Old Sturbridge Village to highlight New England sugaring season. Page D2
‘Maple
Old Sturbridge Village to highlight history of sugaring season in New England
‘Maple
Days’
Keith O’Connor | Special to The Republican
From Maine to Connecticut and every state in-between, local sugar shacks and farms are starting to tap maple trees, collect sap, and boil it down into maple syrup.
It is maple sugaring season in New England, which often runs from February through early April, and one farm participating in the longtime tradition is Old Sturbridge Village.
The largest outdoor history museum in the Northeast — which depicts a rural New England town of the early 19th century with its more than 40 historic buildings — is also a working farm.
“We have been holding Maple Days at the Village for at least the last 50 years as an effort to expand our story,” said Rhys Simmons, director of interpretation at Old Sturbridge Village, in an interview with The Republican.
In the early days of the museum, the focus was on sharing old items collected by the Wells family, who founded Old Sturbridge Village. But around the 1970s, Simmons said, the village shifted into telling the story of a more “full-picture” New England in the 1830s, SEE MAPLE, PAGE D3
A guest cooks up something delicious in the Freeman Farmhouse at Old Sturbridge Village with a costumed historian. Running Wednesday through Sunday through March 15, “Maple Days” programming at Old Sturbridge Village highlights the history and importance of sugaring season in New England. (PHOTO
which included farming.
“So, now what we are doing is trying to highlight the different seasonal parts of life from back then such as sugaring off at this time of the year,” Simmons said.
“At a time when everyone is dying for spring to arrive, when our maple trees start to wake up, people are anxious to get outdoors and we are proud to be able to focus on seasonal activities of the time when farmers would have been tapping the trees and collecting maple sap, then boiling it down for sugar,” he added.
As part of Maple Days, which will be held Wednesday through Sunday now until March 15, the village’s working sugar camp demonstrates maple sugaring as it was done in early 19th-century New England.
Visitors can watch the entire sugar-making process, from tapping the trees to “sugaring off,” and learn why maple sugar was more commonly used than maple syrup in early New England. Visitors can also watch as costumed historians cook period foods made with maple products, and purchase maple-related products at the village shop.
Simmons noted this year they have cleared out a new grove near one of the brooks on Powder House Hill, where there are about two dozen maple trees that have not been tapped for several years.
“We are excited to open that space and offer more of a guided tour experience for visitors this year. So, we will be taking people there from our Woodland Walk and once they arrive, they can watch the whole process. They can help to make spiles from sumac, many of which are already in the trees, which are dripping sap into a trough to be collected in buckets and then brought down the hill to six large cast iron kettles at our boiling area near the Cabinetmaking Shop. And it is there that visitors can watch the sap being boiled down into sugar, not syrup that many of us
place on our pancakes today,” Simmons said.
From there, visitors can go inside and watch the next steps as sugar is made into loaves and watch costumed interpreters baking goods with that sugar at an open hearth.
“Visitors can stop into the Small House where we will be showing the actual sugaring off process by taking the syrup they are making at our sugar camp and boiling out the extra water content and turning it into actual loaves of granular sugar. These loaves could be kept for the entirely of the year, unlike syrup, which would spoil,” said Marlene Healey, coordinator of the households at Old Sturbridge Village.
She noted that throughout the village there will be various baking and cooking demonstrations by costumed interpreters showing how that maple sugar — similar to using white or brown sugar that villagers would be buying at the store — would be used in the making of cakes, pies and other goods.
“In conjunction with Maple Days we often make Brooks Cake, a standard cake of the time period like pound
“At a time when everyone is dying for spring to arrive, when our maple trees start to wake up, people are anxious to get outdoors and we are proud to be able to focus on seasonal activities of the time.”
Rhys Simmons, director of interpretation, Old Sturbridge Village
A maple sugar camp demonstrates the process of boiling tree sap in a handmade kettle during a past Maple Days event at Old Sturbridge Village. The annual celebration and educational event will be held Wednesday through Sunday through March 15. (PHOTO COURTESY OLD STURBRIDGE VILLAGE)
NIGHTCLUBS
THURSDAY
The Drake: Sunny Jain — Wild Wild East. 44 N. Pleasant St., Amherst
Wyckoff Country Club: Ladies Night at Wyckoff. 233 Easthampton Road, Holyoke
Theodores’: Dwayne Haggins. 201 Worthington St., Springfield
Uno Chicago Grill: Country Music. 820 W. Columbus Ave., Springfield
FRIDAY
Delaney House: Gerry & Justin in The Mick. 3 Country Club Road, Holyoke
Wyckoff Country Club: Jazzwich
Trio. 233 Easthampton Road, Holyoke
MGM Springfield: MGM Roar Comedy Club: Jeff Dye. 1 MGM Way, Springfield
The Drake: All Feels with Lost Film, Two Wrong Turns. 44 N. Pleasant St., Amherst
Theodores’: Arno and the Low Down. 201 Worthington St., Springfield
Uno Chicago Grill: Roots, Blues and Rock. 820 W. Columbus Ave., Springfield
West Springfield’s Irish House
Restaurant & Pub: Johnny BeBop. 429 Morgan Road, West Springfield
SATURDAY
Delaney House: Frank Serafino in the Mick. 3 Country Club Road, Holyoke
Wyckoff Country Club: Tito Puente Jr. 233 Easthampton Road, Holyoke
MGM Springfield: MGM Roar Comedy Club: Jeff Dye. 1 MGM Way, Springfield
The Drake: Grand View Point with Northbound. 44 N. Pleasant St., Amherst
Theodores’: Mark Nomand Band. 201 Worthington St., Springfield
Uno Chicago Grill: Modern, Contemporary Rock. 820 W. Columbus Ave., Springfield
West Springfield’s Irish House
Restaurant & Pub: Billy Eagan. 429 Morgan Road, West Springfield
SUNDAY
Delaney House: Trivia with Bobby Roast Beef in The Mick. 3 Country Club Road, Holyoke
SEE NIGHTCLUBS, PAGE D12
Above are the Vogel brothers, Bigfoot researchers who run the Cobble Mountain Critter Project, and at right is the “Long Island Sharkman,” Chris Stefanou. Both are guests at this weekend’s Springfield Sportsmen’s Show at the Eastern States Exposition. (SUBMITTED)
SHARK TAGGING? BIGFOOT HUNTING?
Springfield Sportsmen’s Show returns this weekend
By K eith O ’C onnor
Special to The Republican
It was a close encounter.
What Eric and Tim Vogel — who will be at this weekend’s Springfield Sportsmen’s Show to tell their story — saw and heard while on a fishing trip at an isolated pond in the Adirondacks was both troubling and scary.
“We came upon a beaver dam, and I cast a line over it into a pen-like area created by the dam where fish were being blocked from passing. The minute I cast my line and began collecting fish, two trees began shaking violently as if in a snow globe. It was accompanied by the sounds of loud roaring like you’ve never heard before that went on for 10 minutes as rocks and stones were flying toward us. At first, we thought it might be a bear fight, so we paddled away,” said Tim Vogel in an interview with The Republican.
They soon became convinced that what they actually encountered was the elusive Bigfoot, a towering bipedal ape-like hairy creature said to inhabit forests in North America.
“What we believe is that we came upon a family of Bigfoots who were walking downstream to have lunch at the dam, and that they became enraged once I cast my
line and began catching some of the fish,” Vogel said.
Today, the brothers run the Cobble Mountain Critter Project which investigates Bigfoot, mountain lion and cougar sightings across New England. They have investigated Bigfoot reports for large national groups like the BFRO — or Bigfoot Field Research Organization — for over a decade, as well as
working with or assisting other groups.
They have led and co-led Bigfoot expeditions throughout the Northeast, with a focus on Western Massachusetts, over the years. Visitors attending the Springfield Sportsmen’s Show this weekend can hear their stories and see Bigfoot casts they have made of unusually large
The Springfield Sportsmen’s Show, which opens Friday for three days on the grounds of the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield, features sporting vendors from all over the country selling the latest in hunting, fishing, and outdoor gear.
Ally the Piper to play 52 Sumner
IT’S A PRETTY SAFE
bet that no one takes up the bagpipes with the dream of becoming a rock star.
Ally Crowley-Duncan certainly didn’t, but it still turned out that way.
“I’ve always loved music. I always knew music was going to be part of my career,” she said in a recent interview with The Republican. “I love performing. It just feeds part of my soul. But, yeah, the bagpipes-to-rock star pipeline is virtually nonexistent. So it never even occurred to me that it could be a financially stable career.”
The upstate New York native, who is better known as Piper Ally, is now a certified internet celebrity for her bagpipe videos, which draw millions of views. Over the past few years, she has parlayed that success into a career that includes performing live. Local fans will have the chance to see her on Friday, Feb. 20, at 7 p.m. when she plays 52 Sumner in Springfield.
Crowley-Duncan’s original plan was to pursue being a
college professor in music theory. After getting her undergraduate degree, she was accepted at Boston University to get her master’s degree. But fate had other plans.
“We can all thank this stupid landlord who caused me to lose my housing at the last minute, so I couldn’t go to grad school,” she said with a laugh.
But what seemed like an incredibly unfortunate occurrence at the time actually gave her the opportunity to start posting videos online, which led to where she is now.
“I always wanted to change the reputation of bagpipes. They are notoriously loud — which I can’t change — but a lot of people think they’re obnoxious and just inherently sound bad,” she said. “But there just isn’t a platform for really amazing professional players, who are not the people you usually hear on TV or in parades.”
Crowley-Duncan also plays piano, flute, clarinet and saxophone, among other pipe
Ally the Piper performs during the Michigan Irish Music Festival on Sept. 13, 2025.
George Lenker
LIVE WIRE
Show
CONTINUES FROM PAGE D4
footprints believed to be those of the Sasquatch — another name for Bigfoot.
The Springfield Sportsmen’s Show, which opens Friday for three days on the grounds of the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield, features sporting vendors from all over the country selling the latest in hunting, fishing, and outdoor gear. Those attending can also meet and talk turkey with hunting and fishing celebrities, industry experts and participate in seminars to further their knowledge.
“People who walk into our show are happy because they are able to talk with like-minded people who enjoy and like to be outdoors. And I am happy that we have a great assortment of outfitters and guides to book their next outdoor adventure along with vendors selling a wide variety of fishing, hunting, and outdoor gear to complete their experience,” said Doug Sousa of the Outdoor Sports Expo Group, Inc., organizers of the show.
Among the “celebrity sportsmen” attending this year’s show will be striper fisherman David Pickering, Capt. Michelle Bancewicz of National Geographic’s “Wicked Tuna” series, Randy Flannery, often referred to as “Duke of the North Woods,” fly fisherman Matt Tempesta, turkey hunter Joe Judd, bear hunter Tom Kelly and others.
If you are fascinated by sharks, Chris Stefanou, known as the Long Island Sharkman, is a must stop at his booth where you can book private land-based shark fishing charters.
“I tag and release sharks from the beach for research all over the East Coast and by doing this I help the ecology of our oceans because we can figure out where sharks are
years ago in Long Island while fishing for a striper, and today has more than 2.3 million YouTube subscribers, more than 500,000 followers on Instagram, and 1.3 million followers on TikTok.
“I’m using my platform to attract the younger generation to the great outdoors because a lot of them are just sitting indoors behind their video games. Introducing them
to catching a shark might introduce them to other fishing experiences which might lead to hunting and being outdoors once again and away from the television,” Stefanou said.
“He’s a lot of fun, a nice guy, and a man of action,” Sousa said about Stefanou.
For young sportsmen attending the show, there will be plenty of activities, including the Hillbilly Magic Show with
“People who walk into our show are happy because they are able to talk with like-minded people who enjoy and like to be outdoors.”
DOUG SOUSA OF THE OUTDOOR SPORTS EXPO GROUP, INC.
congregating and laying their pups. As a result, we can help to limit things like commercial fishing boats and windmills because they harm the ecology of our oceans,” Stefanou said.
“These windmills placed into the oceanic floor create immense vibrations and that disturbs the habitat down there and rattles the internals of mammals by actually making them bleed out from the inside. So, tagging these sharks can help us limit certain things that are creating havoc for these sharks and other marine life,” he added.
The 29-year-old catchand-release fisherman came to prominence on his action-packed social media pages where he began sharing his fishing experiences at age 18. He caught his first shark 14
Tackle Box Pete and Shotgun Chris; Animal Adventures with special live presentations featuring all types of critters; and the opportunity to catch a live fish at the Trout Pond.
Representatives from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs will also be attending the show to meet with military veterans and their family members to assist them in connecting with VA benefits Additionally, there will be a special $3 military discount on Sunday for those with a proper ID.
The Massachusetts Environmental Police also will be onsite registering ATVs, snowmobiles and boats at the show.
“Don’t forget when you come through the doors to register for a chance to win some great door prizes we have lined up for this year,” Sousa said.
Among the many prizes include a fly-fishing trip from Tempco Fly Fishing, a Napier Truck-Tent, HiDow Pro Touch Tens System and more.
Show hours in the Better Living Center are Friday from noon to 8 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $18 for adults, $5 for kids 6 to 12, and free for those under age 6.
Advance tickets are available online at osegsports mens.com or in-person at the door.
TUESDAY
Chicopee Elks #1849
431 Granby Road, Chicopee 413-592-1849
Bingo Tuesday
Doors Open at 4PM
2 Progressive Jackpots
6:15PM Early Bird
6:20PM Start
Min. Entry Package $15
Open Seating
2 Halls for Players Handicap Restroom 1st Floor
3
WEDNESDAY
Polish American Citizens Club 355 East Street, Ludlow, 583-6385
Bingo Wednesdays 6:30-9:30pm
Doors Open at 4pm. Minimum Admission $50
1 - 1199 Progressive Betty Boop 50/50 Prize $900
2 - $500 Cover Alls
$400 Special Games
THURSDAY
Fairview Knights of Columbus 1599 Memorial Drive, Chicopee (413) 532-2011
DOORS OPEN 4:30PM
MASKS OPTIONAL Progressive Jackpot 6:15pm Early Bird 6:20pm Start
Electronic Bingo Aval. Snack Bar, Open Seating, Handicap Restrooms
Min. Entry Package $15
Above and at right are scenes from a past Springfield Sportsmen’s Show. This year’s show kicks off on Friday on the grounds of the Eastern States Exposition. (THE REPUBLICAN, FILE PHOTOS)
Pittsfield brewer wins brewing scholarship
George Lenker Beer Nut
Maple
PITTSFIELD’S HOT Plate Brewing received an early anniversary gift this year.
The brewery, which celebrated its third anniversary on Feb. 2, found out a few weeks earlier that brewer Sarah Real had been awarded a scholarship to the UC Davis Master Brewers Certificate Program from the Michael James Jackson Foundation.
cake, which connects to an abolitionary push against using white and brown sugar coming up from the South where it was being made on plantations,” Healey said.
Brooks, who was headmistress of the Concord Female Anti-Slavery Society, baked and sold her signature tea cake to raise funds for the anti-slavery cause, while at the same time bringing attention to how maple sugar could be used to replace white or brown sugar and saving money for other things that could be purchased at the village store. Brooks Cake was served at all Concord anti-slavery meetings.
“I think something people often don’t consider today is that back in the 1830s time period the focus was on preservation and ensuring that things lasted a long time,” Healey said about maple sugar being used as a preservative, similar to the use of salt, for fruit including jams, jellies and preserves.
“I also think that it is important for people to know that maple sugaring originated with Indigenous people and was something that European settlers were learning from them,” she added.
Simmons noted he considers Maple Days at OSV to be an educational experience.
“It is my hope that we can excite people to go home and potentially tap a few of their maple trees and boil the sap collected down to syrup as is more common today. The goal is for them to take that knowledge they experienced at Old Sturbridge Village and do it in a safe way without harming the tree and be able to experience that kind of harvest at home,” he said.
Here are some additional facts on sugaring in New England offered on the OSV website:
The foundation, named in honor of renowned beer writer Michael Jackson, is a grant-making nonprofit that funds technical education scholarships for people of color within the brewing and distilling trades. These scholarships enable recipients to pursue some of the most respected brewing and distilling education programs in the world. Real, who runs the brew-
• The production of maple syrup is one of only a few agricultural processes in North America that is not a European colonial import;
• Maples are usually tapped beginning between 30 and 40 years of age. Maples can continue to be tapped for sap until they are more than 100 years old;
• Once temperatures stop fluctuating between below-freezing at night and above-freezing during the day, the sap stops flowing.
Current museum hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Friday through Sunday.
Online tickets, available at osv.org, are $27 for adults 18 and older or $30 at the door, $25 for seniors age 60 and over or $28 at the door2, and $12 for youth ages 4-17 or $15 at the door. Kids under 4 are free. Military with an ID is complimentary and up to 5 family members.
For more information, visit osv.org or call 800-SEE-1830.
ery with her husband Mike Dell’Aquila, first got interested in brewing when the couple took a post-college cross-country trip more than 20 years ago.
“We stopped at New Belgium brewing in Colorado, and I was like, ‘I don’t know what this is, but I love this energy.’ I’ve always been interested in how things are made, and I had a grandmother that was a great chef and another one that was
a great baker, so for me brewing was the next step of that alchemy,” Real said in an interview with The Republican. But at the time, Real didn’t even think being a brewer was a job she could pursue, so she ended up getting her master’s degree and figured she’d just get a job and maybe brew on the side. At the same time, she saw that the UC Davis
Live Wire
instruments. She said that any instrument can sound bad if not played properly, but there are multiple complex facets to the playing bagpipes well.
“If any one of those things goes wrong, it’s a catastrophe,” she said. “Every instrument has a learning curve, and there are a lot of ways to make anything sound bad; it’s just easier with bagpipes. And it’s at full volume. You can’t make quiet mistakes.”
What caught the public’s attention was her idea of using bagpipes in more modern rock and pop songs. But that concept actually predated her doing it on social media.
“When I was 16 and a sophomore in high school, I did what a lot of young musicians do: I started a band with my friends,” she said. “I played keys sometimes and sang sometimes, but my main love at the time was bagpipes, so we just tried to arrange around what we had. And for the talent show that year we put together an arrangement of ‘Low Rider.’”
The following year, the band did an arrangement of Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train,” an idea Crowley-Duncan revived when she started doing TikTok videos during the early days of the pandemic.
She originally started doing the videos as sort of a practice log for herself, but the idea immediately exploded into something bigger.
“It grew almost immediately, because the first video I did got 150,000 views the first day,” she said. “And I had no followers, so that came out of nowhere.”
Once public events came back, she was able to play live at shows
like Irish and Scottish festivals. At first she did so by herself, but then in 2023, the Cleveland Irish Festival helped push her career into another gear by asking her to have a full band.
“They were the first festival that believed in me enough to invest the money for me to bring other people out. And after that, I thought ‘This is what I have to do,’” she said.
Now she plays with a guitarist, bassist and drummer, which she says is “a different experience.”
While she gained notoriety for her covers of rock songs like “Crazy Train,” “Enter Sandman” and “Free Bird,” Crowley-Duncan’s passion is writing her own songs, an endeavor she shares with her drummer Dom Marraffa III, to whom she also recently became engaged. She released an album of mostly original music named “The Session” last year.
“I’ve always loved writing. My mom says music was my first language and that I was singing and humming melodies before I even could speak,” she said. “But I have to trust her on that because I wasn’t even conscious of it because I was too young.”
Crowley-Duncan said she has only received a small amount of negative pushback for bringing bagpipes into the rock arena, and she remains humble about her good fortune.
“It’s like with anything, there’s always going to be a fringe group of traditionalists who just don’t appreciate what you’re doing,” she said. “But I realize that what I have is really rare, and I’m so fortunate to have my following and how things have worked out. It’s not lost to me, and I’m super appreciative.”
For more information on Crowley-Duncan’s Springfield show, visit 52sumner.com.
A costumed historian boils sap at Old Sturbridge Village. (PHOTO COURTESY OSV)
THURSDAY
Bilingual Community Meeting: Thu., 5:30-7 p.m. Way Finders Housing Center-Community Room, Chestnut Community Alliance is a coalition of Holyoke residents seeking to create a safer, stronger, and more vibrant neighborhood by fostering community unity. Learn about current events and upcoming plans. Special guest Irisneri Alicea Flores, 210 Elm St., Holyoke. Kids Best Fest: Thu.-Fri., Academy of Music Theatre, 274 Main St., Northampton. 413-584-9032 or www.aomtheatre.com.
FRIDAY
Opera House Players presents “Chess”: Fri.-Sat, 8 p.m.; Sun, 2 p.m. Enfield Annex. Visit operahouseplayers.org/tickets or get tickets at the door. Call the Box Office for discounts on groups of 10 or more: 860-498-8899. Performances are at the Enfield Annex, 124 North Maple St. $25 regular; $21 senior 60+, children, and students. 124 North Maple St., Enfield.
Springfield Sportsmen’s Show: Fri., noon-8 p.m.; Sat., 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sun., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Eastern States Exposition, Better Living Center. The largest pure hunting and fishing show in the Northeast is filled with hundreds of booths, seminars and action areas, Admission: Adults $18; Children (6-12) $5; free under 6. Parking is $5, collected by the Eastern States Exposition. 1305 Memorial Ave., West Springfield. 413-737-2443 or www.thebige.com.
The Suffield Players presents “Holidazed”: Fri.-Sun, Mapleton Hall, Fri, Sat. 8 p.m.; Sun. 2 p.m. Subtitled performances on Feb. 14, 20, and 22. Tickets are $15 opening night and general admission is $22 adults, $19 seniors (62+) and students. 1305 Mapleton Ave., Suffield. 860-668-0837 or www. suffieldplayers.org.
Theater of Ideas — Community Conversations-Historical Society of Greenfield Film Screenings: Fri., 6 p.m. LAVA Center, “Greenfield’s Winter Carnival, 1923” and “Love’s Young Dream” with talkback, 324 Main St., Greenfield.
SATURDAY
Amherst Orchid Society Show: Sat, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School. There will be hundreds of blooming orchids with thousands of flowers from the Amherst Society and from orchid societies around New England.
CALENDAR
Kids Best Fest
Northampton is hosting a week-long movie festival for kids this school vacation week. “Grow” from Fathom Entertainment will be screened today, Feb. 19, at 11 a.m. The film, rated PG, follows a farmer and her estranged niece who must navigate sabotage and competition as they attempt to grow a prize-winning pumpkin. On Friday, Feb. 20, “The Time Masters” (“Les Maîtres du Temps”) will be screened, also at 11 a.m. All films are screened at the Academy of Music in Northampton, and admission is free. For more information, visit northamptonartscouncil.org. Above is a scene from “Grow.” (FATHOM ENTERTAINMENT)
The event will feature plants for sale as well as lectures on growing orchids. For more information, visit amherstorchidsociety.org. Admission is $5 (children under 12 free). 80 Locust St., Northampton.
“Divinely Embodied” Special Valentine’s SELF-Commitment Ritual: Sat., 7-10 p.m. The Hidden Temple, “Divinely Embodied” is an immersive workshop blending tantra, somatic attunement, authentic relating, and nervous system regulation to support deep self-alignment and meaningful connection. This extended Valentine’s edition invites you to commit to your truest desires through ceremonial cacao, guided reflection, and a self-commitment ceremony held in loving community. Fully clothed, trauma-informed, and welcoming to singles and couples of all genders and experience levels, this is a space to feel seen, embodied, and deeply at home in yourself and with others, $44-$66. 221 Pine St. Suite 320, Florence. hiddentemple.org.
Opera House Players present “Chess”: See Friday listing
Rock Talk & Walk with Professor Richard Little: Sat., 1 p.m. Forbes Library. Greenfield Community College Prof. Emeritus Richard Little will take you through the geographic events that shaped Northampton and surroundings, from colliding tectonic plates to Lake Hitchcock. You will see and touch the rare Jurassic Armored Mud Balls. Following the talk there will be a brief field trip around the Forbes Library. Free. 20 West Street, Northampton; 413-587-1011 or www.forbeslibrary.org.
Springfield Sportsmen’s Show: See Friday listing
The Suffield Players presents “Holidazed”: See Friday listing
SUNDAY
Amherst Orchid Society Show: See Saturday listing
Opera House Players presents “Chess”: See Friday listing
Springfield Sportsmen’s Show: See Friday listing
“Ancient Treasures,” a display of artifacts from ancient China, Greece, Rome and Egypt. On the first Wed. of every month through the end of 2026, admission to the Springfield Museums is free. For more information, visit www.springfieldmuseums.org; Feb. 17-21, school break program “Critter Crossing.”.
Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History: Permanent exhibit. The Indian Motocycle collection is the largest collection of Indian cycles and memorabilia in the world. The Firearms collection includes more than 1,600 firearms, with the largest collection of Smith & Wesson guns in the world. The Automobile collection includes an 1899 Knox, a 1901 Crestmobile, a 1925 Rolls-Royce roadster, and a 1928 Rolls-Royce roadster.
Michele and Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts: “One Foot in Two Places” by Olwen O’Herlihy Dowling, through Oct. 4. “Markets, Foodways, and the Essence of Place: Works from the Museo de Arte de Ponce,” through Sept. 6, on the first floor of the Alpert Gallery. “Please Touch! A Tactile Exploration of Sante Graziani’s Mural,” through July 26.
The Suffield Players presents “Holidazed”: See Friday listing
Quadrangle
George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum: Permanent exhibit:
Springfield Science Museum: “Math Alive!” exhibition, through May 3. This exhibit reveals how real math powers sports, nature, robotics, music, dance, movie-making, and more. Free with museum admission. Through Feb. 20, “Olympic STEAM Quest,” school vacation fun, 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. Get ready to go for the gold! Explore the science, engineering, and artistry behind cold-weather sports through hands-on activities. Free with museum admission. The Science Museum houses permanent collections of natural science, anthropology and physical science. The Science Museum’s Seymour
NORTHAMPTON
11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Museums
Planetarium consists of the historic Korkosz Starball, now the oldest operating star-projector in the United States.
The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum: Permanent exhibit. Firstfloor exhibition provides opportunities to explore new sounds and vocabulary, play rhyming games, invent stories, and engage in activities that encourage teamwork and creative thinking, with interactive three-dimensional exhibits. Second floor contains Geisel’s personal memorabilia.
Quadrangle admission — $25 for adults, $16.50 for seniors (60+) and college students with ID, $13 for children ages 3-17; free to children under age 3 and members, Springfield residents are free with proof of residency. Welcome Center and Museum store. Tues.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun.
Amelia Park Children’s Museum: Permanent exhibits include spaceship, construction site, library, grocery store, and weekday activities. Visit ameliaparkmuseum.org for information. Hours: Tue.-Tue., 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Open for groups Wed. Admission is $8 adults, $8 children (12 months and older), $4 grandparents/seniors (60+), and free for members and infants. Military personnel and teachers receive a 10% discount off the price of regular admission. 29 South Broad St., Westfield or www.ameliaparkmuseum.org.
Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art: School Vacation Activities: Feb. 19-20. “Cooking with Eric Carle.” Through Aug. 23, 2026. 125 West Bay Road, Amherst or www. carlemuseum.org.
SPRINGFIELD
School’s out, but math’s in
The Springfield Museums are open daily with special activities for children and their families during school vacation week. That includes access to the museums’ latest exhibit, “Math Alive!,” which uses immersive and innovative technologies to create fun experiences that help visitors understand how math is used in countless ways. The exhibit brings to life all different types of mathematics at work, from sports and games to design and entertainment, as well as space and robotics. Access to “Math Alive!” and other exhibits is free with Museum admission, which is free to Springfield residents and youth with valid ID. For more information, visit springfieldmuseums.org. (PHOTO COURTESY SPRINGFIELD MUSEUMS)
Souls with Cheryl W. Thompson,” Feb. 19, 7-8:30 p.m. Hear from author Cheryl W. Thompson on her new book “Forgotten Souls: The Search for the Lost Tuskegee Airmen.”This event is presented in partnership with River Bend Bookshop. 36 Perimeter Road, Windsor Locks or www.neam.org
Mead Art Museum: Permanent exhibit: Various American and European paintings, Mexican ceramics, Tibetan scroll paintings and more. Museum hours: Tues.Thurs. and Sun. 9 a.m.-midnight; Fri. 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sat. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mead Art Museum - Spring Opening, Feb. 20, 5-7 p.m. Bundle up and join in for an evening of art and celebration as two new exhibitions debut:” Adventures of the Quantum Soup Surfer” and “Kwame Brathwaite: Revolutionary Movements.” Artist JooYoung Choi will give a special walkthrough of “Adventures of the Quantum Soup Surfer” at 4 p.m. All are welcome. Complimentary light refreshments will be available. 220 South Pleasant St., Amherst or www.amherst. edu.
New England Air Museum: “School Vacation Week Family Fun,” through Feb. 20, for daily hands-on activities and special programs happening 10:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. “Hangar Talks: Forgotten
Norman Rockwell Museum: “Shine A Light: The Art and Life of Deb Koffman,” through June 7. “Jazz Age Illustration,” through April 6. “Norman Rockwell: Home for the Holidays,” through Feb. 22, showcasing holiday-themed works by Norman Rockwell from Thanksgiving and Christmas to New Year’s. Online exhibit: “Imagining Freedom,” $5 for the general public, available on the museum’s website at NRM.org. “A Brief History of Illustration: The Abyss,” Through May 31. “Create Like Rockwell,” Feb. 19, 20, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; Feb. 21, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., special activities for children and families. Family tours available at 10:15 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m. Recommended for ages 5-12. Drop-in artmaking activities 10 a.m.-3 p.m. each day, free with museum admission. 9 Route 183, Stockbridge or www.nrm.org.
Smith College Museum of Art: SCMA Exhibition “Crafting Worlds,” through Aug. 23. This installation explores how artisans in Japan utilized materials and handcrafted techniques to forge social relationships and engage with the world around them. “Don’t Mind if I Do,” through June 28. Artists include: Lukaza Branfman-Verissimo, Pelenakeke Brown, Sky Cubacub, Emilie L. Gossiaux, Felicia Griffin, Joselia Rebekah Hughes, Jeff Kasper, and Finnegan Shannon. Curator: Lauren Leving. Free. SCMA Exhibition “A City in Flux: Reflecting on Venice,” through March 22. Free. Elm Street at Bedford Terrace, Northampton or www.scma.smith.edu.
The New England Visionary Artists Museum: The New England Visionary Artists Museum in Northampton has five exhibition showrooms hosting N.E. artists’
work in all media and is home to Anchor House of Artists, the region’s subsidized studio and representation support to artists living with neurodiverse conditions. Hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 2-6 p.m., with regular free public receptions on the second Friday of the month, from 5-8 p.m. Find them at 518 Pleasant St. Sign up for the newsletter at the website at NEVA-museum.org. There is a $10 suggested day admission donation asked at the door. Pleasant St., Northampton Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum: Permanent exhibit: Guided tours of the first and second floors. Weekdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and weekends from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Self-guided tours are on the hour with the last self-guided tour weekdays at 2 p.m. Call to reserve at 413-637-3206. Admission is $18 adults, $17 seniors (65+), $10 students with ID, $7 children 5-17, and free for children 4 and younger. Marionette Show, “Hansel & Gretel,” with Puppeteer Carl Sprague. Walk-ins will be accommodated as space allows.
“Ghost Tours with Robert Oakes,” Feb. 20, 7 p.m. Reservations are strongly recommended as tickets are limited. Walk-ins accommodated as space allows. 104 Walker St., Lenox or www.gildedage.org.
Volleyball Hall of Fame: Permanent exhibit: Open Tues.-Sun., 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Closed Mon. Last admission is 30 minutes prior to close. Admission is $8 adults; $5 seniors 65 and older; $5 students, active and retired military; and free for children 12 and under. Group rates also available online. 444 Dwight St., Holyoke or www. volleyhall.org.
Windsor Historical Society: Permanent exhibit: Explore the people, places and events that have shaped Windsor for over four centuries. Hours: Wed.-Sat., 11 a.m.-4 p.m. with house tours at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. General admission to the library and historic houses is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, $6 for
Shakespeare & Co. shares 2026 season lineup
Shakespeare & Company has announced its full lineup for its 2026 season, unveiling a slate of new titles, returning acts, free and low-cost community events, and more.
The summer season kicks off at Shakespeare & Company’s third annual free Community Day on Saturday, May 23. The company will also hold a Celebration of Life honoring founding artistic director Tina Packer, who died earlier this year, on Sunday, May 31.
The performance season begins on Sunday, June 19, and runs through Sunday, Dec. 20. Current Artistic Director Allyn Burrows said the season’s programming responds to the times, pairing resonant works with the joy and connection of shared stories.
“Let’s name this season Integrity & Absurdity,” he said in a statement. “On the world stage, when integrity can be in short supply, when absurdity is the order of the day, the collective fight or flight impulse can kick in. One can be allowed a bit of reflective diversion, and really good, full-bodied storytelling never fails as a balm — a dish best served warm.”
New, familiar, and reimagined works join the previously
announced Shakespeare and Shakespeare-adjacent titles “Twelfth Night,” “Circus & the Bard: The Next Chapter,” “Shake It Up: The Remix,” and “Hamlet.”
Season 2026 opens with Matthew Barber’s “Fireflies” at the Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre, which will also host “Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune” by Terrence McNally in July and August, and “The Norwegians” by C. Denby Swanson in September and October.
Season 2026 at Shakespeare & Company includes:
• Community Day on Saturday, May 23 at the Tina Packer Playhouse & Grounds;
• A Celebration of Life for Tina Packer at the Tina Packer Playhouse on Sunday, May 31 at 1 p.m.
• “Fireflies” by Matthew Barber, directed by Daniela Varon, in the Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre from June 19-July 19;
• Gala 2026 on Friday, June 26 in the Tina Packer Playhouse, starting with cocktail hour at 4:30 p.m. The evening will include performances and dancing under the stars in the Rose Meadow Tent. Proceeds set to benfit Shakespeare & Company‘s Center for Actor Training, Education Program, and Performances. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit shakespeare.org.
• “Twelfth Night” by William Shakespeare, directed by Kate Kohler Amory, July 4-26
“The Circus & The Bard” returns to Shakespeare & Co. in Lenox this year after a smash debut in 2025. (PHOTO BY NILE SCOTT STUDIOS VIA SHAKESPEARE & CO.)
in the Arthur S. Waldstein Amphitheatre
• “Circus & The Bard: The Next Chapter,” co-created by Allyn Burrows, Robin Eldridge, and Pedro Reis and directed by Allyn Burrows and Pedro Reis, July 16-26 in the Tina Packer Playhouse. Relaxed, sensory-friendly performances will be held on Wednesday, July 22 and Thursday, July 23.
• “Shake It Up: The Remix,” co-created by Allyn
Burrows and Jacob MingTrent and directed by Allyn Burrows, from July 29-Aug. 2 in the Tina Packer Playhouse.
• “Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune” by Terrence McNally, directed by Nicole Ricciardi, July 30–Aug. 23 in the Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre.
• “Hamlet,” by William Shakespeare, directed by Ariel Bock, Aug. 13-30 in the Tina Packer Playhouse.
• “Midsummer Dreamers,”
created by Kirsten Peacock and Nick Nudler of Cosmic Mirth, Sept. 1-3 in the Tina Packer Playhouse. Sept. 1–3
• “Plays in Proces,” Sept. 1–3, in the Rose Footprint Theatre. The “Plays in Process” series returns for its fifth year, showcasing new, developing works and offering a behind-the-scenes look at scripts as they are readied for the stage.
• “The Norwegians,” by C. Denby Swanson and directed by James Warwick, Sept. 4–Oct. 4 in the Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre.
• “Celebrating Jewish Plays,” Oct. 9-11, in the Tina Packer Playhouse “Celebrating Jewish Plays” is an immersive theater experience featuring three plays presented over three evenings during the holiday weekend.
• “Pride and Prejudice,” Dec. 18 – 20, in the Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre Individual tickets and FLEXpass ticket packages are on sale now for each performance. For more information, visit shakespeare.org, or call the Box Office at 413-6373353.
Shakespeare & Company was founded in 1978 by Tina Packer. Located in the Berkshires of Massachusetts, the Company offers performance, education, and actor-training opportunities year-round and attracts more than 40,000 patrons annually with a core of more than 150 artists.
students and free to children under 12 and WHS members. Visitors are free to browse the museum store and exhibit galleries at no charge. 96 Palisade Ave., Windsor or www. windsorhistoricalsociety.org.
Wistariahurst Museum: Permanent exhibit: Gardens and grounds open daily from dawn to dusk.
Carriage House and gift shop open Mon.-Fri. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. For information about house tours, group tours and upcoming events visit
www.wistariahurst.org. Standard admission is $7 Holyoke residents; $5 seniors; $5 youth (under 18); free museum members, active military, and family members. 238 Cabot St., Holyoke or www.wistariahurst.org.
Yiddish Book Center: Permanent exhibit, “A Velt mit veltelekh: The Worlds of Jewish Culture.” The center is open Thurs., Fri., Sun. and Mon. from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Closed Shabbos (Saturday) and Jewish and legal holidays. Admission is $8 adults; $6 seniors; and free for members, students and children. 1021 West St., Amherst or www.
yiddishbookcenter.org.
Galleries
A.P.E. Gallery: “Light Being” by Elizabeth Stone, Rosalyn Driscoll, & Tori Lawrence, through Feb. 28.
Gallery hours: Wed.-Sun., noon-5 p.m., Fri. noon-8 p.m. Closed Mon. & Tues. Permanent exhibit. Hours: Tues.-Thurs. noon-5 p.m.; Fri.-Sat. noon-8 p.m.; Sun. noon-5 p.m. 126 Main St., Northampton or www. apearts.org.
Center for the Arts Trust Building: “Mutating Origins,” through Feb.
28, in the Split Level Gallery. “Listen to My Photographs,” featuring the work of artists from The Care Center, through Feb. 28. Gallery hours: Wed.-Fri, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Sat, 12-7 p.m. Closed Mon. & Tues. 33 Hawley St., Northampton Gallery A3 Amherst Art Alliance: “Winter Garden,” through Feb. 28. Thurs.-Sun, 2-7 p.m. 28 Amity St., Amherst, 413-256-4250.
Indian Orchard Mills Dane Gallery: All new exhibits every month featuring the artists at Indian Orchard Mills. Hours: Sat. noon-4 p.m. or by appointment. 34 Front St., Indian Orchard, or 413-543-3321.
LAVA Center: “Trees,” through Feb. 28. 324 Main St., Greenfield. Old Town Hall: N.S.F. Work., through Feb. 28. 43 Main St., Easthampton
Taber Art Gallery: “River Valley Radical Futures.” Through March 12. The gallery will host a closing talk from project lead and curator Alix Gerber on Thursday, March 12, from 5-7 p.m. 303 Homestead Ave., Holyoke or 413-552-2614.
Trinity United Methodist Church: Art exhibit by Trish Pilon, through Feb. 28. Gallery hours: Mon-Fri 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. 361 Sumner Ave., Springfield
Nightclubs
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The Drake: Horszowski Trio. 44 N. Pleasant St., Amherst
Uno Chicago Grill: Jazz. 820 W. Columbus Ave., Springfield
MONDAY
Uno Chicago Grill: 50% off individual deep dish pizza (dine in only). 820 W. Columbus Ave., Springfield
TUESDAY
Uno Chicago Grill: Blues Music. 820 W. Columbus Ave., Springfield
The Republican is not responsible for unannounced schedule changes. Listings must be received two weeks before the date of the event. Items should be mailed to: Entertainment Guide, The Republican, P.O. Box 1329, Springfield, MA 01102-1329, emailed to pmastriano@repub.com or submitted to www.masslive. com/myevent
program existed but figured she couldn’t just switch gears into a different career — especially one that she had no experience in.
“So it sat on the back burner,” she said.
Eventually that burner became a hot plate.
Real was working in consumer insights and marketing research for children’s networks such as Nickelodeon and the Cartoon Network and did a lot of international traveling for her job.
“It was great, but lonely, especially in countries where you don’t speak the language, so I just visited a lot of pubs and talked in beer language,” she said.
Years later, the brewing itch returned. She decided that she didn’t just want to climb a corporate ladder. Luckily, the couple had moved to Brooklyn and had a homebrew shop right around the corner, which not only had ingredients, but also offered classes. Real then threw herself into her long-simmering passion.
“I said this is what I have to do, I have to get my reps in so that I can do whatever I need to do for when an opportunity comes next,” she said.
Then the gas went out in her apartment, but she was determined not to let that stop her.
“I had already put the idea off for 20 years, so I wasn’t going to let anything stop me again,” she said.
“And we were cooking every meal on a hot plate and I said, ‘You know what, this is probably the hardest brewing I’ve ever going to have to do,’ because it was just a ceramic hot plate from Target, not an induction one. Plus, it was winter, and not having heat or hot water was very depressing, so I needed something to bring me joy.”
This all led to the brewery’s motto of “do what you can with what you have.”
As far as her philosophy when brewing, Real said she likes to keep things fresh.
“We kind of have a soft structure of having a third of our beers being what people know and being approachable. Then we have a middle section, which is what’s popular right now. Like, our sour is in there, and our New England IPA,” she said. “And the other third is more experimental stuff like our habanero chocolate stout. So it might be stuff that’s just seasonal or experimental or any sort of collaboration we do.”
Beyond making beer, Hot Plate has more expansive goals. Real said the most challenging part of her business isn’t necessarily beer related.
“I think it’s just getting people into the tap room. We are in challenging times, and we’ve tried to make our taproom sort of a community space,” she said. “It’s trying to make sure people understand that they don’t have to spend a lot of money, that they can just come for one beer or come out for an event.”
