Josh Ritter and the Royal City Band
Calvin Theater in Northampton, MA
Thursday, May 9th, 2013 at 8pm
Enter for your chance to win! You pay for the sitter and we’ll pay for the tickets!
Hilltown Families and Iron Horse Entertainment Group have partnered up to offer a chance to win free tickets to see adult venues in the Pioneer Valley for a PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT! You pay for the sitter, we’ll pay for the tickets!
For May we are pleased to offer a chance to win a pair of tickets to seeJosh Ritter and the Royal City Band plus The Felice Brothersat the Calvin Theaterin Northampton, MA at 8pm on Thursday, May 9th, 2013.
Win tickets and take your spouse, partner or good friend for a night out. Deadline to enter to win is Monday, 05/06/13 by 11:59pm (EST). More details below.
ABOUT JOSH RITTER
The Beast In Its Tracks, the sixth album from renowned singer-songwriter Josh Ritter, was releasedpast March.The new album follows Ritter’s 2010 release, So Runs The World Away, of which Bob Boilen from NPR Music declared, “I’ve come to expect good records from him…but this one took my breath away,” while the Boston Globe praised, “quite sensational…marks the finest music he has made.” In 2011, Ritter made is debut as a published author with his New York Times Best-selling novel, Bright’s Passage. Of the work, Stephen King writes in The New York Times Book Review, “Shines with a compressed lyricism that recalls Ray Bradbury in his prime . . . This is the work of a gifted novelist.” – www.joshritter.com
ABOUT THE FELICE BROTHERS
What separates The Felices mud-stomping folk from that of their peers is their no-winking honesty the sense that these songs and the places and people they’re singing about aren’t literary devices but actual people doing their damnedest to rage against the growing darkness. – www.thefelicebrothers.com
HOW TO WIN
Your chance to win a pair of tickets to seeJosh Ritter and the Royal City Band plus The Felice Brothersat the Calvin Theaterin Northampton, MA at 8pm on Thursday, May 9th, 2013, is as easy as 1-2-3 (4)! To win simply:
CONSIDER SHARING ON FACEBOOK & TWITTER by selecting from the icons below
TELL US HOW HILLTOWN FAMILIES KEEPS YOU CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT THE REGION below (one entry per household) and be sure to tell us your
FULL NAME (first/last) and where you
LIVE (TOWN/STATE) must include your town to be eligible.
ACCURATE EMAIL (we never share your email address).
We’ll randomly draw a winner and will share the results below.
IT’S THAT SIMPLE! — Deadline is Monday, 05/06/13 by 11:59pm (EST)
If you don’t win you should still go. Tickets are available at the Northampton Box office, online at IHEG.com, or by calling 413-586-8686.
Carolina Chocolate Drops plus David Wax Museum
Calvin Theater in Northampton, MA
Saturday, April 13th, 2013 at 8pm
Hilltown Families and Iron Horse Entertainment Group have partnered up to offer a chance to win free tickets to see adult venues in the Pioneer Valley for a PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT! You pay for the sitter, we’ll pay for the tickets!
For April we are pleased to offer a chance to win a pair of tickets to seeCarolina Chocolate Drops plus David Wax Museumat the Calvin Theaterin Northampton, MA at 8pm on Saturday, April 13th, 2013.
Win tickets and take your spouse, partner or good friend for a night out. Deadline to enter to win is Tuesday, 04/09/13 by 11:59pm (EST). More details below.
ABOUT CAROLINA CHOCOLATE DROPS
Carolina Chocolate Drops’ members met at the 2005 Black Banjo Gathering in Boone, N.C., and have spent the years since revitalizing and refreshing a glorious tradition of African-American string-band music. But this is no mere trio of nostalgia-miners: Members Dom Flemons, Rhiannon Giddens and Justin Robinson are as likely to work with a progressive orchestra, or to reinvent Blu Cantrell’s R&B hit “Hit ‘Em Up Style,” as they are to draw on old-time jug-band favorites. — www.carolinachocolatedrops.com
ABOUT DAVID WAX MUSEUM
Anointed as Bostons Americana Artist of the Year (2010 Boston Music Awards), the David Wax Museum has been called pure, irresistible joy (Bob Boilen, NPR) and hailed by TIME.com for its virtuosic musical skill and virtuous harmonies. It is no surprise that its acclaimed performance at the 2010 Newport Folk Festival was hailed as one of highlights of the entire weekend by NPR. The Museum fuses traditional Mexican folk with American roots and indie rock to create an utterly unique Mexo- Americana aesthetic. Combining Latin rhythms, call-and-response hollering, and donkey jawbone rattling, they have electrified audiences across the country and are kicking up a cloud of excitement with their high-energy border-crossing sensibility (The New Yorker). — www.davidwaxmuseum.com
HOW TO WIN
Your chance to win a pair of tickets to seeCarolina Chocolate Drops plus David Wax Museumat the Calvin Theater in Northampton, MA at 8pm on Saturday, April 13th, 2013, is as easy as 1-2-3 (4)! To win simply:
CONSIDER SHARING ON FACEBOOK & TWITTER by selecting from the icons below
TELL US HOW HILLTOWN FAMILIES KEEPS YOU CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT THE REGION below (one entry per household) and be sure to tell us your
FULL NAME (first/last) and where you
LIVE (TOWN/STATE) must include your town to be eligible.
ACCURATE EMAIL (we never share your email address).
We’ll randomly draw a winner and will share the results below.
IT’S THAT SIMPLE! — Deadline is Tuesday, 04/09/13 by 11:59pm (EST).
If you don’t win you should still go. Tickets are available at the Northampton Box office, online at IHEG.com, or by calling 413-586-8686.
Gaelic Storm at the Calvin Theater
Northampton, MA
Friday, March 22nd, 2013 at 8pm
Hilltown Families and Iron Horse Entertainment Group have partnered up to offer a chance to win free tickets to see adult venues in the Pioneer Valley for a PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT! You pay for the sitter, we’ll pay for the tickets!
For this spring we are pleased to offer a chance to win a pair of tickets to see Gaelic Storm at the Calvin Theaterin Northampton, MA at 8pm on Saturday, March 22nd, 2013.
Win tickets and take your spouse, partner or good friend for a night out. Deadline to enter to win is Tuesday, 03/19/13 by 11:59pm (EST). More details below.
ABOUT GAELIC STORM
Celtic-rock group Gaelic Storm’s dazzling new #1 Billboard World Album Chicken Boxer is a heavyweight record that comes out swinging with a mix of empowering anthems and traditional ballads. Gaelic Storm has earned a reputation as one of the world-music scene’s preeminent Celtic bands. With catalog sales of more than 1 million, the group has now had three albums debut at #1 on the Billboard World Albums Chart, 2008’s What’s the Rumpus?, 2010’s Cabbage, which remained parked in the top slot for three consecutive weeks, and now, 2012’s Chicken Boxer. The group’s ability to deftly incorporate a rock sensibility into their sound affords them rare crossover appeal. In recent years, they’ve performed on the same bill with acts ranging from Zac Brown Band and the Goo Goo Dolls to Emmylou Harris and Lyle Lovett, at events as varied as the Telluride Bluegrass Festival and Milwaukee’s Summerfest. Chicken Boxer, and Gaelic Storm live, deliver a titanic knock out.
Your chance to win a pair of tickets to see Gaelic Storm at the Calvin Theaterin Northampton, MA at 8pm on Saturday, March 22nd, 2013., is as easy as 1-2-3 (4)! To win simply:
CONSIDER SHARING ON FACEBOOK & TWITTER by selecting from the icons below
TELL US HOW HILLTOWN FAMILIES KEEPS YOU CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT THE REGION below (one entry per household) and be sure to tell us your
FULL NAME (first/last) and where you
LIVE (TOWN/STATE) must include your town to be eligible.
ACCURATE EMAIL (we never share your email address).
We’ll randomly draw a winner and will share the results below.
IT’S THAT SIMPLE! — Deadline is Tuesday, 03/19/13 by 11:59pm (EST).
If you don’t win you should still go. Tickets are available at the Northampton Box office, online at IHEG.com, or by calling 413-586-8686.
Mardi Gras Ball at Ashfield Town Hall
with Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys
Saturday, February 16th at 8pm
Win a pair of tickets for a Parents’ Night Out to the WinklePicker Festival Mardi Gras Ball with music by Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys and special guests, The Primate Fiasco, on Saturday, February 16th at 8pm at the Ashfield Town Hall. Deadline to enter for a chance to win: 02/12/13.
Continuing our Parents’ Night Out promotions, Hilltown Families and Winklepicker Festival have partnered up to offer two pairs of tickets to the 2nd annual WinklePicker Festival Mardi Gras Ball at Ashfield Town Hall on Saturday, February 16th at 8pmwith multi-Grammy nominee Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys!
Win a pair of tickets and take your spouse, partner or good friend for a night out. Deadline to enter to win: 02/12/13 by 11:59pm (EST). More details below.
ABOUT THE WINKLEPICKER MARDI GRAS FESTIVAL
The 2nd annual WinklePicker Mardi Gras Festival — When New Englanders Go Barnyard Crazy – will heat up the town of Ashfield, MA., February 15- 17, 2013. WinklePicker stirs all the warmth of music, dancing, community, eating and drinking up together in one big, roiling pot, celebrating warmth and fun in the coldest, plainest days of the year. www.WinklePickerFest.com
ABOUT THE MARDI GRAS BALL
Headlining the Saturday, February 16th Grown Ups Mardi Gras Ball at Ashfield Town Hall (412 Main Street, Ashfield, MA) at 8pm, will be multi-Grammy nominee Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys. This is the ball for grown-ups who want to dress up and get down as the band works its magic with a hot two-step, then turns on a dime and deliver an a cappella ballad, followed by something that sounds like Howlin’ Wolf fell in lust with a Creole girl. Costumes and masks are welcome! After the concert, revelers can head next door to Elmer’s Store where The Primate Fiasco After Party will keep you dancing.
ABOUT STEVE RILEY & THE MAMOU PLAYBOYS
Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys will be rolling out their brand new songs in the Hilltowns of Western MA in Ashfield, just before heading into the studio to record their 14th CD. And they will have just returned from the Grammy Awards on February 10th, where their last recording, “Grand Isle,” is nominated for a Grammy in the “Best Regional Roots Music Album” category. Best of luck to the Playboys! www.mamouplayboys.com
Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys began over twenty years ago with a reputation for excellence. Their stunningly clean and cohesive performance of Cajun French music from the backwaters of Southwest Louisiana propelled them into the world music limelight early on, and by their third release, Trace of Time, had garnered them a Grammy nomination in the worldwide field of traditional folk music, another in 2004 for Bon Reve, in 2009 for Live at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and again in 2011 for their latest release, Grand Isle.
In this video below, “Steve Riley and his Mamou Playboys make sweet Cajun music together: music steeped in the French heritage of southwestern Louisiana and driven by accordion and fiddle. Watch the Grammy-nominated Cajun band play an upbeat yet bittersweet set from the NPR Music offices.:”
HOW TO WIN
Your chance to enter to win a pairs of tickets for a Parents’ Night Out to the WinklePicker Festival Mardi Gras Ball with music by Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys and special guests, The Primate Fiasco, on Saturday, February 16th at 8pm at the Ashfield Town Hall, is as easy as 1-2-3 (4)!
To enter to win simply:
CONSIDER SHARING ON FACEBOOK by selecting the Facebook icon below;
TELL US HOW HILLTOWN FAMILIES HAS CONNECTED YOU WITH YOUR COMMUNITY OVER THE YEARS below (one entry per household); and be sure to tell us your
FULL NAME and where you
LIVE (TOWN/STATE), Must include your town to be eligible.
ACCURATE EMAIL IN THE EMAIL FIELD BELOW (we never share your email address with a third party).
We’ll randomly draw the names of two winner sand will share the results below.
IT’S THAT SIMPLE! — Deadline is Tuesday, 02/12/13 by 11:59pm (EST)
If you don’t win, tickets are on sale at www.signaturesounds.com/winklepicker2013 and at Elmer’s Store in Ashfield ($25/person)… and at the event ($30/person). Doors open at 7:30 pm. Complete details and ticketing information is available at www.WinklePickerFest.com and at Elmer’s Store 413-628-4003.
Jake Shimabukuro at the Calvin Theater
Northampton, MA
Saturday, Dec. 1st at 8pm
Hilltown Families and Iron Horse Entertainment Group have partnered up to offer a chance to win free tickets to see adult venues in the Pioneer Valley for a PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT! You pay for the sitter, we’ll pay for the tickets!
For November we are pleased to offer a chance to win one of two pairs of tickets to see Jake Shimabukuro. at the Calvin Theaterin Northampton, MA at 8pm on Saturday, December 1st, 2012.
Win tickets and take your spouse, partner or good friend for a night out. Deadline to enter to win is Tuesday, 11/27/12 by 11:59pm (EST). More details below.
ABOUT JAKE SHIMABUKURO
Jake Shimabukuro (photo credit: Merri Cyr)
In his young career, ukulele wizard Jake Shimabukuro has already redefined a heretofore under-the-radar instrument, been declared a musical “hero” by Rolling Stone, won accolades from the disparate likes of Eddie Vedder, Perez Hilton and Dr. Sanjay Gupta, wowed audiences on TV (Jimmy Kimmel, Conan), earned comparisons to Jimi Hendrix and Miles Davis, and even played in front of the Queen of England.
With his new record Grand Ukulele, Shimabukuro’s star may burn even brighter. An ambitious follow-up to 2011’s Peace, Love, Ukulele(which debuted at #1 on the Billboard World Charts), the Hawaiian musician’s new record finds him collaborating with legendary producer/engineer Alan Parsons, best known for his work on Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, The Beatles’ Abbey Road and his own highly successful solo project. Parsons ended up helping Shimabukuro expand his sound, bringing in a 29-piece orchestra and a big-name rhythm section, including drummer Simon Phillips (The Who, Toto), session superstar bassist Randy Tico and Kip Winger (Winger, Alice Cooper), who helped with the orchestration.
Your chance to win one of two pairs of tickets to see Jake Shimabukuroat the Calvin Theater in Northampton, MA at 8pm on Saturday, December 1st, 2012, is as easy as 1-2-3 (4)! To win simply:
SHARE YOU FAVORITE COMMUNITY HOLIDAY EVENT IN WESTERN MAbelow (one entry per household) and be sure to tell us your
FULL NAME (first/last) and where you
LIVE (TOWN/STATE) must include your town to be eligible.
ACCURATE EMAIL (we never share your email address).
We’ll randomly draw a winner and will share the results below.
IT’S THAT SIMPLE! — Deadline is Tuesday, 11/27/12 by 11:59pm (EST).
If you don’t win you should still go. Tickets are available at the Northampton Box office, online at IHEG.com, or by calling 413-586-8686.
Leo Kottke
Iron Horse Music Hall ♦ Northampton, MA
Thursday, Oct 18th, 2012 @ 7pm
Enter to win a pair of tickets to see Leo Kottke at the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton on Thursday, Oct 18th, 2012 at 7pm. Deadline to enter: 10/15. Details below.
Hilltown Families and Iron Horse Entertainment Group have partnered up to offer a chance to win free tickets to see adult venues in the Pioneer Valley for a PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT! You pay for the sitter, we’ll pay for the tickets!
For October we have a pair of tickets to giveaway to see Leo Kottke at the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton, MA on Thurs, Oct 18th at 7pm. Win a pair of tickets and take your spouse, partner or good friend for a night out. Deadline to enter to win: 10/15 @ 7pm (EST). Details below.
ABOUT LEO KOTTKE
For decades, Leo Kottke inspired generations of fingerpicking acoustic guitarists. Kottke can play achingly beautiful melodies and then turn around and dazzle you with with his speed and brilliance. What people generally miss is an appreciation of just how many musical genres Kottke has borrowed from and fused into his own unmistakable style. You can hear country, rock, blues, jazz, classical, Hawaiian slack-key … and, I swear, even a bit of flamenco in there somewhere. – www.leokottke.com
HOW TO WIN
Your chance to win a pair of tickets to see Leo Kottke at the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton, MA on Thursday, Oct 18th at 7pm (valued at $70) is easy & simple! To enter to win simply:
CONSIDER SHARING ON FACEBOOK by selecting the Facebook icon below
TELL US WHAT YOUR LIKE BEST ABOUT OUR PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT PROMOTIONS below (one entry per household) and be sure to tell us your
FULL NAME (first/last) and where you
LIVE (TOWN/STATE) must include your town to be eligible.
ACCURATE EMAIL (we never share your email address).
We’ll randomly draw a winner and will share the results below.
IT’S THAT SIMPLE! — Deadline is Monday, 10/15/12 @ 7pm (EST)
If you don’t win you should still go. Leo with be at the Iron Horse on Friday night too. Tickets are available at the Northampton Box office, online at IHEG.com, or by calling 413-586-8686.
Signature Sounds writes: “Due to unforeseen circumstances, the October 7th show with Ramblin’ Jack Elliott at Memorial Hall has been cancelled and will not be rescheduled.” (10/2/12)
Ramblin’ Jack Elliot and Jeffrey Foucault
Memorial Hall in Shelburne Falls, MA
Sunday, October 7th @ 7pm
Win a pair of tickets to see Ramblin’ Jack Elliot in concert at Memorial Hall in Shelburne Falls on Sunday, October 7th at 7pm with special guests, Jeffrey Foucault, and take your spouse, partner or good friend for a night out. Deadline to enter to win: 10/3/12 at 7pm (EST).
Continuing our Parents’ Night Out promotions, Hilltown Families and Signature Sounds Concerts have partnered up to offer two pairs of tickets for two lucky couples to see Ramblin’ Jack Elliot in concert at Memorial Hall in Shelburne Falls on Sunday, October 7th at 7pm with special guests, Jeffrey Foucault.
Win a pair of tickets and take your spouse, partner or good friend for a night out. Deadline to enter to win: 10/3/12 at 7pm (EST). More details below.
ABOUT RAMBLIN’ JACK ELLIOTT
One of the last true links to the great folk traditions of this country, with over 40 albums under his belt, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott is considered one of the country’s legendary foundations of folk music. Long before every kid in America wanted to play guitar — before Elvis, Dylan, the Beatles or Led Zeppelin — Ramblin’ Jack had picked it up and was passing it along. From Johnny Cash to Tom Waits, Beck to Bonnie Raitt, Ry Cooder to Bruce Springsteen, the Grateful Dead to The Rolling Stones, they all pay homage to Ramblin’ Jack Elliott. In the tradition of roving troubadours Jack has carried the seeds and pollens of story and song for decades from one place to another, from one generation to the next. They are timeless songs that outlast whatever current musical fashion strikes today’s fancy.
He has recorded forty albums; wrote one of the first trucking songs, Cup of Coffee, recorded by Johnny Cash; championed the works of new singer-songwriters, from Bob Dylan and Kris Kristofferson to Tim Hardin; became a founding member of Bob Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue; and continued the life of the traveling troubadour influencing Jerry Jeff Walker, Guy Clark, Tom Russell The Grateful Dead and countless others.
Ramblin’ Jack’s life of travels, performances and recordings is a testament to the America of lore, a giant land of struggle, hard luck and sometimes even of good fortune. Ramblin’ Jack takes us to places that spur us on to the romance and passion of life in the tunes and voices of real people. At seventy-seven, Ramblin’ Jack is still on the road, still seeking those people, places, songs and stories that are hand-crafted, wreaking of wood and canvas, cowhide and forged metal. You’ll find him in the sleek lines of a long haul semi-truck, in the rigging of an old sailing ship, in the smell of a fine leather saddle. For more information visit: www.ramblinjack.com.
ABOUT JEFFREY FOUCAULT
Longtime disciple of the rich and strange music that sings behind the American veil, local musician Jeffrey Foucault has spent the last decade mining the darker seams of country and blues, producing a string of spare and elemental albums of rare power while garnering accolades across the United States and overseas for a tersely elegant brand of songwriting set apart by its haunting imagery and weather-beaten cool.
With his album, Horse Latitudes, Jeffrey Foucault gives us ten new original songs that showcase an artist in the fullness of his powers, offering a compelling vision of modern American music. A cross-country collision of rock, country, and folk, Horse Latitudes alights with equal grace on full-band ragers and whispered solo pieces, delivering a methodically paced collection of songs that inhabit the borderlands of heartbreak and memory. Foucault’s deep, enticing vocals are richly complemented by an intoxicating mix of acoustic and electric instrumentation: acoustic guitar, pedal steel, Hammond organ, piano, and accordion, electric bass, drums, cello. www.jeffreyfoucault.com
HOW TO WIN
Your chance to win a one of two pairs of tickets to see Ramblin’ Jack Elliot in concert at Memorial Hall in Shelburne Falls on Sunday, October 7th at 7pm with special guests, Jeffrey Foucault, is as easy as 1-2-3 (4)! To win simply:
TELL US ABOUT AN UPCOMING EVENT IN WESTERN MA YOU’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO ATTENDING WITH YOUR FAMILY (one entry per family) and be sure to tell us your
FULL NAME (first/last) and where you
LIVE (TOWN/STATE) must include your town to be eligible.
ACCURATE EMAIL (we never share your email address).
We’ll randomly draw two winners and will share the results below.
IT’S THAT SIMPLE! — Deadline is 10/3/12 at 7pm (EST).
If you don’t win you should still go! Tickets are also available at World Eye in Greenfield, Turn It Up in Northampton and Signaturesounds.com. 413-665-4036
Signature Sounds writes: “Due to unforeseen circumstances, the October 7th show with Ramblin’ Jack Elliott at Memorial Hall has been cancelled and will not be rescheduled.” (10/2/12)
Darius Rucker
Mountain Park in Holyoke, MA
Friday, Sept 14th, 2012 @ 7pm
Win the tickets and take your spouse, partner or gang of friends for a night out to see Darius Rucker plus Joel Crouse at Mountain Park in Holyoke on Friday, Sept. 14th. Deadline to enter to win is 09/11/112 @ 7pm (EST). Details below.
Hilltown Families and Iron Horse Entertainment Group have partnered up to offer a chance to win free tickets to see adult venues in the Pioneer Valley for a PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT! You pay for the sitter, we’ll pay for the tickets!
This month at Mountain Park, Darius Rucker brings country favorites and Hootie classics to the Pioneer Valley on Friday, September 14th at 7pm – and we’re giving away a 4-pack of lawn tickets for a group of friends to enjoy an evening out! Win the tickets and take your spouse, partner or gang of friends for a fun evening away from the kids. Deadline to enter to win is Tuesday, 09/11/12 @ 7pm (EST). Details below.
ABOUT DARIUS RUCKER
As leader of Hootie & the Blowfish, Darius Rucker was one of the most popular frontmen in mainstream pop/rock during the mid-’90s. The band’s debut album, Cracked Rear View, was virtually inescapable in 1995, eventually selling more than 16 million copies and becoming one of the most successful albums of all time. Hootie & the Blowfish couldn’t recreate that magic on future albums, though, and the band took a break from the studio after releasing 1998′s Musical Chairs. Rucker used his free time to launch a solo career, which allowed the singer to explore his R&B and country influences.
Darius Rucker is now riding high with the release of his sophomore country album, Charleston, SC 1966. USA Today raved, “Rucker has made a fine-sounding country album, full of singable choruses, bittersweet fiddle and steel, and guitars with bottomless twang,” and Rolling Stone said, “On his Nashville debut, Rucker’s rich baritone, sentimental ballads and bright hooks made him the most successful African-American country singer since Charley Pride.” Rucker amps up that formula on album number two. The debut in referral is his chart-topping 2008 release, Learn To Live an album that produced three consecutive No. 1 singles and Top 5 smash, “History In The Making,” Ruckers success in the country music format was recently recognized at the 43rd Annual CMA Awards when he received the Top New Artist title and again with ACM, Teen Choice, and AMA Award nominations. Charleston, SC 1966–a title which pays tribute to one of Rucker’s biggest influences, Radney Foster–includes the multiple-week #1 hit single, “Come Back Song,” and his current Top 10 single, “This.”
Following its opening in 1894 as a picturesque retreat on the side of Mount Tom, Mountain Park expanded and evolved into one of the most beloved amusement parks in New England. At the beginning of the 20th century, Holyoke was the most prosperous community in the state and the first planned industrial city in the United States. The city’s progress drew crowds of visitors to Mountain Park, and the park gradually developed into a bustling destination. Although the park closed its gates in 1987, the echoes of laughter from generations of visitors still reverberate throughout the Pioneer Valley. Today, Mountain Park evolves into the next millennium as a new host for music, entertainment and outdoor family fun.
HOW TO WIN
We’re putting together a bucket list of things to do and places to see in Western MA with the family in the fall (Sept-Dec). Recommend your favorite attraction, must see or must do family autumn activity, and be entered to win a 4-pack of lawn tickets to see Darius Rucker plus Joel Crouse at Mountain Park in Holyoke on Friday, Sept. 14th, 2012 at 7pm, is as easy as 1-2-3 (4)! To win simply:
POST YOUR RECOMMENDATION AS OUTLINED ABOVE (one entry per household) and be sure to tell us your
FULL NAME (first/last) and where you
LIVE (TOWN/STATE) must include your town to be eligible.
ACCURATE EMAIL (we never share your email address).
CONSIDER SHARING ON FACEBOOK by selecting the Facebook icon below.
We’ll randomly draw two winners and will share the results below.
IT’S THAT SIMPLE! — Deadline is Tuesday, 9/11/12 @ 7pm (EST)
If you don’t win, tickets can be purchased at the Northampton Box Office, 76 Main Street, by phone at 413-586-8686 and online at IHEG.com.
O.A.R. at the Calvin Theater
Northampton, MA
Friday, Sept. 7th at 8pm
Hilltown Families and Iron Horse Entertainment Group have partnered up to offer a chance to win free tickets to see adult venues in the Pioneer Valley for a PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT! You pay for the sitter, we’ll pay for the tickets!
This month we are pleased to offer a chance to win a pairs of tickets to see O.A.R. at the Calvin Theaterin Northampton, MA at 8pm on Friday, September 7th, 2012. Opening act, Barefoot Truth.
Win tickets and take your spouse, partner or good friend for a night out. Deadline to enter to win is Tuesday, 9/4/12 @ 7pm (EST). More details below.
ABOUT O.A.R.
O.A.R.s Wind-up Records debut album, King, marks a new beginning for the band, while also paying homage to their past. It is the seventh studio effort in a career that began with their high school recording, The Wanderer. Bringing back the title character from their first album, O.A.R. takes the listener on a journey to discover that what the Wanderer, and the band members themselves, had been searching for all along, was there from the beginning. As the closing song on the new disc states, a return Back to One. – www.ofarevolution.com
HOW TO WIN
Your chance to win a pairs of tickets to see O.A.R.at the Calvin Theater in Northampton, MA at 8pm on Friday, September 7th, 2012, with opening act, Barefoot Truth, is as easy as 1-2-3 (4)! To win simply:
INSPIRE OUR READERS BY SHARING HOW YOU LIKE TO SPEND AN EVENING OUT AWAY FROM THE KIDS when there’s nothing happening at the Calvin (one entry per household) and be sure to tell us your
FULL NAME (first/last) and where you
LIVE (TOWN/STATE) must include your town to be eligible.
ACCURATE EMAIL (we never share your email address).
We’ll randomly draw a winner and will share the results below.
IT’S THAT SIMPLE! — Deadline is Tuesday, 9/4/12 @ 7pm (EST).
If you don’t win you should still go. Tickets are available at the Northampton Box office, online at IHEG.com, or by calling 413-586-8686.
Michael Franti and Spearhead
Calvin Theatre in Northampton
Thursday, May 31st at 8pm
Hilltown Families and Iron Horse Entertainment Group have partnered up to offer a chance to win free tickets to see adult venues in the Pioneer Valley for a PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT! You pay for the sitter, we’ll pay for the tickets!
This month we are pleased to offer a chance to win a pairs of tickets to see Michael Franti and Spearhead at the Calvin Theater in Northampton, MA at 8pm on Thursday, May 31st, 2012. Opening act, Zach Heckendorf.
Win the tickets and take your spouse, partner or good friend for a night out. Deadline to enter to win is Monday, 05/28/12 @ 7pm (EST). More details below.
ABOUT MICHAEL FRANTI AND SPEARHEAD
For over two decades, the Bay Area born Michael Franti has been bringing our world exceptionally powerful, deeply felt music. Franti first formed the punk band The Beatnigs while studying at the University of San Francisco, and later the far more hip hop-inflected The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy. In the mid-Nineties, Franti created Spearhead. Frantis music has always reflected his status as a musical citizen of the world. The Sound Of Sunshine — the inspired and inspiring new album by Michael Franti Spearhead — is a kind of musical sun shower, a bright, beautiful and often buoyant song cycle created to bring all kinds of listeners a sense of hope during rough and rainy times for so many in our world. Arguably the most cohesive, romantic and life-affirming album that Franti and Spearhead have ever made, The Sound Of Sunshine reflects the fact that, as Franti puts it, with time, you get a better sense who you are and how to put together all your musical passions into your own sound. – michaelfranti.com
HOW TO WIN
Your chance to win a pairs of tickets to see the Michael Franti and Spearhead at the Calvin Theater in Northampton, MA at 8pm on Thursday, May 31st, 2012, is as easy as 1-2-3 (4)!
To enter to win simply:
CONSIDER SHARING ON FACEBOOK by selecting the Facebook icon below;
TELL US HOW HILLTOWN FAMILIES HAS CONNECTED YOU WITH YOUR COMMUNITY OVER THE YEARS below (one entry per household); and be sure to tell us your
FULL NAME and where you
LIVE (TOWN/STATE), Must include your town to be eligible.
ACCURATE EMAIL IN THE EMAIL FIELD BELOW (we never share your email address with a third party).
We’ll randomly draw a winner and will share the results below.
IT’S THAT SIMPLE! — Deadline is Monday, 05/28/12 @ 7pm (EST).
If you don’t win, tickets can be purchased at the Northampton Box Office, 76 Main Street, by phone at 413-586-8686 and online at IHEG.com.
The Fab Faux: A Mixed Bag of Beatles Favorites
Calvin Theatre in Northampton
Saturday, April 28th at 8pm
This is the band to see if you want to know what it might be like if the Beatles toured today. Not like any other The Fab Faux are committed to the accurate reproduction of The Beatles’ repertoire. If you want to hear songs recreated that were written, arranged, and performed with a genius rarely heard in today’s music scene; if you’re too young to know what all the fuss is about; or you just want to see one of the best live rock bands around today—here’s your chance.
Hilltown Families and Iron Horse Entertainment Group have partnered up to offer a chance to win free tickets to see adult venues in the Pioneer Valley for a PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT! You pay for the sitter, we’ll pay for the tickets!
This spring we have a pair of tickets to giveaway to see The Fab Faux: A Mixed Bag of Beatles Favorites at the Calvin Theatre in Northampton, MA on Saturday, April 28th at 8pm! Win the tickets and take your spouse, partner or good friend for a night out. Deadline to enter to win is 04/25/12 @ 7pm (EST). Details below.
ABOUT THE FAB FAUX
Formed in 1998, The Fab Faux treat the seminal music of the Beatles with unwavering respect through painstaking recreations of the songs (with emphasis on the later works never performed live by the Beatles). Far beyond a cover band, they play the music of The Beatles so impeccably that one must experience it to believe it. Calling them, the greatest Beatles cover band without the wigs, Rolling Stone senior editor David Fricke wrote, the Faux invigorate the artistry of even the Beatles most intricate studio masterpieces with top chops and Beatlemaniac glee. Approaching the songs with the intent of playing them live as accurately in musical reading and in spirit as possible, The Fauxs breathtaking performances tend to dispel all concertgoers previous notions of a Beatles tribute act.
Calling them, “the greatest Beatles cover band – without the wigs,” Rolling Stone senior editor David Fricke wrote, “the Faux invigorate the artistry of even the Beatles’ most intricate studio masterpieces with top chops and Beatlemaniac glee.” Approaching the songs with the intent of playing them live as accurately in musical reading and in spirit as possible, The Faux’s breathtaking performances tend to dispel all concertgoers’ previous notions of a Beatles tribute act. “The Fab Faux have the hardest job in the history of R & R and they pull it off damn well. All rock bands want to be like the Beatles; these guys have the nerve to BE the Beatles. Amazingly, they’re so good at it you learn new things about the originals” – Dave Marsh, legendary Rock Critic and Sirius Radio Host. – www.thefabfaux.com
HOW TO WIN
Your chance to win a pairs of tickets to see the The Fab Faux: A Mixed Bag of Beatles Favorites at the Calvin Theatre in Northampton on Saturday, April 28th at 8pm, is as easy as 1-2-3 (4)!
To enter to win simply:
CONSIDER SHARING ON FACEBOOK by selecting the Facebook icon below;
TELL US HOW HILLTOWN FAMILIES AS CONNECTED YOU WITH YOUR COMMUNITY OVER THE YEARS below (one entry per household); and be sure to tell us your
FULL NAME and where you
LIVE (TOWN/STATE), Must include your town to be eligible.
ACCURATE EMAIL IN THE EMAIL FIELD BELOW (we never share your email address with a third party).
We’ll randomly draw a winner and will share the results below.
IT’S THAT SIMPLE! — Deadline is Wednesday, 04/25/12 @ 7pm (EST).
If you don’t win, tickets can be purchased at the Northampton Box Office, 76 Main Street, by phone at 413-586-8686 and online at IHEG.com.
Traditional Irish Musical Group, Danú
The Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield, MA
Friday, March 16th @ 8pm
Internationally acclaimed traditional Irish musical group, Danú, comes to at the Colonial Theatre on Friday, March 16th at 8pm to ring in St. Patrick’s Day. At the forefront of the Irish music scene, Danú takes its audiences on a musical journey to their native Ireland, offering a moving and memorable concert experience not to be missed. Enter to win tickets for a parents' night out in the Berkshires. Deadline to enter to win: 3/14th @ 7pm (EST).
Continuing our Parents’ Night Out promotions, Hilltown Families has a pair of tickets to giveaway to one very lucky couple to ring in St. Patrick’s Day with internationally acclaimed traditional Irish musical group, Danú, on Friday, March 16th at 8pm at The Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield, MA on Friday, March 16th at 8pm - a night out in the heart of the Berkshires!
Win a pair of tickets and take your spouse, partner or good friend for a night out. Deadline to enter to win: Wednesday, March 14th, 2012 at 7pm (EST). More details below.
ABOUT DANU
Named after an ancient Irish goddess, Danú is at the forefront of the traditional Irish music scene. Having toured extensively throughout the world, Danú takes its audiences on a musical journey to their native Ireland, offering a moving and memorable concert experience.
Danú’s standing room only concerts throughout Ireland are truly amazing events, featuring high-energy performances and a glorious mix of ancient Irish music and new repertoire. According to The Washington Post, Danú is a “vibrant mix of virtuosity, energy, and empathy.”
For over a decade, Danú’s virtuosi players on flute, tin whistle, fiddle, button accordion, bouzouki, and vocals (Irish and English), have performed around the globe and recorded seven critically acclaimed albums. Their live DVD, One Night Stand, was filmed at Vicar St. Dublin. Winners of numerous awards from the BBC and Irish Music Magazine, Danú has toured throughout Europe, the Middle East and North America with stops at The Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, Symphony Space in New York City and major concert engagements in the United Kingdom, India, Israel and across Europe. Danú’s popular recordings are available on the Shanachie label and live performances are often broadcast on NPR, the CBC and the BBC. – www.danu.net
HOW TO WIN
Your chance to win a pair of tickets to see Danú in concert, at The Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield, MA on Friday, March 16th at 8pm is as easy as 1-2-3 (4)! To enter win simply:
KINDLY CONSIDER SHARING THIS PAGE ON FACEBOOK BY SELECTING “LIKE” BELOW
TELL US HOW HILLTOWN FAMILIES CONNECTS YOU WITH EVENTS IN THE BERKSHIRES and be sure to tell us your
FULL NAME (first/last) and where you
LIVE (TOWN/STATE) must include your town to be eligible.
ACCURATE EMAIL (we never share your email address)
We’ll randomly draw two winners and will share the results below.
IT’S THAT SIMPLE! — Deadline to enter to win: Wednesday, March 14th, 2012 at 7pm (EST).Read the rest of this entry »
Lucy Kaplansky
Iron Horse Music Hall ♦ Northampton, MA
Sunday, Feb 26th, 2012 @ 7pm
Win a pair of tickets to see Lucy Kaplansky at the Iron Horse in Northampton on Sunday, Feb 26th at 7pm. Deadline to enter to win: 2/22 @ 7pm (EST).
Hilltown Families and Iron Horse Entertainment Group have partnered up to offer a chance to win free tickets to see adult venues in the Pioneer Valley for a PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT! You pay for the sitter, we’ll pay for the tickets!
For the end of February we have a pair of tickets to giveaway to see Lucy Kaplansky at the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton, MA on Sunday, Feb 26th at 7pm with opening act, Sandy Bailey. Win a pair of tickets and take your spouse, partner or good friend for a night out. Deadline to enter to win: 2/22 @ 7pm (EST). Details below.
ABOUT LUCY KAPLANSKY
She started out singing in Chicago bars. Then, barely out of high school, Lucy Kaplansky took off for New York City. There she found a fertile community of songwriters and performers – Suzanne Vega, John Gorka, Bill Morrissey, Cliff Eberhardt. Lucy was everyone’s favorite singing partner, but most often she found herself singing as a duo with Shawn Colvin. Lucy temporarily left the musical fast track to pursue a doctorate in Psychology and open her own private practice, although she continues to tour extensively across North America, reminding audiences why she has been hailed as “a truly gifted performer…full of enchanting songs” (The New Yorker). www.lucykaplansky.com
HOW TO WIN
Your chance to win a pair of tickets to see Lucy Kaplansky at the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton, MA on Sunday, Feb 26th at 7pm with opening act, Sandy Bailey, is easy & simple! To enter to win simply:
CONSIDER SHARING ON FACEBOOK by selecting the Facebook icon below
TELL US HOW HILLTOWN FAMILIES KEEPS YOUR FAMILY ENGAGED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY DURING SCHOOL VACATION WEEK below (one entry per household) and be sure to tell us your
FULL NAME (first/last) and where you
LIVE (TOWN/STATE) must include your town to be eligible.
ACCURATE EMAIL (we never share your email address).
We’ll randomly draw a winner and will share the results below.
IT’S THAT SIMPLE! — Deadline is Wednesday, 02/22/12 @ 7pm (EST)
If you don’t win you should still go. Tickets are available at the Northampton Box office, online at IHEG.com, or by calling 413-586-8686.
Winklepicker Festival
Mardi Gras Ball w/ Buckwheat Zydeco
& After-Party w/ The Primate Fiasco
Saturday, Feb 18th @ 7pm in Ashfield, MA
Winklepicker Festival's Mardi Gras Ball with Buckwheat Zydeco at the Ashfield Town Hall (412 Main Street), followed by an after-party with The Primate Fiasco, happens on Feb 18th! Deadline to enter to win: 2/15. Details below.
Continuing our Parents’ Night Out promotions, Hilltown Families has a pair of tickets to giveaway to one very lucky couple to the Winklepicker Festival Mardi Gras Ball with Buckwheat Zydeco at the Ashfield Town Hall (412 Main Street), followed by an after-party with The Primate Fiasco next door at Elmer’s, in Ashfield, MA on Saturday, February 18th at 7pm. Deadline to enter to win: 2/15. Details below.
WHAT IS WINKLEPICKER?
Italy has Carnivale, Brazil has the same. Germany has Fasching, New Orleans has Mardi Gras… Ashfield has Winklepicker! – And while those other festivals are all tied to the last possible blow-out moments before the contemplative days of Lent, out here in the Protestant hinterlands, Winklepicker is tied to the hardest part of the year – when the novelty of winter has worn off, warmth is still half a globe-turn away and you’d like something to do besides plow snow and rake roofs.
Winklepicker stirs all the warmth of music, dancing, community, eating and drinking up together in one big, roiling pot. Winklepicker celebrates warmth and fun in the coldest, plainest days of the year. This inaugural year, the third weekend of February also turned out to be the weekend that precedes the above celebrated festivals, and the theme of Mardi Gras in New Orleans was picked as the inaugural theme for the weekend.
This year’s festival includes: Creole Cooking Workshop; Exhibit of Mardi Gras costumes; Mardi Gras Kids Music Camp; Concert with Chris Smither; Gospel Brunch; and a Mardi Gras Ball with Buckwheat Zydeco (after-party with The Primate Fiasco). Find out more at www.winklepickerfest.com.
MARDI GRAS BALL WITH BUCKWHEAT ZYDECO
Grammy Award-winning American musical legend, Louisiana vocalist, and accordion and organ master Buckwheat Zydeco is the preeminent ambassador of Louisiana zydeco music. The New York Times says, “Stanley ‘Buckwheat’ Dural leads one of the best bands in America. A down-home and high-powered celebration, meaty and muscular with a fine-tuned sense of dynamics…propulsive rhythms, incendiary performances.” This high-energy band will lead a night of dancing and Mardi Gras revelry that you won’t want to miss, so put on your dancing shoes and join Buckwheat Zydeco as he heats up Ashfield Town Hall. Then stay for the After Party with The Primate Fiasco. The Ball begins at 7pm; after party at 9:30pm. – Not familiar with Buckwheat Zydeco, sample his music here… but be sure to put on your dancing shoes first!
HOW TO ENTER WIN
Your chance to win a pair of tickets to the WinklePicker Festival Mardi Gras Ball with Buckwheat Zydeco at the Ashfield Town Hall (412 Main Street), followed by an after-party with The Primate Fiasco next door in Ashfield, MA, on Saturday, February 18th at 7pm is easy & simple! To enter to win simply:
CONSIDER SHARING ON FACEBOOK by selecting “Like” below
TELL US HOW HILLTOWN FAMILIES HELPS YOUR FAMILY SHAKE OFF THE WINTER BLUES below (one entry per household) and be sure to tell us your
FULL NAME (first/last) and where you
LIVE (TOWN/STATE) must include your town to be eligible.
ACCURATE EMAIL (we never share your email address).
We’ll randomly draw a winner and will share the results below.
IT’S THAT SIMPLE! — Deadline to enter to win is Wednesday, 02/15/12 @ 7pm (EST)
Tickets at Turn It Up!, World Eye Books, Boswell’s Books, Elmer’s Store & online at mightyalbert.com. For more info call 413-628-4003.
Ruth Moody Band
Iron Horse Music Hall ♦ Northampton
Wednesday, Feb 14th, 2012 @ 7pm
Parents' Night Out ticket giveaway for Valentine's Day to see Ruth Moody at the Iron Horse in Northampton, MA! Deadline to enter to win: 02/10/12 by 7pm (EST)
Hilltown Families and Iron Horse Entertainment Group have partnered up to offer a chance to win free tickets to see adult venues in the Pioneer Valley for a PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT! You pay for the sitter, we’ll pay for the tickets!
For Valentine’s Day we are pleased to offer a chance to win a pairs of tickets to see Ruth Moody Band on Valentine’s Day, Wed., February 14th, 7pm at the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton, MA.
Win the tickets and take your sweetheart or BFF out for Valentine’s Day. Deadline to enter to win is Friday, 02/10/12 @ 7pm (EST). More details below.
ABOUT RUTH MOODY BAND
Although best known for her work with The Wailin’ Jennys, Ruth Moody is a Juno Award winning songwriter who’s made numerous critically-acclaimed albums and appeared more than a dozen times on A Prairie Home Companion. She’s also the former lead singer of The Duhks. She plays guitar, banjo, accordion, piano, and bodhrán and is a gifted songwriter. Writing with a maturity and wisdom that belies her age, her songs are timeless, universal, and exceptionally well-crafted, all sung with an intimacy and honesty that is unmistakably hers. Ruth released her highly-anticipated solo album The Garden in Spring 2010 features with an all-star cast including Crooked Still, Kevin Breit (Norah Jones, k.d. lang), Luke Doucet, and a guest appearance by The Wailin’ Jennys. The Ruth Moody Band, is Adam Dobres (electric guitar), Adrian Dolan (strings, mandolin, accordion) and Sam Howard (bass, vocals). www.ruthmoody.com
HOW TO WIN
Your chance to win a pair of tickets to see Ruth Moody Band on Valentine’s Day, Wed., February 14th, 7pm at the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton, MA. is easy & simple! To enter to win simply:
CONSIDER SHARING ON FACEBOOK by selecting “Like” below
TELL US HOW HILLTOWN FAMILIES KEEPS YOU CONNECTED WITH DATE NIGHT OPPORTUNITIES below (one entry per household) and be sure to tell us your
FULL NAME (first/last) and where you
LIVE (TOWN/STATE) must include your town to be eligible.
ACCURATE EMAIL (we never share your email address).
We’ll randomly draw a winner and will share the results below.
IT’S THAT SIMPLE! — Deadline is Tuesday, 02/10/12 @ 7pm (EST)
If you don’t win you should still go. Tickets are available at the Northampton Box office, online at IHEG.com, or by calling 413-586-8686.
Carolina Chocolate Drops
with opening act, Joy Kills Sorrow
Calvin Theatre in Northampton
Saturday, January 28th at 8pm
Enter to win a pair of tickets for a Parents' Night Out to see the Carolina Chocolate Drops at the Calvin Theatre in Northampton on Saturday, Jan 28th at 8pm. We have TWO pair of tickets to giveaway! Deadline to enter to win: 01/25/12.
Hilltown Families and Iron Horse Entertainment Group have partnered up to offer a chance to win free tickets to see adult venues in the Pioneer Valley for a PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT! You pay for the sitter, we’ll pay for the tickets!
To start off 2012, we have two a pair of tickets to giveaway to see Carolina Chocolate Drops, with opening act Joy Kills Sorrow, at the Calvin Theatre in Northampton, MA on Saturday, Jan 28th at 8pm to two lucky winners! Win the tickets and take your spouse, partner or good friend for a night out. Deadline to enter to win is 01/25/12 @ 7pm (EST). Details below.
ABOUT THE CAROLINA CHOCOLATE DROPS
The Carolina Chocolate Drops are a group of young African-American string band musicians that have come to together to play the rich tradition of fiddle and banjo music in Carolina’s Piedmont. Although they have diverse musical backgrounds, the band draws its musical heritage from the foothills of the North and South Carolina. Under the tutelage of Joe Thompson, said to be the last black traditional string band player, of Mebane NC, they strive to carry on the long standing traditional music of the black and white communities. - www.carolinachocolatedrops.com
HOW TO WIN
Your chance to win one of two pairs of tickets to see the Carolina Chocolate Drops at the Calvin Theatre in Northampton, MA on Saturday, Jan 28th at 8pm , is as easy as 1-2-3 (4)!
To enter to win simply:
CONSIDER SHARING ON FACEBOOK by selecting the Facebook icon below;
TELL US HOW HILLTOWN FAMILIES AS CONNECTED YOU WITH YOUR COMMUNITY OVER THE YEARS below (one entry per household); and be sure to tell us your
FULL NAME and where you
LIVE (TOWN/STATE), Must include your town to be eligible.
ACCURATE EMAIL IN THE EMAIL FIELD BELOW (we never share your email address with a third party).
We’ll randomly draw a winner and will share the results below.
IT’S THAT SIMPLE! — Deadline is Wednesday, 01/25/12 @ 7pm (EST).
If you don’t win, tickets can be purchased at the Northampton Box Office, 76 Main Street, by phone at 413-586-8686 and online at IHEG.com.
Josh Ritter & the Royal City Band
plus Love Canon
Calvin Theatre – New Year’s Eve
Saturday, December 31st 8pm
Enter to win a pair of tickets to see Josh Ritter & the Royal City Band plus Love Canon at the Calvin Theatre in Northampton on New Year's Eve ,Saturday, December 31st 8pm. Deadline to enter to win: Tuesday, Dec 27th @ 7pm.
Hilltown Families and Iron Horse Entertainment Group have partnered up to offer a chance to win free tickets to see adult venues in the Pioneer Valley for a PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT! You pay for the sitter, we’ll pay for the tickets!
To end the year we have a pair of tickets to giveaway for Josh Ritter & the Royal City Band plus Love Canon at the Calvin Theatre in Northampton, MA on Saturday, Dec 31st at 8pm. Win the tickets and take your spouse, partner or good friend for a night out. Deadline to enter to win is 12/27/11 @ 7pm (EST). Details below.
ABOUT ROSH RITTER
Josh Ritter is from Moscow, Idaho. The son of two neuroscientists, he was on his way to follow in their footsteps when he discovered Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan’s “Girl from the North Country” in high school. He has since released five studio albums and has been recently named one of the 100 greatest living songwriters by Paste Magazine, alongside Dylan, Springsteen, and Neil Young. Joan Baez has covered one of his songs; Stephen King named one of Ritter’s albums the best of recent years and David Letterman has requested him twice, so far. His latest studio album, So Runs the World Away, was released in April 2010 and Josh’s first novel, Bright’s Passage, came out this summer. www.joshritter.com
HOW TO WIN
Your chance to win a pair of tickets to see Josh Ritter & the Royal City Band plus Love Canon at the Calvin Theatre in Northampton, MA on Saturday, Dec 31st at 8pm , is as easy as 1-2-3 (4)!
To enter to win simply:
CONSIDER SHARING ON FACEBOOK by selecting the Facebook icon below;
REFLECT BACK OVER THE YEAR AND SHARE WITH US YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY OF COMMUNITY LIFE IN THE REGION FOR 2011 below (one entry per household); and be sure to tell us your
FULL NAME and where you
LIVE (TOWN/STATE), Must include your town to be eligible.
ACCURATE EMAIL IN THE EMAIL FIELD BELOW (we never share your email address with a third party).
We’ll randomly draw a winner and will share the results below.
IT’S THAT SIMPLE! — Deadline is Tuesday, 12/27/11 @ 7pm (EST).
If you don’t win, tickets can be purchased at the Northampton Box Office, 76 Main Street, by phone at 413-586-8686 and online at IHEG.com.
An Evening with Garrison Keillor at the Calvin Theater
Northampton, MA
Sunday, Dec 4th @ 8pm
Garrison Keillor was born in 1942 in Anoka, Minnesota, and began his radio career as a freshman at the University of Minnesota, went to work for Minnesota Public Radio in 1969, and on July 6, 1974, he hosted the first broadcast of "A Prairie Home Companion" in St. Paul. - Deadline to enter to win tix: 12/01/11 @ 7pm.
Hilltown Families and Iron Horse Entertainment Group have partnered up to offer a chance to win free tickets to see adult venues in the Pioneer Valley for a PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT! You pay for the sitter, we’ll pay for the tickets!
For the beginning of December we have a pair of tickets to giveaway for An Evening with Garrison Keillor at the Calvin Theater in Northampton, MA on Sunday, Dec 4th at 8pm. Win the tickets and take your spouse, partner or good friend for a night out. Deadline to enter to win is 12/1/11 @ 7pm (EST). Details below.
ABOUT GARRISON KEILLOR
Keillor said he plans to retire in “the spring of 2013,” in an interview with AARP so this may be your last chance to see the legendary author, storyteller, humorist, and creator of the weekly radio show A Prairie Home Companion. The show began in 1974 as a live variety show on Minnesota Public Radio. In the 1980s A Prairie Home Companion became a pop culture phenomenon, with millions of Americans listening to Keillor’s folksy tales of life in the fictional Midwestern town of Lake Wobegon, where (in Keillor’s words) “the women are strong, the men are good looking, and all of the children are above average.” His radio show inspired a 2006 movie, A Prairie Home Companion, written by and starring Keillor, Meryl Streep and Lindsay Lohan and directed by Robert Altman was Altman’s last film; he died later that year. His signature sign-off on his show The Writer’s Almanac is “Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.”
HOW TO WIN
Your chance to win a pair of tickets for An Evening with Garrison Keillor at the Calvin Theater in Northampton, MA on Sunday, Dec 4th at 8pm, is as easy as 1-2-3 (4)!
To enter to win simply:
CONSIDER SHARING ON FACEBOOK by selecting the Facebook icon below;
SHARE WITH US A BRIEF ANECDOTE OF FAMILY LIFE IN WESTERN MA below (one entry per household); and be sure to tell us your
FULL NAME and where you
LIVE (TOWN/STATE), Must include your town to be eligible.
ACCURATE EMAIL IN THE EMAIL FIELD BELOW (we never share your email address with a third party).
We’ll randomly draw a winner and will share the results below.
IT’S THAT SIMPLE! — Deadline is Thursday, 12/01/11 @ 7pm (EST).
If you don’t win, tickets can be purchased at the Northampton Box Office, 76 Main Street, by phone at 413-586-8686 and online at IHEG.com.
Bela Fleck at the Calvin Theater
Northampton, MA
Thursday, Nov 1oth @ 8pm
Enter to win a pair of tickets to see Bela Fleck at the Calvin Theater on Thursday, Nov 10th! Deadline to enter to win: Sunday, 11/6 @ 7pm.
Hilltown Families and Iron Horse Entertainment Group have partnered up to offer a chance to win free tickets to see adult venues in the Pioneer Valley for a PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT! You pay for the sitter, we’ll pay for the tickets!
For the beginning of November we have a pair of tickets to giveaway to see Bela Fleck at the Calvin Theater in Northampton, MA on Thursday, Nov 10th at 8pm. Win the tickets and take your spouse, partner or good friend for a night out. Deadline to enter to win is Sunday, 11/06/11 @ 7pm (EST). Details below.
ABOUT BELA FLECK
Groundbreaking banjoist/composer/bandleader Béla Fleck has reconvened the original Béla Fleck & The Flecktones’, the extraordinary initial line-up of his incredible combo. Rocket Science marks the first recording by the first fab four Flecktones in almost two decades, with pianist/harmonica player Howard Levy back in the fold alongside Fleck, bassist Victor Wooten, and percussionist/ Drumitarist Roy “Futureman” Wooten. Far from being a wistful trip back in time, the album sees the Grammy Award-winning quartet creating some of the most forward thinking music of their long, storied career. While all manners of genres come into play – from classical and jazz to bluegrass and African music to electric blues and Eastern European folk dances – the result is an impossible to pigeonhole sound all their own, a meeting of musical minds that remains, as ever, utterly indescribable. Simply put, it is The Flecktones, the music made only when these four individuals come together. www.belafleck.com
HOW TO WIN
Your chance to win a pair of tickets to see Bella Fleck at the Calvin Theater in Northampton, MA on Thursday, Nov 10th, 2011 @ 8pm, is as easy as 1-2-3 (4)!
To enter to win simply:
CONSIDER SHARING ON FACEBOOK by selecting the Facebook icon below;
TELL US HOW HILLTOWN FAMILIES CONNECTS YOUR FAMILY WITH PERFORMANCE VENUES IN WESTERN MA below (one entry per household); and be sure to tell us your
FULL NAME and where you
LIVE (TOWN/STATE), Must include your town to be eligible.
ACCURATE EMAIL IN THE EMAIL FIELD BELOW (we never share your email address with a third party).
We’ll randomly draw a winner and will share the results below.
IT’S THAT SIMPLE! — Deadline is Sunday, 11/06/11 @ 7pm (EST).
If you don’t win, tickets can be purchased at the Northampton Box Office, 76 Main Street, by phone at 413-586-8686 and online at IHEG.com.
Crooked Still at the Calvin Theater
Northampton, MA
Saturday, Oct 8th @ 8pm
Enter to win a pair of tickets to see Crooked Still at the Calvin Theater on Saturday, Oct 8th along with their new CD, "Some Strange Country." Deadline to enter to win: Wednesday, Oct 5th @ 7pm.
Hilltown Families and Iron Horse Entertainment Group have partnered up to offer a chance to win free tickets to see adult venues in the Pioneer Valley for a PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT! You pay for the sitter, we’ll pay for the tickets!
For the beginning of October we have two pairs of tickets to giveaway to see Crooked Still at the Calvin Theater in Northampton, MA on Saturday, Oct 8th at 8 pm. Each winner will also receive a copy of Crooked Still’s newest CD, Some Strange Country, from Signature Sounds! — Opening for Crooked Still, Anais Mitchell and Jefferson Hamer.
Win the tickets and take your spouse, partner or good friend for a night out. Deadline to enter to win is Wednesday, 10/05/11 @ 7pm (EST). Details below.
ABOUT CROOKED STILL
The musical prowess of this defiantly non-traditional bluegrass quintet is ever more apparent as they celebrate their 10th anniversary. They mix radically re-imagined traditional fare seamlessly alongside original compositions. For their fourth album, Some Strange Country, Crooked Still’s uses quasi-orchestral string arrangements and unique vocal distortion techniques to hone in on their unique refraction of roots music.
On Some Strange Country, Crooked Still has honed in on their unique refraction of roots music, recording their most personal, visionary album yet. “The music is not just ‘alternative bluegrass’ or whatever people used to call it,” fiddle player Brittany Haas remarks. “It’s at another level now: artful, but still grounded in that funky, string band thing.”
HOW TO WIN
Your chance to win a pair of tickets to Crooked Still with opening act by Anais Mitchell and Jefferson Hamer at the Calvin Theater in Northampton, MA on Saturday, Oct 8th, 2011 @ 8pm, along with a copy of Crooked Still’s newest CD, Some Strange Country, is as easy as 1-2-3 (4)!
To enter to win simply:
CONSIDER SHARING ON FACEBOOK by selecting the Facebook icon below;
TELL US HOW HILLTOWN FAMILIES CONNECTS YOUR FAMILY WITH PERFORMANCE VENUES IN WESTERN MA below (one entry per household); and be sure to tell us your
FULL NAME and where you
LIVE (TOWN/STATE), Must include your town to be eligible.
ACCURATE EMAIL IN THE EMAIL FIELD BELOW (we never share your email address with a third party).
We’ll randomly draw a winner and will share the results below.
IT’S THAT SIMPLE! — Deadline is Wednesday, 10/05/11 @ 7pm (EST).
If you don’t win, tickets can be purchased at the Northampton Box Office, 76 Main Street, by phone at 413-586-8686 and online at IHEG.com.
Keb’ Mo’ at the Calvin Theater
Northampton, MA
Thursday, Sept 22nd @ 8pm
Enter to win a pair of tickets to see Grammy Award winning artist Keb' Mo' at the Calvin Theater on Thursday, Sept 22nd. Deadline to enter to win: Monday, Sept 19th @ 7pm.
Hilltown Families and Iron Horse Entertainment Group have partnered up to offer a chance to win free tickets to see adult venues in the Pioneer Valley for a PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT! You pay for the sitter, we’ll pay for the tickets!
This month we have two pairs of tickets to giveaway to see Grammy Award winning artist Keb’ Mo’ at the Calvin Theater in Northampton, MA on Thursday, September 22nd at 8 pm.
Win the tickets and take your spouse, partner or good friend for a night out. Deadline to enter to win is Monday, 09/19/11 @ 7pm (EST). Details below.
ABOUT KEB’ MO’
Three time Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter and guitarist Keb’ Mo’ makes music that is a living link to the seminal Delta blues that traveled up the Mississippi River and across the expanse of America. His new album, “The Reflection,” is his first new studio release since 2006. The album finds Keb stretching out into various styles, rooted in soul, jazz and r&b. His trademark honest, unadorned vocal, his deceptively simple, sublime guitar work and his catchy melodies are here, of course, but with this recording Keb is more expressive than ever. He has significantly raised the bar for himself. www.kebmo.com
HOW TO WIN
Your chance to win a pair of tickets to Keb’ Mo’ at the Calvin Theater in Northampton, MA Thursday, Sept 22nd, 2011 @ 8pm is as easy as 1-2-3 (4)!
To enter to win simply:
CONSIDER SHARING ON FACEBOOK by selecting the Facebook icon below;
SHARE YOUR FAVORITE WAY TO ENJOY A PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT IN WESTERN (aside from seeing Keb’ Mo’ in concert) below (one entry per household); and be sure to tell us your
FULL NAME and where you
LIVE (TOWN/STATE), Must include your town to be eligible.
ACCURATE EMAIL IN THE EMAIL FIELD BELOW (we never share your email address with a third party).
We’ll randomly draw a winner and will share the results below.
IT’S THAT SIMPLE! — Deadline is Monday, 09/19/11 @ 7pm (EST).
If you don’t win, tickets can be purchased at the Northampton Box Office, 76 Main Street, by phone at 413-586-8686 and online at IHEG.com.
UPDATE (8/16/11): Concert has been moved to The Calvin Theater in Northampton
Bright Eyes plus Titus Andronicus
at Mountain Park in Holyoke, MA Calvin Theater in Northampton
Sunday, August 28th, 2011 @ 7pm
Enter to win a pair of tickets to see Bright Eyes plus Titus Andronicus at Calvin Theater in Northampton, MA on Sunday, August 28th! Deadline to enter to win is Wednesday, Aug. 24th. Details on how to enter to win are outlined below.
Hilltown Families and Iron Horse Entertainment Group have partnered up to offer a chance to win free tickets to see adult venues in the Pioneer Valley for a PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT! You pay for the sitter, we’ll pay for the tickets!
Bright Eyes plus Titus Andronicus are coming to Mountain Park in Holyoke Calvin Theater in Northampton, MA on Sunday, August 28th this month and we are giving way two pair of lawn tickets for two lucky couples to enjoy an evening out!
Win the tickets and take your spouse, partner or good friend for a night out. Deadline to enter to win is Wednesday, 08/24/11 @ 7pm (EST). Details below.
ABOUT BRIGHT EYES
Bright Eyes became a household name (in a certain kind of household) when, for a few months in early 2005, they seemed ubiquitous. From magazine covers to late night talk shows, they were name-checked by everyone from sports casters to country stars. Conor Oberst has spent much of the last few years recording and touring with friends and musicians, The Mystic Valley Band, as well as releasing a a highly acclaimed album and tour as part of the so called indie supergroup Monsters of Folk. The People’s Key – the band’s seventh studio album – is the eagerly awaited follow-up to 2007’s acclaimed Cassadaga. Fully realized and bursting with charisma, The People’s Key is assured and accomplished, artfully arranged and filled with the engaging and mesmeric songwriting for which Oberst is renowned. www.conoroberst.com
ABOUT TITUS ANDRONICUS
Titus Andronicus is a punk/indie band from Glen Rock, New Jersey formed in 2005. The group takes its name from the Shakespeare play Titus Andronicus. Their debut album, The Airing of Grievances received widespread acclaim. The album’s loud, heavily distorted guitars are influenced by the shoegaze genre, while the lyrics and song titles are references to various books and other forms of entertainment (such as the album title, from the Seinfeld episode, “The Strike”, about Festivus). Titus Andronicus’ second album, The Monitor, was released on March 9, 2010, the same month that Rolling Stone magazine named the band one of the 10 best new bands of 2010. www.titusandronicus.net
ABOUT MOUNTAIN PARK
(UPDATE (8/16/11): Concert has been moved to The Calvin Theater in Northampton.) Following its opening in 1894 as a picturesque retreat on the side of Mount Tom, Mountain Park expanded and evolved into one of the most beloved amusement parks in New England. At the beginning of the 20th century, Holyoke was the most prosperous community in the state and the first planned industrial city in the United States. The city’s progress drew crowds of visitors to Mountain Park, and the park gradually developed into a bustling destination. Although the park closed its gates in 1987, the echoes of laughter from generations of visitors still reverberate throughout the Pioneer Valley. Today, Mountain Park evolves into the next millennium as a new host for music, entertainment and outdoor family fun.
HOW TO WIN
Your chance to win a pair of lawn tickets to seeBright Eyes plus Titus Andronicus at Mountain Park in Holyoke, Calvin Theater in Northampton, MA Sunday, August 28th, 2011 @ 7pm is as easy as 1-2-3 (4)!
To enter to win simply:
CONSIDER SHARING ON FACEBOOK by selecting “Like” below
TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAVORITE WAY TO SPEND AN ENTIRE DAY IN WESTERN MA WITH THE FAMILY (any season) below (one entry per household) and be sure to tell us your
FULL NAME and where you
LIVE (TOWN/STATE) Must include your town to be eligible.
ACCURATE EMAIL IN THE EMAIL FIELD BELOW (we never share your email address).
We’ll randomly draw a winner and will share the results below.
IT’S THAT SIMPLE! — Deadline is Wednesday, 08/24/11 @ 7pm (EST).
If you don’t win, tickets can be purchased at the Northampton Box Office, 76 Main Street, by phone at 413-586-8686 and online at IHEG.com.
The Decemberists
at Mountain Park in Holyoke, MA
Sunday, July 31st, 2011 @ 7pm
Enter to win a pair of tickets to see The Decemberists at Mountain Park in Holyoke, MA on Sunday, July 31st! Deadline to enter to win is Wednesday, July 27th. Details on how to enter to win are outlined below.
Hilltown Families and Iron Horse Entertainment Group have partnered up to offer a chance to win free tickets to see adult venues in the Pioneer Valley for a PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT! You pay for the sitter, we’ll pay for the tickets!
The Decemberists were one of the first bands to play at Mountian Park in Holyoke in 2009 and the Portland, Oregon band whose artistic and career trajectory has continued to rise will return to the outdoor mountainside venue this summer on Sunday, July 31st at 7pm – and we’re giving away two pair of lawn tickets for two lucky couples to enjoy an evening out!
Win the tickets and take your spouse, partner or good friend for a night out. Deadline to enter to win is Wednesday, 07/27/11 @ 7pm (EST). Details below.
The Decemberists have just released the video for “This Is Why We Fight,” a cinematic tour-de-force by acclaimed director Aaron Stewart. “This Is Why We Fight” is the second single from the band’s new album The King Is Dead (Capitol Records), which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 after its January 2011 release.
ABOUT THE DECEMBERISTS
With their brilliant sixth album, The King Is Dead, The Decemberists illustrate the power that comes from continual artistic evolution. One idea spawns a fully realized project and, from a seed within it, the next is born. The band’s wildly ambitious 2009 song cycle The Hazards of Love was a narrative suite that grew out of old English folk tunes. Colin Meloy took a few songs that had been left off of Hazards and started working on a set of more stripped-down, country-based songs. The mostly-acoustic arrangements on The King Is Dead, which included cameos from Gillian Welch and Peter Buck, showcase the ways in which The Decemberists’ Meloy, Chris Funk, Jenny Conlee, Nate Query, and John Moen sound just as glorious in simple, concise compositions as they do on the elaborate structures that have defined their work for years. Says Meloy, “I guess I’ve kind of come back to a lot of the more American music that got me going in the first place; R.E.M. and Camper Van Beethoven and all these bands that borrowed from more American traditions like Neil Young and The Byrds.” The Decemberists take their live shows as seriously as their albums, and there is never a dull moment. www.decemberists.com
ABOUT MOUNTAIN PARK
Following its opening in 1894 as a picturesque retreat on the side of Mount Tom, Mountain Park expanded and evolved into one of the most beloved amusement parks in New England. At the beginning of the 20th century, Holyoke was the most prosperous community in the state and the first planned industrial city in the United States. The city’s progress drew crowds of visitors to Mountain Park, and the park gradually developed into a bustling destination. Although the park closed its gates in 1987, the echoes of laughter from generations of visitors still reverberate throughout the Pioneer Valley. Today, Mountain Park evolves into the next millennium as a new host for music, entertainment and outdoor family fun.
HOW TO WIN
Your chance to win a a pair of lawn tickets to see The Decemberist at Mountain Park in Holyoke, MA Sunday, July 27th, 2011 @ 7pm is as easy as 1-2-3 (4)!
To enter to win simply:
CONSIDER SHARING ON FACEBOOK by selecting “Like” below
TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAVORITE WAY TO SPEND A DAY IN WESTERN MA WITH THE FAMILY (any season) below (one entry per household) and be sure to tell us your
FULL NAME and where you
LIVE (TOWN/STATE) Must include your town to be eligible.
ACCURATE EMAIL IN THE EMAIL FIELD BELOW (we never share your email address).
We’ll randomly draw a winner and will share the results below.
IT’S THAT SIMPLE! — Deadline is Wednesday, 07/27/11 @ 7pm (EST).
If you don’t win, tickets can be purchased at the Northampton Box Office, 76 Main Street, by phone at 413-586-8686 and online at IHEG.com.
Cedric Watson and Bijou Creole
Iron Horse Music Hall ♦ Northampton
Friday, June 3rd, 2011 @ 7pm
We're giving away two pair of tickets for a night of Cajun music with Cedric Watson and Bijou Creole at the Iron Horse Music Hall on June 3rd! Zydeco dance lessons at intermission! Deadline to enter to win: 5/31 @ 7pm.
Hilltown Families and Iron Horse Entertainment Group have partnered up to offer a chance to win free tickets to see adult venues in the Pioneer Valley for a PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT! You pay for the sitter, we’ll pay for the tickets!
For June we are pleased to offer a two chances to win a pairs of tickets to see Cedric Watson and Bijou Creole on Friday, June 3rd, 7pm at the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton, MA. There will even be Zydeco dance lesson with Larry Kauffman at the break!
Win the tickets and take your spouse, partner or good friend for a night out. Deadline to enter to win is Tuesday, 05/31/11 @ 7pm (EST). More details below.
ABOUT CEDRIC WATSON
One of the most noted young talents to emerge in Cajun or Creole music in the past few years, Cedric Watson is a four-time Grammy-nominated fiddler, vocalist, accordionist and songwriter of seemingly unlimited potential. Born in 1983, Cedric grew up in San Felipe, Texas surrounded by the sounds of blues, old soul, country and zydeco. Unlike his hip-hop focused peers, Cedric was drawn to the old-style French songs of Southwest Louisiana and the greater Houston area. He soon made his way to Lafayette, LA where he was enthusiastically accepted into the musical community and immediately recognized as an important participant in the continuity of Creole music. — www.cedricwatson.com
Listen up to Cedric’s song, Zydeco Paradise:
HOW TO WIN
Your chance to win a pair of tickets to see Cedric Watson and Bijou Creole on Friday, June 3rd, 7pm at the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton, MA is easy & simple! To enter to win simply:
CONSIDER SHARING ON FACEBOOK by selecting “Like” below
TELL US HOW HILLTOWN FAMILIES KEEPS YOU CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY below (one entry per household) and be sure to tell us your
FULL NAME (first/last) and where you
LIVE (TOWN/STATE) must include your town to be eligible.
ACCURATE EMAIL (we never share your email address).
We’ll randomly draw a winner and will share the results below.
IT’S THAT SIMPLE! — Deadline is Tuesday, 05/31/11 @ 7pm (EST)
If you don’t win you should still go. Tickets are available at the Northampton Box office, online at IHEG.com, or by calling 413-586-8686.
Tom Paxton
The Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield, MA
Saturday, May 21st @ 8pm
Tom Paxton has become a voice of his generation, addressing issues of injustice and inhumanity, laying bare the absurdities of modern culture, and celebrating the tenderest bonds of family, friends, and community. Enter to win tickets to see Tom Paxton on Saturday, May 21st in the Berkshires!
Continuing our Parents’ Night Out promotions, Hilltown Families has a pair of tickets to giveaway to one very lucky couple to see acclaimed storyteller and legendary folk musician Tom Paxton at The Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield, MA on Saturday, May 21st at 8pm - a night out in the heart of the Berkshires!
Win a pair of tickets and take your spouse, partner or good friend for a night out. Deadline to enter to win: Wednesday, May 18th, 2011 at 7pm (EST). More details below.
ABOUT TOM PAXTON
Tom Paxton will appear in a solo acoustic concert at the Colonial on Saturday, May 21 at 8pm. This legend of the folk music scene will take the stage for a one-night only event.
Tom Paxton has become a voice of his generation, addressing issues of injustice and inhumanity, laying bare the absurdities of modern culture, and celebrating the tenderest bonds of family, friends, and community. In describing Tom Paxton’s influence on his fellow musicians, Pete Seeger has said: “Tom’s songs have a way of sneaking up on you. You find yourself humming them, whistling them, and singing a verse to a friend. Like the songs of Woody Guthrie, they’re becoming part of America.” Paxton has been an integral part of the songwriting and folk music community since the early 1960s, and continues to be a primary influence on today’s “New Folk” performers.
Paxton’s song books, critically acclaimed children’s books, award-winning children’s recordings, and a catalog of hundreds of songs, all serve to document Tom Paxton’s 45-year career. An internationally recognized and loved cultural figure, he has always chosen goodwill over commercial success. … This is the man who wrote and lives the words, “Peace will come, and let it begin with me.” He is one of the great songwriters of the last century and will be reckoned as one of the greats in this century, as well. – www.tompaxton.com
HOW TO WIN
Your chance to win a pair of tickets Tom Paxton in concert, at The Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield, MA on Saturday, May 21st at 8pm is as easy as 1-2-3 (4)! To enter win simply:
KINDLY CONSIDER SHARING THIS PAGE ON FACEBOOK BY SELECTING “LIKE” BELOW
RECOMMEND A SONG FOR OUR COMMUNITY PLAYLIST and be sure to tell us your
FULL NAME (first/last) and where you
LIVE (TOWN/STATE) must include your town to be eligible.
ACCURATE EMAIL (we never share your email address)
We’ll randomly draw two winners and will share the results below.
Lucinda Williams & Amos Lee
at Mountain Park in Holyoke, MA
Saturday, July 23rd, 2011 @ 7pm
Another fabulous concert at Mountain Park this summer! Enter to win a pair of tickets to spend a lovely evening on the lawn at Mountain Park with Lucinda Williams & Amos Lee! Deadline to enter to win:May 6th.
Hilltown Families and Iron Horse Entertainment Group have partnered up to offer another chance to win free tickets to see adult venues in the Pioneer Valley for a PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT! You pay for the sitter, we’ll pay for the tickets!
Mountain Park just announced another fabulous concert this summer: Lucinda Williams & Amos Lee will be at Mountain Park in Holyoke this summer on Saturday, July 23rd, 2011 (the night before Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas)– and we’re giving away a pair of lawn tickets for one lucky couple to enjoy an evening out!
Win the tickets and take your spouse, partner or good friend for a night out. Deadline to enter to win is Wednesday, 05/06/11 @ 7pm (EST). Details below.
ABOUT LUCINDA WILLIAMS
Lucinda Williams never backs down from a challenge, whether collaborating with surprisingly kindred spirits like M. Ward and Flogging Molly or putting her own spin on iconic tunes like Bob Dylan’s“Positively 4th Street” and Jimmy Webb’s classic “Galveston.” She’s taken that same approach to her most recent recordings as a solo artist as well: The 2006 release West and 2008’s buoyant Little Honey – which Paste hailed as “an album that brims with varied, impeccable writing” – made for an ethereal emotional travelogue that takes in both great loss and the sort of discovery one can only make when emotional barriers are taken down. Her new album Blessed, recorded at the end of what Williams calls “a really big writing streak that gave me enough to make two albums,” reveals some of the most straightforward songs she’s ever written. While it’s not a concept album as such, Blessed– recorded with producer Don Was – brings together a dozen masterfully-crafted pieces that fall into place beautifully, their welcoming sonic tenor offering an ideal foil for the conversational narrative that runs through the dozen short stories – tales that take in plenty of topical territory, but invariably end up offering the listener a sense of affirmation. www.lucindawilliams.com
A series of videos featuring individual testimonials of what it means to be “BLESSED” Lucinda Williams YouTube page. Everyday people from the city of Los Angeles, CA sharing their story of why they are Blessed. These beautiful stories were volunteered, when simply asked to hold in their own hand writing a sign featuring the title of the upcoming album. Here’s one:
ABOUT AMOS LEE
Since the release of the Amos Lee album in 2005, the Philadelphia-born and –based former schoolteacher has been one of his generation’s most celebrated songwriters. After being named one of Rolling Stone’s “Top 10 Artists to Watch,” Lee quickly went on to tour with such giants as Bob Dylan, Merle Haggard, Paul Simon, and Elvis Costello. His third album. Mission Bell, released at the beginning of 2011 and produced by Joey Burns of the acclaimed band Calexico, displays both range and cohesion, an array of emotions unified by Lee’s eclectic taste and distinctive vocals. It’s easily Lee’s richest and most fully formed album to date. Willie Nelson who guests on the album says “Great songwriters don’t come around that often. Amos is an exceptional artist, a true story teller, unique to his generation.” Other guests on the album include Lucinda Williams, Sam Beam (Iron & Wine), James Gadson, Priscilla Ahn, and Pieta Brown—with the musical backing of Calexico.Mission Bell marks the arrival of Amos Lee as a mature artist who continues to explore his musical and thematic interests.
HOW TO WIN
Your chance to win a a pair of lawn tickets to seeLucinda Williams & Amos Lee at Mountain Park in Holyoke, MA Saturday, July 23rd, 2011 @ 7pm is as easy as 1-2-3 (4)!
To enter to win simply:
SHARE ON FACEBOOK by selecting “Like” below
TELL US HOW HILLTOWN FAMILIES KEEPS YOU CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY below (one entry per household) and be sure to tell us your
FULL NAME and where you
LIVE (TOWN/STATE) Must include your town to be eligible.
ACCURATE EMAIL IN THE EMAIL FIELD BELOW (we never share your email address).
We’ll randomly draw a winner and will share the results below.
IT’S THAT SIMPLE! — Deadline is Sunday, 05/06/11 @ 7pm (EST).
If you don’t win, tickets can be purchased at the Northampton Box Office, 76 Main Street, by phone at 413-586-8686 and online at IHEG.com.
Alison Krauss & Union Station
featuring Jerry Douglas
at Mountain Park in Holyoke, MA
Sunday, July 24th, 2011 @ 7pm
Start thinking about the summer! Enter to win a pair of tickets to spend a lovely evening on the lawn at Mountain Park with Grammy award winner, Alison Krauss and Union Station! Deadline to enter to win:May 6th.
Hilltown Families and Iron Horse Entertainment Group have partnered up to offer a chance to win free tickets to see adult venues in the Pioneer Valley for a PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT! You pay for the sitter, we’ll pay for the tickets!
Mountain Park just announce that Alison Krauss & Union Station will be at Mountain Park in Holyoke this summer on Sunday, July 24th, 2011 – and we’re giving away a pair of lawn tickets for one lucky couple to enjoy an evening out!
Win the tickets and take your spouse, partner or good friend for a night out. Deadline to enter to win is Wednesday, 05/06/11 @ 7pm (EST). Details below.
More Mountain Park shows to be announced next week!
ABOUT MOUNTAIN PARK
Following its opening in 1894 as a picturesque retreat on the side of Mount Tom, Mountain Park expanded and evolved into one of the most beloved amusement parks in New England. At the beginning of the 20th century, Holyoke was the most prosperous community in the state and the first planned industrial city in the United States. The city’s progress drew crowds of visitors to Mountain Park, and the park gradually developed into a bustling destination. Although the park closed its gates in 1987, the echoes of laughter from generations of visitors still reverberate throughout the Pioneer Valley. Today, Mountain Park evolves into the next millennium as a new host for music, entertainment and outdoor family fun.
ABOUT ALISON KRAUSS & UNION STATION
In 2007, Alison Kraus’ collaboration with Robert Plant created the award winning album, Raising Sand, winning her a Grammy for Album of the Year and Song of the Year! On April 12th, 2011 Rounder Records will release the eagerly anticipated Alison Krauss & Union Station album, Paper Airplane. Winner of 26 Grammys, Alison Krauss & Union Station new album is a truly breathtaking collection of 11 exquisite songs, and is Krauss’ 14th album.
Part of Alison Krauss’ incontestable talent is how effortlessly she bridges the gap between roots music and country, rock and pop. Don’t miss this opportunity to catch the stunning live performances of Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas.
Your chance to win a a pair of lawn tickets to see Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas at Mountain Park in Holyoke, MA Sunday, July 24th, 2011 @ 7pm is as easy as 1-2-3 (4)!
To enter to win simply:
SHARE ON FACEBOOK by selecting “Like” below
TELL US HOW HILLTOWN FAMILIES KEEPS YOU CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY below (one entry per household) and be sure to tell us your
FULL NAME and where you
LIVE (TOWN/STATE) Must include your town to be eligible.
ACCURATE EMAIL IN THE EMAIL FIELD BELOW (we never share your email address).
We’ll randomly draw a winner and will share the results below.
IT’S THAT SIMPLE! — Deadline is Sunday, 05/06/11 @ 7pm (EST).
If you don’t win, tickets can be purchased at the Northampton Box Office, 76 Main Street, by phone at 413-586-8686 and online at IHEG.com.
Erin McKeown
Iron Horse Music Hall ♦ Northampton
Friday, April 15th, 2011 @ 7pm
Western MA musician Erin McKeown will be at the Iron Horse with open act, the fabulous Natalia Zukerman, on Friday, April 15th - Deadline to enter to win a pair of tickets: Tuesday, Apr. 12th @ 7pm.
Hilltown Families and Iron Horse Entertainment Group have partnered up to offer a chance to win free tickets to see adult venues in the Pioneer Valley for a PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT! You pay for the sitter, we’ll pay for the tickets!
For April we are pleased to offer a chance to win a pairs of tickets to see Erin McKeown with opening act, Natalia Zukerman on Friday, April 15th, 7pm at the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton, MA.
Win the tickets and take your spouse, partner or good friend for a night out. Deadline to enter to win is Tuesday, 04/12/11 @ 7pm (EST). More details below. Read the rest of this entry »
Nicole Atkins
Iron Horse Music Hall ♦ Northampton
Saturday, April 2nd, 2011 @ 7pm
Hilltown Families and Iron Horse Entertainment Group have partnered up to offer a chance to win free tickets to see adult venues in the Pioneer Valley for a PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT! You pay for the sitter, we’ll pay for the tickets!
In April we are pleased to offer a chance to win a pairs of tickets to see Nicole Atkins on Saturday, April 2nd, 7pm at the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton, MA.
Win the tickets and take your spouse, partner or good friend for a night out. Deadline to enter to win is Wednesday, 03/30/11 @ 7pm (EST). More details below.
ABOUT NICOLE ATKINS
Three years after her debut album, Neptune City, Nicole Atkins returns with gripping ferocity on Mondo Amore. From the first track, “Vultures”, Atkins’ toe-tapping, foot-stomping, hip-swaying music moves through your bones. With years to perfect it, every note and beat seems crafted with intention and care, accentuating her equally deliberate words. The songs play like anthems, commanding you to sing along as her lyrics tell a long-awaited story.
Through the process of making the album, she broke up with her boyfriend, her band and Columbia Records, choosing to produce it on her own and eventually releasing it on Razor & Tie. “It was like the ending of life as you know it. It’s funny because most of the songs are about those three things at the same time, so in a lot of breakup records you want to point fingers, but I don’t think that this record is like that at all.”
Effortlessly blending rock, blues, country and soul, Atkins has delivered on Mondo Amore with a collection of songs that invites you into her world. Even the more somber songs are sung with a gritty earnestness that carries the energy of her more vibrant songs throughout the entire project.
HOW TO WIN
Your chance to win a pair of tickets to see Nicole Atkins on Saturday, April 2nd, 7pm at the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton, MA is as easy as 1-2-3 (4)! To win simply:
HELP CO-CREATE A COMMUNITY PLAYLIST AND RECOMMEND A SONG BELOW (one entry per household) and be sure to tell us your
FULL NAME (first/last) and where you
LIVE (TOWN/STATE) must include your town to be eligible.
ACCURATE EMAIL (we never share your email address).
We’ll randomly draw a winner and will share the results below.
IT’S THAT SIMPLE! — Deadline is Wednesday, 03/30/11 @ 7pm (EST)
If you don’t win you should still go. Tickets are available at the Northampton Box office, online at IHEG.com, or by calling 413-586-8686.
Lori McKenna with Special Guest,
Lucy Wainwright Roche
Memorial Hall in Shelburne Falls, MA
Sunday, April 3rd @ 7pm
Continuing our Parents’ Night Out promotions, Hilltown Families and Signature Sounds Concerts have partnered up to offer a pair of tickets for one lucky couple to see Lori McKenna in concert at Memorial Hall in Shelburne Falls on Sunday, April 3rd at 7pm with special guest, Lucy Wainwright Roche.
Win a pair of tickets and take your spouse, partner or good friend for a night out. Deadline to enter to win: Wednesday, 3/30/11 at 7pm (EST). More details below.
ABOUT LORI MCKENNA
"There are so many ways for love to rupture, and so many ways for it to heal, and Lori McKenna has songs for most of them." - The New York Times
Lori McKenna’s first name is actually Lorraine. Now you know. She is named after the mother she lost when she was only seven, but whose impact on Lori’s life reverberates to this day. In her sixth album, Lorraine, she considers the influence of her mother, who died at roughly the same age Lori is now, as well as her own place in relationship to her husband, family and community. It is her most personal album to date.Lori’s unusual combination of professional and personal life, at least in the context of the modern music industry, is well-documented. She grew up in Massachusetts in a musical household. Her father was an excellent singer, and her mother played the piano. Two of her older brothers were songwriters, one of whom (Richard) she considers largely responsible for her career. He accompanied a reluctant Lori to open mic nights and gave her confidence that she was good enough. She began performing her songs in public at age 27, after she and her husband Gene already had three children. She and Gene continue to maintain a happy home in Stoughton, Massachusetts, adding two more children to their full lives.
The album closes with a prayer to Lorraine. Lori used to pray to her mother when she was a child: there was a strong sense that Lorraine was watching over her. “I think I made better choices in my life because I felt she was there,” Lori says. “Still Down Here” is a prayer that Lorraine and all the loved ones who leave their earthly burdens behind remember the ones still here on Earth, still in need of their love and guidance. With a daughter so empathetic to the human condition and so loyal and loving to her family and community, one guesses that Lorraine is looking down, very proud. http://www.lorimckenna.com
ABOUT LUCY WAINWRIGHT ROCHE:
"Sincere and raw at times recalling Joni Mitchell and Patti Griffin, Roche's bittersweet voice jumps out; she paints an indelible image." -NPR Song of the Day
Lucy Wainwright Roche released her first full-length album simply entitled, LUCY on October 26, 2010. LUCY is well worth the wait. Special guest singers include pals Girlyman and the Indigo Girls as well as The Roches, Loudon Wainwright and Kelly Hogan. Backed by great musicians including: Steuart Smith (The Eagles) and David Mansfield, and produced by LWR and Stewart Lerman, the album features ten new original songs and a cover of a classic Paul Simon song, plus a surprising bonus track which features This American Life’s Ira Glass.
Her tales of life as seen from the road are masterfully told, she moves in and out of stories and song, creates a unique tapestry, weaving the ordinary into the magical, and she brings us all along with her. You won’t hear a false note from this shining star, she’s heartbreaking in a good way — and funny –Lucy’s a masterful performer. She’s a straight shooter, simple and direct, with loads of charm, but watch out, her hauntingly angelic voice and wickedly perceptive songs, will get you every time. http://www.lucywainwrightroche.com
HOW TO WIN
Your chance to win a pair of tickets to see Lori McKenna in concert at Memorial Hall in Shelburne Falls on Sunday, April 3rd at 7pm with special guest, Lucy Wainwright Roche, is as easy as 1-2-3 (4)! To win simply:
SHARE THIS PAGE ON FACEBOOK BY SELECTING “LIKE” BELOW
RECOMMEND A SONG FOR OUR COMMUNITY PLAYLIST and be sure to tell us your
FULL NAME (first/last) and where you
LIVE (TOWN/STATE) must include your town to be eligible.
ACCURATE EMAIL (we never share your email address)
We’ll randomly draw two winners and will share the results below.
IT’S THAT SIMPLE! — Deadline is Wednesday, 3/31/11 @ 7pm (EST).
If you don’t win you should still go! Tickets available on-line at http://www.signaturesounds.com or at Turn It Up!, Boswell’s Books, Elmer’s, and World Eye Books. 665-4036
Welcome to Hilltown Families, a grassroots communication network for families living in Western Mass, established in 2005 by hilltown mother and long time activist Sienna Wildfield.
"Hilltown Families keeps us connected with all the amazing educational and cultural activities and resources that abound here in W. Mass and curates them in a way to let us know just what’s out there for the many varied interests of our young families and communities,while creating networks of support and growth." - Kara Kitchen (Plainfield, MA)
The Hilltown Family Variety Show (HFVS) airs Saturday mornings on Valley Free Radio, 103.3FM WXOJ, Northampton, MA from 9-10am with encores on Sunday from 7-8am. Playlist and podcasts are posted immediately following broadcast. Listen to our archived shows at any time: HFVS Archived Shows.
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Information provided on Hilltown Families (HF) is for informational and entertainment purposes only. Reasonable efforts are made to provide the most accurate information, but no guarantees of any kind can be made. Information can be changed without prior notice. Please check with 3rd parties to confirm all listings for date/time, cost, location and age appropriateness before attending. Opinions expressed on HF are that of the writer and not necessarily that of HF. In no event shall HF be liable (directly or indirectly) for any losses or damages causes (or allegedly caused) in connection with HF. All health and wellness related information is for entertainment purposes only and should not be used to substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. All provided links are provided as a courtesy and not as an endorsement.
The exhibit will be on display at the Forbes Library in Northampton for the month of February 2013, and at the City Hall Gallery in Easthampton from Sept 13-Dec 11, 2013. - We're currently booking shows for the Spring/Summer of 2013 and for 2014. Each exhibit is a unique showcase of images that correspond with the season and venue. Contact us to inquire about hosting this fundraising exhibit for Hilltown Families in your town/venue.
Hilltown Families and
Celtic-rock group Gaelic Storm’s dazzling new #1 Billboard World Album Chicken Boxer is a heavyweight record that comes out swinging with a mix of empowering anthems and traditional ballads. Gaelic Storm has earned a reputation as one of the world-music scene’s preeminent Celtic bands. With catalog sales of more than 1 million, the group has now had three albums debut at #1 on the Billboard World Albums Chart, 2008’s What’s the Rumpus?, 2010’s Cabbage, which remained parked in the top slot for three consecutive weeks, and now, 2012’s Chicken Boxer. The group’s ability to deftly incorporate a rock sensibility into their sound affords them rare crossover appeal. In recent years, they’ve performed on the same bill with acts ranging from Zac Brown Band and the Goo Goo Dolls to Emmylou Harris and Lyle Lovett, at events as varied as the Telluride Bluegrass Festival and Milwaukee’s Summerfest. Chicken Boxer, and Gaelic Storm live, deliver a titanic knock out.
