Rockport

Instrument Drive to Create an Instrument Closet

Help provide instruments to kids who love music but can't afford the instrument

There's something about music that speaks to us. It changes our lives in ways nothing else can. Around 4th grade, it is customary for Rockport Schools to hold an instrument trial day. Some students instantly fall in love with an instrument, but then financials come into play when trying to get the child that instrument. The reality is that some families can't afford to pay the expense for the instrument.

When: 
Sunday, June 29, 2014 1-4pm

Halibut Point Quarry Tour

Kids will enjoy this tour of the Halibut Point State Park and Quarry with a focus on its stone-cutting history!

Enjoy a guided tour of Halibut Point State Park around the Babson Farm Quarry, unearthing the granite industry era followed by a traditional hand-tool stone splitting demonstration.  One hundred years ago, the Rockport Granite Company quarried granite stone here. Learn about the buildings, bridges, and breakwaters built to last. Touch tools of the trade. Find out how they moved these large, heavy stone pieces and how they “paved” dirt streets in our Nation’s
growing cities—and around the world!

When: 
Saturdays, June - August, 2022 10-11am

DCR ParkServe Day on the North Shore

Each year during Earth Week, DCR invites volunteers to Massachusetts state parks to take part in stewardship activities to prepare for the busy spring and summer recreation season

Each year during Earth Week, DCR invites volunteers to Massachusetts state parks to take part in stewardship activities to prepare for the busy spring and summer recreation season. Celebrate by being part of Park Serve on April 23! Use the links below to find a Park Serve Day near you!

When: 
Saturday April 23, 2022 10am

Rockport Harvest Fest

Food, music, art and fun come together for a great family time in Rockport MA!

The annual Rockport Harvestfest celebration features the best regional bounty of the season — all in an unbeatable setting. New England food producers gather under a giant tent on one of Rockport’s historic working wharves to celebrate the best of local food with fresh lobster, chowder, pastries, grass-fed beef, wood-fired pizza, small-batch jams, locally-grown produce and more. Local craft beers and wine produced in Massachusetts are on hand, along with Rockport’s own Twin Lights, with soda crafted from the 120-year-old company’s original recipes.

When: 
Saturday, October 19, 2019 10am-5pm

Holiday Community Sing Along

The Holiday Sing-Along at Rockport Music's Shalin Liu Center is FREE Holiday fun

Get in the holiday spirit and join Rockport Music’s annual holiday community sing-along.  This year’s event will feature the brass ensemble Some Assembly Required, as well as sing-alongs of holiday favorites led by the Rockport High School’s Madrigal Singers.   Free, no tickets required.  First come, first serve on day of event.

When: 
Saturday, December 21, 2019 7pm

Reading the Granite Landscape

Find out the story behind the granite at Halibut Point State Park in Rockport!

Halibut Point State Park is also a granite quarry with a history that goes back billions of years! A rock is not a thing but a drama, it can teach us about the great unifying science and the unique geology of Cape Ann. Rocks can tell us a lot about how the landscape was formed and the geology of Cape Ann tells us great stories, all visible at Halibut Point. Meet at the Visitors Center in the park. For all ages. Rain or shine, pouring rain cancels.

When: 
Thursdays, August 22, 2019 10-11am

Millbrook Meadow Grand Reopening

Grand Reopening of Millbrook Meadow in Rockport Massachusetts!

Rockport’s Millbrook Meadow and Mill Pond will have a “Grand Re-Opening” Saturday (August 17) with a ribbon cutting at 10 a.m. The ceremony will be held midway through the park. There’ll be popcorn, strolling miniature horses, Millbrook Meadow souvenir bandanas, nature explainers, music, jugglers, and Rockport’s annual Rubber Duck Race.

When: 
Saturday, August 17, 2019 noon-6pm

Live Animals - Bats!

Kids will learn about bats at Halibut Poijnt State Park in Rockport, Massachsuetts! Image ©Serah Rose Roth

Through visuals, puppets, and live Bats, learn about their natural history, importance to the planet’s ecosystem, current challenges they face, and how we can help them.  Program by Center for Wildlife, Maine.  Co-Sponsored by the Friends of Halibut Point State Park.  Meet in the parking lot. For all ages. Rain cancels.

When: 
Sunday, July 14, 2019 10-11am

Carolyn O'Connor Scholarship

Apply for the Carolyn O'Connor Scholarship for women looking to improve their life through education and training

The Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce's Businesswomen’s Committee has established this scholarship to help Cape Ann area women achieve their continuing education and career goals. Carolyn O’Connor was the first chairperson of the Businesswomen’s Committee, a community activist and a previous member of the Gloucester City Council. This scholarship honors her dedication to and involvement with the Businesswomen and the Chamber over the years. Organized in 1986, the Businesswomen’s group is committed to the growth of Cape Ann businesses and the professional development of the Chamber’s women members.

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Superbowl of Birding 2026

The Superbowl of Birding 2026 is a unique competition conducted in Rockingham County, NH, and Essex County, Massachusetts
The Superbowl of Birding is a unique competition conducted in Rockingham County, NH, and Essex County, MA. During a 12-hour period, teams of birders of all ages and abilities seek to amass the greatest number of avian species, to earn the most points based on the rarity of the birds recorded. Teams...
5:00 am to 5:00 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

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

Animal Tracks | Family Nature Series

Essex County Greenbelt teams up with North Shore Nature Programs for a wildlife hike in Ipswich Massachusetts!
​​​​​​​​​​​​​​This event with North Shore Nature Programs is geared toward families of all ages who would like to learn about the signs and tracks that animals leave behind!  We will explore outdoors and look at tracks, chewed sticks, scat, nests, beaver constructions and more! Waterproof and warm...
10:00 am to 11:30 am

CraneOutdoors: The Castle Hill Hike

CraneOutdoors: The Castle Hill Hike at the Crane Estate in Ipswich Massachusetts
Come explore the lesser-visited corners of Castle Hill and its surroundings with us this season. This hike is a CraneOutdoors guide favorite because it’s got a little bit of all the things that make the Crane Estate such a special place…
10:00 am to 12:00 pm

CraneExplorer: Family Full Moon Hike in the Dunes

Walk through the Crane Wildlife Refuge in Ipswich Massachusetts with the Trustees under the full moon.
There is almost nothing more peaceful than a evening walk at the Crane Estate, and we would like to invite your family to join us for a unique hiking experience. With the full moon rising over the Atlantic, we’ll start with a sunset stroll along Crane Beach admiring this spectacle before heading...
4:30 pm to 6:30 pm

Wednesday, February 18

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

Quarry Quest Treasure Hunt

Kids will enjoy this treasure hunt at the Halibut Point State Park and Quarry in Rockport Massachusetts
Enjoy an outdoor treasure hunt at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations during February Vacation! Halibut Point State Park invites kids and families to follow clues then unscramble to find a treasure box!
10:00 am to 2:00 pm

StoryWalk at Halibut Point

StoryWalk®! Nest Robin Built, by Denise Fleming - a self guided reading tour at Halibut Point in Rockport Massachusetts
Enjoy this pre-school StoryWalk® at your leisure with the younger set and combine reading and time in nature! StoryWalk®! Nest Robin Built, by Denise Fleming. Self-guided reading pages posted along a lovely Park trail near the visitor center. Connect with nature and each other while enjoying the...
10:00 am to 2:00 pm

February Vacation at MIT Museum

Kids will have a blast at the MIT Museum in Cambridge Massachusetts during February Vacation Week!
Come on your own, with friends, or bring the whole family to the museum for a special week of programming. The museum has a number of activities planned for the week of February 14-22, including extended Maker Hub and Learning Lab hours, tours, gallery cart demos and family workshops. With the...
Where: MIT Museum
10:00 am to 5:00 pm

Thursday, February 19

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

Quarry Quest Treasure Hunt

Kids will enjoy this treasure hunt at the Halibut Point State Park and Quarry in Rockport Massachusetts
Enjoy an outdoor treasure hunt at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations during February Vacation! Halibut Point State Park invites kids and families to follow clues then unscramble to find a treasure box!
10:00 am to 2:00 pm

StoryWalk at Halibut Point

StoryWalk®! Nest Robin Built, by Denise Fleming - a self guided reading tour at Halibut Point in Rockport Massachusetts
Enjoy this pre-school StoryWalk® at your leisure with the younger set and combine reading and time in nature! StoryWalk®! Nest Robin Built, by Denise Fleming. Self-guided reading pages posted along a lovely Park trail near the visitor center. Connect with nature and each other while enjoying the...
10:00 am to 2:00 pm

February Vacation at MIT Museum

Kids will have a blast at the MIT Museum in Cambridge Massachusetts during February Vacation Week!
Come on your own, with friends, or bring the whole family to the museum for a special week of programming. The museum has a number of activities planned for the week of February 14-22, including extended Maker Hub and Learning Lab hours, tours, gallery cart demos and family workshops. With the...
Where: MIT Museum
10:00 am to 5:00 pm

Barnyard Story Hour at Appleton Farms

Kids can meet the barnyard animals and hear a story at Appleton Farms in Ipswich Massachusetts.
Barnyard stories really come alive when you get to see the main characters in real life! Bring the kids down to Appleton Farms for our farm-fresh version of story time. Explore the farmstead, visit our learning garden, see our cows and rabbits, and find a spot to play under a shady tree in our...
10:30 am to 11:30 am

Friday, February 20

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
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