Ongoing

Boston Design Center Dream Home

The sixth floor of the Boston Design Center will be transformed into luxury living environments, showcasing the work of nine top area design firms: Gerald Pomeroy Design Group, C&J Katz Studio, JK Creative Retail Solutions,Tony Cappoli Interiors, Mark Bombara Interior Design, Leslie Fine Interiors, The Patterson Group, Eric Roseff Designs and Gregory Van Boven Interior Design. Boston Design Center; (617) 338-5062; www.bostondesign.com; 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Mon.-Fri.; Dream Home free, gala tickets $125

Ongoing

South End Open Market

Held every Sunday in Boston’s eclectic South End, the Open Market provides a refreshingly personal shopping experience where you can meet the artists, farmers and vendors behind an array of hand-crafted goods, artwork and antiques. Take a stroll beneath the summer sun and browse aisles of one-of-a-kind wares; expect to find such treasures as straight-from-the-oven brownies, unique sculptures, handmade jewelry and organic soaps. Opening Weekend is May 17-18; the market continues every Sunday through October. Boston; www.southendopenmarket.com; 11 a.m.–4 p.m.; free

Ongoing

Quilts in Bloom: A Bouquet of Textile Art

Inside the Shelburne Museum, discover a floral-themed display of finely crafted quilts. The exhibit extends outside, where the museum’s gardens will be planted to mirror the blankets inside. Shelburne Museum, Shelburne, Vt.; (802) 985-3346; www.shelburnemuseum.org; 10 a.m.–5 p.m. daily, through October 26; free with museum admission

Ongoing

Captain Bangs Hallet House Museum Opening

The only sea captain’s house open to the public on Cape Cod, this Yarmouth Port museum provides an intimate glance into nineteenth-century family life with an eight-room display of maritime artifacts, antiques, artwork and costumes. Captain Bangs Hallet House Museum will open for the season showcasing a new gentleman’s study and refurbished dining room. Captain Bangs Hallet House Museum, Yarmouth Port, Mass.; www.hsoy.org; $3

June 28–July 9

Cottages at Hidden Pond Decorator Showcase

Top interior designers from around the seacoast transform fourteen individual cottages into cozy, elegant retreats, each unique to the whim of the designer. Hidden Pond, Kennebunkport, Me.; (207) 967-9015; www.hiddenpondmaine.com/showcase; 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Mon., Wed., Thurs.,10 a.m.–7 p.m. Tues., 1–4 p.m. Sun.; $20

July 1–August 28

Tour of Oak Bluffs Cottages

Learn more about one of the Vineyard’s distinctive architectural landmarks, the diminutive Victorian cottages at the Camp Meeting Association grounds. The ninety-minute tours, offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the season, include a visit to the Cottage Museum. Oak Bluffs, Mass.; (508) 693-0525; www.mvcma.org; $10

July 4–5

Artisans’ Guild of Cape Cod Fine Art and Craft Show

Some of the Cape’s finest artists will display their work in a variety of media at this event. Nauset Middle School, Orleans, Mass.; www.artisansguildcapecod.org; 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; free

July 8–13

Brimfield Antiques Show

The largest antiques show in the country—actually a smorgasbord of about twenty privately run shows—features more than 6,000 dealers spread out over a mile in this quaint Massachusetts town. Route 20, Brimfield, Mass.; www.brimfieldshow.com; starts at daybreak; check Web site for admission prices

July 9

Falmouth Annual Arts and Crafts Street Fair

Hosted by the Falmouth Village Association, this event features more than 200 artisans and craftspeople displaying their wares. Booths line both sides of Main Street, as the town closes the street to vehicle traffic. You’ll also find plenty of food and entertainment throughout the day. (508) 566-9884; 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; free

July 9

The Art and Craft of Chanticleer

Polly Hill Arboretum, in West Tisbury, Massachusetts, will host speaker Dan Benarcik, a horticulturist and woodworker from the renowned Chanticleer garden in Wayne, Pennsylvania. Benarcik will provide a look into the extraordinary art and craft of Chanticleer. (508) 693-9426; www.pollyhillarboretum.org; 7:30 p.m.; $8

July 12

Celebrate Woodstock’s Architecture

Tour a tour of historic Green and Elm streets and learn about the village’s rich history. Then return to the Woodstock Historical Society along the Ottauquechee River for a lobster bake. Woodstock Historical Society, Woodstock, Vt.; (802) 457-1822; www.woodstockhistorical.org; tour $20, tour and lobster bake $75

July 13

Provincetown Secret Garden Tour

Boasting spectacular views and an array of flora, the secret garden tour will take you into ten beautiful gardens hidden among Provincetown’s streets and byways. Afterward, guests are invited to Provincetown Art Association and Museum’s “Art of the Garden” exhibit of contemporary and historical floral works. Provincetown Art Association and Museum, Provincetown, Mass.; (508) 487-1750; www.paam.org; 10 a.m.–3 p.m.; $30

July 15

Osterville Village Day: Antique Car Rally

Watch a parade of seventy-five cars on Main Street in Osterville, then take a closer look and speak to the owners at the museum grounds. Osterville Historical Society and Museum, Osterville, Mass.; (508) 428-5861; 11:30 a.m.–2 p.m.; free

July 16

Nantucket Annual Community Green Thumb Flower Show

For more than forty years, the island community has entered cut stems, blooms, plants and vegetables, along with special theme arrangements, competing for ribbons and awards. Nantucket New School, Nantucket, Mass.; (508) 228-2601; www.nantucket.org/gardenclub; 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; free

July 16

Sandwich Garden Tour

Visit a number of lovely private gardens in Sandwich at your leisure, then enjoy light refreshments overlooking the wildflower garden at the Green Briar Nature Center. Green Briar Nature Center, East Sandwich, Mass.; (508) 888-6870; www.thorntonburgess.org; 11 a.m.–3 p.m.; $15

July 17

Nantucket Summer Kitchen Tour

Sponsored by the Nantucket Preservation Trust, the tour features historic homes and kitchens in the Ash, Centre and North Water streets area of Nantucket. The tour will focus on how homes can be sensitively updated and historic kitchens incorporated into everyday life. Nantucket, Mass.; (508) 228-1387; www.nantucketpreservation.org; 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; $40

July 17

Tenth Annual Evening of Discovery

Enjoy an auction and dinner gala hosted by the Martha’s Vineyard Museum. Cocktails and dinner will be served, followed at 8 p.m. by a live auction that benefits the museum. Vose Family Home, Edgartown, Mass.; (508) 627-4441; www.mvmuseum.org; 6–9 p.m.; $150

July 19–20

Rock River Artists Open Studio Tour

This annual self-guided tour explores the breathtaking scenery and artwork surrounding Newfane, Vermont. All within a twelve-mile radius, twenty world-class artists open up their homes, gardens and studios to the public for the weekend. (802) 258-9082; www.rockriverartists.com

July 19–August 16

Old York’s Nineteenth Annual Decorator Show House

Join the Old York Historical Society as they visit The Ledges on Gerrish Island, chosen as this year’s show house. Interior designers have restored and decorated dozens of spaces throughout the house, making it a great place to discover new ideas. Kittery Point, Me.; (207) 363-4974; www.oldyork.org; 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Mon., Wed., Fri., Sat., 10 a.m.–7 p.m. Thurs., 1–4 p.m. Sun.; $20

July 20

Jazz in the Garden

This is a swingin’ fundraiser to support the programs at the Museums on the Green, featuring the New Black Eagle Jazz Band. Falmouth Museums on the Green, Falmouth, Mass.; (508) 548-4857; www.falmouthhistoricalsociety.org; 5:30–8 p.m.; $90

July 23–ongoing

Imperishable Beauty: Art Nouveau Jewelry

The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston presents an exhibition of about 120 jewelry pieces from some of the leading designers of the Art Nouveau style, from the late nineteenth to early twentieth centuries. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; (617) 267-9300; www.mfa.org

July 26–27

Antiques at Elm Bank

More than 150 dealers will be present at this antiques show held at the New England Horticultural Society headquarters in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Antiques from the eighteenth century to the mid-twentieth-century will be on display amidst the lush gardens, as well as in the property’s historic mansion, the Manor House at Elm Bank. Elm Bank Estate, Wellesley, Mass.; (781) 862-4039; www.neantiqueshows.com; 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Sat., 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Sun.; $10

July 26–August 10

New Hampshire Humane Society Show House

Top designers showcase their unique artistry and style in this custom-built Victorian home, which features environmentally conscious design elements and 320-degree lake and mountain views of Meredith, New Hampshire. (603) 524-8236; www.nhhumane.org; $20 advance, $25 at door

July 27

New England Dream House/New England Home Episode

Join New England Dream House host Beth Shelburne and New England Home’s Kyle Hoepner for a tour of the Marion home featured in this issue. The initial airing will be on July 27 at 10 a.m. It will also air on July 27 at 7 p.m. and at 3:30 p.m. July 28 and 31 and August 5, 8 and 13. You can also see the story online on www.nedreamhouse.com starting July 27.

July 31–August 3

Nantucket Historical Association Antiques Show

This annual antiques show benefiting the island’s historical association draws high-end vendors from around the region. Nantucket New School, Nantucket, Mass.; (508) 228-1894; preview party 6–9 p.m. Thurs.; 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Fri.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Sun.; $100 for preview, from $10 for show

August 1–3

Cape Cod Antiques Summer Show

The Cape Cod Antiques Dealers Association Summer Show will feature more than sixty exhibitors displaying a wide range of European and American antiques. Artwork, furniture, pottery, glassware, porcelain and thousands of other antiques can be found at the show. Nauset Middle School, Orleans, Mass.; www.ccada.com; Fri. 5–8:30 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–4 p.m.; $6

August 2–10

Annual Craftsmen’s Fair

More than 200 members of the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen will display their work at this popular fair. Almost every type of craft medium will be represented, including furniture, jewelry, glass, pottery, prints and woodcarvings, along with daily demonstrations and workshops for all ages. Mount Sunapee Resort, Newbury, N.H.; (603) 224-3375; www.nhcrafts.org; 10 a.m.–5 p.m. daily; $10

August 3

Annual Pops by the Sea

Under the baton of maestro Keith Lockhart and a celebrity guest conductor, this fundraising concert usually draws a live audience of more than 15,000—the Cape’s largest single audience. Sit at VIP tables, festival seating or on the lawn to enjoy this magical afternoon event. Hyannis Village Green, Hyannis, Mass.; www.artsfoundation.org; 5–7 p.m.; visit Web site for pricing

August 7

A Moveable Feast

The Nantucket Preservation Trust sponsors this tour of restored historic homes in the Mill and Pleasant streets neighborhood. Enjoy preservation pointers and food as you witness how the houses accommodate modern life while maintaining their architectural integrity. A reception at Moor’s End garden will follow the tour. Nantucket, Mass.; (508) 228-1387; www.nantucketpreservation.org; $150

August 8–10

Newport Antiques Show

Lead sponsor, William Vareika Fine Arts of Newport, presents this year’s Newport Antiques Show, which will take place at St. George’s School in Middletown, Rhode Island. A Gala Preview Party will be held on Friday, August 8, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Proceeds will benefit the Newport historical society and the boys and girls clubs of Newport county. Middletown, R.I.; (401) 846-2669; www.newportantiquesshow.com; Sat 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Sat., 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Sun.; call for gala and ticket pricing

August 13

Edgartown House Tour

Come join a tour of the historic homes of the Vineyard, followed by tea and refreshments overlooking the harbor—all for a good cause. The tour benefits the restoration of the Federated Church of Edgartown. Edgartown, Mass.; (508) 627-7077; www.mvy.com; 2–4:30 p.m.; $35

August 20

Grand Illumination Night

Watch as traditional Chinese paper lanterns burn through the night at the Oak Bluffs campground. Originally held to mark the end of the summer camping season, the festival has become a Vineyard favorite. A concert featuring a community sing-along and band accompaniment will precede the illumination. Oak Bluffs, Mass.; (508) 693-0525; www.mvy.com; 7 p.m.; free

August 23

38th Annual Falmouth Antiques Show and Sale

Browse a wide variety of furniture and artwork at this annual antiques show, held on the Falmouth Museum grounds. Falmouth Museums on the Green, Falmouth, Mass.; (508) 548-4857; www.falmouthhistoricalsociety.org; 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; $5

August 29–September 5

Nantucket Arts Festival

The sixteenth-annual Nantucket Arts Festival is a week celebrating art, theater, music, film, literature, dance and the beauty of fall on Nantucket. It features exhibitions, lectures, live music, walking tours, art demonstrations, book signings and much more. (508) 325-8588; www.nantucketartscouncil.org

September 20

Provincetown Art Association Annual Consignment Auction

Since 1979, this auction has been an art lover’s dream come true. The items are consigned by collectors, assuring only first rate works of art by area artists. Dealers and collectors from around the country attend. Provincetown Art Association and Museum, Provincetown, Mass.; (508) 487-1750; www.paam.org; free

September 20–21

Annual Cape Cod Glass Show and Sale

Forty-five nationally prominent glass dealers will offer antique and collectible American and European glassware from the eighteenth to the twenty-first centuries. Skylight Room of the Corpus Christi Church, Sandwich, Mass.; (508) 888-0251; www.sandwichglassmuseum.org; Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–4 p.m.; $6.50