Gloucester Horribles Parade and Fireworks

Gloucester Massachusetts hosts an annual Horribles Parade to celebrate Independence Day every year on July 3rd.

Gloucester hosts their annual Horribles Parade followed by a concert and fireworks over Gloucester Harbor! The parade will follow its traditional route out Centennial Avenue, left on Western Avenue to Washington Street at Tally’s Corner, right down Washington and left onto Rogers Street, left on Manuel F. Lewis Street, then a left up Main Street and a right up Pleasant Street to Prospect Street, the left on Prospect, right on Railroad Avenue and a right onto Washington Street, finishing with a left onto Centennial Avenue back to Gloucester High School.

  • 4pm - Parade organizes and lines up at Gloucester High School
  • 5:30 - Runaround Sound performance on Stacy Boulevard
  • 6:00 - Horribles Parade passes along Stacey Boulevard into and around Downtown Gloucester.
  • 9:30 - Fireworks on Gloucester Harbor

The parade winds through downtown, starting at Gloucester High School, then down Stacy Boulevard by the Man at the Wheel, down Rogers Street, Pleasant, Railroad, Washington, and then Centennial to loop back to the High School. This parade can often last two hours, so be sure to account for heavy traffic downtown that evening.

When: 
Thursday, July 3, 2025 6pm-11pm
Prices: 
Free
Shore School in Beverly Massachusetts offers a host of Summer programs for kids aged 5-12

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

Owl Prowl Hike at Appleton Farms

Learn all about owls at Appleton Farms in Ipswich Massachusetts for kids older than 12
Join us for a very special evening hike to see the owls who might be out and about in the dark winter woods and fields of Appleton Farms. This hike will take place along the trails of Appleton, known to have multiple species of owls. Before our hike, you’ll learn about wintertime nocturnal animals...
4:15 pm to 5:45 pm

Friday, January 23

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

Winter Family Field Trip: Terrific Animal Tracking

Families will learn about identifying animal tracks at Joppa Flats Education Center in Newburyport Massachusetts!
Mammals such as squirrels, rabbits and deer leave many signs that they are active in winter. Learn how to interpret the tracks and signs or clues of active animals in winter. Stay active and warm with a group challenge about hibernation. Conduct an experiment about snow insulation.
10:00 am to 12:00 pm

Kidleidoscope at Breakheart Reservation

Kidleidoscope is a program designed for preschoolers at Breakheart Reservation in Saugus Massachusetts
Come join our park interpreter for a story time and nature walk! Complete a small craft and explore the woods! Walks are gently paced and approximately 1 mile, though not accessible for strollers. Appropriate for families with children 3-5 years old. Meet at the Visitor Center.
10:30 am to 11:30 am

Unraveling Winters Wild Tales - Animal Tracking for Families

Kids will learn about tracks and signs and how they can tell a story at Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary in Topsfield Massachusetts!
Welcome to the wild world of animal tracking! Participants will learn how to identify animal tracks by focusing on key details such as number of toes, toenail impressions, and overall size of the print.
3:00 pm to 4:30 pm

Saturday, January 24

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

Nice n' Easy Hike at Breakheart Reservation

Nice and Easy winter hike at Breakheart Reservation in Saugus Massachusetts
Join the Park Interpreter for this weekly guided hike! Each trip will highlight natural and historic features unique to Breakheart. Hikes are moderately paced and range from 2-3 miles over sometimes uneven and rocky terrain. Best for ages 8 years and up. Meet at the Visitor Center.
9:30 am to 11:30 am

CraneOutdoors: The Castle Hill Hike

CraneOutdoors: The Castle Hill Hike at the Crane Estate in Ipswich Massachusetts
Come explore the lesser-visited corners of Castle Hill and its surroundings with us this season. This hike is a CraneOutdoors guide favorite because it’s got a little bit of all the things that make the Crane Estate such a special place…
10:00 am to 12:00 pm

Gloucester's So Salty 2026

Celebrate Gloucester Massachusetts recognizably salty character with local cultural institutions in the heart of downtown.
Celebrate the fish city’s recognizably salty character with local cultural institutions and businesses during the 5th Annual Gloucester’s So Salty festival sponsored by the Cape Ann Museum in partnership with Discover Gloucester! This annual event brings over 2,000 people to the downtown area each...
10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Native Seed Sowing at Long Hill

Seed Sowing Workshop at The Trustess of Reservations' Long Hill Gardens in Beverly Massachusetts
Join Cole Campbell, production horticulturist at Native Plant Trust, for this native seed-sowing workshop at Long Hill Public Garden in Beverly, MA. Learn about our native plant seeds, and then get your hands in the soil to sow some seeds that you can take home with you.
11:00 am to 12:30 pm

Sunday, January 25

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