Agenda

Wine Tasting
Feb. 10: The Wistariahurst Museum in Holyoke will host its annual “I Love Wine Event” from 6 to 8 p.m., sponsored by Liquors 44 and Historic Holyoke at Wistariahurst. Wines will be available from distributors including Bay State Wines, MS Walker, Commonwealth, and United. Light refreshments will be provided. Advance tickets are $25 each or $40 per couple; door admission is $30 each or $50 per couple. Reservations are necessary. For more information, call the museum at (413) 322-5660. The museum is located at 238 Cabot St.

Historical Lecture
Feb. 20: Professor emeritus Alan Swedlund will lecture on his 30-year research on the history of mortality in the Connecticut Valley as part of the Wistariahurst Museum’s Historical Lecture Series. Swedlund’s program is planned at 6 p.m., and there is a $5 suggested donation. Swedlund’s approach incorporates medical history with social history, and he uses documents from valley towns to identify epidemics and causes of death. Diaries, letters, newspapers, and other sources combine to tell the story from any given town. The lecture will be accompanied by historical images from the area. Swedlund is professor emeritus of Anthropology at UMass Amherst. His most recent book is titled Shadows in the Valley: A Cultural History of Illness, Death and Loss in New England, 1840-1916. The Wistariahurst Museum is located at 238 Cabot St., Holyoke. For more information, call the museum at (413) 322-5660 or visit www.wistariahurst.org.

Anthropologist Lecture
Feb. 22: Susan Darlington, a professor at Hampshire College, will discuss her latest book, The Ordination of a Tree: The Thai Buddhist Environmental Movement, as part of the Ovations series at Springfield Technical Community College. Darlington has studied the work of Buddhist monks in Thailand who are engaged in rural development and environmental conservation. The science-based talks, at 10:10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. in Scibelli Hall Theater, will also include insights into religion and social activism. The presentations are free and open to the public. For more information, call (413) 755-4233.

Author Lecture
March 28: Internationally acclaimed author Tom Perrotta will read from his upcoming novel, The Leftovers, at 10:10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. in Scibelli Hall Theater, as part of the Ovations series at Springfield Technical Community College. The talks are free and open to the public. Two of Perrotta’s books, Election and Little Children, have been made into movies, and five novels have been national bestsellers. For more information, call (413) 755-4233.

Slam Poet Lecture
April 13: Taylor Mali, a former high-school teacher who has emerged from the slam-poetry movement as one of its leaders, will discuss his performances at 10:10 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. in Scibelli Hall Theater, as part of the Ovations series at Springfield Technical Community College. The talks are free and open to the public. For more information, call (413) 755-4233.

Difference Makers
March 22: BusinessWest will stage its fourth annual Difference Makers Celebration at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke. The program recognizes area individuals and organizations that are truly making a difference in this region. The winners will be announced in the Feb. 13 edition of BusinessWest. The awards ceremony will feature entertainment, butlered hors d’oeuvres, and introductions of the winners. Tickets are $55 per person, with tables of 10 available. For more information or to order tickets, call (413) 781-8600, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.businesswest.com.

Outlook 2012
Feb. 22: The Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield will stage its annual Outlook program at a new venue, the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield. The event will feature co-keynote speakers: U.S. Rep. Richard Neal will provide the federal outlook, and Michael Widmer, president of the Mass. Taxpayers Foundation, will provide a state perspective. Tickets are $50 person, with tables of 10 available for $475. For more information, call (413) 755-1313, or visit www.myonlinechamber.com.

40 Under Forty
June 21: BusinessWest will present its sixth class of regional rising stars at its annual 40 Under Forty gala at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke. Nominations are currently being sought for the popular program, which recognizes young people in realms including business, education, health care, nonprofits, government, law, and many others. Nominations, due Feb. 17, will be scored by a team of five judges. The 40 highest scorers will be feted at the June 21 gala, which will feature music, lavish food stations, and introductions of the winners. Tickets are $60 per person, with tables of 10 available. Early registration is advised, as seating is limited. For more information, call (413) 781-8600, ext. 100, or visit www.businesswest.com.