Trustees of Reservations

CraneOutdoors: Sunset Hike to Cedar Point

Sunset hike to Cedar Point at the Trustees Crane Estate in Ipswich Massachusetts

The Trustees of Reservations invite you to a sunset hike at the Crane Estate in Ipswich,Massachusetts. There’s no better excuse to explore Cedar Point—the western-most part of the Crane Estate—than a hike at sunset. This two-hour adventure in a lesser-known part of the property has it all…

When: 
Saturday, December 16, 2023 2-4PM

CraneExplorer: Coastal Holiday Crafts

Make holiday gifts with beach treasures from the Crane Wildlife Refuge in Ipswich Massachusetts

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 provide the craft supplies and inspiration!

When: 
Sunday, December 10, 2023 10AM-12:30PM

Appleton Wreath Making Workshop

Come to Appleton Farms in Ipswich Massachusetts to make your own Holiday Wreath!

Decorate your door with a gorgeous holiday wreath created from a variety of evergreen boughs foraged from our historic farm property.  Join us December 9th or 10th in the barn where we will guide you in designing and decorating your wreath with a variety of natural materials such as berries, pine cones, and dried forage. We will provide a 12” wreath frame, wire, evergreens, decorating materials, garden shears and work gloves; you will bring your creativity!

When: 
Saturday, December 9, 2023 10am, Noon or 2pm
Sunday, December 10, 2023 10am, Noon or 2pm
Location: 

Barnyard Story Hour at Appleton Farms

Kids can meet the barnyard animals and hear a story at Appleton Farms in Ipswich Massachusetts.

Barnyard stories really come alive when you get to see the main characters in real life! Bring the kids down to Appleton Farms for our farm-fresh version of story time. Explore the farmstead, visit our learning garden, see our cows and rabbits, and find a spot to play under a shady tree in our stone paddock. Gather around for a farm story with one of our farmers!

When: 
Tuesdays through December 19, 2023 10:30-11:30am
No Session December 12
Location: 

CraneOutdoors: Family Snowy Owl Prowl

Join the Trustees of Reservations at the Crane Wildlife Refuge in Ipswich Massachusetts in search of the Snowy Owl!

Wide-open coastal sites are the location of choice for wintering Snowy Owls; common perches are dunes and salt hay staddles. In winters past, these owls have been frequent visitors to the Crane Wildlife Refuge.

When: 
Saturdays, December 2-30, 2023 10am-Noon
Sundays, December 3-31, 2023 1-3pm
Tuesday-Friday, December 26-29, 2023 10am-Noon

Christmas at Castle Hill

The Trustees' Castle Hill Christmas by the Sea is a weekend of festivities hosted by the Trustees of Reservations at Castle Hill in Ipswich Massachusetts

Visiting Castle Hill at Christmas is a time-honored tradition. Don’t miss this year’s Travels with the Cranes. Each room in our 1920s mansion is decorated for the holidays drawing inspiration from Crane travels around the world, including Paris, Japan, Egypt, and New York.

When: 
Fridays through December 22, 2023 2023 4-8pm
Saturdays through December 23, 2023 10am-4pm
Sundays, December 3, 10 & 17, 2023 10am-4pm
Tuesday-Saturday, December 26-30, 2023 10am-4pm

Full Moon & Folklore Walk at Appleton Farms

Hike at the Trustees Appleton Farms with your family under the Full Moon in Ipswich Massachusetts!

Join us at as darkness settles on the farm to immerse yourself in a nighttime adventure, guided only by the glow of the full moon. We will start the evening at the farmhouse where we will learn about the mysteries that the full moon holds, and read folk lore from around the world that celebrates her presence. We will then venture out into the night to walk in her soft glow and listen for the sounds of nighttime on the farm. The evening will end with hot chocolate and a newfound appreciate for the magic that the night sky holds.

When: 
Thursday, December 28, 2023 6-7:30pm
Friday, January 26, 2024 5:30-7pm
Location: 

Holidays on the Hill

The Trustees host a celebration of Winter and the Holiday Season at Long Hill Sedgewick Gardens in Beverly Massachusetts

The Trustees of Reservations invite you to tour* the gardens at Long Hill Gardens in Beverly, Massachusetts to celebrate the Holidays! The first three weekends of December, join us for our annual Holidays on the Hill event! This festive celebration with music and cheer is sure to get the whole family in the holiday spirit.

When: 
Weekends, December 2-17, 2023 11am-3pm

CraneOutdoors: Castle Neck Hike in the Dunes

Hiking the Dunes at the Crane Wildlife refuge with the Trustees of Reservations.

While just about everybody on the North Shore has probably been to Crane Beach, the dunes of Castle Neck are a much less explored world unto themselves. Offering one of the most accessible dune ecosystems north of Cape Cod, Castle Neck has over six miles of trails, traversing the dunes, maritime scrub forest, and beautiful beaches on both the Ipswich Bay and Essex/Castle Neck River estuary sides of the peninsula. These trails take you through Pitch Pine forests, up huge dunes offering stunning views of Choate Island, and by the varied landscapes of Castle Neck, including naturally occurring cranberry bogs.

When: 
Sundays, October 15-November 19, 2023 1-3:30pm

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Harborlight Montessori School - Infant to Grade 8 - Beverly MA

Fiddleheads | Preschool Drop-Off Series

The Fiddlehead program at Appleton Farms encourages kids 3-5 to explore their environment in Ipswich Massachusetts
Fall is here and harvest is in full swing! It’s a great time for your preschooler to learn what our fields, barnyard, and forest have to offer. Join us on Wednesday mornings from 9:30-12:30 for a preschool drop-off series on farm animals, life cycles, plant parts, and farm fun!
9:30 am to 12:30 pm

Nature Playgroup at Appleton Farms

Come to Appleton Farms in Ipswich Massachusetts for a nature playgroup for toddlers
To encourage outdoor play and familiarity with the natural world, a nature-based toddler play group will be held at Appleton Farms every Wednesday. Come to one or all of the sessions, explore the fields and forest, and imagine hidden worlds beneath our feet and above our heads.
10:00 am to 11:00 am

MPL: Mother Goose Storytime

Manchester Public Library Storytime with Miss Audrey Manchester by the Sea Massachusetts
Join Miss Audrey for Storytime for children ages 0-5 and their caregivers! We'll share books, songs, and games. Registration is required each week as space is limited.
10:30 am

Trustees Winterlights at Stevens Coolidge Place

The Trustees of Reservations Winterlights at the Stevents-Coolidge Place North Andover North Andover.
Winterlights is back! Join the Trustees for a magical outdoor experience at Stevens-Coolidge House & Gardens, and see the gardens aglow with your favorite light installations as well as marveling at new components. Bring the whole family for a fun and safe outdoor experience. Winterlights runs...
4:30 pm to 8:00 pm

Cow Connection at Appleton Farms

Join The Trustees of Reservations at Appleton Farms for Cow Connection in Ipswich Massachusetts
Come and meet, cuddle, brush, scratch, talk, and sit with our hand-raised cows at Appleton Farms! The mild heart rate and warm body temperature of the cows induces a slowing of our own heart rate, as well as the release of Oxytocin, our social bonding hormone. Visit our scenic and historic dairy...
4:30 pm to 5:30 pm

Wreath Making Workshop

Annual Wreath Making Workshop at the Essex Historical Society and Shipbuilding Museum
Join us at the Essex Historical Society & Shipbuilding Museum as Susie Talbot guides the group through decorating a 20" wreath. Susie is an extraordinarily talented individual who not only designed, but takes care of our front gardens. Amongst her many talents is decorating Holiday greens.
5:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Stargazing at Mendel Observatory

Mendel Observatory, with the support of volunteers from the North Shore Amateur Astronomy Club, hosts public stargazing every Wednesday night
The Observatory, with the support of volunteers from the North Shore Amateur Astronomy Club, hosts public stargazing every Wednesday night (weather permitting) starting at dusk or 7:30 pm, whichever is later.  When special astronomical events of interest occur (total lunar eclipses, etc.) the Obs
7:00 pm

Thursday, November 30

Marblehead Christmas Walk

The Marblehead Christmas Walk is several days of local Holiday events in Marblehead Massachusetts
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,...
9:00 am to 9:00 pm

Science Thursday at Essex Library

CFCE's Science Thursdays at the TOHP Library in Essex Massachusetts!
Please join Ms. Christine for some STEAM fun! Children ages 2-6yo and their adult will listen to stories, then explore science, technology, engineering, art, and math!
9:00 am to 10:00 am

Sea Festival of Trees in Salisbury

Experience the joy and excitement of Salisbury’s most popular holiday tradition with glittering trees, indoor ice skating, Santa visits and more,
Now entering its 11th year, SeaFestival of Trees is a popular seasonal event that attracts 25,000+ people annually. This annual holiday fundraiser presents a magnificent display of Christmas trees donated and decorated by regional businesses, individuals, student groups, families and organizations...
11:00 am to 8:00 pm

Take a Trolley Ride with Scrooge!

Salem Trolley Christmas Carol, Fun Holiday Events north of Boston, Trolley Ride with Scrooge
Join Scrooge on the Salem Trolley as you ride through Salem Massachusetts in this rolling production performed by the Griffen Theater . Now entering into its 34th Season, this humorous & whimsical interactive performance reanimates Dickens’ timeless seasonal holiday classic. Experience Charles...
3:15 pm to 9:30 pm

Reading to a Therapy Dog at NTL

Kids can sign up to read to a therapy dog at the Newbury Town Library in Massachusetts
Children can register to come and read to a certified therapy dog. This program encourages reading confidence and is a fun way for kids to practice literacy. Sessions last for 15-minutes, and we ask that you please arrive for the time slot that you register for.
3:30 pm to 4:30 pm

Trustees Winterlights at Stevens Coolidge Place

The Trustees of Reservations Winterlights at the Stevents-Coolidge Place North Andover North Andover.
Winterlights is back! Join the Trustees for a magical outdoor experience at Stevens-Coolidge House & Gardens, and see the gardens aglow with your favorite light installations as well as marveling at new components. Bring the whole family for a fun and safe outdoor experience. Winterlights runs...
4:30 pm to 8:00 pm

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 Jess Porter will demonstrate mixing, folding, shaping, proofing, scoring and baking Appleton’s flagship Farmstead Sourdough. We will discuss sourdough starter maintenance as...
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Friday, December 1

Marblehead Christmas Walk

The Marblehead Christmas Walk is several days of local Holiday events in Marblehead Massachusetts
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,...
9:00 am to 9:00 pm

Christmas at Castle Hill

The Trustees' Castle Hill Christmas by the Sea is a weekend of festivities hosted by the Trustees of Reservations at Castle Hill in Ipswich Massachusetts
Visiting Castle Hill at Christmas is a time-honored tradition. Don’t miss this year’s Travels with the Cranes. Each room in our 1920s mansion is decorated for the holidays drawing inspiration from Crane travels around the world, including Paris, Japan, Egypt, and New York.
10:00 am to 8:00 pm

2023 Marblehead Gingerbread Festival

The Marblehead Gingerbread Festival is part of the Marblehead Chamber of Commerce's Christmas Walk, and the proceeds will go to benefit the Marblehead Family Fund and the Marblehead Historical Society.
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...
10:00 am to 6:00 pm
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