Holiday

Amesbury Holiday Parade

Enjoy the tradition of the Amesbury Massachusetts Holiday parade with your family!

Enjoy the tradition of the Amesbury Massachusetts Holiday parade with your family! This year’s theme for the Amesbury Holiday Parade is Musical Notes and Holiday Floats. The parade will begin at 3:30pm from the intersection of Sparhawk and Greenleaf Street, and finish up with the Amesbury Holiday Parade & Tree Lighting. All parade participants will be lined up on Greenleaf Street.

When: 
Saturday, December 7, 2024 3:30-5pm

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. 29, 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 29, 2024 5:45-8pm

Holiday Tree Lighting

Come to the Holiday Tree Lighting in Salem to kick off the holiday season!

Join Salem Main Streets and the City of Salem as we combine two of our most beloved annual traditions – Greet Santa at the Hawthorne Hotel and the lighting of Salem’s Holiday Tree – into 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, November 29, 2024, with assistance from the Salem Fire Department, of course. Bring the whole family out for carols, festivities, and fun!

When: 
Friday, November 29, 2024 6:30pm
Location: 

Santa’s Arrival & Tree Lighting in Rockport

Santa comes to Rockport Ma by lobster boat to kick off the Holiday season in Rockport Massachusetts!

Where else can you see Santa arrive by lobster boat? Santa will arrive at Rockport’s T-Wharf on Rockport Harbor following a brisk lobster boat ride across Sandy Bay. Then Santa will climb up onto a Rockport Forest Fire truck and proceed along T-Wharf and Broadway to the First Baptist Church, led by Rockport cub scouts.

When: 
Saturday, December 7, 2024 12:30-5PM

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 24, 2024 10am
Location: 

Holiday Happenings at ACM

Holiday Happenings at the Carriage Museum in Amesbury Massachusetts for photos, crafting and cocoa with kids at the Amesbury Carriage Museum in Massachusetts!

Get an early start on your holiday checklist with a day full of seasonal activities at the Industrial History Center in Amesbury Massachusetts! Decorate cookies, make a festive craft, and get the perfect photo for your seasonal greeting card.  Please be sure to register for your photo session in advance. For all other activities, just stop in during the listed times.

When: 
Saturday, November 23, 2024 9am-4pm

Marblehead Artisan's Holiday Marketplace

Find unique hand made gifts at Abbot Hall in Marblehead, Massachusetts - MFoA Artisans Holiday Market

The Marblehead Festival of Arts invites families to their holiday arts-and-crafts show at Marblehead Arts Association the first weekend in December. The market place is held in conjunction with the Marblehead Chamber of Commerce Marblehead Christmas Walk, a town-wide event. Each year the market place has many local and regional artists who bring their arts and products to Abbot Hall.

When: 
Saturday, December 7, 2024 10am-5pm
Sunday, December 8, 2024 10am-5pm

2024 Marblehead Gingerbread Festival

The Marblehead Gingerbread Festival is part of the Marblehead Chamber of Commerce's Christmas Walk, and the proceeds will go to benefit the Marblehead Family Fund and the Marblehead Historical Society.

Come see over 100 locally and professionally made gingerbread creations on display at the historic Jeremiah Lee Mansion in Marblehead, MA during this year's Marblehead Christmas Walk. Community members, businesses, and families are building and donating dozens of gingerbread houses, boats and local buildings that will be on display and available for raffle throughout the weekend. Days and times vary so check the times!

When: 
Saturday, December 7, 2024 10am-4 pm
Sunday, December 8, 2024 11:00-3:00 PM
Entry Drop Off: Friday, December 6, 2024 8:30am-3:30pm

Marblehead Christmas Walk

The Marblehead Christmas Walk is several days of local Holiday events in Marblehead Massachusetts

The Marblehead Chamber of Commerce invites you to Marblehead to enjoy several days of holiday festivities, family events and activities!  Come for one or all days with highlights that include Santa's arrival by lobster boat,Festive shopping, Tree Lightings, a holiday parade, Artisan Markets, Gingerbread Festival, Entertainment & much more! There are all kinds of family events and activities sponsored by local merchants and organizations.

When: 
Thursday, December 5, 2024 - Sunday, December 8, 2024

Pages

Appleton Farms offers great farm-based Vacation Week Programs for kids ages 5-11

Maudslay in Bloom Self-Guided Walk

 Maudslay in Bloom self guided walk at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport Massachusetts.
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...
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

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

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

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

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

Sing & Dance with the Music Man

Sing & Dance with the Music Man Brian Doser in Hamilton visit Massachusetts
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,...
10:00 am to 10:45 am

Beverly Farmers' Market

Get fresh local produce at the Beverly Farmers Market in downtown Beverly Massac
The Beverly Farmers’ Market supports local agriculture while making healthy food available to all members of the Beverly community at affordable prices; the market promotes sustainable living practices and fosters community connections through our vendors, free activities and events. The market...
Where: Odell Park
3:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Saturday, September 13

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

Maritime Adventure Days

Maritime Adventure Free Days at Custom House Maritime Museum Newburyport Massachusetts
Maritime Adventure Free Days offers families and kids a unique opportunity to explore maritime history through interactive activities, guided tours, and hands-on workshops. A day of fun and discovery at the Custom House Maritime Museum for the family.
9:00 am to 1:00 pm

Winter Island Tour

Explore the marine creatures that inhabit the tidepool on the rocky shore at Winter Island, Salem Massachusetts
Explore the marine creatures that inhabit the tidepool on the rocky shore! Salem Sound Coastwatch staff will bring buckets, nets, and ID guides and help you identify what we find. We recommend wearing sturdy shoes (no open toes) that can get wet and traverse slippery rocks.
9:30 am to 10:30 am

Blacksmithing Saturday at the Essex Company Forge

Lawrence History Center hosts a day of blacksmithing at the Essex Company Forge in Massachusetts!
Step back in time with us for a day of blacksmithing at the Essex Company forge, the company that built the city of Lawrence! Blacksmith Richard Wright will be demonstrating the craft of traditional blacksmithing methods, forging both iron and mild steel to create items for practical use in our...
9:30 am to 1:30 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

Kite Day at Cogswell's Grant

Kite Day at Cogswell Grant is a wonderful fall afternoon event for North Shore families
Come fly a kite at Cogswell's Grant in Essex Massachusetts! Bring your own kite or build one of your own, and watch professional kite flyers from Kites Over New England. Kite-building workshops will be held with all materials included, where kids and adults can make their own kites and learn how to...
10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Visit the Manchester-by-the-Sea Museum

Manchester-by-the-Seab Museum tours in Massachusetts. A Trails and Sails event.
Discover Manchester-by-the-Sea’s history, architecture & art through our exhibits, tours & collections.
10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Waterpower at the Saugus Iron Works Tour

Free Ranger guided tours at Saugus Iron Works Colonial Industrial Site in Massachusetts
How did water drive early industries in colonial Massachusetts? Join a park ranger for a special tour focused on waterpower at the Saugus Iron Works in Massachusetts. Hear the crash of the hammer and the bang of the bellows as we demonstrate a variety of waterwheels at the Iron Works. Learn how...
10:00 am to 1:00 pm

Boat Tour to Misery Island

Journey on Essex Heritage’s landing craft Naumkeag to Great Misery Island in Salem Sound Massachusetts
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...
11:00 am to 2:00 pm
Subscribe to Holiday