WOW gives people reason to kick off winter frocks
Date: 3/18/2009
By Katelyn Gendron
Reminder Assistant Editor
WESTFIELD -- Westfield on Weekends (WOW) is giving people more reasons to kick aside their winter frocks this month and embrace WinterGreen Days' calendar of jovial spring entertainment.
The 2009 calendar is bigger than ever, featuring over 50 events including live theater, concerts, lectures, book readings, a pub tour and more.
"We have a crackerjack team of new board members working on this project and I very much applaud their efforts," Bob Plasse, president of WOW, said during an interview with Reminder Publications. "They're bringing some amazing entertainment to town [that] will give people some great nights out in March and April [and May]."
WinterGreen Days is the first in the series of seasonal WOW calendars, including Good Old Summer Times, Colonial Harvest Day and Dickens Days.
Josephine Sarnelli, chair of WinterGreen Days, explained that the committee tried venturing out of their comfort zone this year to include booking the internationally acclaimed New York City-based Celtic rock band Seven Nations. She noted that the organization has also expanded its services to include online ticketing for events.
Sarnelli said she is working with other WOW board members to make the events more accessible in addition to expanding the calendar of events.
She noted that WOW has partnered with various community organizations for WinterGreen Days including Westfield Theater Group's production calendar, the Westfield State College (WSC) Foundation's annual Speaker Series and the Athenaeum's Spring Lecture Series.
"She has really taken the ball and run with it," Christopher Lindquist, clerk and director of Development for WOW, said of Sarnelli's first attempt as an event committee chair. "They [members of the event committee] are really focusing on making WinterGreen Days one of our signature events."
The WinterGreen Days calendar includes a mixture of paid and free events taking place throughout the city until May 2.
To buy tickets for the Seven Nations show at the School Street Bistro on March 28, go to
www.westfieldonweekends.org. Tickets $15 in advance and $20 at the door.
Other ticketed events include productions of "Oliver!," "The Yellow Wallpaper" and "Two Women of Westfield" at the Westfield Women's Club, the WSC production of "Three Sisters" and the pub tour on May 2.
Below is the list of remaining events for WinterGreen Days. All events are free, with the exception of those marked by a dollar sign ($).
WinterGreen Days 2009: March 18: "To Kill a Mockingbird" trip to Hartford Stage Company. Cost includes bus, lunch, tickets for performance and talk-back. $
March 20: "Oliver!" the musical at 8 p.m. Performed by the Westfield Theatre Group at Westfield Woman's Club, 28 Court St. For more info, call 572-6838. $
March 21: "Oliver!" the musical at 8 p.m. Performed by the Westfield Theatre Group at Westfield Woman's Club, 28 Court St. For more info, call 572-6838. $
March 24: WSC Foundation Speaker Series with comedian Gary Mule Deer at 6 p.m. at the Woodward Center, WSC.
March 25: Junior performance recital with guitarist Jamie Cocomazzi at 5 p.m., in the Dever Auditorium, Parenzo Hall, WSC.
March 25: Athenaeum Spring Lecture Series with Michael Tougias, author of "400 Miles Down the Connecticut River" at 7 p.m. at the Athenaeum.
March 25: Student recital with jazz drummer Daniel Holmes at 7:30 p.m. in the Dever Auditorium, Parenzo Hall, WSC.
March 26: Junior performance recital with soprano Jodi Edwards at 7:30 p.m. in the Dever Auditorium, Parenzo Hall, WSC.
March 28: "Oliver!" the musical at 8 p.m. Performed by the Westfield Theatre Group at Westfield Woman's Club, 28 Court St. For more info, call 572-6838. $
March 29: "Oliver!" the musical at 2 and 8 p.m. Performed by the Westfield Theatre Group at Westfield Woman's Club, 28 Court St. For more info, call 572-6838. $
April 1: Junior performance recital with classical guitarist Ryan Kearns at the Second Congregational Church of Westfield at 8 p.m.
April 2: First Thursdays at Noon: WSC Musical Sampler in the Westfield Athenaeum Lang Auditorium at noon.
April 3: "Oliver!" the musical at 8 p.m. Performed by the Westfield Theatre Group at Westfield Woman's Club, 28 Court St. For more info, call 572-6838. $
April 3: Festival Chorus with Theodore Davidovich, conductor at 7:30 p.m. (Location TBA).
April 4: Mayor's Egg Hunt at 10 a.m. at South Middle School, West Silver Street (raindate: April 11).
April 4: Festival Chorus at 7:30 p.m. (Location TBA).
April 4: "Oliver!" the musical at 2 and 8 p.m. Performed by the Westfield Theatre Group at Westfield Woman's Club, 28 Court St. For more info, call 572-6838. $
April 5: Student recital with jazz guitarist Jesse Graves at 7:30 p.m. in the Dever Auditorium, Parenzo Hall, WSC.
April 6: Student recital series with Isabelle Boggs, Matthew Rippere and Karen LaVoie at 12:35 p.m. in the Dever Auditorium, Parenzo Hall, WSC.
April 7: WSC Foundation Speaker Series with poet Hershman R. John, reading from "I Swallow Turqoise for Courage" at 6 p.m. in the Scanlon Banquet Hall, WSC.
April 8: Athenaeum Spring Lecture Series with Bob Clark, author of "Stories Carved in Stone: Westfield, Massachusetts," at 7 p.m. in the Lang Auditorium, Westfield Athenaeum.
April 8: WSC Foundation Speaker Series with scientist Jared Diamond, author of "Guns, Germs and Steel," at 6 p.m. in the Woodward Center, WSC.
April 8: Opera workshop with director Mary Brown Bonacci at 7:30 p.m., in the Dever Auditorium, Parenzo Hall, WSC.
April 9: Student recital with violinist Kassie Snowdon at 7:30 p.m. in the Dever Auditorium, Parenzo Hall, WSC.
April 11: Healthy Kids Day at the YMCA on Court Street from 9 a.m. - noon.
April 14: WSC Foundation Speaker Series with Academy Award nominated filmmaker Larry Lansburgh at 6 p.m. in the Woodward Center, WSC.
April 15: Junior performance recital with flutist Paige Cerulli at 5 p.m. in the Dever Auditorium, Parenzo Hall, WSC.
April 15: Athenaeum Spring Lecture Series with PBS personality and watercolorist Susan Pecora. She will present "Reflections Through Watercolor: The Westfield Athenaeum" at 7 p.m. in the Lang Auditorium, Westfield Athenaeum.
April 15: College Chorale with conductor Theodore Davidovich at 7:30 p.m. in the Dever Auditorium, Parenzo Hall, WSC.
April 16: WSC Foundation Speaker Series with Debby Applegate, author of "The Most Famous Man in America: The Biography of Henry Ward Beecher," at 6 p.m. in the Scanlon Banquet Hall, WSC.
April 16: New music by student composers, Bates 117 at 7:30 p.m. in the Dever Auditorium, Parenzo Hall, WSC.
April 17-18: New England Sled Hockey Invitational Tournament from 7 a.m. - 11 p.m. at the Amelia Park Ice Arena.
April 22: Student recital series with students of Elaine Saloio, Ted Levine and Mary Brown Bonacci at 12:35 p.m., in the Dever Auditorium, Parenzo Hall, WSC.
April 22: Athenaeum Spring Lecture Series with poet Lori Desrosiers as part of a celebration of National Poetry Month at 7 p.m. in the Lang Auditorium, Westfield Athenaeum.
April 22: "Three Sisters" by Anton Chekov at 8 p.m. in the Dever Auditorium, Parenzo Hall, WSC. $
April 23: Jazz Combo I and II, Black Box Theatre, Ely Hall at 7:30 p.m. at WSC.
April 23: "Three Sisters" by Anton Chekov at 8 p.m. in the Dever Auditorium, Parenzo Hall, WSC. $
April 24: "Three Sisters" by Anton Chekov at 8 p.m. in the Dever Auditorium, Parenzo Hall, WSC. $
April 25: Tenth Annual Tree Hugger's Cartwheel-a-thon to benefit Downtown Arboretum tree-planting project at Stanley Park at 1:30 p.m. Sign up at 1 p.m. For info, call 977-9217 or visit
www.dtnarboretumproject.com. Rain site: Woodward Center.
April 25: "The Yellow Wallpaper" and Two Women of Westfield at 2 and 8 p.m. at the Westfield Woman's Club, Court Street. $
April 22: "Three Sisters" by Anton Chekov at 8 p.m. in the Dever Auditorium, Parenzo Hall, WSC. $
April 26: Senior recital with composer Peter Waite at 4 p.m. in the Dever Auditorium, Parenzo Hall, WSC.
April 26: Junior performance recital with classical guitarist Lee Neikirk at 7:30 p.m. in the Dever Auditorium, Parenzo Hall, WSC.
April 27: Student recital series at 12:35 p.m. in the Dever Auditorium, Parenzo Hall, WSC.
April 28: Wind Symphony conducted by Karen LaVoie at 7:30 p.m. in the Dever Auditorium, Parenzo Hall, WSC.
April 29: Athenaeum Spring Lecture Series with horticulturalist Pernell Gerver, who will present "Rock and Alpine Gardening" at 7 p.m. in the Lang Auditorium, Westfield Athenaeum.
April 29: String Ensemble, Sonya Lawson, director, and Percussion Ensemble, Peter Coutsouridis, conductor at 7:30 p.m., in the Dever Auditorium, Parenzo Hall, WSC.
April 30: "Big Band" directed by Edward Orgill at 7:30 p.m. in the Dever Auditorium, Parenzo Hall, WSC.
May 1: Fifth Annual Tee It Up for the House to benefit the Cancer House of Hope at Tekoa Country Club, 459 Russellville Rd. Cost: $100 per person. Includes 11 a.m. lunch, shotgun start and 6:30 p.m. cocktails and buffet. Cost: $25 for cocktails and buffet only. For more info:
www.cancerhouseofhope.org. May 2: Restaurant/pub tour.
