Music, Wine, and More at The Summer Home of the BSO…Tanglewood

Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, is an idyllic destination for anyone looking to get away from it all. And there are many varieties of ticket packages to choose from offering much more than just the some of the world’s best orchestral music.

Residents of the Berkshires have two special ways to enjoy Tanglewood: 1) For only $75, year-round Berkshire County residents may purchase a season lawn pass valid for most concerts. (Those living outside of Berkshire County may purchase a Grass Pass for $200); 2) On Saturday, July 19, Tanglewood celebrates the annual Berkshire Night, this year introducing BSO Music Director Designate Andris Nelsons. Berkshire County residents can receive free tickets to this concert featuring the BSO led by conductor Andris Nelsons and trumpeter Håkan Hardenberger.

Other local residents may also benefit from their close proximity to Tanglewood. Residents of the Pioneer Valley can receive discounted Shed tickets on August 1, and residents of the Capital Region can receive discounted Shed tickets on August 15. In addition, each attendee will be automatically entered to win a weekend package to Boston including a hotel, dinner for two, and tickets to a concert at Symphony Hall.

Why not extend your trip to Tanglewood and explore more of the all the Berkshires have to offer? Ticket packages with the Sterling & Francine Clark Art Institute, the Clark Art Museum, the Norman Rockwell Museum, and Chesterwood are available: Packages include two Tanglewood lawn tickets and two museum admissions.

July 4, 2014, marks the grand reopening of the Sterling & Francine Clark Art Institute’s expanded campus, renovated galleries, and new Visitor Center, and the return of its French paintings collection after an international tour. This summer, the Norman Rockwell Museum, which houses the world’s largest and most significant collection of original Rockwell art, features The Unknown Hopper: Edward Hopper as Illustrator. Journey into an artist’s retreat when you visit Chesterwood, the summer home of America’s foremost public sculptor, Daniel Chester French, sculptor of The Minute Man in Concord, MA, and Abraham Lincoln for the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. Explore the site’s buildings and collections, as well as formal gardens and woodland walks.

If you’re looking for something special to do with that special someone, try Date Nights at Tanglewood. A Date Night package includes a pre-concert dinner for two, a tour of the grounds, and two premium tickets in the Shed, or two lawn tickets, two lawn chair rentals, a tour of the grounds, plus a pre-concert dinner. Date Night packages are available on July 18, July 25, and August 8.

The Tanglewood Wine & Food Classic, August 7-10, features wines from around the world, East Coast chefs, and locally sourced foods, highlighted by the Grand Tasting on August 9. In addition, Tanglewood is hosting a Chocolate Dessert Brunch featuring decadent desserts on August 3, and a Microbrewery Beer Tasting on August 15, with both events including a lawn ticket for that day’s concert.

Ticket Discount programs like $20 Under 40 and the College Card are economical ways for young people to enjoy the delights of Tanglewood without breaking the bank. $20 tickets for attendees under 40 years of age are available BSO and Boston Pops performances in the Koussevitzky Music Shed. The Tanglewood College Card, an extension of the BSO’s popular college card program, gives college students the opportunity to hear an unlimited number of classical concerts throughout the Tanglewood season for only $25.

With so many options available, there is something to please just about everyone. Go to tanglewood.org for more details.