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The following was submitted by Raianne Richards:
Since 2010, singer-songwriters Mark Mandeville and Raianne Richards have organized a grassroots bipedal trek annually to raise awareness of recreational greenspace throughout the state and create folk coffeehouse-style musical events in each town.
This June, sponsored by the Blackstone Valley Music & Performing Arts Collaborative and private donors, the 14th Annual Massachusetts Walking Tour will offer a series of daily public hikes and free community concerts, while walking with their backpacks and instruments throughout Reading, Winchester and Tewksbury.
Hiking properties featured include Reading Town Forest, Tri-Community Trail and Tewksbury Hospital Conservation Trail.
Each day includes a short public hike followed by a free concert performed by Massachusetts Walking Tour founders Mark Mandeville & Raianne Richards, along with special guests.
• June 27: Group Hike: Reading Town Forest – 3 p.m.
Concert: Unitarian Universalist Church in Reading - 6p.m.
• June 28: Group Hike: Tri-Community Trail, along the Mystic Lakes – 3 p.m.
Concert: Winchester Unitarian Church – 6 p.m.
• June 29: Group Hike: Tewksbury Hospital Conservation Trail – 12 p.m.
Concert: Tewksbury Hospital Chapel – 2 p.m.
For complete details including parking info for daily hikes, visit www.masswalkingtour.org.
The Mystic Link Trail project seeks to bring awareness of historical, cultural and recreational green spaces between the Merrimack Valley and Boston. It utilizes the Tri-Community Greenway and Mystic River Greenway to provide a valuable and crucial link between Boston and the 200+ mile Bay Circuit Trail which connects in Andover.
Instigated by the infamous trail blazer Al French who continues to find more ways to connect valuable greenspaces and recreational areas for public use and protect them from development.
The Massachusetts Walking Tour has performed over 140 concerts in 123 towns across the state, partnering with the National Parks Service, Mass Audubon, Trustees, DCR, Freedoms Way and AMC to hike sections of the Appalachian Trail, Mid-State Trail, New England National Scenic Trail, Bay Circuit Trail, Cape Cod Rail Trail, South Coast Bikeway and many of the region’s smaller recreational greenspaces.
In 2017, Sen. Ed Markey officially recognized the Massachusetts Walking Tour in the congressional record for an annual commitment to promoting trails, arts and culture throughout the state.
“Our intention is simply to help people understand the importance of greenspace in our busy lives by inviting them out for a walk, to see younger and older folks hiking together, sharing thoughts on a nice day out in the woods,” states co-founder Mandeville. “As for the concerts, we do our best to create a respectful listening environment which highlights local performers, artists and folks with good work to announce – in that way, each concert is unique.”
Aside from organizing the Massachusetts Walking Tour, performing and recording their original compositions, Mandeville and Richards have served for over a decade as music teachers in central Mass. and in 2024 the couple helped form the nonprofit Blackstone Valley Music and Performing Arts Collaborative to assist the operation of their music school, continuing all the great programs there such as individualized music lessons, Rock Band Camp and Community Coffeehouse nights.
