Winter Lights at The Loading Dock Gallery
2026-01-24 08:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Loading Dock Gallery, 122 Western Avenue, Lowell, MA, United States
December is a festive time at The Loading Dock Gallery and we invite you to partake in the celebration of the seasons. Winter Lights has become an annual tradition of holiday shoppers as a source of unique, handcrafted, giftable art and holiday decorations presented by more than 30 local artists. Shop Local and Shop Small and find that unique and extraordinary gift that will make this holiday memorable.

Live Greek & Middle Eastern Music and Bellydancing
2026-01-24 20:00 - 23:00, 2026-01-31 20:00 - 23:00, 2026-02-07 20:00 - 23:00, 2026-02-14 20:00 - 23:00, 2026-02-21 20:00 - 23:00, 2026-02-28 20:00 - 23:00, 2026-03-07 20:00 - 23:00, 2026-03-14 20:00 - 23:00 and 1 more date | Athenian Corner Restaurant, 207 Market Street, Lowell, 01852, United States
Live music and dancing featuring the Athenian Corner Ensemble

Join or Die...a film
2026-01-31 13:00 - 14:30 | Scottish Rite Museum, 33 Marrett Road, Lexington, MA, 02420, United States
Join us at the museum at 1:00 pm for a screening of the 2024 documentary, Join or Die. In this Emmy-nominated film, follow the half-century story of America’s civic unraveling through the journey of legendary social scientist–and former Lexington resident–Robert Putnam. Putnam’s groundbreaking book Bowling Alone and his research into America’s decades-long decline in community connections could hold the answers to our democracy’s present crisis.
Flanked by influential fans and scholars, as well as inspiring groups building community in neighborhoods across the country, join Bob as he explores three urgent civic questions: What makes democracy work? Why is American democracy in crisis? And, most importantly… What can we do about it? Learn more about the documentary here and join us in January!

February Open Studios
2026-02-07 12:00 - 17:00 | Western Avenue | Studios & Lofts, Western Avenue | Studios & Lofts, 122 Western Ave, Lowell, MA, United States
Shake off the winter blues and join us on Saturday, February 7th for Open Studios at Western Avenue Studios & Lofts. This is your invitation to step inside a thriving creative community where artists open their doors and share the work they love.
With 5 floors to explore, guests are encouraged to wander at their own pace, meet artists in their studios, see works in progress, discover finished pieces, and shop truly one-of-a-kind handmade art. From painting and photography to fiber, mixed media, and beyond, there is something to spark curiosity around every corner.
Open Studios is an easy, welcoming way to spend a winter afternoon, whether you are a longtime supporter of the arts or discovering Western Avenue for the first time.
Saturday, February 7th | 12–5 PM
Western Avenue Studios & Lofts
122 & 160 Western Avenue, Lowell, MA
This event is free and open to all. Friendly, leashed pets are welcome.

HEARTS AND FLOWERS | February 4 – March 1, 2026| Loading Dock Gallery
2026-02-07 15:00 - 17:00 | Loading Dock Gallery, 122 Western Avenue, Lowell, MA, United States
This February, The Loading Dock Gallery invites the community to celebrate creativity, beauty, and connection with Hearts and Flowers, a vibrant mixed-media exhibition featuring work by Loading Dock Gallery artists and additional Western Avenue artists.
Filled with color, emotion, and the warmth of artistic expression, Hearts and Flowers showcases a juried collection of paintings, textiles, photographs, sculpture, and handcrafted art. Whether inspired by love, nature, or the quiet joy of winter, each piece offers a unique interpretation of the themes at the heart of the exhibition.
Visitors are invited to explore three rooms of artwork that highlight the depth and diversity of our local creative community. This show offers the perfect opportunity to support local artists while discovering meaningful gifts—just in time for Valentine’s Day.
Hearts and Flowers will be open weekdays 12–5:30 PM and weekends 10 AM–3:30 PM, February 4 through March 1. Join us for the opening reception on Saturday, February 7, from 3–5 PM, coinciding with Western Avenue Studios’ Open Studios.
Loading Dock Gallery is part of Loading Dock Arts, Inc., a 501(c)(3). For more information, visit www.theloadingdockgallery.com.

Lowell’s Citywide “Kids Week” (Feb 14–22, 2026)
2026-02-14 - 2026-02-22 | Greater Merrimack Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau, Greater Merrimack Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau, 115 Merrimack St, Lowell, MA, 01852, United States
Lowell Kids Week is a citywide free celebration with dozens of family-friendly activities hosted by area partners — museums, community groups, libraries, outdoor art, and more.
📌 Example Events (subject to confirmation as final schedule posts):
Hands-On STEM & History (Tsongas Industrial History Center) — STEM activities + historical exploration, part of the Kids Week lineup.
Art in the Park / Creativity Days — Artmaking stations at Boott Cotton Mills and other partners.
Valentine’s / Crafts & Story Time — Story time and themed activities for littles.
Garden-Themed Activities (Mill City Grows, Feb 17) — snacks + garden play with a fun twist.
📌 Calendar runs Feb 14 through Feb 22 with many free drop-in events across downtown Lowell, neighborhood cultural sites, and parks.

Historic tour & kids scavenger hunt
2026-02-17 10:30 - 11:30, 2026-02-17 12:30 - 13:30, 2026-02-19 10:30 - 11:30, 2026-02-19 12:30 - 13:30, 2026-02-21 11:30 - 12:30, 2026-02-24 10:30 - 11:30, 2026-02-24 12:30 - 13:30, 2026-02-26 10:30 - 11:30 and 1 more date | Public Health Museum, East Street, Tewksbury, MA, 01876, United States
The Public Health Museum is a non-profit educational and cultural museum. The Museum strives to preserve records and artifacts from our nation’s public health history; educate the public about the achievements and contributions of public health, and inspire people to build upon the past and continue to advance the future of public health.

The Barzillai Lew Project: A Concert of Modern Revolutionary Music
2026-02-20 19:30 - 22:00 | Revolutionary Valley Regional Tourism Council, 240 Central Street, lowell, MA, 01852, United States
This February, history and music come together in The Barzillai Lew Project: A Concert of Modern Revolutionary Music, a powerful evening honoring one of the region’s most remarkable — and often overlooked — Revolutionary-era figures.
Presented by the Karayorgis Ensemble, the concert reimagines the legacy of Barzillai Lew (1743–1822) through modern jazz and improvised music, connecting Revolutionary history to 20th-century musical innovators and beyond.
Who Was Barzillai Lew?
Barzillai Lew was a free Black man born in Groton, Massachusetts, who became a celebrated fifer and drummer during the American Revolutionary War. He enlisted in May 1775 with Captain John Ford’s Company of the 27th Regiment out of Chelmsford and fought at the Battle of Bunker Hill alongside roughly three dozen other soldiers of African descent.
Lew spent much of his life in what is now the Greater Lowell area, including Pepperell, Chelmsford, and Dracut. After the war, he purchased farmland in Dracut (now part of Lowell), raised a family of 13 children, and became a respected member of the community. He is buried at the Clay Pit Cemetery in Lowell, just off Pawtucket Boulevard.
As a musician of exceptional talent, Lew is considered one of the earliest documented Black American musicians in U.S. military history.

Poetry Corner featuring North Andover Poet Laureate Christa Lamb
2026-02-21 12:00 - 13:00 | The Purple Couch Bookshop, 350 Winthrop Ave unit 9b, North Andover, 01845, United States
Poetry Corner is back, featuring the return of our newest North Andover Poet Laureate Christa Lamb.
Christa April Lamb is a Massachusetts-based poet and writer whose work moves from close, intimate observation into embodied protest and participatory poems that invite shared responsibility. Shaped by neurodivergent perception, her poetry examines how language behaves under pressure — in the body, in relationships, and in the world. Her recent work engages directly with the present moment, including poems about democracy, voice, and interruption, alongside deeply personal poems about love, loss, and orientation. Christa is currently working on a memoir about growing up undiagnosed autistic and finding language for a life finally understood. She also serves as Director of Media & Communications for Revolutionary Valley, where she shapes stories rooted in place and history through language, design, and visual media.

A Journey to Find an Ancestor and Honor His Faith in Diversity
2026-02-22 14:00 - 15:30 | Bedford Old Town Hall, Great Room (3rd floor), 16 South Road, Bedford, 01730, United States
While researching her Revolutionary War ancestor, General John Glover, Jane Woolsey Gropp of Lexington learned about the Marbleheaders, a group of fishermen and sailors from the coastal town of Marblehead who played a crucial role in several key military operations during the war. They were a diverse group, including free African Americans and Native Americans, and were the first integrated institution in America.
Gropp’s intention to have a painting depict General Glover, who commanded the Marbleheaders, led instead to a painting honoring both her ancestor, a somewhat forgotten hero, and the Black Patriots, who were mostly unknown heroes of the American Revolution.
In recognition of Black History Month, Gropp will describe her journey that led her to commission the painting called An Appeal to Heaven, the interrelationships among the people in the painting (Washington, one of his enslaved men, others), and the Black Patriots who fought and secured a freedom that was not yet theirs.
Doors open at 2 PM for a social period and refreshments
2:15 PM – Brief Society announcements followed by the Guest Speaker

Lowell Winterfest 2026
2026-02-28 | City of Lowell, Lowell, Massachusetts, United States
Bundle up and head to downtown Lowell for Winterfest, a family-friendly celebration of winter fun in the city. Enjoy outdoor activities, live entertainment, seasonal treats, and hands-on experiences for kids and all ages. From festive energy to local flavor, Winterfest is a great way to get outside, explore downtown, and make the most of winter in Revolutionary Valley.
Good to know: Many activities are free or low-cost, and events take place throughout downtown Lowell.

Lexington Lantern Festival Celebration
2026-03-01 15:00 - 18:00 | MA
The Lantern Festival marks the end of the 2-week Lunar New Year celebration, symbolizing unity, light, and hope. The festivities will begin with pre-show lantern-making and refreshments at 3:00 PM, followed by performances and interactive activities starting at 4:00 PM. The celebration will culminate in a magical outdoor lantern parade at 5:30 PM. Free DIY Lantern-Making Kits will be available at the event from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM.
Starting February 16 through February 28, free wish ribbons will be available for the public to create at Cary Memorial Library and Lexington Community Center during its open hours, as well as at NLCC’s office (114 Waltham Street, #12, Lexington, MA) every Saturday from 2:30 PM to 4:00 PM leading up to the event.
All are invited to join this family-friendly event, which promises an unforgettable experience of culture, creativity, and community spirit.

FLICKERING FUTURES | March 4 – March 29, 2026| Reception on Saturday March 7, 3 - 5 pm| Loading Dock Gallery
2026-03-07 15:00 - 17:00 | Loading Dock Gallery, 122 Western Avenue, Lowell, MA, United States
Show: Flickering Futures – 9th Annual Greater Lowell Regional Art Show
Show dates: March 4 – March 29, 2026
Reception: Saturday, March 7, 3–5 PM
Loading Dock Gallery is proud to present *Flickering Futures*, the 9th Annual Greater Lowell Regional Art Show, on view from March 4 through March 29, 2026. This annual exhibition showcases artwork by student artists from high schools across the Greater Lowell region, offering a platform for emerging voices to reflect on the present while imagining what the future may hold.
The title *Flickering Futures* speaks to the ever-changing relationship between young artists and the world around them. Through mixed media works, students explore themes of future, change, difference, uncertainty, and self—sharing personal perspectives shaped by current events, individual experience, and creative curiosity. For many participants, this exhibition marks one of their first opportunities to present work in a professional gallery setting.
Featured students come from Innovation Academy Charter School, Billerica Memorial High School, Chelmsford High School, Dracut High School, Groton-Dunstable High School, Lowell Catholic High School, Lowell High School, Lunenburg High School, Notre Dame Academy and Tyngsborough High School. The artwork has been created within the past year through school art programs or independent practice.
A public reception will be held on Saturday, March 7, 2026. The exhibition is free and open to the public.
Loading Dock Gallery is part of Loading Dock Arts, Inc., a 501(c)(3). For more information, visit www.theloadingdockgallery.com.

Tracy Grammer & Jim Henry Perform Live in Bedford (MA) on March 21!
2026-03-21 19:30 - 21:30 | Bedford Town Hall, 10 Mudge Way, Bedford, 01730, United States
Tracy Grammer is among contemporary folk music’s most beloved artists. Renowned for her pure voice, deft guitar, violin and storytelling, Grammer has recorded and performed with Joan Baez and Mary Chapin Carpenter, headlined Philadelphia Folk Festival and Falcon Ridge, and enjoyed 12 consecutive years as one of folk radio’s 50 top-played artists, both solo and with the late Dave Carter. “
One of the finest singers and musicians anywhere in folkdom.” – Boston Globe
“A brilliant artist” – Joan Baez
As a sideman, on a variety of electric or acoustic guitars, or on mandolin or dobro, Jim Henry is a master of adding whatever is needed at any musical moment. Whether as a solo artist or leading a band, Jim delivers his finely crafted original songs with a smooth, rich baritone voice and engaging storytelling and humor. He has produced, recorded, played and traveled the world with Tracy Grammer, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Paula Cole, Shawn Colvin, Alison Krauss, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Los Lobos, Asleep at the Wheel, Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings and many more. The sheer versatility of this skillful musician can be hard to fully appreciate…until you hear him play.
