Vernal Pool Party: Big Night Celebration at IRWS
Each spring, on the first warm, rainy night, frogs and salamanders emerge and begin an extraordinary journey to the vernal pools where they breed.
When:
Saturday, April 11, 2026 2-5pm
Location:
Nature
Unraveling Winters Wild Tales - Animal Tracking for Families
Welcome to the wild world of animal tracking! Participants will learn how to identify animal tracks by focusing on key details such as number of toes, toenail impressions, and overall size of the print. In addition to tracks, participants will learn how to look for scat, bits of fur, and evidence of feeding or digging. We will start in the barn with an animal track mystery then take a hike (about a mile) out on the sanctuary to see some for ourselves!
When:
Friday, January 23, 2026 3-4:30pm
Friday, January 30, 2026 3-4:30pm
Location:
Family Open House: Nature's Gifts
Nature provides special gifts year round from beautiful butterlies to emerging snowdrops in early spring. In this drop-in family program, visitors will meet some "treasures from the ocean" including live beach creatures, seashells from around the world and more.
When:
Saturday, November 22, 2025 10am-3pm
Location:
CraneExplorer: Owls Up Close!
Join us 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 1, 2025 1-2pm or 4-5:15pm
Location:
Farm-Forest-Ice Cream Hike
A group hike from Marini Farm through the forest to White Farms for an optional ice cream. Don’t miss this great opportunity to explore the farm, forest, and nature of Ipswich. The group will meet on Linebrook Road in Ipswich. Bike entrance to Willowdale State Forest just west of Marini Farm. Look for the Event sign. Bring water, sunscreen, bug spray and good hiking shoes. this is a Trails & Sails Event.
When:
Saturday, September 13, 2025 11am-2:15pm
Location:
Touch Tank Time
Spend some quality time at our touch tank where you can see and hold hermit crabs, moon snails, sea urchins and more! Come see how much our horseshoe crab hatchlings have grown and spend some time in our Kid Zone with a science station, take-home craft and coloring pages. Part of Trails & Sails.
When:
Friday, September 19, 2025 2-4pm
Saturday, September 20, 2025 10am-Noon
Location:
Let's Go Outside!
Join park staff from the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge for a full day of FREE family fun that's focused on outdoor activity! Our annual celebration of summer returns! Join us for a free day of outdoor activities at the refuge. Learn to surf cast, meet tidepool critters up close, dissect an owl pellet, and even view the sun through a solar scope. This is an open streets event, meaning most of the refuge road is closed to walk, bike, and roll!
When:
Saturday, June 21, 2025 10am – 2pm
Location:
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.
When:
Saturday, May 3, 2025 1-3pm
Location:
Feed the Beach Creatures at Joppa Flats
It's time to feed our touch tank animals! Assist our animal husbandry intern team with sorting, identifying, and actually feeding our live marine creatures. Feed periwinkles and rock crabs from the rocky shore, horseshoe crabs and minnows from the salt marsh and hermit crabs and shrimp from the sandy beach. Sign up for one or more and learn all about our creatures fascinating behaviors.
When:
Wednesdays, June 12 & 26, 2024 4-5:30pm
Wednesdays in July 2024 4-5:30pm
Location:
Drop-in Open House at the Nature Center
Explore the Nature Center at your leisure. The Park Interpreter will be on hand to demonstrate and answer questions. Come see and touch animal furs, replica skulls, animal models, and other natural history materials. For little artists, coloring pages and washable markers will be on hand. Open rain or shine. For ages Pre-K and up. This is a great family activity.
When:
Friday-Sundays & Mondays, June-October 7, 2024 12:30-2:30pm
Location:
Pages
Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point
Where: Halibut Point State Park
Thursday, April 9
Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point
Where: Halibut Point State Park
7:00 am to 6:00 pm
Friday, April 10
Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point
Where: Halibut Point State Park
7:00 am to 6:00 pm
Saturday, April 11
Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point
Where: Halibut Point State Park
7:00 am to 6:00 pm
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