Most schools in the Tri-Town are out and graduations have wrapped up. The weather is getting warmer, and window rattlers have been installed. Spring rains are still here (seemingly nailing every weekend with calculated precision), but Memorial Day weekend heralds in the unofficial beginning of the summer season. Festivals and celebrations have already begun across New England, with tourism ramping up and roads already getting bogged down with seasonal traffic.
Farmers markets are back, with the Washburn Park market now being open every Tuesday, and numerous others as well as farm stands are also beginning to pop up. Strawberry season is coming in fast! Food trucks are also becoming more prevalent.
Camping under the stars is always fantastic in the region, especially with the cool nights offering respite from the heat. Increased solar activity has already seen this month deemed perfect for aurora borealis viewing, even being this far south.
America 250, the 250th anniversary of the Revolutionary War or “United States Semiquincentennial,” also warrants an excuse to venture out and explore the past. There is no better region in the country to experience its colonial past than Massachusetts, especially given the prevalence of planned celebrations commemorating momentous historic events. This summer is predicted to be the hottest on record, with increased risk of wildfires and hurricanes. That being said, travel numbers will likely also break records. Airbnb predicts 40% of Americans will travel to domestic destinations, rather than international, to save money. Coupled with this, USA Today cited many Americans surveyed plan to drive instead of fly to cut costs.
Summer offers us the ability to break free from routine and find joy in new adventures. Time for new hobbies or time for that long-delayed repair/renovation. Many use it as an opportunity to search for new work or begin their careers after graduation.
Whatever your plans for this summer, regardless of the solstice being on June 20, the summer season is here, at least in spirit. “Summer was on the way; Jem and I awaited it with impatience. Summer was our best season: it was sleeping on the back screened porch in cots, or trying to sleep in the tree house; summer was everything good to eat; it was a thousand colors in a parched landscape; but most of all, summer was Dill.” – To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee.
The Unofficial Start to Summer
By Sam Bishop