Live Performance

Rockport New Year's Eve 2023

Come to Rockport Massachusetts for a wonderful night of family New Year's Activities!

Rockport New Years Eve is an annual family-friendly New Year's Eve celebration of the arts in picturesque downtown Rockport, Massachusetts. Halls, churches, town offices, and some streets are taken over by happy revelers celebrating the New Year. Most of the venues are handicap accessible. Admission to most events requires the purchase of an inexpensive button, and a few events are free. Performances include music, dance, puppet shows, magic, and much more. Activities conclude with a midnight ball drop. Children's entertainment wraps up with an early New Year celebration.

When:

Sunday, December 31, 2023 4pm-Midnight

Location:

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Christmas at Castle Hill

The Trustees' Castle Hill 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.

When:

Fridays through December 22, 2023 2023 4-8pm

Saturdays through December 23, 2023 10am-4pm

Sundays, December 3, 10 & 17, 2023 10am-4pm

Tuesday-Saturday, December 26-30, 2023 10am-4pm

Location:

Castle Hill on the Crane Estate

Trustees of Reservations

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Ipswich Evergreen

Celebrate the onset of Winter with Ipswich Massachusetts' community-centered events!

Ipswich Evergreen is a Holiday festival and civic celebration at the Ipswich Visitor Center , and Ipswich's Old South Meetinghouse Green. Ipswich has great cause for merriment and jubilation! With the new year in sight, let us gather as a community to reflect on what makes living in Ipswich the year round most wonderful with a make and take wreath session. Celebrate the solstice, make and take an evergreen wreath, and join the community celebration!

When:

Saturday, December 16, 2023 1-3pm

Location:

Ipswich Middle Green

Ipswich Museum

Ipswich Visitor Center

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Back Bay Ringers at Shalin Liu

Ring in the Holidays at the Shalin Liu Center in Rockport Massachusetts with the Back Bay Ringers!

You can literally ring in the holidays with Rockport Music at the Shalin Liu Performance Center! Get in the holiday spirit with the Back Bay Ringers! Back Bay Ringers (BBR) is an advanced, auditioned, handbell ensemble. 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.

When:

Sunday, December 17, 2023 2 & 5pm

Location:

Shalin Liu Performance Center

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Cinderella in December | A TitO Panto

Come enjoy a Cinderella Panto performed by Theater in the Open at the Firehouse Center for the Arts!

Edward Speck and Joshua Shack bring back a favorite TITO Holiday Panto. We’ve updated our version of this classic fairy tale, added a holiday spin, plenty of adorable mice and even a few playful clowns to lead audiences on an enchanted adventure. It’s everything that you loved the first time you saw Cinderella, with some new surprises, just for fun!

When:

Fridays & Saturdays, December 8-23, 2023 3pm or 7pm

Sundays, December 10 & 17, 2023 3 pm

Location:

Firehouse Center for the Arts

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Middle Street Walk 2023

The lighting of the Lobster Trap Tree is part of Middle Street Walk's finale in Gloucester Massachusetts.

The Annual Middle Street Walk is a great way to experience Gloucester's Historic District while having Holiday fun with the family. An updated schedule of this years walk will be available for download on December 1, 2023 at this link.

When:

Saturday, December 9, 2023 9am - 5pm

Location:

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Winter Wonder Neverland at the Firehouse

Winter Wonder Neverland by Joppa Dance Company at the Firehouse Center for the Arts in Newburyport Massachusetts

Firehouse Center for the Arts hosts Joppa Dance Company for their performance of Winter Wonder Neverland! This dance-theater production follows Peter Pan, Wendy, Tinker Bell and friends as they try to rescue Christmas back from Captain Hook. It’s full of Pirates, Lost Boys and Fairies.

When:

Friday, December 1, 2023 7:30pm

Saturday, December 2, 2023 2 & 7:30pm

Sunday, December 3, 2023 2pm

Location:

Firehouse Center for the Arts

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Chorus North Shore | A Vibrant Christmas

Chorus North Shore presents A Vibrant Christmas at Our Lady of Hope in Ipswich Massachusetts

Chorus North Shore conducted by Abigail Frost presents A Vibrant Christmas with Presto! Festival Orchestra featuring Daniel Pinkham's Christmas Cantata and John Rutter's Gloria, as well as number of Holiday Carols. Founded in 1932, Chorus North Shore is a 100 voice powerhouse of music singing choral masterworks.

When:

Saturday, December 2, 2023 7pm

Sunday, December 3, 2023 3pm

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Marblehead Christmas Walk

The Marblehead Chamber of Commerce invites you to Marblehead to enjoy several days of holiday festivities, family events and activities! Come for one or all days with highlights that include Santa's arrival by lobster boat,Festive shopping, Tree Lightings, a holiday parade, Artisan Markets, Gingerbread Festival, Entertainment & much more! There are all kinds of family events and activities sponsored by local merchants and organizations.

When:

Thursday, November 30 - Sunday, December 3, 2023

Location:

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Gloucester's So Salty 2024

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 3rd Annual Gloucester’s So Salty festival on January 20 and 21, 2024 from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm! Over 1,800 people came out last year to share their salty pride while enjoying free ice sculptures and cultural activities around Downtown Gloucester.

When:

Saturday, January 20, 2024 10am-5pm

Sunday, January 21, 2024 10am-5pm

Location:

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Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

Take a self guided tour at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations!

Where: Halibut Point State Park

7:00 am to 6:00 pm

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Saugus Iron Works Park Grounds & Estuary Walk

Learn about the natural world in Saugus while ecploring the park ground ast the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site in Massachusetts.

Where: Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site

7:00 am to 7:00 pm

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Outdoor Sculpture at Maudslay | Thread

Enjoy a self-guided walking tour of the 25th Annual Outdoor Sculpture at Maudslay Exhibit September 8-29 featuring 50 site specific sculptures by local artists addressing this year’s theme, ‘Thread' within the magnificence of Maudslay State Park in Newburyport. Look for the large green trail head...

Where: Maudslay State Park

7:00 am to 6:00 pm

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Music Together - Wednesday

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: St. John's Episcopal Church in Beverly Farms

9:30 am to 11:15 am

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We Walk the Woods!

Walk the trails with a group at Harold Parker State Forest every Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. – Meeting location varies weekly. Email trek.reef@mass.gov for location.

Where: Harold Parker State Forest

10:00 am to 12:00 pm

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Saugus Iron Works House Tours

Join National Park staff at Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site for a 30-minute tour of The Iron Works House.

Where: Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site

11:00 am

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Salem Witch Hunt Walking Tour

Essex Hertiage invites you to learn the true causes and events behind the Salem Witch Trials in our documentary film, then discover the myths during our walking tour. The Salem Witch Trials happened over 300 years ago, and it has been dramatized in books, documentaries, movies, and even TV shows....

Where: Downtown Salem

11:45 am to 3:00 pm

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Saugus Iron Works Tours

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.

Where: Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site

2:00 pm

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Stargazing at Mendel Observatory

The Observatory, with the support of volunteers from the North Shore Amateur Astronomy Club, hosts public stargazing every Wednesday night (weather permitting) starting at dusk or 7:30 pm, whichever is later. When special astronomical events of interest occur (total lunar eclipses, etc.) the Obs

Where: Mendel Observatory at Merrimack College

7:00 pm

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Saturday, September 14

Drop-in Open House at the Nature Center

Explore the Nature Center at your leisure. The Park Interpreter will be on hand to demonstrate and answer questions. Come see and touch animal furs, replica skulls, animal models, and other natural history materials. For little artists, coloring pages and washable markers will be on hand.

Where: Bradley Palmer State Park

1:00 pm to 4:00 pm

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Step Aboard the Friendship of Salem

Explore the FRIENDSHIP OF SALEM, a replica tall ship based on a 1796 Salem vessel at Salem Maritime National Historic Site.

Where: Salem Maritime National Historic Site

1:00 pm to 4:00 pm

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North Shore Concert Band Maritime Concert

Travel the high seas musically with the North Shore Concert Band (a POPS Concert Band) featuring 25 musician members of the Boston Musician’s Association Local 9-535 AFM. We will be presenting a FREE spectacular concert for ALL AGES “The Sea Around Us” featuring Maritime Music including Sea...

Where: Salem Maritime National Historic Visitor Center

1:00 pm to 2:30 pm

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Saugus Iron Works Tours

Where: Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site

2:00 pm

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A Spiritual Quest Weekend at Hilldale Cemetery

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...

Where: Hilldale Cemetary

6:30 pm to 10:30 pm

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Star Party with the North Shore Amateur Astronomy Club

Come see the night skies through one of our volunteer’s telescopes! In addition to the moon (9/14 only) and Saturn well be showing off an assortment of binary and multi-star systems (imagine having 4 suns in your sky!), nebula, clusters, and galaxies, some of which are millions of light years away...

Where: Battis Farm

7:30 pm to 9:30 pm

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Sunday, September 15

Farm Days Festival

Join us for our Annual Fall Celebration at Appleton – Farm Days! Spend the afternoon exploring the farm, listening to music, enjoying great food & beer, hiking our trails, entertaining the kids and more. Please Note: Tickets are per vehicle, not per person, and include access to the farm and...

Where: Appleton Farms

12:00 am to 5:00 pm

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Todd Farm Market

From early Spring to late Fall, Todd Farm is a great Sunday destination for families! Head to the farm and explore the outdoor award-winning Market featuring up to 240 vendors from all over New England and New York!

Where: Todd Farm Market

5:00 am to 3:00 pm

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Trails & Sails

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

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