Rockport

Winter Lights on Cape Ann

Celebrate the season with holiday light displays in Gloucester, Essex, Ipswich, Manchester-by-the-Sea, and Rockport.

The Annual Winter Lights on Cape Ann is a festive event celebrating the holiday season, running from late November through New Year's Day. Over 100 local businesses in Gloucester, Essex, Ipswich, Manchester-by-the-Sea, and Rockport are participating by decorating their storefronts with lights and creative displays. A decorating contest is back by popular demand, allowing visitors to vote for their favorite decorated business in each of the five communities.

When: 
Daily through New Years Day 2024
Essex
Gloucester
Ipswich
Manchester
Rockport
Lights
Holiday Decorations
Holiday Lights
Holidays
Holiday
Shopping

North Shore Christian Men's Choir

The North Shore Christian Men's Choir will perform FREE in Rockport Massachusetts

The North Shore Christian Men’s Choir and the Rockport Baptist Church invite you to join them for their annual pre-Pageant Christmas concert in the church sanctuary. All are welcome to come celebrate the Christmas season with them, and enjoy an afternoon with good friends and great music.

When: 
Saturday, December 16, 2023 2:30-3:30pm
Location: 
First Baptist Church of Rockport
Rockport
Performance
Christmas
Chorus
Live Music
Chrsitmas in Rockport

Stargazing at Halibut Point

The GAAC invites you to discover the the world of Astromony at the Halibut Point

Come join the fun at Halibut Point State Park when the Gloucester Area Astronomy Club brings their powerful telescopes to view stars, galaxies, and planets! No telescope necessary, but feel free to bring your own if you have one. Don’t forget a flashlight and insect repellent. Rain or Clouds Cancels Program.

When: 
Saturday, August 12, 2023 9-11pm
Location: 
Halibut Point State Park
Rockport
Stargazing
Astronomy
Outdoor Activity

Plein Air Painting for Kids at Halibut Point

Kid ages 7-15 are invited to Halibut Point State Park in Rockport Massachusetts for a a Plein Air painting session!

Plein air painting is experiencing painting and drawing in the landscape. The practice goes back for centuries but was truly developed as an art form by the French Impressionists. Their desire to paint light and its changing, ephemeral qualities, coupled with the creation of transportable paint tubes and the box easel—the precursor to the plein air easels of today—allowed artists the freedom to paint “en plein air,” which is the French expression for “in the open air.” Space is limited to 15.  Rain cancels.  Co-Sponsored by Friends of Halibut Point State Park.

When: 
Thursday, July 13, 2023 10am-Noon
Location: 
Halibut Point State Park
Rockport
Exploration
Art
Instruction
Lesson
Park
Outdoor Activity

Family Concert | Think Outside the Drum

Third Coast Percussion will perform a free family concert at the Shalin Liu Center in Rockport Massachusetts

"Think Outside the Drum" is a fun, interactive, educational presentation for all ages that introduces 3 of the building blocks of music—rhythm, melody, and timbre. In just under an hour, the Grammy Award-winning musicians in Third Coast Percussion perform music from their repertoire while teaching kids to clap a rhythm from a piece by composer Steve Reich, sing a melody along with a marimba duo by composer Ivan Treviño, and understand the concept of timbre via a fun, interactive game.  Free, reservations are encouraged.

When: 
Thursday, July 6, 2023 11am
Location: 
Shalin Liu Performance Center
Rockport
Concert
Live Performance
Drums
Percussion
Music
Live Music

Sketching to See at Halibut Point

A Free lesson on Sketching by Artist Jess Yurwitz of Slow River Studio at Halibut Point State PArk in Rockport, Massachusetts.

Capture the beauty of Halibut Point State Park on paper! Join Jess Yurwitz from Slow River Studio for a beginner sketching lesson in the Park. No artistic experience necessary. Learn easy techniques to help you “see” the park in new ways by sketching. Supplies are included and this lesson is free! for Kids 8 and up.

When: 
Saturday, June 24, 2023 1-3pm
Location: 
Halibut Point State Park
Rockport
Exploration
Art
Instruction
Lesson
Park
Outdoor Activity

WellFest: A Greater Cape Ann Community Wellness Fair

WellFest: A Greater Cape Ann Community Wellness Fair at Harvey Park in Rockport!

Join the Greater Cape Ann Chamber's Health & Wellness Committee for the 2nd Annual WellFest at Harbey Park in Rockport Massachusetts! A Greater Cape Ann Community Wellness Fair. This event will showcase the Cape Ann region's broad range of health and wellness services. From yoga and massage to general health screenings and resources, this event will provide something for people of all ages!

When: 
Saturday, May 20, 2023 11am-2pm
Location: 
Harvey Park - Rockport
Rockport
Food
Expo
Health
Cape Ann

Story Walk at Halibut Point

Kids will enjoy this tour of the Halibut Point State Park and Quarry with a focus on its stone-cutting history!

Enjoy a story, fresh air and exercise at Halibut Point State Park ! Join us on the grounds of the for a self-guided StoryWalk® featuring the children’s picture book The Nest Robin Built, by Denise Fleming. Follow the path to book pages posted along the route. A wonderful story awaits! For pre-K-age 7 with adult.

When: 
Saturday, April 15, 2023 Dawn to Dusk
Sunday, April 23, 2023 Dawn to Dusk
Location: 
Halibut Point State Park
Rockport
Tour
History
Hike
Walk

Boston Children's Chorus at Shalin Liu

Boston Children's Chorus will perform live at the Shalin Liu Center for the Performing Arts in Rockport Massachusetts

For two decades, Boston Children’s Chorus has represented our city—reflecting and celebrating its diversity and raising voices for social change. In the 200th anniversary of Boston’s incorporation as a city, BCC singers celebrate our city’s history of civil rights activism and draw attention to the work still ahead of us. While exploring an inequitable past and the generational impact of these injustices on the Boston we live in today, BCC singers celebrate our 20th anniversary by recommitting to our core mission—inspiring inquiry, cultivating empathy, and becoming the future generation of Boston leaders.

When: 
Saturday, April 8, 2023 3pm
Location: 
Shalin Liu Performance Center
Rockport
Live Performance
Music
Chorus
Singing

Pages

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!
Where: Halibut Point State Park
7:00 am to 6:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Bruins Pajama Drive
Drop off new pajama donations at libraries across the North Shore as part of the Boston Bruins PJ Drive.
From February 1 through March 15, Cradles to Crayons®, the Boston Bruins, Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, and Wonderfund are coming together with organizations in your community to collect new pajamas for local children living in low-income and homeless situations. Together, we are...
7:00 am to 9:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Quarry Quest Treasure Hunt
Kids will enjoy this treasure hunt at the Halibut Point State Park and Quarry in Rockport Massachusetts
Enjoy an outdoor treasure hunt at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations during February Vacation! Halibut Point State Park invites kids and families to follow clues then unscramble to find a treasure box!
Where: Halibut Point State Park
7:00 am to 6:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Hike & Seek: Magic in the Winter Forest
Kids will learn about the winter survival skills of animals at the Stevens Coolidge Place in North Andover Massachusetts!
Have you ever wondered what happens in nature during the winter months? Do you have questions like, “where do certain animals go” or “why does it snow”? Join us this February school vacation for this self-guided winter themed family-friendly bundle for use along the Stevens-to-Stevens trail in...
Where: Stevens-Coolidge House & Gardens
9:00 am to 5:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Kidleidoscope at Breakheart Reservation
Kidleidoscope is a program designed for preschoolers at Bradley Palmer State Park
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.
Where: Breakheart Reservation
10:30 am to 11:30 am
♦ Read More →

Music Together - Friday
Marblehead, Beverly Farms, Hamilton, Salem, Peabody Music Together
Music Together® is a research-based music & movement program for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and the grown-ups who love them. Music Together® classes make it easy for parents/primary caregivers to play a crucial role in activating their child's music development. Classes are 45 minutes...
Where: Community House Of Hamilton & Wenham
10:30 am to 11:15 am
♦ Read More →

Saturday, March 1

Hike & Seek: Magic in the Winter Forest
Kids will learn about the winter survival skills of animals at the Stevens Coolidge Place in North Andover Massachusetts!
Have you ever wondered what happens in nature during the winter months? Do you have questions like, “where do certain animals go” or “why does it snow”? Join us this February school vacation for this self-guided winter themed family-friendly bundle for use along the Stevens-to-Stevens trail in...
Where: Stevens-Coolidge House & Gardens
9:00 am to 5:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Music Together - Saturday
Marblehead, Beverly Farms, Hamilton, Salem, Peabody Music Together
Music Together® is a research-based music & movement program for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and the grown-ups who love them. Music Together® classes make it easy for parents/primary caregivers to play a crucial role in activating their child's music development. Classes are 45 minutes...
Where: Grace Episcopal Church in Salem
9:15 am to 11:15 am
♦ Read More →

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.
Where: Breakheart Reservation
9:30 am to 11:30 am
♦ Read More →

Maple Sugaring Saturday at IRWS
Sugaring Off tours are a fun and tasty way to learn about maple sugaring at IRWS
Experience the age-old tradition of maple sugaring at Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary! The warm days of late winter awaken the flow of sap in the maples resulting in sweet-smelling, billowing clouds of steam rising from the sugarhouse. On a naturalist-guided walk, learn how to identify a sugar...
Where: Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary
10:30 am to 3:30 pm
♦ Read More →

Children's Maple in the Barnyard at Appleton Farms
Visit Appleton Farms' sugaring operation and learn about making maple sugar syrup!
Maple Season is here! This special program for ages 3-11 & their families will focus on the magic of maple from start to finish. We will discover this tradition by observing trees, tasting sap, learning the tools involved, and finally, tasting the sweet product. We will make sure to have time...
Where: Appleton Farms
10:45 am to 3:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Guided Tour | When Granite Was King!
Find out the story behind the history of granite quarrying at Halibut Point State Park in Rockport, Massachusetts!
Halibut Point State Park is also a granite quarry with a history that goes back billions of years! Over one hundred years ago, the Rockport Granite Company quarried granite stone here.
Where: Halibut Point State Park
11:00 am to 12:30 pm
♦ Read More →

STEM Club at MPL
Stem Club for kids in grades 3-6 at the public library in Manchester Public Library
Have some fun and learn a little science too at STEM Club! This group meets every third Thursday from 4-5 and is for grades 4-6. 
Where: Manchester Public Library
4:00 pm to 5:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Pajama Story Time at Manchester Public Library
Kids are invited to the pajama time book reading at the Public Library in Manchester by the Sea Massachusetts.
Join Miss Audrey for a cozy pajama storytime and craft the first Thursday of every month from 6-7. This program is for kids ages 4 and up and their families. 
Where: Manchester Public Library
6:00 pm to 7:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Sunday, March 2

Bruins Pajama Drive
Drop off new pajama donations at libraries across the North Shore as part of the Boston Bruins PJ Drive.
From February 1 through March 15, Cradles to Crayons®, the Boston Bruins, Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, and Wonderfund are coming together with organizations in your community to collect new pajamas for local children living in low-income and homeless situations. Together, we are...
7:00 am to 9:00 pm
♦ Read More →

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!
Where: Halibut Point State Park
7:00 am to 6:00 pm
♦ Read More →
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