Winterfest takes place during the first weekend in February in downtown Lowell. It starts Friday…read morenight and finishes Saturday night. Activities include: Chocolate tasting Roasting marshmallows Human Dogsled Competition (funny - people dress up in all kinds of silly costumes and pull a sled in competition. The winner gets a gift) North Bowl Soup Competition (local chefs, restaurants and caterers compete for prizes) Meet and greet live dogsled huskies Face painting, baloonists, kids' games, arts & crafts Horse-drawn sleigh tour An over 21 live-music party in a heated tent (cover charge) Grand fireworks display

This was my first ever food festival, this I had no experiences to compare it to. It was a little…read moredifferent than I was expecting, however... not bad different either. The retailers are this event those who produce their goods locally (as the name implies), and as they are local, the producers here are seldom found in grocery stores (while some are). The fact that things are locally produced also goes with the fact that most items here are natural. It is truly awesome to have a food festival dedicated to promoting local businesses. With many, you can buy at the festival, and order their products online too. While credit cards are pretty widely accepted... It is not a bad idea to have some cash. What I was expecting was many more stands offering samples of their products. Sure there were many, but many were also just selling normal size portions of food. Additionally, because these are small, local businesses using locally sourced products they don't have the advantage of economies of scale, and costs are a bit high. Other things I would have liked is hand sanitizer being widely available at the event. Especially as flu season heats up, it would have been nice to have the opportunity to have clean hands. Having there be maps available would have been nice too, although since the event wasn't massive it did create a bit of an adventure walking through the stands and seeing what was being offered. I did really like that there were people making sure guests recycled what could be recycled, and composted what could be composted. While events like this tend to have a high food waste, composting lessens the impact on the environment. Oh yes, and I was thrilled that there was tap water provided... Allowing people to either drink from a fountain or fill their bottles. It is nice when you don't have to purchase a bottle of water for 3 bucks when you can get a case of 24 bottles for $4.

I wasn't impressed with the Boston Local Food Festival this year…read more I was happy that it wasn't canceled by rain (as I feared it might be as I walked to the Greenway). It was basically a large farmers market. Which is cool, but I wanted to get some of the "dishes from talented chefs, all including locally sourced ingredients and priced at $6 or less" as advertised on the Boston Local Food Festival website, but I didn't see any meals available at that price point, so I ended up buying lunch elsewhere. Thanks to Olivia's Organics for the delicious free Spring Mix sample! It was also nice to see Yelp there and spin their wheel for a prize after showing I'd checked in.

The name of this fest really sums up the experience you'll have here…read more It's held at Arts at the Armory, a Somervile space that screams local. With its castle-like exterior, exposed brick, and quirky nooks, the venue welcomes instead of overwhelms. The variety of brews and ciders to sample is vast, and the local nature of the locations and ingredients used are a great spark to many conversations with the company representatives, who all seem relaxed and happy to chat. During the Saturday day (3-6pm) sessions I've attended the past 2 years, the vibe is easy-going. There are minimal (if any) lines for drinks, people sip rather than chug their samples, and there is lots of talking and enjoying of the music. It's not all about getting toasted, it's about toasting to great times with friends and community. Where does the hyper come in? You'll surely be feeling giddy after checking your way through the program of these delish pours. I was (pleasantly) surprised to find many unique ciders this year like the Hot Cha Cha Cha, a peppery cider by Woodchuck, and Lei, a jalapeno pineapple cider which is my new obsession by Far from the Tree. There were also some alternative offerings like spiked seltzer and hard ginger beer. Hyperlocal Craft Brewfest will have you feeling the hyper, local love as you sample craft brews and connect with your community. And don't forget to check in at the Yelp table for some sweet swag!

I had a great time at this event tonight!…read more As it got later, the crowd definitely got larger so it was a bit hard to move around. They had a TON of beer to taste. I am not a huge fan of beer and was hoping for more of a cider and wine selection. But, since I was driving it was probably best that there was only one row of cider and wine peeps. All the vendors were really friendly and happy to give you all the details about what they had to offer and where you could find it. My favorite sample was the cider from Bantam. My friend and I decided to take a sampling break and purchase some food. We got some cupcakes from Kickass cupcakes that were okay and a pork belly taco (that's right pork belly taco) from Five Horses Tavern that was delicious. The band was fun and a right fit for the venue. They are having another event in October and after my experience at this event I would certainly go again in the fall.

Most of the art studios and their local artists participate in this event where you can see them…read moreat work. There's a good handful of studios in the city of Lowell. Many are located at Western Ave Studios, but several are within walking distance of each other, in the downtown area.

My first visit to the studio lofts at Western Ave Studios during the 2011 Open Studio and Arts…read moreFestival. F-A-N-T-A-S-T-I-C. Every artisan was kind, (save one) and all work was impressive. Great use of old mill complex, building teems with creativity and art. U gotta see for yourself. I am a fan and will return during monthly open studios.

Extremely helpful staff and loads of interactive exhibits alongside their staff led tours. The…read moremuseum was well laid out and had good amenities aswell as it was kept very clean. Lots of great information and history, I would certainly recommend to anyone interested in Lowell's history. The only suggestion I would make it perhaps arrows guiding towards the next exhibit but the layout is relatively easy to manage. The atmosphere was also very comfortable thanks to the kind workers. The interior is likely very accessible to wheelchairs but the approach from the parking lot could be difficult.

I recently visited the Boott Cotton Mills Museum, and it was a memorable experience. Upon entering,…read moreI was greeted and assisted with everything I needed. The staff were courteous, incredibly willing to help, and understanding of what I wanted to gain from the experience. I enjoyed seeing the array of textile machines and understanding the intricacies of their designs. I also appreciated the background historical information of the girls that worked there and their conditions. Though the museum is quaint, it holds a surprising amount of knowledge, history, and insight. I would 100% recommend visiting the museum if in the area or interested in the period of history.

Old movies are shown at various venues throughout Lowell. There are dinner and movie specials and…read morethere are lectures and discussions.

A MUST DO! A TRADITION IN BOSTON FOR OVER 60 YEARS! A FREE EVENT & FREE PARKING! A 1 MILE STRETCH…read moreOF THE LYNN FELLSWAY IS DECORATED WITH FANTASTIC HOLIDAY CHRISTMAS LIGHTS. Sadly the number of homes has dwindled over the years. Thank God for the Traditionalists that have kept this thing alive with the Great Christmas lights & displays. Two of the homes in particular have a Picture Postcard Photo Shot that you've got to see. In additional to the beautiful Christmas light display there was a good amount of white untouched snow. The 2 homes have a bridge on their property with a natural babbling brook underneath that meanders all through their land. It was partially frozen but still running. ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL PICTURE PERFECT! A SHOUT OUT TO ALL THE RESIDENTS FOR KEEPING THIS GREAT TRADITION ALIVE! It used to be, you had to have mega bucks & be really rich to have the Good Life, not anymore. The Game has changed. You've been Upgraded. Now You Can Live Like a King on a Limited Budget!

This might have not been one the greatest festivals I've attended but it did give me something to…read moredo on Saturday evening. Most importantly, it was FREE and Chicago was performing! Still humming, Your the Inspiration.. Yep, my soul is old lol. Warren Street, such a small side street... They do provide carnival games, a few kid friendly rides and plenty of food. I did treat myself to some little neck and cherry stone clams. 6 for $8, why not?!? I also grabbed a sweet Italian sausage with peppers and onions for $8. If you are curious about food prices in general, what else can you expect from festivals besides overpriced? The performance stage is located all the way towards the end, where it was heavily congested. You basically had to push your way through.. Also, adjacent to the stage is where you'd find the roped off beer and wine stand. I did notice the older attendees who brought camping chairs. I didn't know where to stand as I did not want to obstruct their view. Awkward! I you decide to go, I would recommend looking over the the event details beforehand. You would think I was smart enough to do so! I didn't realize Chicago would be out at 9pm. After being there for roughly 1.5 hours, I was ready to leave... Ooh! And parking is free at the lot, follow the signs! Street parking is free after 6pm as well.

A MUST DO! A FREE EVENT! FREE ADMISSION, FREE PARKING & FREE TOP NAME ENTERTAINMENT FOR 3 DAYS &…read moreNIGHTS! The City of Cambridge MA. announces the 94th Annual Italian Feast of Cosmas & Damien September 6, 7, 8, 2019. This Feast is known for their GIANT SING ALONG at NIGHT - the whole audience sings along to the hit songs. BE PREPARED TO COME HERE & SING ALONG. If you don't know the groups or the songs go on YouTube & learn them. The FREE ENTERTAINMENT includes all groups who had huge hits on the radio over the decades. All-4-One ( I Swear, I Can Love You Like That, So Much in Love), Peaches & Herb (Shake Your Groove Thing, Reunited, I Pledge My Love), The Drifters ( Under the Boardwalk, This Magic Moment, Save The Last Dance for Me), The Manhattans (Kiss & Say Goodbye, Shining Star, It Feels Do Good to be Loved), Bonnie Pointer ( Heaven Must Have Sent You, Heaven, I Can't Help Myself). There is also Vinyl Groove, World Premiere, & others as well. Check the website for times & dates. There is a lot of Italian Food & Pastries you can buy, Carnival Rides & Trinkets. It is a smaller feast than the feasts in The North End Boston but they bring in Top Name Entertainment for Free. They shut down the streets & it is packed with People. FUN FUN FUN! It used to be, you had to have mega bucks & be really rich to have the Good Life, not anymore. The Game has changed. You've been Upgraded. Now You Can Live Like a King on a Limited Budget!