Holiday

Greet Santa at the Hawthorne Hotel

Salem Main Streets, SalemMainStreets.org, Visit Salem MA for the holidays

Join Salem Main Streets and the City of Salem as we celebrate two of our most beloved annual traditions – Santa’s Arrival and the lighting of Salem’s Holiday Tree – all in one evening. Santa Claus will arrive at the top of the Hawthorne Hotel (18 Washington Square W) promptly at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 28, with assistance from the Salem Fire Department, of course. Organizers recommend arriving to the Salem Common by 5:45 p.m. to catch the arrival. Bring the whole family out for brass carols with Coventry Brass, festivities, and fun!

When: 
Friday, November 28, 2025 5:45-8pm
Location: 
Hawthorne Hotel
Lappin Park
Salem
Holiday
Santa
Tree Lighting

Wild Turkey 5 Mile Road Race

Run like a turkey through downtown Salem MA on Thanksgiving Day! Proceeds benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Salem.

Join the fun for the annual Wild Turkey 5 Mile Run in downtown Salem Massachusetts Thanksgiving morning and raise funds for the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Salem! This is the largest race on the North Shore, now in its 22nd year, with 2,000 anticipated participants. The first 1600 entries will receive long sleeve shirts. We give out awards in 5-year age groups. The pre and post-race meeting place will be in the Peabody Essex Museum Atrium. The race benefits the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Salem.

When: 
Thanksgiving Day, November 27, 2025 8am
Location: 
Peabody Essex Museum
Salem
Holiday
Fundraiser
Race
5 Mile
Thanksgiving

Cape Ann Symphony Holiday Pops

Cape Ann Symphony Holiday Pops Concert in Ipswich and Manchester Massachsusetts

Celebrate the Holidays on Thanksgiving weekend with the Cape Ann Symphony conducted by Yoichi Udagawa. The annual Holiday Pops is a musical celebration of the season. The Cape Ann Symphony Chorus now under the direction of Brittany Betts will join the orchestra for a Holiday Pops series for the whole family. The ever popular audience sing-along concludes the performance.

When: 
Saturday, November 29, 2025 2PM [Ipswich]
Saturday, November 29, 2025 7:30pm [Manchester]
Sunday, November 29, 2025 2pm [Manchester]
Location: 
Ipswich High School
Manchester Essex Regional High School
Manchester
Holiday
Live Performance
Music
Symphony
Orchestra
Live Music
Songs

Essex Turkey Trot 5K Race & Fun Walk

The Essex Massachusetts Lions host their annual 5k Turkey Trot!

The Essex Lion's Club hosts the annual turkey trot in beautiful Essex Massachusetts! This year the race is a 5K and a 5k fun walk.  Race starts at 11:00am for runners and 10am for walkers.  Registration is at Woodman’s Restaurant (upstairs), 121 Main Street, Essex, from 9:30 am to 10:30 am, or pre-register online.  

When: 
Sunday, November 23, 2025 10am
Location: 
Downtown Essex
Essex
Walk
Fair
Race
Health
Wellness
Run
Fun Run
5k
Holiday
Thanksgiving

Memorial Day Open House: Museum of Fine Arts - Boston

Museum of Fine Arts in Boston Massachusetts Open House free admission event for North Shore and families

The Museum of Fine Arts will honor Memorial Day with an Open House and will waive all admission fees. Visitors can enjoy complimentary admission to the MFA's galleries, family activities and performances. This year, the MFA offers free admission—including access to the special exhibition “Van Gogh: The Roulin Family Portraits”—for Massachusetts residents. Enjoy music, dance, art making, and more!

When: 
Monday, May 26, 2025 10am-5pm
Location: 
Museum of Fine Arts
Boston
Holiday
Museum
Memorial Day
Art Exhibit

Pages

Summerquest Camp for kids aed 5-14 at the Crane Estate in Ipswich Massachusetts

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!
Where: Halibut Point State Park
7:00 am to 6:00 pm
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Barnyard Story Hour at Appleton Farms
Kids can meet the barnyard animals and hear a story at Appleton Farms in Ipswich Massachusetts.
Barnyard stories really come alive when you get to see the main characters in real life! Bring the kids down to Appleton Farms for our farm-fresh version of story time. Explore the farmstead, visit our learning garden, see our cows and rabbits, and find a spot to play under a shady tree in our...
Where: Appleton Farms
10:30 am to 11:30 am
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Saturday, January 31

Nice n' Easy Hike at Breakheart Reservation
Nice and Easy winter hike at Breakheart Reservation in Saugus Massachusetts
Join the Park Interpreter for this weekly guided hike! Each trip will highlight natural and historic features unique to Breakheart. Hikes are moderately paced and range from 2-3 miles over sometimes uneven and rocky terrain. Best for ages 8 years and up. Meet at the Visitor Center.
Where: Breakheart Reservation
9:30 am to 11:30 am
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CraneOutdoors: The Castle Hill Hike
CraneOutdoors: The Castle Hill Hike at the Crane Estate in Ipswich Massachusetts
Come explore the lesser-visited corners of Castle Hill and its surroundings with us this season. This hike is a CraneOutdoors guide favorite because it’s got a little bit of all the things that make the Crane Estate such a special place…
Where: Castle Hill on the Crane Estate
10:00 am to 12:00 pm
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Animal Tracks | Family Nature Series
Essex County Greenbelt teams up with North Shore Nature Programs for a wildlife hike in Ipswich Massachusetts!
​​​​​​​​​​​​​​This event with North Shore Nature Programs is geared toward families of all ages who would like to learn about the signs and tracks that animals leave behind!  We will explore outdoors and look at tracks, chewed sticks, scat, nests, beaver constructions and more! Waterproof and warm...
10:00 am to 11:30 am
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CraneExplorer: Family Full Moon Hike in the Dunes
Walk through the Crane Wildlife Refuge in Ipswich Massachusetts with the Trustees under the full moon.
There is almost nothing more peaceful than a evening walk at the Crane Estate, and we would like to invite your family to join us for a unique hiking experience. With the full moon rising over the Atlantic, we’ll start with a sunset stroll along Crane Beach admiring this spectacle before heading...
Where: Castle Hill on the Crane Estate
4:30 pm to 6:30 pm
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Sunday, February 1

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!
Where: Halibut Point State Park
7:00 am to 6:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Watching the Coastal Edge at Halibut Point

Tour the WWII era observation tower at Halibut Point State Park in Rockport Massachusetts.
Meet at the Halibut Point State Park visitors center to learn about the role Halibut Point has played in America’s military history. One day after the 1941 Pearl Harbor attack, U.S.
Where: Halibut Point State Park
11:00 am to 12:30 pm
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CraneOutdoors: Family Winter Wildlife Walk
Come explore the dunes on Castle Neck and Crane Beach in Ipswich Massachusetts to learn about winter wildlife.
A CraneOutdoors Family Winter Wildlife Walk will take you on a stroll through the Crane Beach dunes while learning about the plants and animals that call this special place home. You may be familiar with Crane Beach, but have you ever visited the dune trails? The dunes of Castle Neck are a much...
Where: Crane Wildlife Refuge on the Crane Estate
1:00 pm to 3:30 pm
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Sunday STEAM Club at North Shore Children's Museum
Visit Peabody MA, NorthShore, North Shore Children's Museum
Join in on Sundays at 2:30 for STEAM Club for ages 5-11. Each week participants will explore science, technology, engineering, art, and math with our NSCM staff! Every STEAM club session will see your kids participating in hands-on activities while exploring a new topic. Space is limited, please...
Where: North Shore Children's Museum
2:30 pm to 4:00 pm
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Snow Moon Winter Celebration
Come to Spencer-Pierce-Little Farm to celebrate February's Snow Moon in Newbury Massachusetts!
Come to Spencer Peirce Little Farm to celebrate the season under the stillness of February's full Snow Moon! Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm opens its gates for a winter celebration that honors the beauty of the land
Where: Spencer Peirce Little Farm
3:00 pm to 6:00 pm
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CraneExplorer: Family Full Moon Hike in the Dunes
Walk through the Crane Wildlife Refuge in Ipswich Massachusetts with the Trustees under the full moon.
There is almost nothing more peaceful than a evening walk at the Crane Estate, and we would like to invite your family to join us for a unique hiking experience. With the full moon rising over the Atlantic, we’ll start with a sunset stroll along Crane Beach admiring this spectacle before heading...
Where: Castle Hill on the Crane Estate
4:30 pm to 6:30 pm
♦ Read More →
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