North of Boston

Cape Ann Shakespeare Troupe presents One Act Wonders
2025-10-26 19:30 - 21:30, 2025-10-25 19:30 - 21:30, 2025-10-24 19:30 - 21:30 (America/New_York) | Gloucester Stage, 267 East Main St., Gloucester, MA, 01930, United States
Cape Ann Shakespeare Troupe presents “One-Act Wonders”, a program of four modern one-act plays exploring boundaries, loyalties, and the absurdities of life. The program will run for four performances only, at Gloucester Stage Theater, April 17th (7:30pm) 18th (7:30pm), and 19th (3pm + 7:30pm). Tickets are $28.

Earth Music Theater
2025-10-26 15:00 - 16:30 | Shalin Liu Performance Center, 37 Main Street, Rockport, MA, 01966, United States
Free, reservations encouraged.
Earth Music Theater is the brainchild of guitarist and multimedia artist Steve Thomas, whose work explores the porous boundaries between music, nature, and visual storytelling. Using electric guitar, ambient textures, live-looping, and projected visuals, Thomas constructs immersive performance environments that evolve in real time.

Artist talk with photographer David Rabkin: “Under The Hood” - Sunday October 26th, 2pm
2025-10-26 14:00 - 15:00 | Marblehead Arts Association, 8 Hooper Street, Marblehead, M, 01945, United States
Join photographer, David Rabkin at the Marblehead Arts Association as he highlights particularly intriguing features of his unique photographic art and demonstrates them in Photoshop, in order to enhance your understanding and appreciation of some intricacies of human perception that help make these works powerful. As a bonus, since David used to direct the Museum of Science’s planetarium, he may just do some projection onto the gallery’s vaulted ceiling too…
This free October 26th talk is part of the MAA’s Fall Exhibit running until Sunday November 2nd, with a varied selection of inspiring artwork in seven galleries at the historic Hooper Mansion. Enjoy David Rabkin’s photography exhibit, “Upon Further Reflection…”, along with Judy Schmid’s abstract collection, “On and Off the Wall; Encaustic Monoprints”, the extensive MAA Member & Youth Photography Exhibit, and the new, ground-breaking Digital Art and Animation Exhibit.
The MAA galleries are open Wednesday to Sunday, 12-5pm. Admission is free. Donations gratefully received.

Bonsai Workshop at Bent Water Brewing Company
2025-10-26 13:00 - 15:00 | Bent Water Brewing Company, 180 Commercial St #18, Lynn, M, 01905, United States
Beginner workshops are perfect for you to grab your friends, grab a drink and come make tiny trees! We’re bringing the awesome art of bonsai out of the hedged in gardens and into the streets! Or at least into your favorite bars/breweries/pubs. Bonsai Bar is a night of fun you don’t want to miss. Learn the fundamental skills and techniques behind the art of bonsai while enjoying a night out with friends! Our teachers will introduce core concepts and guide your experience as you pot, prune, and design your very own bonsai tree! Our Guarantee: These tiny trees are so hardy we guarantee you can keep yours alive, or we’ll replace it.
This workshop will be hosted at Bent Water Brewing Company. Bent Water Brewing is proud to call Lynn, MA home because of the city’s rich industrial roots and superior water source. We believe passion can turn industry into art; and with careful, creative manipulation, we bend water into unique, flavorful beer.
Under 21 policy: Please contact Bent Water Brewing Company for details regarding underage entry
For more about Bonsai Bar and what to expect at our classes, visit our website at: https://bonsaibar.com/products/bent-water-brewing-company

Sinister Streets: Witch Trials, Murders & Literary Legends
2025-10-26 12:00 - 17:00, 2025-10-25 12:00 - 17:00 | Peabody Essex Museum, East India Square, 161 Essex Street, Salem, MA, 01970, United States
Join us for a behind-the-scenes tour featuring architectural treasures from PEM’s collection! The only walking tours in Salem that offer entry into historic buildings, PEM’s tours cover five centuries of happenings and characters from Witch City, including the infamous trials of 1692.
Sinister Streets: Witch Trials, Murders and Literary Legends starts by painting the picture of life in 1692 by examining the Gardner-Pingree House. The killing of Joseph White gripped Salem and the country in 1830 with its brawling brothers, custom-built murder weapons, conspiring family members and a body that was autopsied three times. Follow PEM’s expert guides into the room where it happened – if you dare!
This is an indoor/outdoor tour. Please dress for the weather and wear comfortable shoes. We’ll see you rain or shine!
This tour involves walking around 0.5 miles, standing on hard surfaces and the use of stairs. Historic structures are not ADA accessible. Strollers may be used on the tours, but may not be brought into any of the historic structures. Historic houses may include areas of low lighting and uneven surfaces. Assisted listening devices are available, and tour guides will use microphones.
You can also follow our expert guides on Brick by Brick: Salem’s Hidden Architectural Stories for an in-depth look at architecture across downtown Salem, from a millionaire’s mansion to a working-class sailor’s house.

Outdoor Hard Cider Bar & Free Live Music Series at Cider Hill Farm
2025-10-26 11:00 - 16:00, 2025-10-25 11:00 - 16:00 | Cider Hill Farm, 45 Fern Avenue, Amesbury, M, 01913, United States
Every weekend at Cider Hill Farm farm brings FREE family-friendly live music on the main lawn from 12-3 pm and extended music on festival dates 11 am – 4 pm. Grab a drink from the Outdoor Hard Cider Bar 11 am – 4 pm on Saturdays and 12-4 pm on Sundays.
Food – Grab lunch at the food truck 11 am – 4 pm and snacks in the farm store 8 am – 6 pm. Guest food trucks and vendors pop-ups regularly.
Play – Parking, play areas and barnyard are always free and open 8 am – 6 pm daily. Bee observatory, chickens and goats arrive mid-May.
Weather – Music, food truck and hard cider bar are weather dependent. We make decisions 8 am on the day of in case weather shifts overnight. Check website at 8:30 am.

Hammers on Stone: The Granite Industry on Cape Ann
2025-10-26 10:00 - 17:00, 2025-10-25 10:00 - 17:00 | Cape Ann Museum Green, 13 Poplar Street, Gloucester, MA, 01930, United States
For over a century, the granite industry played a vital role in Cape Ann’s economy, providing work for men from across New England and around the world, generating profits for those fortunate enough to share in ownership of the region’s many quarries, and contributing to the unique and authentic sense of place that characterizes Cape Ann today. On a broader scale, the industry contributed significantly to building and transportation projects across our nation during a sustained period of growth and expansion.
Drawing on the Cape Ann Museum’s extensive holdings of objects and archival materials related to the industry, most of which were gifted to the Cape Ann Museum by historian Barbara Erkkila (1918-2013), Hammers on Stone will explore the history of the granite trade and its impact on the community. The exhibition will examine methods of harvesting, cutting, and finishing stone, as well as how granite was transported from quarry to wharf and further afield. The exhibit will also explore the lives of those involved in quarrying and consider how the industry helped shape Cape Ann’s artistic landscape, inspiring generations of artists to the present day.
Image: Samuel Lewis Pullman (1900-1961), Quarryman Joe Boston, 1930, oil on canvas. Collection of the Cape Ann Museum, Gloucester, MA. Gift of Abner and Miriam (Pullman) Diamond, 1994. (1994.036.001).

Hocus Pocus Decorations at Ropes Mansion
2025-10-26 10:00 - 17:00, 2025-10-25 10:00 - 17:00 | Ropes Mansion and Garden, 318 Essex St, Salem, M, 01970, United States
Get into the Halloween spirit and visit the Ropes Mansion (318 Essex Street) to see the exterior decorated in the style of the ‘90s cult classic Hocus Pocus. You won’t have to bob for apples during this visit to Allison’s house, but it’s a must-see for any fan this October!
Please note: Self-guided tours of the interior of Ropes Mansion end for the season on October 19. We encourage you to visit the mansion’s historic garden, which is open every day from dawn to dusk.

Sweet Halloween at Cider Hill Farm
2025-10-26 10:00 - 14:00, 2025-10-25 10:00 - 14:00 | Cider Hill Farm, 45 Fern Avenue, Amesbury, M, 01913, United States
Break out those adorable costumes and get ready for a fun, festive day on the farm! Sweet Halloween is a fan-favorite event held every October. This family-friendly, not-so-spooky, trick-or-treating experience is brimming with sweet treats and boo-tiful fall foliage! Enjoy hayrides, food trucks, costume contests, games, cider n’ donuts and free live music.

Skunk Sessions Halloween Show
2025-10-25 20:00 - 23:00 | The Cut, 177 Main Street , Gloucester, MA, 01930, United States
Skunk Sessions annual Halloween show will be the largest Skunk band yet, complete with their Halloween themed, Psychedelic Circus Liquid Light Show, featuring the Liquid Light Brothers and a plethora of Special musical guests including Justin Lopes (Keys), Henley Douglas (Sax), Yahuba Torres (Percussion), and Amy Gallo (Vocals). This band is, was, and always will be jams at there best. Brought to you by a Super-Group of musicians from the Salem Massachusetts area, Brandon Tarricone, Eric Reardon, Theo Brierley, and Derek Hayden are the core forces behind Skunk’s powerful music. Their Halloween shows always feature all themed music for the occasion with lots of new material and favorites from Halloweens past. As fans know, this is no cover band, as they have a huge list of original material, yet they consistently jam in and out of clutch covers throughout their greatly varying shows. This approach takes audiences on a fresh musical journey each night by integrating in songs everyone loves, with their original material, from a huge, and always growing song book.

Comedy Illusionist Ben Pratt
2025-10-25 20:00 - 21:30 | Larcom Theatre, 13 Wallis Street, Beverly, MA, 01915, United States
From a tiny town in New Hampshire to the big stages of Las Vegas, Ben Pratt has turned his lifelong passion for magic into an unforgettable performance experience! With multiple awards under his belt and shows across New England at top venues like Foxwoods, Mohegan Sun, Gillette Stadium, and even opening for major celebrity acts, Ben has become one of the region’s most sought-after magicians.
This high-energy show is a thrilling mix of stand-up comedy, jaw-dropping magic, and stunning illusions that captivates audiences of all ages. One moment you’ll be laughing out loud, the next you’ll be left wondering, “How did he just do that?!”
From the second Ben hits the stage to the moment the curtain falls, you’ll be on the edge of your seat, completely immersed in the experience — and begging for more.
Don’t miss your chance to see Ben Pratt live — this is one show you’ll be talking about long after the final trick!
Family-friendly show that can be enjoyed by all ages!
Running Time: About 1 hour 30 minutes — includes intermission
Thelarcom.org/benpratt

The Rocky Horror Picture Show w/ The RKO Army
2025-10-25 20:00 | The Cabot, 286 Cabot Street, Beverly, CA, 01915, United States
50th Anniversary Celebration!
The RKO Army Thriller Tour 2025 comes to The Cabot to give you a full experience of the cult phenomenon.
Enjoy a set of preshows, featuring their famous “Thriller” set. Then, experience the greatest cult movie of all time shadow-casted by The RKO Army. Brad & Janet, a newly engaged couple have a car breakdown in an isolated area and must find a phone to call for help. They find themselves at the bizarre castle of Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a transvestite mad scientist, and meet challenges they are unprepared for. They, and you the audience, meet a large group of Transylvanians. They dance to the ‘Time Warp’. Dr. Frank-N-Furter builds his own man. Eddie comes out of deep freeze. A rival scientist comes to the castle. And what of the floor show that is held in the middle of the night?!

A Vintage Hallowe'en: Hawthorne Hotel's Annual Costume Ball
2025-10-25 19:30 - 23:55 | Hawthorne Hotel, 18 Washington Sq. West, Salem, 01970, United States
The event, introduced in 1990 and hosted by the Hawthorne team, features a live band (American Midnight), two DJs, interactive experiences, a costume contest, stationed hors d’oeuvres, and cash bars across three floors. Dance, people-watch, take selfies in front of our photo backdrops and enjoy being part of the premier bucket-list Halloween event in New England. Celebrate A Vintage Hallowe’en and pay homage to the hotel’s 100th anniversary with an unforgettable evening of eerie elegance and vintage oddity.

Sam Grisman Project
2025-10-25 19:30 - 21:00 | Shalin Liu Performance Center, 37 Main Street, Rockport, MA, 01966, United States
The Sam Grisman Project is a tribute to the timeless acoustic legacy of David Grisman and Jerry Garcia, blending their beloved repertoire with original music that reflects their enduring influence. Led by Sam Grisman, the Project channels deep camaraderie and musical joy, sharing the spirit of Dawg and Jerry’s music.

Kicked Off the Bus
2025-10-25 19:00 - 21:30 | Off Cabot Comedy & Events, 9 Wallis Street, Beverly, MA, 01915, United States
Kicked Off The Bus is a band of young local musicians. Hailing from Gloucester Ma, they play all over the North Shore bringing their young energy and big sound for everyone to enjoy. They play original songs and classic rock from Elvis & The Beatles, to Ozzy, Cheap Trick , Van Halen plus many many more ! If you get a chance to see them live, DO IT!

Edgar Allan Poe Double Header
2025-10-25 19:00 - 20:00, 2025-10-25 15:00 - 16:00 | Gloucester Stage Company, East Main Street 267, Gloucester, M, 01930, United States
Presented in partnership with The Hanover Theatre Repertory: An imaginative one-person retelling of The Tell-Tale Heart and The Cask of Amontillado
At turns dark and darkly funny, this 60-minute solo show is staged as a séance, inviting audiences to conjure two of Poe’s most notorious narrators.
In The Tell-Tale Heart, a nervous caregiver is driven to madness by an irrational obsession. In The Cask of Amontillado, the aggrieved Montresor lures his rival Fortunato to an untimely fate.
Created and performed by Livy Scanlon. The Edgar Allan Poe Double Header runs at Gloucester Stage from October 24th-25th and at The Hanover Theatre Repertory in Worcester, MA from October 29th-Nov 1st.

Maple Strolls at Appleton Farms
2025-10-25 11:00 - 14:30 | Appleton Farms, 219 County Road, Ipswich, MA, 01938, United States
Sessions start at: 11, 12:15 & 1:30 Trustees Members $12/Nonmembers $20
Visit the historic maple stand and sugar shack at Appleton Farms and learn all about maple sugaring, its history at the farm and in New England, and how you can try your hand at it at home!
Experience a leisurely stroll along our country farm roads and past several historic landscapes to our Appleton maple grove. You’ll learn some of the history of maple sugaring as well as the science behind what makes maple sap run in our trees. The stroll concludes with a visit to our sugar shack where you will see firsthand how we turn the collected sap into our delicious Appleton maple syrup!
Be sure to wear weather appropriate clothing and boots or shoes that are appropriate for hiking in potentially wet and muddy spots or over uneven hilly terrain. All Maple Strolls are weather permitting and will last approximately 1 hour, walking much of that time. We welcome all ages; however, information is geared towards those 10 and up. Have smaller kids? Check out our family geared maple programming, Maple in the Barnyard!
Space is limited for this event and pre-registration is strongly recommended.
We will have a food station open selling maple baked goods, snacks and treats from 12-3pm by the sugar shack. Make sure to stop by! No pizza service will be available. The Farm Store is open 10am-4pm where you can buy our very own syrup. Make sure to stop by!

Children's Maple in the Barnyard at Appleton Farms, Ipswich, MA
2025-10-25 10:45 - 15:00 | Appleton Farms, 219 County Road, Ipswich, MA, 01938, United States
Sessions @ 10:45-11:30; 12-12:45; 1-1:45; 2:15-3:00
Trustees Member Adult: $9; Trustees Member Child: $9;
Nonmember Adult: $15; Nonmember Child: $15;
Children under 2 are free
Maple Season is here! This special program for ages 3-11 & their families will focus on the magic of maple from start to finish. We will discover this tradition by observing trees, tasting sap, learning the tools involved, and finally, tasting the sweet product. We will make sure to have time to visit our barnyard animals!
This program is for families and will last approximately 45 minutes. Please dress for the weather as the program is held outdoors. Children over 12 may be better suited for our Adult Maple Strolls as the information at Maple in the Barnyard is geared towards a younger audience, however, all are welcome.
Looking for a more adult tour? Sign up for our Adult Maple Stroll instead!
Space is limited for this event and pre-registration is strongly recommended.
We will have a food station open selling maple baked goods, snacks and treats from 11:30-3pm by the sugar shack. The Farm Store is open 10am-4pm where you can buy our very own syrup. Make sure to stop by!

SAFETY - Totally Awesome 80s - The Neverending Safety Show
2025-10-24 20:30 - 23:30 | The Cut, 177 Main Street , Gloucester, MA, 01930, United States
Show 8:30pm / Doors 7:30pm
Reserved Rail Seats: $40 + 6.95 service fee
G.A. Standing: $30 + $6.95 service fee
21+, Positive I.D. Required
Join us for The Neverending Safety Show — 80s fantasy & magic: Celebrate Halloween season with the North Shore’s favorite 80s band by dressing up as characters from the era’s classic fantasy movies like The Neverending Story, Legend, Labyrinth, Excalibur, Willow, Dragonslayer, Conan, Red Sonia, Dark Crystal, Xanadu, Princess Bride, The Goonies, or any film that still haunts your dreams!
SAFETY is not your average 80’s band with 4 lead vocalists! Classic hits by Madonna • Prince • Cyndi Lauper • Devo • Talking Heads • Soft Cell • Janet Jackson • Culture Club • Human League • George Michael • The Cure • Depeche Mode • Joan Jett • Stevie Nicks • Eurythmics • Kim Wilde • Chaka Khan • Pretenders • The Cars • David Bowie • Billy Idol • The Go-Go’s • Pat Benatar and more!

Liberated
2025-10-24 20:00 - 21:30 | Larcom Theatre, 13 Wallis Street, Beverly, MA, 01915, United States
The Boston She Party will present “Liberated”, a cheeky and satirical revue of Boston history. The night features solo and ensemble dance acts, vocalists, jazz musicians, and more! This is a must-see theatrical experience. Join us for a steamy night of Boston pride, jazz, and most of all- Liberation!!
*90 Minutes

The Vampire Circus
2025-10-24 20:00 | The Cabot, 286 Cabot Street, Beverly, CA, 01915, United States
Heralded as a mix of circus cabaret and theatre, The Vampire Circus is a mysterious, tantalizing, fun, dark, cutting-edge production guaranteed to amaze the senses.
The Vampire Circus has been called a mix of circus cabaret and theater and is the result of a fusion of Tim Burton and Cirque Du Soleil. Enjoy a phenomenal night of live entertainment, based on the multidisciplinary skills of International performers showcasing theater, dance, and gymnastics. This amazing show pushes the physical boundaries of human performance and leaves audiences amazed, astounded, and astonished.
Mortal spectators will experience horrific feats of Cirque acrobatics, comical audience interactions, contortionists, jugglers, acrobats, and clowns. Tantalizing sounds, and mesmerizing illusions catapult audiences into an emotional roller-coaster of fear and joy, laugher, and wonder with raving cheers for a “Mad Graveyard Clown.”
The 90-minute production is an immersive ride through the Underworld and Vampires. The Vampire Circus was inspired by the magical, captivating allure of legendary traveling carnivals — and a vision of Francisco Santos, CEO founder and Cirque Du Soleil veteran performer.
Set in Bohemia during the 19 century, Count Dracula contemplates a plan for world domination, when he decides to open a traveling circus with his gypsy bodyguards. The Vampire Circus is a perfect cover-up to travel unnoticed and begin his world reign of terror and turn all humans into an army of vampires for global dominance.
The Vampire Circus is a journey that takes audiences into an immersive experience, plunging guests into a deep hypnotic state while “breaking the fourth wall.” With Vampire Circus, audiences are fully integrated into what is happening in front of them, surrounding them, and at times “inside” of them.
The Vampire Circus will delight the senses and deliver the unexpected. As the moon comes out the magical mystique of the Vampire World begins.
Come meet the Vampires. We will leave the lights off for you!!

Juston McKinney
2025-10-24 19:30 - 21:00 | Shalin Liu Performance Center, 37 Main Street, Rockport, MA, 01966, United States
Juston has multiple appearances on The Tonight Show, one-hour specials on Comedy Central and Amazon Prime, including “Parentally Challenged” and “On Mid-Life Support.” His 5th stand-up special, “On the Bright Side,” is currently streaming on his YouTube channel, where it has over one million views!
Juston was born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire and grew up living on the border of New Hampshire and Maine. In the late 1990s, after spending seven years as a Deputy Sheriff in rural Maine, he made the move to New York City to pursue a career in comedy. He quickly became a regular at nearly every comedy club in the city and the New York Times called him “Destined for stardom.” Juston would go on to sign development deals with Warner Brothers, CBS, IFC, and Comedy Central.
He has appeared on numerous Comedy Central shows, including his half-hour Comedy Central Presents and his own one-hour special. He has appeared several times on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien as well as a Showtime Special with Rob Gronkowski. Twice he has performed at the TD Garden with Denis Leary’s “Comics Come Home.” His TV & movie credits include The King of Queens, 100 Centre Street, The Zoo Keeper and Here Comes the Boom.
He lives in New Hampshire with his wife and kids. When not dadding, he is touring theaters and clubs all over the country.
