Festival

Salem's So Sweet Festival

Salem Massachusetts' retailers have some sweet surprises in store during the Salem's So Sweet Weekend Festival

Salem Main Streets and the Salem Chamber of Commerce invite you to come enjoy the annual Salem’s So Sweet Chocolate & Ice Sculpture Festival – a decadent tradition of delectable chocolate, sparkling ice sculptures, and Valentine’s Day shopping! Now in its 23rd year, the signature elements of the festival include a Friday night kickoff party, 30 ice sculptures sprinkled around the downtown, two nights of illuminated sculptures, a “Chocolate Hearts” game with prizes, live music, and sweet specials and promotions at local shops and restaurants throughout the city. It is Salem's sweetest time of year!

When: 
Friday, February 7 - Sunday, February 9, 2025
Location: 

Winterfest Weekend in Amesbury

Winterfest is a 5 day family celebration in the heart of downtown Amesbury Massachusetts!

For Five Days in February, Amesbury's beautiful and historic Downtown, Market Square and Upper Millyard will be the center of a winter celebration! Enjoy crafting, cocoa, kid's cookie decorating, a winter obstacle course, a Valentine Makers Market, a dance party, live music, a winter market and a hike to Po Hill to celebrate Winter! Don't let the colder weather keep you cooped up inside, join us for some winter fun for everyone!

When: 
Wednesday-Sunday, January 29-February 2, 2025

Family Open House: Winter Wildlife Wonders

Stop by as part of Joppa Flats Education Center in Newburyport for a family oriented open house! Photo: Eastern Bluebirds © Cheryl Rose

Drop in to learn what mammals, birds, insects and sea creatures do in the winter! Test your knowledge and skills at a science station, examine natural objects with our new bioscope, and take home a fun nature craft or two. Family presentations with Miss Lisa at 11am and 2pm. Great for families and kids aged 3-14!

When: 
Saturday, January 18, 2025 10am-3pm

Winter Carnival Fundraiser

Come to the Winter Carnival, a fundraiser for Sweet PAws Rescue, at Barewolf Brewing in Amesbury Masssachusetts

Sweet Paws Rescue's 2nd Annual Winter Carnival is back at BareWolf Brewing in Amesbury, Massachusetts! Try your luck at their ticketed games: Ring Toss, Nerf Shots, Snowball Baskets, Claw Machine, & more! Enjoy other activities for kids: crafts, face-painting, photo booth, raffle. ALL TICKET PROCEEDS TO SUPPORT SWEET PAWS RESCUE

When: 
January 18, 2025 1-4pm
Location: 

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 7, 2024 1-3pm

SeaFestival of Trees in Salisbury

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

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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Appleton Farms in Ipswich Massachusetts offers farm-based Summer Programs for kids ages 5-15

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

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

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...
9:00 am to 5:00 pm

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.
10:30 am to 11:30 am

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...
10:30 am to 11:15 am

NMYO’s Chamber Music Concert

Northeast Massachusetts NMYO’s Chamber Music Concert at the Shalin Liu Performing arts Center in Rockport Massachusetts
Northeast Massachusetts Youth Orchestras (NMYO) present a chamber music concert on Friday, February 28, 2025 at 7pm at the Shalin Liu Performing Arts Center in Rockport, Massachusetts. The concert program is available for viewing onliine.
7:00 pm

Saturday, March 1

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

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

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...
9:00 am to 5:00 pm

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...
9:15 am to 11:15 am

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.
9:30 am to 11:30 am

Family Open House: Signs of Spring Celebration

Come to the Joppa Flats Education Center for our Spring open house in Newburyport Massachusetts
Drop in to learn about returning songbirds, animals waking up from winter, and migrating ocean creatures! Test your knowledge and skills at a science station, examine natural objects with our new bioscope, and take home a fun nature craft or two. Family presentations with Miss Lisa at 11am about...
10:00 am to 3:00 pm

CraneOutdoors: The Castle Hill Hike

CraneOutdoors: The Castle Hill Hike at the Crane Estate in Ipswich Massachusetts
Come explore the lesser-visited corners of Castle Hill and its surroundings with us this season. This hike is a CraneOutdoors guide favorite because it’s got a little bit of all the things that make the Crane Estate such a special place…
10:00 am to 12:00 pm

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...
10:30 am to 3:30 pm

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...
10:45 am to 3:00 pm

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.
11:00 am to 12:30 pm
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