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Massachusetts >
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Covered Bridges
Massachusetts - Covered Bridges
Western, Central Massachusetts shelter a handful of surviving covered bridges
More than 100 covered bridges have been built in Massachusetts since Timothy Palmer’s 1792 open timber truss bridge at Amesbury was weather-boarded and roofed in 1810. In the 20th century, Massachusetts experienced a modest revival of timber covered bridge construction. Using steel connectors, a handful of “Massachusetts modern” covered bridges were built in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s as replacements for historic wooden bridges too dilapidated to be saved. Today, a handful of representatives of both the old and the new covered bridges of Massachusetts still stand, and delight visitors, photographers, and people who love traditional structures.
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Arthur A. Smith Bridge
Lyonsville Road
Colrain, MA 01340
Location: Route 2 to Shelburne and Route 112 North to Colrain.
See Map
This is the last surviving Burr arch-truss covered bridge in Massachusetts. Originally erected further downstream about 1870, the bridge was moved to the Lyonsville Road crossing of the East Branch of the North River in 1886. The single-plank timber arches that sandwich its multiple-kingpost trusses (forming the Burr arch-truss configuration) appear to have been in place from the start. A much heavier pair of nail-laminated plank arches was added in about 1930 inside the trusses to strengthen the bridge. Length of 100 feet.
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Bissell Bridge
Route 8A
Charlemont, MA 01339
Location: Route 2 to Charlemont; turn right onto Route 8A North; the bridge is 600 feet from Route 2.
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The Bissell Covered Bridge, built in 1951, crosses Mill Brook just north of Charlemont. The bridge is closed to vehicles but open to pedestrians. The bridge is the second covered bridge at this location. One-span variation of a Long truss; 60 feet long. Parking on the north side of bridge along Route 8A, on the east side of the road.
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Burkeville Bridge
Route 116
Conway, MA 01341
Location: From Greenfield take Route 91 South to exit 25 and Route 116 North to Conway. From the center of Conway go north on Route 116 toward Ashfield, about one mile. The bridge is on the left, open only to pedestrians.
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The Burkeville Covered Bridge, built in 1870, is the oldest surviving covered bridge in the United States. The bridge crosses the South River just west of Conway. It is believed to be unique in the Northeast in its forward-looking incorporation of iron tension members into a traditional timber truss, and it has been said to represent state of the art wooden bridge building as practiced by knowledgeable builders of its period. Closed to traffic. One-span variation of a Howe truss; 107 feet long. There is one small parking area directly in front of the bridge.
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Creamery Bridge
Creamery Road
Ashfield, MA 01330
Location: On the south side of Creamery Road, south of the village of Ashfield.
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The Creamery Covered Bridge, built in 1985, crosses Creamery Brook south of Ashfield. It is the entrance to private property. One-span queenpost truss; 40 feet long. No parking available.
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Upper Sheffield Bridge
Bridge Road (also: Covered Bridge Lane)
Sheffield, MA 01257
Location: Take US 7, about 0.8 miles north of Sheffield, then east 0.2 miles to the bridge.
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The Upper Sheffield Covered Bridge, built in 1999, carries Bridge Road over the Housatonic River. This bridge is replaces a historic bridge which was built in 1832 and destroyed by fire in 1994. It was designed to be as close to a reproduction of the historic original as modern engineering standards would allow. The bridge is now open to foot traffic only. One-span Town Lattice truss; 93 feet long.
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Gilbertville (Ware) Bridge
Bridge Street, off State Route 32
Gilbertville, MA 01031
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The Gilbertville Bridge, built in 1886, cross the Ware River. It uses a heftier version of the Town lattice truss, using doubled chord members to increase the stiffness of the lattice trusses. Length of 137 feet.
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Pumping Station Bridge
Eunice Williams Drive
Greenfield, MA 01301
Location: From the rotary in Greenfield, take Route 2 West to the first light and go right onto Colrain Road. Just past Nash’s Mill Road, the road forks. Bear left onto Green River Road. The next right is Eunice Williams Drive. Follow Eunice Williams Driv
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The Green River Pumping Station Covered Bridge, built in 1972, crosses the Green River north of Greenfield. The bridge is currently closed to vehicular traffic. The bridge is the second covered bridge at this location, replacing a bridge built in 1870 and destroyed by rson in 1969. The bridge’s very deep eaves that shelter a sidewalk on the northerly side give the structure a distinctive profile. One-span Howe truss; 95 feet long. Parking is available on either side of the bridge.
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Vermont Covered Bridge (Service Bridge)
Sturbridge, MA 01340
Originally erected in Dummerston, Vermont, in 1874, the former Taft Bridge was dismantled, moved, and re-erected on the grounds of Old Sturbridge Village in 1952, where it crosses the Quinebaug River. It is a fine example of a single-web, single-chord, wooden-lattice truss. This patented 1820 design by Connecticut architect Ithiel Town was popular across the country throughout the 19th century. Length of 55 feet.
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“The Philadelphia Story” -- Ivoryton Now through March 28, 2010 |
“Harriet Jacobs” -- Providence March 10, 2010 to March 13, 2010 |
Garrison Keillor – Providence March 11, 2010 |
"The Belle of Amherst" – Amherst March 11, 2010 |
The Chieftains -- Lowell March 11, 2010 |
The Celtic Tenors-- Norfolk March 11, 2010 |
Riverdance Farewell Tour – Wallingford March 11, 2010 to March 14, 2010 |
Ron White -- Worcester March 11, 2010 |
The Irish Experience -- Salem March 12, 2010 to March 13, 2010 |
Asleep at the Wheel -- Rochester March 12, 2010 |
Big Moose Band -- Gardiner March 12, 2010 |
Chinese Cooking Class -- West Hartford March 12, 2010 |
Mystic Irish Dinner -- Mystic March 12, 2010 |
Big Moose Band at Johnson Hall -- Gardiner March 12, 2010 |
Open Hearth Cooking Class: Breads, Cakes and Biscuits -- Deerfield March 13, 2010 |
Sisters in Soul – New Bedford March 13, 2010 |
Winter Fiesta -- Winchester March 13, 2010 |
Carrie Underwood on Tour -- Providence March 13, 2010 |
Cara -- Norfolk March 13, 2010 |
Roomful of Blues & Bellevue Cadillac-- Salisbury Beach March 13, 2010 |
Hebron Maple Festival -- Hebron March 13, 2010 to March 14, 2010 |
Irish Heritage Festival Saturday Night Hooley -- Burlington March 13, 2010 |
Maple Sugar Thanksgiving - Exeter March 13, 2010 |
Jazz Vocalist Rachel Price -- Rockport March 13, 2010 |
St. Patrick's Day Parade -- Bath March 13, 2010 |
Maple Sugaring – Coventry March 13, 2010 |
Snowcat Dining -- Ludlow March 13, 2010 |
Waltz Night -- Montpelier March 13, 2010 |
Michael Moschen, Illusionist -- Providence March 13, 2010 |
Blues Bash – Barre March 13, 2010 |
Gorgeous Gardens and Green Living Show – Manchester March 13, 2010 to March 14, 2010 |
Tenor William Burden -- Middlebury March 13, 2010 |
Connecticut Spring Antiques Show -- Hartford March 13, 2010 to March 14, 2010 |
St. Patrick’s Day Celebration -- Ogunquit March 13, 2010 |
Alicia Keys Concert -- Ledyard March 13, 2010 to March 14, 2010 |
Celebrating H.P. Lovecraft: A Literary Walk -- Providence March 13, 2010 |
Saint Patrick's Day Parade -- Newport March 13, 2010 |
Greater Hartford St. Patrick's Day Parade 2010 March 13, 2010 |
The Seventh – Boston March 13, 2010 to March 14, 2010 |
Maple Sugar Days at Brookwood Farm -- Milton March 13, 2010 to March 14, 2010 |
Gustafer Yellowgold's Show -- Northampton March 14, 2010 |
Pendragon – Cumberland March 14, 2010 |
End of Season Party and Concert at The Old Tavern -- Grafton March 14, 2010 |
Solas -- Portsmouth March 14, 2010 |
Irish Heritage Festival Ceili -- Burlington March 14, 2010 |
Maple Festival -- Norwell March 14, 2010 |
St. Patrick's Day Parade -- Bennington March 14, 2010 |
South Boston Saint Patrick's Day Parade March 14, 2010 |
Worcester St. Patrick's Day Parade 2010 March 14, 2010 |
Scituate St. Patrick's Day Parade 2010 March 14, 2010 |
New Haven St. Patrick’s Day Parade 2010 March 14, 2010 |
Three Choirs Festival Concert -- Worcester March 14, 2010 |
Tao: The Martial Art of Drumming – Storrs March 16, 2010 |
Erin Go Bragh Whiskey Tasting -- Boston March 17, 2010 |
St. Patrick’s Day Shamrock Hunt – Mount Sunapee, Newbury March 17, 2010 |
St. Patrick's Day Fireworks – Sugarloaf, Carrabassett Valley March 17, 2010 |
The Glengarry Bhoys -- Salisbury March 17, 2010 |
St Patrick’s Day Beer Tasting and Lunch -- Litchfield March 17, 2010 |
Dervish -- Burlington March 17, 2010 |
Francois Clemmons and Friends: St. Patrick's Day Concert -- Middlebury March 17, 2010 |
The Luck of the VSO Farmers’ Night Concert– Montpelier March 17, 2010 |
New London Saint Patrick's Day Parade 2010 March 17, 2010 |
Natalie MacMaster -- Rutland March 18, 2010 |
Art Garfunkel -- Portsmouth March 19, 2010 |
Broadway Rocks II – Warren March 19, 2010 |
St. Patrick's Dinner and Music -- Cabot March 19, 2010 |
Richie Havens-- Salisbury Beach March 19, 2010 |
Jane Monheit -- Norfolk March 19, 2010 |
Sesame Street Live: Elmo's Green Thumb -- Kingston March 19, 2010 to March 21, 2010 |
Elton John and Tim Rice's "Aida" - South Kingstown March 19, 2010 to March 21, 2010 |
Inanna, Sisters in Rhythm -- Gardiner March 19, 2010 |
Ailey II dance performance – Concord March 19, 2010 |
Providence: A Jewel of a City Walking Tour March 19, 2010 |
Dublin City Ramblers concert -- Mystic March 19, 2010 |
Harlem Globetrotters Magical Memories Tour -- Hartford March 19, 2010 |
Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy -- Storrs March 19, 2010 to March 20, 2010 |
40-Mile Meal with New England Farm 2 Fork Project -- East Waterboro March 19, 2010 to March 21, 2010 |
Vermont Symphony Orchestra -- Burlington March 20, 2010 |
Plymouth Rock Blues Festival -- Plymouth March 20, 2010 |
Maple Sugaring Festival -- Washington March 20, 2010 |
Chicken and Biscuits Heathside Dinner at the Remick Museum & Farm -- Tamworth March 20, 2010 |
Harlem Globetrotters -- Manchester March 20, 2010 |
The Edwards Twins: Two Brothers, 100 Stars -- Woonsocket March 20, 2010 |
Eagle Cruise on the Connecticut River – Smithfield, RI, to Haddam, CT March 20, 2010 |
Shawnn Monteiro presents a Tribute to Carmen McRae -- Cranston March 20, 2010 |
Whitingham Maple Festival -- Whitingham March 20, 2010 to March 21, 2010 |
Le Grand Cirque -- Springfield March 20, 2010 |
Planetarium Show on Black Holes – West Hartford March 20, 2010 |
Debbie & Friends -- Amherst March 20, 2010 |
Opening Day at Plimoth Plantation -- Plymouth March 20, 2010 |
Kiddie Rock & Costume Concert - Lebanon March 20, 2010 |
Robert Cray Band -- Salisbury Beach March 21, 2010 |
Vermont Symphony Orchestra -- Rutland March 21, 2010 |
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy-- Norfolk March 21, 2010 |
"I" Squared Tenors Sing Irish and Italian Songs -- Norwalk March 21, 2010 |
Mystic Irish Parade 2010 March 21, 2010 |
Lawrence St. Patrick's Day Parade 2010 March 21, 2010 |
Salute to Spring Celebration -- Woonsocket March 21, 2010 |
Holyoke St. Patrick's Day Parade 2010 March 21, 2010 |
Manchester St. Patrick's Day Parade 2010 March 21, 2010 |
Greenwich Saint Patrick's Parade 2010 March 21, 2010 |
Maple Sugar Demonstration -- Glastonbury March 21, 2010 |
Choral Concert: An Evening of Cole Porter -- Burlington March 22, 2010 |
Wine Dinner Series: Tempranillo -- Boston March 22, 2010 |
Blackstone Culinaria Secret Ingredient Food Tour -- Pawtucket March 24, 2010 |
Tao: The Martial Art of Drumming -- Portsmouth March 25, 2010 |
Flavors of Neponset Valley – Foxboro March 25, 2010 |
Soul Sound Revue-- Norfolk March 26, 2010 |
Lighten Up with Loretta LaRoche -- Worcester March 26, 2010 |
Tags & Treasures Sale -- Old Wethersfield March 26, 2010 to March 28, 2010 |
Susie Burke & David Surette -- Gardiner March 26, 2010 |
New Hampshire Maple Festival – North Woodstock March 26, 2010 to March 28, 2010 |
Jane Condon and Friends -- Old Greenwich March 26, 2010 |
Wood’s Tea Company with Patti Casey -- Middlebury March 26, 2010 |
The Met@The Music Hall with “Hamlet”-- Portsmouth March 27, 2010 |
Camouflaged Egg Hunt –Bristol, Smithfield, Exeter March 27, 2010 |
America's Mattress Race -- Shawnee Peak, Bridgton March 27, 2010 |
Cardboard Box Race – Saddleback, Rangeley March 27, 2010 |
Seal Watch and Prudence Island Tour – Bristol March 27, 2010 to March 28, 2010 |
Maura O'Connell -- Norfolk March 27, 2010 |
Brookfield Film Festival March 27, 2010 |
Maple Open House Weekend -- Shelburne March 27, 2010 to March 28, 2010 |
Rhode Island Philharmonic Presents: Rossini, Schubert, Handel and Ginastera -- Providence March 27, 2010 |
Spring Benefit Dance -- Wethersfield March 27, 2010 |
Annual East Egg Hunt - Westerly March 27, 2010 |
Maple Sugaring -- Tamworth March 27, 2010 |
Gershwin's “Porgy and Bess” -- Worcester March 27, 2010 to March 28, 2010 |
Blackstone Valley Bluegrass Band -- Lancaster March 27, 2010 |
Maple Festival -- Lunenburg March 27, 2010 |
Greene's Ox Pasture Maples Open House Weekend – East Berkshire March 27, 2010 to March 28, 2010 |
Sea Music/Folk Concert -- Centerbrook March 27, 2010 |
New Hampshire Maple Weekend -- Statewide March 27, 2010 to March 28, 2010 |
March Maple Madness – Mount Washington Valley area March 27, 2010 to March 28, 2010 |
Sap Gathering Contest – West Keene March 27, 2010 |
Stuart Highland Pipe Band Concert -- North Chelmsford March 27, 2010 |
Wine Tasting and Five Course Dinner -- Plymouth March 27, 2010 |
Black and Blue Bash -- Stratton March 27, 2010 |
Violinist Garrett – Concord March 27, 2010 |
African-American Spirituals Meet the Orchestra -- Brattleboro March 28, 2010 |
Ray Vega Jazz Quintet "Ray on Ray" -- Burlington March 28, 2010 |
Vermont Philharmonic Family Concert -- Barre March 28, 2010 |
Eat the Heat Chili Cook-off and Firefighters Race -- Sunday River Ski Resort, Newry March 28, 2010 |
Maine Maple Sunday Breakfast -- East Waterboro March 28, 2010 |
Moscow Festival Ballet: Cinderella-- Portsmouth March 28, 2010 |
Manchester St. Patrick's Day Parade 2010 March 28, 2010 |
Maine Maple Sunday -- Statewide March 28, 2010 |
Dublin's Traditional Irish Cabaret -- Concord March 28, 2010 |
Ray Charles Tribute with the Boston Pops -- Boston March 29, 2010 to May 29, 2010 |
Blackstone Culinaria Secret Ingredient Food Tour -- Pawtucket March 31, 2010 |
Harriet Tubman's Freedom Train - Foxboro March 31, 2010 |
Trans-Siberian Orchestra with “Beethoven’s last Night” – Providence March 31, 2010 |
The Fabulous Thunderbirds -- Salisbury Beach April 1, 2010 |
James Cotton-- Norfolk April 1, 2010 |
The Junkman -- Randolph April 1, 2010 |
The Hot Seats -- Gardiner April 2, 2010 |
Jo Dee Messina -- Salisbury Beach April 2, 2010 |
Judy Collins – New Bedford April 2, 2010 |
Wild Egg Hunt –Mystic April 2, 2010 |
Visit with the Easter Bunny -- Providence April 2, 2010 to April 3, 2010 |
Bunny Bonanzoo -- Stoneham April 3, 2010 |
Pond Skimming Contest -- Saddleback, Rangeley April 3, 2010 |
Graham Parker-- Norfolk April 3, 2010 |
Easter Egg Hunt and Brunch -- Newport April 3, 2010 |
Easter Egg Hunt – Stamford April 3, 2010 |
Watching Woodcocks Supper and Saunter -- Smithfield April 3, 2010 |
Easter Egg Hunt -- Newport April 3, 2010 |
Springtime at the Farm -- Woodstock April 3, 2010 |
Easter Weekend at Sunday River -- Newry April 3, 2010 to April 4, 2010 |
Easter Weekend Eggstravaganza -- Waterville Valley Resort April 3, 2010 to April 4, 2010 |
Easter Egg Hunt – Brooklyn April 3, 2010 |
Egg Hunt Safari -- Providence April 3, 2010 |
Easter Egg Hunt at Okemo – Okemo, Ludlow April 4, 2010 |
Zolotoi Plyos – Middlebury April 4, 2010 |
Easter Egg Hunt and Costume Parade at Saddleback -- Rangeley April 4, 2010 |
Waterville Valley Easter Sunrise Service and Easter Egg Hunt – Waterville Valley April 4, 2010 |
Easter Sunrise Service at Loon Mountain -- Lincoln April 4, 2010 |
Alpine Easter Egg Hunt at Wildcat Mountain -- Jackson April 4, 2010 |
Star Chefs at Gracie’s – Providence April 5, 2010 |
“Sleeping Beauty” Performed by Moscow Festival Ballet -- Worcester April 6, 2010 |
Blackstone Culinaria Secret Ingredient Food Tour -- Woonsocket April 7, 2010 |
Wilco – Concord April 7, 2010 |
The United States Air Force Band of Liberty -- Worcester April 7, 2010 |
Cherryholmes – Woodstock April 8, 2010 |
“Forever Plaid” presented in dinner theater – Manchester April 9, 2010 to April 11, 2010 |
Riverdance Farewell Performances -- Worcester April 9, 2010 to April 11, 2010 |
Revision -- Gardiner April 9, 2010 |
Pacifica Quartet -- Randolph April 9, 2010 |
Thank You, Gregory! – Concord April 9, 2010 |
Clelia and Rafe Stefanini -- Burlington April 9, 2010 |
The Pacifica Quartet -- Randolph April 9, 2010 |
Paula Poundstone -- Portsmouth April 9, 2010 |
Intragalactic Cardboard Sled Race -- Mount Sunapee, Newbury April 10, 2010 |
Richard Marx & Matt Scannell -- Salisbury Beach April 10, 2010 |
Seal Watch and Prudence Island Tour – Bristol April 10, 2010 to April 12, 2010 |
Average White Band -- Norfolk April 10, 2010 |
Kenny Rogers: The First 50 Years – Ledyard April 10, 2010 |
Latin Dance Fest 2010 – Storrs April 10, 2010 |
Martha Dana, the Puppet Lady -- Randolph April 10, 2010 |
Franklin County Quilt Show – St. Albans April 10, 2010 to April 11, 2010 |
Craftopia - Pawtucket April 11, 2010 |
Wine Dinner Series: Alsace – Maison Hugel -- Boston April 12, 2010 |
In The Mood -- Worcester April 12, 2010 |
Celebrate Seafood Dinner Series -- Boston April 13, 2010 |
Blackstone Culinaria Secret Ingredient Food Tour -- Pawtucket April 14, 2010 |
Takács Quartet -- Middlebury April 14, 2010 |
“Girls Night: The Musical” -- Worcester April 15, 2010 |
Straight No Chaser -- Hartford April 15, 2010 |
Mark Miller & his Boomer Blues Band -- Gardiner April 16, 2010 |
The Rat Pack Is Back – Storrs April 16, 2010 to April 17, 2010 |
Joan Osborne -- Salisbury Beach April 17, 2010 |
Chicken and Biscuits Heathside Dinner at the Remick Museum & Farm -- Tamworth April 17, 2010 |
Defending the Caveman -- Worcester April 17, 2010 |
Rocks Rock – Manchester April 18, 2010 |
“Oliver” -- Worcester April 23, 2010 |
Valencia Robinson -- Gardiner April 23, 2010 |
Cherish the Ladies-- Rockland April 23, 2010 |
Bangor Garden Show – Bangor April 23, 2010 to April 25, 2010 |
Curtis Adams -- Springfield April 24, 2010 |
Fabrications Quilt Show -- North Kingstown April 24, 2010 to April 25, 2010 |
Earth Day at Garden in the Woods -- Framingham April 24, 2010 |
Beaucoup Blue -- Lancaster April 24, 2010 |
Wine Dinner Series: Austria -- Boston April 26, 2010 |
Wine Dinner Series: Austria -- Boston April 26, 2010 |
Aspen Santa Fe Ballet –Storrs April 29, 2010 |
Sampling of International Wine & Food -- Worcester April 30, 2010 |
Donna Lee and Landslide: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac -- Chicopee May 1, 2010 |
The Met@The Music Hall with “Armimda”-- Portsmouth May 2, 2010 |
Boston Pops Season Opening Night -- Boston May 4, 2010 |
Idina Menzel and the Boston Pops -- Boston May 5, 2010 to May 6, 2010 |
Lord of the Dance -- Springfield May 6, 2010 to May 7, 2010 |
“Murder’s In the Heir” presented in dinner theater -- Manchester May 7, 2010 to May 9, 2010 |
Wine Dinner Series: Blind Tasting -- Boston May 10, 2010 |
Farm Day -- Scotland May 15, 2010 |
Star Chefs at Gracie’s – Providence May 16, 2010 |
The New Kids on the Block – Ledyard May 21, 2010 |
The Dream Lives On: A Portrait of the Kennedy Brothers -- Boston May 21, 2010 to May 22, 2010 |
Maureen Mcgovern and the Boston Pops -- Boston May 25, 2010 to May 26, 2010 |
Ray Charles Tribute with the Boston Pops -- Boston May 29, 2010 |
Dave Brubeck with the Boston Pops -- Boston June 1, 2010 to June 2, 2010 |
A Tribute to Duke Ellington with the Boston Pops -- Boston June 4, 2010 to June 5, 2010 |
From the Top with the Boston Pops -- Boston June 8, 2010 |
An Evening with Cole Porter with the Boston Pops -- Boston June 9, 2010 to June 11, 2010 |
Shalin Liu Performance Center Grand Opening -- Rockport June 10, 2010 |
Garrick Ohlsson Plays Chopin -- Rockport June 11, 2010 |
Gospel Night with the Boston Pops -- Boston June 12, 2010 |
Herbie Hancock – Portsmouth June 16, 2010 |
The World of Arlo Guthrie with the Boston Pops -- Boston June 17, 2010 to June 18, 2010 |
Father's Day Family Concert With Daniel Bernard Roumain and the Boston Pops -- Boston June 20, 2010 |
Afro Cuban All Stars – Portsmouth June 30, 2010 |
Artists Weekend, Exhibition, and Sale -- Newbury July 24, 2010 to July 25, 2010 |
Clydesdale camera day –Merrimack August 7, 2010 |
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