Sad but true. We are heeding the sage advise of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy to defer out tour for one more year. We did get a nice support letter (see below) though indicating the readiness of the ATC to help us get the word out for next year. Please find your own trails in the meantime and if we can pull together any small events we will let folks know. We miss everyone!
M&R
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) wishes to express its support for Massachusetts Walking Tour’s (MWT) Appalachian Trail Community Concert Tour once the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is deemed under control by the Center for Disease Control (CDC). The ATC is currently discouraging long distance travel on the Appalachian Trail (A.T.) in order to minimize the spread or contraction of COVID-19 among A.T. travelers and Trailside community members. Many A.T. Communities have expressed concern in anticipation of a busy 2021 thru-hiking season, which poses risks to community members who have not yet been vaccinated against COVID-19. Furthermore, many communities have expressed a lack of resources and readiness should an outbreak occur. MWT is an incredible opportunity for local artists, trail volunteers, and community members to gather in support of conservation and art throughout the state. The musicians carry all supplies and instruments with them on their trek in a true mark of strength and dedication to their craft. When the CDC deems the COVID-19 pandemic under control, ATC is excited to support MWT’s 11th annual tour in 2022.
Sincerely, Julie Judkins Director of Education & Outreach Appalachian Trail Conservancy
First of all it was a really tough decision to postpone and reschedule the whole tour to June 2021. We are very grateful to all the venues who have accommodated us so far and to the Local Cultural Councils who have offered us extensions on our grant funding. THANK YOU! We really want to have the most full and fun experience for all while visiting the Appalachian Trail here in Massachusetts.
Wednesday May 13 at 7pm the AMC Berkshire Chapter has invited us to do a meet and greet/interview/live concert via Zoom to give us the chance to introduce ourselves to the Western MA community. Participation is open to all. Please Register Online for the Free Zoom meeting in advance. And Yes there will be Ukulele.
Please send us all the best possible luck you can for getting our grant support from the Local Cultural Councils in the towns of Sheffield, Egremont, Dalton, Tyringham, Washington, Great Barrington, Lee, Adams, Cheshire and North Adams. These are the towns which the Appalachian Trail snakes through in Massachusetts. For many years the MWT has been funded mainly by this program which is administered by the Massachusetts Cultural Council and implemented by volunteer councils in every town. We sent in our applications along with support letters from the Appalachian Mountain Club and the Berkshire Chapter of the AMC. Fingers Crossed!
Raianne Richards, Mark Kilianski, Amy Alvey, Vito Caccavelli, Mark Mandeville
The 10th Annual Massachusetts Walking Tour has succeeded in organizing eleven free community concerts from Holliston to Swansea and leading daily group hikes through properties covered in Marjorie Turner Hollman’s Easy Walks in Massachusetts. Special thanks to all who attended and each who walked with us. Check out images from this year’s tour.
Stay tuned as we begin to discuss logistics for our 2020 trek of towns along the Massachusetts section of the Appalachian Trail.
Are you a performing artist in one of the walking tour towns? We would LOVE to include you in our program. Please email us to reserve a local artist slot at one of the programs. 2 songs or 10 minutes. All ages welcome. masswalkingtour@gmail.com
MWT Tour veterans Hoot and Holler and have decided to brave the New England winter weather and head north. For one night only (until June!) the MWT ensemble will reunite showcasing original tunes from both duos as well as some favorite songs from the tour. We hope you will mark your calendar and join us on Saturday February 23 at Gateway City Arts. Doors open at 7 pm.
The 2019 trek is already underway, as we find ourselves partnering once more with author Marjorie Turner Hollman to visit towns included in her books Easy Walks In Massachusetts. We’ll be giving special focus to the Ten Mile River Watershed, and visiting 10 towns from Holliston to Seekonk. More details to come! Can you believe 2019 will be our 10th Annual Massachusetts Walking Tour?
We will be updating with more info soon. Here is our tentative schedule for 2019 along the 10 mile river watershed:
June 17 – Holliston Public Library – Holliston June 18 – Millis Public Library – Millis June 19 – Federated Church of Norfolk – Norfolk June 20 – Boyden Library – Foxborough June 21 – South Common – Mansfield June 22 – LL Bean – Mansfield **special appearance and easy walks book signing event 11am-1pm** June 23 – Wrentham Senior Center – Wrentham June 24 – Telford Park – Plainville June 26 – First Congregational Church – North Attleboro June 27 – Attleboro Public Library – Attleboro June 28 – Seekonk Meadows – Seekonk June 29 – Christ Church – Swansea
Since our founding, artist Dan Blakeslee has annually depicted our trek through the artwork found on our posters. Here is the 2018 poster image! Dan is also MWT alumni, having toured with us in 2012. You can hear audio from that Walking Tour here.
Mark and Raianne are hard at work with help from Kristen Sykes (AMC) organizing this years trek of the western banks of the Connecticut River Paddlers Trail. The troupe will be visiting towns from Northfield to Longmeadow, utilizing the river by canoe and stopping off to highlight a variety of recreational greenspace on foot.
First of all it was a really tough decision to postpone and reschedule the whole tour to June 2021. We are very grateful to all the venues who have accommodated us so far and to the Local Cultural Councils who have offered us extensions on our grant funding. THANK YOU! We really want to have the most full and fun experience for all while visiting the Appalachian Trail here in Massachusetts.
Please send us all the best possible luck you can for getting our grant support from the Local Cultural Councils in the towns of Sheffield, Egremont, Dalton, Tyringham, Washington, Great Barrington, Lee, Adams, Cheshire and North Adams. These are the towns which the Appalachian Trail snakes through in Massachusetts. For many years the MWT has been funded mainly by this program which is administered by the Massachusetts Cultural Council and implemented by volunteer councils in every town. We sent in our applications along with support letters from the Appalachian Mountain Club and the Berkshire Chapter of the AMC. Fingers Crossed!
