Rides

Essex Clam Fest 2024

Enjoy food, live music and all kinds of family fun at the Essex Clam Fest! Photo: An order of steamed clams from Woodman's of Essex

Join us for the 39th Annual Essex ClamFest and Arts & Crafts Festival, from 11 am to 4 pm in Shepard Memorial Park in Essex. Although the highlight of the day is the Chowder Tasting Competition (Come taste Cape Ann’s finest chowders from Noon to 1 pm and vote for your favorite!) there is also a great variety of family-friendly activities, including arts and crafts vendors, live entertainment, live reptile and kid's games, live Police K-9 Demo (11am) and plenty of food vendors on-site! 

When: 
Saturday, October 26, 2024 11am - 4pm
Chowder Tasting Noon-1pm

Salisbury Beach Carousel | Martin Luther King Day

The Carousel at Salisbury Beach Massachusetts is a great destination for the Martin Luther King Day

The Salisbury Beach carousel is more than just a ride—it's a journey through history, a chance to create new, joyful memories while revisiting a beloved piece of North Shore heritage. Gather your loved ones this Martin Luther King Day and celebrate with a delightful ride on the carousel. It's a perfect way to add a touch of magic to your holiday weekend. Don't miss out on this wonderful opportunity to experience a local treasure with your family!

When: 
Monday, January 15, 2024 Noon-5pm

Peabody International Festival & Kid's Day

Celebrate Peabody's Cultural Diversity at the International Festival in Peabody Massachusetts

Come celebrate all of the cultures and people that make our area so unique at the City of Peabody's signature event! Every year the International Festival attracts thousands of people with live music, artists, and food inspired from around the world lining the streets from Main down to the Square. Kids activities will happening at East End Veterans Memorial Park on Walnut Street with music, activities, games, and more.

When: 
Sunday, September 10, 2023 11:30am - 5:30pm
Location: 

Family Day at Marini Farm

Family Day at Marini Farm in Ipswich Massachusetts

Come to Marini Farm’s Family Day Festival. Enjoy a day at the farm and celebrate Family. This great family fun event includes FREE Pony Rides (11am-3pm), Antique Tractors, Inflatables, Rope Maze, Giant Slide, Pirate Ship, Dump Truck, Jumping Pillow, Cow Train, Hayrides, Duck Races, Games, Raffles & more. Hours of fun for the whole family.

When: 
Sunday, June 16, 2019 10am-5pm
Location: 

Strawberry Festival at Marini Farm

Marini Farm Strawberry Festival ipswich Massachusetts

Come to Marini Farm Annual Strawberry Festival for their celebration of the strawberry harvest. June is Strawberry Month and Marini Farms' 12 acres of berries begins to produce some of the best tasting strawberries on the North Shore. Marini Farm Annual 2019 Strawberry Festival is a family fun event with activities for all ages including fields of strawberry picking, farm fresh strawberries and strawberry productsand of course fresh strawberry shortcake!

When: 
Saturday, June 20, 2020 10am-5pm
Location: 

Beverly's New Year Celebration 2022

Ring in the New Year with your family in Downtown Beverly Ma with a kid's new year countdown, entertainment, food, arts, crafts and all kinds of fun family events!!

Bring your family to Downtown Beverly for a safe, fun, family-oriented New Year Celebration.  There's all kind of activities and events planned in and around the Beverly's Downtown area that are designed to entertain and keep families engaged throughout the afternoon. 

When: 
Saturday, December 31, 2022 3-7:30pm
Location: 

Compaq Big Band Concert at Stage Fort Park

Come to Stage Fort Park in Gloucester for a liver performance by the Compaq Big Band with vocals by the Cape Ann Jazz Divas

Historic Stage Fort Park along Gloucester Harbor is the perfect setting for a concert with the Compaq Big Band featuring all of the Cape Ann Jazz Divas - Marina Evans, Renee Dupuis, and Alexandra Grace. Marina, Renee, and Alexandra will all be performing solo jazz and swing charts in front of the band as recorded by Ella Fitzgerald, Diane Schuur, Natalie Cole, Peggy Lee, Queen Latifah, Tierney Sutton and more! PLUS, we’ve got some authentic Andrews Sisters trio arrangements that are sure to bring down the house!

When: 
Sunday, August 15, 2021 7-8:30pm
Location: 

Haunted Happenings Carnival

Enjoy the sideshow atmosphere of the The Haunted Happenings Carnival in Salem

2018 update: Due to lack of space to hold the carnival, there will be no carnival this year... Come try your skill at games on the arcade, ride the Ferris wheel and enjoy unique fair-style food  in a fun carnival atmosphere of the annual Haunted Happenings Carnival! There's fun for the whole family. Rides are a Fiesta Shows Production!  This year's Carnival is located on Derby Street.

When: 
No Carnival in 2018
Location: 

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

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...
7:00 am to 7:00 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

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.
7:00 am to 7:00 pm

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

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 .
8:00 am to 6:00 pm

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...
9:00 am to 9:00 pm

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....
9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Gloucester Gratis Days at Hammond Castle

Bring your kids to the Hammond Castle Museum in Gloucester Massachusetts during April Vacation
In keeping with John Hays Hammond, Jr's original vision for his seaside castle-home to serve as a museum offering the Gloucester community access to ancient works of architectural art, Hammond Castle Museum will offer Gloucester residents free, self-guided tours each Tuesday throughout the regular...
10:00 am to 4:00 pm

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...
10:30 pm

Wednesday, September 17

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.
1:30 pm to 4:30 pm

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.
2:00 pm

The Backyard Growcery

Join Backyard Growers at Burnham's Field in Gloucester Massachusetts for a weekly Farmer's Market
Stop by Gloucester’s new weekly farmers market, the Backyard Growcery, managed by Backyard Growers. The Backyard Growcery is located at Burnham's Field, an urban park near Gloucester’s thriving waterfront, and features small-scale North Shore farmers, bakers, a seafood vendor, an artisanal pizza...
2:30 pm to 6:30 pm

Topsfield HomeGrown Market

Come to Topsfield Massachusetts Common for a homegrown market on the Wednesdays through July
The mission of the HomeGrown Market is to provide the Topsfield community with a series of family-friendly events that emphasize supporting local and offer the opportunity for Topsfield and surrounding North Shore farmers, gardeners, artisans, creators, performers, musicians, nonprofits, young...
4:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Evening Stroll at Maudslay

Enjoy and evening stroll with the park interpreter at Maudlsay State Park in Newburyport, Massachusetts
This popular hike is back again and has been going for over a decade! Join the park interpreter for a moderately paced walk each week to view different areas of the park and experience the seasonal changes at Maudslay. For Ages 6 & up
5:30 pm to 6:30 pm

Stargazing at Mendel Observatory

Mendel Observatory, with the support of volunteers from the North Shore Amateur Astronomy Club, hosts public stargazing every Wednesday night
The Observatory, with the support of volunteers from the North Shore Amateur Astronomy Club, hosts public stargazing every Wednesday night (weather permitting) starting at dusk or 7:30 pm, whichever is later.  When special astronomical events of interest occur (total lunar eclipses, etc.) the Obs
7:00 pm

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...
10:30 pm

Thursday, September 18

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

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.
7:00 am to 7:00 pm

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...
7:00 am to 7:00 pm
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