All Ages

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 stone paddock. Gather around for a farm story with one of our farmers!

When:

Tuesday January 20 & 27, 2026 10:30-11:30am

Tuesday, February 3, 2026 10:30-11:30am

Thursday, February 19, 2026 10:30-11:30am

Location:

Appleton Farms

Ipswich

Farm

Trustees of Reservations

Story Hour

Live Animals

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NSNP Saturday Srolls at Choate Farm

Come to Choate Farm in Danvers Massachusetts to learn some basic Winter Survival Skills with your family!

Do you and your family have what it takes to survive out in the wilderness? Join North Shore Nature Programs for a family survival program, where you will learn how to start a fire with flint and steel, how to build a warm shelter, and learn some local edible winter plants!

When:

Saturday, February 7, 2026 10-11:30am

Location:

Choate Farm Conservation Area

Danvers

North Shore Nature Programs

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Maple Sugaring at Breakheart Reservation

Come to Breakheart Reservation Saugus Massachusetts to learn about maple sugaring - the process of making syrup..

Come to Breakheart Reservation for this FUN annual event! Experience the process of maple sugarin’ from tapping a tree to sampling real maple syrup. Our hands-on tour includes the history of maple sugaring from Native Americans to today, tree identification & tapping, wood splitting, the evaporator, and a tasting station!

When:

Saturday, March 14, 2026 10am-2pm

Location:

Breakheart Reservation

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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! Halibut Point State Park offers a self-guided quarry tour to do at your leisure. Explore the park’s trails and tidepools, to picnic on its rocky ledges, to enjoy its sweeping views, and to learn about Cape Ann’s historic granite industry. Download a copy of the tour brochure and use it while you visit to understand the workings of a seaside granite quarry, an integral cog in the history of Cape Ann.

When:

Daily through 2025 during day light hours

Location:

Halibut Point State Park

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Snow Moon Winter Celebration

Come to Spencer-Pierce-Little Farm to celebrate February's Snow Moon in Newbury Massachusetts!

Come to Spencer Peirce Little Farm to celebrate the season under the stillness of February's full Snow Moon! Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm opens its gates for a winter celebration that honors the beauty of the land, the history of rural New England, and the simple traditions that carried farmers and Native Americans through the coldest season.

When:

Sunday, February 1, 2026 3-6pm

Location:

Spencer Peirce Little Farm

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Rockport New Year's Eve 2025

Family Friendly New Year's Eve celebration for kids and families in Rockport Massachusetts.

Rockport New Year’s Eve (RNYE) is a family-friendly year-end celebration of the arts held in downtown Rockport, Massachusetts annually since 1996. Halls, churches, town offices, and some streets are taken over by happy revelers celebrating the New Year.

When:

Wenesday, December 31, 2025 4pm-Midnight

Location:

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Give the Gift of Membership

Giving a membership to a favorite museum or local organization is more than a thoughtful present—it is an invitation. It says, “This matters to me, and I’d love to share it with you.” A gift membership creates opportunities to spend time together, explore shared interests, and build experiences that last well beyond the moment the gift is opened.

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Ipswich Jingle Bell Walk

Join friends and family for a day of holiday festivities and cheer! Sing carols with Buddy the Elf while waiting for Santa’s arrival.

Get ready for a day full of holiday magic and cheer! Join us at the Ipswich Town Wharf to welcome Santa as he makes his grand entrance. Sing along to festive carols with Buddy the Elf while we wait for the big moment! You can even buy your own jingle bells to ring as we follow Santa and Buddy on a merry “Jingle Bell Walk” to Ipswich Town Hall (45 Green Street). Keep your eyes peeled for a sneaky appearance from the Grinch!

When:

Saturday, December 13, 2025 11-1pm

Location:

Downtown Ipswich

South Village Green Ipswich

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Middle Street Walk Gingerbread Contest 2025

Middle Street Walk Gingerbread Contest entries can take any shape.

Everybody is invited to enter the Gingerbread Contest for the Middle Street Walk in Gloucester this year! Groups and individuals are encouraged to get creative and come up with entries that can take any shape. All entries will be judged prior to the start of the Middle Street at 10am.

When:

Saturday, December 13, 2025 10am - 3pm

Location:

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The Nutcracker Panto

Come enjoy a Nutcracker Panto performed by Theater in the Open at the Firehouse Center for the Arts!

Theater in the Open is happy to be back at the Firehouse for our production of A Nutcracker Panto, written by Edward F. Speck and adapted from the classic holiday ballet. Presented in the traditional British panto style, this holiday send-up is a family friendly romp through Clara’s adventure with the Nutcracker, the battle with the Rat King, and more than likely a Tik Tok dance trend. Holiday Pantos with Theater in the Open are a tradition in Newburyport, and we are excited to bring this incredible joy to our community. Join us!

When:

Fridays, December 12 & 19, 2025 7pm

Saturdays, December 13 & 20, 2025 7pm

Location:

Firehouse Center for the Arts

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Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

Take a self guided tour at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations!

Where: Halibut Point State Park

7:00 am to 6:00 pm

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Tuesday, January 20

Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

Take a self guided tour at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations!

Where: Halibut Point State Park

7:00 am to 6:00 pm

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Wednesday, January 21

Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

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 →

Thursday, January 22

Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

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 →

Friday, January 23

Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

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 →

Winter Family Field Trip: Terrific Animal Tracking

Mammals such as squirrels, rabbits and deer leave many signs that they are active in winter. Learn how to interpret the tracks and signs or clues of active animals in winter. Stay active and warm with a group challenge about hibernation. Conduct an experiment about snow insulation.

Where: Joppa Flats Education Center

10:00 am to 12:00 pm

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Kidleidoscope at Breakheart Reservation

Come join our park interpreter for a story time and nature walk! Complete a small craft and explore the woods! Walks are gently paced and approximately 1 mile, though not accessible for strollers. Appropriate for families with children 3-5 years old. Meet at the Visitor Center.

Where: Breakheart Reservation

10:30 am to 11:30 am

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Unraveling Winters Wild Tales - Animal Tracking for Families

Welcome to the wild world of animal tracking! Participants will learn how to identify animal tracks by focusing on key details such as number of toes, toenail impressions, and overall size of the print.

Where: Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary

3:00 pm to 4:30 pm

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Saturday, January 24

Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

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 →

Sunday, January 25

Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

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 →

Raptor Roundup: Meet Live Birds of Prey at IRWS

Get a close look at some live local birds of prey while keeping warm in our barn! Learn each bird's unique story, discover why raptors play such a vital role in our environment, and explore their amazing adaptations, like keen eyesight and powerful talons, that help them survive in the wild....

Where: Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary

11:00 am to 12:30 pm

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