Festivals
Essex National Heritage Area
Music, food, games, art, food and free fun! All around the Area, all year round, there are festivals for everyone. Find your favorite or discover a new delight. Let us keep you up-to-date. If you have a festival to add to this list, please let us know by emailing Emily.
February 2009
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- 8 - 14
- 7th Annual Salem's So Sweet Chocolate & Ice Sculpture Festival
- www.salem-chamber.org
- The Salem Chamber of Commerce, Salem Main Streets and local retailers, restaurants and businesses will host the 6th annual Salem's So Sweet, Chocolate & Ice Sculpture Festival, February 8 - 14th. The festival's focus will continue to be on decadent chocolate, sparkling ice sculptures and Valentine's Day retail. The festival is free for all to attend. The ice sculptures will be on display throughout downtown Salem and Pickering Wharf.
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- 14
- Merrimack River Eagle Festival
- www.massaudubon.org
- Winter's here—and with it, the Bald Eagles return to the Merrimack Valley. To celebrate these special winter residents of the greater Newburyport area, Mass Audubon at Joppa Flats and the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge are holding the third annual Merrimack River Eagle Festival on Saturday, February 16, 2008.
Come and visit with Essex Heritage
at the Eagle Festival!
March 2009
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- 8
- John Updike Day
- www.northofboston.org
- On Sunday, March 8, 2009 at 2:00 pm, Ipswich residents and students will present a dramatic reading of John Updike’s pageant Three Texts from Early Ipswich at the Ipswich Performing Arts Center as the first special event of the Ipswich 375th Anniversary Celebration. Written in 1968 for that year’s 17th Century Day, Updike’s work draws upon the work of Ipswich historians Thomas Franklin Waters and Joseph B. Felt and the early literary works of Ipswich residents Nathaniel Ward and Anne Bradstreet.
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- 14-15
- NERF Festival 2009
The New England Regional Festival (NERF) is hosted this year by the Eastern Massachusetts Association of Community Theatres (EMACT), on behalf of the New England Theatre Conference (NETC). The festival will take place the weekend of March 14-15, 2009. Six community theatre groups from four states are participating, two from Massachusetts, two from New Hampshire, and one each from Connecticut and Maine. Distinguished adjudicators will critique each of the shows, and will award winners in a variety of categories. The best show will advance to the national festival.
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- 21
- Salem Spring Fling
A Garden of Earthly Delights sponsored by Magic Hat at Old Town Hall in the heart of this beautiful, historic seaport. Tantalize your palate with delectable culinary delights as well as indulging in the finest wines, craft beers. North Shore Artists will be offering an eclectic variety of art to please your eye.Tickets available at www.pmousse.com.
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- 27-29
- Literally Salem
Take the weekend to celebrate the literary arts with author readings, writing workshops, open mics, word-game tournaments, parties, and more! Historic downtown Salem will provide the setting for Literally Salem, Salem's annual literary festival, with events taking place at several centralized downtown locations.
April 2009
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- 4
- Big Band Blues
A Benefit for the Salem Jazz and Soul Festival
Peabody Essex Museum
24 - 25- Newburyport Literary Festival
- www.newburyportliteraryfestival.org
- A three-day celebration of reading, writing, and the love of books, this year's festival will feature more than 50 writers of distinguished fiction and non-fiction-including short story writers, children's authors, biographers, nature writers, critics, screenwriters, poets, novelists, and journalists-who will read and discuss their work in venues throughout Newburyport's historic downtown.
May 2009
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- 16 & 17
- Motif #1 Days, Rockport
- www.rockportusa.com
- Galleries and Restaurants celebrate the Season, along with street entertainment!
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June 2009
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- 18-21
- Semana Hispana
- www.northofboston.org
- Semana Hispana is A celebration of the latino hertiage of Lawrence. Enjoy daily events including musical performances and activites on the common.
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20
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- Strawberry Festival, Topsfield
- www.topsfieldhistory.org
- Live music, kids' games, artisans’ displays of arts and crafts and, of course, strawberry shortcake!
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- 20
- Arts Fest, Beverly
- www.beverlymainstreets.org
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- 20 & 21
- Cape Ann Artisans Open Studio Tour
- www.capeannartisans.com
- Meet the artisans and see their work in the places where it is created. Visit the Studio Tour weekend as you drive around the scenic coast of Essex, Gloucester and Rockport.
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- 24
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- New Fish Festival
- www.capeannvacations.com
- A number of area restaurants contribute to a buffet dinner promoting greater awareness of the diversity of fish species and new ways to cook seafood -- a seafood lover's wish come true!
24 - 28- St. Peter's Fiesta, St. Peter's Park, Gloucester
- www.stpetersfiesta.org
- The St. Peter's Fiesta is a five day festival honoring the patron saint of the fisherman St. Peter and includes a blessing of the fleet.
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- 27-28
- Sand and Sea Festival, Salisbury
- www.sandandseafestival.com
- One of the North Shore’s most popular summer beach destinations kicks-off an action-packed festival with family-friendly, sand and seaside activities for kids, teens and adult fun.
July 2009
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- 2
- Rockport Chamber Music Festival
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Concerts by internationally acclaimed soloists and ensembles at the Rockport Art Association, 12 Main Street, Rockport.
- 3
- Gloucester Independence Day Celebrations
- www.capeannvacations.com
- Gloucester Horribles Parade begins at 6pm and circles through downtown Gloucester. Fireworks begin at 10pm. Favorite viewing locations: Stacy Boulevard, Stage Fort Park, Western Avenue.
- 8-13
- Sail Boston
- www.sailboston.com
- Welcome crews and cadets from all over the world greet the return of the Tall Ship fleet for Sail Boston 2009! The five-day Sail Boston festival will begin with the Grand Parade of Sail into Boston Harbor. Other festivities include a crew and cadet parade through the downtown streets of Boston, harbor tours, educational programs and activities, shopping, music, entertainment and the best cuisine in New England.
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- 11
- Newburyport Riverfront Music Festival
- http://www.newburyportchamber.org/Riverfront.shtml
- Mark your calendars for a great weekend in Newburyport!
- 11-12
- Greek Festival
Hellenic Community Center
Ipswich, MA -
This standing-room-only popular event by Ipswich’s Greek community celebrates all things Greek — especially food!
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- 25
- Manchester Craft Fair
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Sales, food, and entertainment in downtown Manchester, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
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- 26
- Marblehead Festival of the Arts
- www.marbleheadfestival.org
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Over 50 artists and artisans have registered for the first annual Manchester Arts Festival, on Saturday, July 26 (rain date: Sunday, July 27. The Festival will feature a wide variety of fine arts and crafts, entertainment, the Library’s annual book sale, the Firemen’s Association cook-out, merchants’ tables on the sidewalks, and special Festival menus offered by the local restaurants.
26-Aug 02- Yankee Homecoming Festival
Newburyport, MA - www.yankeehomecoming.com
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Waterfront Concerts, Kids' Talent Show, Bed Race, Parade, Beach Blast, Fireworks - a nine day celebration of fun!
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August 2009
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- 1-10
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Beverly Homecoming
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Volleyball, scrabble, picnics, games for a whole week! Topped off by a spectacular fireworks display.
- 1-2
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Salem Maritime Festival
- www.nps.gov/sama
- 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. - The 21st annual Salem Maritime Festival will be held on Derby Wharf at Salem Maritime National Historic Site. Enjoy live music, traditional crafts demonstrations and children’s activities, including kite making radio- controlled boats, and horse-drawn wagon rides. Event is free and open to the public.
- 8-9
- Ipswich 375th Anniversary Celebration
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Celebrate Ipswich’s 375th Anniversary by joining Ipswich citizens for a parade, speeches by visiting dignitaries, a Town Picnic, Town Concert with the Orville Giddings Band and the Eric Colville Band, and refreshments that are unique to Ipswich.
- 8-9
- Essex Street Fair
Downtown Salem & Pickering Whaft - 15
- Gloucester Waterfront Festival
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Stage Fort Park along the Waterfront. Spend a summer day than strolling historic Gloucester Harbor? Gloucester's beautiful Stage Fort Park will be bursting with the exciting displays of over 175 artisans and craftspeople.
- 15-16
- Salem Jazz & Soul Festival
Salem Willows, Salem MA -
The Salem Jazz & Soul Festival recreates and renews the city's vibrant jazz scene that began at the Salem Willows in the 1920s, when Duke Ellington and other musicians from the Big Band era played there. The Festival contributes to Salem's rich musical history by spicing things up a little, adding soul and funk music to the mix.
- 23
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27th Annual Antique & Classic Boat Festival
- http://www.boatfestival.org/
- A rare chance to see vintage motor yachts and sailboats of all kinds! Tour the vessels, meet skippers and crews, and vote for your favorite boat.
- 31-Sept 1
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Newburyport Buskers Featival
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Downtown Newburyport - The only Buskers Festival in America! The Newburyport Buskers Festival is 2 days of non-stop fun. Performers from all over come to Newburyport to entertain visitors. Fun for all ges!Performances may include juggling, magic, music, and acts of death defying bravery!
TBA- Sandblast at Crane Beach
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Sand sculpting and contest on the beach! Admission is free.
September 2009
- 4-6
- Feast of the Three Saints
- www.threesaintsinc.org
- ‘Viva Sant Alfio!’ the crowd will chant in a sea of red, white, and green, along the streets of Lawrence. Celebrate the diverse Italian heritage of the city with live music, the three saints procession, and a great feast of fine Italian cuisine.
- 5 & 6
- Gloucester Schooner Festival
- www.capeannvacations.com
- The Mayor's Race for 100' schooners, races for other classes, parade of sail, deck tours, public sails, lighted boat parade, fireworks, and other maritime activities.
- 7
- Bread and Roses Festival
- www.breadandroses.net
Celebrate Lawrence's labor history and ethnic diversity, and particularly the historic, heroic events of 1912, the Bread and Roses Strike. Music and dance, poetry and drama, ethnic food, historical demonstrations, and walking and trolley tours, all on or starting from Lawrence's Common. Bread and Roses celebrates the true spirit of Labor Day at the site of the Bread and Roses Strike. And it is a broadly multicultural festival in Lawrence, the Immigrant City.
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- 20
- Lynn Festival of the Arts
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Music, dance, theatre, arts, plenty of fun for kids
27- Family Harvest Festival
- www.historicnewengland.org
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11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. - See tractors and other farm equipment spanning eighty years. Try corn husking or win a prize at the pie-eating contest. Learn how simple machines help farmers with pumping water, pressing cider, and preparing food. Find your way through a hay bale maze, harvest wild herbs, and see vegetables preserved in the traditional way. Enjoy a wagon ride through the fields, build scarecrows, go on a pumpkin treasure hunt, and make fall crafts. Listen to folk music performed by Sweet Loretta’s Snake Oil Jug Band or watch a puppet show by Martha Dana.
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October 2009
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- 2 - Nov 2
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- Haunted Happenings
- www.hauntedhappenings.org
- Enjoy a month filled with spooktacular activities in downtown Salem. The celebration kicks off with a grand parade procession featuring witches, spooks, and goblins! Get an opportunity to visit famous Salem attractions and participate in a variety of activities happening throughout the month of October and early November.
3 - 12
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- Topsfield Fair
- www.topsfieldfair.org
- America's oldest agricultural fair - 10am to 10pm.
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10 - 12
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- Cape Ann Artisans Studio Tour
- www.capeannartisans.com
- Meet the artists and see their newest work in the places where it is created.
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- 11 - 12
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- Fall Harvest Festival, Newburyport
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Come to Downtown Newburyport on Sunday & Monday, October 12 & 13 for unique crafts, fine art, family entertainment, Scarecrow Contest, the Kid's Korner, farms stands, great food and more!
17&18- Rockport Harvest Festival
- www.capeannvacations.com
- This family-oriented weekend with an autumn theme is designed to entertain and delight residents and visitors alike. 10am-6pm both days.
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- 17
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- Cogswell's Grant Pumpkin Day
- www.historicnewengland.org
- 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. - Celebrate the arrival of fall at Cogswell’s Grant. Enjoy horse- drawn wagon rides, choose pumpkins to decorate, compete in a pumpkin pie-eating contest, do crafts, play games, and try cider pressing. Enjoy hot mulled apple cider and homemade pumpkin pie. The house is open for tours of one of the country's most celebrated collections of American folk art. Admission: Free to Historic New England members, $6 nonmembers, $4 children
- 24
- Essex Clamfest
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- www.capeannvacations.com
- Annual Essex ClamFest from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in Memorial Park in Essex.
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November 2009
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- 16th Annual Methuen Festival of Trees
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www.methuenfestivaloftrees.com
Visitors are invited to attend the Festival and view the 200+ trees donated by individuals, businesses, organizations, and school groups from Methuen and several Merrimack Valley communities. Event runs until December 6. Admission: $8 Adults, Children 12 and under free.
December 2009
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- 3 - 12
- Marblehead Christmas Walk
- www.visitmarblehead.com/index.asp
- The Marblehead Festival of Arts is a cosponsor of the Marblehead Christmas Walk, which takes place Friday, Saturday, and Sunday on the first full weekend in December. Traditional events include the Christmas Tree lighting Friday evening, the arrival by boat of Santa and Mrs. Claus on Saturday morning, and the Christmas Walk Parade.
- 30
- Christmas in Salem Historical House Tour
- www.historicalsalem.org