Salem Maritime National Park Events

Wednesday July 22 6:30pm - 8:00pm EDT

Salem Armory NPS Visitor Center (2 New Liberty Street, Salem MA)

"1776: Why Independence?" Lecture

Salem Armory NPS Visitor Center (2 New Liberty Street, Salem MA)

Saturday August 1 10:00am - 6:00pm EDT

Salem Maritime National Historical Park (160 Derby Street, Salem MA)

Salem Heritage Days Parade and Festival

Join us on Saturday, August 1 at Salem Maritime National Historical Park on Derby Street for the Salem Heritage Days Parade and Festival celebrating both the 250th anniversary of America and the 400th anniversary of Salem. This event is free and open to the public.The festivities begin with the return of the Heritage Days Parade, traveling from Salem State University’s O’Keefe Center to Salem Maritime National Historical Park. Following the parade, the fun continues with a festival along the waterfront. Cheer on your friends and neighbors at the annual Great Salem Maritime Cardboard Boat Regatta, step aboard the visiting tall ship Pride of Baltimore, try new food from local food trucks, and so much more!Schedule of Events10:00 AM – 11:30 PM: Salem Heritage Days Parade11:00 AM – 6:00 PM: Salem Heritage Days FestivalPride of Baltimore II Open ShipHistorical Demonstrations and CraftspeopleFree Kayak and Paddleboard RentalsFood Trucks and Beer GardenCustom House and Public Stores Open12:30 PM - 1:00 PM: Festival Opening Remarks1:00 PM – 3:00 PM: The Great Salem Maritime Cardboard Boat Regatta (races and award ceremony)2:30 PM – 6:00 PM: Live Music Salem Heritage Days Parade10:00 AM - 11:30 PMAfter more that thirty years, Salem’s beloved Heritage Days Parade returns for the city’s 400th and America’s 250th anniversaries. Organized as a timeline of Salem’s illustrious history, the parade will kick off from the O’Keefe Center at Salem State University, travel down Lafayette Street before turning on to Derby Street and finishing at Salem Maritime National Historical Park. Spectators are encouraged to line the streets to enjoy this parade.Pride of Baltimore II11:00 AM – 6:00 PMStep aboard the Pride of Baltimore II to expertise the reproduction tall ship. Built in 1988, Pride II is a Baltimore Clipper topsail schooner. Free deck tours will be available during the festival.Historical Demonstrations11:00 AM - 6:00 PMJoin a variety of historical demonstrators on Central Wharf to experience cultural aspects of Salem’s history. Learn from canoe makers, lobstermen, dressmakers, and others as you explore unique demonstrations. Explore Colonial life leading up to the American Revolution with skilled artisans.Free Kayak and Paddleboard Rentals11:00 AM - 6:00 PMTake a kayak or paddleboard ride out into Salem Harbor. Safety equipment and training will be provided.Food Trucks and Beer Garden11:00 AM - 6:00 PMLooking for a snack during all the fun? A dozen food trucks will be on site serving everything from Italian and Indian foods to seafood and desserts. A beer garden will also be availble throughout the festival.Historic Custom House and Public Stores11:00 AM – 6:00 PMTake in the views of this prominent building where Nathaniel Hawthorne once worked and the U.S. Custom Service operated. Built in 1819, the U.S. Custom House in Salem contains exhibits on the tools of the Custom Service, the work of the Customs inspectors, and the office of Nathaniel Hawthorne, the famous American author whose three-year-long stint in the Salem Custom House inspired his classic novel, The Scarlet Letter.The Great Salem Maritime Cardboard Boat Regatta1:00 PM - 3:00 PM Join us for Salem's favorite cardboard-themed event! Taking place during the festival, local teams will race their homemade cardboard boats in Salem Harbor. Spectators are encouraged to line Derby Wharf and watch the creativity and athleticism. Cardboard boats will be designed based around the American Revolution and other moments in Salem's history.Live Music2:30 PM - 6:00 PMWhat's a festival without live music? Local bands will be performing on an outdoor stage by Derby Street throughout the afternoon. Bring your own lawn chair or picnic blanket and listen to some great local artists.

Salem Maritime National Historical Park (160 Derby Street, Salem MA)

Wednesday August 19 6:30pm - 8:00pm EDT

Salem Armory NPS Visitor Center (2 New Liberty Street, Salem MA)

"The Plight of Loyalists on the Eve of Independence" Lecture

Alexander Cain examines the untold stories of American Loyalist families driven from their homes, exiled, and forgotten by history.This lecture, presented by historian Alexander Cain, examines the often-overlooked experiences of American Loyalists from New England, including those from Essex County, during the Revolutionary War. It examines how unwavering loyalty to the Crown led to the loss of homes, freedom, and security for numerous families. Drawing on original petitions and firsthand accounts, the presentation traces the harrowing flight of Loyalists from so-called "patriot" mobs and Committees of Safety. The discussion further explores the severe hardships endured by Loyalist families, including those from Salem, who sought refuge with the British army, facing starvation, violations of civil liberties, and exile. The lecture also highlights the resilience that enabled these individuals to persevere in the face of such adversity.Alexander Cain, JD, has authored numerous research articles and presentations on the American Revolution, including the Battles of Lexington, Concord, and Bunker Hill, the Siege of Boston, and the experiences of New England and New York loyalist refugees during the Burgoyne Campaign. In addition, he has published two books: We Stood Our Ground: Lexington in the First Year of the American Revolution and I See Nothing but the Horrors of a Civil War: The Loyalists of McAlpin’s Corps of American Volunteers. He is also the creator of the blog and podcast Historical Nerdery. Currently, he is in the process of writing his upcoming book, “For God’s Sake Fire!” - The Massachusetts Militia System on the Eve of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which is anticipated to be released in 2027.Alex is the Executive Director of Apprenticeship Pathways at North Shore Community College. He resides in Massachusetts with his wife, Paula, and they have two adult children, John and Abigail. The fact that they are named after John and Abigail Adams is purely a coincidence.

Salem Armory NPS Visitor Center (2 New Liberty Street, Salem MA)

Thursday September 17 6:30pm - 8:00pm EDT

Salem Armory NPS Visitor Center (2 New Liberty Street, Salem MA)

"Hannah in Context: What Really Happened, and Why Did it Matter?" Lecture

Join Dr. Robert Allison as he discusses the challenges opportunities and the role of Essex County as America declared independence in 1776.Why did the American colonies declare Independence in 1776? What were the challenges and what potential opportunities did they see? How did their thinking change from trying to preserve their long-cherished charter rights to announcing their arrival as an independent entity equal among the powers of the earth to all other nations? What was the role of Essex County in this momentous decision?Robert Allison a professor of history at Suffolk University also teaches at the Harvard Extension School. He has written a series of short books about the American Revolution as well as histories of Boston and of Cape Cod. His longer works include publications on the Barbary Wars and Naval hero Stephen Decatur. He edited an edition of “The Interesting Narrative of Olaudah Equiano or Gustavus Vassa the African.” Allison created two classes for The Teaching Company’s series “The Great Courses ” one focused on colonial America (“Before 1776: Life in the American Colonies) and the other on Benjamin Franklin (“The Age of Benjamin Franklin”) His work draws from his teaching which has covered all phases of American history though his primary focus is the American Revolution and the early American republic. He is president of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts a scholarly organization which publishes primary documents on early American history a life-trustee of the USS CONSTITUTION Museum and as chair of Revolution 250 Allison hosts its weekly podcast a series of conversations on the Revolution with historians museum curators and reenactors.While admission is free space is limited registration is strongly encouraged.This program is part of the Conflict & Community: Salem Essex County and the American Revolution lecture series. This series is a partnership between Essex Heritage and Salem Maritime National Historical Park and highlights the unique role of Essex County communities during the American Revolution.

Salem Armory NPS Visitor Center (2 New Liberty Street, Salem MA)

Salem Maritime National Park

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"1776: Why Independence?" Lecture

Salem Heritage Days Parade and Festival

"The Plight of Loyalists on the Eve of Independence" Lecture

"Hannah in Context: What Really Happened, and Why Did it Matter?" Lecture

Group Results

Tag sale

Pelham Jewish Center

Salem Maritime National Park

View details

About Us

Contact Information

About Us

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"1776: Why Independence?" Lecture

Salem Heritage Days Parade and Festival

"The Plight of Loyalists on the Eve of Independence" Lecture

"Hannah in Context: What Really Happened, and Why Did it Matter?" Lecture

Group Results

Tag sale

Pelham Jewish Center

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