2018 MVMA Winners – Play

Thousands of ballots have been cast, the results tabulated, and now we present the winners of the 2018 Merrimack Valley Magazine Awards. This spring, the top picks in all categories were chosen by our readers via our online voting platform. Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote and congratulations to all the winners!

Live Music Venue
Lowell Summer Music Series at Boarding House Park
You haven’t enjoyed all Lowell has to offer until you’ve taken in a concert at the Lowell Summer Music Series. The list of artists who have graced this stage is impressive. Buddy Guy, Lucinda Williams, Koko Taylor and Bela Fleck are just a few. Concerts are held on the grounds of Lowell National Historical Park’s Boarding House Park, a beautiful setting bursting with local history. Enjoy on-site concessions and don’t forget to bring a lawn chair or blanket.
40 French St.
Lowell, Mass.
LowellSummerMusic.org

Theater / Arts Venue
Merrimack Repertory Theatre
Merrimack Repertory Theatre has been Merrimack Valley’s professional theater company since 1979 and is an integral part of Lowell’s identity as the cultural heart of the region. The company is a leader in fostering and celebrating new plays, frequently producing world and regional premieres, as well as working with its national network of associate artists on workshops and readings. Acknowledging that artists are at the core of all creative work, MRT focuses on developing relationships with artists who are attracted to Lowell by MRT’s reputation for its commitments to the highest artistic standards.
50 E. Merrimack St.
Lowell, Mass.
MRT.org

Family Fun
Wamesit Lanes Family Entertainment Center
Wamesit Lanes is a fun, positive, family friendly destination. They claim to be the only luxury candlepin and tenpin center in the world and offer high quality year-round entertainment for area residents of all ages. Aside from bowling, Wamesit Lanes offers simulator golf, a cribbage league, the Laser Frenzy maze attraction and an arcade. Feeling hungry? Stop by their Firewater Tavern for contemporary American cuisine.
434 Main St.
Tewksbury, Mass.
WamesitLanes.com

Festival
Lowell Folk Festival
Music lovers rejoice! This free annual festival kicks off at the end of July with three days of nonstop tunes. Along with music from around the world, enjoy craft demonstrations and ethnic food stalls scattered throughout Lowell’s downtown. Watch street performers, let the kids run free in the family activity area and dance the night away.
Lowell, Mass.
LowellFolkFestival.org

Museums
Boott Cotton Mills Museum
As visitors enter the museum, they walk back in time. Witness a full-scale replica of Industrial Revolution-era weaving looms as the roar of the machines adds to the immersive experience. Operated by Lowell National Historical Park, the museum is a testament to the lives of the people whose labor built the city as we know it.
115 John St.
Lowell, Mass.
Nps.gov/lowe

Stop by next week for the winners in the ‘Milestone’ category.

The 2018 MVMAs are sponsored by: