LOCAL ATTRACTIONS

By Representative Don Humason, Jr.

September 29, 2007

Didn’t I just write last week about full schedules?  Well it’s either feast or famine.

The House ended up being in Formal Session this Thursday, a rare event, so I had to miss one of my favorite events: Westfield Day at the Big E.  I didn’t get to go to the Eastern States Exposition at all this year.

Speaking of the Big E, have you ever wondered what the major tourist attractions in Western Massachusetts are? 

According to my friend, Mary Kay Wydra, the president of the Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau (GSCVB), the Pioneer Valley travel and tourism industry really picked up over this summer and is expected to have a strong fall as long as the weather continues to cooperate. So far so good.

She said our region’s fall tourism relies heavily on parents and alumni traveling to visit colleges for family weekends and homecoming.  Leaf peepers and foliage tours are big too.  Stable gasoline prices also help our tourism industry a great deal because our area depends on visitors who drive here on day trips or weekend overnights.

Our local farm stands attract a lot of day trippers this time of year.  People come to buy pumpkins and gourds, cornstalks, and apples for their pies and apple crisp.  Our restaurants see a gain from these travelers as well.

The Convention and Visitors Bureau has upgraded and enhanced its web site to give web surfers even more information on events and attractions in the Pioneer Valley. Check it out at www.ValleyVisitor.com. 

My District Office has Massachusetts Getaway Guides and Pioneer Valley guides so feel free to drop by and pick them up.  They’re free.  My Legislative Aide Sarah Latour and I are located at 64 Noble Street in downtown Westfield.

So, can you guess what the top 10 tourist attractions are in the Pioneer Valley?
According to the GSCVB, they are:

1)      Yankee Candle Company, Deerfield

2)      Six Flags New England, Agawam

3)      The Big E/Eastern States Exposition, West Springfield

4)      Old Sturbridge Village, Sturbridge

5)      Springfield Museums, Springfield

6)      Bright Nights at Forest Park, Springfield

7)      City Stage/Symphony Hall, Springfield

8)      Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Springfield

9)      Brimfield Outdoor Antique Shows, Brimfield

10)  The Zoo at Forest Park, Springfield

Did you know you can go to the library and take out passes just as you would a book that will get you free admission to certain local attractions such as the Springfield Museums and Old Sturbridge Village.  Ask about this at the Westfield Athenaeum.  All you need is your library card and it’s free!

Saturday, September 29, is the Colonial Harvest Days in downtown Westfield.  As I listed in my column last week, there’s a lot to do around Westfield this weekend.

Quick Legislative attendance update:  There have been 173 total votes taken in the House of Representatives since the session began in January.  Yours truly has cast all 173 of them.  I have a 100% voting record thus far, and I’m proud of it!

I want to offer my congratulations to Blake Molleur, the Chief Executive Officer of Western Massachusetts Hospital, who is retiring from WMH after 30 years of service.

Have a great week.

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Representative Don Humason and his new aide Sarah Latour may be reached at their Westfield District office, 64 Noble Street, Westfield, MA 01085, 568-1366. Their Boston address is State House Room 542, Boston, MA 02133, (617) 722-2803. Email address: Rep.DonaldHumason@Hou.state.ma.us