Green Ventures Talk & Walk
2026-04-23 10:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | MA
Holyoke Community College will host “Green Ventures: Lessons from Environmental Entrepreneurship,” a free public lecture and discussion featuring retired environmental entrepreneur Bob Saul and HCC alumnus Jamal Cumberbatch ’26 (who graduated in December), on Thursday, April 23, 2026, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in the Kittredge Center, Rooms 301-303.
The event will provide students and community members with insights into building successful environmental businesses in western Massachusetts, featuring case studies from Saul’s career and practical advice for aspiring entrepreneurs in the sustainability sector.
Event Program
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM: HCC President George Timmons, Ph.D. will introduce the speakers, followed by an interview led by Cumberbatch highlighting Saul’s journey as an environmental entrepreneur. The pair will examine four business ventures through the lenses of vision, funding, implementation, and long-term impact, concluding with audience Q&A.
11:30 AM – 1:00 PM: Following the indoor presentation, attendees are invited to participate in a guided nature walk along the trails behind HCC campus, featuring tree identification and observations at a vernal pool. HCC Environmental Sciences Professor Heather Ruel will lead the outdoor experience.

Charlie Gold's Detour Art Show
2026-04-23 12:00 - 17:00, 2026-04-24 14:30 - 18:30, 2026-04-25 09:00 - 15:00, 2026-04-29 14:30 - 18:30, 2026-04-30 12:00 - 17:00, 2026-05-01 14:30 - 18:30, 2026-05-02 09:00 - 15:00, 2026-05-06 14:30 - 18:30 and 15 more dates | Paper City Clothing Company, 144 High Street, Holyoke, MA, 01040, United States
We’re happy to collaborate with talented painter Charlie Gold for a solo show this Spring featuring his stunning oil paintings depicting New England scenes, mostly painted en plein air.
Gallery is open:
Wednesdays 2:30-6:30pm
Thursdays 12-5pm
Fridays 2:30-6:30pm
Saturdays 9am-3pm
We had a packed house for celebrating the opening of this show on April 10 and are excited to keep enjoying it through the end of May, 2026.

High School Rowing - New Rowers Welcome
2026-04-23 15:00 - 17:00, 2026-04-24 15:00 - 17:00, 2026-04-27 15:00 - 17:00, 2026-04-28 15:00 - 17:00, 2026-04-29 15:00 - 17:00, 2026-04-30 15:00 - 17:00, 2026-05-01 15:00 - 17:00, 2026-05-04 15:00 - 17:00 and 14 more dates | Holyoke Rows, 25 Jones Ferry Rd, Holyoke, MA, 01040, United States
Spring High School Rowing at Holyoke Rows
High school students (Grades 9–12) are invited to join our High School Competitive Crew and be part of something powerful. Train after school with dedicated coaches, build strength and endurance, and develop the teamwork and confidence it takes to compete at regattas across New England.
No rowing experience? No problem. Whether you’re brand new or ready to race, Holyoke Rows is a welcoming program where athletes grow on and off the water. We’re building a strong, competitive team—and a community—that represents Holyoke with pride.
Open to all area high school students. Free for students from Holyoke, Chicopee & Springfield.
Learn. Grow. Compete. Come row with us and help put Holyoke rowing on the map.
Season begins Monday March 9th. Call 413-320-3134 for more info

No Frills Karaoke
2026-04-23 20:00 - 23:59, 2026-04-30 20:00 - 23:59, 2026-05-07 20:00 - 23:59, 2026-05-14 20:00 - 23:59, 2026-05-21 20:00 - 23:59, 2026-05-28 20:00 - 23:59, 2026-06-04 20:00 - 23:59, 2026-06-11 20:00 - 23:59 and 42 more dates | Fame Lounge/Eatery, 386 Dwight St, Holyoke, MA, 01040, United States
No frills. No judgements. You do you.
Join us every Thursday at 8pm for music, laughter, and some unforgettable performaces! Everyone is welcome. Todos son bienvenidos!
Kitchen is open from 5pm to 10pm.

Holyoke Arbor Day Celebration
2026-04-24 13:00 - 16:00 | MA
Celebrate Arbor Day with the community at Armour Yard in Holyoke. Join us on April 24 from 1:00 to 4:00 PM for a free afternoon of tree planting, hands-on activities, and a local vendor fair. Enjoy games, crafts, and environmental education, then stay for a special ceremony featuring community leaders and guest speakers. This event brings together local organizations and residents to promote sustainability, neighborhood pride, and a greener future for Holyoke. All are welcome.

City Nature Challenge & Celebrate Trails Day
2026-04-25 11:00 - 13:00 | MA
City Nature Challenge (CNC) is a four-day bioblitz that began in 2016 as a competition between Los Angeles and San Francisco. A decade later, it has grown into an international event, engaging people of all ages and backgrounds to find and document wildlife in their own cities.
During the weekend-long challenge, participants go outside, take photos or record sounds of wild plants and animals, and use online identification platforms such as iNaturalist to upload their wildlife observations. These individual observations help promote local conservation efforts.
This year, Kestrel Land Trust is partnering with other local organizations, including Connecticut River Conservancy and UMass Amherst, to bring CNC to Western Mass. We invite you to join us in documenting the diverse flora and fauna that make our Valley so unique!
Kestrel is hosting a City Nature Challenge walk, about 1.5 miles long on an easy-moderate trail. An iNaturalist training session will be included. Group size is limited to 24 people and registration is required.
Saturday, April 25, 11:00 AM – 1 PM at Gloutak Woods in Holyoke REGISTER HERE (transportation available)

You Can Also Take the City Nature Challenge on Your Own! Here’s how:

To participate on your own or with family and friends. simply follow these steps:
Download the free iNaturalist app on your phone. Android. Apple.
Make an iNaturalist account and join the Western Mass iNaturalist Project (includes Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden counties).
April 24 – 27: Go outside and make observations on iNaturalist. Looking for a place to go? Check out Kestrel’s Nature Retreats.
April 28 – May 10: Upload your observations at home or in the field. As long as you are in one of the four Western Mass counties listed above, your observation will automatically be added to our project.
Questions? Email ari@kestreltrust.org
Timeline:
Observation period: April 24 – 27
Uploading and identification period: April 28 – May 10
Results announced: May 13

Presiding Bishop of America to visit St. Paul's Episcopal Church
2026-04-26 10:00 - 12:00 | St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 485 Appleton Street, Holyoke, MA, 01040, United States
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Holyoke will welcome The Most Rev. Sean Rowe, Presiding Bishop of the national Episcopal Church of America, for a special Sunday service on Sunday, April 26, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 485 Appleton St., Holyoke. This marks the first time a Presiding Bishop will visit St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. The visit comes during an historic weekend for the Diocese of Western Massachusetts. On Saturday, April 25, 2026, the Very Rev. Miguelina Howell will be ordained and consecrated in Springfield as the 10th Bishop of Western Massachusetts—historic as she becomes the first woman and the first Black Latina/Hispanic person to serve as Bishop of the Diocese of Western Massachusetts. The community is welcome to this special service with Bishop Rowe on Sunday, April 26th and attendees can look forward to uplifting music performed by Vanessa Ford “the songstress of Springfield” accompanied by Curtis Mercier, the St. Paul’s Church Organist. All are welcome to this historic building for this historic event and invited to the parish hall following the service for refreshments and an opportunity to meet Bishop Rowe, and to connect with members of the congregation and community. Whether you are a longtime member or visiting for the first time, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church invites everyone to join in celebration and community during this momentous occasion. Spanish language interpreters will be on hand.

Beginning Your Spiritual Journey
2026-04-27 18:00 - 20:00, 2026-05-04 18:00 - 20:00, 2026-05-11 18:00 - 20:00, 2026-05-18 18:00 - 20:00, 2026-06-01 18:00 - 20:00, 2026-06-08 18:00 - 20:00 | MA
Every spiritual path begins with a single step… but it is the foundation of those steps that determines how far you can go. Beginning Your Spiritual Journey is a twelve-week Live In-Person immersive course designed to give you the tools, practices, and wisdom to start safely, clearly, and with confidence. Over the span of three months, you will learn how to ground and protect your energy, clear your field, and strengthen your spiritual awareness. Week by week, you’ll discover how to work with the elements of Earth, Water, Fire, and Air; awaken the chakras and understand their role in your wellbeing; and practice seeing auras, connecting with guides, and sensing energy in yourself and others. With every session, you will experience your growth in real time, noticing how much stronger, steadier, and more open your energy becomes. This is not theory alone. You will be given practical exercises: feeling and moving energy in your hands, using breathwork to balance the elements, learning to sense truth from falsehood, practicing psychometry, and even exploring the four directions and their sacred teachings. We will weave together grounding, natural law, compassion, and spiritual hygiene so that your journey begins from a place of strength. By the end of the twelve weeks, you will have a living road map to continue your path; one that includes protection practices, a deeper understanding of your own aura and chakras, connection with spirit guides, and a foundation of natural law and compassion to guide you. This course is perfect for those at the beginning of their spiritual awakening, as well as anyone who has explored before but longs for a stronger, safer, more heart-centered foundation. “Early Bird” Coupon Code upon checkout to save $25 if you sign up by Feb 28! Any questions contact Mary McGrath directly 413 636 8496

Holyoke Farmers Market - Indoor Winter Market
2026-04-28 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-05-05 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-05-12 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-05-19 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-05-26 09:00 - 12:00 | MA
Indoor Winter Market with fresh seasonal vegetables, eggs, meats, crafts and baked goods.
We accept SNAP and HIP

Reservoirs of Holyoke
2026-04-28 18:00 - 19:00 | Holyoke Public Library, 250 Chestnut Street, Holyoke, MA, 01040, United States
A presentation at the Holyoke Public Library on Tuesday April 28 2026 from 6 to 7 PM. All types of reservoirs will be covered including power, drinking water, and recreational ones. The reservoirs in and associated with Holyoke will be covered. Learn about Ashley, Gill, Whiting Street, White, and many more. The Holyoke Preservation Trust will promote and host this event which is funded by the Holyoke Local Cultural Council.

Musical Bingo
2026-04-28 18:30 - 20:30, 2026-05-05 18:30 - 20:30, 2026-05-12 18:30 - 20:30, 2026-05-19 18:30 - 20:30, 2026-05-26 18:30 - 20:30, 2026-06-02 18:30 - 20:30, 2026-06-09 18:30 - 20:30, 2026-06-16 18:30 - 20:30 and 16 more dates | Donovan’s Irish Pub, 80 Jarvis Avenue, Holyoke, MA, 01040
Musical Bingo at Donovan’s Irish Pub. Four rounds, a gift certificate awarded each round

Poetry as a Witness: Workshop and Open Mic with The Writing Sisters
2026-04-30 18:00 - 19:30 | Holyoke Public Library, 250 Chestnut Street, Holyoke, MA, 01040, United States
Join The Writing Sisters for a generative poetry writing workshop on the final day of Poetry Month. You will have the chance to share your work.
The Writing Sisters are part of Holyoke Arts League. Check out their Women’s History Month event recorded at Holyoke Media in March.

Mini Golf and Games at the Library
2026-05-02 09:30 - 15:30 | Holyoke Public Library, 250 Chestnut Street, Holyoke, MA, 01040, United States
We are pleased to announce plans for “Mini Golf and Games at the Library!” 2026 – A series of FUN activities inside and outside of the Holyoke Public Library on Saturday, May 2nd:Mini Golf in the Library, Free for all ages, 9:30 am – 3:30 pm, 18 holes of miniature golf inside the building, on all floors!
Games outside in Library Park, 10:30 am – 3pm, featuring outdoor games and activities for all ages.
Lucky Ticket auction with a range of donated prizes and services available.
Since 2016, “Mini Golf in the Library!” has been a significant fundraiser for our Library. This weekend event also includes games OUTSIDE the library.
Proceeds will be used to augment services and programming, especially Summer Reading and other Literacy programs, for Children, Teens and Adults. These funds can help provide workshops that engage kids and adults in arts and crafts, robotics, and technology.
Our goal for this event is $15,000 via sponsorships, ticket sales, and auction proceeds.
You are invited to join the fun and help enhance programming at the Holyoke Public Library. We look forward to hearing from you.

Mother's Day Market and Plant Sale
2026-05-02 10:00 - 13:00 | Wistariahurst, 238 Cabot Street, Holyoke, MA, 01040, United States
Wistariahurst Museum welcomes spring with the second annual Mother’s Day Market being held Saturday, May 2nd, 10:00 am-1:00 pm. This event features local vendors selling a variety of locally made products such as art, jewelry, and food. Vendors will be stationed indoors throughout the first floor of the museum. As guests shop and explore, the Brookline Trio will be playing live music for visitors to enjoy. Guests are also welcome inside the Carriage House as well, where they can shop our gift shop, take photos in the carriage, and view the frog circus.
Wistariahurst’s gardeners will also be hosting the first On-Site Plant Sale of the year during the market from 10:00 am-12:00 pm. Witariahurst has an array of annuals and perennials to brighten up any garden. Best of all, visitors can take home one plant for free thanks to Bank ESB, which is sponsoring this event. There is a limited supply of free plants, so make sure not to miss out.
Wistariahurst Museum’s Mother’s Day Market offers something for everyone. From plans, to textile pieces and prints, vases, and home decor- you’re bound to find something your parent will love. This event is admission-free and open to the public, so that all can celebrate their beloved maternal figures.

1st Saturdays at the Print Shop
2026-05-02 10:00 - 14:00 | The Print Shop, 62 Main St, Holyoke, MA, 01040, United States
First Saturdays at the Print Shop is a free monthly series of hands-on art and design workshops held on the first Saturday of each month at the Print Shop Makerspace in downtown Holyoke. These drop-in sessions invite families, creatives, and curious community members of all ages to explore the tools and technology of a working print shop and classroom space. No prior experience is required, and all materials are provided while supplies last.
Each month features a different make-and-take activity:
February 7: Valentine’s Card Lab – create handmade cards using colorful papers, professional cutters, color copier, and scoring tools
March 7: Sticker Studio – design and print custom stickers using wide-format printing equipment
April 4: Wear Your Art: Heat Transfer Vinyl – make a custom tote bag, hat, or T-shirt using sublimation, vinyl cutting and heat presses
May 2: Print Day in May Open House – a special expanded event celebrating an international day of printmaking with hands-on activities and demonstrations
Workshops take place from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Print Shop Makerspace, 62 Main Street, Holyoke. First Saturdays are free, family-friendly, and open to all ages; youth must be accompanied by an adult.
This program is made possible in part by a grant from the Holyoke Local Cultural Council, supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

Salsa Social
2026-05-02 20:00 - 2026-05-03 01:00 | Fame Lounge/Eatery, 386 Dwight St, Holyoke, MA, 01040, United States
Join SALSA SQUAD for a pre-Cinco de Mayo Salsa Social. Free Bachata class at 8pm and free Salsa class at 8:45. Then test drive your skills on the dance floor til 1am.
No Cover! Kitchen open til 10pm

Providence Place Chapel Concert
2026-05-03 14:00 - 15:00 | Providence Place, 5 Gamelin St, Holyoke, MA, 01040
Sunday, May 3rd at 2:00pm in Our Mother of Sorrows Chapel at Providence Place; Bella Voce; Vocal Duo features Teri LaFleur, Soprano, and Lisa Woods, Mezzo-Soprano and accompanied by Composer and Pianist, Jerry Noble. These talented musicians will present selections from Opera, Broadway and the American Songbook. Free and open to the public with ample parking available. For more information, please contact Katelyn Bacon at 413-534-9700 or email kbacon@providenceplace.org

“Each Knuckle with Sugar”: A Reading & Conversation with Sarah Levine
2026-05-05 17:30 - 18:30 | Wistariahurst, 238 Cabot Street, Holyoke, MA, 01040, United States
Join the Wistariahurst Museum for an evening with poet Sarah Levine, whose collection Each Knuckle with Sugar received Poetry Honors in the Massachusetts Book Awards. This program will feature a reading from the collection, followed by a conversation with the poet and an audience Q&A. Attendees are invited to engage with the poems and hear Levine speak about her creative process, influences, and the questions that shape her work.
Each Knuckle with Sugar is a collection in which play becomes power at the turn of a page or a line. Sarah Levine’s endlessly inventive imagery offers readers a charged interiority through language that surprises, delights, and—at times—bares its teeth. The book’s lively wonder is driven by the interplay of grief, love, loss, confusion, and desire, unfolding through an epistolary exchange between two recurring speakers, Herman and Begonia.
This program is sponsored by the Mass Book Awards Speakers Bureau and is presented in collaboration with the Massachusetts Center for the Book.
SARAH LEVINE is the author of Each Knuckle with Sugar, winner of the Driftwood Press Open Reading Contest and a 2025 Massachusetts Book Awards Honors recipient in Poetry. She is also the author of the chapbooks Take Me Home and Her Man, and her work has appeared in Poets & Writers, The Paris American, Passages North, Green Mountains Review, and the Best New Poets anthology, among others. Levine teaches at Williston Northampton School and lives in Western Massachusetts.

Free Community Meal & Family Movie
2026-05-08 17:00 - 18:00, 2026-06-12 17:00 - 18:00, 2026-07-10 17:00 - 18:00, 2026-08-14 17:00 - 18:00, 2026-09-11 17:00 - 18:00, 2026-10-09 17:00 - 18:00, 2026-11-13 17:00 - 18:00, 2026-12-11 17:00 - 18:00 | United Congregational Church of Holyoke, 300 Appleton St, Holyoke, MA, 01040, United States
Free Community Meal the 2nd Friday of each month. Join us for a delicious meal and conversation. Bring the family, come and eat, watch a movie or both. All are welcome. 50/50 Raffle and door prizes.

Purse Bingo
2026-05-09 11:00 - 15:00 | Wyckoff Country Club, 233 Easthampton Rd, Holyoke, MA, 01040, United States
Purse Bingo Fundraiser—win stylish handbags, enjoy a fun afternoon, and support the Greater Holyoke YMCA’s programs and community impact. Purses ranging in value from $300-$2500!

Noche Caliente
2026-05-09 21:00 - 2026-05-10 00:00, 2026-06-13 21:00 - 2026-06-14 00:00 | Fame Lounge/Eatery, 386 Dwight St, Holyoke, MA, 01040, United States
Noche Caliente is a sizzling Latin dance party that will set your nights ablaze! Come and experience the heat as you dance the night away to the fiery rhythms of salsa, bachata, merengue, and more. With electrifying music and a vibrant atmosphere, Noche Caliente is the ultimate destination for Latin dance enthusiasts. Let loose and immerse yourself in the energy of the dance floor, where the beats are hot, the moves are sultry, and the energy is infectious. Don’t miss out on an unforgettable evening of music, dance, and passion at Noche Caliente!

Mother's Day Brunch at 110 Grill
2026-05-10 10:00 - 15:00 | MA
Come celebrate Mother’s Day with brunch at 110 Grill. Available 10 AM – 3 PM on Sunday 5/10.
Reservations are recommended.

Conflict & Conservatism: Holyoke’s Struggle for Public Housing
2026-05-18 17:30 - 19:30 | Holyoke Public Library, 250 Chestnut Street, Holyoke, MA, 01040, United States
Join us as Jeremy Smith explores the contentious history of federally-funded housing and renewal in Holyoke, including the construction of Lyman Terrace in the 1930s, Jackson Parkway in the 1940s, and the demolition of the old Ward 4 in the 1960s.
Smith is a long-time local resident with deep roots in Holyoke. His great-great grandfather was Frank Feather, one-time Alderman and a co-proprietor of Feather & France, sheetmetal. Smith is also an archivist at UMass/Amherst Special Collections & Archives and a Holyoke Public Library Board member.
In the Community Room. All welcome. A discussion will follow the talk.
Sponsored by the Holyoke History Room.

Drop-in Genealogy Lab
2026-05-27 14:30 - 17:00 | Holyoke Public Library, 250 Chestnut Street, Holyoke, MA, 01040, United States
Drop-in Genealogy Lab in the Computer Classroom – 2:30 – 5:00
Our two, professional genealogists offer support to family history researchers on fourth Wednesdays. Both have wide expertise and Iris also offers specialized, bilingual help with Spanish-language genealogy sources. Come to research in good company, ask questions, or to get strategies for getting past those brick walls.
Upcoming dates: May 27, June 24
Hillary Schau – 2:30-4:30; Irisneri Alicea Flores, 3:00-5:00
Can’t make the Lab? Our History Room staff can also help you get started with family history research during the History Room’s regular Reading Room Hours.

Shad Festival 2026
2026-06-07 - 2026-06-08 | Holyoke Rows, 25 Jones Ferry Rd, Holyoke, MA, 01040, United States
You’re invited to our second annual Shad Festival–
a celebration of the Connecticut River and the annual shad migration in western Massachusetts!
Join us for delicious food, crew races, kayak adventures, river-themed arts and crafts, fishing, shad planking, vendors, music, ice cream and much more.
Date: June 7
Parking: Free parking along both sides of Main Street & in the Dean High School parking lot
Location: Holyoke Rows, 25 Jones Ferry Rd., Holyoke, MA
*Local Vendors! If you are a Holyoke business or organization, come join us. Please reach out to Stephanie Moore, Director of Holyoke Rows, at smoore@holyokerows.org

Afro Caribbean History through the Arts, Celebrating Juneteenth!
2026-06-19 16:00 - 21:00, 2026-06-20 16:00 - 21:00 | MA
With Haitian Creole interpretation, food and more, our program will also blend with the Afro Taino and Afro Cuban cultural Heritage foundational beats, workshops, dance, and community building. Join us in this multicultural, intergenerational, and interdisciplinary celebration honoring Juneteenth!!

Holyoke PrideFEST 2026
2026-06-27 12:00 - 18:00 | MA
Join us for the 5th annual Holyoke PrideFEST — a day of joy, music, art, and community celebration in the heart of The Paper City! What began as a one-day block party has grown into a citywide movement of love and visibility, honoring the strength, creativity, and resilience of Holyoke’s LGBTQIA+ community and our allies across Western Mass.
Expect an unforgettable afternoon of live performances, drag, dancing, local food, family fun, and pure queer magic under the summer sky.
This year marks our biggest PrideFEST yet — and we can’t wait to celebrate YOU. Whether you’re coming to perform, vend, volunteer, or simply be loud and proud, everyone is welcome at Holyoke PrideFEST 2026!
Stay tuned for announcements about our lineup, special guests, and all the colorful surprises we have in store.
For sponsors, vendors, and performers, visit www.holyokepride.org for details and registration.
