton, NH. Like a lot of independent rural Yankees, he’s been a jack of many trades, a builder, logger, writer, teacher, radio voice, even an actor and director.
For more than forty years he has been a stone wall builder in a family business widely known for traditional New England stonework, particularly for historic restoration of antique structures. In 2001 Kevin published The Granite Kiss: Traditions and Techniques of Building New England Stone Walls. His second book, Stone Building: How To Make New England Style Walls and Other Structures the Old Way, was published in May of 2017. He has also published poetry, songs, and essays, including “Land of Stone”, an examination of several historic sites in the Monadnock Region, in the 2006 anthology Where The Mountain Stands Alone.
From 1985 to 2010, Kevin was also an award-winning performance critic, feature writer, and producer for NH Public Radio. His pieces on arts, history and culture have aired on National Public Radio and the Christian Science Monitor broadcast network. In 2004, Kevin was a co-host of the nationally syndicated radio series Storylines New England, an interview and call-in program about our regional literature. He has written and produced other special programming for NHPR as well, including a 45-minute radio drama adapted by NH poet Julia Older from her own long poem, Tales of the Francois Vase.
Kevin is also a longtime professional actor, director, and teacher of theatre. He has taught at the New Hampton School, the NH Institute of Art, and at St. Paul’s School. Since 1999 he has been the Master Teacher of the course Shakespeare for Performance in St. Paul’s summer Advanced Studies Program. He is also a regular Guest Director at Plymouth State University, a former performance evaluator for the NH State Council on the Arts, and a frequent adjudicator of local, regional, and national theatre festivals. New Hampshire Magazine named him the state’s Best Theatre Critic in 2008.
Register at www.dracutlibrary.org/events if you want the Zoom link to attend remotely.

Lowell Hispanic Festival 2024
2024-09-28 13:00 - 21:00 | Latinx Community Center of Empowerment, French Street, Lowell, Massachusetts, 01852, United States
The Lowell Hispanic Festival, organized by the Latinx Community Center of Empowerment (LCCE), is a vibrant and culturally rich event that takes place annually in Lowell, Massachusetts. This festival is a celebration of the diverse and dynamic Latinx community in the region, showcasing the heritage, traditions, and contributions of Hispanic and Latinx cultures. The event attracts thousands of attendees from Lowell and beyond, creating a lively atmosphere filled with music, dance, art, and food.

El Encuentro Latino Film Festival
2024-10-04 - 2024-10-05 | Nancy L. Donahue Theatre in Liberty Hall, 50 EAST MERRIMACK STREET, Lowell, MA, 01852, United States
El Encuentro Film Festival, presented by UNITAS, invites you to celebrate the vibrant world of Latino storytelling through film during Hispanic Heritage Month.
Join us on Friday, October 4th & Saturday, October 5th, 2024, at the Richard and Nancy Donahue Theater at Middlesex Community College in downtown Lowell, MA. This in-person festival is a dynamic showcase of both emerging and established Latino voices, blending creativity with culture.
With its deep roots in Latino independent film, El Encuentro is more than just a festival—it’s a celebration of artistic expression and cultural exchange. Attendees can look forward to exclusive film premieres, insightful conversations with filmmakers, and live performances that highlight the richness of Latino culture.
Tickets are available for $15 for the general public and $10 for students, and can be purchased via Eventbrite or at the door. Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of a cultural experience that bridges communities and amplifies Latino voices.

LIVING IN AMERICA AND TENTH ANNUAL POETRY CONVERGENCE | October 2 - 27, 2024 | Loading Dock Gallery
2024-10-05 15:00 - 17:00 | Loading Dock Gallery, 122 Western Avenue, Lowell, MA, United States
October is always a special month in the Loading Dock Gallery show schedule. This year LDG presents Living in America, a New England Regional juried show. Juried by Patrick McCay, a professor at the Institute of Art and Design at New England College, the selected artists use this time of change and pre-election discussion to reflect on their personal stories and what our great experiment means to them and answer the question, “What does Living in America mean to you?” Using their varied mediums and unique perspectives, their responses are on display for all to experience.
Whether born and raised in America or a recent immigrant, artists tell their stories with impressions of their personal experiences, images of hometowns, vacations, family, home, work, traditions with a focus on what it means to live in America: freedom, justice, community, equality, opportunity, and patriotism. They may even examine some of its darker aspects.
Following our Artist Reception for Living in America, local poets will create, and present poems inspired by works in the Gallery Show.
The annual Loading Dock Gallery show, Living in America, will be on display October 2 through October 27, 2024 at Loading Dock Gallery, 122 Western Avenue, Lowell, MA, Noon-5:30 pm, Wednesday-Saturday, until 4pm Sunday. Reception 3-5pm, Saturday, October 5, 2024. More at www.theloadingdockgallery.com.
Loading Dock Gallery is part of Loading Dock Arts, Inc., a 501c3.

Eco-Friendly Wreath Making Workshop
2024-10-06 08:00 - 17:00, 2024-10-06 13:00 - 15:00 | Thirftdit, Central Street, Lowell, MA, 01852, United States
Welcome to the Fall Pop-Up Wreath Making Workshop!
Come join us at Thriftdit, a small community thrift store located in the heart of downtown Lowell, on Sunday Oct 6th 2024 at 1:00 – 3:00 PM for a fun and creative event to slow down and discover the joy of crafting. We provide you with a variety of upcycled eco-friendly materials and guide you through the simple process of creating your own wreath to take home.
Fun for all! Create your custom wreath in this 2-hour workshop. No experience necessary! Recommended for ages 12+. We’ll provide everything you need, including a 14″ metal wreath frame and a variety of fabrics in various colors and patterns. Perfect for parent-teen duos, seniors, and college students. This is a special pricing event.
Workshop Duration: 2 hrs
Beginner Friendly
Recommended age: 12+
All materials and tools to create your custom wreath
We provide a 14″ metal wreath frame and variety of fabrics including denim, plaids, flannel, cotton, super soft blends, patterns and solids in many colors
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn a new skill and contribute to a greener planet and decorate for fall with a unique customized wreath! Seats are limited so snag your spot!
Parking: Street parking or paid garage nearby. On street metered parking and paid garage is available. We recommend the parking garage 1 block away.
Edward J. Early Jr Parking Facility
Parking Garage Address: 135 Middlesex St., Lowell, MA 01852
Please note: Restroom is located on the 2nd floor with no elevator access in the venue.
To guarantee the success of our event, we need a minimum of 4 attendees. If this is not fulfilled, we may be forced to cancel and offer refunds.
Refund Policy
Refunds up to 3 days before the event. Eventbrite’s fee is nonrefundable.

Use Poetry: A Lowell Celebrates Kerouac reading and discussion.
2024-10-11 18:00 - 19:30 | The Overlook
Poets Tanya Grae, Ariella Ruth, and Linda Bratcher Wlodyka will read their work and join poet and UMASS Lowell Associate Professor Maggie Dietz for a discussion of Jack Kerouac’s influence and legacy as a poet.
A $20.00 cover charge is requested to support Lowell Celebrates Kerouac. Day passes for $30 are also available,

Monsterbash at NARA
2024-10-18 18:00 - 20:00 | NARA Park, Nara Park, 25 Ledge Rock Way, Acton, MA, 01720, United States
Blacklight DJ Dance Party.
Costumes encouraged.
Bring your own flashlight and candy bag.
Geared to elementary aged children
$5 for all persons in attendance over age 2

Sounds of Labor in Lowell: Agriculture and Early Industry
2024-10-19 14:00 - 16:00 | Lowell National Historical Park Visitor Center, Lowell National Historical Park Visitor Center, 246 Market St, Lowell, MA, United States
What does the history of work in Lowell sound like, and how can you tell that story through music? Come be part of the musical composition process in the first of a series of workshops on the soundscape of Lowell through its many eras! Join contemporary composers working on new pieces specifically for Lowell National Historical Park as they explore the labor of the Agriculture and Early Industry eras. Attend a ranger-led talk, attempt hands-on activities, and have a chance to discuss the compositions in progress. No musical knowledge necessary!
Participants can plan to meet at the Lowell National Historical Park Visitor Center (246 Market Street). A guided tour will walk to the Boott Cotton Mills Museum (115 John Street) and attendees can expect about half a mile of walking.
Lowell National Historical Park visitors may park at the Hamilton Canal Innovation District parking garage at 350 Dutton St., Lowell. Parking in this garage (only) is available to National Park visitors at no cost provided they obtain a valid parking voucher at either the Lowell National Historical Park Visitor Center at 246 Market Street, or at the Boott Cotton Mills Museum at 115 John Street.
This program is made possible through a grant from the National Park Foundation through generous support from the Mellon Foundation, and with our programming partner, Mosaic Lowell. For more information on this project, please visit: https://www.nps.gov/lowe/getinvolved/supportyourpark/the-measure-of-work-sounds-of-labor-in-lowell-project.htm

Crystal Singing Bowl Workshop
2024-10-20 11:00 - 12:30 | Good Pickin’ Farm, Gould Road, Westford, Massachusetts, 01886, United States
Sign up on our website for this calming workshop and explore the healing nature of sounds!
This interactive 90-minute workshop explores the healing nature of sound through Alchemy Crystal Singing Bowls, Crystal Pyramids, and harmonious chimes. Learn about sound and vibration, discover how they can help balance and calm your body, and even try your hand at playing the bowls yourself. Afterward, you will settle into a comfortable position to enjoy a 30-minute meditative sound bath.
This workshop is outside under the covered pavilion, so dress appropriately. Please bring a yoga mat, pad, or blanket.
Ages 6+ are welcome to attend!
Individuals: $45
Families: $120

Paint Night at Owen & Ollies
2024-10-23 19:00 - 21:00 | Owen And Ollie’s, 91 Mill Street, Dracut, MA, United States
Goodbye to summer – Hello to fall! Decoupage Pumpkins and shells. A guided class and all supplies are included. To reserve call 772-302-6926. Must be 12 years and older.
