Presentation

Step Aboard the Friendship of Salem

Permission to come aboard the Friendship of Salem is granted at Derby Wharf in Salem Massachusetts!

Explore the FRIENDSHIP OF SALEM, a replica tall ship based on a 1796 Salem vessel at Salem Maritime National Historic Site. Learn about the voyages of the original FRIENDSHIP and the lives of the crewmembers onboard. The two-decked, three-masted, square-rigged, 342-ton vessel represents New England’s influential role in the development of global and domestic maritime trade. Ongoing repair work is taking place on the FRIENDSHIP, so capacity limits are in place on deck.

When: 
Wednesday - Sunday, September 13-28, 2025 1:30-4:30pm
Location: 
Salem Maritime National Historic Site
Salem
Exploration
Demonstration
Presentation
Festival
History
Discovery
Live Music
Maritime
Heritage
Trails & Sails 2025

History Walk at Maudslay State Park

Kids will learn about the history of Maudslay State Park through storytelling by the park interpretor

Join Maudslay State Park interpreter on a tour of the former Moseley Family estate. There are so many stories about the Moseley’s and their beautiful former estate. Join the park interpreter on a guided tour to view the site of the family mansion and their daughter Helen’s house, both areas are picturesque and have open vistas overlooking the Merrimack River. During the walk Moseley Family stories and archival photos of their estate will be shared too.

When: 
Saturday, September 20, 2025 2-3pm
Location: 
Maudslay State Park
Newburyport
Presentation
History
Hike
Walk
Outdoor Activity
DCR
Trails & Sails 2025

Salem Maritime Festival

Celebrate 400+ Years of Maritime History at Derby Wharf in Salem Massachusetts!

Join us for the annual Salem Maritime Festival on Saturday, August 9, 2025, at Salem Maritime National Historical Park on Derby Street. This event is free and open to the public. Salem Maritime Festival will feature a cardboard boat race, free tours and programs at historic buildings and the Friendship of Salem, food trucks and lawn games.

When: 
Saturday, August 9, 2025 11am-4:30pm
Location: 
Salem Maritime National Historic Site
Salem
Exploration
Demonstration
Presentation
Festival
History
Discovery
Live Music
Maritime
Heritage
Salem Heritage Days

Yankee Homecoming Family Day

Newburyport Yankee Homecoming's Family Fun Day has a lot to offer in events and activities - Massachusettts.

Come to Nock Middle School as we start off our Super Saturday with good family fun!  Many local businesses, organizations and non-profits take part in our Family Day fun offering free crafts, games, activities and handouts.  Sit down for some lunch and listen to the band playing on the main stage or watch one of the performances taking part throughout the park.

When: 
Saturday, August 2, 2025 10am-2pm
Location: 
Rupert A. Nock Middle School
Newburyport
Outdoor Activity
Race
Sports
Demonstration
Presentation
Festival
Kayaking
Newburyport Yankee Homecoming
Mass Audubon

Rowley's Annual Antique Tractor Show

The Rowley Antique Tractor Contest has more than tractors!

Come to the Rowley Town Common to enjoy a celebration of farms and farming.  In addition to the famers market, there will be working antique tractors will be on display for judging.  Enjoy a live bluegrass music performance at the common's Gazebo by the Essex River Rounders from 10 am - noon.

When: 
Sunday, September 14, 2025 10am-1pm
Location: 
Rowley Town Common
Rowley
Fair
Presentation
Contest
Farmers Market
Live Music

Topsfield Fair

Topsfield Fair is one of the longest running annual fairs in the United States

The Topsfield Fair is a perennial favorite for us.  We're not the biggest fans of the midway, although it is always worth a walkthrough and a ride or two.  We love fruits and vegetables, and are always on the lookout for the winning 'biggest pumpkin'.  Another favorite is checking out the pigs and other farm animals, as well as the interesting variety of guinea pigs and rabbits.

When: 
Friday, October 4, 2024 4-10pm
Daily, September 5-14, 2024 10am-10pm
Location: 
Topsfield Fairgrounds
Topsfield
Food
Concert
Fair
Race
Live Performance
Live Animals
Presentation
Contest
Competition
Festival
Farmers Market
Crafts
Games
Rides
Show

Topsfield Fair - Opening Day

Topsfield Fair opens the gates at 1pm Friday! Topsfield Fair is one of the longe

The Topsfield Fair is a perennial favorite for us.  We're not the biggest fans of the midway, although it is always worth a walkthrough and a ride or two.  We love fruits and vegetables, and are always on the lookout for the winning 'biggest pumpkin'.  Another favorite is checking out the pigs and other farm animals, as well as the interesting variety of guinea pigs and rabbits.

When: 
Friday, October 3, 2025 4-10pm
Daily, September 4-October 13, 2025 10am-10pm
Location: 
Topsfield Fairgrounds
Topsfield
Food
Concert
Fair
Race
Live Performance
Live Animals
Presentation
Contest
Competition
Festival
Farmers Market
Crafts
Games
Rides
Show

Live Animal Presentation at Halibut Point

Come to Halibut Point State Park for a live animal presentation featuring turtles, frogs and salamanders.

Come to a Cape Ann Vernal Pond Team presentation at Halibut Point State Park to get an up-close view and learn all about vernal pond creatures you may find in your own backyard. Live vernal pond animals will visit Halibut Point with educator Rick Roth of the Cape Ann Vernal Pond Team.

When: 
Saturday, April 26, 2025 11-12:30pm
Location: 
Halibut Point State Park
Rockport
Demonstration
Live Animals
Presentation
DCR
Vernal Pond
Earth Day

Family Day at the Bird Banding Station

Kids will learn about local and migrating birds at Joppa Flats Education Center in Newburyport Massachusetts

There's nothing like a visit to Parker River National Wildlife Refuge for wonderful family nature experiences, and seeing the bird banding station in operation is at the top of the list. See Mass Audubon scientists evaluate and release migrant songbirds while you learn about migration and habitat use. Don't miss this chance - the bird banding station operates only during the height of migration in spring (April and May) and fall (September and October) and is very weather dependent.

When: 
Saturday, April 26, 2025 9-11:30am
Saturday, May 24, 2025 9-11:30am
Location: 
Joppa Flats Education Center
Newburyport
Workshop
Outdoor Activity
Birding
Presentation
Mass Audubon
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
Location: 
Rockport Public Library
Rockport
Library
Live Animals
Presentation
Cape Ann Vernal Pond Team
Vernal Pond
Vernal Pool

Pages

Shore School in Beverly Massachusetts offers a host of Summer programs for kids aged 5-12

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 →

Trails & Sails
Explore the North Shore with over 150 Free Events in Essex National Heritage Area's Trails & Sails celebration in Massachusetts.
Essex National Heritage Area sites will offer over 150 free family fun events from September 14-29, 2024 for the annual celebration of TRAILS & SAILS. Discover special places in your backyard and be guided through unique landscapes on land and sea, explore historic properties, and take in...
7:00 am to 10:00 pm
♦ Read More →

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.
Where: Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site
7:00 am to 7:00 pm
♦ Read More →

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...
Where: Maudslay State Park
7:00 am to 7:00 pm
♦ Read More →

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 .
Where: Pingree School
8:00 am to 6:00 pm
♦ Read More →

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...
Where: Crescent Farm
9:00 am to 9:00 pm
♦ Read More →

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....
Where: Downtown Salem
9:00 am to 5:00 pm
♦ Read More →

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...
Where: Salem Maritime National Historic Site
9:30 am to 4:30 pm
♦ Read More →

Touch Tank Time
You can look at and touch the creatures in Joppa Flats Educations Center touch tank in Newburyport, Massachusetts
Spend some quality time at our touch tank where you can see and hold hermit crabs, moon snails, sea urchins and more!
Where: Joppa Flats Education Center
10:00 am to 4:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Lowell's Boat Shop: Boatbuilding in the New Nation
Learn about Lowell's Boat Shop in Amesbury Massachusetts on this guided Trails and Sails Tour
Step back in time with a visit to Lowell’s Boat Shop  in Amesbury Massachusetts during Trails & Sails! Established in 1793, Lowell’s was one of The New Nation’s many boat shops, and is the oldest continuously operating boat shop in the country. Simeon Lowell founded his own business after...
Where: Lowell’s Boat Shop
11:00 am to 2:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Saugus Iron Works House Tours

Free Ranger guided tours of the Saugus Iron Works House in Massachusetts
Join National Park staff at Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site for a 30-minute tour of The Iron Works House.
Where: Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site
11:00 am
♦ Read More →

Step Aboard the Friendship of Salem

Permission to come aboard the Friendship of Salem is granted at Derby Wharf in Salem Massachusetts!
Explore the FRIENDSHIP OF SALEM, a replica tall ship based on a 1796 Salem vessel at Salem Maritime National Historic Site.
Where: Salem Maritime National Historic Site
1:30 pm to 4:30 pm
♦ Read More →

Saugus Iron Works Tours
Free Ranger guided tours at Saugus Iron Works Colonial Industrial Site in Massachusetts
Join the National Park staff at Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site for a tour of the colonial industrial site. On select days, you may be able to stick around and witness pop-up molten iron pour, blacksmithing, waterwheel demonstrations, and take part in hands-on river stewardship activities.
Where: Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site
2:00 pm
♦ Read More →

“The Ghosts We Work With” Exhibit Opening and Ghost Story Open Mic
An evening of local ghost stories in Historic Salem Massachusetts. “The Ghosts We Work With: Preservation in the Historic Witch City”
Join Salem Maritime National Historical Park at the Salem Armory Regional Visitor Center for an evening of local ghost stories to celebrate the opening of our newest exhibit, “The Ghosts We Work With: Preservation in the Historic Witch City”.  The new photography exhibit is a celebration of the...
Where: Salem Maritime National Historic Visitor Center
6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
♦ Read More →

A Spiritual Quest Weekend at Hilldale Cemetery
Hilldale Cemetary in Haverhill Massachusetts is one of the North Shore's most active paranormal spots!
Do you believe in Ghosts? If you do then join the Essex County Ghost Project and Witches Wonder fort a spooktacular evening of haunts and fun . The gates open at 6:30 pm and hunt starts at 7pm . We are exploring one of New England’s most Haunted historical sites . There have been reports of full...
Where: Hilldale Cemetary
7:00 pm to 9:30 pm
♦ Read More →

Star Party with the North Shore Amateur Astronomy Club
Join the North Shore Amateur Astronomy Club in a free star party at Battis Farm as part of Trails and Sails!
Come see the night skies through one of our volunteer’s telescopes! In addition to the moon (9/14 only) and Saturn we’ll be showing off an assortment of binary and multi-star systems (imagine having 4 suns in your sky!), nebula, clusters, and galaxies, some of which are millions of light years away...
Where: Battis Farm
7:30 pm to 9:30 pm
♦ Read More →

Paddle Around Historic Rockport Harbor
Paddle around Rockport Massachusetts Harbor for FREE as part of Trails and Sails
Come join North Shore Adventures and Outdoor Center for some fun on the water! No experience necessary. Depart from our private beach in one of our safe, stable kayaks or paddle boards and paddle around the historic Rockport Harbor for 30 mins. See lobster boats, Motif #1, the Rockport Break water...
Where: Downtown Rockport
10:30 pm
♦ Read More →

Saturday, September 20

Trails & Sails
Explore the North Shore with over 150 Free Events in Essex National Heritage Area's Trails & Sails celebration in Massachusetts.
Essex National Heritage Area sites will offer over 150 free family fun events from September 14-29, 2024 for the annual celebration of TRAILS & SAILS. Discover special places in your backyard and be guided through unique landscapes on land and sea, explore historic properties, and take in...
7:00 am to 10:00 pm
♦ Read More →

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.
Where: Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site
7:00 am to 7:00 pm
♦ Read More →

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...
Where: Maudslay State Park
7:00 am to 7:00 pm
♦ Read More →

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 →

The Lady of Salem: Maritime Art

Learn about the history of Salem Massachusetts through this unique public art installation self-guided tour!
Discover Salem’s Golden Age of Sail as you uncover clues! Celebrate America’s Maritime History! The Ladies of Salem will have you looking up at whimsical and beautifully designed figureheads gracing lampposts downtown. “What is a figurehead ?” you may ask? It’s a large carved wooden decorative...
Where: Destination Salem Visitors Center, Where: Downtown Salem
8:00 am to 10:00 pm
♦ Read More →

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 .
Where: Pingree School
8:00 am to 6:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Haverhill Farmers' Market
Haverhill Farmers Market, North Shore Farmers Market, Cape Ann Farmers Marke
The vibrant, colorful Haverhill Farmers Market is where local farmers and food producers meet to sell directly to the community. Established in 1978, the Haverhill Farmers Market mission is to provide access to farm-fresh products and promote local agriculture, as well as serve as a social...
Where: Haverhill Farmers' Market
9:00 am to 1:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Marblehead Farmers' Market
Find fresh local produce and other foods at the Marblehead Farmer's Market!
The Marblehead Farmer's Market boasts 15+ local farms, and booths with an educational spin nutrition, vendors and farms selling homemade prepared goods and craft vendors that are switched up in a rotation basis week to week. Additionally there are entertainers and exhibits by environmentally...
Where: Marblehead Farmers' Market
9:00 am to 12:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Andover Farmers' Market
Find Fresh Local Produce at the Andover Massachusetts Farmers Market North of Boston
The Andover Farmers Market is a vibrant hub connecting local farmers, artisans and the community through the joy of local food. Whether you come for carrots or conversation, it is a place to nourish the body, mind and spirit.
Where: South Church in Andover
9:00 am to 1:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Rockport Farmers' Market
The Rockport Farmers' Market runs every Saturday at Rockport Music in Downtown Rockport!
The Rockport Farmers Market offers a variety of locally-grown produce, hand-crafted products, baked goods, and live music. It provides a community space to support local farmers and artisans.
Where: Harvey Park - Rockport
9:00 am to 1:00 pm
♦ Read More →
Subscribe to Presentation