Crafts

Bio-Blitz Free-for-All

Kids and adults will learn about the diversity of Plum Island and the North Shore wildlife at Mass Audubon's Joppa Flats Education Center in Newburyport!

Joppa Flats Education Center invites families to join them for a full day of free outdoor and indoor nature activities, art projects, and biodiversity! Connecting with nature starts with developing a good sense of place, and a great place to start is right here at Joppa Flats. This full-day family event will feature an exciting mixture of indoor and outdoor activities that encourage children and adults to learn more about the biodiversity of all the animals, plants, and insects that frequent our butterfly garden, salt marsh, and backyard!

When:

Sunday, May 20, 2018 10am - 3pm

Location:

Joppa Flats Education Center

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Art Week: Intro to Wool Felting for Kids

Learn about the process of making felt from wool at Appleton Farms in Ipswich Massachusetts during February Vacation!

As part of Art Week week we are hosting a special wool felting class for kids! Warmer spring weather means its sheep shearing time on the farm. But what to do with all that wool? As part of ArtWeek, learn about the time honored tradition of wool felting. We’ll start by learning how to wash and “card” the raw wool into soft fiber for spinning or felting. Afterwards, we’ll try our hand at making felt balls to be used for farm-fun necklaces. Wool, wood beads and decorative string will be provided, but feel free to bring anything special of your own to add to your necklace. We’ll end by visiting and feeding our three lovely merino sheep.

When:

Saturday, May 5, 2018 10-11am

Location:

Trustees of Reservations

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Reptiles and Amphibians

Essex County Greenbelt Association hosts a reptile and amphibians at Arthur Elwell Reservation in Rowley Massachusetts

Wetlands are a hotbed of activity in mid-June and this program will focus specifically on the amphibians and reptiles that make ponds and streams their home. Join the Essex County Greenbelt Association to look for nesting turtles, tadpoles, and snakes that may be patrolling the shoreline. Families will learn the key differences between reptiles and amphibians, and hopefully will begin to be able to identify specific species.

When:

Saturday, June 16, 2018 10am - 1 pm

Location:

Arthur Elwell Reservation

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Byfield Music & Arts Festival

Byfield Community Arts Center fundraiser Music & Arts Festival

Support your local artists and have a blast at the same time! Bring your family for a day of regional and national music performances on three stages, artists and artisans displaying and selling their wares, children's activities, and food and beverage vendors, including Newburyport Brewery and Ipswich Ale! This fundraiser event has a great lineup of performers including Ryan Montbleau, Soul Rebel Project, Yes Darling, Krewe Orleans, Goodnight Moonshine, Way Up South, Parker Wheeler & Friends, Skyfoot, Quentin Callewaert and many more.

When:

Saturday, June 23, 2018 10am-9pm

Location:

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Build a Bee

Join puppeteer and artist Penny Benson to make a giant bee with on Artists Row. Thanks to the City of Salem, the Salem Public Art, this is a free and fabulous art-making activity. This will be family-friendly, and will happen for 4 weeks on Thursdays June 28- July 21. Pop by after the Salem Farmers' Market and create with us!

When:

Thursdays through July 19, 2018 3-6pm

Saturday, July 21, 2018 Noon-3p

Location:

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PEM Block Party and Vendor Fair

Free live music and fun at PEM's Summer Block Party

The BEST block party of 2017 is back and better than ever! Join us for an outdoor party featuring live music by The Doped Up Dollies, Big D and the Kids Table, and Bim Skala Bim Music.

When:

Saturday, July 21, 2018 6–10 pm

Location:

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Temporary Tattoo Workshop with HENNA

Join the fun at tattoo night for teens at the TOHP Burnham Public Library!

TOHP Burnham Public Library invites kids in grades 6-12 (and their Moms if interested!) for a fun free tatoo night. Join us for an evening of Henna Tattoos with Mandy of Wicked Good Henna! Registration Required. Please arrive early to choose your design.

When:

Friday, August 24, 2018 6-7pm

Location:

TOHP Burnham Public Library

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Wenham Museum: Family Festival and Craft Fair

Join the Wenham Museum for their Annaul craft fair and family day!

Over 60 vendors and artisans…lawn games and children’s activities…face painting….petting zoo …"The Music Man"… live music from "Time and Again" singing ‘decades of hits’… free tours of the historic Claflin-Gerrish-Richards House.. open houses at the Wenham Fire Department and Wenham Town Hall… and $5 public admission to the Wenham Museum!
Museum admission Free for Wenham residents and museum members.

When:

Saturday, August 25, 2018 10am - 4pm

Rain Date: Sunday, August 26, 2018 10am-4pm

Location:

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Annual Antique & Classic Boat Festival

Have a chance to view and tour classic and antique boats in Salem with your fami

Come Down to the 36th Annual Antique & Classic Boat Festival in Salem. See a wonderful variety of rare vintage motor yachts and sailboats. Meet skippers and crews and vote your favorite boats. Children get to make their own wee boat, and all can board real ones. There will be boat rides, crafts market, artists, old-time band music, steel drums, the Blessing of the Fleet and more! $5 donation and children under 12 are free.

When:

Saturday, August 25, 2018 11AM - 5PM

Sunday, August 26, 2018 11AM - 3PM

Location:

Brewer Hawthorne Cove Marina

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Annual Tattersall Farm Day

Tattersall Farm Day has lots of farm fun for the whole family!

The Annual Tattersall Farm Day celebrates the agricultural heritage of Haverhill, MA. It's a New England-style cultural and educational event for people of all ages. Activities will include beekeeping, animal and farming demonstrations, crafts, art work, pony rides, hay rides, antique tractors and much more! Live entertainment will be provided. Food and beverages will be available.

When:

Sunday September 9, 2018 Noon-5:00pm

Location:

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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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Nice n' Easy Hike at Breakheart Reservation

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.

Where: Breakheart Reservation

9:30 am to 11:30 am

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CraneOutdoors: The Castle Hill Hike

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…

Where: Castle Hill on the Crane Estate

10:00 am to 12:00 pm

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Gloucester's So Salty 2026

Celebrate the fish city’s recognizably salty character with local cultural institutions and businesses during the 5th Annual Gloucester’s So Salty festival sponsored by the Cape Ann Museum in partnership with Discover Gloucester! This annual event brings over 2,000 people to the downtown area each...

Where: Downtown Gloucester, Where: Cape Ann Museum, Where: Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church , Where: Sawyer Free Library Temporary Space, Where: Local Colors

10:00 am to 4:00 pm

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Native Seed Sowing at Long Hill

Join Cole Campbell, production horticulturist at Native Plant Trust, for this native seed-sowing workshop at Long Hill Public Garden in Beverly, MA. Learn about our native plant seeds, and then get your hands in the soil to sow some seeds that you can take home with you.

Where: Long Hill and Sedgwick Gardens

11:00 am to 12:30 pm

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Saturday, February 21

February Vacation at MIT Museum

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

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Low-Sensory Play at North Shore Children's Museum

Join us for a low-sensory play session. For some children, visiting places like NSCM can be over-stimulating. This special play session will have reduced noise, crowds, and stimulation. While medical diagnosis is not required, we encourage that these limited tickets be used for families with a...

Where: North Shore Children's Museum

2:00 pm to 4:00 pm

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Sunday, February 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

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Quarry Quest Treasure Hunt

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!

Where: Halibut Point State Park

10:00 am to 2:00 pm

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StoryWalk at Halibut Point

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...

Where: Maudslay State Park

10:00 am to 2:00 pm

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February Vacation at MIT Museum

Where: MIT Museum

10:00 am to 5:00 pm

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Watching the Coastal Edge at Halibut Point

Meet at the Halibut Point State Park visitors center to learn about the role Halibut Point has played in America’s military history. One day after the 1941 Pearl Harbor attack, U.S.

Where: Halibut Point State Park

11:00 am to 12:30 pm

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CraneOutdoors: Family Winter Wildlife Walk

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...

Where: Crane Wildlife Refuge on the Crane Estate

1:00 pm to 3:30 pm

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Sunday STEAM Club at North Shore Children's Museum

Join in on Sundays at 2:30 for STEAM Club for ages 5-11. Each week participants will explore science, technology, engineering, art, and math with our NSCM staff! Every STEAM club session will see your kids participating in hands-on activities while exploring a new topic. Space is limited, please...

Where: North Shore Children's Museum

2:30 pm to 4:00 pm

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