Agenda
For more events, or to submit your upcoming events, visit BusinessWest’s event calendar online: https://businesswest.com/eventcalendar
Free Music Fridays
b Summer in New England starts early this year as live music returns to MGM Springfield with the Free Music Fridays Concert Series. Every Friday through Sept. 5, some of the area’s most popular bands and national artists will perform on the Plaza at MGM Springfield in the city’s South End, starting at 7:30 p.m. (weather permitting), with the exception of the July 4 performance, which will begin at 6 p.m. Local favorites such as Trailer Trash, Back in Black, Malado!, and Aquanett will return to the stage, along with newcomers including Neon 90’s, Green Day tribute Dookie, the music of Billy Joel and Elton John with Billy and the Jets, and Springsteen rockers Tramps Like Us. MGM Springfield will continue its partnership with White Lion Brewing to provide guests with a wide selection of craft beer during each Free Music Fridays concert. The series will also feature local food trucks, including Dev’s Mac N Eats, Batch Ice Cream, Wake the Dead Donuts, Jeannie’s Weenies, and the return of MGM Springfield’s Guac This Way.
Walk to Cure Arthritis
June 1: The Arthritis Foundation announced that the Western Massachusetts Walk to Cure Arthritis will take place at Stanley Park in Westfield. Funds raised through donations to the Walk to Cure Arthritis will support the foundation’s ability to fund scientific research and continue to provide services and resources to the arthritis community. Walk to Cure Arthritis celebrates the community of arthritis patients of all ages, their caregivers, and everyone in the movement to conquer the disease. Ashley Scott is this year’s young adult walk honoree. She will be celebrated for her perseverance in her battle with arthritis and her strong support of the foundation’s mission. In addition, the following people will be honored: Grace Malave, juvenile idiopathic arthritis youth honoree, and Bill Squires, rheumatoid arthritis adult honoree. Residents can register and begin fundraising for the Western Massachusetts Walk to Cure Arthritis and learn more about the event by visiting www.walktocurearthritis.org/westernma or calling Hannah Hergenrather at (781) 312-9635.
Holyoke Paper Festival
June 7: The inaugural Holyoke Paper Festival is set to bring a one-day celebration of art, paper, and place to downtown Holyoke at the De La Luz Soundstage, 114 Race St. This new event celebrates Holyoke’s unique identity as the Paper City, once producing an estimated 80% of the writing paper used in the U.S. during the late 1800s. Today, artists and community members continue to be inspired by Holyoke’s history of innovation, its vibrant arts scene, and its powerful connection to the Connecticut River and the land of the Pocomtuc, Agawam, and Nonotuck peoples. Festival attendees can look forward to a full day of programming including a fine art exhibition, interactive workshops, guest speakers, local tours, and more, all highlighting the legacy and future of paper as a creative medium. Entries to the art exhibition have been received from artists across the country, underscoring Holyoke’s national significance in paper and printmaking culture. The Holyoke Paper Festival is made possible by support from MassDevelopment, the Holyoke Local Cultural Council, Holyoke Community College, and local business and property owners. To learn more about the festival or to get involved as a sponsor, volunteer, or donor, visit www.holyokepaperfestival.com for the latest updates and details.
Melinda Rosenblatt Lecture
June 8: The Yiddish Book Center will host its annual Melinda Rosenblatt Lecture at 2 p.m., featuring Aaron Lansky, the center’s founder and longtime president. In what will be his final public talk as president, Lansky will reflect on the improbable beginnings of the center, its evolution over 45 years, and his hopes for the future under the direction of longtime executive director Susan Bronson. The lecture will be followed by a celebratory reception. It is free and open to the public, with both in-person and livestream viewing options available. For more information and to register, visit yiddishbookcenter.org/rosenblatt. Lansky founded the Yiddish Book Center in 1980, when he took what he thought would be a two-year leave of absence from graduate school to recover endangered Yiddish books. Through the years, the Yiddish Book Center has evolved into an internationally renowned cultural and educational center, sharing Yiddish language, literature, and culture with new audiences. Noteworthy initiatives include educational programs for learners of all ages, fellowship programs, an oral history project, a publishing imprint, and a textbook that has transformed Yiddish-language learning. Lansky’s talk on June 8 will be a culmination of his decades of work building and leading the center and a chance to reflect on the journey with the community that has supported it.
40 Under Forty
June 19: BusinessWest will celebrate the 19th annual 40 Under Forty Gala at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. The class of 2025 is profiled in the April 28 issue and at businesswest.com. The presenting sponsor of this year’s 40 Under Forty is PeoplesBank. Partner sponsors include Live Nation Premium, Mercedes-Benz of Springfield, and the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst. Health New England is the presenting sponsor of the Alumni Achievement Award, the winner of which will be announced at the gala. Tickets cost $125. If they are not sold out, they may be purchased at businesswest.com/eventcalendar/40-under-forty-event-gala.
Hooplandia 2025
June 20-22: Registration is now open for Hooplandia, the third annual 3-on-3 basketball tourney and festival, at hooplandia.com. The event will take place at Eastern States Exposition (ESE) and the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Games will be played at the ESE complex, with special games held at the Basketball Hall of Fame. In 2024, 75 basketball courts allowed accommodation for more than 650 games played by approximately 2,100 participants of all ages. Diverse divisions include young girls and boys, women, men, high-school ages, college level, OGs, veterans, and more. Fees range according to age. Players in the Special Olympics and Unified division can look forward to free registration, and those in the Hoops & Heroes division, such as active and retired first responders and military personnel, have access to discounted registration. Players are invited to build teams of four, create their own unique team name, design their uniforms, and register at hooplandia.com.
Feed the Kids Charity Golf Tournament
July 14: Feed the Kids, a local nonprofit focused on fighting childhood hunger, is seeking sponsors and donated auction items for its eighth annual Feed the Kids Charity Golf Tournament at Springfield Country Club. The event, which will include an online auction open to all, benefits local organizations that work to ensure children do not go hungry, including Square One, the Holyoke Weekend Backpack Program, Pioneer Valley Powerpacks, and Team No Kid Hungry. Local individuals and businesses can also support the cause by donating items or services for the silent auction portion of the event. The online auction will be open to the community for bids beginning on July 1 and will end on July 14, the day of the golf tournament. For more information or to sponsor the event, visit feedthekidsgolf.com and click ‘Register Now.’ To donation auction items, email Kadushin at [email protected].
