Crafts

Lunar New Year Festival at PEM

Families can celebrate the Lunar New Year at Peabody Essex Museum in Salem Massachusetts!

Join PEM as they celebrate the Lunar New Year | The Year of the Snake! Come welcome the Year of the Snake with a vibrant festival heralding new beginnings and the coming of spring! Enjoy a scavenger hunt, art making and guided tours of Yin Yu Tang. Lunar New Year is celebrated in many Asian countries, including China, Vietnam, Korea, Singapore and Malaysia. While some traditions are shared across countries, others are unique to one region, community or national cultural identity. Our programming this year focuses on Chinese cultural traditions.

When:

Saturday, February 15, 2025 10am-5pm

Location:

Read more about Lunar New Year Festival at PEM

Animal Adventures Series: Inside & Out

Come learn about your favorite animals and their habitats at the Joppa Flats Center in Newburyport Massachusetts! Photo: Kathy Crane, NOAA Arctic Research Program

Joppa Flats Education Center invites families for family fun about your favorite animals with hands-on science, songs, a take-home craft and outdoor time, weather permitting. This is a three-week series for young "naturalists" and their adventure-loving adult to learn about animals together. Please note there are no live animals in these programs.

When:

Friday, January 24, 2025 1:30-3pm

Friday, February 7, 2025 1:30-3pm

Friday, March 7, 2025 1:30-3pm

Location:

Joppa Flats Education Center

Read more about Animal Adventures Series: Inside & Out

Gloucester's So Salty 2025

Celebrate Gloucester Massachusetts recognizably salty character with local cultural institutions in the heart of downtown.

Celebrate the fish city’s recognizably salty character with local cultural institutions and businesses during the 4th Annual Gloucester’s So Salty festival on January 25 and 26, 2025 from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm! Over 1,800 people came out last year to share their salty pride while enjoying free ice sculptures and cultural activities around Downtown Gloucester.

When:

Saturday, January 25, 2025 10am-5pm

Sunday, January 26, 2025 10am-5pm

Location:

Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church

Maritime Gloucester

Sawyer Free Library Temporary Space

Read more about Gloucester's So Salty 2025

Winter Festival at Veasey Memorial Park

Enjoy family friendly winter fun at Veasey Memorial Park in Groveland Massachusetts

The Friends of Veasey Memorial Park host their annual winter festival! Our good friends from Georgetown's Goats-to-Go will be sharing presentations about goats, sheep, and llama. Learn about their life on the farm, what makes these animals so awesome, why Goats-to-Go raise them, and what they do each year at Veasey.

When:

Sunday, January 26, 2025 10am-2pm

Location:

Read more about Winter Festival at Veasey Memorial Park

CraneExplorer: Valentine's Coastal Craft

Make Valentines crafts from materials that we find along the shore at the Trustees of Reservations Crane Estate in Ipswich, Massachusetts

The Trustees of Reservations invites ages 12 and up to a valentine craft making workshop! This Valentine’s Day, give a gift from the sea! From seaweed pressings to shell collages, beach treasures make beautiful greetings and keepsakes. Join this workshop to learn fun craft ideas and make marine art with our coastal educators. This program will start with a beach walk to collect coastal treasures, and then we will head inside for crafting. Materials and inspiration provided.

When:

Sunday, February 8, 2025 10am-Noon

Location:

Castle Hill on the Crane Estate

Trustees of Reservations

Read more about CraneExplorer: Valentine's Coastal Craft

MFA Celebrates Martin Luther King Jr. Day with Free Open House

The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston celebrates Martin Luther King Day with free admission and an open house with great activities for families in Boston Massachusetts

Join us for our annual MLK Day Open House, presented in partnership with Citizens. This year, the MFA offers free admission—including access to “Georgia O’Keeffe and Henry Moore”—for Massachusetts residents. Celebrate the legacy of Dr. King by surrounding yourself with art making, performances, and talks with members of our community!

When:

Monday, January 20, 2025 10am-5pm

Location:

Read more about MFA Celebrates Martin Luther King Jr. Day with Free Open House

Rockport New Year's Eve 2024

Family Friendly New Year's Eve celebration for kids and families in Rockport Massachusetts.

Rockport New Year’s Eve (RNYE) is a family-friendly year-end celebration of the arts held in downtown Rockport, Massachusetts annually since 1996. Halls, churches, town offices, and some streets are taken over by happy revelers celebrating the New Year.

When:

Tuesday, December 31, 2024 4pm-Midnight

Location:

Read more about Rockport New Year's Eve 2024

Deck the Docks at Maritime Gloucester

Deck the Docks at on the Gloucester Massachusetts Waterfront and join the holiday cheer!

Come to Maritime Gloucester for fun holiday happenings on the waterfront in Gloucester Massachusetts! Find unique maritime themed gifts and stick around for kids events including kids holiday crafts with Cape Ann Art Haven, free hot cocoa, story time in the classroom, Musical Performance by The Gloucester Student Band, Santa's arrival by schooner and more during Gloucester's Middle Street Walk 2024.

When:

Saturday, December 14, 2024 10am-7pm

Location:

Read more about Deck the Docks at Maritime Gloucester

Middle Street Walk 2024

The lighting of the Lobster Trap Tree is part of Middle Street Walk's finale in Gloucester Massachusetts.

The Annual Middle Street Walk is a great way to experience Gloucester's Historic District and waterfront while having Holiday fun with the family. An updated schedule of this years walk will be available for download on December 1, 2024 at this link.

When:

Saturday, December 14, 2024 9am - 5pm

Location:

Read more about Middle Street Walk 2024

Beverly Downtown Winter Market

Come to Beverly Massachusetts for two festive evenings of holiday cheer during Cabot Night (Friday, 12/13) and Rantoul Night (Saturday, 12/14)! Both nights are packed with activities for all ages, including local shopping, live music, and delicious treats. Don’t miss the Beverly Memory Tree lighting ceremony on Saturday at Odell Park, a heartwarming event to kick off the season. Families can enjoy special shopping deals, craft markets, and performances by local artists, including Victorian carolers and the North Atlantic Ballet’s Nutcracker youth cast. For parents looking for a night out, the First Baptist Church is offering free childcare with dinner and activities.

When:

Friday, December 13, 2024 4-8PM

Saturday, December 14, 2024 4-8PM

Location:

Read more about Beverly Downtown Winter Market

StoryWalk Series at Maudslay

Enjoy this pre-school StoryWalk® at your leisure with the younger set and combine reading and time in nature! “Magnificent Monarchs” by Linda Glaser is featured in this StoryWalk Series. Younger kids will love this gentle, richly illustrated children’s nonfiction book aimed at preschool–third grade...

Where: Maudslay State Park

7:00 am to 8:00 pm

♦ Read More →

Maudslay in Bloom Self-Guided Walk

Maudslay State Park in Newburyport, Massachusetts, offers a delightful self-guided walk that is perfect for families with children. The park's 480-acre expanse, once the Moseley Estate, is rich with historical charm and natural beauty. Families can embark on a self-guided tour through lush...

Where: Maudslay State Park

7:00 am to 7:00 pm

♦ Read More →

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

♦ Read More →

Saugus Iron Works Park Grounds & Estuary Walk

Learn about the natural world in Saugus while ecploring the park ground ast the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site in Massachusetts.

Where: Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site

7:00 am to 7:00 pm

♦ Read More →

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 4:00 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 10am 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 →

Saugus Iron Works House Tours

Join National Park staff at Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site for a 30-minute tour of The Iron Works House.

Where: Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site

11:00 am

♦ Read More →

Saugus Iron Works Tours

Join the National Park staff at Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site for a tour of the colonial industrial site. On select days, you may be able to stick around and witness pop-up molten iron pour, blacksmithing, waterwheel demonstrations, and take part in hands-on river stewardship activities.

Where: Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site

2:00 pm

♦ Read More →

The Backyard Growcery

Stop by Gloucester’s new weekly farmers market, the Backyard Growcery, managed by Backyard Growers. The Backyard Growcery is located at Burnham's Field, an urban park near Gloucester’s thriving waterfront, and features small-scale North Shore farmers, bakers, a seafood vendor, an artisanal pizza...

Where: Burnham's Field

2:30 pm to 6:30 pm

♦ Read More →

Topsfield HomeGrown Market

The mission of the HomeGrown Market is to provide the Topsfield community with a series of family-friendly events that emphasize supporting local and offer the opportunity for Topsfield and surrounding North Shore farmers, gardeners, artisans, creators, performers, musicians, nonprofits, young...

Where: Topsfield Town Common

4:00 pm to 7:00 pm

♦ Read More →

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

♦ Read More →

Saturday, August 23

Kids Sail Free on the Schooner Lannon

Schooner Thomas E. Lannon is a fixture on the Gloucester Harbor vista throughout the day in the warm months, but to really experience the Lannon, you need to come aboard and go for a cruise! Sail and see lighthouses, castles, scenic beaches, and magnificent waterfront homes.

Where: Schooner Thomas E. Lannon

10:30 am to 12:00 pm

♦ Read More →

Boat Tour to Misery Island

Journey on Essex Heritage’s landing craft Naumkeag to Great Misery Island in Salem Sound. Along the way, hear stories about the rich history of the harbor and how the Misery Islands acquired their unique name. When you arrive, you’ll have 2 hours to explore the trails, open meadows, rocky shoreline...

Where: Salem Ferry Terminal

11:00 am to 2:00 pm

♦ Read More →

Long Hill Garden Tours

The Trustees of Reservations invite you to join our expert guides for a tour around Long Hill’s stunning Sedgwick Gardens and learn more about the special plants. Visit Long Hill’s breathtaking gardens and stately historic house for a guided tour. Enjoy the rich history of this grand country estate...

Where: Long Hill and Sedgwick Gardens

11:00 am to 12:00 pm

♦ Read More →

Saugus Iron Works House Tours

Join National Park staff at Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site for a 30-minute tour of The Iron Works House.

Where: Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site

11:00 am

♦ Read More →

Riverfest at Salisbury Beach

Soak up the sun with you, your friends, and some amazing musical acts. Hosted by 92.5 The River in partnership with Salisbury Beach Partnership and Salisbury Beach Carousel. Riverfest is the perfect festival for music fans of all ages and is free to attend. This is a rain-or-shine event. Over 30...

Where: Salisbury Beach Stage

12:00 pm to 6:00 pm

♦ Read More →

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? Kayaking the pristine, sheltered waters of the Essex River Basin offers one of the top on-the-water experiences to be had in Northeast. Add to that a hike on the area’s largest island and you have the...

Where: Crane Wildlife Refuge on the Crane Estate

1:00 pm to 4:30 pm

♦ Read More →

Saugus Iron Works Tours

Where: Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site

2:00 pm

♦ Read More →

Fireworks and Beach Concerts at Salisbury Beach

Join us at Salisbury Beach for an unforgettable family night out! Every Saturday through the summer, enjoy spectacular fireworks (weather permitting) that light up the sky. Before the fireworks, there's a live concert starting at 7:30 PM on the Salisbury Oceanfront Stage, perfect for families with...

Where: Salisbury Beach Stage

7:30 pm to 11:00 pm

♦ Read More →

Sunday, August 24

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

♦ Read More →