Holiday

Amesbury Holiday Parade

Enjoy the tradition of the Amesbury Massachusetts Holiday parade with your family!

Enjoy the tradition of the Amesbury Massachusetts Holiday parade with your family! This year’s theme for the Amesbury Holiday Parade is Musical Notes and Holiday Floats. The parade will begin at 3:30pm from the intersection of Sparhawk and Greenleaf Street, and finish up with the Amesbury Holiday Parade & Tree Lighting. All parade participants will be lined up on Greenleaf Street.

When: 
Saturday, December 7, 2024 3:30-5pm

Greet Santa at the Hawthorne Hotel

Salem Main Streets, SalemMainStreets.org, Visit Salem MA for the holidays

Join Salem Main Streets and the City of Salem as we celebrate two of our most beloved annual traditions – Santa’s Arrival and the lighting of Salem’s Holiday Tree – all in one evening. Santa Claus will arrive at the top of the Hawthorne Hotel (18 Washington Square W) promptly at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 29, with assistance from the Salem Fire Department, of course. Organizers recommend arriving to the Salem Common by 5:45 p.m. to catch the arrival. Bring the whole family out for brass carols with Coventry Brass, festivities, and fun!

When: 
Friday, November 29, 2024 5:45-8pm

Holiday Tree Lighting

Come to the Holiday Tree Lighting in Salem to kick off the holiday season!

Join Salem Main Streets and the City of Salem as we combine two of our most beloved annual traditions – Greet Santa at the Hawthorne Hotel and the lighting of Salem’s Holiday Tree – into one evening. Santa Claus will arrive at the top of the Hawthorne Hotel (18 Washington Square W) promptly at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, November 29, 2024, with assistance from the Salem Fire Department, of course. Bring the whole family out for carols, festivities, and fun!

When: 
Friday, November 29, 2024 6:30pm
Location: 

Santa’s Arrival & Tree Lighting in Rockport

Santa comes to Rockport Ma by lobster boat to kick off the Holiday season in Rockport Massachusetts!

Where else can you see Santa arrive by lobster boat? Santa will arrive at Rockport’s T-Wharf on Rockport Harbor following a brisk lobster boat ride across Sandy Bay. Then Santa will climb up onto a Rockport Forest Fire truck and proceed along T-Wharf and Broadway to the First Baptist Church, led by Rockport cub scouts.

When: 
Saturday, December 7, 2024 12:30-5PM

Rockport's Annual Christmas Pageant

The Rockport Christmas Pageant is a wonderful tradition hosted by the Rockport A

Come to downtown Rockport Ma for a torch-lit live reenactment of the Nativity - a long standing community tradition in Rockport Massachusetts! Each year hundreds of spectators gather to watch the live re-enactment of the story of baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph, the Bethlehem inn and the stable. The pageant begins with a torch lit procession which starts at Dock Square and proceeds up Main Street to the Congregational Church. Here the story of Jesus’ birth is brought to life through a live narration.

When: 
Saturday, December 21, 2024 5-6pm

Run for the Pies in Ipswich

Burn some calories before the Thanksgiving Feast at Ipswich's Run for the Pies!

Start your turkey day by burning off some calories with a run or walk along the Ipswich River! Every 10th adult finisher receives a large Russell Orchards pie; every child Fun Run finisher receives a 4" Table Talk pie. and you'll have a chance to win a ready-to-bake pie! Racers, runners, walkers or stroller pushers are invited to the Ipswich Town Hall bright and early on Thanksgiving Day for a 2.8 mile riverside run along Turkey Shore Drive and Labor in Vain Road.  The 1.2 mile Kids Fun Run run starts at 8am.

When: 
Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 2024 8am
1.2 Mile Kids Fun Run/Walkers: 8am
2.8 Mile Run for the Pies: 8:30am

Sea Festival of Trees | Sundays

Experience the joy and excitement of Salisbury’s most popular holiday tradition with glittering trees, indoor ice skating, Santa visits and more - Massachusetts

As one of New England’s must-see holiday traditions, the 12th Annual SeaFestival of Trees fundraiser opens Saturday, November 23, at the Blue Ocean Event Center in Salisbury, MA. With over 135 extravagantly themed trees, a full-size indoor skating rink, a spectacular giant sand sculpture, and Santa’s Workshop, this immersive winter wonderland has grown into a cherished event for all ages. The Festival runs on weekends through December 8, plus Tuesday, November 26 and Thursday, December 5, with special events and themed evenings bringing magic to every visit.

When: 
Saturdays, November 23-December 7, 2024 11am-8pm
Sundays, November 24-December 7, 2024 11am-5pm
Tuesday, November 26, 2024 5-8pm
Fridays, November 29 & December 7, 2024 11am-8pm
Thursday, December 5, 2024 5-8pm

SeaFestival of Trees in Salisbury | Saturdays

Experience the joy and excitement of Salisbury’s most popular holiday tradition with glittering trees, indoor ice skating, Santa visits and more,

As one of New England’s must-see holiday traditions, the 12th Annual SeaFestival of Trees fundraiser opens Saturday, November 23, at the Blue Ocean Event Center in Salisbury, MA. With over 135 extravagantly themed trees, a full-size indoor skating rink, a spectacular giant sand sculpture, and Santa’s Workshop, this immersive winter wonderland has grown into a cherished event for all ages. The Festival runs on weekends through December 8, plus Tuesday, November 26 and Thursday, December 5, with special events and themed evenings bringing magic to every visit.

When: 
Saturdays, November 23-December 7, 2024 11am-8pm
Sundays, November 24-December 7, 2024 11am-5pm
Tuesday, November 26, 2024 5-8pm
Fridays, November 29 & December 7, 2024 11am-8pm
Thursday, December 5, 2024 5-8pm

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Brookwood School Summer Program for kids Pre-K through 9 in Manchester 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

CraneOutdoors: King Tide Hike

Come learn about how the moon isonly part of the king tide puzzle at the Crane Estate in Ipswich Massachusetts
This high tide is royalty! Here’s your chance to see the king….tide that is. Join us for a hike to learn about extreme high tides, known as king tides, which are happening more often due to environmental change. These extreme tides have a variety of impacts on coastal infrastructure, including...
10:00 am to 1:00 pm

Deck The Halls: Hammond Castle

A holiday themed tour of Hammond Castle Museum in Gloucester Massachusetts
Come to Hammond Castle for the 6th annual Deck The Halls holiday celebration. Hammond Castle Museum will be dressed for the holidays inside and out. Delight in the enchanting ambiance of Christmas and White Birch trees, meticulously arranged garlands, festive wreaths, and the warm embrace of...
10:00 am to 4:00 pm

A Colorful Christmas at Castle Hill

A Colorful 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

Mehtuen Ballet's Nutcracker

The Nutcracker performed by the Methuen Ballet is a perrenial favorite at the Blue Ocean Event Center in Salisbury Massachusetts
Long a traditional favorite, Methuen Ballet Ensemble brings the holiday classic, "The Nutcracker" to Blue Ocean Music Hall in Salisbury, Massachusetts. Join us for this very special production of Methuen Ballet Ensemble's The Nutcracker.  Sugar Plum Fairies in the Land of Sweets By the Sea and a...
10:30 am

Santa at Sea Cruise

Sail with Santa aboard the Beauport Princess on the water of Gloucester Harbor in Massachusetts
Enjoy a holiday harbor cruise aboard Beauport Cruiselines with Santa! Take in the beautiful views of Gloucester Harbor, all while singing holiday carols with elves, enjoying hot cocoa and cookies, and listening to a reading of “The Night Before Christmas.” Plus, a visit from Santa himself! Tickets...
11:00 am to 3:30 pm

Santa's Workshop

Santa's Workshop in Newburyport, Massachusetts. Visit Newburyport MA during the holidays
Newburyport is a favorite local town to shop - especially during the holidays. The fantastic lights downtown, the tree in Market Square, all the beautifully decorated window boxes and of course, Santa's Workshop, where the kids can whisper their wishes to Santa.
11:00 am to 2:00 pm

Amesbury Market Daze

Amesbury Market Daze happens every Sunday indoors at Barewolf Brewing in Amesbury, Massachusetts.
Welcome to Amesbury Market Daze at BareWolf Brewing, a vendor market where local surrounding Amesbury talent and community spirit converge.
12:00 pm to 4:00 pm

CraneOutdoors: Sunday Family Snowy Owl Prowl

Join the Trustees of Reservations at dlife 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.
1:00 pm to 3:00 pm

NMYO: An Afternoon of Winter Concerts

Northeast Massachusetts Youth Orchestras Winter Concerts in Ipswich
Northeast Massachusetts Youth Orchestras presents An Afternoon of Winter Concerts at the Dolan Performing Arts Center at Ipswich High School in Ipswich, MA. The 2 pm concert features the NMYO Prelude and Overture String Ensembles and Intermezzo Orchestra. The 4:00 pm concert features NMYO’s...
2:00 pm to 6:00 pm

Back Bay Ringers at Shalin Liu

Ring in the Holidays at the Shalin Liu Center in Rockport Massachusetts with the Back Bay Ringers!
Get in the holiday spirit with the Boston-based Back Bay Ringers! Under the direction of Griff Gall, BBR has quickly developed a reputation for excellence, regularly performing at Boston-area landmarks such as Faneuil Hall, Symphony Hall, the Boston Children’s Museum and the Prudential Center.
2:00 pm to 7:00 pm

A Christmas Carol Panto

Theater in the Open celebrates the holidays with their interpretation of Dickens' Christmas Carol at the Firehouse Center for the Arts in Newburyport!
Bah, humbug! Theater in the Open celebrates the holiday season with this Dickens classic, presented in true TITO style. So be prepared for anything to happen!  
3:00 pm to 9:00 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

Saturday, December 21

Deck The Halls: Hammond Castle

A holiday themed tour of Hammond Castle Museum in Gloucester Massachusetts
Come to Hammond Castle for the 6th annual Deck The Halls holiday celebration. Hammond Castle Museum will be dressed for the holidays inside and out. Delight in the enchanting ambiance of Christmas and White Birch trees, meticulously arranged garlands, festive wreaths, and the warm embrace of...
10:00 am to 4:00 pm

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.
10:00 am to 12:00 pm

Santa's Workshop

Santa's Workshop in Newburyport, Massachusetts. Visit Newburyport MA during the holidays
Newburyport is a favorite local town to shop - especially during the holidays. The fantastic lights downtown, the tree in Market Square, all the beautifully decorated window boxes and of course, Santa's Workshop, where the kids can whisper their wishes to Santa.
11:00 am to 2:00 pm

Gingerbread Contest at Wenham Museum

Wenham Museum Gingerbread Contest is free to enter and open to all!
Everyone's invited to enter Wenham Museum’s gingerbread contest! Individuals, families, groups, teams–all are encouraged to create a Gingerbread House for this friendly community competition.
12:00 pm to 4:00 pm

A Christmas Carol Panto

Theater in the Open celebrates the holidays with their interpretation of Dickens' Christmas Carol at the Firehouse Center for the Arts in Newburyport!
Bah, humbug! Theater in the Open celebrates the holiday season with this Dickens classic, presented in true TITO style. So be prepared for anything to happen!  
3:00 pm to 9:00 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

Rockport's Annual Christmas Pageant

The Rockport Christmas Pageant is a wonderful tradition hosted by the Rockport A
Come to downtown Rockport Ma for a torch-lit live reenactment of the Nativity - a long standing community tradition in Rockport Massachusetts! Each year hundreds of spectators gather to watch the live re-enactment of the story of baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph, the Bethlehem inn and the stable. The...
5:00 pm

Sunday, December 22

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

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

A Colorful Christmas at Castle Hill

A Colorful 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
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