Outdoor Activity

Beverly Harbor Fest

The 12^th annual Harbor Fest is a lively family celebration on the water hosted by Beverly Harbor Management Authority. Join us for games on the lawn, food trucks, music in the shell, and a beer garden at the Carriage House. Mark your calendar NOW and follow more specifics of the event on Facebook - #beverlyharborfest2023 or search “Beverly Harbor Fest 2023”. We hope to see you there to celebrate Beverly’s beautiful waterfront that we can all enjoy!

When:

Sunday, September 10, 2023 2-5pm

Location:

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Live Well Amesbury | A Feel Good Festival

"Live Well Amesbury" is a community health and wellness event for all ages in downtown Amesbury Massachusetts

"Live Well Amesbury" is a community health and wellness event for all ages! Join us for music, dancing, face paining, rock painting, yoga, reiki, family photos . . . and more!

When:

Saturday, September 9, 2023 8am-2pm

Location:

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Drop in Station | Explore the Pond at Bradley Palmer

Here is your chance to go inside the Willowdale Mansion (willowdaleestate.com) for a unique guided tour. Now an event and wedding venue, this over 100 years-old Arts and Crafts style home has been beautifully restored. The second floor is not accessible. Best for ages 8 years & up.

What kinds of fascinating creatures live in or visit the ponds? Come and visit with the Park Interpreter to see if any creatures are stirring, and if any plants are flowering. Best for ages pre-K and up. This is a great family activity. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

When:

Fridays through October 6, 2023 9-11am

Location:

Bradley Palmer State Park

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Gloucester Schooner Festival 2023

The Gloucester Schooner Festival celebrates maritime, sailing and fishing heritage of Cape Ann Massachusetts

The Gloucester Schooner Festival is a wonderful celebration of Gloucester's fishing and maritime history during labor day weekend. This year's festival, hosted by Maritime Gloucester, is Gloucester’s major marine event, with participating vessels coming from ports along the Eastern seaboard and beyond. There will be both large and small vessels—ranging from 19 feet to over 100 feet in length. You will see new boats and old boats, from newly built (Ardelle - launched 2011) to over 100 years old!

When:

Labor Day Weekend, August 31-September 4, 2023

Location:

Downtown Gloucester

Gloucester Harbor

Gloucester Harbor Walk

Gloucester Schooner Festival

Schooner

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Summer Concert Series at Stage Fort Park

Come enjoy a Summer evening sea-side concert at Stage Fort Park in Gloucester Massachusetts! The weekly Thursday night concerts will be held at Stage Fort Park’s Antonio Gentile Bandstand Starting at 7pm during July and 6:30pm in August. Check out the 2023 program line-up:

When:

Sundays through August 27, 2023 6:30pm

Saturday, August 19, 2023 6:30pm

Location:

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Fairy House Festival at Veasey Park

Walk the trails to see the handcrafted houses at this year’s enchanted Fairy House Festival. Cast your People’s Choice Award vote for your favorite Fairy House. Stay awhile for magical fun, arts and crafts, food, raffles, live music, and more. Rain or shine. Anyone is welcome to submit a house. Donations collected at the Festival are reinvested back into the Park.

When:

Saturday, September 16, 2023 10am – 4pm

Sunday, September 17, 2023 10am – 4pm

Location:

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History Rises from the Ruins

Kids will learn about the secret history of Maudslay State Park at this presenta

Join the Maudslay State Park interpreter on a tour of the former Moseley Family estate to view the house sites, gardens and farm complex area and talk about their historical significance.

When:

Saturday, September 23, 2023 2-3:30pm

Location:

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Paddle the Great Marsh

Paddle the waters of the Parker River Wildlife Refuge on this ranger guided tour.

What’s the secret to exploring the magic of the Great Marsh? Getting out on the water! Join park rangers from the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge and paddling guides along the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge water trail to experience this unique habitat and the species that call it home. This program is free and all gear will be provided, but you are welcome to bring your own equipment!

When:

Saturday, September 16, 2023 Noon-2:30pm

Location:

Parker River National Wildlife Refuge

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Castle Hill Picnic Concert - Orville Giddings Band

Orville Giddings brings boogie blues music to Castle Hill on the Crane Estate in this Thursday evening concert. Photo ©David Stone

Part of the Thursday Night Picnic Concerts at Castle Hill at the Crane Estate in Ipswich, this is a great way to get together and have fun with the whole family in an exclusive setting. You can pack a picnic dinner, bring the kids, and get ready to dance the night away under the stars on the Grand Allée. Explore the landscaped grounds and the family "Eye Spy."

When:

Thursday, August 31, 2023 6:30-8:30pm

Location:

Castle Hill on the Crane Estate

Ipswich

Concert

Trustees of Reservations

Picnic

Outdoor Activity

Live Performance

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Middleton Food Truck Festival

Prepare your taste buds for a day filled with delectable treats, music, and a vibrant atmosphere. Whether you're a foodie or just looking for a fun day out, this event is perfect for everyone. A portion of the proceeds from this festival go to benefit community organizations, the Middleton Food Pantry and the Middleton Council on Aging.

When:

Saturday, September 9, 2023 11:30am–5:30pm

Location:

Middleton Golf Course

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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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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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Fiddleheads | Preschool Drop-Off Series

Spring has sprung! It is an excellent time of year for exploring and learning on the farm. We will be planting and harvesting in our garden, taking care of our animals and finding all the signs of spring that nature divulges. Join us on Wednesday mornings from 9:30AM to 12:30PM for a preschool drop...

Where: Appleton Farms

9:30 am to 12:30 pm

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Home & Food Truck Show | Topsfield

April 20th & 21st. FREE admission and FREE parking. All INDOORS & Enjoy the Food Trucks outside. Speak to leading home industry professionals to plan your spring home projects.

Where: Topsfield Fairgrounds

10:00 am to 6:59 pm

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Swan Boat Rides in Boston Public Garden

The Public Garden may be one of the most ideal picnicking locations in Boston. Well-groomed and overflowing with tulips, cherry-trees, with willows cascading over the duck pond, the Boston Public Garden is a great place to relax during Boston's most beautiful season.

Where: Boston Common and Boston Public Garden

10:00 am to 3:59 pm

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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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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, May 25

Befriend the Barnyard

Discover our special barnyard animals! Our Angora rabbits Violet, Mabel, Oiver and Charles; Nubian goats Maeve, Morgana, and Mordred; dairy cows Gray, Jasmine, their calves Gigi and Joanie and our friendly flock of heritage chickens will take center stage as we learn about what makes them so unique...

Where: Appleton Farms

11:00 am to 1:00 pm

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CraneOutdoors: Choate Island Kayak and Hiking Adventure

Join The Trustees of Reservations for a paddle and a hike – what better way to spend an afternoon? Circumnavigating an island is one of the great rewards of kayaking and reaching the summit of a hill that offers a great view is one of the payoffs of a good hike. This adventure in the Crane...

Where: Crane Wildlife Refuge on the Crane Estate

1:00 pm to 4:30 pm

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CraneOutdoors: Castle Neck Hike in the Dunes

While just about everybody on the North Shore has probably been to Crane Beach, the dunes of Castle Neck are a much less explored world unto themselves. Offering one of the most accessible dune ecosystems north of Cape Cod, Castle Neck has over six miles of trails, traversing the dunes, maritime...

Where: Crane Wildlife Refuge on the Crane Estate

1:00 pm to 3:30 pm

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Cow Connection at Appleton Farms

Come and meet, cuddle, brush, scratch, talk, and sit with our hand-raised cows at Appleton Farms! The mild heart rate and warm body temperature of the cows induces a slowing of our own heart rate, as well as the release of Oxytocin, our social bonding hormone. Visit our scenic and historic dairy...

Where: Appleton Farms

3:00 pm to 4:00 pm

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Family Full Moon Beach Hike

Have you ever gone tide pooling as the sun is setting or explored a a sandy beach under the light of a full moon? Engage in on-the-beach nocturnal experiments about night vision, bioluminescence and more. Attract live minnows with your flashlight and watch barnacles open up to feed. For kids ages 4...

Where: Joppa Flats Education Center

5:00 pm to 7:00 pm

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Sunday, May 26

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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StoryWalk Series at Maudslay

When Spring Comes by Kevin Henkes is the subject of this STORYWALK Series. Watch the world transform when Spring comes!Enjoy this preschool storywalk at your leisure with the younger set and combine reading and time outside in nature!

Where: Maudslay State Park

7:00 am to 8:00 pm

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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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Newburyport Farmers' Market

The Newburyport Farmers Summer Market celebrates local fresh produce every Sunday morning rain or shine! Start your Sunday browsing fresh North Shore local produce, meats, cheeses, and seafood in an open air market atmosphere! Food and beverage vendors offer fresh hot coffee, breakfast treats and...

Where: Tannery Marketplace

9:00 am to 1:00 pm

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Crane Outdoors: Kayak Adventure on the Castle Neck River

One of the best was to enjoy the natural beauty of the Massachusetts North Shore is kayaking the placid waters of the Great Marsh—the largest continuous stretch of salt marsh in New England, extending from Cape Ann to New Hampshire. The Castle Neck peninsula on the Crane Estate is a vast barrier...

Where: Crane Wildlife Refuge on the Crane Estate

9:00 am to 5:00 pm

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Outdoor Activity

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Saturday, May 25

Sunday, May 26