My yelp-Bestie Jessica B already sang the praises of Mountain Park and since we went to the same show together I'll just piggy back on her comments by saying, I would prefer Mountain Park for all of my outdoor concert experiences in the future. After hitting Hartford's Meadows (or whatever corporate name they're calling it now) many times in the past I have to say Mountain Park is so much cooler than the Meadows. It's funny, the older I get the more I appreciate that this place doesn't allow tailgating and it did nothing to damper my spirits because...they had good beer choices at semi-reasonable prices (compared to other, similar venues). Things I really liked: (all things that don't happen at the Meadows) easy in, easy out-no traffic no pat downs you can bring a low chair good beer the show started RIGHT on time no assigned seating and if you wanted to stand in front of the stage, you COULD! things I didn't really like (but I can tolerate): porta-potties (but they were pretty clean) Check out this venue if you can. It was like seeing a concert in a wealthy friend's yard with the cushiest lawn you've seen. read more

Gorgeous venue to see a concert on a summer night. Only 1 road in and out so driving can be tough, but we go early. I have no need to pay higher price for a reserved seat. Perfectly happy bringing a chair and sitting on the hill. The hill turned into a giant dance floor as everyone was up and grooving to the music. But next time I'll bring binoculars to see better. read more

i am absolutely in LOVE with this venue. we went to see death cab for cutie last night and i just can't say enough good things about it. in fact, i would even go as far as to say there really isn't anything i would change. at all. i did see that people in the past have had a hard time getting in and out but we didn't find that to be the case. there is one access road only so i could see how it may be an issue but for us, last night, it wasn't. also, the road isn't that long so i feel like a backup wouldn't be a *major* issue. one has to expect- at most events- some 'traffic'. so, free, easy parking. they advise against chaise lounge style and high backed chairs so we left ours in the car but there were plenty on the lawn so next time i will be sure to bring them in..or at least a comfy blanket to lay on! getting through the 'gates' was peasy. they really didn't check too diligently through our bags so i wager that there are small things you could get away with bringing in. the concession lines were very quick through out the entire show..beer choices were as follows: 3 types of magic hat and one micro ipa and bud, bud light, and bud light lime. something for everyone, really. they were all $7..i believe the micros were in 12oz cups and the domestics were in 16oz aluminum bottles. they also had cute little carafes of wine. the food was very reasonably priced..and there were vegetarian options (cheese quesadilla) to their counterparts (chicken quesadilla), along with pop corn and ice cream. the lawn was dry despite a full day of rain (which cleared up only a few hours prior to the show) and very comfortable! the sound was great. next time we'll make it a point to get there as soon as the gates open and bring a frisbee or some other games! there is tons of space, a sufficient amount of porta pottys- including a hand washing station, and friendly staff from start to finish. we can't wait to go back! read more

Mountain Park - Music Venues Near Me - Holyoke, Massachusetts

Mountain Park is a great outdoor venue for catching a concert. I saw the Decemberists here in July of 2011, the sound is fine for an outdoor concert, and seating is awesome. There are two different areas, an "inner" section that does is roped off and does not allow chairs and then an "outer" section, which is a large expanse, that allows chairs, blankets, and whatever, for setting up your viewing experience. I am in no mood to fight for stage-view, and so my friends and I setup a pack of chairs and some blankets, staked our claim, and had a great view of the stage... We weren't up close or anything, but the sound was great and we had a good time. The grass was exceptionally soft. Like, we're talking awesomely kept grounds, the best grounds that I've ever been at, at an outdoor venue... better than Tanglewood or GreatWoods/Tweeter/whatever-it-is-called-in-Maynard. Really nice grass. A few things worth noting: - Parking is free, this is awesome. - They don't allow tailgating... wtf? So we sat in the car and drank beers, but like, it's stupid, there are big signs that say "NO TAILGATING" everywhere, which is lame. They didn't really strongly enforce this rule, but it was enough to keep us in the car and prevent us from jumping out and having a good time pre-show. Plenty of pretty well kept bathrooms. - Fair amount of standard concert food. Hot dogs, burgers, fries, a few but not many vegetarian items. - Decent beer, Magic Hat truck was good. - As far as I could tell, pretty open to people looking for ... alternative methods of intoxication ... Ie, people were smoking around us and nobody seemed to care. Anyway, went and had a great time at Mountain Park. The only drawbacks are that their website sucks and that they don't allow tailgating. Other than that, an awesome place to catch a show. read more

Went and saw the Flaming Lips here on Friday. AMAZING venue. An open air amphitheater, set in a beautiful valley in Western MA. If you get a chance, go! read more

We are huge Bonnie Raitt fans and looked forward to seeing her in the open air. We had never been to Mountain Park - and we will never visit again. The one way traffic approach (141) was so poorly managed that we sat in traffic for 2 hours and 40 minutes. We contacted the Holyoke police to see if there was an accident - they were very kind and said " be patient - you will eventually get there - this happens at every concert". At 8:45 - we had no way of knowing if they were holding the show for remainder of those who were not there (and there were at least 40 vehicles behind us that we could see), We found a way off 141 and drive another hour home. We met a dozen friends for drinks afterward - and have spread the word that this venue should NEVER be allowed to sponsor significant events. We will NEVER return.. read more

They could care less about you here. They sent an e-mail saying the gate would be open at 4:30. Showed up and they said 5:30. Called the box office and they said they would tell someone to tell the gate it was supposed to be 4:30. Called back at 5 and said that that sometimes there are delays in the parking opening. What a joke. See your favorite band somewhere else at a venue that cares about customer service and actually does what is says in e-mails sent directly to you. read more

Overall, the perfect place for an outdoor show in the summer. Not too big, free parking, and really nice grass. They just need to do a better job with their rules and letting people know about them at a time when it can actually do some good. No outside food allowed in (fair enough), but they don't tell you about the no-tailgating policy until you're in the parking lot and have already purchased the food you planned on eating outside before going into the show. Even sitting on the grass for a few minutes outside so we could eat our sandwiches got us yelled at by staff. Thankfully the frustrating start to the evening was overshadowed by a great show! read more

Great grounds clean and outdoors. Here is my problem. All the adds I have sceen for the show I went to tonight including the tickets which was the Lucinda Williams / Amos Lee show 7/23/2011 at 7 pm...Happens that it has been very hot and the group I was with we felt no rush to get to the show at 7pm because we were going to see Amos Lee. And according to the tickets it was going to be Lucinda then Amos. We got to the show at 7 30 not rushing as we got to the stage Amos was singing we enjoyed 4 songs before his 8 15 exit. All of us Upset decided to make the best of it as the evening air came in and was not so hot. Maybe a double billed show needs to be promoted more carefully with the concert goer in mind as to who will be first and second. For this reason of unclear adds and ticketing I leave a poor review...Hope that something is done in the future to avoid such confusion...PS I did randomly speek with people there to see Amos that felt the same as me, and also people who were there to see Lucinda...Not what I was hoping for, but like I said we made the best of it:) read more

One of the better outdoor venues around for seeing a concert. I have seen the Fleet Foxes and Death cab for Cutie there. Parking is real easy with attendants telling you were to go. It is a hike walking from the parking lot to the grounds. I wish this place wasn't so strict, between the cops and security looking through your bags it's like your going into Fort Knox. They have way too many rules at this place that detracts from the experience. The sound is decent for being outdoors, but could always be louder. Then you have stupid parents bringing their kids to the show with the kids running around and yelling. The everything cash, and no ATMs aspect sucks. Its cool you can sit on the lawn and walk to the front of the stage if you want. It's best to leave early to avoid the chaotic traffic that ensues when the show is over. There is one road in and one road out, and with everyone out of their minds trying to get out, it becomes a huge clusterf**k. read more

This venue has good sound but does not know what a concert is supposed to look like. Imagine having only 11 PortaPotties for 2000 people! Also these "toilets" are too close to the food..(gross) .move them down. Paid for a "seat" which was a plastic seated metal foldup, so close together, I was claustrophobic. So I stood behind all of these seats in the seated area and was told I had to sit in my seat and could not dance with my wife on the grass (we were behind everyone seated!...not cool man) Management needs to chill and realize this Yes concert was attended by people mostly over 50 years old.. No need to treat us like a sixteen year old at the high school dance. OH NO they're dancing! Imagine not being able to get up and dance at a concert? The lawn area (no seats) was much better and freer. By the way...No Tailgating, No coolers,(no chewing gum) couldn't bring in a reusable water bottle (nonpolluting you know) just infantile and ridiculous, Hey Ironhorse, this could be a really cool place to listen to music under the stars, but you should really try and listen to your patrons (we are actually expert concert goers). Need to set a better vibe...So get some Toilets, put them way away from the food, Provide better food (they had Hot dogs and hamburgers for an over 50 crowd with money to burn)...six bucks for water? Why not get rid of the beer tents, let people bring in coolers (we actually pack out our own trash) Provide refillable water stations Let people move around, stand up and dance. Now that would be a cool place to listen to music.... read more

Went here for the first time to see Bonnie Raitt. The venue is fine, but the BIG problem here is TRAFFIC. After we got off Rt. 91 in Holyoke, it took us 1-1/2 HOURS to go the 2-3 miles along Rt 5 to the entrance of Mountain Park. There's just ONE lane for that entire stretch, which was all concert traffic, some of the worst traffic I've ever been in. Because of this delay, we totally missed the opening act (Mavis Staples), whom I especially wanted to see. This put us in pretty big funk, which Bonnie's excellent set couldn't make up for. Knowing what kind of traffic awaited us, we left early, something I never normally do. This is an entirely open-air venue: rows of chairs (with no roof) in front of the stage, with a sloped lawn behind the seats for lawn seating. There were not enough porta potties, as the lines to use them were very long throughout the entire evening. The setting is nice (assuming it's good weather!) and the acoustics were good, but we'll NEVER EVER go back, due to the traffic. read more

The strict rules on no tail gaiting are absolutely ridiculous....Tailgating is very much a part of the fun and going to the concert experience...In addition the Iron Horse group that advertisement for the benefit show the Machine/Get the led Out showed three prices $15.00, $25.00, and $100.00 With three tiers of seating any reasonable person would deduce that $100.00 is for the up close and personal seats, $25.00 for the second tier, and $15.00 for lawn...We arrived and were told that it clearly states on the internet (which we checked and did not spell any of this at all) that the $15.00 tickets are children prices and lawn space (at the door/day of show) are $34.00...How was this $34.00 at the door computed? Why wasn't any of this clearly advertised? We left to say the least...I will never support this venue for two reasons... (1) Clearly no respect or understanding to the concert going crowd with misleading advertised prices and (2) for "criminalizing" tail gaiting Boooo read more