Holyoke is named for Elizur Holyoke who, in 1660, explored the area that is today incorporated into Hampden County. Holyoke is a Massachusetts city in close proximity to Springfield and has classically been a haven for Irish immigrants. Holyoke hosts the United States largest Saint Partick's Day Parade which annually attracts nearly 500,000 visitors each year. Holyoke has recently seen a vast influx of Puerto Rican and Latino immigrants yielding an annual Puerto Rican Day Parade on the third week of July. The parade is complete with food, music, and more. It's organized as part of the Annual Hispanic Family Festival which is put on by La Familia Hispana Incorporated. The festival and parade have drastically increased in popularity over time and attract Latinos from across the northeast. Holyoke is called home by a number of lawyers as well. Holyoke lawyers are familiar with local Hampden County courts and advise on a variety of cases.  

Holyoke maintains a number of year-round attractions as well. Some of the attractions include the Holyoke Cana System, Mount Tom, shopping at Holyoke Mall, trails like Metacomet-Monadnock Trail, a collegiate baseball team, and most notably the Dinosaur Footprints Reservation where visitors can see perfectly preserved footprints from prehistoric dinosaurs along the Connecticut River.