Passport Holyoke event to highlight city's attractions

Date: 10/6/2009

By G. Michael Dobbs

Managing Editor



HOLYOKE -- If a daylong event to showcase Holyoke's entertainment attractions is a success, organizers hope to make it an annual event.

Wistariahurst Museum Director Melissa Boiselle explained to Reminder Publications that the "Passport Holyoke: Discover Holyoke" day on Oct. 24 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. has been in the planning stages for about a year.

On that day, adults and children can purchase a wristband for one dollar that will allow them to participate in activities presented by the Wistariahurst Museum, the Trustees of the Reservations, the Massachusetts International Festival of the Arts (MIFA), the Holyoke Merry-Go-Round, the Volleyball Hall of Fame, the Children's Museum and the Holyoke Creative Arts Center.

"We want people to feel there is enough to do to spend a whole day in Holyoke," Boiselle said. "And have them come back through the year."

Boiselle noted there has been much good response to the release of the recently published tourism guide to Holyoke and the event was a follow-up to the brochure and map.

She explained that much of the schedule has been arranged so people can walk from attraction to attraction, but there will also be shuttle buses as well.

"[The day] has been scheduled in a way so you can hop to one [event] and then to the next," Boiselle said.

The wristbands will be available that day at Wistariahurst, the Heritage State Park Visitors Center, Open Square, the Holyoke Public Library and Pulaski Park.

The schedule for the day is as follows:

10 a.m.: Kick-off event at the Wistariahurst Museum; Children's Museum and Volleyball Hall of Fame opens.

10:15 a.m.: Youth and family dinosaur program with the Trustees of the Reservation at the Wistariahurst Museum.

10:30 a.m.: Children's performer Maria Sangiolo performs folk songs for children at the Holyoke Library (performance ends at 11:30 a.m.); "Recent Works," an art exhibit featuring the works of Julian Halpern and Michael Martindell is on display at Open Square's fourth floor gallery; and other artists from Open Square will be exhibiting work as well on the second floor gallery space until 2:30 p.m.

11 a.m.: Tours of the Victory Theater presented by MIFA (on-going until 3 p.m.); Holyoke Merry-Go-Round opens with half-priced admission; Explore a passenger car and a caboose at Holyoke Heritage State Park with the Pioneer Valley Railroad (until 1 p.m.)

11:30 a.m.: Children's yoga/creative movement class and adult class offered by Vega Yoga at Open Square, Mill Four second floor (additional fee).

11:45 p.m.: Wire Monkey Dance performance at Open Square Mill One (program ends at 12:30 p.m.).

Noon: Wistariahurst Museum opens for historic house and garden tours (closes at 4 p.m.); jewelry workshop at the Holyoke Creative Arts Center (program ends at 2 p.m.).

12:45 p.m.: Wire Monkey Dance performance at Open Square Mill One (program ends at 1 p.m.).

1 p.m. performing artist as Sojourner Truth with Enchanted Circle Theater at Open Square, Mill Four (program ends at 1:15 p.m.)

1:15 p.m. Holyoke Civic Symphony performs at Open Square Mille Four, fourth floor (programs ends at 2:30 p.m.)

1:30 p.m.: Massachusetts Academy of Ballet presents an open studio dance performance at Open Square Mille Four, fourth floor (programs ends at 2 p.m.)

2 p.m.: Concert featuring singer Jimmy Mazz at Pulaski Park (rain location will be the City Hall ballroom).

Boiselle said back-up locations for outdoor events have been made in case of rain.

For more information, go to www.passportHolyoke.org.