North of Boston

Deck the Halls at Hammond Castle Museum
2025-12-26 09:00 - 15:30, 2025-12-23 09:00 - 15:30, 2025-12-22 09:00 - 15:30 (America/New_York) | Hammond Castle Museum, 80 Hesperus Avenue, Gloucester, MA, 01930, United States
Join us for the 2025 Holiday Season as we proudly present our 7th annual “Deck The Halls” holiday celebration!
Travel back in time to a castle filled with lush, opulent textures inspired by the great medieval and Renaissance castles of Europe. Wander through rooms adorned with White Birch and Christmas trees, sparkling fairy lights, hydrangea-lace garlands, and elegant bows, each space transformed with its own unique holiday theme. From nature’s bounty of fruits and greenery to the warm glow of candlelight, every detail creates a true feast for the senses. Along the way, you will encounter a royal guard of nutcrackers standing watch over a gingerbread house replica of the castle. Keep an eye out for playful elves and gnomes who are up to mischief—great fun for little ones! This year, the celebration will also shine with the glow of two menorahs on display, honoring the traditions of Hanukkah within the Museum’s holiday splendor.
For the first time, we are pleased to feature design elements created in partnership with Elaine Quinn Interiors, a boutique residential interior design firm based in Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA, bringing fresh inspiration and artistry to this year’s holiday presentation.
In addition to the holiday installation, guests will also have the opportunity to experience the Hammond in Italy temporary exhibition, which highlights John Hays Hammond Jr.’s time abroad and the profound influence Italian art and architecture had on his vision for the castle.
For an even more enchanting experience, join us for Deck the Halls by Candlelight on Thursday evenings throughout December. These extended-hour tours invite guests to explore the Museum after dark, when the holiday décor glows with flickering candlelight and twinkling lights, creating a truly magical atmosphere.
Guests should plan for approximately 60 minutes in total to take in the full holiday grandeur.

THE GLASS MENAGERIE by Tennessee Williams
2025-12-25 19:30 - 21:30, 2025-12-24 19:30 - 21:30 | Gloucester Stage Company, East Main Street 267, Gloucester, M, 01930, United States
Through Tom’s cinematic eyes, his family’s life isn’t the dream he imagined. In a rundown St. Louis apartment the matriarch, Amanda Wingfield, is desperately clinging to a past of parties and endless callers. Her adult children, Tom and Laura, become victims of her delusions as she pushes for Tom to provide for the struggling family and Laura to find a husband. The two seek solace in ways of escaping their mother and their own misery until a visit from a gentleman caller presents the possibility of new opportunities.
Renowned playwright Tennessee Williams opens the 2025 Season with this classic drama, directed by Doug Lockwood. Running from June 5 to 28, all performances are at Gloucester Stage’s Theater 267 East Main Street, Gloucester. Showtimes are Wednesdays & Thursdays at 7:30pm, Fridays & Saturdays at 8:00pm, and matinees Saturdays & Sunday at 3:00pm.

Cape Ann Shakespeare Troupe presents One Act Wonders
2025-12-25 19:30 - 21:30, 2025-12-24 19:30 - 21:30, 2025-12-23 19:30 - 21:30, 2025-12-22 19:30 - 21:30, 2025-12-21 19:30 - 21:30 | 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.

The American Revolution: A story of the War in 28 Paintings
2025-12-25 12:00 - 20:00 | Cabot House, 117 Cabot Street, Beverly, MA, 01915, United States
1776 was more than a turning point; it marked the birth of a new world order. A bold line was drawn as ordinary people made extraordinary decisions, declaring independence from the most powerful empire on earth. Driven by youthful fire, they believed in the promise of liberty more than they feared the cost of pursuing it.
Historic Beverly proudly presents The American Revolution: A story of the War in 28 Paintings, a once-in-a-lifetime exhibition of artworks commissioned to illustrate Senator Henry Cabot Lodge Sr.’s landmark book.
These paintings are featured in Ken Burns’ upcoming documentary The American Revolution. The exhibit will be on display at the Cabot House from September 6, 2025 to July 4, 2026. Tickets are free and open to the public

Christmas by the Sea
2025-12-25 11:30 - 18:30 | Beauport Hotel Gloucester, 55 Commercial Street, Gloucester, MA, 01930, United States
Celebrate Christmas by the Sea at 1606 Restaurant & Oyster Bar. On December 25th, reservations are available from 11:30AM – 6:30PM, offering a joyful coastal dining experience crafted to make your holiday memorable.
Enjoy À La Carte Christmas Specials thoughtfully curated with seasonal starters, such as Mushroom Bisque with truffle and chive crème fraîche. Entrées include a Queen Cut Prime Rib served with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and a winter vegetable medley. For a sweet finish, savor our Peppermint Cheesecake. All dishes are prepared with the signature flavor and warmth of 1606. View the Christmas Specials Menu Here.
Gather with loved ones, soak in the harbor views, and allow us to make your holiday truly special. Reserve your Christmas table and celebrate the season by the sea.

Mistletoe Madness
2025-12-25 10:00 - 17:00, 2025-12-24 10:00 - 17:00, 2025-12-23 10:00 - 17:00, 2025-12-22 10:00 - 17:00, 2025-12-21 10:00 - 17:00 | Downtown Rockport, 15 Dock Square, Rockport, 01966, United States
Mistletoe Madness is back for a second season! This year, all shoppers participating in Mistletoe Madness will be entered into one Grand Prize Drawing. From December 6 through December 31, 2025, shop at participating Rockport retailers, restaurants, theatres, and recreation spots for your chance to win big in our New Year’s Eve drawing for hundreds of dollars worth of local gift certificates.

Sawyer Free Library Launches Monthly Artist Program with Volume One Exhibition
2025-12-25 10:00 - 17:00, 2025-12-24 10:00 - 17:00, 2025-12-23 10:00 - 17:00, 2025-12-22 10:00 - 17:00 | MA

Hammers on Stone: The Granite Industry on Cape Ann
2025-12-25 10:00 - 17:00, 2025-12-24 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).

Jingle Bar: Holiday Pop-Up Bar
2025-12-22 18:00 - 21:00 | MA
Jingle all the way to the harbor as our Holiday Pop-Up Bar returns this season on December 3rd, 10th, 17th, and 22nd from 6:00PM-9:00PM. Enjoy champagne, seasonal cocktails, light bites, festive décor, and live music in our oceanfront Grand Ballroom and Pavilion Rooms, with General Admission starting at $15 and upgraded premier seating available.

A Christmas Carol
2025-12-21 19:30 - 21:30, 2025-12-21 14:00 - 16:00 | North Shore Music Theatre, Dunham Road 54, Beverly, MA, 01915, United States
New England’s brightest holiday tradition! An original adaptation based on Charles Dickens’ classic novella, A CHRISTMAS CAROL is a musical ghost story following the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge through a series of strange and magical journeys, where he ultimately discovers the true spirit of the holiday season. Featuring dazzling special effects and traditional songs this award-winning production has been seen by more than one million people since its debut in 1989.

Solstice in the Cemetery: Night Walk Through Oak Hill
2025-12-21 18:30 - 19:30 | Oak Hill Cemetery, 4 Brown Street, Newburyport, M, 01950, United States
What better time than Winter Solstice to grab a flashlight and join us for a walk through historic Oak Hill Cemetery on the longest night of the year?
To add to the intimacy and atmosphere of darkness, many epitaphs are easiest to read by flashlight. Join noted author and historian Ghlee Woodworth, a 12th generation Newburyport native, and Museum of Old Newbury executive director Bethany Groff Dorau for a nighttime stroll through the historic 1842 Oak Hill Cemetery, final resting place of shipwrecked sailors, sea captains and merchants, architects and photographers, writers and poets, silversmiths and newspaper editors, even the inventor of the first steam-powered car! We will say hello to several Ebenezers, though none of them Scrooges, and toast the longest night with hot cider, cider donuts, and good cheer.

Lúnasa Winter Solstice
2025-12-21 15:00 - 20:30 | Shalin Liu Performance Center, 37 Main Street, Rockport, MA, 01966, United States
The beloved Irish folk supergroup, called the “hottest Irish acoustic band on the planet” (The Irish Echo) returns for a festive holiday concert celebrating the winter solstice. Don’t miss some of the finest pickers, pipers and fiddlers in the world—Lúnasa will get your spirit (and your feet) moving!
Formed in 1997, Lúnasa has long been one of contemporary Irish music’s leading voices. Named after an ancient Celtic harvest festival in honour of the Irish god Lugh, the group that Folk Roots magazine once called an “Irish music dream team” was formed from members of some of Ireland’s greatest bands and over the years has proven its mettle time and again, having sold over a quarter of a million records and collaborated with notable artists outside the tradition such as Natalie Merchant and Mary-Chapin Carpenter. They have performed more than 2,000 shows across 36 countries including high-profile concert venues such as Carnegie Hall, The Hollywood Bowl, National Concert Hall (Dublin) and Paris Bercy, and many of the leading festivals such as Glastonbury, Womadelaide & Edmonton.
From the start, the band’s complex arrangements and unique sound reshaped the boundaries of traditional music and energized audiences the world over. Critical acclaim followed, The Irish Echo describing the band as the “the hottest Irish acoustic band on the planet”; MOJO magazine named the band “the new gods of Irish music,” adding that “nobody since the Bothies has wielded such a thrilling rhythmic underlay.” Billboard raved that “anybody who listens can’t help but find them contagious.”
Lúnasa’s current lineup features: Trevor Hutchinson, who achieved fame as the bassist with the The Waterboys: piper Cillian Vallely was a member of Riverdance and recorded with Bruce Springsteen: Flute player Kevin Crawford, considered one of Ireland’s greatest flute players, was a member of Moving Cloud: award-winning ﬁddler Sean Smyth, who performed with Donal Lunny’s legendary Coolﬁn and accordionist Alan Kelly; Colin Farrell is a multiple award winning fiddler, who has toured with Project West, Grada and Michael McGoldrick: Guitarist Ed Boyd made a name for himself in the UK folkscene with bands such as Flook, Kate Rusby and Cara Dillon.

Santa at the Winery
2025-12-21 13:00 - 15:00 | Marble Ridge Winery, Marbleridge Road 11, North Andover, M, 01845, United States
Santa’s returning to the Winery for a special family day! Reserve your table with your family for time with Santa, cookie decorating, a hot chocolate bar, and of course, wine! Tickets will sell out – book at marbleridgewinery.com

Newburyport Art presents Hometown Stories Exhibition
2025-12-21 11:00 - 17:00 | Newburyport Art Association, 65 Water St, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
Newburyport Art (NAA) concludes its year of exhibitions with Members’ Hometown Stories and Great Marsh Meditations, a featured artist show by C. Max Schenk. Both exhibits run concurrently from December 5th to December 21st.
Hometown Stories asked artists to submit work inspired by their hometown, whether a place where they grew up or currently reside. Hometown Stories features work inspired by houses, landscapes, businesses, objects, abstractions, bodies of water, people, and more! The exhibition is on view in the first-floor Sargent Gallery.
Nationally recognized for his work in environmental conservation, education and advocacy,
C. Max Schenk’s worldview and photography are imbued with an appreciation of nature’s cyclical resonance in all things. His Great Marsh Meditations show is the expansion of two portfolios created in 2024, each image is exactly that – a meditation – and features scenes familiar to all who have wandered and marveled at the beauty of our coastal home – its broad gestures of landscape and the ephemeral tableaus created by wind, tide, and time. Great Marsh Meditations is possible through the generous support of the Dr. Kathleen Van Demark Fund for Great Marsh Artists. His show can be viewed in the first floor Hills Gallery.
Opening reception for both shows will be Saturday, December 6th from 4-6pm. The public is welcome to attend, meet some of the exhibiting artists, and enjoy light refreshments.
Additionally, NAA will be hosting free invitation night events! Join us on December 5th for Voices of Newburyport, December 12th for an indoor arts market and December 19th for canvas and ornament decorating! Thank you to the Institution for Savings for sponsoring the Voices of Newburyport.
Founded in 1948, Newburyport Art is dedicated to promoting and exhibiting members’ work and to providing art education and access to the visual arts for the entire community. The galleries are free and open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 11:00am–5:00pm, Sunday from 1:00pm–5:00pm and is handicap accessible. All works are for sale. More information, as well as an online gallery is available at newburyportart.org.
