Our area is not only a summer cultural paradise that lure tourists from all over the world, but being only an hour or so drive to the Berkshires of Massachusetts permits us to be tourists ourselves. The cultural riches of that area multiplies the bounty found at home.

The Berkshires offers great theater, wonderful classical, chamber, and the Boston Pops with great pop guest artists. There are a number of great museums like the classic Clark Institute, the contemporary MassMoCA, Norman Rockwell Museum and others. The Boston Symphony Orchestra is the resident orchestra and the 2017 season opens On July 7 with Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, Resurrection. It closes on Aug. 27 with Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. BSO artistic director Andris Nelsons will be on the podium for both. In between those events there will be music by the world’s best composers and guest artists and conductors. Read more

In recent years, the Massachusetts Berkshires have been luring more city slickers out of NYC and Boston than ever. Those in search of a picturesque bucolic escape look no further than Stockbridge, a resort town with relative name recognition thanks to famous resident Norman Rockwell. In fact, many visitors make the hike out to the western MA town just glimpse the largest collection of the prolific artist’s work and personal items at the Norman Rockwell Museum. Priceless art aside, it’s also worth spending some downtime at the Berkshire Botanical Garden and window-shopping the bric-a-brac-filled country stores on Historic Main Street. Once you work up an appetite, head 5-minutes down the road to No. Six Depot in West Stockbridge. The rustic small-batch coffee roaster/cafe/art gallery serves a mean panini (go for the porchetta with truffle aioli, hazelnut gremolata, and lemon-caper aioli) and—of course—the best caffeine fix in town. Read More

Spirited Adventures: Stockbridge, Mass. by Emily McMackin
A centuries-old haven for hospitality, this Berkshires gem is known as Norman Rockwell’s home, but it also houses one of the nation’s oldest still-operating inns.

Read More

When it’s summer in the Berkshires, all eyes (and ears) are on Tanglewood. Come September, after the final note has been played and the seasonal crowds disperse, it’s time to explore some of the area’s equally appealing cultural and culinary attractions.

Stockbridge may be best known for the Norman Rockwell Museum, which houses the world’s largest collection of original Rockwell art, and as the longtime home of the artist. Born in New York, Rockwell moved to Stockbridge in 1953 so his wife could receive psychiatric care at the Austen Riggs Center; he set up his studio nearby and lived in town for the last 25 years of his life. That studio now sits on the grounds of the museum, where current exhibits include a dive into the midcentury divide between abstract and realist art and a look at Rockwell’s more than 300 covers for The Saturday Evening Post. It’s well worth a visit, but art lovers shouldn’t neglect the Schantz Galleries, a smaller Stockbridge gem featuring glass works by more than 50 contemporary artists, including Dale Chihuly. Elegant, exuberant and brilliantly colorful, these museum-quality showstoppers are beautifully presented in the multi-level gallery, and well-heeled patrons of the arts can even commission installations for their private, corporate or public collections. Read more

The Berkshires in Summer | My New England

From Tanglewood picnics to modern art, this collection of favorite things to do in the Berkshires in summer from Linda Campos offers the perfect blend of old and new.

https://newengland.com/today/travel/massachusetts/berkshires/things-to-do-in-the-berkshires-in-summer/?mqsc=ED3848647&utm_source=WhatCountsEmail&utm_medium=NewEnglandNetworkNew%20England%20Today&utm_campaign=Today%2009-06-2016

“Peace and quiet” means different things to different people. To some, it may be the sound of birds chirping in the morning, or owls hooting at night. To others, it might mean a charming harbor, or plenty of greenery and space to roam. Some might even find they are most at peace in a lively but friendly neighborhood. These communities across Massachusetts each offer a little something different in the way of tranquility, but they’re all places where peace and quiet are the rule rather than the exception.  Read more

Dolly Parton will open Tanglewood (in Stockbridge, MA)  this summer, the Boston Symphony Orchestra announced Friday. She’ll kick off the season June 17. Other names on the Tanglewood lineup for 2016 include Bob Dylan andMavis Staples, Earth, Wind & Fire, Jackson Browne, and Brian Wilson. The season will close Sept. 3 withKeith Lockhart and the Boston Pops Swing Orchestra.

bostonglobe.com

See Main Street Stockbridge,MA as Norman Rockwell did when he painted Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas and make sure to visit the town during the first weekend in December. Thank you Country Living Magazine
*Photo Credit: © 1967, Norman Rockwell Family Agency

Read more from Country Living 

The historic home of one of this nation’s most beloved authors, The Mount is surrounded by stunning gardens and scenery. Guided tours are available, and the estate often hosts cultural and social events such as live jazz nights and art exhibitions.

Onlyinyourstate