North of Boston

Deck The Halls Holiday Celebration at Hammond Castle Museum
2024-12-18 10:00 - 16:00, 2024-12-17 10:00 - 16:00, 2024-12-16 10:00 - 16:00, 2024-12-15 10:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Hammond Castle Museum, 80 Hesperus Avenue, Gloucester, MA, 01930, United States
Join us for the 2024 Holiday Season as we proudly present our sixth annual “Deck The Halls” holiday celebration! Delight in the enchanting ambiance of Christmas and White Birch trees, meticulously arranged garlands, festive wreaths, and the warm embrace of candlelight that will envelop you throughout your tour of the Hammond Castle Museum. Immerse yourself in a bygone era of opulent tranquility and holiday grandeur that promises to be unlike any other experience on the North Shore.

Story-Time & Craft Wednesday
2024-12-18 10:00 - 12:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, 1 Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
NEW PROGRAM ALERT!! Summer is the PERFECT time for outdoor story time and craft making! This BRAND NEW family event is an extension of our Newburyport Arts and Culture Shanties Program and will take place each Wednesday in the Pop Up Park on Merrimac Street – where the Shanties are currently located. Come join the fun this Wednesday and see what it’s all about!
Running each Wednesday until August 21st from 10 AM-12 PM
Free of charge, but donations are welcome

Newburyport Art presents Featured Artist: Christine Molitor Johnson
2024-12-17 11:00 - 17:00, 2024-12-15 11:00 - 17:00, 2024-12-14 11:00 - 17:00 | Newburyport Art Association, 65 Water St, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
Newburyport Art (NAA) presents a featured artist exhibition by Christine Molitor Johnson, on view in the Hills Gallery. Christine has been painting for over 30 years and works in oils and pastels. Christine earned a BA from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA., an M.Ed Lesley University, Cambridge, MA, and has studied art under the guidance of various artists.
Christine’s art is inspired by “the beauty of the moment.” She writes that, “painting in the ‘plein aire’ is the idyllic creative environment for me. I enjoy capturing the nuances of nature and the luminosity of the landscapes, water and skies that surround me. Continually I am striving for an expressive and textured nature in my brushwork. Painting has become one of the most fulfilling and meaningful experiences in my life.”
Christine’s paintings can be found in private collections nationally in Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Texas, Washington D.C., Chicago, Philadelphia, Florida, and throughout Massachusetts. She is also in private collections internationally in Bermuda, Ireland and England. When not at the easel, Christine enjoys time with her husband on the water and traveling to Europe and Maine. Christine is a retired Master Teacher from Kelley School in Newburyport. She also has been a board member of Community Service of Newburyport for 14 years, volunteers for OPArt in Newburyport, and is a member of the Newburyport Garden Club.
Running concurrently in the galleries is the Members’ Holiday Show, and Holiday Gift Shop. Join Christine for an opening reception on Friday, December 6th, form 5:00 – 7:00 PM.
The galleries are free and open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 11:00am–5:00pm and Sunday from 1:00pm–5:00pm. Newburyport Art is closed on Mondays. The ground-floor Hills Gallery has an accessible entrance. More information, as well as an online gallery is available at newburyportart.org.
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.

Newburyport Art presents the Members' Holiday Show
2024-12-17 11:00 - 17:00, 2024-12-15 11:00 - 17:00, 2024-12-14 11:00 - 17:00 | Newburyport Art Association, 65 Water St, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
Newburyport Art (NAA) is thrilled to introduce the 2024 Members’ Holiday Show, featuring just over 100 works by Newburyport Art members. The exhibition is on view in the Sargent and Harston Galleries, running concurrently with the Holiday Gift Shop and Then & Now, a featured artist exhibition by Lance Hidy.
The Members Holiday Show is a highly-anticipated and much-loved exhibition by the Newbuyrport Art Members. Each artist could submit a maximum of one work to this exhibit, allowing the NAA to feature a large variety of member artwork! Artwork includes printmaking, sculpture, glass, mixed media, collage, oils, acrylic, photography and more.
In this exhibit you will find breathtaking landscapes, colorful abstracts, and a mix of winter, summer and fall scenes. With the work of over 100 contributing artists, visitors will find an impressive variety of media, styles, and techniques. Join artists and the community for an opening reception on Saturday, November 23rd from 4:00-6:00 PM.
The galleries are free and open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 11:00am–5:00pm and Sunday from 1:00pm–5:00pm. Newburyport Art is closed on Mondays. The ground-floor Hills Gallery has an accessible entrance. More information, as well as an online gallery is available at newburyportart.org.

Love For The Holidays with Darlene Love
2024-12-15 19:00 | The Cabot, 286 Cabot Street, Beverly, CA, 01915, United States
One of The Cabot’s beloved holiday traditions returns
Since the early sixties, Darlene has appeared on numerous television programs and on Broadway, running the gamut from her weekly appearances on Shindig to a recent guest spot on the PBS special entitled Women Who Rock. An autobiographical film is currently on the drawing board with a development deal from Oprah Winfrey based on the book My Name is Love, written by Darlene.Her Billboard hits include: He’s A Rebel, The Boy I’m Gonna Marry, Wait ‘Til My Bobby Gets Home, He’s Sure the Boy I Love and the #1 holiday classic Christmas Baby Please Come Home, a song that she performed annually with Paul Shaffer and the CBS Symphony Orchestra on The Late Show With David Letterman for some 29 years before David retired.
To continue this long standing tradition, Darlene performs a number of special Christmas shows every year and continues to enchant her fans with Christmas spirit.

Third Baptist Church 11th Annual Christmas Concert
2024-12-15 17:30 - 19:00 | Methuen Memorial Music Hall, Broadway 192, Methuen, M, 01844, United States
Third Baptist Church 11th Annual Christmas Concert – Sunday, December 15, 2024 – 5:30 – 7 PM EST at the historical Methuen Memorial Music Hall, 192 Broadway, Methuen MA 01844. Tickets are available at Eventbrite.com. Featuring musical performances by…TBC Community Chorale with Myran Parker-Brass – The New England Tenors – Bagpipist Brian Quirk – The Higher Praise Gospel Choir – Oboist Reginald Hunt & Pianist Aaron Jensen – Pianist & Composer Dan Alan Levine – The Gospel Duet – The Choral Majority – Organist Shawn McCann!

A Christmas Carol at North Shore Music Theatre
2024-12-15 14:00 - 16:00, 2024-12-14 19:30 - 21:30, 2024-12-14 14:00 - 16:00 | North Shore Music Theatre, Dunham Road 54, Beverly, MA, 01915, United States
New England’s brightest holiday tradition is celebrating its 35th Anniversary! An original adaptation based on Charles Dickens’ classic novella, A CHRISTMAS CAROL is a musical ghost story following the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge (Played by David Coffee, joined once again by Cheryl McMahon as Mrs Dilber/Mrs. Fezziwig for their 30th production) 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 like “God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman,” “The Boar’s Head Carol,” and “We Wish You A Merry Christmas,” this award-winning production was created specifically for North Shore Music Theatre and has been seen by more than one million people since its debut in 1989.

Event: No Ship Sets Out To Be A Shipwreck
2024-12-15 14:00 - 16:00 | Peabody Essex Museum, East India Square, 161 Essex Street, Salem, MA, 01970, United States
Know before you go
In-person event
Location: Morse Auditorium
Included with admission
Content warnings: Suicide; illness and death of a parent.
Join us for an exciting PEM Reads event with author Joan Wickersham, in conversation about her new book of poetry No Ship Sets Out To Be A Shipwreck.
This event will include a 90-minute discussion with the author, followed by a book signing. Copies are available at the PEM Shop.
About the Book
“No Ship Sets Out To Be A Shipwreck is a poetic and philosophical meditation ignited by a beautiful, frightening, mysterious object: the 17th-century Swedish warship Vasa, which sank only minutes into its maiden voyage and lay forgotten underwater until it was found and raised more than three hundred years later.
Beginning with Joan Wickersham’s first sight of the ship in its Stockholm museum, her pieces – intimate, irreverent, urgent – weave together the Vasa’s story and the associations it evokes. She addresses the shipbuilders, the divers and restorers, the men and women who drowned in the wreck, and the objects they left behind: shoes and cooking pots, game boards and bones. She interrogates…the ship itself — an emblem of death and rebirth, a monumental failure whose flaws made it an enduring success, a vessel both destroyed and preserved by catastrophe.”
PEM Reads celebrates the art of literature and the creative act of writing through a year-round series of collaborative book club readings and author events, both in person and online. By gathering to read and discuss world-class literature and meet authors, PEM Reads seeks to deepen our sense of community and celebrate great storytelling. We hope you’ll join us!

Back Bay Ringers
2024-12-15 14:00 - 15:30 | Shalin Liu Performance Center, 37 Main Street, Rockport, MA, 01966, United States
Get in the holiday spirit with the Boston-based Back Bay Ringers! Under the direction of Griff Gall, BBR has quickly developed a reputation for excellence, regularly performing at Boston-area landmarks such as Faneuil Hall, Symphony Hall, the Boston Children’s Museum and the Prudential Center.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Back Bay Ringers (BBR) is an advanced, auditioned, handbell ensemble. Under the direction of Griff Gall, BBR has quickly developed a reputation for excellence, regularly performing at Boston-area landmarks such as Faneuil Hall, Symphony Hall, the Boston Children’s Museum and the Prudential Center. Back Bay Ringers has also performed in festivities associated with the Democratic National Convention as well as the Boston Marathon. In 2016, BBR was honored to perform at the Handbell Musicians of America National Seminar in Rochester, NY, and also made its debut with the Boston Pops.
BBR was founded in 2004 as the nation’s first handbell ensemble dedicated to members and friends of the LGBT community, and it remains open and affirming for the membership, board, and community. BBR performs both as a large ensemble and in smaller quartets throughout the year in both public settings and for private bookings, and annually sponsors the Boston Handbell Festival. They have released three recordings: Merry and Bright, Perpetual Motion and Comfort and Joy. For more information, visit http://www.backbayringers.org/.
Griff Gall, artistic director
Griff Gall is the founding artistic director of the Back Bay Ringers. He earned a Bachelor’s of Music degree in music education from Westminster Choir College and completed his Level III Orff Schulwerk training through Boston University while attaining his Masters of Music in Education. He has presented workshops in handbell pedagogy, conducting and Orff Schulwerk at local and national handbell and music education conferences, and is co-author of Ring, Dance Play, First Experiences with Choirchimes and Orff Schulwerk, published by GIA. Mr. Gall is an elementary music and movement specialist in Danvers, MA.
Happens on the following Dates:
Dec 15, 2024, 2:00pm to 3:30pm Timezone: EST
Dec 15, 2024, 5:00pm to 6:30pm Timezone: EST

A Christmas Carol
2024-12-15 14:00 - 15:00, 2024-12-14 19:00 - 20:00 | MA
North Shore Players (www.northshoreplayersma.org) invite you to Christmas Eve, 1939. You will be in the audience as the cast portrays Orson Welles, Lionel Barrymore and the Mercury Players in a live radio version of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” Dress in 1930s attire and join in singing carols. Show times are 7 p.m., Dec. 14 and 2 p.m., Dec. 15, at Maple Street Congregational Church, 90 Maple St., Danvers. Parking on Charles St. Tickets at the door, $10 for adults, $5 for seniors and students.

Winter Market Series with Cape Ann Makers Market
2024-12-15 11:00 - 16:00 | The Cut, 177 Main Street , Gloucester, MA, 01930, United States
Join us at The Cut on Sunday, December 15th for one of our exciting winter markets, organized by Cape Ann Makers Market! Discover a unique selection of handmade products from around 30 talented artisans and find the perfect gifts to celebrate the season. Don’t miss out on this chance to support local creators and enjoy a festive atmosphere!
Market open 11AM-4PM – Learn more about Cape Ann Makers Market at www.capeannmakersmarket.com

Children's Broom Decorating at The Hawthorne Hotel
2024-12-15 09:00 - 12:00 | Hawthorne Hotel, 18 Washington Sq. West, Salem, 01970, United States
Children’s Broom Decorating at The Hawthorne Hotel 10/6
Workshop Time: 9am-12pm Sunday October 6, 2024
Activity Length: 20 minutes
Location: The Hawthorne Hotel 18 Washington Square West, Salem MA 01970
Hosted By: This is a self-guided activity overseen by Good Witch Apprentices
Decorate a magical broom with craft tape, stickers, ribbon, tulle and a charm.
Under age 4 may participate with the help of a supervising adult.
Ticket purchase only admits one (1) participating child.
Please note: Event ticket purchases are non-refundable at this time.

Santa Returns To The Castle at Hammond Castle Museum
2024-12-15 08:00 - 17:00, 2024-12-14 16:00 - 18:30 | Hammond Castle Museum, 80 Hesperus Avenue, Gloucester, MA, 01930, United States
December 14th & 15th
Timed admission: 4:00 pm – 6:30 pm.
Experience the magic as Santa Returns to the Castle, now in its 6th year! Our Great Hall transforms into a winter wonderland where children’s dreams come true. Meet Santa in a magical setting, share wishes, and receive a wrapped present, a North Pole letter, and milk and cookies. Mrs. Claus and Santa’s helpers add to the festive spirit.
Guests will also enjoy the Holiday Illumination and a portion of the Deck The Halls celebration. Starting with the steps leading from the parking lot, attendees will enjoy the Holiday Illumination lights illuminating the castle’s exterior, including the iconic arches, bell tower, front towers, and drawbridge. Inside the Museum, from the Museum Shop to the Great Hall, you’ll catch a glimpse of the annual Deck The Halls holiday celebration where the Museum is dressed for the season.
This event is recommended for children aged 2 to 8 years old. Please note: Strollers and oversized baby carriers are not allowed within the Museum.
Santa’s Toys are generously sponsored by Gorton’s.

Tribute to Elvis: The Legend LIve On – Christmas Special
2024-12-14 20:00 - 22:00 | Larcom Theatre, 13 Wallis Street, Beverly, MA, 01915, United States
Join us for an exhilarating celebration honoring the timeless legacy of Elvis Presley, featuring the incredible Robert Black—an Award-Winning Tribute Artist renowned for his captivating performances across the nation.
Embark on a journey through the Best of Elvis, where iconic hits from “Can’t Help Falling in Love” to “Jailhouse Rock,” “Hound Dog,” “Love Me Tender,” and more chart-topping classics will transport you to an unforgettable era. This Christmas Special features Elvis’s holiday classics, including ‘Winter Wonderland,’ ‘Merry Christmas Baby,’ ‘Santa Claus Is Back in Town,’ ‘I’ll Be Home for Christmas,’ ‘White Christmas,’ ‘Blue Christmas,’ and more.
Robert Black’s remarkable emulation and magnetic stage presence, coupled with his exceptional vocal prowess, breathe life back into the essence of Elvis. Brace yourself for an evening brimming with nostalgia-inducing melodies and the undeniable spirit of the King! Don’t miss out on this remarkable tribute to the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.
Thelarcom.org/elvistribute
Parking Address:- On street parking or nearby parking lots Beverly, MA 01915

SEASIDE YULETIDE
2024-12-14 20:00 - 21:30 | Shalin Liu Performance Center, 37 Main Street, Rockport, MA, 01966, United States
Three of the North Shore’s most beloved songwriters and performers converge for A Seaside Yuletide, a night of rootsy holiday spirit and song featuring Jon Butcher, Allen Estes and Sal Baglio.
JON BUTCHER
Cape Ann’s Jon Butcher is one of a select handful of influential recording artists comprising the legendary Boston music scene. Numerous MTV videos and hit songs comprise the underpinnings of a recording and touring career that continues today. A handful of critically acclaimed recordings, Positively The Blues, Barefoot Servants, Electric Factory, 2 Roads East and 360º mark Jon’s enduring love affair with the very fabric of American music. Butcher’s signature sound and particularly his guitar work represent a skillful mix of Americana — rock, r&b, jazz and folk, all of it focused through a prism built from the blues.
ALLEN ESTES
Songwriter Allen Estes grew up in a musical family, the oldest son of professional musicians Estelle and Phil Estes in Gloucester, MA and began playing at age six. Phil packed the family up in the car and literally took to the open road for musical adventures eventually leading to the forming of the Estes Boys, Allen’s seminal band. The Estes Boys performed in and around New England and by the mid 80s Allen moved to Nashville, TN, writing and working with Tammy Wynette, Robert Ellis Oral, Lori Morgan, and Shania Twain. After 10 years, Gloucester called him back, and in the 90s Allen recorded with writer Frank Tedesco. This turned into Allen’s last recording, the Souls of the Sea album. Souls of the Sea is a collection of songs about the historic seaport and fishing town of Gloucester, MA and the people who live there.
SAL BAGLIO
As a singer, guitarist and composer, Sal Baglio has touched all the bases that have rounded out a successful musical career. But with his recent work as a solo artist, Baglio embarks upon a new path that looks backward in the most delightful way. Baglio’s music and solo performances dial up a past that is easily imagined in a less-distracted age where music bursts boldly out of a car’s AM radio on a summer drive or floats in the imagination of a young solitary artist learning to strum his first guitar. Free of the demands of the music industry, Baglio is liberated to recall the past without sentimentality but with a flourish of great stories that underpin his new songs — songs that aim for the gentle heart. Baglio will never be separated from the impulsive spirit of “American Fun,” the hit he wrote with his legendary Boston band, The Stompers, that remains absolutely joyous in its sing-along refrain. Yet, as he ages — and we with him — Baglio reveals where all that great music began and why.

Prince/Bowie - The Music of Prince and David Bowie
2024-12-14 20:00 | The Cabot, 286 Cabot Street, Beverly, CA, 01915, United States
Prince/Bowie is a tribute fusion band that combines the music of Prince and David Bowie into a high energy live show.
It features a rotating Allstar cast of characters from various national acts including Pink Talking Fish, lespecial, Cool Cool Cool, Remain In Light and more.
The mix of the Prince and David Bowie songbooks blend beautifully and an extra spice is added with master composer, Matt Wayne, creating unique horn arrangements that enhance the music in a special way.
Here is what a setlist of Prince/Bowie can look like: Let’s Dance > 1999, Fame > I Wanna Be You Lover, Under Pressure, Kiss, Space Oddity > D.M.S.R., Moonage Daydream > Purple Rain

HOLIDAYS & WINTERTIDE A night of Christmas and Winter music with Chris + Joe, Renee + Joe, and Dennis Monagle
2024-12-14 19:30 - 23:30 | The Cut, 177 Main Street , Gloucester, MA, 01930, United States
12/14/24
Reserved Seating and G.A. Standing 7:30pm doors / 8:00pm show
21+, Positive I.D. Required $25-35
Join Chris Langathianos, Joe Wilkins, Renee Dupuis, Joe Cardoza, & Dennis Monagle for a holiday season tradition at The Cut! Enjoy the sounds of the season, the sounds of winter, and other fun – and funny – surprises in this annual holiday tradition.
Winners of the 2020 New England Songwriting Competition for their song, “Your Town (is Gonna Change),” Chris + Joe (Chris Langathianos and Joe Wilkins) are a Cape Ann-based duo with deep roots in the Greater Boston music scene, are known for their tight harmonies, thoughtful songs, and engaging banter. Joe, a multi-instrumentalist, expert songwriter, and producer, teamed up with vocalist and live show producer, Langathianos, in 2013 and they have continued to capture audiences with their easy and melodic, yet diverse, style, witty banter and approachable sets.
From easy melodic folk to contemporary pop and rock, Chris + Joe bring a new twist to old favorites, mixed with deeply personal, award-winning originals, and a side of self-deprecating audience give-and-take.
Renee & Joe is a folk/rock duo whose music features both high energy vocal and instrumental arrangements as well as minimalist themes and gentle harmonies. They’ve released three full length albums since 2014 and can be seen playing around Cape Ann and greater New England as a duo and as a part of other musical ensembles. Renee (piano/vocals) & Joe (bass/guitar/vocals) also play in the neo-soul, cabaret band What Time Is It Mr. Fox?. They live on Cape Ann with their two children.

Rocky Neck Holiday Art Trek
2024-12-14 12:00 - 17:00 | Rocky Neck
From vibrant paintings and sculptures to intricate ceramics and handcrafted jewelry, the Rocky Neck Holiday Trek offers a diverse array of one-of-a-kind treasures perfect for last-minute Christmas gifts. Whether you’re seeking a thoughtful present or treating yourself, the Holiday Trek invites you to discover the joy of locally crafted gifts amidst the creative energy of the Rocky Neck Art Colony.

Stories and Songs with Mrs. Claus
2024-12-14 10:30 - 11:30 | Wenham Museum, 132 Main St., Route 1A, Wenham, MA, 01984, United States
Make your spirits bright with a special visit from our favorite resident of the North Pole, Mrs. Claus! Together, we will sing songs, share holiday stories, and play games inspired by Christmas and this season of giving. We’re hoping for the inside scoop on what Santa and the elves have been up to, too. Dress-up or party attire encouraged but not required!
TICKETS
$5 – Member Adults, Seniors, & Children ages 2+
$12 – Nonmember Adults, Seniors, & Children ages 2+
$0 – Babies under age 2
Mrs. Claus is presented by Parties by Carole. Tickets to this special program also include admission to the Wenham Museum’s galleries and exhibitions.
