Story

Essex National Heritage Area sites offer over 150 free family fun events over two weekends each September for the annual celebration of TRAILS & SAILS. Participants can hike, bike, paddle, stroll or sail through the region and Essex National Heritage Area will provide a passport to fun and adventure. It’s all FREE and it’s all located within the 34 cities and towns of Essex County. You can read more about it Trails & Sails 2018

Kidleidoscope at Bradley Palmer

Kidleidoscope is a programs designed for preschoolers at Bradley Palmer State Park

Kids ages 3-6 are invited to join this fun, engaging activity session where they will learn about nature through stories, craft and outdoor activitiies. Topics vary by week, so come for them all! Meets at the Nature Center at 40 Asbury Street. An adult must accompany children. For outdoor programs wear comfortable clothes and sturdy closed toe shoes, insect repellent, and sunscreen. Bring water. Inclement weather cancels outdoor programs.

When:

Thursdays, September 13 & 20, 2018 10:30am-11:30pm

Location:

Bradley Palmer State Park

Outdoor Activity

Read more about Kidleidoscope at Bradley Palmer

Gloucester Sea Serpent Mash-Up

Free Gloucester Serpent fun at Maritime Gloucesteras part of Trails and Sails

Maritime Gloucester and Cape Ann Museum is collaborate for a fun Trails & Sails 2018 event! Following a mid-day sea serpent sculpture parade from the Cape Ann Museum to Maritime Gloucester, families will create mash-up “sea monsters” with inspiration from the creatures in the newly renovated Sea Pocket Aquarium. This event is free and open to the public.

When:

Saturday, September 23, 2017 12:30-3pm

Location:

Maritime Gloucester

Cape Ann Museum

Trails & Sails 2017

Read more about Gloucester Sea Serpent Mash-Up

Family Adventures In Reading

Story Teller Alicia Quintano leads Family Adevntures in Reading at Swampscott Library!

Family Adventures in Reading brings together children and adults to enjoy entertaining and thought-provoking presentations of outstanding picture books. Professional Storyteller Alicia Quintano will lead families as they share and reflect on their responses to the stories that explore character-building concepts such as courage, fairness, and persistence. Each 90-minute session includes an engaging, interactive presentation and a related craft program. The session concludes with an introduction to a library service and socializing over light refreshments. The books draw on a variety of cultural traditions including those that predominate in the neighborhoods where the program is offered.

When:

Saturdays, March 5 - April 16, 2016 11am - 12:30pm

Location:

Swampscott Public Library

Read more about Family Adventures In Reading

Today's Events
Upcoming Events

Sculpture at Maudslay

Maudslay State Park has a strong connection to the arts, and one of the highlights of the year is Sculpture at Maudslay! The annual show will be themed 'CONNECT'. This unique exhibition brings together artists from many walks of life to create site-specific sculptures in the park.

Where: Maudslay State Park

♦ Read More →

Saugus Iron Works Tours

U. S. National Park Rangers host free tours at the Saugus Iron Works. Learn about the production of iron on this site in the mid-1600s, an endeavor that was integral to the growth of the early colony. Hear about the archeological dig and reconstruction of the site in the 1940s to 1950s. Upon...

Where: Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site

♦ Read More →

Kimball Farm Corn Maze

At the Kimball Farm Corn Maze all are welcome to come and enjoy the challenge of finding your way through the winding corn field maze. Our originally desIgned CORN MAZE for 2018 is full of Crazy angles and is sure to be a fun challenge. Have no fear, there will be clues along the way. Be daring...

Where: Kimball Farm Corn Maze

♦ Read More →

Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit at Pingree School

The ninth annual Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit will feature more than 50 works by established and emerging New England artists, all displayed on the 100-acre campus of Pingree School from September 1 to November 4, 2018. Other artists from afar including New York,California and and New...

Where: Pingree School

♦ Read More →

The Lady of Salem: Maritime Art

Learn about Salem's maritime history and view "Lady of Salem" public art through a guided walking tours of the "Ladies." This festive Beautification Committee public art project features over 15 artistically decorated ship figureheads adorning downtown Salem. Tours will focus on Salem's maritime...

Where: Salem Maritime National Historic Site, Where: Downtown Salem

♦ Read More →

Marini Farm Arabian Nights Corn Maze

The 2018 Marini Farm Corn Maze is Arabian Nights themed this year! This is not your typical corn maze; it is both educational and interactive. There are over 18 stations strategically placed throughout the maze with answers to a game sheet that you will be given before entering.We don't give you...

Where: Marini Farm

♦ Read More →

Crescent Farm Corn Maze

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

♦ Read More →

Trails & Sails 2018

Essex National Heritage Area sites will offer over 150 free family fun events over the weekends of September 21-23 and September 28-30, 2018 for the annual celebration of TRAILS & SAILS. Participants can hike, bike, paddle, stroll or sail through the region and Essex National Heritage Area will...

♦ Read More →

Castle Neck River Boat Tours

Explore the waters Crane Wildlife Refuge on the Crane Estate by boat with the Trustees of Reservations! Join us for a cruise in Essex Bay aboard our pontoon boat the Osprey! We’ll view the seldom seen backside of the Crane Wildlife Refuge, and take a turn around Choate Island to view the open...

Where: Castle Hill on the Crane Estate, Where: Crane Wildlife Refuge on the Crane Estate

♦ Read More →

Robots and Beyond: Exploring Artificial Intelligence at MIT

Robots and Beyond shares the results of decades of Artificial Intelligence (AI) innovation at MIT. Explore the ideas that shaped AI and the birth of robotics, fields that are synonymous with research at MIT.

Where: MIT Museum

♦ Read More →

Boston Public Market - Boston

The Boston Public Market is an indoor, year-round marketplace featuring 35 New England artisans and food producers housed under one roof offering fresh foods, prepared meals, crafts, and specialty items. Residents and visitors alike can find seasonal, locally sourced food from Massachusetts and New...

8:00 am to 8:00 pm

♦ Read More →

Corn MAiZE and Haunted Attractions at Connors Farm - Danvers

Come to Connors Farm to find your way through this year's maze, a tribute to freind and local race car legend Bentley Warren! Enjoy many family fun activities! After completing the maze, stay and have some fun around the farm. Children enjoy apple and pumpkin picking, hayrides, and most of all,...

Where: Connors Farm

8:00 am to 6:00 pm

♦ Read More →

Marblehead Farmers' Market

The Marblehead Farmer's Market boasts 15+ local farms, and booths with an educational spin nutrition, vendors and farms selling homemade prepared goods and craft vendors that are switched up in a rotation basis week to week. Additionally there are entertainers and exhibits by environmentally...

Where: Marblehead Farmers' Market

9:00 am to 12:00 pm

♦ Read More →

CoastSweep: Dane Street Beach

As part of COASTSWEEP 2018, volunteers are encouraged to come to Dane Street Beach to help in the statewide effort to keep our coastline clean along the shore in Salem Massachusetts. Trash collected will be measured and analyzed, and the data will be sent to Washington DC to aid the government in...

Where: Dane Street Beach

9:00 am to 10:30 am

♦ Read More →

Powow Greenspace Sensory Hike

Come join the Lake Gardener Improvement Association for a guided, narrated hike of the Powow Hill Conservation Area -- the highest peak on the Essex County coast! Our "sensory hike" mirrors the growing movement of what is known as "Forest Bathing", which is essentially taking the time to use your...

Where: Lake Gardner

9:00 am to 10:30 am

♦ Read More →

Rockport Farmers' Market

The Rockport Farmers' Market is a small market that runs each Saturday through the Summer (June - early October). Sponsored by the Rockport Exchange, the market is limited in size due to the size of the Harvey Park - a quaint setting in the heart of downtown found on the corner of Mount Pleasant...

Where: Harvey Park - Rockport

9:00 am to 1:00 pm

♦ Read More →

Haverhill Farmers' Market

The Haverhill Farmers Market mission is to provide access to farm-fresh products and promote local agriculture, as well as serve as a social gathering place to encourage a vibrant and connected community. This family-friendly market also includes food demonstrations, local music and children’s...

Where: Haverhill Farmers' Market

9:00 am to 1:00 pm

♦ Read More →

Farmstead Cheese Tour

Visit Valley View Farm to learn about Essex County's largest farmstead goat cheese maker. See nubian goat herd, learn about cheesemaking, see the cheese cave and sample cheeses. Cheese and farm products available to purchase.

Where: Valley View Farm

10:00 am to 3:00 pm

♦ Read More →

The Forest River: Off the Beaten Path

Join Salem Sound Coastwatch staff and volunteers to walk the Forest River and explore a hidden gem that is right in our own back yard. Stroll along the river winding its way through salt marsh, an abundant habitat for many fish and birds. Take in the view of Salem from the top of Eagle Hill and...

Where: Salem State University

10:00 am to 11:30 am

♦ Read More →

Winnie-the-Pooh: Exploring a Classic, at the MFA - Boston

Get ready for an adventure with your favorite bear. The beloved teddy bear at the center of Winnie-the-Pooh, first published in 1926 and translated into more than 50 languages, is one of the most famous children’s book characters of all time. This exhibition traces the history and universal appeal...

Where: Museum of Fine Arts

10:00 am to 5:00 pm

♦ Read More →

AJH: Birthing with Hypnosis

Relax, clear your mind, and experience the positive effects of self-hypnosis during pregnancy and birthing. Class focuses on easy and natural relaxation techniques. If your birth plan does not embrace a firm decision for an epidural, this is a great option for you and your partner. Recommended to...

Where: Anna Jaques Hospital

10:00 am to 5:00 pm

♦ Read More →

Sing & Dance with the Music Man

Come join the fun at Community House Of Hamilton & Wenham Monday, Thursday, and Saturday mornings at 10 a.m. 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 →

MFA: Casanova’s Europe: Art, Pleasure, and Power in the 18th Century

In the dynamic world of 18th-century Europe, people, ideas, and artistic styles crossed national boundaries. Salons rich with opulent paintings and furnishings hummed with intellectual exchange, gossip, and flirtation. To a person like Giacomo Casanova—smart and confident, boastful and scheming—the...

Where: Museum of Fine Arts

10:00 am to 5:00 pm

♦ Read More →

Andover Farmers' Market

The Andover Farmers' Market, now in its 12th season, offers educational programming and promotes healthy eating, local economies, sustainability, and community spirit by providing fresh, local produce, baked and prepared foods, as well as hand-crafted goods.

Where: Andover Historical Society

10:00 am to 2:00 pm

♦ Read More →

AJH: Childbirth Education Classes

Congratulations: you are pregnant! This class is for mothers and partners during the last trimester of pregnancy to learn skills needed for the childbirth experience such as breathing methods, relaxation techniques, and comfort measures. Topics covered include: Anatomy Labor & delivery...

Where: Anna Jaques Hospital

10:00 am to 5:00 pm

♦ Read More →

PEM: Sally Mann A Thousand Crossings - Salem

Co-organized with the National Gallery of Art, this exhibition features some 115 photographs - many of which have not been exhibitied or published previously - that offer a sweeping overview of the distinguished photograhier's articstic achievement, vision and drive.

Where: Peabody Essex Museum

10:00 am to 4:00 pm

♦ Read More →

The Bridges of Maudslay

Maudslay State Park invites you to take a snapshot look at the three stone bridges erected by the Moseleys – and their history. The bridges are architectural wonders, still functional after many years of use. The three stone bridges of Maudslay make a visit to the park a unique experience and tell...

Where: Maudslay State Park

10:00 am to 11:30 am

♦ Read More →

PEM Explores Innovations Inspired by Nature - Salem

This summer discover how creative innovators are turning to nature for new ideas and smart solutions to human challenges. Wild Designs, on exhibit at Peabody Essex Museum, features works by artists and other creatives who are looking to nature and living systems for new ideas and creative...

Where: Peabody Essex Museum

10:00 am to 5:00 pm

♦ Read More →

The Stevens-Coolidge Place Cutting Garden

The public is invited to cut your own flowers in the cutting garden (only). In addition to pick-your-own standards like zinnias, dahlias and rudbeckia, visitors will find new varieties to add pop and flair to their bouquets. The garden is fun for all ages and there is always something new to learn...

Where: Stevens-Coolidge Place

10:00 am to 5:00 pm

♦ Read More →

Privateer Trail Walking Tour

Join Historic Beverly on a journey through Beverly to visit the homes and businesses of some of Beverly's most famous privateers, including the legendary Hugh Hill! We will also experience some beautiful waterfront views as our guides explain how these sites would have looked and been used. Walking...

Where: Historic Beverly

10:00 am to 11:30 am

♦ Read More →

Saturday Morning Science at Joppa: Papermaking & Nature Journals

Start your weekend with others who are intereted in science and wildlife and get in touch with your "inner scientist!" Twice a month we'll offer a chance to meet live creatures, design something "green," or explore a new field in science.

Where: Joppa Flats Education Center

10:00 am to 11:30 am

♦ Read More →

Essex Heritage Boat Tours to Bakers Island Lighthouse - Salem

Bakers Island Light is officially open for the season! Whether you have visited before or are new to the site, there are lots of ways to experience Bakers Island Light this summer. Read on to see what is happening this year.

Where: Central Wharf Salem

10:30 am to 2:00 pm

♦ Read More →

Iron Pour at Saugus Iron Works

U. S. National Park Rangers will be running hands-on activities about how cast iron was made at Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site in the 17th century for Trails & Sails 2018. Join us at the Saugus Iron Works for our annual iron pour and get a glimpse of what work was like here in the...

Where: Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site

10:30 am to 12:00 pm

♦ Read More →

Fall Family Monarch Conservation Program & Butterfly Tagging!

Parker River National Wildlife Refuge invites families to join Katie Hone, The Monarch Gardener, for this fun and interesting one hour program about the monarch butterfly. The program will include a presentation about monarchs with interactive role playing and live animals AND making milkweed “...

Where: Parker River National Wildlife Refuge

10:30 am to 11:30 am

♦ Read More →

Lynn Woods Trails & Sails Walk

Join the Friends of the Lynn Woods on this Trails & Sails 2018 walk through to Dungeon Rock to Stone Tower. Lynn Woods Reservation is the second largest municipal park in the greater Boston area. This 2,200 acre forest reserve consists of ponds, wetlands, streams, deciduous & evergreen...

Where: Lynn Woods Reservation

11:00 am to 12:45 pm

♦ Read More →

Historic Ice House Tours

Chill with the coolest guys in town! Enjoy a cool visit to Cape Pond Ice Company, icing Gloucester's fleet since 1848. We were featured in Sebastian Junger's account of The Perfect Storm. Tours highlight the history of the ice industry, with vintage film of natural ice harvests.

Where: Cape Pond Ice

11:00 am to 12:00 pm

♦ Read More →

Danvers Kiwanis Rubber Duck Race

The 25th Annual “Rubber Duck Race” hosted by the Danvers Kiwanis raises money that benefits scholarship funds for local college students. THE RACE is rain or shine, and hundreds of Rubber Ducks will be dumped into the Porter River adjacent to Popes Landing. The drama escalates, competition has...

11:00 am to 12:30 pm

♦ Read More →

Wagon Rides at Appleton Farms

Wagon Rides are new to Appleton Farms this summer! What better way than to spend a summer day on the farm. Hop aboard our hay wagon and go for a ride past our vegetable fields and out to the great pasture. Enjoy our rolling landscape, maybe spot some cows grazing and enjoy being outside! The ride...

Where: Appleton Farms

11:30 am to 2:30 pm

♦ Read More →

MIT Museum's Idea Hub

Explore topics in design and engineering with artistic circuits, 3D programs, and a variety of other hands-on making and tinkering topics! Drop in each week and try out one of our many activities. Free with Museum admission for kids ages 12 and up.

Where: MIT Museum

12:00 pm to 4:00 pm

♦ Read More →

Team Haverhill’s River Ruckus

Team Haverhill's River Ruckus is an annual city-wide festival celebrating the natural resources and beauty of the Merrimack River and the economic and cultural revitalization of the City of Haverhill, MA.

Where: Riverfront Park Haverhill

12:00 pm to 8:30 pm

♦ Read More →

Touch Tank Time

Summer beach days are over, but our 110-gallon tide pool touch tank is still filled with marine life! Drop in for this free program at Joppa Flats and examine the critters you might have discovered on your own visits to the shore. Sea Urchiins, Moon Snails, Sand Dollars, hermits, Horseshoe Crabs,...

Where: Joppa Flats Education Center

12:30 pm to 3:30 pm

♦ Read More →

Stevens to Stevens Trail Hike

Come check out the Stevens to Stevens Trail, a scenic trail connecting the Old Center Common to Weir Hill to Osgood Hill. We'll meet at the North Andover Merchant Association Fall Festival on the Common, across the street from the trail entrance on Mass Ave. This hike is part of Trails & Sails...

1:00 pm to 3:00 pm

♦ Read More →

Flower Crown Making

Join the The Trustees of Reservations at the Stevens-Coolidge Estate, cut your own flowers at our Flower Fields Cutting Garden and then use them to create a beautiful flower crown. We will have all the supplies and instructions you need to learn how to make a beautiful floral crown of your own...

Where: Stevens-Coolidge Place

1:00 pm

♦ Read More →

Public Skate & Learn to Skate at Peabody Skating Rink

The McVann-O'Keefe Skating Rink in Peabody is open for Public Skating weekdays from 10-11:45 am, Saturday's at 2 pm, and Sundays at 2:10 pm. Call today to ask about the Learn to Skate program at with the Peabody Skating Club. The ice is perfect. The Halloween and Christmas parties are a blast, and...

Where: McVann-O'Keefe Memorial Skating Rink

2:00 pm to 3:45 pm

♦ Read More →

What the Fluff Festival in Somerville

Now in its 13th year, “What the Fluff? A Tribute to Union Square Invention” is a madcap festival honoring the invention of Marshmallow Fluff. This fun-filled event draws over 20,000 people and is cited as one of the reasons why Lonely Planet named Somerville in the top 10 “Best In The US” travel...

3:00 pm to 7:00 pm

♦ Read More →

Annual Essex Festival in the Shipyard

Essex Shipbuilding Museum invites families to the the Essex Festival in the Shipyard. Spend the afternoon listening to great music, enjoying local art, and eating brick oven pizza and grilled hot dogs. Kids can participate in fun activities and crafts. There will be an Essex built boat lauch at 2:...

Where: Essex Shipbuilding Museum

3:00 pm to 7:00 pm

♦ Read More →

Meet a Dairy Farmer at Appleton Farms

Come to Appleton Farms every Sunday at 4PM to see our Jersey heard being milked. See the cows bring brought in from pasture, get a look at the milking up close and ask our dairy farmer a few questions! Perfect for kids and adults alike. While you are here take a peek in the cheese kitchen viewing...

Where: Appleton Farms

4:00 pm to 5:00 pm

♦ Read More →

TitO presents Poe

Join Theater in the Open for a special encore presentation of Poe in The Ellen T. Brown Memorial Chapel at the Oak Hill Cemetery in Newburyport. Using music, macabre pageantry and shadow puppetry, Theater in the Open’s ensemble will explore the emotional tension and otherworldly atmosphere that...

Where: Newburyport's Oak Hill Cemetery

6:00 pm to 7:30 pm

♦ Read More →

Haunted Hilldale Cemetery

Join Essex County Ghost Project on a FREE guided ghost tour of Hilldale Cemetary - one of the Merrimack Valley's most active cemeteries as part of Trails & Sails 2018. Join us for a weekend of paranormal enlightenment! On Friday night there will be an equipment class to learn how to use some of...

Where: Hilldale Cemetary

7:00 pm to 10:00 pm

♦ Read More →

Sunday, September 23

Marini Farm Arabian Nights Corn Maze

The 2018 Marini Farm Corn Maze is Arabian Nights themed this year! This is not your typical corn maze; it is both educational and interactive. There are over 18 stations strategically placed throughout the maze with answers to a game sheet that you will be given before entering.We don't give you...

Where: Marini Farm

♦ Read More →

Kimball Farm Corn Maze

At the Kimball Farm Corn Maze all are welcome to come and enjoy the challenge of finding your way through the winding corn field maze. Our originally desIgned CORN MAZE for 2018 is full of Crazy angles and is sure to be a fun challenge. Have no fear, there will be clues along the way. Be daring...

Where: Kimball Farm Corn Maze

♦ Read More →

Trails & Sails 2018

Essex National Heritage Area sites will offer over 150 free family fun events over the weekends of September 21-23 and September 28-30, 2018 for the annual celebration of TRAILS & SAILS. Participants can hike, bike, paddle, stroll or sail through the region and Essex National Heritage Area will...

♦ Read More →

Sculpture at Maudslay

Maudslay State Park has a strong connection to the arts, and one of the highlights of the year is Sculpture at Maudslay! The annual show will be themed 'CONNECT'. This unique exhibition brings together artists from many walks of life to create site-specific sculptures in the park.

Where: Maudslay State Park

♦ Read More →

The Lady of Salem: Maritime Art

Learn about Salem's maritime history and view "Lady of Salem" public art through a guided walking tours of the "Ladies." This festive Beautification Committee public art project features over 15 artistically decorated ship figureheads adorning downtown Salem. Tours will focus on Salem's maritime...

Where: Salem Maritime National Historic Site, Where: Downtown Salem

♦ Read More →

Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit at Pingree School

The ninth annual Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit will feature more than 50 works by established and emerging New England artists, all displayed on the 100-acre campus of Pingree School from September 1 to November 4, 2018. Other artists from afar including New York,California and and New...

Where: Pingree School

♦ Read More →

Crescent Farm Corn Maze

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

♦ Read More →

Robots and Beyond: Exploring Artificial Intelligence at MIT

Robots and Beyond shares the results of decades of Artificial Intelligence (AI) innovation at MIT. Explore the ideas that shaped AI and the birth of robotics, fields that are synonymous with research at MIT.

Where: MIT Museum

♦ Read More →

Saugus Iron Works Tours

U. S. National Park Rangers host free tours at the Saugus Iron Works. Learn about the production of iron on this site in the mid-1600s, an endeavor that was integral to the growth of the early colony. Hear about the archeological dig and reconstruction of the site in the 1940s to 1950s. Upon...

Where: Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site

♦ Read More →

Corn MAiZE and Haunted Attractions at Connors Farm - Danvers

Come to Connors Farm to find your way through this year's maze, a tribute to freind and local race car legend Bentley Warren! Enjoy many family fun activities! After completing the maze, stay and have some fun around the farm. Children enjoy apple and pumpkin picking, hayrides, and most of all,...

Where: Connors Farm

8:00 am to 6:00 pm

♦ Read More →