Get ready for a day full of holiday magic and cheer! Join us at the Ipswich Town Wharf to welcome Santa as he makes his grand entrance. Sing along to festive carols with Buddy the Elf while we wait for the big moment! You can even buy your own jingle bells to ring as we follow Santa and Buddy on a merry “Jingle Bell Walk” to Ipswich Town Hall (45 Green Street). Keep your eyes peeled for a sneaky appearance from the Grinch!
Giving the gift of membership to one of your favorite organizations is a perfect way to tell somebody that you want them to share your interests and spend some time together. It's extending a hand of friendship and inviting the recipient to join you in a common experience - not just at the time of giving the gift, but throughout the year and beyond.
Skills+ Summer Executive Function Course
July 20–July 31, 2026
Grades 6-12
Half-Day 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Skills+ is a two-week course for middle and high school students who need to improve their organizational, time management, and other executive function skills. Students will develop strong study habits and boost academic achievement—all in a small, low-pressure setting.
Enjoy touring private residences and unique spaces throughout Greater Newburyport, all decorated in holiday style both inside and out. Your self-guide tour will lead you through each of our homes all decked out both inside and out in holiday style reflecting the homeowner’s individual celebrations and traditions of the season. Come and experience a day full of holiday magic and surprise! Note: This tour is appropriate for children ages 12 and up.
Gloucester's Holiday Parade is a great tradition to kick off the holidays! Come enjoy the parade, Santa, and the tree lighting at Kent Circle! Volunteers will line up parade participants at the State Fish Pier on Parker Street at 2:00 PM and will guide them through downtown Gloucester and on to Kent Circle for the Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony.
Cruiseport Gloucester hosts the Cape Ann Makers Holiday Market. Come get your Christmas and Holiday shopping done while you sip a beverage, listen to music and buy from over 55 local vendors – food gifts, soaps, lotions, artwork, jewelry, home goods, all unique handcrafted items – something for everyone on your list!
The Annual Middle Street Walk is a great way to experience Gloucester's Historic District and waterfront while having Holiday fun with the family. An updated schedule of this years walk will is available for download at this link.
Come to Marini Farm for the Tree Jubilee fundraiser to benefit The Ipswich Humane Group. Tour the gallery of uniquely decorated trees and wreaths donated by local organizations, families, and businesses then choose the ones you want a chance to win! OVER 100 spectacularly decorated trees and wreaths will be raffled off (decorations and all!) at the end of the Jubilee. You never know what our donors will decorate their trees with! Proceeds benefit the Ipswich Humane Group to support the animals at the Ipswich Animal Shelter.
ECTA is holding its 8th Annual Thanks for the Trails 5k and Kids Fun Run the Saturday after Thanksgiving at Patton Park in Hamilton (November 29, 2025). The Kids' Run will begin at 9:30AM and the 5k will start at 10AM. Using a scenic and challenging course and offering great prizes, this will be an event for all! Super prizes for top finishers, and many other terrific prizes.
Start your turkey day by burning off some calories with a run or walk along the Ipswich River! Every 10th adult finisher receives a large Russell Orchards pie; every child Fun Run finisher receives a 4" Table Talk pie. and you'll have a chance to win a ready-to-bake pie! Racers, runners, walkers or stroller pushers are invited to the Ipswich Town Hall bright and early on Thanksgiving Day for a 2.8 mile riverside run along Turkey Shore Drive and Labor in Vain Road. The 1.2 mile Kids Fun Run run starts at 8am.
This self-guided walking tour is designed to help explain the true history behind the Salem Witch Trials. After more than three centuries of storytelling through countless books, movies, and television shows, the line between historical fact and dramatic fiction has become increasingly blurred....
The Marblehead Chamber of Commerce invites you to Marblehead to enjoy several days of holiday festivities, family events and activities! Come for one or all days with highlights that include Santa's arrival by lobster boat,Festive shopping, Tree Lightings, a holiday parade, Artisan Markets,...
Come see over 100 locally and professionally made gingerbread creations on display at the historic Jeremiah Lee Mansion in Marblehead, MA during this year's Marblehead Christmas Walk. Community members, businesses, and families are building and donating dozens of gingerbread houses, boats and local...
Come to Marini Farm for the Tree Jubilee fundraiser to benefit The Ipswich Humane Group. Tour the gallery of uniquely decorated trees and wreaths donated by local organizations, families, and businesses then choose the ones you want a chance to win! OVER 100 spectacularly decorated trees and...
Visiting Castle Hill at Christmas is a time-honored tradition. Don’t miss this year’s event celebrating the beauty of the natural world. You’ll see birds, flowers, snowflakes, and more as you view 18 spaces decorated for the holidays.
Travel back in time to a castle filled with lush, opulent textures inspired by the great medieval and Renaissance castles of Europe. Wander through rooms adorned with White Birch and Christmas trees, sparkling fairy lights, hydrangea-lace garlands, and elegant bows, each space transformed with its...
It is only a matter of a few short minutes before it is too late to save a life … learning what to do provides you precious minutes and gives someone a chance to survive. The Family & Friends CPR Course teaches the lifesaving skills of child CPR with breaths, child AED use, infant CPR, and m
The Seacoast’s most magical holiday tradition is back! The 13th Annual SeaFestival of Trees opens Saturday, November 22 at the Blue Ocean Event Center in Salisbury, transforming the oceanfront venue into a sparkling winter wonderland of more than 145 themed trees, a giant sand sculpture, Santa’s...
Newburyport is a favorite local town to shop - especially during the holidays. Bring the family to Newburyport to visit Santa in his traditional workshop, share your wish list, and snap a photo with Mr. Claus!
A CraneOutdoors Family Winter Wildlife Walk will take you on a stroll through the Crane Beach dunes while learning about the plants and animals that call this special place home. You may be familiar with Crane Beach, but have you ever visited the dune trails? The dunes of Castle Neck are a much...
Join Scrooge on the Salem Trolley as you ride through Salem Massachusetts in this rolling production performed by the Griffen Theater . Now entering into it's 39th Season, this humorous & whimsical interactive performance reanimates Dickens’ timeless seasonal holiday classic. Experience...
Join in on Sundays at 2:30 for STEAM Club for ages 5-11. Each week participants will explore science, technology, engineering, art, and math with our NSCM staff! Every STEAM club session will see your kids participating in hands-on activities while exploring a new topic. Space is limited, please...
Gloucester's Holiday Parade is a great tradition to kick off the holidays! Come enjoy the parade, Santa, and the tree lighting at Kent Circle! Volunteers will line up parade participants at the State Fish Pier on Parker Street at 2:00 PM and will guide them through downtown Gloucester and on to...
This self-guided walking tour is designed to help explain the true history behind the Salem Witch Trials. After more than three centuries of storytelling through countless books, movies, and television shows, the line between historical fact and dramatic fiction has become increasingly blurred....
Visiting Castle Hill at Christmas is a time-honored tradition. Don’t miss this year’s event celebrating the beauty of the natural world. You’ll see birds, flowers, snowflakes, and more as you view 18 spaces decorated for the holidays.
Travel back in time to a castle filled with lush, opulent textures inspired by the great medieval and Renaissance castles of Europe. Wander through rooms adorned with White Birch and Christmas trees, sparkling fairy lights, hydrangea-lace garlands, and elegant bows, each space transformed with its...
This holiday season, give a gift from the sea! Beach treasures make beautiful holiday ornaments, jewelry, and keepsakes. Join this workshop to take a beach walk to collect coastal treasures and then make some coastal crafts with our educators. Bring your own shells and beach treasures and we will...
Newburyport is a favorite local town to shop - especially during the holidays. Bring the family to Newburyport to visit Santa in his traditional workshop, share your wish list, and snap a photo with Mr. Claus!
Join Scrooge on the Salem Trolley as you ride through Salem Massachusetts in this rolling production performed by the Griffen Theater . Now entering into it's 39th Season, this humorous & whimsical interactive performance reanimates Dickens’ timeless seasonal holiday classic. Experience...
Join us for a low-sensory play session. For some children, visiting places like NSCM can be over-stimulating. This special play session will have reduced noise, crowds, and stimulation.
While medical diagnosis is not required, we encourage that these limited tickets be used for families with a...
The tree is lit up and the stockings are hung and Clara’s Christmas is perfect…except for her Uncle Drosselmeyer sitting up on that clock and the sudden rat infestation…sounds like panto time!Edward Speck and Joshua Shack return to direct another cracking holiday panto, this time seizing on...
Theater in the Open is happy to be back at the Firehouse for our production of A Nutcracker Panto, written by Edward F. Speck and adapted from the classic holiday ballet. Presented in the traditional British panto style, this holiday send-up is a family friendly romp through Clara’s adventure with...
