April
2021 Vacation
Your family’s guide to April Vacation activities in the MetroWest Area Welcome to MetroWest! Contents 3 For centuries, MetroWest has been a diverse and thriving Hopkinton Center for the Arts 4 region offering tremendous Great Framingham Cleanup 5 opportunities for personal Arts and Sciences at the Danforth 6 exploration and professional growth. That innovative Amazing Things Arts Center: Tanglewood Marionettes 7 spirit has kept our region at Natick Center Cultural District 8 the forefront of burgeoning new industries—from craft Sidewalk Sale 8 beverages to biotech—even as we preserve our historic New Natick’s Art in Bloom 8 England traditions and landscape. Elijah T. Grasshopper 9 Set between the two largest cities in New England, our region offers the best of two worlds: the vibrant excitement of a city THE BLACK BOX: Spring Arts Awakening 10 with thriving cultural amenities and corporate leaders, and rural Disney Stars of Broadway 10 natural beauty that is perfect for recreation and relaxation. Our unique mix of urban, suburban, and rural communities makes The Peacheaters with the DayBreakers 10 it easy for visitors to experience luxury shopping and country James Montgomery 12 boutiques, haute cuisine and farm-to-table, conference centers and restful inns. T.3 13 With major arteries crisscrossing the region, you are never far Hampton Inn by Hilton Boston Natick 14 from intriguing opportunities in MetroWest! SKYBOKX 109 15 Sports Bar & Grill 15 SAVE THE DATE: MetroFest returns in online format June 12, 2021 The VERVE Hotel, Tapestry Collection by Hilton 16
This pamphlet is published by the MetroWest Visitors Bureau, Follow us on social media facebook.com/VisitMetroWest 10 Mechanic St. for updates on the entertainment, vendors, exhibitors, Bellingham, MA 02019. 508-361-9881 sponsors! Funded by the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism Great Framingham Cleanup 5 Saturday, April 17th
Members of the April 17th feel free to pick up Framingham Earth Day litter on Sunday, April 18th Festival & Keep Framingham (or any other day) and post Beautiful invite everyone to our Facebook group. A to the “Great Framingham rain date of Saturday, April Cleanup”. This distributed 24th is planned in the event event will replace this that weather prevents us year's Framingham Earth from picking up litter on Day Festival as something April 17th. Hopkinton Center for the Arts that we can all safely do This event is co-sponsored as a community during by Keep Framingham April Vacation Week Programs continued times of social Beautiful, Framingham distancing. Earth Day Festival, Saturday, April 17th - Sunday, April 25th OUR GOAL: 100+ folks Framingham Centre Nursery picking up litter on School, FramBark and the Check out HCA’s awesome a safety precaution the April 17th and posting Framingham DPW. April Vacation programs. HCA continues to limit pictures of their progress If you have any questions, to our Facebook group: For younger kids, ages 5 class sizes and follow all feel free to send us an email: facebook.com/groups/ to 8, we have 1-day theater safety recommendations as KeepFraminghamBeautiful@ keepframinghambeautiful workshops: Moana, Aladdin, provided by the CDC and gmail.com and Jungle Book. local Board of Health. If you cannot participate on Other programs for kids, ages 9 to 13, include Comedy Improv, Calligraphy and Handwriting, Cartooning, and an Intro to Hyper Real Painting. Special this week is a 4-day Magic Boot Camp with magician Chris Herrick Registration is open at: for ages 8 to 13. hopartscenter.org Hopkinton Center for the If you have any questions, Arts is located at 98 Hayden please call: Rowe St., Hopkinton. As (508) 435-9222 Amazing Things Arts Center 7 Tanglewood Marionettes: Hansel and Gretel
Friday Apr 23, 2021 7:30 PM
Join ātac for a virtual the challenges they encounter performance of Hansel and while lost in the wood. Gretel with Tanglewood While admission is free, Marionettes! donations are encouraged The production is based on the during the show as all classic fairytale by the Brothers proceeds are split between the Grimm, and features melodies artist and ātac. from the Humperdinck opera. Donation Link: Arts and Sciences at the The colorful set is in the shape of a giant story book; as the atac160.org/donate Danforth pages turn, each new and The production is exciting scene is revealed. Tuesday April 20th – Sunday April 25th approximately 45 minutes All the staging, scenery, and 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM in length, and includes a marionettes are handcrafted Puppetry Demonstration prior Visit the Danforth Art Museum available at the Museum upon by Tanglewood Marionettes, to the show, and a Question during April Vacation Week! arrival, or you can download and together represent over a and Answer Session following this PDF (coming soon!), print year of construction time. the performance. Why is dirt important for out at home, and bring the sculptures? How can biology As the tale unfolds, Hansel For more information, visit: packet with you! inspire a painting? Learn and Gretel must call upon atac160.org about how art and science Family guides are free with their inner reserves and learn connect as you explore admission (all children under new methods to overcome the Danforth Art Museum 13 are free!). Due to safety permanent and temporary protocols, timed ticket exhibitions! purchases are required to enable physical distancing. All visitors are encouraged Learn more about visiting to celebrate Earth Day and during Covid-19 here. To vacation week with a special purchase tickets through family packet. These packets Eventbrite, please click here. will guide and expand in- gallery learning opportunities Do you have any questions? with exhibition highlights, Email our Museum Education family friendly questions, Coordinator Eileen at gallery activities, and [email protected]. recommendations for more to do at home! Packets will be and some sidewalk sale items, including wildflower seed 9 packets, DIY sunflower seed pots, and notecards. For more information, please visit the Garden Club at natickgardenclub.org or on Facebook and the NCCD at natickcenter.org Elijah T. Grasshopper Wednesday April 21st 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM Introducing Elijah T. Grasshopper & Friends, children’s enrichment performers. Elijah and his friends were created to add a sense of real-time wonderment to children’s lives through music and interactive storytelling. Channeling his favorite childhood characters, Doctor Dolittle and Willy Wonka, Rob Zammarchi personifies Elijah with the sole purpose of keeping innocence alive and letting wonder abound in all the kids he Natick Center Cultural District plays for. Sidewalk Sale Interactive story songs are Elijah’s specialty with a gentle Saturday April 17th humorous appeal. Elijah T. Grasshopper is a master at making 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM kids hop, wiggle, and giggle while promoting a message of Come downtown to support your local business community social harmony. and shop small every 3rd Saturday of the month! Shop safely in This event is funded by the Natick Cultural Council, a local Natick Center from 10 am – 4:00 pm. agency administered by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a Remember that there is only metered parking till 1:00 pm but state agency. after that time there is NO charge and the municipal lots are Register baconfreelibrary.org/event/grasshopper always FREE on the weekend! #walktoshop. Use our newly implemented Passport app when you park downtown! For more information about all NCCD events, visit: Natick’s Art in Bloom natickcenter.org/events Sunday April 18th 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM Natick Garden Club members will design floral arrangements inspired by the public art in Natick. There are many fantastic public art pieces to choose from like The Unconventional Garden, Wings of the Butterfly, various electrical boxes, the bus stop mural, and mosaics. The event will take place on Adams and Court Street and will allow visitors to walk through and view these works of art with the corresponding floral arrangements. Other works of art that are not in the immediate area will be set on tables with a photo of the art next to the arrangement. The Natick Garden Club will also have an information table
musical surprises! 11 Joined by special guests the DayBreakers ! Steadily climbing the ranks of New England's roots rock and roll scene, the DayBreakers hit new peaks in 2019 and 2020. In August of 2019, the band released their second full length album, Worn Out Dream, a concept album that charted in the top 200 on the Americana Music Association (AMA) charts and garnered airplay on radio stations around the country. Chart success led to a nomination for Rock Act of the Year from the New England Music Awards, the second straight nomination for the band (2018 and 2019). Touring locally to support the record's release, the band played some of their most high-profile shows, including a January THE BLACK BOX: 2020 set opening for Boston blues legend James Montgomery Band, and an appearance at Boggestock Music Festival in Millis, Spring Arts Awakening Mass. In addition, the band opened shows for nationally touring 15 West Central Street acts The High Divers, Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band, and Christian Lopez. Franklin MA 02038
Disney Stars of Broadway Saturday April 17th 7:30 PM Spring Arts Awakening at THE BLACK BOX kicks off on April 17th with a concert by three Disney Stars of Broadway: Broadway’s original “Mary Poppins” Ashley Brown, current “Genie” Michael For more information about THE BLACK BOX events, visit: James Scott, and original “Tarzan” Josh Strickland. The trio will theblackboxonline.com/events perform an evening of Disney favorites. There will be limited seating for this special evening out in Franklin.
The Peacheaters with the DayBreakers Thursday April 22nd 6:30 PM The Peacheaters respectfully pay homage to the music of the Allman Brothers Band. From 'Ain't Wastin' Time No More' to 'Whippin Post', The Peacheaters dig deep into 5 plus decades of Allman Brothers music & more delivering an Allman Brothers Band Experience. Featuring blistering guitar solos & harmonies, a pulsating 2 drummer rhythm section, with soulful, southern twinged vocals all meshing seamlessly to deliver that authentic ABB sound. Every show features a unique set list and plenty of Montgomery has toured with many major artists, including 13 Aerosmith, Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Springsteen, the Allman Brothers, Steve Miller, and others. He has jammed on stage with B.B.King, Buddy Guy, John Lee Hooker, Jr. Wells, James Cotton, Charlie Daniels, Bonnie Raitt, Greg Allman, Laverne Baker, Patti LaBelle, and Peter Wolf among others, including an impromptu session with Mick Jagger at New York's "Trax." Over the years, Montgomery's band has been a springboard for many musicians. Members of his band have included Billy Squire, Wayne Kramer (MC-5), Jeff Golub (Rod Stewart), Jim McCarty (Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels), Nunzio Signore (Bo Diddley), Jeff Pevar (Ray Charles Orchestra, Crosby, Stills & Nash), Bobby Chouinard (drummer with Ted Nugent, Squire and Robert Gordon), Jeff Levine (Joe Cocker), Aerosmith's Tom Gambel, and many others. James Montgomery T.3 Friday April 23rd Saturday April 24th 7:30 PM 7:30 PM When blues legend James Montgomery plays the harmonica, he THE BLACK BOX presents viral a cappella sensation T.3 as a part "brings it on home." Whether it's recording with Kid Rock, sitting of their Spring Arts Awakening Series! T.3 is a New York based in with Gregg Allman, or fronting his hot band of thirty years, vocal group composed of Liam Fennecken (School of Rock), Montgomery plays with authority. While growing up in Detroit Jim Hogan (Waitress) and Brendan Jacob Smith (The Simon he, learned first-hand from the masters - James Cotton, John & Garfunkel Story). They gained popularity on social media Lee Hooker, and Jr. Wells - at the legendary "Chessmate." Over platforms with covers of Disney, Broadway and Pop hits. Feel the years, he's carried on in the tradition and continues to be a free to follow them on social media: @t.3official #T3Thursday vital presence in Blues as one of the most dynamic performers #tiktoktenors on the scene. For more information about THE BLACK BOX events, visit: In 1970, while attending Boston University, Montgomery theblackboxonline.com/events formed The James Montgomery Band. His inimitable (oh yeah, he majored in English) harmonica playing combined with his incredibly energetic live shows led to the band's quick ascension on the New England music scene. Within two years, The James Montgomery band was among the hottest acts in Boston along with J. Geils and Aerosmith, and they were quickly signed to a multi-album deal with Capricorn Records. Since that time, James has recorded six albums. His first, "First Time Out" has been remastered and re-released by MRG/ Capricorn. Other include "James Montgomery Band" on Island Records which was number nine on Billboard's national playlist, "Duck Fever" with members of the David Letterman Band, "Live Trax," with the Uptown Horns (the Rolling Stones' horn section), and his release on Tone-Cool, "The Oven Is On." SKYBOKX 109 15 Sports Bar & Grill
SKYBOKX 109, with its SKYBOKX 109 have two diverse menu selection, private areas for small beverage program and live meetings and events; entertainment, along with in addition, the entire friendly and professional restaurant can be reserved servers and bartenders for private functions. provides a fun, casual, atmosphere that attracts groups to gather and cheer on their hometown teams, Hampton Inn by Hilton Boston as well as smaller parties Natick and families. The Hampton by Hilton • 188 Guest Rooms is a hidden gem located • More than 10K square in Natick, centrally feet of flexible meeting located in between major space Massachusetts cities, Boston and Worcester in an area • Breakfast Included known as MetroWest. • Treat Shop Email for more information - [email protected] The hotel is directly across • Free Parking from the Natick Collection, New England’s largest • Free WIFI shopping destination • Fitness Center with numerous dining • Audio Visual Services on options and entertainment. site Surrounding the hotel are several large corporations such as TJX, MathWorks, IDG.
Email for more information - [email protected] Packages: 17
See MetroWest* • Overnight Accommodations for 2. • Local trail map to Opt Outside and explore MetroWest. • $75 credit to SKYBOKX 109 Sports Bar and Grill for Dining. • This is an evergreen offer and should not expire.
April Family Getaway Package The VERVE Hotel, Tapestry • Overnight Accommodations for 4 • 1 On-Demand Movie Collection by Hilton • Movie Snack Box – Marketplace Credit for 4 drinks A dynamic, authentic and cleverly decorated hotel that truly • 1 microwave popcorn embodies the vitality of “verve”, extending that energy and excitement to our guests through inspiring art installations, • 4 candy bars. restaurant menu offerings, seasonal special events, and Available until April 25 accommodations. Guests will leave feeling invigorated and awed by the service and genuine attentiveness of the hotel team. Email for more information - [email protected]
A Celebration of American Pop Culture is woven *not available Mondays and Tuesdays. throughout the hotel through the décor and music playlist. • 251 Guest Rooms • More than 17K square feet of flexible meeting and event space • Full Service Restaurant The Pantry • Full Service Lounge The Violet Thorn • Marketplace available 24/7 • Fitness Center • Audio Visual Services on site • Free WIFI Visit us online metrowestvisitors.org