Essex

Essex Holiday Farmers Market

Stock up for the Holidays at the Essex Farmers Market's Holiday Market!

Visit the Essex Holiday Farmers Market for a great variety of locally grown produce and other foods produced locally and stock up for the holidays! Also at this market you will find Artisan Ice Cream, freshly baked pies and pastries, local pature-raised meats and cheeses, holiday wreaths and greeens, all natural skin care products, honey, prepared foods, handcrafted jewelry and othe great gift ideas!

When: 
Saturday, December 10, 2016 2015 12-4pm

Favorite Things, Hidden Treasures at Cogswell's Grant

Tour Cogswell's Grant Coastal Farm in Essex Massachusetts and see soem of the antique treasures located there!

This Historic New England walking tour explores Cogswell's Grant as a working farm since 1636 to present. Join us for an in-depth tour highlighting the favorite objects of American folk art collectors Bertram and Nina Fletcher Little, including objects hidden in the cupboards, cabinets, and drawers of Cogswell's Grant.

When: 
Monday, October 10, 2016 1-3pm

Lil' Sprouts of Essex Preschool

Lil’ Sprouts of Essex is a creative, developmental preschool designed to meet th

At Lil’ Sprouts of Essex, we are creating a safe environment that promotes a sense of security, trust and acceptance so your children are able to grow socially, emotionally and academically. We celebrate a true love of learning and prepare our young students for success when they enter the primary grades.

Lil’ Sprouts of Essex is a creative, developmental preschool designed to meet the needs of children and families in our surrounding communities.

Learn more at Lil' Sprouts of Essex or join us for one of our community open house events.

When: 
Friday, March 7, 2014 from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Friday, March 14, 2014 from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM

Intro to Geocaching at Cox Reservation

Introduce your kids to geocaching at the Cox Reservation in Essex, Massachusetts with Essex County Greenbelt Association!

Come experience the fun new sport of Geocaching at the Cox Reservation in Essex, Massachusetts! This web-based hide-and-seek game is growing by leaps and bounds across the country!Instructors will share how to use a GPS unit and astute powers of observation to find hidden caches at the Cox Reservation.

When: 
Saturday, June 4th, 2016 1:00-2:30
Location: 

Pumpkin Day at Cogswell's Grant

Pumpkin Day at Cogswell Grant is a wonderful fall afternoon event!

Celebrate the arrival of Fall. Enjoy hay wagon rides through the field in search of the perfect pumpkin, compete in a pumpkin pie-eating contest, do crafts, play games, and try cider pressing! Enjoy hot mulled apple cider and homemade pumpkin pie. The house is open for tours of one of the country's most celebrated collections of American antiques & folk art.

When: 
Saturday, October 17, 2015 11am - 4pm

3rd Annual Paint Essex Event

Artists will descend upon Essex Ma to create a masterpiece to sell at auction, w

Paint Essex: 3rd Annual En Plein Air Painting and Wet Paint Auction sponsored by Essex Merchants Group will bring numerous fine artists to Essex to paint the Great Marsh, Essex River, antiques, historic sites and landscape of Essex. Sculptors are welcome to build or donate sculptures to Sunday's auction and 10 photographers may participate. Several antique shop interiors are available for artists too. Space is limited: one artist per participating shop.

When: 
Plein Air Painting: Saturday, August 16, 2014 8am-7pm
Auction and More: Sunday, August 17, 2013 11am-9pm

CAFM Family Hoedown

Come to a fun square dance and picnic to benefit CAFM!

The Essex County Greenbelt Association hosts a fundraiser dance for the Cape Ann Farmers' Market at Cox Reservation in Essex, Massachusetts! Pack a picnic dinner and bring the entire family to Essex for a night of family fun!  Explore the grounds of the Essex County Greenbelt Association headquarters overlooking the marshes of Essex Bay, then join the fun in the barn for a traditional square dance with a live band and caller!

When: 
Friday, June 6, 2014 6pm
Location: 

Meet "Flight" Sculptor Dale Rogers

Flight by Dale Rogers installed at the Cox Reservation in Essex, Massachsuetts

Join Essex County Greenbelt Association for a Trails & Sails experience at the Cox Reservation in Essex, Massachusetts. Join award-winning sculptor Dale Rogers on an exploration of FLIGHT, a large-scale sculpture exhibited on the breath-taking grounds that overlook the beautiful marshes of Essex! Enjoy the presentation, then stroll the grounds or pack a picnic and stay to enjoy the scenery!

When: 
Sunday, September 29, 2013 1-3pm
Location: 

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Landmark Summer Experience at Landmark School in Beverly Massachusetts

Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

Kids will enjoy this tour of the Halibut Point State Park and Quarry with a focus on its stone-cutting history!
Take a self guided tour at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations!
7:00 am to 6:00 pm

Saugus Iron Works Park Grounds & Estuary Walk

Take a hike along the Saugus River Estuary ande explore the Saugus Iron Works Park grounds in Massachusetts
Learn about the natural world in Saugus while ecploring the park ground ast the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site in Massachusetts.
7:00 am to 7:00 pm

Maudslay in Bloom Self-Guided Walk

 Maudslay in Bloom self guided walk at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport Massachusetts.
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...
7:00 am to 7:00 pm

Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit at Pingree School

Pingree School in Hmailton Massachusetts hosts their annual Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture exhibit each Fall. Sculpture: Phoenix by Robin Tost.
Pingree School hosts the 16th annual Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit on their campus in South Hamilton, Massachusetts .
8:00 am to 6:00 pm

The Lady of Salem: Maritime Art

Learn about the history of Salem Massachusetts through this unique public art installation self-guided tour!
Discover Salem’s Golden Age of Sail as you uncover clues! Celebrate America’s Maritime History! The Ladies of Salem will have you looking up at whimsical and beautifully designed figureheads gracing lampposts downtown. “What is a figurehead ?” you may ask? It’s a large carved wooden decorative...
8:00 am to 10:00 pm

AtlAtl Days in Danvers!

See an ancient weapon demonstration at the Rebecca Nurse Homestead in Danvers Massachusetts as part of Trails and Sails!
Come to Rebecca Nurse Homestead to try your hand at ancient hunting practices! The technique of using an atlatl, or spear throwing stick, is an ancient global technology. Join us, along with the Eugene Winter Chapter of Mass Archaeological Society, as they teach you the finer points about hunting...
9:00 am to 3:00 pm

Open Boarding on the Hannah (AKA the Fame)

Board Schooner Fame at the waterfront in Marblehead Massachusetts as part of trails and sails!
The Hannah, the first of several schooners commissioned by General George Washington, began her career as an armed cruiser in September 1775. To commemorate that important part of Marblehead’s history, the Fame – similar in size and appearance to the Hannah (aka Schooner Fame)– will be docked at...
9:00 am

ECTA Run for the Trails

Annual Run for the Trails Essex County Trail Association ECTA
Sign up for the 20th Annual Run for the Trails! Don't miss out on this great course over some of the North Shore's best trails!
9:00 am

Marblehead Farmers' Market

Find fresh local produce and other foods at the Marblehead Farmer's Market!
The Marblehead Farmer's Market boasts 15+ local farms, and booths with an educational spin nutrition, vendors and farms selling homemade prepared goods and craft vendors that are switched up in a rotation basis week to week. Additionally there are entertainers and exhibits by environmentally...
9:00 am to 12:00 pm

Andover Farmers' Market

Find Fresh Local Produce at the Andover Massachusetts Farmers Market North of Boston
The Andover Farmers Market is a vibrant hub connecting local farmers, artisans and the community through the joy of local food. Whether you come for carrots or conversation, it is a place to nourish the body, mind and spirit.
9:00 am to 1:00 pm

Maritime Adventure Days

Maritime Adventure Free Days at Custom House Maritime Museum Newburyport Massachusetts
Maritime Adventure Free Days offers families and kids a unique opportunity to explore maritime history through interactive activities, guided tours, and hands-on workshops. A day of fun and discovery at the Custom House Maritime Museum for the family.
9:00 am to 1:00 pm

Salem Witch Hunt Walking Tour

Learn about the true reality of the Salem Massachusetts Witch Trials Salem Massachusetts on a self guided walking tour with Essex Heritage
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....
9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Crescent Farm Corn Maze

Crescent Farm corn maze in Haverhill Massachusetts
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...
9:00 am to 9:00 pm

Rockport Farmers' Market

The Rockport Farmers' Market runs every Saturday at Rockport Music in Downtown Rockport!
The Rockport Farmers Market offers a variety of locally-grown produce, hand-crafted products, baked goods, and live music. It provides a community space to support local farmers and artisans.
9:00 am to 1:00 pm

Haverhill Farmers' Market

Haverhill Farmers Market, North Shore Farmers Market, Cape Ann Farmers Marke
The vibrant, colorful Haverhill Farmers Market is where local farmers and food producers meet to sell directly to the community. Established in 1978, the Haverhill Farmers Market mission is to provide access to farm-fresh products and promote local agriculture, as well as serve as a social...
9:00 am to 1:00 pm

Step Inside the Historic Custom House

Take in the views of this prominent building where Nathaniel Hawthorne once worked and the U.S. Custom Service operated. This Custom House was built in 1819 and housed offices for the officers of the U.S. Customs Service, as well as an attached warehouse, the Public Stores, used for the storage of...
9:30 am to 4:30 pm

Plum Island Lighthouse Tour

Be prepared to climb a steep ladder to get a view from this iconic Light House. Photo: Plum Island Light House ©2015 Bill O'Connor
Step inside the historic Plum Island lighthouse! Sign up for a free, 15-minute tour by visiting www.friendsofplumislandlight.org. The Trails & Sails tour date is on Sept 20th by appointment. Tours are dependent on weather and rain dates are not available.
10:00 am to 12:45 pm

Fairy House Festival at Veasey Park

Fairy House Festival at Veasey Park Groveland Massachusetts Trails and Sails 2023
Walk the trails to see the handcrafted houses at this year’s enchanted Fairy House Festival. Cast your People’s Choice Award vote for your favorite Fairy House. Stay awhile for magical fun, arts and crafts, food, raffles, live music, and more. Rain or shine. Anyone is welcome to submit a house.
10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Marini Farm Corn Maze

The 2025 Marini Farm Corn Maze in Ipswich Massachusetts is themed for The Wizard of Oz
Come to Marini Farm for a fun journey through our corn maze! The Maze Park, corn maze, farm stand, bakery and other attractions provide a great destination for kids birthday parties, school trips, corporate team building, scout outings, and family activities. Marini Farm is located in beautiful...
10:00 am to 10:00 pm

Touch Tank Time

You can look at and touch the creatures in Joppa Flats Educations Center touch tank in Newburyport, Massachusetts
Spend some quality time at our touch tank where you can see and hold hermit crabs, moon snails, sea urchins and more!
10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Salisbury Days Car Show

Come to Salisbury Beach Massachusetts for a classic car show that lasts all weekend!
Calling all fancy cars, motorcycles, and those that love them! Salisbury Days is hosting a classic car & motorcycle show at Salisbury Beach, along and around the Broadway Loop. Hope to see you there! No registration required. FREE for spectators and Exhibitors.
10:00 am to 2:00 pm

Long Hill Garden Tours

Tour the Gardens at the Trustees of Reservations Long Hill Gardens in Beverly, Massachusetts!
The Trustees of Reservations invite you to join our expert guides for a tour around Long Hill’s stunning Sedgwick Gardens and learn more about the special plants. Visit Long Hill’s breathtaking gardens and stately historic house for a guided tour. Enjoy the rich history of this grand country estate...
11:00 am to 12:00 pm

Color the Skies with Kites at Salisbury Beach

Kites and Castles at Salisbury Beach is just one event of many for families during Salisbury Days in Massachusetts
Beginners to experts are invited and encouraged to attend. -Parking is FREE at Hunt Memorial Parking Lot on 380 Beach Rd -FREE children's kites (while they last). A Salisbury Days Event.
11:00 am to 1:00 pm

Marbleheaders in the American Revolution

Glovers Regiment in Marblehead Massachusetts is just one stop on this Trails & Sails tour.
Pick up a program book and experience Revolutionary War-era Marblehead at various sites in the Historic District. Meet the wife of war hero, James Mugford; explore Fort Sewall with Glover’s Regiment; meet diarist Ashley Bowen portrayed by Donald Friary and experience an Anglican service at St....
11:00 am to 4:00 pm

Saugus Iron Works House Tours

Free Ranger guided tours of the Saugus Iron Works House in Massachusetts
Join National Park staff at Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site for a 30-minute tour of The Iron Works House.
11:00 am

Family Day at the Industrial History Center!

Open House at the Amesbury Carriage Museum and Industrial History Center Massachusetts - a Trails and Sails Event
Join Amesbury Carriage Museum for a hands-on fun-filled day for the whole family at our Open House! Try out our hand-powered machines – test your skills at drilling or winding a bobbin, just like workers did in the mills!
12:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Historic Port of Ipswich Tour

Ipswich Museum hosts a Trails and Sails Historic Tour of the Town of Ipswich Massachusetts as a port.
Join local history buff, Scott Jewell, on a walk around the town of Ipswich and learn about the fascinating history of its former bustling port. Once a hub of maritime trade and commerce, the fate of the port was intricately tied to the rise and fall of the town’s 18th century economy, and the...
1:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Step Aboard the Friendship of Salem

Permission to come aboard the Friendship of Salem is granted at Derby Wharf in Salem Massachusetts!
Explore the FRIENDSHIP OF SALEM, a replica tall ship based on a 1796 Salem vessel at Salem Maritime National Historic Site.
1:30 pm to 4:30 pm

Low-Sensory Play at North Shore Children's Museum

Low-Sensory Play at NorthShore Children's Museum in Peabody Massachusetts
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...
2:00 pm to 4:00 pm

History Walk at Maudslay State Park

Kids will learn about the history of Maudslay State Park through storytelling by the park interpretor
Join Maudslay State Park interpreter on a tour of the former Moseley Family estate. There are so many stories about the Moseley’s and their beautiful former estate. Join the park interpreter on a guided tour to view the site of the family mansion and their daughter Helen’s house, both areas are...
2:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Saugus Iron Works Tours

Free Ranger guided tours at Saugus Iron Works Colonial Industrial Site in Massachusetts
Join the National Park staff at Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site for a tour of the colonial industrial site. On select days, you may be able to stick around and witness pop-up molten iron pour, blacksmithing, waterwheel demonstrations, and take part in hands-on river stewardship activities.
2:00 pm

A Spiritual Quest Weekend at Hilldale Cemetery

Hilldale Cemetary in Haverhill Massachusetts is one of the North Shore's most active paranormal spots!
Do you believe in Ghosts? If you do then join the Essex County Ghost Project and Witches Wonder fort a spooktacular evening of haunts and fun . The gates open at 6:30 pm and hunt starts at 7pm . We are exploring one of New England’s most Haunted historical sites . There have been reports of full...
7:00 pm to 9:30 pm

Paddle Around Historic Rockport Harbor

Paddle around Rockport Massachusetts Harbor for FREE as part of Trails and Sails
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...
10:30 pm

Trails & Sails

Explore the North Shore with over 150 Free Events in Essex National Heritage Area's Trails & Sails celebration in Massachusetts.
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

Saturday, September 27

Overlooking the Essex River Tour

Tour Cogswell's Grant Coastal Farm in Essex Massachusetts as part of Trails & Sails
On this walking tour, explore the landscape history at Cogswell’s Grant in Essex, Massachusetts, from the presence of indigenous people through the colonial period to the present. Walk through hayfields down to the salt marsh and the Essex River, discover the rich history of the people and families...
11:00 am to 12:30 pm

CoastSweep Cleanup at Salisbury Beach

CoastSweep seashore beach cleanup at Salisbury Beach Massachusetts
As part of COASTSWEEP Beach Cleanup, volunteers are encouraged to come to Salisbury Beach State Reservation to help in the statewide effort to
11:00 am

Saugus Iron Works House Tours

Free Ranger guided tours of the Saugus Iron Works House in Massachusetts
Join National Park staff at Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site for a 30-minute tour of The Iron Works House.
11:00 am

Children’s Business Fair in Wenham

Could a Ten Year Old Invent the next Uber? Find out at the Hamilton Wenham Children’s Business Fair in Massachusetts
Step into a world of imagination, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit, all powered by kids! At this one-day marketplace, young entrepreneurs ages 8-18 years old will showcase their creativity and grit as they launch real businesses they’ve built from the ground up.
11:00 am to 2:00 pm

Climb Up Gloucester City Hall Tower

Take a Free tour of Gloucester Massachusetts City Hall's renovated tower as part of Trails and Sails 2024!
Experience the WOW factor when you climb up Gloucester’s City Hall clock and bell tower and emerge at the bell level. Views, weather permitting, are awesome. Members of Gloucester’s City Hall Restoration Commission will be on hand to inform you of the history of this architecturally significant...
12:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Step Aboard the Friendship of Salem

Permission to come aboard the Friendship of Salem is granted at Derby Wharf in Salem Massachusetts!
Explore the FRIENDSHIP OF SALEM, a replica tall ship based on a 1796 Salem vessel at Salem Maritime National Historic Site.
1:30 pm to 4:30 pm

Saugus Iron Works Tours

Free Ranger guided tours at Saugus Iron Works Colonial Industrial Site in Massachusetts
Join the National Park staff at Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site for a tour of the colonial industrial site. On select days, you may be able to stick around and witness pop-up molten iron pour, blacksmithing, waterwheel demonstrations, and take part in hands-on river stewardship activities.
2:00 pm

Nature’s Myth and Folklore Storytelling Series

Learn about colonial medicine at Pioneer Village in Salem Massachusetts
Come to Pioneer Village for a craft and storytelling event that shares tales of natural folklore and wild wisdom from around the world. These stories inspire an appreciation for different cultures as well as encourage engagement with the natural environment.
3:30 pm to 4:30 pm

A Spiritual Quest Weekend at Hilldale Cemetery

Hilldale Cemetary in Haverhill Massachusetts is one of the North Shore's most active paranormal spots!
Do you believe in Ghosts? If you do then join the Essex County Ghost Project and Witches Wonder fort a spooktacular evening of haunts and fun . The gates open at 6:30 pm and hunt starts at 7pm . We are exploring one of New England’s most Haunted historical sites . There have been reports of full...
7:00 pm to 9:30 pm

Paddle Around Historic Rockport Harbor

Paddle around Rockport Massachusetts Harbor for FREE as part of Trails and Sails
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...
10:30 pm
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