Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1545756
54 Worcester Business Journal | Book of Lists 2026 | wbjournal.com Worcester Railers select new NHL affiliate Worcester Railers Hockey Club is now an affiliate of the National Hockey League's St. Louis Blues, as the minor league team revealed the change during a ceremony on June 20. The affiliation change means the Railers will now partner with the Blues and their American Hockey League affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds, to develop players. The affiliation will last through the 2030-31 season. - Story by Eric Casey Worcester Railers F O C U S H O S P I TA L I T Y & TO U R I S M www.wbjournal.com/sponsored/thought-leadership THOUGHT LEADERSHIP WBJ Gain fresh perspectives from industry leaders with insightful articles, expert advice, and practical tools to help your business thrive. Brought to you by Central Mass business leaders. Most popular tourist attractions Ranked by 2025 attendance, then local employees Attraction Annual attendance 2025/ local employees Services offered Top executive(s)/ year founded 1 New England Sports Center 121 Donald Lynch Blvd., Marlborough 01752 508-229-2700 • nes.com 1,800,000 65 Hockey and figure skating with eight full-size rinks, a mini rink and studio rink, pro shop, two restaurants and video arcade; home of the Lady Flames and Minuteman Flames Minor Hockey Association Jason Silbor general manager 1994 2 DCU Center 50 Foster St., Worcester 01608 508-755-6800 • dcucenter.com 541,023 912 Gathering place for entertainment, sporting events and public functions; accommodates groups from 15 to 15,000 Amy Peterson (1) general manager 1982 3 Great Wolf Lodge New England 150 Great Wolf Drive, Fitchburg 01420 978-343-9653 • greatwolf.com/new-england 500,500 650 Full service resort, two water parks, Timbers Table & Kitchen with 7 more food & beverage outlets, 3 bars, Howlin' Timbers Attractions, arcade, retail shops; conference center with 12,400-square-foot space Alex Matthews general manager 2014 4 Apex Entertainment Marlborough 21 Apex Drive, Marlborough 01752 508-251-8666 • apexentertainment.com 500,000 N/A Entertainment venue with over 100,000 square feet of attractions including bowling, go-karts, axe throwing, laser tags, arcade, bumper cars and meeting space George Aronstein chief operating officer 2017 5 Worcester Red Sox (Polar Park) 100 Madison St., Worcester 01608 508-500-1000 • woosox.com 455,467 250 (2) Triple-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox with 75 home games at Polar Park in Worcester's Canal District; holds capacity for 9,508 fans Charles Steinberg president 2021 6 Wachusett Mountain Ski Area 499 Mountain Road, Princeton 01541 978-464-2300 • wachusett.com 402,890 1,477 Accessible mountain skiing and winter fun with three high-speed quads and 110 skiable acres Jeff Crowley president 1934 7 Discovery Museum 177 Main St., Acton 01720 978-264-4200 • discoveryacton.org 240,978 (3) 75 Children's museum of science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STEAM) Marie Beam CEO 1982 8 Old Sturbridge Village 1 Old Sturbridge Village Road, Sturbridge 01566 800-733-1830 • osv.org 220,000 215 (4) Largest outdoor history museum in the Northeast, depicts an 1830s rural New England town with more than 40 original buildings, interactive costumed historians and heritage breed farm animals James E. Donahue president & CEO 1946 9 New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill (5) 11 French Drive, Boylston 01505 508-869-6111 • nebg.org 200,000 67 A four-season garden destination featuring formal and naturalistic garden spaces, trails, onsite café, garden shop, educational programs, art exhibitions, and special events Grace Chapman Elton CEO 1842 10 The Hanover Theatre & Conservatory for the Performing Arts 2 Southbridge St., Worcester 01608 877-571-7469 • thehanovertheatre.org 151,391 370 Downtown destination for the performing arts and hub for meetings, celebrations and special events with Carroll Plaza and the PopUp and BrickBox spaces at the Jean McDonough Arts Center (JMAC) Alan Seiffert president & CEO 2008 11 EcoTarium 222 Harrington Way, Worcester 01604 508-929-2700 • ecotarium.org 135,000 45 Museum of science and nature, an indoor-outdoor experience dedicated to inspiring a passion for science and nature in visitors of all ages Noreen Johnson Smith president & CEO 1825 12 Johnny Appleseed Visitors' Center (6) 1000 Route 2 West, Lancaster 01523 978-534-2302 • visitnorthcentral.com 121,000 7 Open daily, year-round with tourism information and growing collection of exhibits and gift shop for local artisans to showcase crafts and products Roy Nascimento president 1997 13 Tougas Family Farm LLC 234 Ball St., Northborough 01532 508-393-6406 • tougasfamilyfarm.com 100,000 100 Family-owned farm with pick-your-own strawberries, cherries, blueberries, blackberries, peaches, nectarines, apples & pumpkins; barnyard, playground, farm store and kitchen for seasonal baked goods, ice cream, cider donuts & more Kerrie Ward manager 1981 14 PiNZ 110 South Main St., Milford 01757 508-473-6611 • pinzbowl.com 100,000 50 Entertainment venue featuring 20 bowling lanes, with four in a private suite; laser tag, gel blaster, arcade and axe throwing; full restaurant, bar, social games, live music and sports viewing Alicia Bresnan event manager 2005 15 Mechanics Hall 321 Main St., Worcester 01608 508-752-5608 • mechanicshall.org 100,000 49 National Registered Historic Place that offers 19th- century elegance, modern amenities and red-carpet service for events and performances Meghan Montaner (7) executive director 1857 16 Nashoba Valley Winery 100 Wattaquadock Hill Road, Bolton 01740 978-779-5521 • nashobawinery.com 92,000 25 Year-round destination where wine, beer, cider and spirits are crafted on site; pick-your-own apples, J's Restaurant, scenic outdoor or indoor seating at the Knoll in every season Justin Rowe Pelletier chief operating officer 1995 17 Worcester Art Museum 55 Salisbury St., Worcester 01609 508-799-4406 • worcesterart.org 87,500 180 Art museum connecting people, communities and cultures through the experience of art, wide-ranging exhibitions and collection of nearly 40,000 objects created thousands of years ago to the present Matthias Waschek director 1896 18 The Bull Run Restaurant 215 Great Road, Shirley 01464 978-425-4311 • bullrunrestaurant.com 82,040 70 Restaurant, concert and function venue Alison Tocci co-owner & innkeeper 1740 19 Groton Hill Music Center 122 Old Ayer Road, Groton 01450 978-486-9524 • grotonhill.org 70,000 137 Music performance and education destination with more than 100 concerts in two world class halls, music education programs for more than 2,000 students of all ages and community engagement programming Lisa Fiorentino CEO 1985 20 American Heritage Museum, Collings Foundation 568 Main St., Hudson 01749 978-562-9182 • americanheritagemuseum.org 70,000 9 Showcases America's military history & technology with immersive exhibits, rare WWII–modern tanks, vehicles and aircraft, to honor veterans and bring history to life for all ages Robert Collings Jr. president 1979 21 Indian Ranch and Samuel Slater's Restaurant 200 Gore Road, Webster 01570 508-943-3871 (Indian Ranch); 508 943-1639 (Samuel Slater's Restaurant) • indianranch.com; samuelslaters.com 55,000 150 Indian Ranch amphitheater offers music lovers a chance to see some of the greatest acts, while overlooking the beautiful Webster Lake, Samuel Slater's Restaurant, Indian Princess paddlewheeler and Indian Ranch Campground Suzette Robert president, Indian Ranch 1946 22 Spencer Fair 48 Smithville Road, Spencer 01562 508-885-5814 • spencerfair.org 40,000 80 Traditional country fair taking place annually over Labor Day weekend; Sept. 4-7, 2026 Andy Lynch president 1888 23 Native Plant Trust's Garden in the Woods 180 Hemenway Road, Framingham 01701 508-877-7630 • nativeplanttrust.org 22,000 40 45-acre botanic garden in wooded setting with pond, brook and swamp; part of Native Plant Trust, which conserves New England's native plants for healthy, biological diversity; technology-enabled classroom for workshops Tim Johnson CEO 1900 24 Tuckerman Hall 10 Tuckerman St., Worcester 01609 508-754-1234 • tuckermanhall.org 20,000 7 Small concert hall and assembly venue; accommodates 521 for concerts, 270 for corporate dinners, 200 for weddings Paul Levenson executive director 1902 (8) 25 Bolton Fair, Fairgrounds at Lancaster 318 Seven Bridge Road, Lancaster 01523 978-365-7206 • boltonfair.org 16,000 0 (9) Annual fair with animal shows, exhibits, events and entertainment; Aug. 14-16, 2026 Rose Darden president & fair manager 1874 18 215 Great Road, Shirley 01464 978-425-4311 • bullrunrestaurant.com 70 Restaurant, concert and function venue co-owner & innkeeper 1740 19 Groton Hill Music Center 122 Old Ayer Road, Groton 01450 978-486-9524 • grotonhill.org 70,000 137 Music performance and education destination with more than 100 concerts in two world class halls, music education programs for more than 2,000 students of all ages and community engagement programming Lisa Fiorentino CEO 1985 20 American Heritage Museum, Collings Foundation 568 Main St., Hudson 01749 978-562-9182 • americanheritagemuseum.org 70,000 9 Showcases America's military history & technology with immersive exhibits, rare WWII–modern tanks, vehicles and aircraft, to honor veterans and bring history to life for all ages Robert Collings Jr. president 1979 21 Indian Ranch and Samuel Slater's Restaurant 200 Gore Road, Webster 01570 508-943-3871 (Indian Ranch); 508 943-1639 (Samuel Slater's Restaurant) • indianranch.com; samuelslaters.com 55,000 150 Indian Ranch amphitheater offers music lovers a chance to see some of the greatest acts, while overlooking the beautiful Webster Lake, Samuel Slater's Restaurant, Indian Princess paddlewheeler and Indian Ranch Campground Suzette Robert president, Indian Ranch 1946 22 Spencer Fair 48 Smithville Road, Spencer 01562 508-885-5814 • spencerfair.org 40,000 80 Traditional country fair taking place annually over Labor Day weekend; Sept. 4-7, 2026 Andy Lynch president 1888 23 Native Plant Trust's Garden in the Woods 180 Hemenway Road, Framingham 01701 508-877-7630 • nativeplanttrust.org 22,000 40 45-acre botanic garden in wooded setting with pond, brook and swamp; part of Native Plant Trust, which conserves New England's native plants for healthy, biological diversity; technology-enabled classroom for workshops Tim Johnson CEO 1900 24 Tuckerman Hall 10 Tuckerman St., Worcester 01609 508-754-1234 • tuckermanhall.org 20,000 7 Small concert hall and assembly venue; accommodates 521 for concerts, 270 for corporate dinners, 200 for weddings Paul Levenson executive director 1902 (8) 25 Bolton Fair, Fairgrounds at Lancaster 318 Seven Bridge Road, Lancaster 01523 978-365-7206 • boltonfair.org 16,000 0 (9) Annual fair with animal shows, exhibits, events and entertainment; Aug. 14-16, 2026 Rose Darden president & fair manager 1874 26 Hopkinton Center for the Arts 98 Hayden Rowe St., Hopkinton 01748 508-435-9222 • hopartscenter.org 15,000 19 Regional arts center with art classes for youth, teens and adults in ceramics, dance, theater, music and visual arts; live performance events, art gallery and rental space Kelly Grill executive director 2011 27 Museum of Worcester (10) 30 Elm St., Worcester 01609 508-753-8278 • worcesterhistory.org 14,000 10 Dedicated to collecting, preserving and interpreting Worcester's history across all time periods and subject areas for all audiences Eric Butler (11) executive director 1875 28 Fitchburg Art Museum 185 Elm St., Fitchburg 01420 978-345-4207 • fitchburgartmuseum.org 11,000 25 Mission to inspire creativity and learning and to contribute to the well-being of diverse communities in Fitchburg, North Central Mass. and New England; to celebrate our 100th anniversary, offering free admission for all visitors Nick Capasso director 1925 29 Animal Adventures Family Zoo and Rescue Center 336 Sugar Road, Bolton 01740 978-779-8988 • animaladventures.net 10,000 25 (12) Animal rescue and educational facility open to the public for general admission and guided tours; available for traveling presentations Ed and Brenda Laquidara owners & founders 1997 Sources: Each attraction via survey as of Q1-Q2 2026 and their websites. Notes: As of March 2026, Blackstone Heritage Corridor Visitor Center at Worcester is closed in order to repair damage sustained in a winter storm. Unable to confirm data by press time for Mendon's Southwick's Zoo, with 483,000 visitors reported on WBJ's 2025 survey, Sterling's Davis Farmland and Davis Mega Maze, Shrewsbury's Ski Ward Ski Area, The Center for the Arts in Natick or the Worcester Palladium. N/A=not available. (1) Succeeded Sandy Dunn, upon her retirement in February 2026 (2) 42 full-time employees; employee counts are seasonal peak. (3) Includes 58,851 children served off site in local classrooms (4) An additional 200 volunteers (5) Nonprofit organization on 171 acres operated by Worcester County Horticultural Society (6) Named for American pioneer and folk hero John Chapman, who was born in Leominster. (7) Succeeded Kathleen Gagne, upon her retirement in July 2025 (8) Designed by Josephine Wright Chapman, one of America's first female architects (9) More than 100 volunteers annually (10) Formerly Worcester Historical Museum (11) Succeeded William Wallace, upon his retirement in December 2025. (12) 45 employees at summer peak -Compiled by: Heide Martin, hmartin@nebusinessmedia.com Sources: Each attraction via survey as of Q1-Q2 2026 and their websites. Notes: As of March 2026, Blackstone Heritage Corridor Visitor Center at Worcester is closed in order to repair damage sustained in a winter storm. Unable to confirm data by press time for Mendon's Southwick's Zoo, with 483,000 visitors reported on WBJ's 2025 survey, Sterling's Davis Farmland and Davis Mega Maze, Shrewsbury's Ski Ward Ski Area, The Center for the Arts in Natick or the Worcester Palla- dium. N/A=not available. (1) Succeeded Sandy Dunn, upon her retirement in February 2026 (2) 42 full-time employees; employee counts are seasonal peak. (3) Includes 58,851 children served off site in local classrooms (4) An additional 200 volunteers (5) Nonprofit organization on 171 acres operated by Worcester County Horticultural Society (6) Named for American pioneer and folk hero John Chapman, who was born in Leominster. (7) Succeeded Kathleen Gagne, upon her retirement in July 2025 (8) Designed by Josephine Wright Chapman, one of America's first female architects (9) More than 100 volunteers annually (10) For- merly Worcester Historical Museum (11) Succeeded William Wallace, upon his retirement in December 2025. (12) 45 employees at summer peak -Compiled by: Heide Martin, hmartin@nebusinessmedia.com