Aug 05 Wednesday
The Friends of the Westfield Athenaeum is seeking donations of gently used adult and children’s books, DVDs, and jigsaw puzzles for their upcoming book sale. Donations will only be accepted by curbside drop-off at the back door of the First United Methodist Church, 16 Court St., Westfield, during the weeks of April 6-11 and April 13-18 as follows: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10-1; Tuesday and Thursday from 4-7, and Saturday from 9-12.Please note that we cannot accept musty or damaged books, encyclopedias, dictionaries, textbooks, Reader’s Digest books, or outdated manuals, travel books, or self-help books.The book sale will be held at the Church on Thursday, April 23, 10-7; Friday, April 24, 10-5; and Saturday, April 25, 10-2. On Thursday only, we are offering a $5.00 discount for educators (bring your ID!) and new Friends members joining at the door.The Friends of the Westfield Athenaeum is an all-volunteer 501(C)3 not-for-profit organization that supports the programs and services of the Westfield Athenaeum.
Discover the Pioneer Valley, one bookshop at a time! Visit 10+ bookstores to be entered into the Grand Prize drawing to win $800 in bookstore gift cards. Each additional bookstore you visit is another entry into the drawing! And the more bookstores you visit, the greater your chances of winning. More info: http://tinyurl.com/pvbc26
Philadelphia Orchestra Guest Conductor Marin Alsop returns to SPAC leading the orchestra in a dazzling evening of Tchaikovsky featuring the 1812 Overture with live cannon fire and a brilliant fireworks display. Opening the program is The Philadelphia Orchestra’s lush and romantic interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5, followed by the composer’s thunderingly dramatic and achingly beautiful Romeo and Juliet, instantly recognizable thanks to its use throughout pop culture.
The Philadelphia Orchestra at SPAC returns for a three-week summer residency from August 5–22 as part of SPAC’s celebratory 60th anniversary season.
Learn more and buy tickets at spac.org
Aug 06 Thursday
The Kendall Square Farmers Market – led by BioMed Realty and Mass Farmers Markets – returns to Canal District in Kendall Square this summer and fall to bring a rich array of locally grown foods and handcrafted goods to the Cambridge community including fresh produce flowers quality meats and seafood specialty foods and beverages honey and more.
The Farmers Market series is sponsored by BioMed Realty and is managed by Mass Farmers Markets a non-profit organization that has been working to enhance farmers markets and support locally grown food for over forty years. This year’s vendors include Spring Brook Farm Captain Marden's Seafoods Stillman Quality Meats Far From the Tree Cider Far Out Ice Cream and others.
The market accepts cash credit/debit cards WIC/Senior coupons EBT cards and offers a weekly $15 SNAP Match. SNAP users can earn additional benefits through the healthy incentives program (HIP) at the market. Stop by and support your local farmers!
WHEN: Every Thursday starting May 29 through November 20 2025 from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Opening the evening is Aaron Copland’s iconic Fanfare for the Common Man (1943), paired with Joan Tower’s Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman (1986), a contemporary work inspired by Copland. Tower dedicated her fanfare to conductor Marin Alsop, calling it a tribute to “women who take risks and are adventurous,” a perfect introduction to an evening of bold musical statements.
The Orchestra then presents the SPAC debut of Mozart’s deeply lyrical Piano Concerto No. 23, featuring pianist Jeneba Kanneh-Mason in her SPAC and Orchestra debut, following recent appearances by her siblings Isata Kanneh-Mason and Sheku Kanneh-Mason.
Closing the program is Mahler’s monumental Symphony No. 1, a sweeping exploration of personal journey and human emotion, rounding out an evening of timeless and powerful works.
Aug 07 Friday
Returning to SPAC for the first time since 2014, two-time Tony® Award–winning Broadway star Brian Stokes Mitchell leads an “American Dreams” program, highlighted by his narration of Aaron Copland’s Lincoln Portrait — a stirring reflection on unity, equality, and democratic responsibility. In honor of America’s 250th anniversary, the program also pays tribute to Marian Anderson’s landmark performance of the work at SPAC 50 years ago, linking past and present in a celebration of American ideals.
The evening continues with Broadway favorites, including “Wheels of a Dream” from Ragtime, the role Mitchell originally brought to life, “The Impossible Dream” (Man of La Mancha), and Iryna Aleksiychuk’s Go Where the Wind Takes You…, dedicated to the courageous women of Ukraine, before concluding with Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9, a masterwork inspired by American musical traditions and the nation’s evolving identity. Together, these works honor the past while inspiring hope for the future.