Holiday

Holiday Fairs at Essex Churches

Shop three of the best church fairs in New England, in the same neighborhood on the same day!

Holiday Fairs at Essex Churches - The warmth of an old country church fair enlivens the town on a cold, winter’s day when all three of Essex’s downtown churches hold their annual Holiday Fair. All three churches are within walking distance with free on street parking. Gift bargains are served up along with homemade food and hot beverages. A dollar goes a long way at this event.

When: 
Saturday, November 23, 2019 9am-2pm
Location: 

Winter Wonderland Family Swim at Lynch/Van Otterloo YMCA

Van Otterloo YMCA in Marblehead hosts a Winter Wonderland Family Swim!

The Lynch/Van Otterloo hosts a Winter Wonderland Family Swim! Meet Santa! Enjoy Holiday music & family swim activities. Complimentary hot cocoa & cookies. Win prizes! Takes place in the small pool and cafe area. This is a complimentary family member benefit event.

When: 
Saturday, December 21, 2019 12:30-2pm

Solstice in the Shipyard

Solstice in the Shipyard celbration at the Essex Shipbuilding Musuem

Come join us for a day of activities and crafts for adults and kids to get you through the long winter, including star carving, log splitting, ditty bag kits, knitting, and a holiday shop! We will be celebrating the solstice in the Waterline Center with warm drinks and baked goods. Activities range from $2 to $20 each and come with a kit for you to do by the fire this winter!

When: 
Monday, December 21, 2019 11am-4pm

Welcome Home Days at the House of Seven Gables

Christmas Tours at the House of Seven Gables run daily through New Years Eve.

The House of the Seven Gables is bringing back our Welcome Home Days this February school vacation. Each day of the week we will be offering free admission to particular local towns’ residents. Tickets should be purchased in person with a valid ID or recent utility bill with appropriate address.

When: 
Daily February 20-24, 2023 10am -4pm

New Year's Eve at NH Children's Museum

New Year's Eve at Children's Museum of New Hampshire.

There is no better way to ring in the New Year with family and friends of all ages than at the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire’s annual New Year’s Eve Celebration. Ring in the New Year before bedtime! Our annual daytime New Year's Eve Celebration is a long-time family favorite.

When: 
Saturday, December 31, 2022 10am - 3pm

Teen Cookie Decorating at IPL

Teens are invited to a cookie decorating party at the Ipswich Public Library to celebrate the Holidays!

It's that time of year again! Let's kick off your Holiday Vacation the right way - with cookies! Bring your creativity to come and decorate ninja cookies and ugly sweater sugar cookies. As always, prizes will go towards those who present the classiest or craziest designs (and backstories). This year's theme is: "Let It Snow!"

When: 
Thursday, December 22, 2022 5-6pm

The Nutcracker at the Cabot

North Atlantic Ballet's Nutcracker comes to the Cabot Theater in Beverly Massachusetts.

As the holiday season rapidly approaches, North Atlantic Ballet welcomes back their annual telling of The Nutcracker. Artistic Director Lucy Warren-Whitman consistently brings the stage to life with her contemporary twist on Clara’s journey to The Land Of Sweets. Audiences delight each year in new choreography, guest appearances, creative costumes, and of course our local children’s cast dancing alongside NAB’s seasoned company dancers.

When: 
Friday, December 16, 2022 7pm
Saturday, December 17, 2022 Noon & 7pm
Sunday, December 18, 2022 Noon
Location: 

Through the Wardrobe: A Winter Wonderland Panto! - Matinee

Join the fun with Theater in the Open's interpretation of 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'

Edward Speck and Joshua Shack bring back a favorite Theater in the Open holiday panto, Through the Wardrobe! Fauns and turkish delight and pies-in-the-face return to the Firehouse Center for the Arts! Why? Because it’s panto time silly! Will our heroes survive their adventures in the wardrobe? Will good triumph over evil? Will someone throw balled-up socks at you? Yes, yes, and DEFINITELY.  See you for another holiday panto this December!

When: 
Fridays, December 9 & 16, 2022 5 & 7 pm
Saturdays, December 10 & 17, 2022 3 & 7pm
Sundays, December 11 & 18 , 2022 3 pm

Pages

Camp Whirlygig for kids ages 4-10 at the Wenham Museum in Massachusetts

Bruins Pajama Drive

Drop off new pajama donations at libraries across the North Shore as part of the Boston Bruins PJ Drive.
From February 1 through March 15, Cradles to Crayons®, the Boston Bruins, Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, and Wonderfund are coming together with organizations in your community to collect new pajamas for local children living in low-income and homeless situations. Together, we are...
7:00 am to 9:00 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

Wenham Museum Spring/Summer Sports Sale

Spring & Summer Sports Sale at Wenham Musseum in Massachusetts
Back by popular demand! After a successful inaugural sale in 2024, Wenham Museum’s Spring & Summer Sports Sale returns for its second year. In keeping with the Museum’s former Attic Treasures Sale tradition, the Spring & Summer Sports Sale brings the community together for a fun and...
10:00 am to 6:00 pm

Friday, March 21

Music Together - Friday

Marblehead, Beverly Farms, Hamilton, Salem, Peabody Music Together
Music Together® is a research-based music & movement program for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and the grown-ups who love them. Music Together® classes make it easy for parents/primary caregivers to play a crucial role in activating their child's music development. Classes are 45 minutes...
10:30 am to 11:15 am

Appleton Culinary Workshop: Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie Culinary Workshop at The Trustees of Reservations Appleton Farms in Ipswich Massachusetts
Is there anything better than a chicken pot pie for dinner on a chilly night? Learn how to make this classic pie from complete scratch with our baker Kami. From all butter pie dough, to utilizing chicken bones to make stock for the gravy base, you will leave this class with the knowledge of how to...
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Saturday, March 22

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

Music Together - Saturday

Marblehead, Beverly Farms, Hamilton, Salem, Peabody Music Together
Music Together® is a research-based music & movement program for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and the grown-ups who love them. Music Together® classes make it easy for parents/primary caregivers to play a crucial role in activating their child's music development. Classes are 45 minutes...
9:15 am to 11:15 am

Nice n' Easy Hike at Breakheart Reservation

Nice and Easy winter hike at Breakheart Reservation in Saugus Massachusetts
Join the Park Interpreter for this weekly guided hike! Each trip will highlight natural and historic features unique to Breakheart. Hikes are moderately paced and range from 2-3 miles over sometimes uneven and rocky terrain. Best for ages 8 years and up. Meet at the Visitor Center.
9:30 am to 11:30 am

Wenham Museum Spring/Summer Sports Sale

Spring & Summer Sports Sale at Wenham Musseum in Massachusetts
Back by popular demand! After a successful inaugural sale in 2024, Wenham Museum’s Spring & Summer Sports Sale returns for its second year. In keeping with the Museum’s former Attic Treasures Sale tradition, the Spring & Summer Sports Sale brings the community together for a fun and...
10:00 am to 6:00 pm

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....
10:00 am to 12:00 pm

First Aid, CPR & AED Training at ESM

Get First Aid, CPR or AED Certified in this workshop at Essex Shipbuilding Museum in Massachusetts
Take a CPR, First Aid, and AED Certification Course hosted by the Essex Historical Society and Shipbuilding Museum at the charming Museum School House. Gain essential life-saving skills and the confidence to handle emergencies with ease.
10:00 am to 2:00 pm

Guided Tour | When Granite Was King!

Find out the story behind the history of granite quarrying at Halibut Point State Park in Rockport, Massachusetts!
Halibut Point State Park is also a granite quarry with a history that goes back billions of years! Over one hundred years ago, the Rockport Granite Company quarried granite stone here.
11:00 am to 12:30 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
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