September 2016
Lowell, MA: The Greater Merrimack Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau invites locals and visitors to immerse themselves in the region where history, culture and fun unite and enjoy activities, festivals and live music throughout the summer. Located just 30 minutes from Boston, visitors can enjoy summer activities, both inside and outside throughout the Greater Merrimack Valley region.
The Greater Merrimack Valley is offering something to do for all ages, every day of the week. Following are some activities, attractions and events not to be missed:
With the arrival of September, it’s clear to see that Fall is approaching! What better way to celebrate the season of harvest and chilly nights with amazing food and a glass of wine? That’s the idea at the Lowell Food and Wine festival, taking place this year September 8th-11th at several locations in Downtown Lowell. The festival includes three nights of cultural celebrations of food, and of course the tasting of various types of wine and other libations. Some of the mouthwatering events occurring at the festival this year include Food Truck Madness, Tacos and Tequila, The Grand Tasting, the Farm to Table Dinner and Lowell Chopped! Buy tickets for one or all of the events now on the Lowell Food and Wine website: tlfwf.org/
September 8: Opening Reception
September 9: Food Truck Madness
Taco & Tequila
September 10: The Grand Tasting
Lowell Chopped Competition
Poutine Brick Oven Pizza
Farm to Table Dinner
Sips and Sweets
September 11: The Farm Market
On every first Thursday of the month from April to September, Downtown Lowell becomes alive for First Thursdays, a collaboration of evening events all over the city. These are based on the art, history, music and culture of the area. This September 1st is the last of the season, so make sure to attend and participate in this celebration of cultural nightlife! If you are looking for some local art exhibits to widen your mind, spend the night at the Arts League, the Arts Research Collaborative, or the Greater Lowell Community Foundation, and check out recent works by Paul Richardson, Laurel McMechan, and several members of the Loading Dock Gallery. If you’d rather jam out to some tunes, head to the Luna Theater for some live jazz, go to El Potro to hear the wonderful Mariachi Band, or check out the acoustic jam happening at the Hearing Room. Some appetizing options for dinner include Mandarin Asian Bistro, Athenian Corner, Bishop’s Legacy and Tremonte Pizzeria. Don’t miss what these sponsors of First Thursdays have to offer! One of the highlights of the evening, not to be missed, is the first-ever dramatic lighting of the Swamp Locks Canal Complex near Dutton and Thorndike streets, where you can enjoy live music, sample ethnic cuisine at the food truck round-up and experience a musical pathway until 9:00pm. You can also view artwork, listen to music, enjoy live art demonstrations all on the first floor at 110 Canal Street (Innovation Hub), and witness the illuminated “Veils of Color” public art project by Barbara Poole at the Appleton Mills. Lighting of the canals begins at sundown.
A unique annual event taking place on in Lowell this September 24th is the Lowell Kinetic Sculpture Race. This is a race of home-made and human powered sculptures built to run over multiple terrains, all of which are created in very animated and artistic ways. Whether in the race or just watching it, this crazy day is filled with awe inspiring fun for all who attend. The race will start at 10:30am on Market Street, then travel to the Tsongas Center Parking Lot for a Mud Obstacle, then head to the Lowell Heritage State Beach for a Water Obstacle (where there will be live music, food trucks, entertainment and more!) and back to Market Street to race for the finish line. Before the race begins, from 9-10:30am, spectators can meet the racers, and even check out the vehicles racing, all on Market Street. This event is free to spectators, so make sure to attend this fantastic ride that will leave your imagination running wild!
Looking for something to do with little ones that haven’t quite reached the back-to-school age? The Discovery Museums collection of September events for children is a great choice to get out of the house and into something educational. Thinking caps required! The events occurring at the Discovery Museums in Acton start little ones learning about science and the environment and get them curious about the world around them. Get messy at the Dirtopia event from September 1st-3rd, or join in on Peep Science Adventures: Rolling Down a Ramp on the 13th. Drop in for Backyard and Beyond: What’s the Weather Wednesday on the 14th, or learn about some scaly creatures at the Massachusetts Reptiles event. All of these events and more (found on their website) are open to the public and offer drop-in times so that you can stop in, or stay for a while to learn.
If you were looking for some late night laughs this month, you’re in the right place. The Merrimack Valley has some great comedians and variety shows coming up this September that will be hard to skip. On September 24th the Cary Memorial Hall of Lexington presents the comedy show Jimmy Tingle for President. Tingle, seen on The Tonight Show, Conan O’Brien, Comedy Central and more, delivers a hilarious campaign in this political satire show. At the Barnstable Performing Arts Center on September 17th, Garrison Keillor is coming for an evening show of tales and humor. As a great American storyteller, Keillor is known for his wit and powerful voice, and his show is sure to provide an enjoyable evening out. At the end of September, the recognizable faces of Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood from “Whose Line Is it Anyway” also perform at Cary Memorial Hall in a completely hilarious improv show. The show, on the 29th, will involve audience contribution to help Colin and Brad create humorous and original scenes, just like on the tv series.
The Concord Museum is quite busy in September, with plenty entertaining and educational events to submerge yourself in. The Women of Concord Walking tour on the 5th is an exciting morning out from 10-10:30, going from the Museum to Concord Center. The young ones can enjoy story time on the morning of the 6th, and whole family can participate in Hands-On History on the afternoon of the 11th. Check out Elliot Davis’s lecture on Henry David Thoreau and his influence on the Wyeth Artists on the evening of the 12th, a free event for the public. Another open event is the Free Community Day event, which gives the chance for the public to see the N. C. Wyeth’s Men of Concord Exhibit before it closes. More events can be found on the Concord Museum calendar on their webpage: concordmuseum.org
Other activities and events throughout September in the Greater Merrimack Valley include: The Lowell Sunset Walk, The Flea III at Mill No. 5, ScHoolboy Q at the Tsongas Arena, The B52’s at the Lowell Summer Music Seriecs, The 36th Annual Banjo and Fiddle Contest at Boarding House Park, The Farm to Table Dinner Series at Artistry on the Green, and much more!
