Reminder Publications
 
 
| 9/11 commemoration events in Western Massachusetts | A look inside the renovated Basketball Hall of Fame | A man, his dog and their journey to end hunger | All Out Adventures embraces winter weather | Alternatives to reduce your waste stream | Amatul-Wadud announces Congressional campaign | Amherst Brewing balances tradition and growth | An apple a day: Picking season approaches for orchards | Ancient structures, new enigmas in Shutesbury | Area church’s event supports Kids in the Congo | Area native releases anthology of spooky nanny tales | Armenian Fest draws record crowd to eat, dance, remember | Armory hosts salute to WWI Armistice on Nov. 11 | Art exhibit to explore connections to ‘Our Grandmothers’ | ‘As Schools Match Wits’ returns for 61st season | At Hampden fishing derby, it was a good day to cast a line | Author and musician Billy Arnold jams in Springfield | Authors explore fishing and the importance of male friendship | Back Porch Bluegrass Festival slated for August | Back to class: Colleges prepare for return of students | Benefit reading to raise money for Ukrainians as part of global effort | Best Damn Sandwich takes a road trip to Russell | Big Brothers Big Sisters host Brews, Bites & Bids | Big E welcomes new foods, vendors to 2022 fair | ‘Big is Back’ the theme for this year’s Big E | Biggest headlines of 2019 for Massachusetts | Bing Comic-Con: Springfield’s convention for a cause | Boar’s Head Festival takes place for the 37th year | Book about ‘big feelings’ not just for little children | Brassil to be recognized for successful career | Breast cancer survivor shares journey through photo memoir | Bright Nights celebrates 25 years of holiday lights | Brimfield Flea Market offers a treasure hunt | Bring your holiday host a ‘taste of home’ | Business community appreciates outdoor dining extension | Business is brewing at Monsoon Coffee Roasters shop | Canna Provisions brings together art, cannabis | Carriages, sculptures and more on display at Bridal Expo | cdeVision launches online Don Hunstein exhibit | Celebrate and honor African American History month | Celebrate Valentine’s Day with local chocolates | Celebrating National Bagel Day the only way we know how | Celebration of Pearl Primus comes to UMass | Chapter of local aviation history is being revisited | Chester Theatre debuts Easthampton playwright’s solo show | Chicopee Provision returns to kielbasa production | Christianson touches many lives in Rwanda | Classically trained baker accepts new challenge at Insa | Clean energy industry increases in Massachusetts | Contestants vie for Ms. Massachusetts Senior America July 14 | Cool Spots: local ice cream shops delight | Cornhole tournament to raise money for Special Olympics team | Country in the Country Music Fest returns to Hadley | CRC looking ahead to new leadership, expanding mission | Cummington Fair readies for 154th year | Cummington Fair returns for 152nd year | Cycling the scenery: exploring the Valley’s Rail Trail | Dakin Humane Society seeks homes for rescued dogs | Dino Fest, ‘God’s gift to Granby,’ returns Sept. 10 | Disney eats: creating your own tasty staycation | Dobbs inks insights with latest ‘Fleischer’ findings | Dog sledder offers camps over Christmas break | ‘Dogs and Brews’ event raises money for charity | Drawing Board Brewing Company to open in Florence | Drunken Rabbit is brewing up something special | East Longmeadow High School alum drafted by D’Backs | Eastern States Exposition returns after a year-long hiatus | Eastfield Mall reinvents itself in aftermath of pandemic | Easthampton celebrates annual WinterFest | Easthampton City Arts announces fall Spot Lot lineup | Easthampton Film Festival returns for second year | Easthampton Film Festival to feature indie films from all over world | Easthampton Fire Department remembers 9-11 on 21st anniversary | Easthampton Theater Company to debut with ‘God of Carnage’ | Easthampton Winterfest returns for monumental 10th year | Easthampton’s Zing! maintains success as it reaches sixth year | Easy as apple pie: tasting the quintessential fall treat | Eighth annual Easthampton WinterFest underway | Enjoy scenic dining at local waterfront restaurants | Enshrinement highlights another year of basketball legends | Eric Carle Museum celebrates 20th anniversary | Eric Carle Museum presents ‘I Could Do That’ | Excitement grows for 70th Holyoke St. Patrick’s Parade | Exhibit showcases collection of political posters | Fables come to life in form of gingerbread | Fall for local coffee shop’s seasonal beverages | Families tour new Pope Francis Preparatory School | Family-friendly festive events around Western Mass. | Farmers’ markets offer fresh, locally grown food | Fast and furious come out for annual Pinewood Derby | Father transforming grief into hope through fundraiser | Feast your eyes on this: local pumpkin pies | Festivals, events happening in the final weeks of summer | Film night to capture the life of legendary drummer Max Roach | First Night Northampton returns to in-person format | First Papillon Tattoo Convention brings art to West Side | Five floors of art await at Cottage Street Open Studios | Flower shops discuss Valentine’s Day expectations | Food pantries prepare for holiday season crunch | Food Truck Fridays festivities begin at MGM Springfield | For Belanger, this year’s Super Bowl had a different feel | Former Reminder reporter finds her niche with the Patriots | Former theater writer, director pens next act | Fossil show brings ‘world’s largest predator’ to Big E | Founder of Roca receives prestigious Heinz Award | Francis uses ‘Arrow’ to do good in the area | Franklin County CiderDays celebrates everything apples | Freezing plunge raises funds for Special Olympics | Fresh Paint Springfield brings local students together | Friends, film buffs launch ‘Cranky Old Men’ podcast | From our families to yours, happy holidays | From the Reminder family to yours | Fun and spooky events to celebrate Halloween | Fun returns to Three County Fairgrounds this week | Gabe Gill brings unpacks suburbia on new EP ‘Crickets’ | Generations of Red Sox fans flock to Springfield for Winter Weekend | Geocaching: A fun, free way to spend time outside | Gingerbread Aquatics | Gingerbread exhibit welcomes visitors to Land of Sugar & Seuss | Girls Inc. of the Valley prepares next generation of girls | Girls take steps toward confidence, fitness at running clubs | Golf tournament to support veterans through Ware nonprofit | Governor gives State of the Commonwealth Address | Great burger choices abound across Western Mass. | Halloween candy: what treat does the trick for you? | Halloween happenings: tricks and treats in your town | Hambley explains current state of affairs in Iraq | Have a ‘good morning’ at your local coffee shop | Herbarium marks 40 years of helping people | Hike with a Tyke: Laughing Brook Wildlife Sanctuary | Hike with a Tyke: Pomeroy Meadow Conservation Area | Hikes with a Tyke: Poet’s Seat at Rocky Mountain Park | Hikes with a Tyke: Rice Nature Preserve | Hilltowns open studio tour a chance to see and learn | Historic Deerfield ready to celebrate holiday season | History of our Holidays: Celebrating Kwanzaa | History of our Holidays: Celebrating Hanukkah | History of our Holidays: Celebrating Christmas and The Grinch | Holiday season off and running with Bright Nights 5K | Holiday sustainability: tips, tricks and why it’s important | Holy cannoli: Celebrating National Dessert Day | Holyoke Civic Symphony season finale slated for May 7 | Holyoke ramps up for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations | Holyoke’s 70th St. Patrick’s Parade delights crowds | Hop to it: celebrate National Beer Day at local breweries | Hot diggity dog: favorite franks of Western Mass. | Hot Oven Cookies opens new store in Chicopee | Houses of worship take different approaches to reopening | How do they crumble? Sizing up some local cookies | How do ya’ like them apples [cider donuts]? | How do you feel about pick-up lines? | Hundreds attend Springfield’s March for our Lives | Ice Cream pioneer Steve Herrell releases new book | Inclusion Infusion to bring disparate artforms together | Indian Day presents a love for part of city’s history | It takes more than rain to deter Indian reunion | Jazz and Roots Festival celebrates community culture | Jeanne Johns to host final Heart of the Hilltowns series | Junior Achievement announces ‘18 under 18’ list | Let’s roll: Celebrating National Burrito Day in the Valley | Link to Libraries celebrates milestone book donation | Local artist lends talents to creation of new graphic novel | Local author’s book gives insight into area’s oddities | Local business owner raises money for Ukraine evacuees | Local businesses offer Valentine’s Day experiences, gifts | Local chef takes love of food on the road with ‘The Food Explorer’ | Local children’s museums press play on programming | Local churches to send holiday gifts around the world | Local food pantries in need of donations, volunteers | Local food pantries strained by rising costs, increased need | Local holiday shopping is a community investment | Local hospitals cope with rise in COVID-19 cases | Local offices show commitment to veterans | Local organization works to support Ukrainian refugees | Local organizations preparing for financially difficult winter | Local star shines at college football all star game | Local theater celebrates ‘Avengers: Endgame’ release | Local venues adjust to ever-changing restrictions | Local wineries preparing for spring season | Local wins Grammy for album of grief, reawakening | Local woman sews 1,000 dresses for African children | Log Cabin partners with Big E for Craft Pub experience | Longmeddowe Days celebrates Longmeadow’s history | Longtime Chrysanthemum show returns this fall | Look Park celebrates return of Summer Celebration Auction | Ludlow honors fallen resident with race challenge | Main Street Deli brings big snacks to the big game | Making the most of fall with local corn mazes | Mall is evolving once more with the times | Martin Luther King Jr. remembered | Mattoon Street Arts Festival: a showcase for creativity | Mattoon Street Arts Festival celebrates 50 years | Mattress maker’s works a dream for shelter animals | Mayflower Marathon returns to MGM Springfield for second year | Mead Art Museum introduces 'Mead on the Move' | Mental health clinics to offer walk-in access | Miracle on Bosworth: holidays signal 5 years for Two Weeks Notice Brewing | Monsoon Coffee Roastery business booms | Monte continues march for Western Mass. Food Bank | Mullen remembers a landmark restaurant | NEPM Asparagus Festival returns to Hadley | New Dobbs book takes a deep dive into Fleischer Studios | New exhibit at science museum allows kids to get animated | New foods and vendors hit the Big E stands Sept. 15 | New guidelines highlight need for teen depression screening | New local magazine covers cannabis | New shop lives up to its unique, eclectic name | New storefront offers hot cookies, straight from the oven | Nicky's Pizza offers a taste of the Big E in the year without a fair | Nini’s Ristorante recreates some Big E favorites | Ninth annual Easthampton WinterFest set for Feb. 12 | Northampton honors Sept. 11 lives lost during ceremony | Northampton Jazz program returns after a two-year pandemic hiatus | Northampton’s Three County Fair made its return | Now here’s a story you can sink your teeth into | Odenong Powwow brings focus to Indigenous cultures | Old favorites, new surprises at Cummington Fair | On a roll: local interest in skateboarding keeps growing | Open Studios celebrates return in Easthampton | Opera House Players build community sharing stage | Order early and shop local for Thanksgiving needs | Our history is in plain sight, even if we don’t notice it | Outdoor dining options grow with Northampton's Summer on Strong | Pan-Mass Challenge riders inspired by loved ones | Parade of the Big Balloons | Paradise City Arts Festival returns to Northampton | Paradise City Arts Festival returns to the Three County Fairgrounds | Parzybok talks cannabis as industry expands locally | Pascommuck Conservation Trust celebrates 40 years | ‘Paws on the Town’ supports local restaurants, Dakin | Performers, venues navigating return of live music | Photographer sees ghosts, spirits in his work | Pink W. A. Y. works to aid women with breast cancer | Pioneer Valley Tourism begins to return to normal | Polish Center offers an authentic view of Polish culture | Pop culture fans meet in Springfield for Bing Comic Con | Pope Francis grad wins big on Wheel of Fortune | Pope Francis Preparatory School celebrates graduation | Powder Hollow Brewery opens Yankee Candle taproom | Powder Hollow Brewery plans to keep growing | Pride Stores lead way for gas station cuisine | Program trains people to practice mental health first aid with youth | Project aims to document early history of Valley’s Black lives | Pumpkin patches offer array of decor and fun for all | Rachel’s Table touts anniversary, expansion plans | Railway Hobby Show returns to Eastern States Exposition | Rays of Hope hosts ‘Parade of Hope’ fundraiser | Red Sox come to Springfield for Winter Weekend | Region abounds with sweet ice cream choices | Region prepares to celebrate Independence Day | Reminder family foods: our favorite holiday fare | Reminder Publishing celebrates 60th anniversary at Iron Duke | Reminder Publishing enjoys Santa’s Trains at Look Park | Reminder staff puts Buffalo Wings to the test | Resources to help understand why people are protesting | Retailers ready for reopening under new regulations | Return to ‘Camelot’ with Kennedy exhibits | Revamped hoop hall gives fans immersive experience | Ringing in the New Year - Western Mass. Style | Roll into summer with Western Mass. food trucks | Ronald McDonald House hosts inaugural Trees of Hope event | Ronald McDonald House to host 28th Annual Gala in April | Rowing organizations preparing for upcoming season | Saldo returns to area with ‘Connecting Point’ | Santa’s Trains at Look Park returns after two lost years | Santa’s Trains returns to Look Park with more days, features | Scantic River Artisans showcase their talents at art show | Search begins for Ms. Massachusetts Senior America | Second largest St. Patrick’s Day Parade in nation returns | Sept. 11 attacks remembered at Amherst ceremony | Seventh annual Barks and Brews benefits Dakin | Seventh annual walk brings awareness to domestic violence in Ware | Shop, listen and learn at Long Meddowe Days | Sikes offers advice from his 30-year career in Hollywood | Silent film actor’s scrapbook comes to Whately | Six Flags brings Harley Quinn to Gotham City | Sixth Annual Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival | #SocialDistancingFest brings live music to your home | SONAURA’s romantic chemistry radiates from “Long Way ‘Round” | South Hadley native prepares to head to Paralympics | Spirit of Springfield prepares for holiday celebrations | Spirit of Springfield prepares for summer fun | Spirit of Springfield reflects on Bright Nights, 2022 season | Spring 5K proves girls run Western Massachusetts | Springfield honors Martin Luther King Jr. in annual celebration | Springfield Museums celebrate 85 years of reaching for the stars | Springfield Museums celebrate Dr. Seuss’ birthday | Springfield Museums celebrate Oktoberfest at the Quadrangle | Springfield Museums featuring work of area residents | Springfield Museums host annual gingerbread contest | Springfield Museums’ This Is Us Portraiture Today exhibit begins | Springfield Preservation Trust presents awards at event | Springfield Pride Parade draws thousands to downtown | Springfield Science Museum exhibit explores climate change | Springfield Symphony Orchestra gears up for 22-23 season | Stars shine bright at 2023 Spalding Hoophall Classic | Sugar houses prepare for the 2021 sugar season | Support needed for family following rare medical crisis | Sustainability, growth amoung goals of Catholic elementary schools | T-Birds collect, distribute record-setting 6,083 teddy bears | Take a fall road trip to some great used book stores | Take a hike! Escape to Western Mass. walking trails | Take it for a spin: Vinyl remains popular in the Valley | Teacher leads effort to bring holiday cheer | Thanksgiving – a moment in history that became a legend | The American chestnut is a tree with a history | The Best Damn Sandwich: Nosh Restaurant & Cafe | The Drake’s original spirit celebrated at new venue | The Eerie Series continues: Rock-A-Dundee Road | The Eerie Series Continues: The Bard of the Bizarre | The Eerie Series continues: The Springfield Cemetery | The eerie series: Robinson State Park | The Frost Heaves and HaLeS go multimedia with album, film | The making of Six Flags’ Fright Fest | The tradition of the Hunter’s Dinner rolls on | They’re not your Hollywood ‘Ghostbusters’ | Third Annual Pioneer Valley Wine Festival to return | This year’s new Big E food offerings please reporters | Thrift shops offer variety, value in recycled goods | Thunder in the Valley Festival returning with fireworks | Thunderbirds are go for first-ever AHL ‘Final Four’ | Thunderbirds look to continue on, off-ice success this season | ‘Torch Song’ offers reflective look at LGBTQ+ history | Tourism begins new era in pandemic’s aftermath | Toytopia exhibit to bring joy to both children and adults | Tracing our treasured Thanksgiving traditions | Transhealth Northampton promises patient centered care | Trees could cost a fa-la-la-la-lot more this Christmas | Trip on a Half Tank: Fall fun at Mike’s Maze | Trip on a Half Tank: Wine and Dine at Brignole Vineyards | Trip on a Tank: A glimpse at Newport’s ‘Gilded Age’ | Trip on a Tank: Killington, VT, offers views and great food | Trip on a Tank: the not-so-hidden gems of Worcester | Trouble in toyland? Maybe not... | ‘Trouble in Toyland’ report warns parents of dangerous toys | ‘Twelve Days of Boar’s Head’ begins online Jan. 1 | Two local retailers have bucked the business trends | UMass Fine Arts Center prepares to kick off fall season | UMass Marching Band chosen to play in 2024 Macy’s Parade | Upcoming 5K to support Amherst A Better Chance | Valley Blue Sox expect best is yet to come this year | Valley Blue Sox to induct new class into Hall of Fame | Valley Music Showcase returns for virtual fifth season | Valley Wheel Baseball prepares for 18th season | Viral recipes: whipped coffee & easy egg sandwich | Voice of the Celtics to be honored with JFK Award | Volleyball Hall of Fame getting the ball rolling again | Volunteers share why they return to the Big E each year | Ware author publishes book about towns, history lost to Quabbin | Ware woman spends weekends with celebrities | Warning: cheesy article ahead | Wasowicz pens mystery-thriller surrounding D.C. landmarks | Waterfall, wading pools are payoff for this family hike | Western Mass. dinosaurs may soon represent state | Western Mass. nonprofits receive economic recovery grants | Western Mass Pioneers, New England Mutiny kick off seasons | Western Mass. rabbit lovers hop to the rescue | Western Mass. towns discuss West Nile virus uptick | Westfield International Air Show amazes spectators | What’s brewing at Western Massachusetts coffee shops? | Wheel Walk aims to benefit accessible picnic table purchase | White Hut gets cooking again with new ownership | Who’s got the blues: Local winery hosting jam-packed Blues Fest | Wilbraham Hill Climb to feature automotive celebrities | Wilbraham native sees differences in nations’ virus responses | Wild & Precious Arts Festival celebrates art of women over 50 | Wine about it! Where to celebrate National Red Wine Day | Winter activities enjoy prosperous seasons amidst pandemic | Woods ready to school you in pole dancing | WooSox invite Western Mass. fans to Polar Park | World & Eye celebrates nature and art with Earth and Fire Arts Fest | World & Eye’s Performance Fest part of Eastworks Open Studios | Yak-tion gets residents talking in West Springfield | Young singer/songwriter releases original mini album | White Lion getting closer to its goals | Bikers’ efforts make Christmas merry for children | Agawam's Soldier On facility prepares to welcome veterans | Taste of the Valley offers good times and tasty treats | Uncle’s legacy to niece is to ‘Be Legendary’ | Made in Massachusetts | Local artist’s designs decorate local beer | Movie screening to aid Springfield non-profits | Amazing World of Dr. Seuss to open June 3 | Abudanza experience sticks with 'Restaurant: Impossible' host Robert Irvine | Model challenges women’s body image issues | All That Remains: Breaking the mold of metal | AnyCafé offers new twist on coffee on the go | Students take on disaster relief with Apparatus X | Springfield Armory exhibit explores history of guns in film | Author publishes first book of poetry without ever ‘touching a pen’ | Aveyard climbs to top of Best Sellers list | Bax and O'Brien's 20-year run a rarity in radio | Book details history of Baystate Medical Center | Local brewers gain exposure, new fans in Boston | Belanger comes live from Radio Row | Bellamy embraces golden Olympic opportunity | Beth Ward makes return to local TV news | Attractions galore at 100th Big E | Big E stretches gastronomical boundaries | Bing Con to return bigger and better in 2014 | Ride aboard Blue Angels' Fat Albert heavy on the thrills | Book explores why we love soap operas | Calabrese Market opens in West Springfield | Teachers ‘band’ together, form Chalk Dust | Master builder brings Lego bricks to life | Circus Summit presents past, present and future of traveling shows | CISA guide for 2015 hits farmstands | Citizen support needed for canines, Friends | City Stage, Symphony Hall unveil lineup | Minnechaug senior named region’s first Coca-Cola Scholar | Local musician’s album soundtracks video game | Dads & Kids Book Club encourages reading at home | Fred Astaire teams up with local ‘heroes’ | Dane Gallery welcomes Wilbraham Art League | Local author to host publishing workshop | DeRusha pens candid ‘spiritual misfit’ memoir | Tribute artists team up to support cancer center | ‘Dingers’ highlights biggest of baseball’s big hits | Documentary on ‘doomed’ film to be shown | Doug Danger keeps Evel Knievel’s spirit alive | ‘Humbled’ Driscoll is Veteran of the Year | Episcopals celebrate 200 years | Family welcomes adoptees into their lives | Festival of Trees returns to Springfield | Fiske feeling super with Patriots | Vatrano realizes NHL dreams | Freccero sees the ‘Light’ on the road | Fris-Zing takes disc games to new level | Brown reflects on his ‘Greatest Hits’ | Girl Scout summer camp registration begins | Expo showcases gluten, allergy free foods | Gomez reflects on life through poetry | Goodwill celebrates 90 years in Western Massachusetts | GySgt. Sullivan postumously named parade marshal | John Hanifin Band readies for homecoming | Harmony House ready to revamp new home | Highland Hardware hosts unusual art show | Holiday gifts to support school in Haiti | Bell gives disability a face through photographs | New display tells story of Holyokers’ ‘Arrivals’ | Author draws inspiration from Western Massachusetts | Huffington’s talk on sleep anything but a snoozer | Hungarian couple launches food engine | Local takes puppy love to new level | Indian Motorcycle revival comes to Pioneer Valley | Irish Counsel General visits Cultural Center | Irish Cultural Center moves to West Side | Iron Duke Brewing gives Ludlow Mills stockhouse new life | Local hair stylist has second career on Broadway, films | ‘Jeweled Objects of Desire’ transforms everyday items to high art | Cathedral grad explores Acts of Mercy | Book unlocks the benefits of walking a labyrinth | Holyoker hits the road with Warped Tour | Lesser joins Red Sox at White House celebration | Book offers lessons of empowerment | Little wheels get rolling for big cause at O’Brien’s Corner | Local medium connects with the spirit world | Local pipers win World Pipe Band title | Local marine veteran recalls historic battle of Iwo Jima | Longmeadow veteran takes Honor Flight | Longmeadow native's book becomes Disney feature film | longmeadowveterant | Ludlow native David D’Angelo raises money for new homes in Nepal | Lynch to talk Quabbin history at Agawam Library | Majestic Theater celebrates 20th anniversary | Homewatch offers innovative way to preserve memories | Springfield’s Merrick-Phelps House restored | Local singer pursues life-long dream | Author, collector discusses the novelty of rare books | Local athletes fulfill pro baseball dreams | Agawam family opens Moe’s Donuts | Ali made an unforgettable impression while in Springfield | Rediscovering the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston | Museum of Science exhibits aim to beat brain drain | Children’s festival to make ‘music matter’ | Beer labels become canvas for local artist | New England Dermatology opens med spa | New Pope Francis head looks to future | NOLA Immersion shines light on continued plight | Local author releases scary tale just in time for Halloween | Old East Forest Park fire station rejuvenated | Orange County Choppers ride in to West Side | Pajer Superette dishing out Italian fare since 1931 | Fundraising campaign aims to save Paradise | Pararescueman awarded Bronze Star with Valor | Partners Restaurant recovers from fire | People defy winter’s might and take the plunge | East Longmeadow baker creates Big E anniversary cake | Longmeadow native gives inside look at search for ‘Bachelorette’ love | Photos sought for ‘Women in History’ exhibit | Pilates Center of Western Massachusetts marks decade of growth | Rose tells the real life story of two unlikely friends | Rabbi Edelman remembered for life of service | Rappaport joins McKenna Orthodontics | Vintners enjoy fruits of their labor | ‘Rebirth’ chronicles personal journey back to church | Springfield College student one of world’s strongest men | Sala returns home with U.S. Navy Band | Local farrier took unlikely path to career | Workshop to benefit Womanshelter/Compañeras | Shriners Hospital builds upon its original mission | SilverBrick Lofts livens downtown complex | Spencer monks bring Trappist brewing to U.S. | Springfield actress makes Broadway debut | Springfield celebrates Kwanzaa | Springfield’s ‘Mr. Hockey’ honored for career | Perez honors Mexican heritage through art | Book tells tales of New York experiences | West Springfield's Storrowton Village in search of volunteers | Strawberry Festival marks 152nd year | studentstakeondisa | Survivor pens life story to help other sex abuse victims heal | Talk gives facts on spotting skimmers, other fraud | Local author Harris chronicles the career of ‘The Band’ in book | ‘Paradise’ reveals devotion to son, Malawi Project | Timpani player headed to All State Festival | Trip on a Jet Tank: The luck of the Irish | Samurai heroes featured at museum | Ukulele quartet brings Christmas show to Bing | Students show what could be in downtown Springfield | Massachusetts man beating cancer with beer | Valley’s farmers’ markets in full swing | Warm heart, busy hands help homeless | Warren rallies the faithful at Springfield event | Du Bois’ life, message celebrated by play | Westfield River Brewing makes beer for all | Breweries credit community with success | White Lion makes big committment to Springfield | White Mountains a pooch-friendly getaway | Wicked in Pink set to roll against cancer | Local club blazes trails for area hikers | Expand your palate along Wine, Cheese Trail | Smith to compete in Lacrosse World Championships | Local woman makes Wreaths with a Reason | WSU alum participates on this season of ‘Survivor’ | Yoga and beer creates new level of Zen | ZZ Top grooves into the Big E this fall |
 
  
  • Welcome to www.TheReminder.com archive for past articles!/
  • Features/
  • Pg 2 Feature Stories/
  • Highland Hardware hosts unusual art show
  • Highland Hardware hosts unusual art show

    Date: 9/11/2015

    HOLYOKE – It’s not what you expect to find in a hardware store.

    Among the typical items you would need to sustain or repair your home is a skee ball game made out of Studebaker parts, sculptures from tin cans and an ancient vacuum cleaner that leads a new life.

    The reaction to the Highland Hardware Art Show has been “very positive,” according to owner Harry Craven. “People have had nothing but good things to say about it.”

    The show, which runs through Oct. 17, features the work of more than 25 Pioneer Valley artists and includes sculpture and paintings.

    At the opening reception on Sept. 2, people attending filled the aisles of the store at 917 Hampden St.

    “I was amazed at how many people were there,” Craven told Reminder Publications.

    The idea for an art show in a hardware store has been long in the making by Dean Nimmer, the artist who organized the exhibit.

    “I’ve had the idea for 15 years of an art show in a hardware show, but I couldn’t find someone as hip as Harry Craven,” Nimmer said.

    Nimmer pointed out near the center of the hardware section is a sculpture that has a steampunk look. Constructed of pipe and various hardware items, Nimmer revealed the work by was Craven himself.

    “I told him, ‘You’re an artist. You did it for fun. It’s not practical,’” Nimmer said.

    Rob Kimmel is a graphic artist who lives in Florence and his contribution was one with a high concept and a story. A variety of boxes of different sizes was on display all having various insignia for “ROC Laboratories.” He explained the boxes and graphics are part of a story he has written about a pair of sisters who had perfected a personal jetpack in the 1940s, but whose invention has been forgotten until the boxes were rediscovered in a warehouse.

    Illustrator and underground cartoonist Gary Hallgren of Granby contributed three pieces to the show, including one that reflects his love of all things Studebaker. Hallgren, who has restored classic Studebaker cars, created a Studebaker skee ball game out of spare parts.

    “It’s something I’ve had in my mind for a long time,” Hallgren said.

    It took six months for Hallgren to fabricate the game in which players take golf balls and throw them in such a way to try to land them in several targets in what appears to be a dashboard. What makes the game more challenging is the fact there is a moving steering wheel in front of the targets.

    Unlike most of the art featured which is for sale – prices range form as little as $30 and as much as $3,200 – Hallgren’s game was not for sale. He intends to bring it to auto swap meets and classic car shows.

    People were lining up to try it on the night of the reception to try their hand. This reporter can attest it’s not as easy as it may have looked. Hallgren said he was “finding out its flaws as people are playing it.”

    Craven believes such an exhibit is “great for the city” and will translate into new customers discovering his hardware and bike shop. Like many small business owners, Craven competes against big box hardware stores and Internet merchants. Doing something such as an art show is a “new way to fight,” he said.

    A well-known collector and local historian, Craven is involved in a second exhibition that opened on Sept. 8 at the Taber Art Gallery at Holyoke Community College. “Hardware: Art and Artifacts from the Highland Hardware Store,” will feature a selection of the historic photos he has collected as well as tools and other items, either manufactured or used in Holyoke.

    He said the items range from antique bicycles, including one made in Holyoke to an ice saw that was used to cut blocks of ice from local ponds for use in the summer to a display of 30 18-inch long auger bits.   

    Craven will conduct a gallery talk at during the opening reception from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sept. 16.

    Whether or not the art exhibit at Highland Hardware and Bike Shop will be an annual event has yet to be determined. “Let’s get through this one. Let the dust settle and we’ll figure it out,” Craven said.

    For more information, log onto www.highlandbike.com.

     

     

     
     
    Reminder Publications, Inc. 280 North Main St., East Longmeadow, MA 01028 • 413-525-6661
    National Newspaper Network, a Division of Reminder Publications
    ©2006 Reminder Publications, Inc.
     
    Login