Walking tours, guided hikes, scavenger hunts, art exhibits and more are among some 150 totally free events planned for the Essex National Heritage Area’s upcoming Trails & Sails event, scheduled to run from September 15 to 24. The scheduled activities range throughout the 34 Essex County towns and cities that make up the heritage area.
“Trails & Sails was created 22 years ago to encourage residents to experience some of the wonderful trails, museums, historic sites, and water-based activities that abound in this region,” says Essex Heritage CEO Annie Harris.
This year’s activities reflect four central themes: looking to the future, coastal conservation, celebrating Latino heritage, and sharing untold stories.
Interested in art? Sign up for a walking tour of Gloucester’s Rocky Neck Art Colony, visit the outdoor sculpture exhibition at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport, or try your hand at watercolors in the garden of the Ropes Mansion in Salem. Learn more about the area’s industrial history with a boot-making demonstrations at the Lynn Museum, a visit to the historic Saugus Iron Works, or a walking tour of the port of Ipswich. Engage the kids with a scavenger hunt in Marblehead, a fairy house festival in Groveland, or an archaeological dig in Danvers.
The complete list of events is available at trailsandsails.org/events.