Revolutionary Valley Regional Tourism Council

1774 and All That: Reflections on a Long Year of Revolution
2024-09-19 19:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | 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 | 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!

Chelmsford Market on the Common
2024-09-21 11:00 - 14:00, 2024-09-28 11:00 - 14:00 | Chelmsford Common, North Road, Chelmsford, Massachusetts, 01824, United States
Farmers and artisans market of local vendors offering fresh local food, handmade crafts, and more. Each week during the season brings a different assortment of vendors so check the social media pages for more specific details!

Live Music and Food Truck at The Groton Inn | Forge & Vine
2024-09-21 12:00 - 15:00 | Forge & Vine, Forge & Vine, 128R Main St, Groton, MA, 01450, United States
Join us at The Groton Inn | Forge & Vine for great live music by the talented Acoustic Tandem, delicious selections from the F&V Food Truck, refreshing beverages, and stunning views of beautiful Gibbet Hill. It’s the perfect way to spend a September Saturday.
Free to attend, no reservations required, food & beverages available for purchase. Family friendly and fun for all!

Hands-On History: Button Spinners
2024-09-21 13:00 - 16:00 | Buckman Tavern, 1 Bedford St, Lexington, MA, 02420, United States
18th century kids had toys too, but most were simple and homemade, using household items as materials. Button spinners were popular and fun to play with. Make one of your own to take home!
Included with museum admission – drop in any time between 1:00 – 4:00 PM to participate!

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.

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

Sunday Brunch at The Westford Regency
2024-09-22 10:00 - 14:00, 2024-09-29 10:00 - 14:00 | Westford Regency Inn and Conference Center, Westford Regency Inn and Conference Center, 219 Littleton Rd, Westford, MA, 01886, United States
Our famous brunch is back and better than ever featuring an array of chef prepared specialties sure to satisfy any palette! Some featured cuisine includes:
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Cooked-to-Order Omelets and Belgian Waffles
Fresh Tropical Fruits
Chef Prepared Pastries
Seafood and Chicken Entrees/ Chef’s Selection
Cheese Raviolis
Delicious Selection of Side Dishes including Fresh Salads and Locally Grown Vegetables and Chef’s Choice of Starch
Impressive Dessert Selection
Specialty Mimosas and Brunch Cocktails (21+) (not included in price)
$25.95
This impressive assortment of items will comfortably satisfy your appetite and then some! Brunch is hosted every Sunday in our exquisite main foyer, Clark’s Restaurant and Stony Brook Café. Private Rooms are available for larger parties and reservations are required. Book online at www.westfordregency.com

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.

Celebrate Take a Child Outside Week! Outdoor Scientists at Discovery Museum
2024-09-26 10:00 - 12:00 | Discovery Museum, Discovery Museum, 177 Main St, Acton, MA, 01720, United States
Get a new perspective on Discovery Woods by exploring with a variety of science tools. Measure, observe, compare, and contrast as we collect some data and look closely at what we find.
Inclement weather may result in changes to the program or cancellation.

Beer Garden Pop-up at Wilson Farm
2024-09-26 17:00 - 20:00 | Wilson Farm, Lexington MA, Pleasant Street, Lexington, Massachusetts, 02421, United States
Beer Garden Pop-up at Wilson Farm
September 26th, 5-8pm
Join us for a beer and cider sampling event with Notch Brewing, Castle Island Beer, and Far from the Tree Cider. The setting? Our scenic farm fields!
Tickets include beer and cider sampling plus delicious beer garden fare including sausages, charcuterie delicacies with cheeses and cured meat, sides prepared by our own, Master Chef Raymond Ost, a soft Bavarian pretzel bar, and our own cider donuts. We’ll have live music and games for all to enjoy throughout the night.
MUST be 21+ to attend this event, IDs will be checked at the door. Please note: this event takes place down a flight of stairs in our fields but we offer accessible parking as needed.
If a guest cancels on or before September 20th, refunds will be given in the form of store credit only. Cancellations after September 20th will not be refunded.

Farm to Vine: Hispanic Heritage Dinner Featuring Lapostolle Winery and Lexington Community Farm
2024-09-26 18:00 - 21:00 | The Inn at Hastings Park, 2027 Massachusetts Ave, Lexington, MA, 02421, United States
The Inn at Hastings Park Executive Chef Alissa Tsukakoshi (whose previous experience includes stints at Lumière, L’Espalier and Nantucket’s American Seasons) and her team inspired by all the beautiful flavors of Latin America and in homage to Hispanic Heritage Month present a five-course Farm to Vine dinner. Showcasing Relais & Chateaux’s commitment to sustainability, Chef Alissa is partnering with Lexington Community Farm and pairing each course with the elegant portfolio of Chilean Lapostolle wines. A portion of the proceeds of this event will be donated to Lexington Community Farm Coalition, a grassroots organization founded by neighbors to sustain the 7.9-acre non-profit local area Busa Farm. Begins at 6 pm. This dinner is for adults only, 21+. $180/person, plus tax & gratuity.

Lafayette Redux: Exploring the Man and the Mania
2024-09-26 19:00 - 20:30 | The Depot
How does it happen that Americans are still staging rituals of adulation for Lafayette, cheering him on Broadway, 190 years after his death? It’s entirely fitting, as it turns out, because if anyone is suitable for immortality, it’s the Marquis. Come explore why the man may well have been even greater than his myth, with one of the nation’s leading Lafayette aficionados, Alan Hoffman. He’ll talk us through Lafayette’s triumphs and setbacks, his astonishing accomplishments, and the lessons his life holds for each one of us and for our society.
Doors open at 6:30 for refreshments.
$10 members, $15 nonmembers

4th Annual Sing-Off at Wamesit Lanes
2024-09-27 20:00 - 23:00 | Wamesit Lanes, Wamesit Lanes, 434 Main St, Tewksbury, MA, 01876, United States
Who will be crowned the karaoke star of the year?
We’re gathering the year’s best karaoke performers for the ultimate showdown to determine the best of the best. Join us in the Firewater Tavern on Friday, September 27th at 8PM as we’ll welcome Jessica from 101.7 The Bull and other celebrity judges to help pick our winner.
Do you consider yourself the best karaoke singer? You can submit an audition tape to take part in the show. The winner gets $200 cash!

Public Lands Day Clean Up 2024
2024-09-28 09:00 - 12:00 | Concord River Greenway (Davidson St.), 51 Davidson Street, Lowell, MA, 01852, United States
Join Lowell National Historical Park for the annual Public Lands Day Clean-up! Volunteer to clean up along trails and riverbanks and help clear invasive plants and brush. Supplies including gloves are provided – we request that you please wear appropriate closed-toe shoes and clothes you don’t mind getting a little dirty.
Volunteers can plan to meet at the Concord River Green Way (Parking is at the Davidson St. open lot, across the street from Lowell Memorial Auditorium off East Merrimack St.)
The National Park Service will be partnering with Lowell Parks and Conservation Trust, Lowell Canalwaters Cleaners, and Lowell Litter Krewe to clean along the Concord River Greenway in honor of Public Lands Day.
“National Public Lands Day is more than a clean-up—it’s a chance to connect with new communities, an event that creates kinship among those working together for a common goal, and an opportunity to use America’s public lands for education, recreation, and overall physical and mental health. The theme for this year’s celebration is National Public Lands Day: Together for Tomorrow. Let’s join forces for a common goal, stewarding America’s natural resources for future generations to enjoy. Be a part of this impactful day and help make a difference in our public lands!” -NPS

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.

Free Community Health Fair
2024-09-28 10:00 - 15:00 | Public Health Museum, East Street, Tewksbury, MA, 01876, United States
Celebrate the Public Health Museum’s 30th Anniversary with a weekend of activities. On Saturday, September 28th, visit the museum at 365 East Street, Tewksbury, MA from 10AM-3PM for free health screenings, flu shots, mini-talks about Rabies, HIV/AIDS, Art as Healing, and more. The museum will be open for tours and we’ll have groups such as MSNO, MHOA, MEHA, UMass Lowell, Billerica Tewksbury Animal Control, and the Merrimack Valley Reserve Corps.
Visit our website for more information at publichealthmuseum.org

National Alpaca Farm Days
2024-09-28 10:00 - 2024-09-29 17:00 | Harvard Alpaca Ranch, 58 Old Mill Road, Harvard, MA, 01451, United States
Join us in celebrating our eighth anniversary at National Alpaca Farm Days. In addition to hosting tours of the farm all day on Saturday and Sunday, we are very excited to once again welcome The Fat Rooster food truck to the farm. We will have live music and a mini farmers market on Saturday and fiber art demonstrations on both days. We will be welcoming Lost Shoe Brewery on Sunday for a beer garden at the Ranch. We will also have kids activities, special sales, and giveaways all weekend. Come out and help us celebrate our wonderful herd of 34 alpacas!! Please book ahead if you want to take a tour (https://harvard-alpaca-ranch.square.site/s/appointments) . Otherwise, just drop in! No charge to enter but donations are encouraged! THIS IS A RAIN OR SHINE EVENT – We will have tents and various building to take cover in, as needed.

18th Century Market Day
2024-09-28 11:00 - 16:00 | Lawn of the Lexington Visitors Center, 1875 Mass Ave, Lexington, MA, 02420, United States
What was life actually like in Lexington at the time of the American Revolution – who lived here, what did they do, and did anyone actually have time for fun? Stop by the Visitors Center and meet a variety of reenactors showcasing different trades and perspectives of the time, as well as some favorite historic toys and games for all ages!
This event coincides with Lexington PorchFest, so be sure not to miss performances by our own Lexington Historical Society Singers and Dancers, performing 18th century music and dance!
FREE

Chelmsford Fall Festival
2024-09-28 11:00 - 16:00 | Chelmsford Town Common
The Chelmsford Board of Health presents the Fall Festival on Saturday, September 28, from 11:00 AM- 4:00 PM on the Town Common. Enjoy a fun autumn day and meet a princess or a superhero from Party Palace! Or visit the petting zoo and touch a truck! The event will provide you with music, food, drinks, ice cream and many event vendors!

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.

Discovery Gala 2024 at Discovery Museum
2024-09-28 18:00 - 22:00 | Discovery Museum, Discovery Museum, 177 Main St, Acton, MA, 01720, United States
Discovery Museum is the proud recipient of a 2024 IMLS National Medal—the nation’s highest honor for museums. This is in no small part due to you, our supporters.
Let’s celebrate together at Discovery Gala 2024!
One great night to celebrate and make a difference for kids and families!
Ticket prices start at $125.

Sunday Stroll Walking Tour: Hancock Street Architecture
2024-09-29 11:00 - 12:00 | Buckman Tavern, 1 Bedford St, Lexington, MA, 02420, United States
When the Battle of Lexington was fought in 1775, Hancock Street was a country lane with just two houses. The next 150 years saw many houses built with various architectural styles. Come take a stroll and learn about the Georgian, Federal, Greek Revival, Italianate, and Gothic Revival homes that populate the street today.
Leaves from Buckman Tavern rain or shine, total walking distance about one mile.
$10 members, $15 nonmembers

Pay and Play Like It's 1982 at Discovery Museum!
2024-10-01 09:00 - 2024-10-06 16:30 | Discovery Museum, Discovery Museum, 177 Main St, Acton, MA, 01720, United States
Pay just $2.50 admission per person, the admission price when Discovery Museum opened in 1982! Thank you for more than four decades of support from our community!
Existing programs that offer deeper discounts—including $1 admission for EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare Card to Culture card holders, and free admission for active-duty military families, teachers, and children under 1—will continue to be honored. Library passes and other coupons cannot be applied.
Visitors who pay the discounted admission price and would like to purchase a membership can apply what would have been the full cost of their admission toward the price of a membership within two weeks of their visit. Standard admission prices are $17.00 for adults and children ages 1 and up; $16.00 for seniors 60+.
