All Ages

Life on a Layer Cake

Find out the story behind the granite at Halibut Point State Park in Rockport!

What makes up the ground below what’s at our feet? This program at Halibut Point State Park serves as a gentle introduction to stratigraphy, the branch of geology about dealing with the position of strata and its meaning within the geological time scale. We’ll visit some of the park’s soil/bedrock contact points and explore the story they tell. Most appropriate for those twelve and over. Entails over a mile of walking. Rain cancels.

When: 
Wednesday, August 8, 2018 10-11am
Location: 
Halibut Point State Park
Rockport
Exploration
Discovery
Geology

Waterfront Movie: Lion King

Come see Disney's Lion King on the water front in Newburyport with your family.

What could be better than a free movie viewed outside at Waterfront Park on a warm summer night?  A young lion prince is cast out of his pride by his cruel uncle, who claims he killed his father. While the uncle rules with an iron paw, the prince grows up beyond the Savannah, living by a philosophy: No worries for the rest of your days...

When: 
Wednesday, August 8, 2018 ~8pm (Dusk)
Location: 
Waterfront Park
Newburyport
Outdoor Activity
Movie
Film

Perseid Night Hike at Castle Hill

Take a night hike with your family and enjoy the wonder of the Perseid Meteor Shower at Castle Hill in Ipswich Massachusetts!

Take a night hike with your family and enjoy the wonder of the Perseid Meteor Shower at Castle Hill with the Trustees! This is a late-night stargazing adventure for the whole family! The Perseids meteor shower is one of the main celestial events of the summer, with peak meteor viewing at up to 60 per hour! Join us for a hike along the Beach – and bring a blanket so you can stretch out on the sand for optimal viewing. We’ll keep our energy up with s’mores and lemonade around a bonfire. Pre-registration is required.

When: 
Sunday, August 12, 2018 10pm-12am
Location: 
Castle Hill on the Crane Estate
Ipswich
Concert
Live
Music
Picnic
Trustees of Reservations

Amesbury Pines Music Festival

The Amesbury Pines Music Festival is a great afternoon of family fun and music in Amesbury Massachusetts!!

The Amesbury Cultural Council is bringing back the Pines Music Festival to Amesbury Town Park for it’s second year in a row. The festival is free, family-friendly and open to the public. The festival features 3 bands, a variety of food, and a beer garden. Come to Amesbury to enjoy the peaceful setting of Amesbury Pines and the newly restored bandstand!

When: 
Saturday, August 4, 2018 1-7pm
Rain Date: August 5, 2018 1-7pm
Location: 
Amesbury Town Park
Amesbury
Music
Live Entertainment
Music Festival
Live Performance
Food Trucks
Live Music

Gloucester Country Fest

Gloucester Country Fest brings fun and live country music to Gloucester Massachusetts in the beautiful setting of Stage Fort Park by the sea. Featuring headliner Kristen Merlin!

The Gloucester Country Fest brings the fun of live country music to Gloucester Massachusetts in the beautiful setting of Stage Fort Park by the sea. Kristen Merlin, Timmy Brown & Black Diamond, Annie Brobst and Tim Charron perform at waterfront Stage Fort Park for an afternoon of live music and good times! Don't miss your chance to see these national and regional country artists perform right here in Gloucester! Gates open at 11 am, music starts at noon.

When: 
Saturday, August 4, 2018 Gates Open at 11am
Location: 
Stage Fort Park
Gloucester
Concert
Live Music
Festival
Outdoor Activity

Salem Heritage Days at the Seven Gables

Salem Massachusetts Heritage Days at the House of Seven Gables

Salem Heritage Days offer a wonderful way for Salem residents and visitors to connect with Salem’s history, art, and cultural scene. House of Seven Gables invites families to learn about sailing the high seas with a variety of family-friendly and hands-on activities. The Family Navigation Game is offered daily from 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. The Living History Labs hands-on history experience will take place daily from 10:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.

When: 
Daily, August 2-12, 2018 10am-6pm
Location: 
House of Seven Gables
Salem
History
Story Telling
Salem Heritage Days
Museum

Waterfront Concert: Annie Brobst

Annie Brobst will fill the waterfront with music for Yankee Homecoming in Newburyport

Annie Brobst is New England’s’ 2017 Female Performer of the Year (across all genres) and New England Country Music’s Local Female Artist of the Year for the second year in a row.  She brings a unique mix of Miranda Lambert, Sugarland, Jason Isbell, as well as her own sound, to singing and songwriting; with splashes of rock, pop, and Americana at times.

When: 
Tuesday, July 31, 2018 7:30 - 9:00pm
Opening Act at 6pm
Location: 
Waterfront Park
Newburyport
Concert
Live Performance
Newburyport Yankee Homecoming

Waterfront Concert: Overdrive Horns

Overdrive Horns brings funk, rock, and swing to Waterfront Park in Newburyport!

Overdrive is an eight-piece band with a tight and incredibly funky rhythm section as the driving force behind a killer four-piece horn section that features two trumpets, woodwinds, and trombone. Dance music from the past three decades, music by Chicago, Tower of Power, the Average White Band, all the number one brass-rock hits, and a large selection of swing and songs from the Stax and Motown eras make up an exciting and exhausting performance.

When: 
Monday, July 30, 2018 7:30 - 9:00pm
Opening Act at 6pm
Location: 
Waterfront Park
Newburyport
Concert
Live Performance
Newburyport Yankee Homecoming

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Appleton Farms offers great farm-based Vacation Week Programs for kids ages 5-11

Maudslay in Bloom Self-Guided Walk
Maudslay in Bloom self guided walk at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport Massachusetts.
Maudslay State Park in Newburyport, Massachusetts, offers a delightful self-guided walk that is perfect for families with children. The park's 480-acre expanse, once the Moseley Estate, is rich with historical charm and natural beauty. Families can embark on a self-guided tour through lush...
Where: Maudslay State Park
7:00 am to 7:00 pm
♦ Read More →

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.
Where: Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site
7:00 am to 7:00 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 →

Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit at Pingree School

Pingree School in Hmailton Massachusetts hosts their annual Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture exhibit each Fall. Sculpture: Phoenix by Robin Tost.
Pingree School hosts the 16th annual Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit on their campus in South Hamilton, Massachusetts .
Where: Pingree School
8:00 am to 6:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Crescent Farm Corn Maze
Crescent Farm corn maze in Haverhill Massachusetts
Imagine the biggest puzzle you’ve ever seen. Now imagine a day in the sunshine with your friends or family. Now add an adventure that takes teamwork and memory skills. All these things and more can be found at Crescent Farms Corn Maze. Crescent Farm Corn Maze trails cut into 9 acres of corn. Inside...
Where: Crescent Farm
9:00 am to 9:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Salem Witch Hunt Walking Tour
Learn about the true reality of the Salem Massachusetts Witch Trials Salem Massachusetts on a self guided walking tour with Essex Heritage
This self-guided walking tour is designed to help explain the true history behind the Salem Witch Trials. After more than three centuries of storytelling through countless books, movies, and television shows, the line between historical fact and dramatic fiction has become increasingly blurred....
Where: Downtown Salem
9:00 am to 5:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Sing & Dance with the Music Man
Sing & Dance with the Music Man Brian Doser in Hamilton visit Massachusetts
Come join the fun at Community House Of Hamilton & Wenham Monday, Thursday and Saturday mornings at 10am for 30 - 45 minutes of great music with Brian Doser! Sing and dance with the Music Man during a family concert, featuring familiar and original tunes, performed by local dad and musician,...
Where: Community House Of Hamilton & Wenham
10:00 am to 10:45 am
♦ Read More →

Saugus Iron Works House Tours

Free Ranger guided tours of the Saugus Iron Works House in Massachusetts
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
♦ Read More →

Saugus Iron Works Tours
Free Ranger guided tours at Saugus Iron Works Colonial Industrial Site in Massachusetts
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
♦ Read More →

The Backyard Growcery
Join Backyard Growers at Burnham's Field in Gloucester Massachusetts for a weekly Farmer's Market
Stop by Gloucester’s new weekly farmers market, the Backyard Growcery, managed by Backyard Growers. The Backyard Growcery is located at Burnham's Field, an urban park near Gloucester’s thriving waterfront, and features small-scale North Shore farmers, bakers, a seafood vendor, an artisanal pizza...
Where: Burnham's Field
2:30 pm to 6:30 pm
♦ Read More →

Topsfield HomeGrown Market
Come to Topsfield Massachusetts Common for a homegrown market on the Wednesdays through July
The mission of the HomeGrown Market is to provide the Topsfield community with a series of family-friendly events that emphasize supporting local and offer the opportunity for Topsfield and surrounding North Shore farmers, gardeners, artisans, creators, performers, musicians, nonprofits, young...
Where: Topsfield Town Common
4:00 pm to 7:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Stargazing at Mendel Observatory
Mendel Observatory, with the support of volunteers from the North Shore Amateur Astronomy Club, hosts public stargazing every Wednesday night
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
♦ Read More →

Tuesday, September 16

Gloucester Gratis Days at Hammond Castle
Bring your kids to the Hammond Castle Museum in Gloucester Massachusetts during April Vacation
In keeping with John Hays Hammond, Jr's original vision for his seaside castle-home to serve as a museum offering the Gloucester community access to ancient works of architectural art, Hammond Castle Museum will offer Gloucester residents free, self-guided tours each Tuesday throughout the regular...
Where: Hammond Castle Museum
10:00 am to 4:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Paddle Around Historic Rockport Harbor
Paddle around Rockport Massachusetts Harbor for FREE as part of Trails and Sails
Come join North Shore Adventures and Outdoor Center for some fun on the water! No experience necessary. Depart from our private beach in one of our safe, stable kayaks or paddle boards and paddle around the historic Rockport Harbor for 30 mins. See lobster boats, Motif #1, the Rockport Break water...
Where: Downtown Rockport
10:30 pm
♦ Read More →

Wednesday, September 17

Trails & Sails
Explore the North Shore with over 150 Free Events in Essex National Heritage Area's Trails & Sails celebration in Massachusetts.
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
♦ Read More →

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.
Where: Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site
7:00 am to 7:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Maudslay in Bloom Self-Guided Walk
Maudslay in Bloom self guided walk at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport Massachusetts.
Maudslay State Park in Newburyport, Massachusetts, offers a delightful self-guided walk that is perfect for families with children. The park's 480-acre expanse, once the Moseley Estate, is rich with historical charm and natural beauty. Families can embark on a self-guided tour through lush...
Where: Maudslay State Park
7:00 am to 7:00 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 →

Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit at Pingree School

Pingree School in Hmailton Massachusetts hosts their annual Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture exhibit each Fall. Sculpture: Phoenix by Robin Tost.
Pingree School hosts the 16th annual Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit on their campus in South Hamilton, Massachusetts .
Where: Pingree School
8:00 am to 6:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Salem Witch Hunt Walking Tour
Learn about the true reality of the Salem Massachusetts Witch Trials Salem Massachusetts on a self guided walking tour with Essex Heritage
This self-guided walking tour is designed to help explain the true history behind the Salem Witch Trials. After more than three centuries of storytelling through countless books, movies, and television shows, the line between historical fact and dramatic fiction has become increasingly blurred....
Where: Downtown Salem
9:00 am to 5:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Crescent Farm Corn Maze
Crescent Farm corn maze in Haverhill Massachusetts
Imagine the biggest puzzle you’ve ever seen. Now imagine a day in the sunshine with your friends or family. Now add an adventure that takes teamwork and memory skills. All these things and more can be found at Crescent Farms Corn Maze. Crescent Farm Corn Maze trails cut into 9 acres of corn. Inside...
Where: Crescent Farm
9:00 am to 9:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Step Inside the Historic Custom House
Take in the views of this prominent building where Nathaniel Hawthorne once worked and the U.S. Custom Service operated. This Custom House was built in 1819 and housed offices for the officers of the U.S. Customs Service, as well as an attached warehouse, the Public Stores, used for the storage of...
Where: Salem Maritime National Historic Site
9:30 am to 4:30 pm
♦ Read More →
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