Experience life on and around an authentic Viking ship. Vikings are known for their “raiding and trading” but they were also master crafters in wood, metal and fabric arts. Based around our flagship Polaris, visitors will get to see, feel, and hear the sounds of costume, metal working, and wood working. They will get to experience what it was like aboard a small Viking longship and even try their hand at rowing.
Chill with the coolest guys in town! Enjoy a cool visit to Cape Pond Ice Company, icing Gloucester's fleet since 1848. We were featured in Sebastian Junger's account of The Perfect Storm. Tours highlight the history of the ice industry, with vintage film of natural ice harvests. See first hand 300-pound block ice being made (up to 350 tons per day), fishing vessels taking on ice and ice sculptures being carved in our historic icehouse on Gloucester's working waterfront. Part of Trails & Sails
Join us at the Witch House and Pioneer Village for a look at medicinal curiosities from the 17th century. At the Corwin House (a.k.a. the Witch House) we will share an exhibit featuring some of the more startling remedies our New England settlers trusted such as “snail water” and “skull moss”. The exhibit will be included in admission and free to Trails and Sails attendees each day of the festival.
Join Historic Beverly on a journey through Beverly to visit the homes and businesses of some of Beverly's most famous privateers, including the legendary Hugh Hill! We will also experience some beautiful waterfront views as our guides explain how these sites would have looked and been used. Walking tours offer insight into the hidden history of Beverly and introduce you to its key events and major figures. Rain or shine; in case of severe weather, check with us that day. Part of Trails & Sails!
The Coast Guard Barque EAGLE is making a port call in Salem, MA this August - arriving August 9 and staying through August 11! The ship was built in 1936 in Germany, and commissioned as Horst Wessel, one of three sail training ships operated by the pre-World War II German navy. At the close of World War II, Horst Wessel was taken as a war reparation by the United States, recommissioned as the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Eagle and sailed to New London, Connecticut. Eagle provides an unparalleled at-sea leadership and professional development experience for future officers of the U.S. Coast Guard.
The Essex Street Fair is a two-day event held in downtown Salem and is part of the Slemn Heritage Festivities! Come visit the Essex Street Fair during Salem Heritage Days to see over 40 vendors, listen to some live music, and enjoy historic Salem. Vendor sales include jewelry, handmade crafts, art, food, and much more! The Essex Street Fair will be held along the Essex Street Pedestrian Mall and you can shop on Saturday & Sunday, August 11 & 12, from 10am-6pm. This event brings thousands of visitors, so you do not want to miss out!
Plum Island Airport RC Club's Jet Rally is a 5 day event of RC fun! Come for 5 full days of non stop RC Jet action at the Plum Island Airport. There will be pilots from all over the East Coast and Canada showing off their impressive aircraft and piloting skills.
Meet Revolutionary War soldiers from both sides of the conflict. Members of the Continental Line and His Majesty's 10th Regiment of Foot will enact a battle to see what might have happened if the British had tried to recapture Boston by way of the Massachusetts North Shore. See colonial crafts and trades, mingle with reenactors, tour the camps, watch musket and cannon demonstrations, and take part in kids’ activities and games. Tour the 1690 manor house, the home of two of Newburyport’s Revolutionary War heroes! Sip an Ipswich Ale Brewery cask ale, a local beer brewed in the old style.
Join birding expert and former Crane Beach Ranger, Dave Williams, on a walk through the woodlands and fields of the Crane Estate to talk about birds. If you have never been birding before, Dave will teach you how to use binoculars to watch birds and pick out characteristics that will help you identify what species you see. If you’re a seasoned pro, bring your bird list and keep an eye out for spring migrants! If you’re not into birds (yet), come for a pleasant morning stroll. There’s something for everyone on this walk!
This year at Home Sweet Home we are celebrating the architects and craftspeople who designed and built our historic properties. From grand mansions to humble colonials to mid-century modern masterpieces, the historic houses of the Trustees all have a story to tell. Come experience all the unique history and rich architecture contained within each home at this FREE event.
