Outdoor Activity

Plein Air Painting for Kids at Halibut Point

Kid ages 7-15 are invited to Halibut Point State Park in Rockport Massachusetts for a a Plein Air painting session!

Plein air painting is experiencing painting and drawing in the landscape. The practice goes back for centuries but was truly developed as an art form by the French Impressionists. Their desire to paint light and its changing, ephemeral qualities, coupled with the creation of transportable paint tubes and the box easel—the precursor to the plein air easels of today—allowed artists the freedom to paint “en plein air,” which is the French expression for “in the open air.” Space is limited to 15.  Rain cancels.  Co-Sponsored by Friends of Halibut Point State Park.

When: 
Thursday, July 13, 2023 10am-Noon

Castle Hill Butterfly Encounter

Come to the Butterfly Encounter in the gardens at Castle Hill in Ipswich Massachusetts!

The Trustees of Reservations hosts the Butterfly Encounter in the gardens at Castle Hill Estate in Ipswich Massachusetts.  You will hear directly from a giant monarch butterfly puppet, who will recount the adventures growing up in the milkweed patch, metamorphosis and then the amazing journey across continents.

When: 
Saturday, July 15, 2023 1-1:45pm

Chalk this Way

Marblehead Festival of the Arts Chalk Art Display for Amateurs and Professionals

Chalk This Way is Marblehead Festival of the Arts inaugural event highlighting 23 amateur and professional chalk artists who will transform our sidewalks into a captivating one-of-a-kind arts experience. ​ Sidewalk Art will be distributed throughout the main areas of town and where other festival activities are happening. ​ If you are an amateur or professional artist and would like to display your favorite place in town through chalk.

Interested Artist Information:​

When: 
Saturday July 1, 2023 6-9am

Moonlight Movies | Avatar: The Way of Water

Join us for fun under the stars at Patton Homestead in Hamilton Massachusetts for an outdoor showing of Avatar: The Way of Water!

Join us for fun under the stars at Patton Homestead on the fourth fairweather Friday May 26 - August 25, 2023. Gates open at 6:30, and you can buy food on site or bring a picnic dinner before the show. The movie for June is Avatar: The Way of Water! Jake Sully lives with his newfound family formed on the extrasolar moon Pandora. Once a familiar threat returns to finish what was previously started, Jake must work with Neytiri and the army of the Na'vi race to protect their home.

When: 
Friday, June 23, 2023 6:30-10pm
Location: 

Father's Day at Stevens-Coolidge House & Gardens

Celebrate Dad at the Father's Day Bash at the Trustee's Stevens Coolidge Place

Join the The Trustees of Reservations and get outside with your family this Father’s Day! Celebrate Dad at Stevens-Coolidge House & Gardens, where We will have good tunes, good food, and good brews along with lawn games. Stroll the gardens during golden hour before settling in for a show by Cold Chocolate.

When: 
Sunday, June 18, 2023 5-7pm

Sketching to See at Halibut Point

A Free lesson on Sketching by Artist Jess Yurwitz of Slow River Studio at Halibut Point State PArk in Rockport, Massachusetts.

Capture the beauty of Halibut Point State Park on paper! Join Jess Yurwitz from Slow River Studio for a beginner sketching lesson in the Park. No artistic experience necessary. Learn easy techniques to help you “see” the park in new ways by sketching. Supplies are included and this lesson is free! for Kids 8 and up.

When: 
Saturday, June 24, 2023 1-3pm

Moonlight Movies: Top Gun Maverick

Join us for fun under the stars at Patton Homestead in Hamilton Massachusetts for an outdoor showing of Top Gun Maverick!

Join us for fun under the stars at Patton Homestead on the fourth fairweather Friday May 26 - August 25, 2023. Gates open at 6:30, and you can buy food on site or bring a picnic dinner before the show. The movie for May is Top Gun Maverick! in this second part of the Top Gun saga Maverick confronts his past while training a group of younger Top Gun graduates, including the son of his deceased best friend, for a dangerous mission.

When: 
Friday, May 26, 2023 6:30-10pm
Location: 

Fabulous Flowers

Rhododendron flowers are just one of the flowering trees you'll see at Maudslay State Park along the Merrimack River in Newburyport, Massachusetts

Join the Park Interpreter on a walk to view the fantastic floral landscape and identify the different varieties of rhododendrons and azaleas in bloom! Maudslay State Park has one of the best stands of rhododendrons in New England, and well worth the trip!  Come stroll the park check the sign at headquarters to find the park interpreter location and learn about some of these beauties. 

When: 
Saturday, May 20 & 27, 2023 2-3pm

Salem Muster on the Common

First Muster 1637 Reenactment - Salem Muster Ancient & Honorable Artillery Company Muster Parade and Ceremony on the Salem MA Common

One of the most exciting events in Salem is the Anniversary of the Country's First Muster! Watch the reenactment unfold in Salem Common! The AHAC participates in the parade and ceremony commemorating the Anniversary of the country's first muster in 1637 in Salem Massachusetts. Salem is the birthplace of National Guard. Many members of the Ancients have served or are currently serving in the Guard. Participants include Massachusetts National Guard, Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts, Salem Trayned Band, 2nd Corpos Veterans Group, and other historic military companies.

When: 
Saturday, April 22, 2023 10am-2pm
Location: 

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Landmark Summer Experience at Landmark School in Beverly Massachusetts

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

Middleton Turkey Trot

Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot 5k Race in Middleton Massachusetts
Bringing the Middleton community together on Thanksgiving Morning since 2018! Our 7th Annual Middleton Turkey Trot was a big success!
8:00 am

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.
8:00 am

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

Run for the Pies in Ipswich

Burn some calories before the Thanksgiving Feast at Ipswich's Run for the Pies!
Start your turkey day by burning off some calories with a run or walk along the Ipswich River! Every 10th adult finisher receives a large Russell Orchards pie; every child Fun Run finisher receives a 4" Table Talk pie. and you'll have a chance to win a ready-to-bake pie! Racers, runners, walkers or...
8:00 am

Turkey Trot at Maudslay State Park

Turkey Trot at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport Massachusetts on Thanksgiving Day
Begin Thanksgiving Day running in one of Massachusett's most picturesque state parks by running the 35th Annual Newburyport Maudslay 3.1 mile X-Country Run/Walk.  Run with family, friends, and neighbors!  Organized by Turkeys for the 35th straight year.  Parking is FREE to runners on race day.
8:20 am

Will Run for Pie - Turkey Trot 5K Run/Walk

Winner's Circle Running Club Annual Thanksgiving 5k in Salisbury Massachusetts
Will Run for Pie 5K – Thanksgiving Morning Tradition. Kick off your holiday with speed, smiles, and slices! The Will Run for Pie 5K Turkey Trot is a flat, fast, and festive race along the beautiful Ghost Trail in Salisbury, MA. Whether you’re chasing a PR or just here for the pie, this is the...
8:30 am to 10:00 am

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

Deck The Halls: Hammond Castle

A holiday themed tour of Hammond Castle Museum in Gloucester Massachusetts
Travel back in time to a castle filled with lush, opulent textures inspired by the great medieval and Renaissance castles of Europe. Wander through rooms adorned with White Birch and Christmas trees, sparkling fairy lights, hydrangea-lace garlands, and elegant bows, each space transformed with its...
10:00 am to 8:00 pm

Sunday, December 7

2025 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...
10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Tree Jubilee at Marini Farm

The Tree Jubilee hosted by Marini Farm in Ipswich Massachusetts is a fun and unique charity event!
Come to Marini Farm for the Tree Jubilee fundraiser to benefit The Ipswich Humane Group.  Tour the gallery of uniquely decorated trees and wreaths donated by local organizations, families, and businesses then choose the ones you want a chance to win! OVER 100 spectacularly decorated trees and...
10:00 am

Family & Friends CPR Course

Learn about infant and child cpr and choke saving skills at Beath Israel Lahey Health's Beverly Hospital in Massachusetts!
It is only a matter of a few short minutes before it is too late to save a life … learning what to do provides you precious minutes and gives someone a chance to survive.  The Family & Friends CPR Course teaches the lifesaving skills of child CPR with breaths, child AED use, infant CPR, and m
10:00 am to 12:00 pm

Deck The Halls: Hammond Castle

A holiday themed tour of Hammond Castle Museum in Gloucester Massachusetts
Travel back in time to a castle filled with lush, opulent textures inspired by the great medieval and Renaissance castles of Europe. Wander through rooms adorned with White Birch and Christmas trees, sparkling fairy lights, hydrangea-lace garlands, and elegant bows, each space transformed with its...
10:00 am to 8:00 pm

SeaFestival of Trees | Santa & Grinch Brunch

Brunch with Santa and the Grinch at the Sea Festival of Trees in Salisbury Massachusetts
Red Suit. Green Suit. Jolly one. Mean one. Who’s your fave? Santa or The Grinch. Come join the holiday fun in Beach-Ville! Here’s what’s happening:
10:00 am to 12:00 pm

Santa's Workshop

Santa's Workshop in Newburyport, Massachusetts. Visit Newburyport MA during the holidays
Newburyport is a favorite local town to shop - especially during the holidays. Bring the family to Newburyport to visit Santa in his traditional workshop, share your wish list, and snap a photo with Mr. Claus!
11:00 am to 2:00 pm

SeaFestival of Trees | Sundays

Browse our maze of festively decorated trees and enjoy a little holiday sparkleat the SeaFestival of Trees in Salisbury Massachusetts
The Seacoast’s most magical holiday tradition is back! The 13th Annual SeaFestival of Trees opens Saturday, November 22 at the Blue Ocean Event Center in Salisbury, transforming the oceanfront venue into a sparkling winter wonderland of more than 145 themed trees, a giant sand sculpture, Santa’s...
11:00 am to 5:00 pm

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...
1:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Take a Trolley Ride with Scrooge!

Salem Trolley Christmas Carol, Fun Holiday Events north of Boston, Trolley Ride with Scrooge
Join Scrooge on the Salem Trolley as you ride through Salem Massachusetts in this rolling production performed by the Griffen Theater . Now entering into it's 39th Season, this humorous & whimsical interactive performance reanimates Dickens’ timeless seasonal holiday classic. Experience...
2:00 pm to 9:30 pm

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...
2:30 pm to 4:00 pm
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