Adults

First Day Hikes take place at nearby State Parks nationwide on New Year's Day. The annual hike originated more than 20 years ago at the Blue Hills Reservation in Massachusetts. The program was launched to promote both healthy lifestyles throughout the year and year-round recreation at state parks. On the North Shore, there will be First Day hikes at Halibut Point State Park.

Come to Downtown Newburyport and the Tannery Marketplace  Merrimac Place, and Horton's Yard for Newburyport’s Holiday Invitation Nights and shop for the holidays in style! Mark your calendars, book a babysitter, and call your friends to make plans for three great nights in Newburyport! Enjoy merchant hospitality, live entertainment, shopping, and dining. Spend your evening strolling from shop to shop as you stock up on holiday gifts while enjoying munchies and beverages offered by local merchants. These Newburyport Invitation Nights will get you in the holiday spirit and will turn any Scrooge into Kris Kringle.

Join us at the Essex Historical Society & Shipbuilding Museum as Susie Talbot guides the group through decorating a 20" wreath. Susie is an extraordinarily talented individual who not only designed, but takes care of our front gardens. Amongst her many talents is decorating Holiday greens.

Wondering what to do with your family the day after Thanksgiving? Game Night at the Castle, of course!  Join us for a night of tabletop gaming in the Great Hall!  We will have gamer favorites such as: Dixit, Risk, Fluxx, Munchkin, Chess (Lord of the Rings Edition), We Didn't Playtest This At All, Apples to Apples, Settlers of Catan and The Oregon Trail Card Game.

And, we'll have the recently debuted "Hammond Naval Warfare," game of naval strategy designed by our founder, inventor John Hays Hammond Jr! You can be one of the first to ever play it.