Zach Bellas trio to perform at Luthier’s Co-Op on May 22
Wilmington, North Carolina-based rock musician Zach Bellas and his touring trio will perform at Luthier’s Co-Op in Easthampton on Friday, May 22 at 9:30 p.m. Bellas is a musician, singer-songwriter, producer, writer and founder of the independent recording label SMB Records. The touring group features Bellas on lead vocals and guitar, Tom McAteer on drums and Kyle Hadley on bass and backing vocals.
Since launching his professional music career in 2008, Bellas has performed more than 1,000 shows across the U.S. and internationally, including touring in support of great bands such as Clutch, Corrosion of Conformity, and Flogging Molly. His career includes more than 1 million streams, global distribution across 90 countries, and a showcase at SXSW, alongside four Washington Area Music Awards nominations, including Artist of the Year. For more information, visit zachbellasmusic.com.
Academy Youth Productions Presents Legally Blonde, JR.
The Academy of Music Theatre has announced its upcoming Academy Youth Production “LEGALLY BLONDE, JR.” will take the stage on Friday, May 29 and Saturday, May 30 at 7 p.m. Based on the 2001 film and the 2007 Broadway musical by the same name, “LEGALLY BLONDE, JR.” features young actors ages 12 to 17.
This musical follows the adventures of a sorority girl named Elle Woods who tries to win her ex-boyfriend back by earning a Harvard law degree. Once at school, she is challenged by her peers, professors and her ex, but with the help of some new friends, Woods realizes her potential and sets out to prove herself to the world.
“LEGALLY BLONDE, JR.” is co-directed by Academy Education Director Kyle Lawrence and Academy Associate Education Director Zazie Tobey; music direction is provided by Lauren Fleit; and stage management is provided by Madison VanDeurzen. Tickets are available at aomtheatre.com or by calling the box office at 413-584-9032; prices range from $15.16 to $23.95, including all fees.
tr willits to celebrate release of LP at Iron Horse
Northampton-based musician tr willits will celebrate the release of his new LP, “all of us,” with a concert at the Iron Horse in Northampton on Tuesday, May 26 at 7 p.m.
The 11-song album draws inspiration from folk and rock music of the 1960s through the early 1990s, with influences including Stephen Stills and Richie Havens. The record centers on themes of community and connection.
Joining willits on stage will be members of “tr band” including Matthew King, Chris Fournier, Zack Forray, Lucy Forray and Tessa Roy.
Over his career, willits has toured as an opening act for Billy Joel and shared stages with artists including Aerosmith, Peter, Paul and Mary, Tom Rush and Jonathan Edwards. In addition to his work as a songwriter and performer, he co-founded Music and Poetry Synchronized, Inc. (MAPS), a Northampton-based arts education nonprofit. For more information, visit trwillits.com.
Northampton Banner Project seeks submissions
Northampton Center for the Arts is accepting submissions through May 30 for the next phase of the Northampton Banner Project, which will feature 40 works by local artists displayed on 20 downtown banners this summer.
The project is a fundraiser for the Barn Door Gallery and is open to local artists not already represented in the current Main Street Banner Project. Submissions require a $5-$50 donation per artwork, with proceeds supporting the gallery’s mission to support local creatives. Multiple submissions are allowed, and selected works will be chosen by a jury seeking a diverse range of artistic styles and mediums.
The project is supported by LandScapes Inc. and Paradise Copies. Artists can apply through a Google form available from NCFA or by emailing images to gallery@nohoarts.org.
Paradise City Arts Festival returns
The Paradise City Arts Festival returns to the Three County Fairgrounds in Northampton, from May 23–25, featuring more than 200 juried artists, live demonstrations and the new Emerging Artist Collective, a brand-new initiative dedicated to fostering the next generation of talent.
The event offers a curated selection of handmade, high-end crafts alongside local food, craft beer, live music and a silent auction benefitting the International Language Institute of Massachusetts. Tickets range from $14-$16 and can be purchased online or at the gate. For more details, visit paradisecityarts.com.
A book signing for ‘This Dream’ to be held at DeVries Fine Art
A book signing reception for “This Dream,” a new book chronicling the career of sculptor Andrew DeVries will take place on Saturday, May 23, from 1 to 4 p.m. at DeVries Fine Art, 36 East River Road in Middlefield.
“This Dream” recounts a career spanning more than four decades. The book traces DeVries’ journey from a farm in Upstate New York, to a ballet studio in Denver, to a small Parisian art academy, and ultimately to the Berkshire hilltown where he and his father built his studio. Through its pages, readers encounter an artist driven by an undeniable sense of destiny.
The artist will be present throughout the afternoon to sign copies of the book, which is priced at $35. For more information, visit andrewdevries.com.
Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum is open for the season
The historic Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum, located at 130 River Drive in Hadley, is open for the 2026 season. Known historically as “Forty Acres,” the 114-acre National Register Historic District sits on ancestral Nonotuck lands and houses seven generations of family artifacts. Guided seasonal tours are available Saturday through Wednesday from 1 to 4 p.m. with admission priced at $5 for adults and $1 for children.
The museum’s 2026 programming highlights local history, abolition and diverse musical traditions. To commemorate the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, the museum is partnering with Amherst College’s Frost Library to host a satellite exhibit, “Forty Acres and the American Revolution: Stories of Independence and Servitude,” with an opening reception on May 21 at 4 p.m. On June 17 at 5 p.m., authors Tom Weiner and Dr. Amilcar Shabazz will host a discussion on their book, “In Defiance: 20 Abolitionists You Were Never Taught in School.” Later in the season, on Sept. 12 at 2 p.m., the museum will feature “Stories of Enslavement and Freedom,” a MassHumanities-funded “Reading Frederick Douglass Together” event honoring the six individuals historically enslaved on the property.
The museum will also host two local Community Days featuring free admission and refreshments. The June 6 event serves residents of Amherst, Shutesbury, Leverett, Pelham and Hadley, while the June 13 event opens to residents of Northampton, Hatfield, Deerfield and Whately.
The museum will also host its 45th season of Wednesday Folk Traditions, an outdoor global music concert series held in the Sunken Garden at 6:30 p.m., with grounds opening for picnics at 5 p.m. The weekly lineup features The Wholesale Klezmer Band on June 10, Rosemary Caine and The Wilde Irish Shenanigans on June 17, and the 12th Horace Clarence Boyer Memorial Gospel Concert on June 24. July performances continue with Aquinnah Wampanoag songwriter Thea Hopkins on July 1, Ugandan-fusion ensemble Zikina on July 8, ethnomusicologist Tim Eriksen on July 15, Whisper in Mid-zone on July 22 and Puerto Rican multi-instrumentalist Jose Gonzales and Banda Criolla closing the series on July 29.