Revolutionary Valley Regional Tourism Council

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 (America/New_York) | 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.

Live Greek & Middle Eastern Music and Bellydancing
2026-03-07 20:00 - 23:00, 2026-03-14 20:00 - 23:00, 2026-03-21 20:00 - 23:00, 2026-03-28 20:00 - 23:00, 2026-04-04 20:00 - 23:00, 2026-04-11 20:00 - 23:00, 2026-04-18 20:00 - 23:00, 2026-04-25 20:00 - 23:00 and 9 more dates | Athenian Corner Restaurant, 207 Market Street, Lowell, 01852, United States
Live music and dancing featuring the Athenian Corner Ensemble

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.

Great Day to Be a Warrior | April 1-24, 2026| Reception on Saturday April 4, 3 - 5 pm| Loading Dock Gallery
2026-04-04 15:00 - 17:00 | Loading Dock Gallery, 122 Western Avenue, Lowell, MA, United States
The Loading Dock Gallery presents Great Day to Be a Warrior, an exhibition showcasing work by Merrimack College CADA students and alumni, curated by Allyson Lewis and Jonathan Latiano. Building on the success of Western Ave: Artists at Work, this themeless exhibition centers the artists themselves—highlighting ambition, experimentation, and creative range across disciplines.
Featuring work in 2D, 3D, drawing, and digital media, the exhibition celebrates the dynamic, thoughtful, and emotionally resonant voices emerging from Merrimack College’s visual and performing arts community. While diverse in approach, each piece shares a common foundation: a commitment to risk-taking, process, and artistic growth.
Great Day to Be a Warrior is a celebration of creativity, collaboration, and the strength of a shared artistic community.
Great Day to Be a Warrior will be open Wednesdays-Fridays 12–5:30 PM and weekends 10 AM–3:30 PM, April1 through April 24. Join us for the opening reception on Saturday, April 4, 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.

Hands-On History: Weaving and Lowell's Many Cultures
2026-04-11 13:00 - 16:00 | Lowell National Historical Park – Boott Cotton Mills Museum, 3rd Floor, 115 John Street, Lowell, 01852, United States
“Hands-On History at the Tsongas Industrial History Center”
Saturday, April 11th and Saturday, July 11th from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. (Drop in!)
Experience history by doing!
Lowell National Historical Park and the Tsongas Industrial History Center are excited to welcome you for “Hands-On History” — part of the City of Lowell’s Bicentennial celebrations and the Tsongas Industrial History Center’s 35th anniversary!
“Hands-On History” takes place the 2nd Saturday of each month through October.
3rd Floor, Boott Cotton Mills Museum (115 John St., Lowell, MA)
This month’s activities include:
Weaving on a hand loom and explore cultural objects from a some of the many different cultural groups that call Lowell home.
These free, drop-in workshops are appropriate for all ages.
Explore our educational workshop spaces at the Boott Cotton Mills Museum and discover how the Industrial Revolution shaped life then and now. Whether you’re a returning visitor or brand new to history, there’s something hands-on for everyone.
Questions: Call 978-970-5080 or email: TIHC@uml.edu

A Bedford Assortment
2026-04-26 14:00 - 15:30 | Bedford Historical Society, 16 South Road, Bedford, 01730, United States
Vocabulary.com describes an “assortment” as “a bunch of different things all together, whether they’re the same sort or not.”
“For example,” says Society President and Bedford Town Historian Sharon McDonald, “an assortment of chocolates would be a box of cherry-filled, nut, caramel, coconut, and orange crème candies.
Using her engaging story-telling style, McDonald’s “Bedford Assortment” program will be a bunch of assorted snippets from Bedford’s colonial history that may be funny, sad, surprising, or inspiring. She hopes you will say “Bon, bon!”
Doors open at 2 PM for a social period and refreshments
2:15 PM – Brief Society announcements followed by the Guest Speaker

FULL BLOOM 8| April 29 – May 31, 2026| Reception on Saturday May 2, 3 - 5 pm| Loading Dock Gallery
2026-05-02 15:00 - 17:00 | Loading Dock Gallery, 122 Western Avenue, Lowell, MA, United States
Loading Dock Gallery
122 Western Avenue
Lowell, MA 01851
Show: Full Bloom 8
Show dates: April 29 – May 31, 2026
Reception: Saturday, May 2, 3 – 5 PM
Flowers hold a quiet mystery. They are fleeting, luminous, and generous—reminding us of what is briefly beautiful in our lives. Their glow feels like an invitation.
Loading Dock Gallery welcomes the warmth of summer with Full Bloom 8, a vibrant celebration of flowers, birds, insects, gardens, and the wonder found in small, radiant moments. Featuring work by Loading Dock Gallery members, this exhibition captures the color, energy, and renewal that define the season.
As daylight lingers and blossoms unfold, artists turn their attention to nature’s cycles of growth and transformation. The works in Full Bloom 8 evoke memory, hope, and the simple joy gardens bring. Though nature’s beauty exists to lure pollinators, it also calls to us—drawing us closer, inviting reflection.
Join us for a show alive with color and light.
Full Bloom 8 will be open Wednesdays-Fridays 12–5:30 PM and weekends 10 AM–3:30 PM, April 29 through May 31. Join us for the opening reception on Saturday, May 2, 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.

Hands-On History: Weaving & Water Power
2026-05-09 13:00 - 16:00 | Lowell National Historical Park – Boott Cotton Mills Museum, 3rd Floor, 115 John Street, Lowell, 01852, United States
Saturday, May 9th and Saturday, October 10th from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. (Drop in!)
Experience history by doing!
Lowell National Historical Park and the Tsongas Industrial History Center are excited to welcome you for “Hands-On History” — part of the City of Lowell’s Bicentennial celebrations, Doors Open Lowell and the Tsongas Industrial History Center’s 35th anniversary!
“Hands-On History” takes place the 2nd Saturday of each month through October.
3rd Floor, Boott Cotton Mills Museum (115 John St., Lowell, MA)
This month’s activities include:
Weaving on a hand loom, test different types of water wheels, and build your own model
canal system to discover the innovative system that powered Lowell’s mills.
These free, drop-in workshops are appropriate for all ages.
Explore our educational workshop spaces at the Boott Cotton Mills Museum and discover how the Industrial Revolution shaped life then and now. Whether you’re a returning visitor or brand new to history, there’s something hands-on for everyone.
Questions: Call 978-970-5080 or email: TIHC@uml.edu

Rachel Sumner & Traveling Light at Bedford Town Hall
2026-05-16 19:30 - 22:00 | Bedford Town Hall, 10 Mudge Way, Bedford, 01730, United States
On May 16, New Song welcomes Rachel Sumner & Traveling Light, a Boston-based string band blending folk tradition, feminist storytelling, poetic detail, and just enough grit.
Sumner—formerly of Twisted Pine—has earned wide recognition, including the 2021 John Lennon Songwriting Award (Folk), a Kerrville New Folk Competition win, and five original songs archived at the Library of Congress. As a group, Traveling Light has won the 2023 Thomas Point Beach Bluegrass Festival competition and the 2025 Telluride Bluegrass Band Contest and has been featured four consecutive years by WBUR/NPR as a top Massachusetts entry in the Tiny Desk Contest.

The Truth About Baked Beans: An Edible History of New England
2026-05-31 14:00 - 15:30 | Bedford Historical Society, 16 South Road, Bedford, 01730, United States
Meg Muckenhoupt will bring smiles—and a hunger for popular foods—during her discussion about the history of New England’s food, immigration, tourism, and how ideas about identity have shaped our menus from 1825 to today.
Author of “The Truth about Baked Beans: An Edible History of New England,” Muckenhoupt’s book began with a simple question: When did Bostonians start putting molasses in their baked beans? That question sent her on a lengthy journey through invented histories, selective memories, and changing tastes from colonial New England to the present day.
Her presentation will cap the Society’s Annual Meeting, including elections of Directors and reports from Society officers.
Doors open at 2 PM for a social period and refreshments
2:15 PM – Announcements and Annual Meeting, followed by the Guest Speaker

WE LIVE IN A RAINBOW| June 3 - 25, 2026| Reception on June 6, 3 - 5 pm| Loading Dock Gallery
2026-06-06 15:00 - 17:00 | The Loading Dock Gallery, The Loading Dock Gallery, 122 Western Ave, Lowell, MA, United States
Show: We Live in a Rainbow: A Celebration of Pride Month
Exhibition Dates: June 3 – June 25, 2026
Reception: June 6, 3 – 5 PM
A rainbow is more than a spectrum—it is a symbol of visibility, resilience, and belonging. It holds stories of identity, community, and the ongoing pursuit of equity and joy.
Loading Dock Gallery presents We Live in a Rainbow: A Celebration of Pride Month, an exhibition honoring LGBTQ+ voices, perspectives, and creative expression. Featuring work by Loading Dock Gallery members, WAS members, and invited guests, the show brings together a wide range of artistic approaches unified by the power of color, identity, and lived experience.
Across painting, mixed media, and sculpture, artists explore themes of self-expression, transformation, love, and visibility. Some works engage directly with Pride’s history and symbolism, while others reflect more personal or abstract interpretations of what it means to live fully and authentically. Together, they form a vibrant and layered exhibition—one that celebrates both individuality and collective strength.
We Live in a Rainbow invites viewers to experience color not only as a visual language, but as a cultural and emotional one—rooted in community, courage, and connection.
Join us for a show alive with color, meaning, and pride.
We Live in a Rainbow will be open Wednesdays-Fridays 12–5:30 PM and weekends 10 AM–3:30 PM, June 3 through June 25. Join us for the opening reception on June 6 from 3–5 PM.
Loading Dock Gallery is part of Loading Dock Arts, Inc., a 501(c)(3). For more information, visit www.theloadingdockgallery.com.

Get Creative! Come to Bedford’s Music & Arts Experience 2026
2026-06-13 10:00 - 14:00 | Bedford Town Common -75 Great Road, 75 Great Road, Bedford, MA, 01730, United States
Mark your calendar for Saturday, June 13, and join us for the Music & Arts Experience 2026, where local artistry will meet local music in a celebration of craftmaking and community.
Sponsored by the Bedford (MA) Cultural District Partnership, the Music & Arts Experience 2026 will offer unique opportunities for all ages to experience art and craft making firsthand. There will be interactive workshops and inspiring demos under big tents. There will also be hands-on experiences at vendors’ booths, where shoppers can browse original handmade goods—jewelry, ceramics, baskets, digital art, handbound books, greeting cards, and more. Live music will provide a relaxed ambience, and refreshments and comfortable seating areas will offer comfort and respite.
The Music & Arts Experience 2026 will be held rain or shine on the Bedford Common, 75 Great Rd., Bedford, MA, on Saturday, June 13, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. If you have questions, please e-mail Eric Salerno at esalerno@bedfordma.gov.

Peter Mulvey and Jenna Nicholls Present: Floyd Mercantile
2026-06-20 19:30 - 22:00 | Bedford Town Hall, 10 Mudge Way, Bedford, 01730, United States
In April 2025, Peter Mulvey and Jenna Nicholls, along with guitarist Ross Bellenoit, traveled to Floyd, a small mountain town located in the Blue Ridge Highlands of Southwest Virginia, for five uninterrupted days of recording. What emerged is Floyd Mercantile — a record that feels both intimate and timeless.
The makeshift studio was a decommissioned general store called (you guessed it!) Floyd Mercantile — a weathered wooden building standing across the road from an open pasture where cows wandered and grazed in the gentle early spring. (One cow even volunteered to be on the album cover.) Inside those old walls, the trio recorded the album live — no isolation booths, no heavy overdubbing — just three musicians in a room, listening closely and letting the songs unfold in real time.
The sessions were recorded by Jeff Oehler and filmed in their entirety by partner Sue Bibeau and their associate Skylar Locke. Together, Sue and Jeff comprise Beehive Pro, an audio, visual, and design collective famed for their intimate recordings and thoughtfully considered visuals. They captured not just the sound, but the atmosphere — the wood floors, the daylight through the dusty windows, and the creak of the porch boards could all be considered session players on this album.
The repertoire bridges eras. Mostly comprised of songs Peter and Jenna wrote separately, there are a few gems from the Great American Songbook: “Skylark” (Hoagy Carmichael/Johnny Mercer), “Them There Eyes” (Maceo Pinkard/Doris Tauber/William Tracey), and “I’ll Be Seeing You” (Sammy Fain/Irving Kahal).
The visual and sonic tones of the project reflect the periods these songs evoke — even the newly composed tracks feel in conversation with another time. The goal was not nostalgia, but continuity: to stand inside the lineage of American song and add something honest and present to it.
Floyd Mercantile is not just an album. It’s a document of place. Of three musicians in a room. Of songs — old and new — allowed to breathe in the quiet of a Virginia afternoon.

Rubbish to Runway Sustainable Fashion Show
2026-06-26 18:00 - 2026-06-27 21:30 | Veasey Memorial Park, 201 Washington Street, Groveland, MA, 01834, United States
The Rubbish to Runway Sustainable Fashion Event will take place over two nights, June 26th and 27th, 2026, at Veasey Memorial Park in Groveland.
This inspiring annual event is an intergenerational fashion show featuring garments upcycled or made by local designers from materials that would otherwise be recycled or thrown away. The event is an inclusive, body-positive event that promotes community participation, re-use, resourcefulness, and sustainable practices while supporting a vital, self-funding conservation property.
Our R2R 2026 theme is “World, Reimagined”. This theme embraces rediscovery, interconnectedness, and modern interpretations of traditional dress.
Rubbish to Runway, founded in 2010, is a celebration of innovation, arts, sustainability, and imagination. The amazing garments created for the event show how creativity and resourcefulness can make an impact. Each year, we reach out to various community groups, schools, and non-profit art centers to participate. Recent participants range in age from 5 to 80!
All proceeds from the event benefit Friends of Veasey park, a non-profit in Groveland. The funds raised from Rubbish to Runway 2026 will play a pivotal role in enhancing arts and environmental conservation education and ensuring the sustainability of Veasey Memorial Park.
