Live Animals

Intro to Vernal Ponds

The Cape Ann Vernal Pond Team teach about Vernal Ponds at the Rockport Public Library in Massachusetts

Come to Toad Hall Bookstore to learn all about the habitat of vernal ponds. This program includes the Cape Ann Vernal Pond Team's DVD "Vernal Ponds" which includes the definition of a vernal pool and lots of footage of Cape Ann wildlife. We focus on the importance of these pools and how to protect them. This is followed by up close viewing of some of our favorite vernal pool creatures. Children under 9 must be accompanied by a caregiver.

When: 
Wednesday, April 23, 2025 2-3:15pm

Read to Keeva at HW Library

Read to Keeva a certified therapy dog at the Hamilton Wenham Public Library in Massachusetts

The Therapy Dog is In! Drop by starting at 3:30pm to get 10-minutes of one-on-one reading time with Keeva and her trainer, Ms. Fleming. Keeva provides a calm, welcoming space for emerging readers to practice their read-aloud skills. Bring a book from home or pick one out at the library - Keeva loves all stories! Open to readers in grades K-3. No registration needed; arrive early to guarantee a spot & sign-in when you arrive.

When: 
Monday, April 14, 2025 3:30-4:30pm

All Family Field Trips - Coastal Winter Wildlife

Joppa Flats Education Center host an outing at the Salisbury Beach State Reservation in Massachusetts

Come explore what nature has in store at some of our most amazing wild places on the north shore. Our engaging and experienced staff will introduce families to local beaches, forests, and wetlands to make observations in nature, identify wildlife, and enjoy hands on science activities outdoors. Sign up for one, some, or all!

When: 
Saturday, March 22, 2025 10am-Noon

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: 

CraneExplorer: Owls Up Close!

Trustees of Reservations features live owl demonstration with Eyes on Owls at the Crane Estate in Ipswich Massachusetts

Join the Trustees for a special event with Marcia and Mark Wilson from Eyes on Owls, to meet 6 live owls up close and personal! By sharing photos, stories, and live owl demonstrations, the Wilsons highlight our local owls’ unique adaptations, habitats and behaviors in the wild, while sharing tips on how you can look and listen for owls yourself. And everyone gets to practice the owls’ calls during the hooting lessons!

When: 
Saturday, November 2, 2024 1-2pm or 4-5:15pm

Farm Days Festival

Farm Days is a family event held at Appleton Farms in Ipswich Massachusetts

Join us for our Annual Fall Celebration at Appleton – Farm Days! Spend the afternoon exploring the farm, listening to music, enjoying great food & beer, hiking our trails, entertaining the kids and more. Please Note: Tickets are per vehicle, not per person, and include access to the farm and all of the events and activities listed below. Food, drink, and hayrides are purchased separately.

When: 
Saturday, September 14, 2024 12-5PM
Sunday, September 15, 2024 12-5PM
Location: 

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

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

Swan Boat Rides in Boston Public Garden

Swan Boat Boston North Shore Parent, North Shore Parents Summer Activities Guide
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.
10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Spring Bloom Fest at the Stevens-Coolidge Estate

Spring Bloom Fest at the Trustees Stevens Coolidge Estate in North Andover!
Join The Trustees of Reservations  for the start of Spring at Stevens-Coolidge House & Gardens with a celebration of bulbs at our Spring BloomFest weekend! Stroll through our beautiful gardens with budding tulips, daffodils, and other spring bulbs while enjoying the crisp spring air and...
10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Pajama Story Time at Manchester Public Library

Kids are invited to the pajama time book reading at the Public Library in Manchester by the Sea Massachusetts.
Join Miss Audrey for a cozy pajama storytime and craft the first Thursday of every month from 6-7. This program is for kids ages 4 and up and their families. 
6:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Saturday, May 3

Spring Bloom Fest at the Stevens-Coolidge Estate

Spring Bloom Fest at the Trustees Stevens Coolidge Estate in North Andover!
Join The Trustees of Reservations  for the start of Spring at Stevens-Coolidge House & Gardens with a celebration of bulbs at our Spring BloomFest weekend! Stroll through our beautiful gardens with budding tulips, daffodils, and other spring bulbs while enjoying the crisp spring air and...
10:00 am to 4:00 pm

North Shore Nature Fair | Glen Urquhart School

Celebrate nature at GUS with a variety of hands-on activities and nature-based projects led by GUS educators and partners from across the North Shore. This free, family-friendly event, is open to the public.
1:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Square-Foot Gardening Workshop

Celebrate sustainable living with Backyard Growers Program in Gloucester MA
In this workshop, the Backyard Growers team will introduce you to the Square-Foot Gardening Method, which helps gardeners make the most of often limited growing space, and grow the most food possible for a household. We'll show you how to do this by using gridded square-feet instead of rows. You'll...
9:30 pm to 11:00 pm

Sunday, May 4

Todd Farm Market

Come to Todd Farm on Sunday - A classic New England Fleas Market in Rowley Massachusetts!
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!
5:00 am to 3:00 pm

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

Step up for Colleen 5k

The Step up for Colleen 5k is a memorial fundraiser in memory of Colleen Ritzer a beloved North Shore Lacal Teacher.
The friends and family of Colleen Ritzer have created this 5K walk/run to celebrate Colleen’s life and her commitment to help and inspire others. Through the Step Up for Colleen event, organizers hope to enhance a sense of community and overall goodwill as we come together to honor Colleen and the...
8:30 am

Tulip Festival at Cider Hill Farm

Come cut your own tulips at Cider Hill Farm in Amesbury Massachusetts
A gorgeous, fan-favorite variety of 100k tulips are scheduled to bloom in early May. Welcome spring with this multi-weekend festival featuring free live music, self-guided blooming orchard walks, outdoor hard cider bars, food trucks, fitness n' family activities and cut-your-tulips. General...
8:30 am to 4:30 pm

Newburyport Farmers' Market

Newburyport Farmers find organic locally grown produce, meat, dairy Newburyport
The Newburyport Farmers Summer Market celebrates local fresh produce every Sunday morning rain or shine!  Start your Sunday browsing fresh North Shore local produce, meats, cheeses, and seafood in an open air market atmosphere! Food and beverage vendors offer fresh hot coffee, breakfast treats and...
9:00 am to 1:00 pm

Twin Lights Half Marathon

Twin Lights Half Marathon starts at Good Harbor Beach in Gloucester and follows a route along the Gloucester's beautiful back shore.
Come enjoy beautiful ocean views as you run along the scenic coastline on Cape Ann and race towards our huge finish line arch! The Twin Lights Half Marathon offers a spectacular course with the seashore visible for much of the race's 13.1-mile route. Runners will also enjoy an up-close look at many...
9:00 am
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