ASPARAGUS
Inside: Your guide to the 1st Asparagus Days festival. Page D2
At North Hadley Sugar Shack, love of asparagus is EVERGREEN
Business owners launch new asparagus festival to follow in footsteps of shuttered NEPM event
By Keith O’Connor Special to The Republican
Sometimes all good things must come to an end.
But when it comes to asparagus, that’s not the case. While the NEPM Asparagus Festival is no more due to New England Public Media losing $875,000 in federal funding, the folks at North Hadley Sugar Shack strongly believe “the show must go on” and have stepped up to create what they are calling the 1st annual North Hadley Asparagus Days.
The new event — featuring music,
Above left is a bundle of asparagus stalks and at right, a cone of asparagus ice cream from Hadley’s Flayvors of Cook Farm. The farm will be on site at the North Hadley Sugar Shack for the first annual Asparagus Days festival this weekend.
Shelly Boisvert and her husband Joe, who operate the North Hadley Sugar Shack & Market on River Drive in Hadley, are launching the first annual North Hadley Asparagus Days festival this weekend. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN FILE)
artisans, animals, food and beverage, and, of course, asparagus galore — will be held on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at their location on 181 River Drive in Hadley.
“As a local business for over 30 years, we wanted an event celebrating what we call ‘Hadley Grass’ to stay local,” said Shelly Boisvert, owner of North Hadley Sugar Shack with her husband Joe. “We have held other events at our
Asparagus ice cream, shown being prepared at Flayvors of Cook Farm in Hadley, will be on the menu at this weekend’s inaugural Asparagus Days festival.
“As a local business for over 30 years, we wanted an event celebrating what we call ‘Hadley Grass’ to stay local.”
retail business, but this is by far the largest venture we have undertaken with a lot of local support and a small committee formed to help us out along the way.”
Among the many farmers selling their prized green spears and other seasonal crops at the event will be Smiarowski Farm, Wanczyk Produce, Kitchen Garden Farm, Plainville Farm, Boisvert Farm, Kelley Farm, Mapleline Farm and LAM Farm as well as dairy farmers from Flayvors of Cook Farm, who will be scooping up their homemade ice cream.
“If you can’t wait to eat your bunches of asparagus until getting home, you can satisfy your appetite with asparagus-themed treats from local food trucks,” Boisvert said, adding that asparagus ice cream, asparagus fries and asparagus pierogies are just some of the offerings that will be available.
“You can also try an asparagus flavored beer or wine from Leadfoot Brewing and Hardwick Winery,” she said.
There also will be plenty of other treats including Thai food, hamburgers and hot dogs served up by the Hadley Fire Department, maple cotton candy, maple fried dough, and maple kettle corn, among other goodies.
In addition to the focus on agriculture, Boisvert noted they expect to welcome some
60 vendors to the Sugar Shack — including Barton Beeswax Candles, Down 2 Earth, Stunning Images Photography, Sweet Souls Studio, Rustic Ropa, Clay in the Heights, 413 Popcorn, New England Needlework and more.
The appropriately titled Spear Stage will liven things up throughout both days with performances by DJ Matt Peterson, who will kickstart Saturday’s music at 10 a.m., followed by Dew on the Vine and Whiskey Treaty Trio. Sunday will feature Ed Mitch, Tim Cecchetelli and Reil Country.
For some extra fun, there also will be farm animals to visit and pet from Deere Creek Farm, face painting available from Peacock’s Nest, as well as a variety of kid’s games.
While it is often recognized that “kids won’t eat their vegetables,” a group of third graders at Hadley Elementary School might be proven otherwise. After learning in school about the local history of asparagus farming, the students grew the idea to push lawmakers to make asparagus the state’s official vegetable. Their efforts were heard by State Rep. Homar Gomez and Sen. Jo Comerford, who filed a bill to make it so.
“I think it will pass, but the third graders will probably be in fifth grade by the time it does,” Boisvert said.
Held rain or shine, the
weekend event is free, with donations welcomed.
The generosity of the Bois-
verts in launching their own Asparagus Days event to keep the tradition going of honoring
their “Hadley Grass” and the town’s designation as the “Asparagus Capital of the World,” will continue, with the family donating the event’s proceeds to the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts and the Edward Hopkins Educational Foundation.
To raise additional funds, Boisvert said there will be weekend raffles, including the chance to take home a soft Jellycat plushie or a bunch of asparagus and a goodie bag and gift card from Tree House Brewery. Raffle tickets will be priced at $1.
There is no public parking at the Sugar Shack, with only a few handicap spots available. All public parking is directed to 300 Venture Way, where a shuttle bus will provide transportation to and from the event.
For more information, visit northhadleysugarshack. com.
Heritage Greens Kitchen & Bar
Come experience the beginning of something special!
Welcome to Heritage Greens Kitchen & Bar, the newly imagined restaurant at Wyckoff Country Club, offering a fresh and elevated dining experience in a beautiful setting.
SHELLY BOISVERT, OWNER, NORTH HADLEY SUGAR SHACK
Live music, cold drinks on tap at White Lion’s ‘PRIDELANDS’
By Ashley P otter apotter@repub.com
White Lion’s Pridelands — the brewery’s outdoor beer garden — is gearing up for a summer of live music and cold drinks on tap.
New this year, the Pridelands will be open on Wednesdays for lunchtime from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., starting June 3. The free afternoon music series, hosted in partnership with the Springfield Business Improvement District, will feature live entertainment by Bruce Gregori, Floyd Patterson II, Mary Kate McGrath, Marlborough St. Band, the Eagle Eyes Duo, Tom Ingram, Kyle Langolis, Darryn Izzo, Rick Starke, Aaron and Pete Maxxtone, and Ally Rossi.
In addition, White Lion will offer what it calls a “growing creative menu” for lunch, including lobster rolls, lobster cones, creamy mac and cheese with lobster, lobster tacos, clam chowder, lobster bisque and more. Guests can also bring their own lunch to the Pridelands and enjoy the music.
“It invites people on a nice, beautiful day to come outside,
socialize, hang out, and be part of the downtown fabric,” Berry said of the lunchtime series in an interview with The Republican last month.
The Wednesday fun continues with the weekly “after work social” from 4 to 8 p.m. Described on White Lion’s social media page as promising “good music, good vibes, good people, the nightly series will feature live music and pop-up small business vendors each week.
And, starting on June 4, Thursday nights this summer will come alive with music by local DJs. including World Wide Willie Clyde, DJ Why Not, DJ Breeze, DJ Ant Dowe, DJ Groove, DJ Sport, DJ KZ, AK Soul and DJ Boogy. Thursday hours are from
White Lion will offer what it calls a “growing creative menu” for lunch, including lobster rolls, lobster cones, creamy mac and cheese with lobster, lobster tacos, clam chowder, lobster bisque and more.
Raymond Berry, top left, president of White Lion Brewing and the force behind the Pridelands outdoor summer beer garden. Above and at immediate left, guests enjoy their time at the Pridelands last summer. (DOUGLAS HOOK & ASHLEY POTTER / THE REPUBLICAN)
Bow Bow Bash raises funds for student musicians
Ifthe late J. Scott “Bow Bow” Brandon is in another realm and witnessing the annual fundraiser held in his name, his lifelong friend Steve Sanderson has an idea what he would say about it.
“I think he’d say, ‘don’t forget to tell the kids to rock,’” Sanderson said.
Sanderson, the arts events producer for the Northampton Arts Council, is the architect behind the “Bow Bow Bash” — an annual musical event in memory of the renowned musician, who died in 2017 at the age of 44. This year’s show will be staged at Northampton’s Iron Horse Music Hall on May 29 at 7 p.m.
The bash raises funds for the J. Scott Brandon Music Scholarship, which ensures that all interested students in Northampton schools have the opportunity to receive music lessons and supplies for their instruments.
Sanderson said that Brandon would obviously approve of this yearly effort, especially in light of how he and Sanderson met.
“Bow Bow and I would not have met if there wasn’t a band room or a theater department in Taunton High School,”
George Lenker LIVE WIRE
Sanderson said. “It’s all about finding your family. Music kids are sometimes outcasts, and we don’t know where we belong in traditional high school. So, once you find the band room or you find a theater musical, all of a sudden you find your family. That’s why this is so important.”
While the fund initially helped cover costs of music lessons outside of school, instrument purchase and instrument repair, it has grown ever since it was founded in 2022. This past year saw its effects expand even further to include helping to cover the cost of music field trips.
“This year we were a part of helping fund a trip for music students to Williamsburg, Virginia, for a really great music conference where the singing group performed and the band performed,” Sanderson said. “Then they went to Kings Dominion, where they worked with other musicians. It was just a beautiful musical event.”
Sanderson said that this year’s bash will definitely
“It’s all about finding your family. Music kids are sometimes outcasts, and we don’t know where we belong in traditional high school. So, once you find the band room or you find a theater musical, all of a sudden you find your family. That’s why this is so important.”
Steve Sanderson, arts event producer for Northampton Arts Council
NIGHT CLUBS & CONCERTS
THURSDAY
Uno Chicago Grill: Country Music. 820 West Columbus Ave., Springfield
Wyckoff Country Club: Ladies night with DJ Munch. Heritage Greens, 233 Easthampton Road, Holyoke
FRIDAY
Iron Horse Music Hall: Bow Bow Bash. 20 Center St., Northampton
MGM Free Music Fridays: Blushing Brides. 1 MGM Way, Springfield Wyckoff Country Club: Masala Jazz. 233 Easthampton Road, Holyoke
The Drake: True Jacke with Nanny, Saliba. 44 North Pleasant St., Amherst
Theodores’: Orb Mellon Trio. 201 Worthington St., Springfield
Uno Chicago Grill: Roots, Blues and Rock. 820 West Columbus Ave., Springfield West Springfield’s Irish House Restaurant & Pub: Piper-Hopkins Band. 429 Morgan Road, West Springfield
SATURDAY
MGM Roar Comedy Club: Chris Turner. 1 MGM Way, Springfield Wyckoff Country Club: Brian Jarvis. 233 Easthampton Road, Holyoke
The Drake: Eddie Japan with The Fawns, Glad Machine. 44 North Pleasant St., Amherst
Theodores’: The Love Dogs. 201 Worthington St., Springfield
FREE MUSIC FRIDAYS
Blushing Brides
MGM Springfield’s Free Music Fridays concert series continues this Friday with a performance by Blushing Brides, a Rolling Stones tribute band. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. on the casino’s outdoor Plaza and is free of charge. White Lion Brewing and the TAP Sports Bar will be pouring drinks all night long, and you can also bring your own food and snacks onto the premises.
Uno Chicago Grill: Modern, Contemporary Rock. 820 West Columbus Ave., Springfield West Springfield’s Irish House Restaurant & Pub: The Healys. 429 Morgan Road, West Springfield
SUNDAY
Uno Chicago Grill: Jazz. 820 West Columbus Ave., Springfield
Wyckoff Country Club: Malado & DJ Groove. 233 Easthampton Road, Holyoke
The Republican is not responsible for unannounced schedule changes. Listings must be received two weeks before the date of the event. Mail items to Entertainment Guide, The Republican, P.O. Box 1329, Springfield, MA 01102-1329, email to pmastriano@repub.com or submit online to www.masslive.com/myevent
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
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
3 - $400 Special Games All regular games $100 with 80 people or More. All Cards are included with Admission. Prizes climb
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
Zoo invites all on Wine Safari
Event, pairing wines with animals from around the world, to be held at Zoo in Forest Park
By K eith O ’C onnor Special to The Republican
If you’re thinking about attending an animal safari this weekend, you don’t need to bring anything along with you, other than your ticket.
The Zoo at Forest Park in Springfield will have everything you need for your “Wine” Safari. That’s right, wine.
The zoo will supply the fun, animals, wine, and, of course, your glass to imbibe.
The annual fundraising Wine Safari is all for a good cause — to allow staff and volunteers with the zoo to share their mission with the community, and to raise funds for the more than 200 animals who make their home at Forest Park.
Tickets for the Wine Safari, priced at $55, include wine samples from 2 to 6 p.m. while supplies last, as well as charcuterie, small bites and desserts, and animal encounters and keeper talks from members of the zoo’s animal care and education teams.
“We sell fewer tickets for a more intimate setting, which allows people to get closer to our animals in a less crowd-
Wycliff Brut, a sparkling wine from California, will be paired with the zoo’s California king snake.
ed environment from other days,” said Gabry Tyson, assistant executive director for The Zoo in Forest Park, in an interview with The Republican.
The zoo has partnered with MGM Springfield’s food and beverage team as well as the culinary arts program at Lower Pioneer Valley Career Technical Education Center for the event.
Volunteers from MGM Springfield will be pouring the wine samples and culinary students are preparing the appetizers and desserts.
“As part of their safari,
guests will travel around the world and take part in animal encounters that include sampling a glass of wine from the country or region where the animal is from,” Tyson said, adding that, for example, Wycliff Brut, a sparkling wine from California, will be paired with the zoo’s California king snake.
If you prefer your wine red, an Alamos Malbec Argentina wine will be paired with a six-banded armadillo from South America.
Between sips and animal encounters, guests can also stop by a large charcuterie table that will be filled with cheese, crackers, meats and fruits, as well as sample cookies, bars, cupcakes and brownies made by students from the culinary center.
Beth Ward, director of public affairs for MGM Springfield, added that MGM Springfield is “incred-
ibly proud” to support the annual event.
“The zoo has long played an important role for local families and visitors, and we’ve enjoyed partnering with the team there to help create an
experience that is both fun and meaningful,” she said. “Wine Safari has also become one of our staff’s favorite volunteer opportunities of the year. Our team
Explore the bold inventions, groundbreaking ideas, and creative thinkers that shaped the City of Firsts— from the American Revolution to the industrial age and beyond.
Above, Nikki Grozio enjoys some time with the goats during a past Wine Safari event at the Zoo in Forest Park. At left, Jack, a California king snake, is ready to greet guests at a past year’s event. (LEON NGUYEN PHOTOS)
WHAT TO STREAM
Paul McCartney musings, Tina Fey comedy and Nicolas Cage as Spider-Man
Paul McCartney reflecting on the “Days We Left Behind” with his 18th studio album and John Travolta writing, directing and narrating an ode to the glamorous days of 1960s air travel are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you.
Also among the streaming offerings worth your time this week, as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists: Netflix drops Season 2 of Netflix’s “Four Seasons” starring Tina Fey, Atlanta rapper Latto returns with “Big Mama” and Nicolas Cage stars in a new live-action series inspired by Spider-Man.
New movies to stream
• Bill Skarsgård’s aggrieved everyman takes Dacre Montgomery’s mortgage executive hostage in “Dead Man’s Wire,” streaming on Netflix starting today. In his review for The Associated Press, Film Writer Jake Coyle wrote that, “it plays a little loose with facts but the righteous rage of “Dog Day Afternoon” is present enough in Gus Van Sant’s … thriller that’s as
Wine
CONTINUES FROM PAGE D6
loves the energy of the event, interacting with guests in such a relaxed setting, and of course, spending time around some pretty amazing animals. It’s a fun atmosphere that celebrates community and the incredible work being done at the zoo,” she added.
This event is restricted to adults age 21 and older,
deeply 1970s as it is contemporary.”
• Fresh off its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, John Travolta’s “Propeller One-Way Night Coach” will be streaming on Apple TV starting Friday, May 29. The actor wrote, directed and narrates this ode to the glamorous days of 1960s air travel following an aviation obsessed 10-year-old on a cross country trip with his mother. Running at only 60 minutes, the film, which is based on a novel he wrote, has received mostly mixed reviews.
• In “Miss You, Love You,” written and directed by Jim Rash and streaming on HBO Max on Friday, May 29, Allison Janney plays a recently widowed woman who has to plan her husband’s funeral with a stranger: Her estranged son’s assistant, played by Andrew Rannells. Also coming to HBO Max on May 29 is the Charli xcx movie “The Moment,” a meta mockumentary about the end of Brat summer and grappling with otherworldly success.
• Markiplier’s “Iron Lung” is also making its streaming debut, on YouTube, on May 31. The adaptation of the
and a pre-purchased ticket is required to attend. All IDs will be checked at the door. Tickets are limited and are on sale online at forestparkzoo.org/ wine-safari. The zoo will be open to the general public prior to the event on May 30 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and will close at 1 p.m. to allow staff to prepare for Wine Safari. For more information or tickets, visit forestparkzoo. org.
Above, Paul McCartney, right, with host Stephen Colbert during the final episode of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” in New York on May 21. Left, John Travolta poses for photographers at the photo call for the film “Propeller OneWay Night Coach” at the Cannes Film Festival in southern France on May 16.
Tina Fey appears in a scene from "The Four Seasons." (EMILY V.
ARAGONES / NETFLIX VIA AP)
indie horror game was self-financed and self-released in theaters where it earned over
$50 million worldwide.
— AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr
New music to stream
• Paul McCartney reflects on the “Days We Left Behind” on his 18th studio album, “The Boys of Dungeon Lane,” out Friday. That’s a reference to a particularly nostalgic and wistful track on the new collection, which reflects on the youth of a life well lived — so, of course, it’s all soft piano and delicate harmonies. If that’s not enough to inspire a listen, perhaps this is: The album also features the first duet of Macca and Ringo Starr, a must-play for any Beatles fan. “The world around us wasn’t safe, the place was falling down/But it was my hometown/And it was home to us,” they sing.
The zoo will be open to the general public prior to the event on May 30 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and will close at at 1 p.m. to allow staff to prepare for Wine Safari.
Rain didn’t stop visitors Lauren Berling and Susan Castrillo, both from Connecticut, from enjoying the Wine Safari event at the Forest Park Zoo last year. (LEON
NGUYEN PHOTO)
Associated Press
(TOP: SCOTT KOWALCHYK / CBS VIA ASSOCIATED PRESS; AT LEFT: ANDREEA ALEXANDRU / ASSOCIATED PRESS)
T HURSDAY
LAVA’S Comedy Project Presents “What’s So Funny?” with host Joanie Schwarts: Thu., 7 p.m. LAVA Center. Seating is limited. To reserve a seat, email andrea@ thelavacenter.org. Reservations will not be honored after 6:50 p.m. Tickets on a sliding scale of $5 to $20 ($2 Card to Culture; no one will be turned away for lack of funds). 324 Main St., Greenfield.
MIFA Victory Theatre Presents the Victory Players in “Golden Age”: Thu, 7 p.m. De La Luz Soundstage, a bold new concert series celebrating cutting-edge contemporary music in the U.S. For tickets, visit delaluz.org/events/ golden-age/, $25. 114 Race St., Holyoke.
Yiddish Soundbath with Chaia: Thu, Bombyx Center for Arts & Equity, Bombyx, Beit Ahavah Reform Synagogue of Greater Northampton and the Yiddish Book Center present the first Yiddish Soundbath with Chaia, accompanied by violinist Rachel Leader. This event is a benefit for Beit Ahavah’s creative and spiritual programming in the Valley. Tickets and more information are available at bombyx.live/events/yiddishsoundbath-with-chaia/, priced at a sliding scale from $20 - $50, with a student price of $12. 130 Pine St., Florence.
FRIDAY
”Path to Wholeness” Workshop hosted by Traditional Shaman Khaluna Kam: Fri, 7-8 p.m. The Hidden Temple. Join Khaluna Kam, an initiated Eurasian Shaman and internationally educated sound artist, for an evening focused on internal restoration. This workshop aims to harmonize spirit and body by integrating nature-based wisdom with perspectives on the autonomic nervous system. An experience featuring traditional throat singing and overtone soundscapes intended for relaxation and restoration, $25. 221 Pine St. Suite 320, Florence; hiddentemple.org.
SATURDAY
Great Falls Discovery Center at Musica Franklin’s Fun Fest: Sat., 12:30-5 p.m. Unity Park & Skatepark. Fish sustain life throughout the Valley, from eagles to otters, even other fish — see how your wingspan compares to that of an eagle’s. Learn how you can be part of this year’s fish migration through games and more. Learn more about the festival by visiting
musicafranklin.org/fun-fest. For all ages, admission is free. 56 1st Street, Turners Falls.
Happier Family Comedy Show: Sat., Happier Valley Comedy Theater, 12:30 p.m. High-energy, interactive, big and silly comedy show for kids 8-12 and their adults. Experienced improvisers make up stories, scenes, and games on the spot using your suggestions and participation, $10. 1 Mill Valley Road Suite B, Hadley.
Happiness Festival Fundraiser: Sat., 12:30-9:30 p.m. Happier Valley Comedy Theater, featuring improv shows, raffles, and an improv jam. All proceeds for this event support HVC’s commitment to foster and grow a community of inclusion, kindness, and belonging, $10-$40. 1 Mill Valley Road Suite B, Hadley.
I Am My Brother’s Keeper Community Event: Sat, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Spanish Christian Church, This is a free community outreach event focused on serving families. Featuring gently-used clothing and shoes, food bags for families, bounce house for children, free lunch (hot dogs and hamburgers). Prayer and
SPRINGFIELD
Celebrating Springfield’s Queen of Tap’
The Hope Center for the Arts tonight will host a one-nightonly tribute to the late Eleanor Powell, a Springfield native who rose to fame on both Broadway and Hollywood in the 1930s. Lisa Royere, co-author of the book “Eleanor Powell: Born to Dance,” will host the event, which is free and open to the public. The evening will include photos and videos of Powell performing, a brief lecture by Royere, and a book signing opportunity. Copies of the book “Born to Dance” also will be available for purchase. At left, Powell is pictured in an undated file photo from the Springfield Daily Union.
Museum: Permanent exhibitions include Asian decorative arts, Japanese arms and armor, Chinese cloisonné, American and European paintings, antiquities, and rare decorative objects.
1,400-square-foot gallery in the Springfield Science Museum invites visitors of all ages to uncover the surprising connections between dinosaurs, birds, crocodilians, and pterosaurs. Permanent exhibits include dinosaurs, African wildlife, interactive STEM labs, Earth’s ecosystems, and immersive planetarium shows.
Quadrangle admission: $25 for adults, $17.50 for seniors (60+), $16.50 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. Special exhibit fees may apply to all visitors. Welcome Center and Museum store. Closed Mon, Tues.-Sat. 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Museums
support for anyone in need. Everyone is welcome, and there is no cost to attend. Free. 565 Chestnut St., Springfield.
Merrimack Valley Ringers Concert: Sat., 7 p.m. Wilbraham United Church, In the Church Sanctuary. A free-will donation will help defray MVR expenses to present the concert. Wheelchair accessible, free-will donation. 500 Main St., Wilbraham.
ReCloaking — ReCircling Workshop: Sat., 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Unity Park & Skatepark, with Elizabeth James -Perry. This is a drop-in program that will be held rain or shine. Free. 56 1st Street, Turners Falls.
SUNDAY
Live Music featuring Louise Coombe and Sarah Mac: Sun, 2 p.m. Tangle Chocolate Lounge, free. 5 Main St. Route 9, Williamsburg.
Qua drangle
George Walter Vincent Smith Art
Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History: “Declaration of Innovation: Springfield’s Revolutionary Ideas,” through Sept. 27. Permanent exhibits include vintage automobiles, Indian motorcycles, historic firearms, Hasbro GameLand, and other industrial and cultural artifacts.
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. Museum a la Carte. May 28, 12:15 p.m. “Puerto Rican Landscape: Paradise and Disaster.” Cost: $4, members are free. Presented by María Acosta Cruz, author and professor of Spanish at Clark University. Permanent exhibits include American and European prints, paintings, drawings, and sculpture.
On the first Wed. of every month through the end of 2026, admission is free for all visitors. “Please Touch! A Tactile Exploration of Sante Graziani’s Mural,” through July 26.
Springfield Science Museum: “Dinosaurs Still Live: The Story of Archosaurs.” This dynamic,
Amelia Park Children’s Museum: Permanent exhibits include spaceship, construction site, library, grocery store, as well as weekday activities. 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 members/infants. Military personnel and teachers receive a 10% discount off the price of regular admission. 29 South Broad St., Westfield or www.ameliapark museum.org.
Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art: “Cooking with Eric Carle,” through Aug. 23, 2026. “Under the Cork Tree: The Story of Ferdinand,” through Nov. 8. Included with museum admisison. 125 West Bay Road, Amherst or www. carlemuseum.org.
Mead Art Museum: Permanent exhibits: 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. Free. 220 South Pleasant St., Amherst or www.amherst.edu.
Norman Rockwell Museum: Online exhibit: “Imagining Freedom.” The exhibition highlights the important role of Norman Rockwell and other artists in advancing and communicating these ideals, envisioned as core human rights for all people. The fee for accessing “Imagining freedom” is $5 for the general public, available on the museum’s website at NRM.org In-person exhibits at the museum include: “A Brief History of Illustration: The Abyss,” through May 31. “Norman Rockwell’s Historic Stockbridge Studio Guided
Now open for the season
PorterPhelps Huntington Museum
Community Days this summer
The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum, a historic house known as “Forty Acres” dating to 1752 in Hadley, is now open for the season and offers guided tours Saturday through Wednesday from 1 to 4 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults and $1 for children. The Museum's programs invite visitors to explore the past and present, and share stories of life and labor at Forty Acres from the Revolutionary era to the present.
New this season, the museum commemorates the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution with a new exhibit located at the Frost Library at Amherst College: “Forty Acres and the American Revolution: Stories of Independence and Servitude.”
Community Days — offering the chance for guests to visit the historic house and grounds for free — also return this summer. Amherst, Shutesbury, Leverett, Pelham and Hadley residents are welcome free on June 6, and Northampton, Hatfield, Deerfield and Whately residents are welcome on June 13. Families of residents are welcome to join.
The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum is located at 130 River Drive in Hadley, just two miles north of the junction of Routes 9 and 47 North in Hadley. For more information on the museum’s summer offerings, call 413-584-4699 or visit www.pphmuseum.org .
Tours,” through Nov. 8, reservations required. “Shine A Light: The Art and Life of Deb Koffman,” through June 7. 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. It features lacquerware, ceramics, bamboo baskets, and metalwork from the 18th- through 21st centuries. “Don’t Mind if I Do” exhibit, 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. All exhibits at Smith College are free of charge. 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 Street. For more information, go online to NEVA-museum.org or call 413-5884337. There is a $10 suggested day admission 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 413-6373206. Admission is $18 adults, $17 seniors (65+), $10 students with ID, $7 children 5-17 and free for children 4 and younger. 104 Walker St., Lenox or www.gilded age.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 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. Admission is $7 Holyoke residents, $5 seniors, $5 youth (under 18), and free for 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 will be open to the public on Thurs, Fri, Sun, and Mon. from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Closed Shabbos (Saturday) and Jewish and legal holidays. $8 adults, $6 seniors, free for members, students and children. 1021 West St., Amherst or www.yiddishbookcenter.org.
Galleries
A.P.E. Gallery: 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.
Barnes Gallery of Leverett Crafts and Arts: May exhibit, through end of May, “Time Traveler” by Marty Klein; “Pieced Together” by Susan Boss & Mark Brown. Gallery hours: Sat.-Sun. 1-5 p.m. Free. “The Perenniels.” Sat.-Sun in May, from 1-5 p.m. 13 Montague Road, Leverett, or 413-548-9070.
Becket Arts Center: “Form, Fact & Fragment Art Exhibition,” May 31June 21. Opening reception on May 30, from 2-4 p.m. Featured artists are Diane Pearl, Wren Bernstein, Catherine Lipsetz Dauer, Elizabeth diGiacomantonio, Gregory St. John. Gallery hours are Wed.-Sun. from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Free, https:// www.becketartscenter.org/ form-fact. 7 Brooker Hill Road and Route 8, Becket Gallery A3 Amherst Art Alliance: “Sue Curran and GK Khalsa,” through May 30, 2-7 p.m. 28 Amity St., Amherst, 413-256-4250. Hope and Feathers Framing and Gallery: “Fresh Light” by Gillian Haven, through May 30. Hours: Mon.-Fri. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., and Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 238 Bridge St., Northampton or www.hopeand
feathersframing.com.
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, 413-543-3321. LAVA Center: Four Rivers School Art Show, through May 29, closing reception Friday, May 29, 5-8 p.m. Free. The PeaceBirds Exhibit with “We, The Poets, Grant You Refuge,” through July 31. Free. 324 Main St., Greenfield
Old Town Hall: Julian Parker Burns presents “Interconnections via the Garden,” through May 30. Free. 43 Main St., Easthampton
Trinity United Methodist Church: Art by students from the Zanetti School, through May 31. Gallery Hours: Mon.-Fri. 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; Sun. 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. Call 413-2187391 for more information. Free. 361 Sumner Ave., Springfield.
Outdoors
Great Falls Discovery Center: “Nice & Easy Walk,” May 28, 1-2 p.m. Easy-paced, 1- to 2-mile guided walk, along the Canalside Rail Trail or downtown Turners Falls, geared for older adults, but open to all. Dress for the weather with sturdy footwear and bring water. Inclement weather cancels. Meet at
Above is a file photo of the Porter-Phelps Huntington Museum. The museum is now open for the season and will offer free Community Days this summer.
MOVIE REVIEW
‘I Love Boosters’
Film is a wild, surrealist social satire
By L INDSEy BAHR
Associated Press
Boots Riley holds nothing back in his audacious, surrealist social satire “I Love Boosters.” The film is a gofor-broke expression of wild imagination and social consciousness that’s impossible not to admire for its wacky, bold vision, with teleporting, high fashion snobbery and pyramid schemes.
Here is a movie where we get Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie and Taylour Paige leading a vigilante shoplifting operation, Demi Moore as a toxic girl boss, Don Cheadle as a sleazy lifestyle evangelist, Will Poulter as a fussy store manager and LaKeith Stanfield as a discount brand model with a strange accent and a hypnotizing stare. It sounds like fun, right? Like a raucous, madcap ride through the inequities of the fashion business from the executive suite, down to
Keke Palmer appears in a scene from “I Love Boosters,” playing at local theaters. (NEON / TNS)
the retail store where the goods are sold and the Chinese factories where they’re made? And on a certain level it is all of that, but one thing it is not is very funny. “I Love Boosters” can be amusing and clever, but the laughout-loud comedy just isn’t quite there. And it doesn’t help that the film goes more off the rails as it progresses to a climax that is less rousing than mind-numbing.
The thing is, “I Love Boosters” does start on a strong, albeit minor key as we’re introduced to the Velvet Gang, Corvette (Palmer), Sade (Ackie) and Mariah (Paige) and their booster operation, stealing overpriced designer wares from high end stores and selling them for a steep discount on the street. There’s a kind of a Robin Hood sensibility to it all. Mariah calls
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the main entrance. Free. 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls or www.greatfallsma.org.
Mt. Greylock State Reservation: “Discover Greylock Hike,” May 29, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Suitable for ages 8 and older. Explore seasonal changes in the forest, look for signs of wildlife, and discover unique natural and cultural features along easy-moderate trails. Dress appropriately for the weather and wear sturdy shoes. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Bring water, a snack, bug spray and sunscreen. Trekking poles are recommended. Inclement weather cancels. Meeting locations vary. For more information and to register, call the Visitor Center at 413-499-4262. “Scenic Summit Tours,” May 30, 1 p.m., 2 p.m. Best for ages 12 and older. Short “pocket-sized” revealing talks along easy walking paths with a park interpreter. Explore the cultural landscape and unique ecology at the highest point in Massachusetts. Wheelchair accessible. Tour duration is 30 minutes. No parking fees. Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Inclement weather cancels. For more information, call 413-499-4262. Free. “Nature Scavenger Hunt,” ongoing, Sun. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. For children and families. Self-guided quests invite you to search for natural treasures along part trails and inside the Visitor Center. There are several seek and find scavenger hunts for different age and skill levels. Scavenger hunts are available at the Visitor Center. 30 Rockwell Road, Lanesborough
River Studios DeVries Fine Art International Sculpture Trail: 2026 Season of DeVries Fine Art & Sculpture Trail, open now through Oct. 18. Fri.-Sun. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Up to 40 life-size sculptures are installed along the trail complemented with poetry by various writers. The path traverses through meadows and wooded groves along the middle branch of the Westfield River. Open to the public. Free — donations are welcomed. 36 East River Road, Middlefield
The Zoo in Forest Park and Education Center: “Wine Safari,” Sat., May 30. No passport? No problem! Travel around the world without leaving Massachusetts at The Zoo in Forest Park’s Wine Safari. Pairing wine from around the world with animals from the same region, this event allows you to “travel” from country to country sampling the wine from the region while meeting the wildlife that inhabits it. Tickets to this 21+ event include wine samples, animal encounters, keeper talks, and small bites. Tickets are required, and all guests must be 21+ with valid photo ID. This event is rain or shine, so be sure to dress for the weather! $55. Sumner Avenue, Springfield or www.forestparkzoo.org.
Turners Falls Fishways: Season open through June 7, Wed.-Sun. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Each spring when the shadbush blooms, viewing windows reveal the migration of American shad, sea lamprey and other anadromous fish as they swim up the Connecticut River. Free. 15 First Street, Turners Falls
"I Love Boosters," a film written and directed by Boots Riley. (NEON / TNS)
‘Boosters’
it “Triple F,” or “Fashion Forward Filanthropy.” She knows how to spell philanthropy, she deadpans; This is branding. But despite the colorful surroundings, there’s a pervasive hopelessness in this off-kilter world that looks a lot like our own. Corvette, particularly, feels outside of it all, as a woman who dreams of being a designer herself but is currently squatting in a closed fast food chicken shop and being haunted by a boulder of debt (like, literally). It doesn’t help that the founder she idolizes, Moore’s Christie Smith, has become obsessed with stopping the boosters. To Christie, a genius megalomaniac, they’re the big problem with her business and not the fact that her store employees are being paid a pittance and her factory employees even less. The people who work at the factories are also getting sick from sandblasting the denim. And yes, these are all real things.
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It’s enough to make someone weep, if it wasn’t such a jam.
• Atlanta rapper Latto is back with “Big Mama.” If the title feels familiar, there’s a reason for it. “Big Mama” is also the name of her 2024 Grammy-nominated single from her last album, “Sugar Honey Iced Tea.” She’s called her forthcoming record her “retirement album,” and if that’s true, she’s going out with a bang: “Somebody” is laid-back pop-trap; “GOMF” (an acronym for “Get Out My Face”) samples the buzzy ’00s Soulja Boy hit “Yahhh!” and transforms it with the swagger only Latto possesses. For the lover girls and girl bosses among us, and for everyone in between.
— AP Music Writer Maria Sherman
New series to stream
• A Spider-Man series, but make it noir. Nicolas Cage stars in a new live-action series inspired by the Marvel character. Set against a gritty 1930s New York, Cage plays
at the screen (teleporting somehow the least distracting of them) for us to spend much time just hanging out with these vibrant personalities.
Eiza González’s vaping Viole-
ta becomes the face of the store employees forced to use their own paychecks to buy their uniforms. Poppy Liu’s Jianhu, who teleports herself from China to the Bay Area, is that for the factory workers. This oddball group of five women band together to get revenge against Christie. Again, this all sounds like it should be a fun time, but the film is too busy jumping around and throwing ideas and concepts
mini series that dropped yesterday for streaming on Prime Video. (PHOTO BY DANIEL COLE / INVISION / AP)
Ben Reilly, a P.I. who carries the weight of being the city’s only masked hero fighting rampant corruption. Viewers can choose between blackand-white and color versions. “Spider-Noir” dropped its eight episodes yesterday on Prime Video.
• The wild crime comedy “Deli Boys” returns to Hulu for its second season on Thursday. Two Pakistani American brothers, played by Asif Ali and Saagar Shaikh, inherit a chain of delis after
their father dies and think they’re set for life until the realization that those delis were really a front for smuggling drugs. Poorna Jagannathan plays their aunt who has taken over the business.
• Netflix drops Season 2 of its “Four Seasons” on Thursday. It’s about a group of friends navigating relationships and life’s ups and downs. Tina Fey is a co-creator and stars alongside Colman Domingo, Will Forte, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Marco
Calvani and Erika Henningsen. It’s adapted from Alan Alda’s 1981 film of the same name.
• “Criminal Minds: Evolution” Season 19 premieres with two episodes Thursday on Paramount+. In the new episodes, serial killer Elias Voit (Zach Gilford) is still in prison for life but also helping the BAU track down other killers like himself. The big bad for Season 19 is a copycat killer, who is a fan of Voit. A number of actors from the original series return, including Joe Mantegna, A.J. Cook, Aisha Tyler, Adam Rodriguez and Paget Brewster. Connor Storrie of “Heated Rivalry” will also guest star.
— Alicia Rancilio
New video games
• Filmmakers are still trying to decide on the next actor to play James Bond, but gamers worldwide are ready to take on the role in “007 First Light.” Developer IO Interactive describes it as an origin story, as a 20-something Bond who is new to MI6 is sent in pursuit of a rogue agent. Expect plenty of exotic locations, cool weapons and gadgets, a slick wardrobe
It is a crime that this is only Riley’s second produced movie. Though it might not reach the crackling heights of his debut, “Sorry to Bother You,” his imagination is still on fire. Unlike so much of what’s out there, “I Love Boosters” has both style and substance, which is worth something even if it doesn’t land perfectly (or capably inspire any kind of revolution). In a marketplace full of content and franchises, here is a filmmaker with something to say and an interesting way to say it.
and, of course, a glamorous love interest. You can “go silent or go loud,” meaning you can take a stealthy approach to each mission or go in with fists and bullets flying. IO is best known for its globe-trotting “Hitman” series, so it’s well qualified to take on this franchise. Pick up your license to kill today on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S, Switch 2 or PC.
• “Mina the Hollower” is a mouse who’s really good at burrowing, which comes in handy when she needs to run away from — or sneak up behind — the nastier critters roaming her spooky home. She can also fight back with her whip, and she can track down sidearms and trinkets that make her more of a threat. All this takes place in a colorful, pixelated 2D world reminiscent of 1980s classics like “The Legend of Zelda.” Developer Yacht Club Games, which gave us the retro indie smash “Shovel Knight,” promises a “bone-chilling yet heartwarming tale inspired by Victorian Gothic horror.” Dig in Friday, May 29, on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S, Switch, PC or Mac.
— Lou Kesten
Nicolas Cage, shown above, stars in a new “Spider-Noir”
At left, in an image released by Neon, are, from left, Naomi Ackie, Taylour Paige, and Keke Palmer in a scene from "I Love Boosters." (NEON VIA AP)
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include some surprises but declined to get specific.
“But I will say that one thing I’ve noticed is that the kids are getting into more complicated music,” he said Sanderson said his partners Paul Kinsman, Northampton High School’s director of instrumental music, and Susan Dillard, the musical director at the school, have been motivating students to take on new challenges.
“They are so involved in
this with me that we’ve been able to inspire the kids to go outside their comfort zones,”
Sanderson said. “You’d be surprised at the difficulty level of the music that the kids are bringing us at the high school level these days.”
Sanderson added that the bash will “be a wonderful night, and you’re going to get a little bit of everything.”
“If anyone cares about the music programs in the Northampton Public School system, this is a way to directly affect kids who want to make music and want to find their music family,” he said.
“We’re really trying to activate the park and make it very inclusive, very engaging, and add a little bit of a different flair to it.”
Raymond Berry, owner, White Lion Brewing & Pridelands
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4 to 8 p.m., with the music starting each week at 5 p.m.
The fun continues every other Friday night, starting on June 5, with what White Lion says will be Latin night. The park will open at 4 p.m. every other week and will feature live Latin music from 5 to 8 p.m.
“We’re really trying to activate the park and make it very inclusive, very engaging, and add a little bit of a different flair to it,” Berry said in an interview with The Republican. “We really want
to showcase it as a community venue, not just a park that sits in the middle of downtown Springfield.”
There is no cost to enter the Pridelands and all are welcome.
In addition to its weekly schedule, White Lion Brewing is partnering with downtown events including the Springfield Pride Parade on June 6 and the Springfield Jazz and Roots Festival on July 10 and 11.
For more information on White Lion’s Pridelands and other summer programming, go online to whitelion brewing.com or visit the brewery’s Facebook page.
Guests enjoy cold drinks and conversation during last summer’s Pridelands beer garden. (ASHLEY POTTER / THE REPUBLICAN)