Things to Do in Western Mass

Halloween week in Western Mass, five ways: a masquerade reception at Forbes Library's Hosmer Gallery (Wed, Oct 28), pumpkins after dark at Look Park's Allura (select nights through Nov 1), a rare reunion show from Cordelia's Dad — the only band to play with both Doc Watson and Nirvana — in Deerfield (Fri, Oct 30), candle and broom making at Historic Deerfield (Sat, Oct 31), and Identify It Day at Amherst College's Beneski Museum, where experts tell you what that mystery rock really is (Sun, Nov 1).

Details change — check each organizer before you go.

Forbes Library gallery: https://forbeslibrary.org/gallery/
Look Park Allura: https://lookallura.com
Cordelia's Dad: https://www.timeriksenmusic.com/
Historic Deerfield candle making: https://www.historic-deerfield.org/events/historic-trade-demonstration-candle-making-with-garine-arakelian/
Historic Deerfield broom making: https://www.historic-deerfield.org/events/special-demonstration-sweeping-in-broom-making-is-back/
Beneski Museum: https://www.amherst.edu/museums/naturalhistory

More local ideas: https://thingstodoinwesternmass.com
Presented by The Silo Amherst: https://www.thesiloamherst.com

Look up when you’re walking through UMass Amherst and you may spot one of the area’s most remarkable residents: a peregrine falcon.

Mark and Cassidy explore the peregrines that have made the UMass campus part of their territory—and the surprising story behind one of the fastest animals on Earth.

It’s a reminder that some of Western Massachusetts’ best discoveries aren’t necessarily places you set out to visit. Sometimes they're hiding in plain sight—or right above you.

In this episode: UMass Amherst • Peregrine falcons • Amherst • Wildlife • Birding

Planning time in Western Mass? Explore more local discoveries, events and ideas with www.ThingstoDoinWesternMass.com

Two unexpected discoveries for October 19–25, 2026, from Things to Do in Western Mass.

Join Mark and Cassidy for stories written in stone—from carved memorials in Historic Deerfield to prehistoric footprints in Holyoke.

At Historic Deerfield’s Graveyards and Gravestones event on October 24, explore gravestone carving, a talk by John Hanson, and guided visits to the Old Burying Ground. Then discover Dinosaur Footprints in Holyoke, where ancient tracks are preserved in sandstone.

Event details and admission:
https://www.historic-deerfield.org/events/special-all-day-event-graveyards-and-gravestones/

Dinosaur Footprints visitor information:
https://thetrustees.org/place/dinosaur-footprints/

Check current schedules, admission, and site conditions before heading out.

Explore the local events calendar:
https://thingstodoinwesternmass.com

Presented by The Silo Amherst—a distinctive place to stay while exploring the area:
https://thesiloamherst.com

Five ideas for October 5–11, 2026, from Things to Do in Western Mass.

Join Mark and Cassidy for the Paradise City Arts Festival in Northampton, Ashfield’s Fall Festival, a mushroom class at Mount Toby, ghost stories at the Smith College Museum of Art, and carving and furniture-making demonstrations at Historic Deerfield.

Whether you’re planning a fall visit or looking for something different nearby, this episode offers a mix of art, local traditions, nature, and craftsmanship.

Check organizer details, admission, registration requirements, and ticket availability before heading out.

Explore the local events calendar:
https://thingstodoinwesternmass.com

Presented by The Silo Amherst—a distinctive place to stay while exploring the area:
https://thesiloamherst.com

Four ideas for October 12–18, 2026, from Things to Do in Western Mass.

Join Mark and Cassidy for fall photography at the Quabbin with John Green, Steely Beck at the Shea Theater in Turners Falls, Hitchcock Harvest in Amherst, and Eric Carle’s Modernist Inspirations at the Eric Carle Museum.

A mix of outdoor discovery, live music, local food, and art—with an indoor option for a rainy fall day.

Event details and visitor information:

Quabbin photography outing:
https://www.hitchcockcenter.org/event/photographing-fall-foliage-at-the-quabbin/

Shea Theater:
https://sheatheater.org/

Hitchcock Harvest:
https://www.hitchcockcenter.org/hitchcock-harvest/

Eric Carle’s Modernist Inspirations:
https://carlemuseum.org/art-books/exhibitions/current-exhibition/eric-carles-modernist-inspirations

Confirm ticket availability and registration before making plans. For the Quabbin outing, ask the Hitchcock Center for the exact meeting point. Check museum hours for your chosen day.

Explore the local events calendar:
https://thingstodoinwesternmass.com

Presented by The Silo Amherst—a distinctive place to stay while exploring the area:
https://thesiloamherst.com

Five ideas for September 28–October 4, 2026, from Things to Do in Western Mass.

Join Mark and Cassidy for a little creativity, live music, close-up encounters with nature, and some unexpected local discoveries. Listen ahead to plan a visit, or find something different to do nearby.

Check organizer details, registration requirements, and ticket availability before heading out.

Explore the local events calendar:
https://thingstodoinwesternmass.com

Presented by The Silo Amherst—a distinctive place to stay while exploring the area:
https://thesiloamherst.com

How did an English knight’s parlor end up in Amherst, Massachusetts?

Join Mark and Cassidy for a visit to the Mead Art Museum at Amherst College, where the Rotherwas Room’s journey leads from seventeenth-century England to a Fifth Avenue showroom—and eventually to a museum designed to accommodate it.

We also explore the story of the Mead’s ancient Assyrian stone reliefs, which were drawing curious visitors to the college long before the museum existed.

An indoor outing for a winter afternoon, a college visit, or a day spent discovering something unexpected close to home. Admission is free and open to the public, with downtown Amherst a few blocks away.

Plan your visit:
Check the museum’s current hours, gallery access, and parking information, especially around holidays.
https://www.amherst.edu/museums/mead/visit

Presented by The Silo Amherst.
Explore more local ideas and learn about staying at The Silo:
https://thesiloamherst.com

If you’re wondering what to do in Western Massachusetts this week, there’s indie rock, intimate folk, a full weekend of jazz in downtown Northampton, a mountaintop hawk watch, and even a nighttime hike beneath the full moon.

In this episode, we explore some of the most interesting things happening September 21–27, including the Northampton Jazz Festival and Jazz Strut, live music at the Iron Horse, Parlor Room and The Drake, the Amherst Farmers Market, hawk watching at the Summit House at Skinner State Park, UMass events, a Full Moon Hike in Sylvan Woods, and the Yiddish Book Center’s Yiddish: A Global Culture.

These are just a few of this week’s highlights. For the complete filterable calendar—with dozens of events, direct organizer links, and options organized by week and activity type—visit ThingsToDoInWesternMass.com.

Event details can change, so please confirm times, tickets and availability directly with organizers.

Things to Do in Western Mass is presented by The Silo Amherst.