Picnic

Family Fun in the Open at Maudslay

Theater in the Open presents story telling, dance, and fairy tale theater in a p

Theater in the Open invites you to bring the family to Maudslay State Park! Bring the kids, the dog, and the picnic blanket out to beautiful Maudslay State Park! The third Saturday of every month, we will be joined by many of our good friends in the community to present storytelling, song, dance, fairytale-theater and a fun group activity, all right here in the park and all entirely free! Come make a friend, sing a song, take in some sun and get to know your park better.

When: 
Third Saturday of every warm month: May 17, June 21, July 19, and August 16 at 11 am

An Evening with the Herons

The largest heronry in Massachusetts is just off of Coolidge Point in Manchester

The evening flight of herons, egrets, and ibises as they return to their night roost is an amazing spectacle to watch, especially when they are returning into the largest heronry in Massachusetts, just off the coast of Coolidge Point. Bring your dinner and enjoy the aerial drama of the life-and-death struggle in the colony.

When: 
Thursday, June 19, 2014 6-8pm

Harlequin Mother Goose: A Higgledy Piggledy Panto!

Come see Theater in the Open's  Princess Pirate Panto at Maudslay State Park in

Theater in the Open starts their 2014 performance season with Harlequin Mother Goose: A Higgeldy Piggledy Panto! The year is 1764… And in the town of Olde Newbury, at Hoyt’s Lane and Main, there lives an old dame, whose name is Jane Crane! Please join us once again in ye olde Panto-land, where we’re counting on you to lend us a hand! You’ll meet an old woman who lives in a shoe, with Little Bo Peep and Little Boy Blue, but, wouldn’t you know it, the shoe rent is due, and the owner, Baron Bromfield…something something…fondue! Well, you get the idea. We’ll have an eight-foot-tall bird, a caper of clever clowns, and plenty to cheer for and boo at with the whole family this June in Maudslay State Park.

When: 
Saturdays & Sundays, May 31 - June 22, 2014 2pm

CAFM Family Hoedown

Come to a fun square dance and picnic to benefit CAFM!

The Essex County Greenbelt Association hosts a fundraiser dance for the Cape Ann Farmers' Market at Cox Reservation in Essex, Massachusetts! Pack a picnic dinner and bring the entire family to Essex for a night of family fun!  Explore the grounds of the Essex County Greenbelt Association headquarters overlooking the marshes of Essex Bay, then join the fun in the barn for a traditional square dance with a live band and caller!

When: 
Friday, June 6, 2014 6pm
Location: 

Vintage Base Ball Championships

Come see how baseball used to be played (circa 1860s) at Spencer Pierce Farm

It’s Base Ball, 1861 style at Spencer Peirce Little Farm! Watch the teams of the new Essex Base Ball Association play for the Championship! The Newburyport Clamdiggers, Portsmouth Rockinghams, Lynn Live Oaks, and Lowell Base Ball Nine will play baseball using 1860s rules. These fun, historically accurate games feature underhand pitching and no gloves are allowed. A ball bounced once and caught is an out! Snacks, baseballs, and cards are available for purchase. Come and see for yourself how this game was played in the 1860's!

When: 
Saturday, October 5, 2013 11am-3pm

Garden Restoration Tour at Coolidge Stevens Estate

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Join the The Trustees of Reservations for a look at the recently restored perennial garden, diligently transformed by volunteers at Stevens Coolidge Place. Planted over 100 years ago, the perennial garden was first established in 1907 utilizing the plan of landscape designer, Louisa Bancroft Stevens. Learn how recent restoration work incorporated the use of historical documentation with thoughtful stewardship practices. The first floor of the house will be open at 10:30AM followed by a tour of the garden beginning at 11AM. This program is offered in conjunction with Essex County's Trails and Sails program.

When: 
Saturday, September 28, 2013 10:30am-Noon

Vintage Base Ball Playoffs

Come see how baseball used to be played (circa 1860s) at Spencer Pierce Farm

It’s Base Ball, 1861 style at Spencer Peirce Little Farm! Teams playing today are The Newburyport Clamdiggers, Lynn Live Oaks, and Lowell Base Ball Club. These fun, historically accurate games feature underhand pitching and no gloves are allowed. A ball bounced once and caught is an out! Snacks, baseballs, and cards are available for purchase. Come and see for yourself how this game was played in the 1860's!

When: 
Sunday, September 30, 2012 12pm

Vintage Base Ball Double Header - September 23

Come see how baseball used to be played (circa 1860s) at Spencer Pierce Farm

It’s Base Ball, 1861 style at Spencer Peirce Little Farm! Teams playing today are The Newburyport Clamdiggers, Lynn Live Oaks, and Lowell Base Ball Club. These fun, historically accurate games feature underhand pitching and no gloves are allowed. A ball bounced once and caught is an out! Snacks, baseballs, and cards are available for purchase. Come and see for yourself how this game was played in the 1860's! 

When: 
Sunday, September 23, 2012 12pm

Vintage Base Ball Double Header - September 16

Come see how baseball used to be played (circa 1860s) at Spencer Pierce Farm

It’s Base Ball, 1861 style at Spencer Peirce Little Farm! Teams playing today are The Newburyport Clamdiggers, Lynn Live Oaks, and Lowell Base Ball Club. These fun, historically accurate games feature underhand pitching and no gloves are allowed. A ball bounced once and caught is an out! Snacks, baseballs, and cards are available for purchase. Come and see for yourself how this game was played in the 1860's! 

When: 
Sunday, September 16, 2012 12pm

Vintage Base Ball Double Header - August 26

Come see how baseball used to be played (circa 1860s) at Spencer Pierce Farm

It’s Base Ball, 1861 style at Spencer Peirce Little Farm! Teams playing today are The Newburyport Clamdiggers, Lynn Live Oaks, and Lowell Base Ball Club. These fun, historically accurate games feature underhand pitching and no gloves are allowed. A ball bounced once and caught is an out! Snacks, baseballs, and cards are available for purchase. Come and see for yourself how this game was played in the 1860's! 

When: 
Sunday, August 26, 2012 12pm

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Shore School in Beverly Massachusetts offers a host of Summer programs for kids aged 5-12

Saugus Iron Works Park Grounds & Estuary Walk

Take a hike along the Saugus River Estuary ande explore the Saugus Iron Works Park grounds in Massachusetts
Learn about the natural world in Saugus while ecploring the park ground ast the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site in Massachusetts.
7:00 am to 7:00 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

Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit at Pingree School

Pingree School in Hmailton Massachusetts hosts their annual Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture exhibit each Fall. Sculpture: Phoenix by Robin Tost.
Pingree School hosts the 16th annual Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit on their campus in South Hamilton, Massachusetts .
8:00 am to 6:00 pm

Crescent Farm Corn Maze

Crescent Farm corn maze in Haverhill Massachusetts
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...
9:00 am to 9:00 pm

Salem Witch Hunt Walking Tour

Learn about the true reality of the Salem Massachusetts Witch Trials Salem Massachusetts on a self guided walking tour with Essex Heritage
This self-guided walking tour is designed to help explain the true history behind the Salem Witch Trials. After more than three centuries of storytelling through countless books, movies, and television shows, the line between historical fact and dramatic fiction has become increasingly blurred....
9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Gloucester Gratis Days at Hammond Castle

Bring your kids to the Hammond Castle Museum in Gloucester Massachusetts during April Vacation
In keeping with John Hays Hammond, Jr's original vision for his seaside castle-home to serve as a museum offering the Gloucester community access to ancient works of architectural art, Hammond Castle Museum will offer Gloucester residents free, self-guided tours each Tuesday throughout the regular...
10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Paddle Around Historic Rockport Harbor

Paddle around Rockport Massachusetts Harbor for FREE as part of Trails and Sails
Come join North Shore Adventures and Outdoor Center for some fun on the water! No experience necessary. Depart from our private beach in one of our safe, stable kayaks or paddle boards and paddle around the historic Rockport Harbor for 30 mins. See lobster boats, Motif #1, the Rockport Break water...
10:30 pm

Trails & Sails

Explore the North Shore with over 150 Free Events in Essex National Heritage Area's Trails & Sails celebration in Massachusetts.
Essex National Heritage Area sites will offer over 150 free family fun events from September 14-29, 2024 for the annual celebration of TRAILS & SAILS. Discover special places in your backyard and be guided through unique landscapes on land and sea, explore historic properties, and take in...
7:00 am to 10:00 pm

Saturday, September 27

Hands on History Day: The American Revolution

Learn about the American Revolution at the Cabot House in Histoirc Beverly Massachusetts
Explore the American Revolution through immersive, hands-on stations highlighting the era’s diverse people and experiences. In the “Molly Pitcher Room,” learn about women’s roles by crafting toilet roll cannons and herbal tea sachets.
9:30 am to 4:00 pm

Step Inside the Historic Custom House

Take in the views of this prominent building where Nathaniel Hawthorne once worked and the U.S. Custom Service operated. This Custom House was built in 1819 and housed offices for the officers of the U.S. Customs Service, as well as an attached warehouse, the Public Stores, used for the storage of...
9:30 am to 4:30 pm

Marini Farm Corn Maze

The 2025 Marini Farm Corn Maze in Ipswich Massachusetts is themed for The Wizard of Oz
Come to Marini Farm for a fun journey through our corn maze! The Maze Park, corn maze, farm stand, bakery and other attractions provide a great destination for kids birthday parties, school trips, corporate team building, scout outings, and family activities. Marini Farm is located in beautiful...
10:00 am to 10:00 pm

Choate Island Day

Choate Island Day with the Trustees of Reservations in Ipswich Massachusetts
Spend a day with the Trustees of Reservations in celebration of Choate Island – the crown jewel of the Crane Wildlife Refuge. Here deer and foxes roam through fields that once housed herds of sheep, and osprey fly over breathtaking views of Essex Bay. The island was first home to indigenous farmers...
10:00 am to 3:00 pm

Hospital Point Lighthouse Open House

Take a tour of this historic Beverly landmark thats usually closed to the public as part of Trials and Sails!
One of Beverly's most familiar landmarks, this lighthouse commands a spectacular view of Salem Sound, and 3 other lighthouses. An enduring monument to Beverly's nautical heritage, it is one of 5 Massachusetts lighthouses that still retains its original Fresnel lens.
10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Make a Car or Boat Craft at APL

Kids are invited to come the Amesbury Public Library to a Car or Boat to take home!
Bring the family to create a 3D car or an origami boat in a bottle. All supplies will be outside and enjoyed during the Annual Car Show in downtown Amesbury in the quiet of the Library programming area. Build, decorate, and enjoy some books about transportation!
10:00 am to 1:00 pm

Farmstead Cheese Tour

Tour Valley View Farm's goat cheese operation as part of Essex Heritage's Trails and Sails in Topsfield Massachusetts!
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.
10:00 am to 1:00 pm

Overlooking the Essex River Tour

Tour Cogswell's Grant Coastal Farm in Essex Massachusetts as part of Trails & Sails
On this walking tour, explore the landscape history at Cogswell’s Grant in Essex, Massachusetts, from the presence of indigenous people through the colonial period to the present. Walk through hayfields down to the salt marsh and the Essex River, discover the rich history of the people and families...
11:00 am to 12:30 pm

CoastSweep Cleanup at Salisbury Beach

CoastSweep seashore beach cleanup at Salisbury Beach Massachusetts
As part of COASTSWEEP Beach Cleanup, volunteers are encouraged to come to Salisbury Beach State Reservation to help in the statewide e
11:00 am

Saugus Iron Works House Tours

Free Ranger guided tours of the Saugus Iron Works House in Massachusetts
Join National Park staff at Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site for a 30-minute tour of The Iron Works House.
11:00 am
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