Rockport

Join living historian Maeve, an Irish immigrant who fled Ireland during the potato famine and settled in America for an afternoon of tales, history and myth! At the 1:00 p.m. performance Maeve will be entertaining the children with stories of life in Ireland and her immigration experience. She will be reading an Immigrants Tale- a storybook- for the younger members of her audience.

Halibut Point State Park hosts a program on Stratigraphy, the branch of geology concerned with the order and relative position of strata and their relationship to the geological time scale. In Stratigraphy at Halibut Point visitors explore some of Halibut’s soil/bedrock contact points and explore the story of time that they tell.

Explore the world of odonata, one of the oldest life forms on Earth. This is a great kids’ program and most appropriate for families. Best for kids 8 and up. Meet at the Parking Lot Kiosk

Halibut Point State Park is also a granite quarry with a history that goes back billions of years! A rock is not a thing but a drama, it can teach us about the great unifying science and the unique geology of Cape Ann. Rocks can tell us a lot about how the landscape was formed and the geology of Cape Ann tells us great stories, all visible at Halibut Point. Meet at the Visitors Center in the park. For all ages. Rain or shine, pouring rain cancels.

Rockport traditionally celebrates Independence Day in style and this Fourth of July won't be any different. Scheduled festivities include the Firemen's Parade, a Legion Band concert, and Rockport's version of a finale - a towering bonfire at Back Beach.

There's something about music that speaks to us. It changes our lives in ways nothing else can. Around 4th grade, it is customary for Rockport Schools to hold an instrument trial day. Some students instantly fall in love with an instrument, but then financials come into play when trying to get the child that instrument. The reality is that some families can't afford to pay the expense for the instrument.

Rockport Music invites you to a FREE concert at their Shalin Liu Performance Center! The Bohemian Quartet was formed in 2005 by violinist and conductor Stan Renard with the idea of preserving the tradition, and indulging in the virtuosic playing style, of Romany, or “Gypsy” music, along with related Eastern European folk styles. Together they have made a commitment to the genre, and continuously aspire to perform it with both reverence and adventure. The group has a passion for the deep-rooted authenticity of the Romany tradition, as well as the ability to play this historic repertoire with extraordinary joie de vivre.

Rockport Music invites you to a FREE concert at their Shalin Liu Performance Center! Explore the music and dance of the culturally rich Andes!  The musicians of Inkas Wasi will perform traditional Andean music and demonstrate the instruments such as the chakchas, palo de lluvia, siku, quena and charango.  Inkas Wasi has provided concerts and educational programs to over 100 schools across the United State and is an active member of the New England Foundation of the Arts, The Maine Arts Commission, National Flute Association, North American Folk Music and Dance Alliance, among many more.  Free, no tickets required.

Halibut Point State Park has a fascinating mix of ecosystems that are particular to this area. Meet with Ed Jylkka, and explore these unique place and the flora and fauna at Halibut Point. Best for children over 8 years old and families. Meet at the Visitor Center.

Enjoy a guided tour of Halibut Point State Park around the Babson Farm Quarry, unearthing the granite industry era followed by a traditional hand-tool stone splitting demonstration.  Halibut Point itself is made of sheets of 440 million year-old granite that now cascades from rocky headlands to the abundant tidal pools below. The panorama encompasses views from Crane Beach in Ipswich to Mount Agamenticus in Maine and the Isles of Shoals off the coast of New Hampshire. This glorious natural landscape is breathtaking and inspiring.