Pack a picnic and bring your dancing shoes to Castle Hill on the Crane Estate in Ipswich for a diverse series of concerts that are sure to entertain! Enjoy the long, lazy days of summer at Castle Hill's Picnic Concerts. Each week offers an exciting family-friendly and danceable band. Bring a picnic blanket or lawn chair and set up on the lawn. While here, explore the gardens, walk the 1/2-mile-long Grand Allée, try a landscape-themed eye spy, picnic, and dance on the grass.
Tickets are per car. Advance tickets are strongly recommended. Tickets may not be available at the gate. Weather cancellations, if necessary, are made by 1 pm concert day. Ticket holders will be notified by email and offered a refund (except The Fools on July 21–concert will be raindated to July 28). Check the Crane Estate Facebook page for weather updates.
Picnic blankets, lawn chairs, and low tables are permitted. Please no tents, lawn umbrellas, grills, candles, or pets.
Concerts start at 6:30PM and end at 8:30PM. Gates open at 5PM for picnicking.
2025 Concert Schedule:
- June 26: The Far Out | Feel Good Pop Funk
- July 10: Entrain | Rock Funk Jam Band
- July 16: Fortune | Classic Rock
- July 17: Voodoo Lounge | Rolling Stones Tribute
- July 23: Foo Family | Foo Fighters Cover
- July 24: Soul City | Soul Motown and Funk
- July 31: Beantown Swing | Big Band Swing
- August 7: Soul Rebel Project
- August 14: Los Sugar Kings | Roots-Reggae-Rock
- August 21: Studio Two | Beatles Tribute
- August 28: Orville Giddings Band | Boogie Blues
Rain Dates
A weather cancellation, if necessary, will be made by 3 pm on concert day. Ticket holders will be notified by email and offered a refund.
Vendors
Don’t have time to pack a picnic? Purchase supper from one of our onsite vendors:
- Beefie Boys
- Plat du Jour
- Downriver Ice Cream: Homemade Ice Cream
- Q's Nuts
- The Whoo(pie) Wagon
- Mill River Winery
- True North Ales
- 1634 Meadery
Cost:
- Members: $30/car.
- Nonmembers: $40/car.
- Tickets available at the gate only or online
- Gates open at 5PM for picnicking.
Tickets are per car. Advance tickets are strongly recommended. Tickets may not be available at the gate. Weather cancellations, if necessary, are made by 3 pm concert day. Ticket holders will be notified by email and offered a refund. Check the Crane Estate Facebook page for weather updates.
Alcohol Policy
BYOB is prohibited and parcels will be searched. Beer, wine, mead, and/or hard cider will be available for purchase. Participating vendors this season include Ipswich Ale Brewery, True North Ales, Mill River Winery, & 1634 Meadery.
More Info
- Please carry out what you carry in, including trash!
- Hanidcapped seating available on the picnic lawn
- Bring your own picnic blankets, low tables, chairs and picnic suppers
- Tents are not permitted
- No smoking in the concert area.
- No grills, open flames or candles
- Please leave your pet home.
Limited Seating
In response to the overwhelming popularity of the Summer Picnic Concert Series, The Trustees will once again limit the number of concert attendees to 2,000 people. Concert attendees are encouraged to arrive early to ensure admission. Until concert capacity is reached, parents may drop off middle school and high school students at the designated “walk-in” gate. A gate attendant will be equipped to admit walk-ins and collect the $10 admission fee. At the conclusion of the concert, parents should enter through this same gate and park at the barn complex to await their children.
More Information can be found on the Trustees page using the link below.
Location:
Email:
