Festival

Essex River Day is an idea that has been evolving for many years. Often when boaters are out on the River you hear the same question over and over again, "Wouldn't it be great if everyone in Essex could experience the beauty of the River?" The concept for the event is simple. Those who have a boat offer a neighborly boat ride to those in town who may not have a boat and don't have ready access to appreciating the wonders of the Essex River.

The soil in the garden has barely been turned and already the first sign of Summer has appeared. Strawberries! With Strawberries comes the Topsfield Historical Society's 44th Strawberry Festival and Craft Fair in early June which offers a spectacle of strawberry fun for each and every one. The Strawberry Festival and Craft Fair, one of the best in the region, celebrates the region's rich agricultural heritage.

This 5k Road Race and Kid's Fun Run is a great way to kick off Motif #1 Day! The 5k road race and 1 mile fun run that starts and ends at T Wharf in beautiful down town Rockport. Run the race and then spend the day with your family enjoying the fun, food and entertainment of the day-log festival.

Sunday's annual KidsFest in Haverhill is expected to be the best celebration yet. The event is free and is expected to attract 15,000 people. Haverhill's annual celebration featuring children's activities and entertainment is Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the upper level of the parking deck in a single enclosed area, instead of being spread across the downtown as in past years.

The Lucky Duck Derby, hosted by Newburyport Youth Services, is a family and community event. Don’t be a Lame Duck, join the fun! Participants will 'sponsor' ducks. Children will receive a 'Duckie Certificate' and be able to name their ducks. Up to 2,000 rubber duckies will be numbered and placed in the Bartlet Mall pond. The Big Duck will head out in a row boat and randomly pick the winning ducks!

The group of seventeen galleries that participate in this popular art-focused event have expanded the schedule to a full weekend of gallery activities in 2012. The increased interest in the 2011 ArtWalk led to this positive change. Also new this year will be bright new ArtWalk banners and location signs...Enjoy!

Art buyers come early and appreciate the opportunity to view many of the region’s most collected artists in one weekend. For the tourist, the local and the out-of-towner, the ArtWalk is a perfect example of Newburyport at its best, providing a relaxing stroll through the different galleries, art exhibits, local shopping and dining in the many restaurants that line Newburyport’s brick paved streets and sidewalks.

The tour includes sculpture along the waterfront, the brick-paved Inn Street Market Place, as well as innovative forward-thinking exhibits at galleries and studios in some of the city’s architectural gems. Music and refreshments at many galleries add to the vibrancy and color of the weekend. Demonstrations by painters, photographers, and silversmiths provide entertainment all over town.

The group of seventeen galleries that participate in this popular art-focused event have expanded the schedule to a full weekend of gallery activities in 2012. The increased interest in the 2011 ArtWalk led to this positive change. Also new this year will be bright new ArtWalk banners and location signs...Enjoy!

The Rockport PTO Holiday fair hosts many talented artisans from Cape Ann and beyond! Come to the fair to see what they have to offer and bring the kids to take advantage of the great family events and activities we have planned, including live music and a dance performance!

Stop by for face painting, scarecrow making, pumpkin painting, lawn games, ballon animals, Thanksgiving card making, and harvest crafts! We'll also have apple crispm butternut squash soup and homemade popcorn.  All Are Welcome!

Dorothy will be jumping on a hayride with you to take you down the Yellow Brick Road where she will encounter her other friends from the Wizard of Oz throughout the apple orchards. A famous Smolak Farms cider donut and pumpkin will be complimentary with the adventure!