North Shore Happenings: November & December
Are you looking for fun, local events on the North Shore? We’ve put together a list of things to do this November and December. If you’re planning to stay at Briar Barn Inn, you’ll be centrally located to all these great activities. Enjoy cozy amenities like our in-room fireplace, soaking tub, and robes. Make this stay extra sweet with our Home for the Holiday special!
Photo: The Trustees
11/12/22 Harvest Market at Appleton Farms
Join us in celebration of the harvest season at a special farmers market, featuring our own Farm Store and a selection of other local edibles & gifts from area artisans, crafters, and producers of fine foods.
11/27/22 Santa Parade & Tree Lighting, Newburyport Massachusetts
As the holiday season approaches, Santa & Mrs. Claus arrive in the most fitting way for this seaport town… by US Coast Guard boat! Welcome Santa on the Sunday after Thanksgiving as he and Mrs. Claus dock at the boardwalk and begin to parade through downtown Newburyport, then gather in Market Square for the annual Christmas carols and tree lighting. 3 pm to 5 pm.
Photo:NSMT
12/1 – 12/23 A Christmas Carol at Northshore Music Theater, Beverly Massachusetts
New England’s brightest holiday tradition celebrates its 31st annual production! 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 like God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman, Here We Come A-Wassailing, 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.
Photo: The Trustees
Starting 12/2 Christmas at Castle Hill, Ipswich Massachusetts
Visiting Castle Hill at Christmas is a time-honored tradition. Don’t miss this year’s fantastical An Enchanted Christmas. Each room in our 1920s mansion is decorated for the holidays drawing inspiration from favorite stories. Stop by the Castle Hill Gift Shop for unique gifts. Registration is required.
Photo: The Boston Globe
Starting 12/3 Holidays on the Hill, Long Hill, Beverly Massachusetts
Come one, come all to Holidays on the Hill! This festive holiday celebration is jam-packed with activities to get the whole family in the holiday spirit. Join us for a special reindeer scavenger hunt in the gardens, enjoy time by the fire pits outside, and explore the interior of the Main House, which will be transformed with decorations!
Please note that these activities will take place outside, so we advise dressing for the weather. (Tickets must be purchased in advance; no tickets will be sold on-site.)
Photo: The Trustees
Starting 12/3 Snowy Owl Prowl, Ipswich Massachusetts
Wide-open coastal sites are the location of choice for wintering Snowy Owls; common perches are dunes and salt hay staddles. In winter’s past, the owls have been frequent visitors to the Crane Wildlife Refuge. Join us as we hike the dunes in search of these magnificent birds. Unlike most owls, snowy owls are diurnal—they hunt and are active both day and night – so we have a good chance of sighting one even in the daylight hours!
Photo: The Trustees
Starting 12/6 Christmas Tea at Castle Hill, Ipswich Massachusetts
Take a respite from the holiday rush and have tea in the Great House at Castle Hill. Enjoy teas, savories, and sweets with friends or family. You’ll be served by costumed staff as if the Crane family were here in 1929. Tour the Great House festively decorated for the holidays first and then sit down for tea. Tables seat 4 people.
Advance reservations are required. Tickets are per person.
Learn More
Photo: The Trustees
12/21 Winter Solstice Stroll at Appleton Farms, Ipswich Massachusetts
Join us for a leisurely, lantern-lit stroll through the property to one of the many beautiful secluded spots on the farm. Once there, our staff will lead you in a solstice ritual of reflection and meditation, looking back on the past year and welcoming the new year, celebrating the end of days getting darker and looking forward to the increasing of the light. We look forward to having you at Appleton for this fun and celebratory event.
Photo: The Trustees
1/1/23 First Day Hike in the Dunes, Ipswich Massachusetts
While just about everybody on the North Shore has probably been to Crane Beach, the dunes of Castle Neck are a much less explored world unto themselves. Offering one of the most accessible dune ecosystems north of Cape Cod, Castle Neck has over six miles of trails, traversing the dunes, maritime scrub forest, and beautiful beaches on both the Ipswich Bay and Essex/Castle Neck River estuary sides of the peninsula.
