Free Music Fridays

May 26 to Sept. 8: Live music returns to MGM Springfield with the new and expanded Free Music Fridays concert series. Every Friday from May 26 to Sept. 8, 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). Kicking off the 2023 series is the popular Pink Floyd tribute band Brain Damage. Additional local favorites such as Trailer Trash, Brass Attack, Back in Black, and Aquanett, among others, are scheduled to perform throughout the summer. MGM Springfield will also welcome new additions to the Free Music Fridays lineup, including local light Brynn Cartelli, season 14 winner of The Voice. Also debuting on the Plaza stage is Zac Brown tribute band Zac N’Fried; Springfield based R&B, soul, and hip-hop group Malado!; and national pop and hip-hop band LFO. MGM Springfield will continue its partnership with White Lion Brewing Co. 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 North Elm Butchers Block, Batch Ice Cream, Cousins Maine Lobster, Las Kangris, and many more.

You Ball Fundraising Gala

June 1: The Springfield Pride Parade organization announced the inaugural You Ball Fundraising Gala, taking place at 6 p.m. in MGM Springfield’s Aria Ballroom. With a Met Gala-inspired Fabergè egg theme, the You Ball will celebrate the diverse beauty, uniqueness, and prestige of the LGBTQIA+ community. The gala will feature music, dining options, performances, and conversations with parade organizers and Springfield city officials. Proceeds from the You Ball Fundraising Gala will directly support the Springfield Pride Parade organization’s Safe Space program, which provides Springfield public-school students with a safe environment to effectively communicate, build self-confidence, work on their social and emotional skills, develop healthy relationships, and focus on community engagement. Sponsored by MassMutual, MGM Springfield, Springfield Technical Community College, and the Springfield Department of Health and Human Services, the event aims to be an inspirational evening to celebrate and honor the region’s LGBTQIA+ and ally business owners, professionals, and community leaders. For more information on You Ball tickets, table sponsorships, and gala program marketing inquiries, visit www.springfieldprideparade.org/youball.

Hospice of the Fisher Home Golf Tournament

June 2: Hospice of the Fisher Home will host its seventh annual par-3 golf tournament at Amherst Golf Club. Tee times will be scheduled beginning at 1 p.m. Tournament sponsors include Greenfield Savings Bank, Kuhn Riddle Architects, Amherst Insurance Agency, Florence Savings Bank, Studley Do Right Cleaning, M.J. Moran, and Northampton Cooperative Bank. The tournament is one of Hospice of the Fisher Home’s largest fundraisers, supporting the compassionate, comprehensive, and supportive end-of-life care it provides to individuals and their loved ones, in their homes or at the Fisher Home’s nine-bed residence in Amherst. According to Maria Rivera, executive director of Hospice of the Fisher Home, support of this year’s golf tournament is especially important because funds raised will also go toward the replacement of the home’s HVAC system. Visit www.fisherhome.org/event-info/7th-annual-golf-tournament-registration-4 for sponsorship information or to register a foursome.

Purse & Power Tool Bingo Fundraiser

June 2: Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts (JAWM) will hold a Purse & Power Tool Bingo fundraiser from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus on 371 Washington Road, Enfield, Conn. Event participants will enjoy 10 rounds of bingo, each with the opportunity to win a designer handbag or a power tool. Registration fees will support JAWM programs and events for youth throughout Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, and Berkshire counties. Guests are welcome to bring food and non-alcoholic beverages to enjoy, and there will be a cash bar. Registration costs $40 per person, which includes 10 bingo cards and a dauber. Raffle tickets and extra cards will also be available for purchase. Admission must be purchased in advance through paypal.me/2MomsOnAMission or via Venmo @Two-MomsOnA-Mission. Include the date of the event when purchasing tickets.

Western Mass Eldercare Conference

June 8: The 31st annual Western Mass Eldercare Conference will take place at the Kittredge Center at Holyoke Community College. Registration is open at jgslifecare.org/wmecc. All workshop descriptions are on the website so attendees can plan their day. Keynote addresses include “Cultural Humility: Moving Beyond the Principles and into Authentic Practice” by Dora and Frank Robinson and “Old Age Ain’t for Sissies” by Judith Black. Organizations with multiple people attending can pay by check if they want to; all checks need to be postmarked by May 31 in order to be registered for the conference. This program has submitted for approval to meet the requirements of the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing at 244 CMR 5.00 for six contact hours.

Free Shred Days

June 10, Sept. 23, Oct. 14: Monson Savings Bank announced it will once again host free community shred days in 2023. All are welcome to attend. As in previous years, Monson Savings Bank is partnering up with PROSHRED of Wilbraham for this series of events welcoming the public to discard their documents in a safe and secure manner. This is an ideal opportunity to dispose of unwanted documents such as tax returns, bank or credit-card statements, bills, and medical records. Pre-packaged refreshments and giveaways will be available while supplies last. Shred days are scheduled for Saturday, June 10 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Hampden branch, 15 Somers Road; Saturday, Sept. 23 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Ware branch, 136 West St.; and Saturday, Oct. 14 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Wilbraham branch, 100 Post Office Park.

40 Under Forty

June 15: BusinessWest will host the annual 40 Under Forty Gala at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke. One of the most anticipated events of the year, the gala will celebrate the class of 2023, which was announced and profiled in the May 1 issue of BusinessWest and at businesswest.com. The gala will feature a VIP hour for the honorees and sponsors, networking, the presentation of the Alumni Achievement Award, and introduction of members of the class of 2023. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit businesswest.com. This year’s 40 Under Forty presenting sponsor is PeoplesBank, and the 40 Under Forty Alumni Achievement Award presenting sponsor is Health New England. Partner sponsors include Comcast Business, Live Nation, the Markens Group, MGM Springfield, Mercedes-Benz of Springfield, the UMass Amherst Isenberg School of Management, and Webber & Grinnell Insurance.

sheLEADS Conference

June 16: The Chamber of Greater Easthampton announced its upcoming women’s leadership conference, sheLEADS, to be held at Williston Northampton School, 19 Payson Ave., Easthampton. This year’s conference will feature a lineup of inspiring speakers who will share their personal stories and insights on leadership, career development, and understanding the power of knowing one’s worth. This year’s conference features two keynote speakers: Sabrina Antoine Correia, vice president of Public Engagement and Corporate Responsibility for New England, JPMorgan Chase; and Lindsay Barron LaBonte, branch manager, Applied Mortgage. Correia will discuss “Advocating for Yourself and Your Ideas,” and LaBonte will discuss “How I Found My Worth.” Other topics to be discussed during the conference include “Is Money Power,” a thought-provoking discussion featuring panelists Karen Curran of Curran & Keegan Financial, Diane Dukette of Cooley Dickinson Hospital, Ashleigh Beadle of Sourcepass, and Joanna Ballantine of the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts. Attendees will also participate in the interactive workshop “The RACI Side of Communication and Collaboration,” led by Tiffany Espinosa from Teal Executives, Mount Holyoke College. Event tickets cost $119. To register, visit business.easthamptonchamber.org/events.

Hooplandia

June 23-25: Registration for Hooplandia, a 3×3 basketball tournament and festival, is now open at www.hooplandia.com and includes levels of play for all ages and divisions. The tournament, presented by the Eastern States Exposition (ESE) and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, will take place on the grounds of ESE in West Springfield June 23-25, with special games at the Hall of Fame in Springfield. Dunkin’ was recently named presenting sponsor of the event, which is expected to attract thousands of fans and players as hundreds of games take place across more than 70 courts. Divisions of play have been created to provide an all-inclusive environment for players of all ages and playing abilities. With brackets that include veterans, first responders, youth, wheelchair athletes, college elites, and many more, there’s a spot on the court for everyone. Players are invited to build teams of four, create their own unique team name and uniforms, and register at www.hooplandia.com. Team fees range from $75 to $190, with children under 8 and participants in the Special Olympics category being free of charge. Anyone interested should email [email protected]. Hooplandia welcomes participation from youth team referees, scorekeepers, Fan Village contest facilitators, and volunteers for myriad duties to help make this inaugural year a success. Those interested in participating in this groundbreaking event can fill out the volunteer form at www.hooplandia.com.