Thursday Night Picnic Concerts at Castle Hill

Pack a picnic and bring your dancing shoes to Castle Hill on the Crane Estate in Ipswich for a diverse series of concerts that are sure to entertain!  Enjoy the long, lazy days of summer at Castle Hill's Picnic Concerts. Each week offers an exciting family-friendly and danceable band. Bring a picnic blanket or lawn chair and set up on the lawn. While here, explore the gardens, walk the 1/2-mile-long Grand Allee, try a landscape-themed eye spy, picnic, and dance on the grass. 

Bring a picnic supper or purchase supper onsite from vendor Beefie Boys and dessert from Down River Ice Cream or Q's Nuts. Mill River Winery, True North Ales, and 1634 Meadery will sell beverages each week. Outside alcoholic beverages are not permitted and parcels will be searched upon entry.  

Picnic blankets, lawn chairs, and low tables are permitted. Please no tents, lawn umbrellas, grills, candles, or pets.

Concerts start at 6:30PM and end at 8:30PM. Gates open at 5PM for picnicking.

2023 Concert Schedule:

• June 29: The Far Out | Feel Good Pop Funk
• July 6: Entrain | Rock Funk Jam Band
• July 13: Studio Two | Beatles Tribute
• July 20: Psychedelic Relics | Music from the Summer of Love
• July 27:  Soul City | Soul Motown and Funk
• August 3:Beantown Swing | Big Band Swing
• August 10: Soul Rebel Project
• August 17: The Great Escape | Journey Tribute Band
• August 24: Big Ol' Dirty Bucket | Beantown Funk
• August 31: Orville Giddings Band | Boogie Blues

Rain Dates

A weather cancellation, if necessary, will be made by 3 pm on concert day. Ticket holders will be notified by email and offered a refund.

Vendors

Don’t have time to pack a picnic? Purchase supper from one of our onsite vendors:

• Beefie Boys
• Downriver Ice Cream: Homemade Ice Cream
• Q's Nuts
• Mill River Winery
• True North Ales
• 1634 Meadery 

Cost:

• Members: $30/car.
• Nonmembers: $40/car.
• Tickets available at the gate only or online
• Gates open at 5PM for picnicking.

Tickets are per car. Advance tickets are strongly recommended. Tickets may not be available at the gate. Weather cancellations, if necessary, are made by 3 pm concert day. Ticket holders will be notified by email and offered a refund. Check the Crane Estate Facebook page for weather updates. 

Alcohol Policy

BYOB is prohibited and parcels will be searched. Beer, wine, mead, and/or hard cider will be available for purchase. Participating vendors this season include Ipswich Ale Brewery, True North Ales, Mill River Winery, & 1634 Meadery.

More Info

• Please carry out what you carry in, including trash!
• Hanidcapped seating available on the picnic lawn
• Bring your own picnic blankets, low tables, chairs and picnic suppers
• Tents are not permitted
• No smoking in the concert area.
• No grills, open flames or candles
• Please leave your pet home.

Limited Seating

In response to the overwhelming popularity of the Summer Picnic Concert Series, The Trustees will once again limit the number of concert attendees to 2,000 people. Concert attendees are encouraged to arrive early to ensure admission. Until concert capacity is reached, parents may drop off middle school and high school students at the designated “walk-in” gate. A gate attendant will be equipped to admit walk-ins and collect the $10 admission fee. At the conclusion of the concert, parents should enter through this same gate and park at the barn complex to await their children.

More Information can be found on the Trustees page using the link below.