All Ages

Intro to Sourdough Bread Workshop at Appleton Farms

Learn the ins and outs of sourdough bread at Appleton Farms in in Ipswich Massachusetts!

In this workshop, participants will learn to make bakery-quality bread with local flour in their home oven. Culinary Program Manager Jess Porter will demonstrate mixing, folding, shaping, proofing, scoring, and baking Appleton’s flagship Farmstead Sourdough. We will discuss sourdough starter maintenance as well, as each new baker will be taking home some of Appleton’s own sourdough starter. Participants will be involved in hands-on experience mixing and shaping their own loaves, with the option of taking them home to bake! Class ends with fresh bread and a seasonal accompaniment to enjoy.

When:

Friday, January 17, 2025 6-8pm

Location:

Trustees of Reservations

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Maple Sugaring at Breakheart Reservation

Come to Breakheart Reservation Saugus Massachusetts to learn about maple sugaring.

Come to Breakheart Reservation for this FUN annual event! Experience the process of maple sugarin’ from tapping a tree to sampling real maple syrup. Our hands-on tour includes the history of maple sugaring from Native Americans to today, tree identification & tapping, wood splitting, the evaporator, and a tasting station!

When:

Saturday, March 8, 2025 10am-2pm

Location:

Breakheart Reservation

Saugus

Tour

Maple Sugaring

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Full STEAM Ahead

Experiment, imagine and explore at this STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) program that will spark interest, build curiosity and engage creativity. Designed for children ages 6-10 years. No registration needed. Sign in upon arrival. Arrive early to guarantee a spot.

When:

Tuesdays, January 14 & 28, 2025 4:30-5:15pm

Location:

Hamilton-Wenham Public Library

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A Winter Solstice Celebration at Harold Parker

Come celebrate the longest night - Winter Solstice - at Harold Parker State Forest

What causes the winter solstice, and what does it mean for us? Come to Harold Parker State Forest and discover this most important day of the year to ancient peoples and also to ourselves. Join us for a cup of hot chocolate! We will celebrate the solstice at sunset at exactly 4:14 pm and usher out the shortest day of the year. Dress warmly and wear hiking footwear, bring water with you. We will be taking a short hike prior to the solstice sunset ritual.

When:

Saturday, December 21, 2024 3-5pm

Location:

Harold Parker State Forest

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Santa's Christmas Day Visit in Rockport

Santa comes to Rockport Ma on Christmas Day as part of a 100 year old tradition

Rockport's oldest Christmas tradition began back in the 1890's, when Rockport grocer Tim Sheehan invited the town's children to visit with Santa at his store. More than a century later, this event is still carried on by the Christmas Tree Committee.

When:

Wednesday, December 25, 2024 10:30AM

Tuesday, December 24, 2024 4-6 PM

Location:

Christmas in Rockport

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A Christmas Carol Panto

Theater in the Open celebrates the holidays with their interpretation of Dickens' Christmas Carol at the Firehouse Center for the Arts in Newburyport!

Bah, humbug! Theater in the Open celebrates the holiday season with this Dickens classic, presented in true TITO style. So be prepared for anything to happen!

When:

Fridays, December 13 & 20, 2024 7-9pm

Saturdays, December 14 & 21, 2024 3-5pm or 7-9pm

Sunday, December 15 & 22, 2024 3pm

Location:

Firehouse Center for the Arts

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NMYO: An Afternoon of Winter Concerts

Northeast Massachusetts Youth Orchestras Winter Concerts in Ipswich

Northeast Massachusetts Youth Orchestras presents An Afternoon of Winter Concerts at the Dolan Performing Arts Center at Ipswich High School in Ipswich, MA. The 2 pm concert features the NMYO Prelude and Overture String Ensembles and Intermezzo Orchestra. The 4:00 pm concert features NMYO’s advanced ensembles: the Select Flute Choir, Wind Ensemble, and Symphony Orchestra.

When:

Sunday, December 15, 2024 2pm & 4pm

Location:

Dolan Performing Arts Center

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Back Bay Ringers at Shalin Liu

Ring in the Holidays at the Shalin Liu Center in Rockport Massachusetts with the Back Bay Ringers!

Get in the holiday spirit with the Boston-based Back Bay Ringers! Under the direction of Griff Gall, BBR has quickly developed a reputation for excellence, regularly performing at Boston-area landmarks such as Faneuil Hall, Symphony Hall, the Boston Children’s Museum and the Prudential Center.

When:

Sunday, December 15, 2024 2 & 5pm

Location:

Shalin Liu Performance Center

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Deck the Docks at Maritime Gloucester

Deck the Docks at on the Gloucester Massachusetts Waterfront and join the holiday cheer!

Come to Maritime Gloucester for fun holiday happenings on the waterfront in Gloucester Massachusetts! Find unique maritime themed gifts and stick around for kids events including kids holiday crafts with Cape Ann Art Haven, free hot cocoa, story time in the classroom, Musical Performance by The Gloucester Student Band, Santa's arrival by schooner and more during Gloucester's Middle Street Walk 2024.

When:

Saturday, December 14, 2024 10am-7pm

Location:

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Middle Street Walk 2024

The lighting of the Lobster Trap Tree is part of Middle Street Walk's finale in Gloucester Massachusetts.

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 be available for download on December 1, 2024 at this link.

When:

Saturday, December 14, 2024 9am - 5pm

Location:

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Maudslay in Bloom Self-Guided Walk

Maudslay State Park in Newburyport, Massachusetts, offers a delightful self-guided walk that is perfect for families with children. The park's 480-acre expanse, once the Moseley Estate, is rich with historical charm and natural beauty. Families can embark on a self-guided tour through lush...

Where: Maudslay State Park

7:00 am to 7:00 pm

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Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

Take a self guided tour at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations!

Where: Halibut Point State Park

7:00 am to 6:00 pm

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Saugus Iron Works Park Grounds & Estuary Walk

Learn about the natural world in Saugus while ecploring the park ground ast the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site in Massachusetts.

Where: Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site

7:00 am to 7:00 pm

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Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit at Pingree School

Pingree School hosts the 16th annual Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit on their campus in South Hamilton, Massachusetts .

Where: Pingree School

8:00 am to 6:00 pm

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Salem Witch Hunt Walking Tour

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....

Where: Downtown Salem

9:00 am to 5:00 pm

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Crescent Farm Corn Maze

Imagine the biggest puzzle you’ve ever seen. Now imagine a day in the sunshine with your friends or family. Now add an adventure that takes teamwork and memory skills. All these things and more can be found at Crescent Farms Corn Maze. Crescent Farm Corn Maze trails cut into 9 acres of corn. Inside...

Where: Crescent Farm

9:00 am to 9:00 pm

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Sing & Dance with the Music Man

Come join the fun at Community House Of Hamilton & Wenham Monday, Thursday and Saturday mornings at 10am for 30 - 45 minutes of great music with Brian Doser! Sing and dance with the Music Man during a family concert, featuring familiar and original tunes, performed by local dad and musician,...

Where: Community House Of Hamilton & Wenham

10:00 am to 10:45 am

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Beverly Farmers' Market

The Beverly Farmers’ Market supports local agriculture while making healthy food available to all members of the Beverly community at affordable prices; the market promotes sustainable living practices and fosters community connections through our vendors, free activities and events. The market...

Where: Odell Park

3:00 pm to 7:00 pm

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Sunday, September 14

Sunday STEAM Club at North Shore Children's Museum

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...

Where: North Shore Children's Museum

2:30 pm to 4:00 pm

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Paddle Around Historic Rockport Harbor

Come join North Shore Adventures and Outdoor Center for some fun on the water! No experience necessary. Depart from our private beach in one of our safe, stable kayaks or paddle boards and paddle around the historic Rockport Harbor for 30 mins. See lobster boats, Motif #1, the Rockport Break water...

Where: Downtown Rockport

10:30 pm

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Monday, September 15

Trails & Sails

Essex National Heritage Area sites will offer over 150 free family fun events from September 14-29, 2024 for the annual celebration of TRAILS & SAILS. Discover special places in your backyard and be guided through unique landscapes on land and sea, explore historic properties, and take in...

7:00 am to 10:00 pm

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