North of Boston

Country Fair at Cider Hill Farm
2026-12-23 09:00 - 17:00, 2026-12-22 09:00 - 17:00, 2026-12-21 09:00 - 17:00, 2026-12-20 09:00 - 17:00, 2026-12-19 09:00 - 17:00, 2026-12-18 09:00 - 17:00, 2026-12-17 09:00 - 17:00, 2026-12-16 09:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) and 9 more dates | Cider Hill Farm, 45 Fern Avenue, Amesbury, M, 01913, United States
Join us Labor Day weekend for a quintessential New England celebration welcoming the season’s bountiful harvest! Enjoy summer apple picking, free tastings, hard cider, classic fair foods, fall flower cutting, old time-y games, free live music, tractor rides & more! See event schedule as we add more happenings to the line-up! Free admission (does not include pick-your-own tickets, food or drinks).

Sweet Halloween at Cider Hill Farm
2026-12-20 10:00 - 14:00, 2026-12-19 10:00 - 14:00, 2026-12-13 10:00 - 14:00, 2026-12-12 10:00 - 14:00 | Cider Hill Farm, 45 Fern Avenue, Amesbury, M, 01913, United States
Join us for a not-so-spooky, trick-or-treating experience brimming with sweet treats and boo-tiful fall foliage! Break out those adorable costumes and get ready for a fun, festive day at the farm.

Liz Longley
2026-12-19 19:30 - 21:30 | Shalin Liu Performance Center, 37 Main Street, Rockport, MA, 01966, United States
Nashville-based singer-songwriter Liz Longley is taking her music on the road this holiday season for a very special first-ever Christmas tour. Known for her stop-you-in-your-tracks voice and deeply personal songwriting, Liz is embarking on this journey in support of her forthcoming EP, The Holiday Fuss – a collection of original songs that capture the warmth, chaos, and magic of the season.
“…from Americana and Gospel-flavored soul to shimmering Pop anthems and touches of Jazz.” – BILLBOARD
After releasing her debut Christmas EP A Little Magic in 2020, Liz adds a second holiday collection to her catalog, deepening her love for the season and the stories it inspires. For fans who have followed Liz through albums like Funeral For My Past and New Life, this is a rare and intimate opportunity to experience her in a completely different light – festive, joyful, and full of the same emotional depth that has made her one of Americana/folk’s most beloved voices.

Samson et Dalila
2026-12-19 11:00 - 13:00 | Shalin Liu Performance Center, 37 Main Street, Rockport, MA, 01966, United States
Music by Camille Saint-Saëns | Libretto by Ferdinand Lemaire
Saint-Saëns’s spectacular take on the biblical hero of legendary strength and the seductive Philistine whose beauty overpowers him returns in the Met’s larger-than-life production. Featuring a massive orchestra and chorus and some of opera’s most spellbinding tunes, this masterpiece is a feast for the eyes and ears. Giacomo Sagripanti conducts an electrifying cast led by the formidable star pairing of mezzosoprano Aigul Akhmetshina and tenor Clay Hilley, transmitted live to cinemas worldwide.
Conductor: Giacomo Sagripanti Production: Darko Tresnjak
Dalila: Aigul Akhmetshina Set Designer: Alexander Dodge
Samson: Clay Hilley Costume Designer: Linda Cho
High Priest of Dagon: Quinn Kelsey Lighting Designer: Donald Holder
Abimélech: Alfred Walker Choreographer Austin McCormick
Old Hebrew: Morris Robinson C. Graham Berwind, III Chorus Director: Tilman Michael

BrassFed Nation's Holiday Bash
2026-12-18 20:00 - 22:00 | The Cut, 177 Main Street , Gloucester, MA, 01930, United States
Doors 7:00pm
Show 8:00pm
ALL AGES
Premium Seating with cocktail service: $39.50 + $6.95 service fee
Standard Seating with cocktail service: $29.50 – $34.50 + $6.95 service fee
Rear Floor Seating: $24.50 + $6.95 service fee
GA Standing: $19.50 + $6.95 service fee ($10 Student Tickets)
+ $5 Day of Show
Carlos Menezes Jr’s BrassFed Nation is a horn-driven groove machine with a unique sound incorporating the styles and traditions of early Jazz, New Orleans Funk & Soul, Rhythm & Blues, Calypso, and Jamaican Ska!
Founded in 2013, The BrassFed Nation is dedicated to the advancement of horn-driven music through exposure and outreach in both education and local musical culture! The collective features 3 unique ensembles; Cape Ann Big Band, The Jambalaya Horns, and The 13-Piece DubTone Orchestra – all striving to inspire and connect musicians of all ages through performances, private studio lessons, workshops, and interactive clinics.
ABOUT THIS PERFORMANCE:
Paying homage to the infectious beats and sounds of New Orleans and the Caribbean, the BrassFed Orchestra will cue the “Big Four” and transport audience members to the streets of the Crescent City for a Holiday Celebration that is full of surprises! This year’s program will showcase members of The Jambalaya Horns and feature a number of guest instrumentalists from the New England music scene! Featured Vocalists are Jacyn Tremblay, Rhiannon Hurst, and Alessandro Schoc.
WEBSITE: www.brassfednation.com
ABOUT JACYN TREMBLAY:
Jacyn Tremblay is a Boston based singer, songwriter, and recording artist known for her dynamic vocals and versatile artistry! Recent performances include singing with the Boston Pops, The Plymouth Phil, and several other regional orchestras, co-producing the female vocal tribute show MUSE: A Salute to Divas of the 90’s (@musedivas), and has original music with the pop trio Three Second Chances (@threesecondchances).
When she’s not working with the music non-profit Music Drives Us, she’s singing every weekend with several of New England’s leading event bands on the Wilson Stevens Agency. You can hear her voice on TV and radio for NBC Boston, WBZ Radio, Boston 25, WGBH and more! Jacyn is excited to sing with Carlos and the amazing musicians of BFN! For more upcoming performances and fun follow her @Jacynthegirl or visit jacyntremblaymusic.com
ABOUT RHIANNON HURST:
Award-winning jazz vocalist Rhiannon Kaela Hurst has earned recognition on both national and international stages. With an unwavering passion for music, she performs regularly with big bands and combos across New England. Rhiannon was named a 2021 Award Winner in the Jazz Voice category of the prestigious National YoungArts Competition. She was a featured artist at the 2023 International Guinness Jazz Festival in Ireland, performing as a solo artist and as an opener.
Rhiannon graduated from the College of the Holy Cross as the 2025 Brooks Music Scholar and Fenwick Scholar, completing her undergraduate studies in conjunction with jazz voice training at the New England Conservatory of Music with Professor Dominique Eade. She recently graduated from NEC, with a Master’s in Jazz Vocal Performance as the inaugural student in the 4+1 program between Holy Cross and New England Conservatory.
ABOUT ALESSANDRO SCHOC:
Alessandro is a vocalist and live performer dedicated to the stage. With a musical identity shaped by artists such as Lewis Capaldi, Bruno Mars and Teddy Swims, Alessandro is able to captivate any audience he comes across. He approaches every performance as a unique experience singing with passion and joy in every word. Whether it be an emotional ballad or a high energy groove, his dynamic vocal range and passionate stage presence is sure to leave a lasting impression.

Good Winter with Seamus Egan
2026-12-18 19:30 - 21:30 | Shalin Liu Performance Center, 37 Main Street, Rockport, MA, 01966, United States
Celebrate the warmth, wonder, and storytelling spirit of the season with Good Winter: A Celtic Christmas. Acclaimed musician and composer Seamus Egan invites audiences on a richly woven holiday journey of music, song, poetry, and story, drawing on Celtic traditions that honor community, memory, and the turning of the year. Blending beloved seasonal songs, original works, traditional tunes, and spoken word, this intimate and uplifting program captures the joy, humor, and reflection that define the holiday season.
From his beginnings as a teen prodigy, to his groundbreaking solo work with Shanachie Records, to founding the influential Irish-American band Solas, Seamus Egan has inspired generations of musicians and helped shape the sound of contemporary Irish music.
His work as a film composer and musical director has deepened his understanding of music’s power to tell stories, and nowhere is that gift more evident than in Good Winter. Featuring fiddle, flute, whistle, guitar, banjo, piano, accordion, and vocals, Egan and his ensemble create an atmosphere that is both celebratory and deeply personal. Filled with soaring melodies, heartfelt stories, and festive spirit, Good Winter: A Celtic Christmas is a joyous invitation to gather together, reflect on the year gone by, and welcome the season with warmth and song.

Squirrel Nut Zippers
2026-12-15 19:30 - 21:30 | Shalin Liu Performance Center, 37 Main Street, Rockport, MA, 01966, United States
From Hot to the holidays: Squirrel Nut Zippers keep the 30th anniversary celebration going with their festive Christmas Caravan tour.
The Squirrel Nut Zippers return with their beloved Christmas Caravan Tour, bringing a festive blend of vintage jazz, New Orleans swing, folk traditions, and holiday spirit to audiences nationwide. Following a successful year celebrating the 30th anniversary of their platinum-certified breakthrough album Hot with a special anniversary tour, the band continues the celebration by bringing their singular musical magic to the holiday season.
Part holiday spectacular, part musical time machine, the Christmas Caravan combines seasonal classics, fan-favorite selections from the band’s acclaimed Christmas Caravan album, and highlights from the Squirrel Nut Zippers’ celebrated catalog. From heartwarming ballads and spirited sing-alongs to rollicking dance numbers, the show creates an atmosphere that feels equally at home beneath twinkling Christmas lights and inside a lively Prohibition-era speakeasy.

Take 6
2026-12-13 17:00 - 19:00 | Shalin Liu Performance Center, 37 Main Street, Rockport, MA, 01966, United States
Celebrate the season with the extraordinary harmonies of Take 6, one of the most acclaimed vocal groups in music. With 10 GRAMMY Awards, 10 Dove Awards, two NAACP Image Awards, a Soul Train Award, and induction into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, the legendary sextet brings its unmistakable sound to a joyful holiday concert.
With 10 Grammy Awards, 10 Dove Awards, 2 NAACP Image Awards, a Soul Train Award, and more, Take 6 (Claude McKnight, Mark Kibble, Joel Kibble, Dave Thomas, Alvin Chea and Khristian Dentley) continues to bring extraordinary vocals to their worldwide audiences. April 2018 marks the release of their sixteenth album, aptly titled ICONIC (SRG/Universal) and the debut of a PBS special, The Summit, alongside The Manhattan Transfer.
The new recording, ICONIC, is composed of the songs the sextet loves to perform both on stage and for the pure joy of lending their voices to songs that have taken on a greater meaning to them and to their audiences over their career of nearly four decades. These eclectic tunes pay tribute to both the music and the artists that made them famous, from a fun and vocally significant cover of Justin Timberlake’s Can’t Stop the Feeling, a unique and harmonic interpretation of Christopher Cross’ Sailing, Khristian’s melodic and memorable vocal on Norah Jones’ Don’t Know Why to a jazz cover that the Beatles would surely be pleased with of Got To Get You Into My Life. They pay homage to their friend Al Jarreau, with their rendition of Roof Garden, and are true to their gospel roots with the hymn Nothing But the Blood. Change The World (Eric Clapton), the first single, was the most-added tune in Smooth Jazz upon its release. Take 6’s last release, in 2016, Believe (SRG/Universal) landed on six Billboard charts simultaneously.
Their wide array of fans can enjoy their performances on The Summit as part of the Soundstage concert series. The special debuts nationally on the public television network in April 2018. The impressive collaboration with The Manhattan Transfer was recorded at their show in Chicago during their 46-city 2017 tour “THE SUMMIT: The Manhattan Transfer Meets Take 6.” Gleefully for audiences, the repertoire includes songs neither band has ever recorded.
Take 6 has admirably and adeptly crossed most musical genres, from straight-ahead Jazz to Pop to adult R&B, doo wop to blues. Like a fine-tuned vocal orchestra (Alvin, bass; Khristian, baritone; Claude, Dave, Mark and Joel, tenors), the group continues to push the boundaries of creativity and musical genius with every new release, and with their ever-evolving live performances.
Any singer who aspires for vocal excellence cannot overlook the contributions these men have made to music. Take 6 has performed with and won praise from such luminaries as Stevie Wonder, Brian Wilson, Ben E. King, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Al Jarreau, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, and Whitney Houston, to name a very few.
Some of the honors Take 6 has enjoyed over the past few years include being chosen as the first musical group to perform in Cuba at the normalization of relations between our two countries, and their induction into The Gospel Music Hall of Fame.
Take 6 has come a long way from their days at Huntsville, Alabama’s Oakwood College where Claude McKnight formed the group as The Gentleman’s Estates Quartet in 1980. When tenor Mark Kibble heard the group rehearsing in the dorm, he joined in the harmonies and performed on stage that night. When Mervyn Warren joined shortly afterward, they took the name Alliance. Yet, when they signed to Reprise Records/Warner Bros. in 1987, they found that there was another group with the same name, so they became Take 6. Says McKnight: “Take 6 was all about a democratic process of sitting in a room together and throwing a couple of hundred names at each other and Take 6 was the one that got the most yay votes [laughing.] It pretty much was a play on the Take 5 jazz standard and the fact that there are six of us in the group, so it became Take 6.” Their self-titled debut CD won over jazz and pop critics, scored two 1988 Grammy Awards, landed in the Top Ten Billboard Contemporary Jazz and Contemporary Christian Charts — and they’ve never slowed down.
What makes the music and the group last this long? The answers are direct and simple: faith, friendship, respect, and love of music. The multi-platinum selling sextet says of their longevity, “We are family in the sense that we care deeply about each other, which helps keep us together. We have times when it gets tough, but we pull together because of the love and respect we have for one another. The group’s willingness to let members do other projects also adds to the brand and the cohesiveness of the group,” says Joey Kibble. Kibble is a motivational speaker and Alvin Chea does voiceover work session-singing on dozens of TV shows, feature films and commercials with his uniquely recognizable bass vocals. Two of the members have solo projects in the works, others produce outside acts, Mark Kibble arranges for A list artists and McKnight is working on a documentary. “It adds even more credibility and depth to the group as a whole, enriched by each of our outside skills and experiences,” Kibble adds.

Tony DeSare: Holiday Pops
2026-12-11 19:30 - 21:30 | Shalin Liu Performance Center, 37 Main Street, Rockport, MA, 01966, United States
Tony DeSare delivers a fresh take on the Great American Songbook, blending jazz, swing, and pop with charm and virtuosity. From Sinatra to Billy Joel, plus his own award-winning songs, DeSare’s program celebrates timeless melodies and heartfelt storytelling. A dynamic evening of all your holiday favorites with one of today’s most engaging performers.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Tony DeSare performs with infectious joy, wry playfulness and robust musicality. Named “Rising Star Male Vocalist” in Downbeat magazine, DeSare has lived up to this distinction by winning critical and popular acclaim for his concert performances throughout North America and abroad. From jazz clubs to Carnegie Hall to Las Vegas and headlining major symphony orchestras, DeSare has brought his fresh take on old school class around the globe. DeSare has four top ten Billboard jazz albums under his belt and has been featured on the CBS Early Show, NPR, A Prairie Home Companion, and the Today Show, and his music has been posted by social media celebrity juggernaut George Takei. DeSare has also collaborated with YouTube supergroup Postmodern Jukebox. He has been a featured guest artist with over 100 symphony orchestras with some highlights including the Cleveland Orchestra, The New York Pops, The San Francisco Symphony, The Houston Symphony, and the Chicago Symphony.
Notwithstanding his critically acclaimed turns as a singer/pianist, DeSare is also an award-winning composer. He not only won first place in the USA Songwriting Contest, but has written the theme song for the motion picture My Date With Drew and several broadcast commercials, and has scored five films. His sound is romantic, swinging, and sensual, but what sets DeSare apart is his ability to write original material that sounds fresh and contemporary, yet pays homage to the Great American Songbook.
Tony has a strong presence on social media and continues to release his “song diaries,” recordings from his home studio that started in 2020 and now number in the 100s. Tony has numerous recordings available on all platforms and playlists.
Tony DeSare is a Yamaha Artist.

Handel's Messiah
2026-12-10 19:00 - 21:00 | Shalin Liu Performance Center, 37 Main Street, Rockport, MA, 01966, United States
One of the nation’s preeminent period orchestras, Boston’s own Handel & Haydn Society presents Handel’s iconic, treasured holiday tradition in a special chamber arrangement for chamber orchestra and chorus led by Associate Conductor Ian Watson.
HANDEL & HAYDN SOCIETY
One of the nation’s preeminent period orchestras, the Boston-based Handel and Haydn Society presents a critically acclaimed series each year at Symphony Hall and other leading venues. Founded in 1815, H+H is among the oldest continuously performing classical music ensembles in the United States, and is unique for its longevity, capacity for reinvention, and distinguished history of premieres. Through the Karen S. and George D. Levy Education Program, H+H also provides engaging, accessible, and broadly inclusive music education to thousands of children each year.
As an orchestra considered masters of historically informed performances, audiences have the opportunity to hear the unique textures and dynamics afforded by period instruments and orchestras. Musical lines that might disappear in larger ensembles become clearer and more prominent, and the end result is a truly intimate and gratifying musical experience. H+H began as a choral society founded by middle-class Bostonians who aspired to improve the quality of singing in their growing American city. In the first decades of its existence, H+H gave the American premieres of Handel’s Messiah (1818), Haydn’s Creation (1819), Verdi’s Requiem (1878), and Bach’s St. Matthew Passion (1879). Since its founding, H+H has given more than 2,000 performances before a total audience exceeding 2.8 million.
In addition to its performances, H+H reaches a worldwide audience through ambitious recordings including the critically-acclaimed Haydn The Creation, the best-selling Joy to the World: An American Christmas, and Handel Messiah, recorded live at Symphony Hall under Christophers’ direction.

Vienna Boys Choir
2026-12-07 19:30 - 21:30 | Shalin Liu Performance Center, 37 Main Street, Rockport, MA, 01966, United States
The angelic-voiced musicians of the Vienna Boys Choir celebrate the magic of the holiday season with a delightful program of Austrian folk songs, classical masterpieces, Christmas hymns, and holiday carols. For six centuries, these young cultural ambassadors have been adored the world over for their wide range of repertoire, purity of tone, and generosity of musical spirit. The Vienna Boys Choir is one of the most celebrated and historic choirs in the world. Boys have sung at Vienna’s Imperial Chapel since at least 1296, and in 1498 Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I formally established a Court Chapel in Vienna, specifying that boys be included among its singers. This act laid the foundation for the Vienna Boys Choir, whose early members traveled with the imperial court to perform at coronations, weddings, state ceremonies, and other important occasions throughout the Holy Roman Empire. Over the centuries, the Viennese court attracted many of Europe’s greatest musical figures, including Heinrich Isaac, Johann Joseph Fux, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Anton Bruckner. Joseph Haydn, Michael Haydn, and Franz Schubert all sang as boys with the choir, linking the ensemble directly to some of the most important names in classical music history. Today, the Vienna Boys Choir is a private, nonprofit organization and an entire educational campus devoted to choral training. Its schools serve 330 boys and girls ages six to nineteen, all of whom receive individual voice lessons and sing in one of the campus choirs. In addition to the four internationally touring boys’ choirs, the institution includes the Vienna Girls Choir, Chorus Primus, and Chorus Juventus. Its educational tradition is recognized by UNESCO as cultural heritage and is open to students regardless of origin, gender, nationality, or religion. The 90 active boy choristers are divided among four touring choirs, each performing under the name Vienna Boys Choir. Together, they give nearly 300 concerts each year for audiences around the world. Since 1924, the choirs have completed more than 1,000 tours in 100 countries and performed more than 29,000 concerts. In Vienna, the choirs continue their historic role by singing Sunday Mass in the Imperial Chapel with members of the Vienna Philharmonic and the Vienna State Opera men’s chorus. They also appear regularly in major symphonic concerts, at the Salzburg Festival, and with the Vienna Philharmonic’s New Year’s Concert. In 2023, the Choir celebrated its 525th anniversary, marked by major recording and publishing projects. In 2024, the Vienna Boys Choir and Vienna Girls Choir jointly received the European Culture Award. Erasmus Baumgartner was appointed Artistic Director in 2023.
