Folk musicians Mark Mandeville and Raianne Richards founded the Massachusetts Walking Tour, a nonprofit organization supporting arts and culture in the small towns of their home state of Massachusetts.
Together with their partners they have highlighted the intersection of artistic diversity and recreational land uses. By walking to and from each venue, they emphasize being local and accessible and each town’s arts council, school system, and recreation opportunities.
In 2013, the Massachusetts Walking Tour traveled the length of the New England National Scenic Trail, performing at points along the Trail. The National Park Service, Department of Conservation and Recreation, and the Appalachian Mountain Club sponsored and supported the tour. The New England National Scenic Trail gave the group a unique opportunity to travel across the state via mostly hiking trail, rather than by primarily roads as in previous years.
