Family events in Salem, MA

Families and friends are welcome at Goldfish Pond for a community celebration filled with lantern making and water-side fun. Build a floating paper lantern with materials and guidance available, then release it across the pond as daylight fades. Children can enjoy RC boat races and sidewalk art contests, and live music from Malibu Sands Beach Club will set the tone throughout. The event is held in collaboration with Kakrona, Lynn’s Khmer community.

Celebrate 25 years of The Lord of the Rings with an Extended Edition screening of The Fellowship of the Ring at The Cabot. The story opens as Frodo Baggins inherits the One Ring, draws the attention of relentless powers, and undertakes a perilous journey toward Mount Doom to see the Ring destroyed. This feature is part of a big screen series presenting all three films in their Extended Editions, with The Two Towers and The Return of the King continuing the adventure.

Discover the past in a tactile way at The House of the Seven Gables. This short, interactive activity is designed to spark curiosity and inspire creativity during your visit. It is included at no additional cost with a Mansion Tour or Grounds Pass.

At the Peabody Essex Museum, this behind-the-scenes guided walk reveals architectural treasures from the museum’s collection and beyond. Participants step into historic buildings, a feature unique among Salem walking tours, while tracing five centuries of local history, including the witch trials of 1692. The route highlights homes as different as a millionaire’s mansion and a working sailor’s house, showing how building materials and styles reflect culture, era, place and family. Along the way, stories surface about the people who built and lived in PEM properties such as the John Ward House, the Ropes Mansion and the Daniel Bray House, and about landmarks like Derby Square, the Lyceum and the city’s courthouses. The experience also considers how colonization, revolution and maritime trade shaped Salem’s communities and its architecture. Plan for roughly 2 hours and about 1.5 miles of walking, with periods of standing on hard surfaces and the use of stairs. Portions take place indoors and outdoors, and tours run rain or shine, so weather-ready clothing and comfortable shoes are recommended. Historic structures are not ADA accessible. Strollers may be used during the walk but cannot enter historic buildings. Some spaces may have low lighting and uneven floors. Assisted listening devices are provided for all tours. Ticket prices are $40 for adults ages 17 and up, $37 for seniors 65 and older, $30 for students with school ID as well as military, veterans and MTA or teacher cardholders, and $15 for Salem residents, museum members and members’ children ages 6 to 16. Children 5 and under are free, though a ticket is still required. Tickets are available online, at the admissions desk or outside the museum on tour days. This walking tour ticket does not include museum admission, while the combined Sinister Streets & Salem Stories option includes a museum visit. Those interested in darker chapters of local history can also look for Sinister Streets: Witch Trials, Murders and Literary Legends, which visits 1692 sites and the location of an 1830 murder that inspired Edgar Allan Poe.

This in-person, hands-on art activity in the Create Space Studios celebrates the world of insects. Participants use paper tubes and other recycled materials to create bugs in a variety of shapes and sizes while exploring insect anatomy. Participation is included with admission and is suitable for ages 4 and up. Regular art making sessions are offered in person Friday to Sunday and on holiday Mondays in the Create Space studios. Friday activities are suggested for ages 10 and older, while weekend and holiday offerings are designed for ages 4 and up. All projects are created and led by PEM art educators.

Aspiring chocolatiers will turn the kitchen into a chocolate workshop, creating both timeless favorites and inventive bites, sweet and savory. From white to dark chocolate, with sprinkles and candies for flair, participants will blend favorite flavors and decorate their own beautiful creations. Bring a friend and plenty of culinary creativity.

Experience a family friendly potion making activity in Salem where kids and caregivers create a potion to take home. Set near the historic Witch House, this self guided experience welcomes all ages and offers a short, creative break together. Plan for a visit of about 15 to 25 minutes at The Good Witch of Salem Spell Studio, a special stop for families looking for something memorable to do in Salem.

A self-guided hat-decorating station in Salem, MA lets kids and families create a wearable witch or wizard hat in about 15 to 25 minutes. Participants can pick from ribbons, tulle, lace, roses, stickers, and shimmering gems, then add an affirmation card to complete the look. Suitable for all ages, this hands-on experience encourages imagination and wraps up with a personalized keepsake to take home.

Discover Salem's architectural heritage on a behind-the-scenes guided walk rooted in the Peabody Essex Museum’s collection. These tours are the only ones in Salem that step inside select historic buildings, tracing five centuries of local stories and figures from Witch City, including the 1692 trials. Explore a range of notable places, from a grand mansion to a modest sailor’s home, and see how materials and design choices reflect the culture, era, place, and families connected to them. Hear about the people who built and lived in PEM properties such as the John Ward House, the Ropes Mansion, and the Daniel Bray House, and learn about landmarks like Derby Square, the Lyceum, and the courthouses on Federal Street. Along the route, consider how colonization, revolution, and maritime trade shaped the city’s communities and its architecture. The experience lasts about two hours and covers roughly 1.5 miles with time spent standing on hard surfaces and using stairs. Historic structures on the route are not ADA accessible. Strollers are welcome on the walk but cannot enter the historic interiors. Some spaces may have low lighting and uneven floors. Assisted listening devices are available for all tours. This is an indoor and outdoor experience, so comfortable shoes and weather-ready clothing are recommended, and it runs rain or shine. Pricing is $40 for adults ages 17 and up, $37 for seniors ages 65 and up, $30 for students with a school ID, military, veterans, and MTA and teachers, and $15 for Salem residents, museum members, and members’ children ages 6 to 16. Children 5 and under are free with a ticket. Tickets can be purchased online, at the admissions desk, and outside the museum on tour days. Museum admission is not included with this walking tour ticket. A combined Sinister Streets and Salem Stories option adds a museum visit, and the Sinister Streets tour highlights the darker side of local history with landmarks from 1692 and a notorious 1830 murder that drew headlines and influenced Edgar Allan Poe.

Young chocolatiers turn the kitchen into a lively chocolate factory, creating both timeless favorites and imaginative new bites in sweet and savory styles. Using white and dark chocolate plus sprinkles and candies, participants craft eye-catching treats while exploring flavor and decoration. Creativity is central throughout, and this event is designed for ages 9 to teen.

Curious kids explore how gravity and motion shape art in the final workshop of the summer. Designed for ages 5 to 12, this hands-on session guides participants in creating a colorful drip art piece to take home, blending playful creativity with simple science. Registration is $20 and includes a 60 minute unlimited play pass and 500 prize tickets. Capacity is limited.

Settle in for storytime with Miss Sue, then stay as Miss Teri leads a toddler-friendly craft. Children of all abilities are welcome. For accommodations, contact the library at 781-595-0567 ext. 110 or lynchild@noblenet.org ahead of the program.

Turn a simple broom into a charming keepsake during a family-friendly crafting experience in Salem, MA. At The Good Witch of Salem Spell Studio, participants of all ages can personalize their own broom in a self-guided activity that typically takes about 15 to 25 minutes. Choose from colorful ribbons and playful accents to create a one-of-a-kind piece inspired by Salem’s magical traditions. This hands-on project is designed for kids and families, and everyone heads home with a uniquely decorated broom. Situated near the historic Witch House, it offers a memorable way to add a touch of Salem’s spirit to your day.

Part of the $1 Summer Movie Series, sponsored by TruNorth Bank. Marking 55 years in 2026, this presentation features the story of a kind-hearted boy from a modest household who hopes to uncover one of five golden tickets tucked inside chocolate bar wrappers, a discovery that would open the doors to the enigmatic Willy Wonka’s fantastical factory. As each ticket is snapped up by ill-behaved children, the suspense builds over whether he will find the final one and see his dreams come true.

In the Killam Children’s Room, kids of any age and their caregivers can drop in to create a seasonal craft to take home. This relaxed, make-at-your-own-pace activity supports early literacy skills by building step-by-step sequencing, hand-eye coordination, and similar foundations. No registration is required.

Antarctica performs a two-hour set of 60s and 70s pop classics at the Melrose Farmers' Market, filling the market with familiar favorites from those decades.

Create a miniature Salem using cardboard and mixed media while exploring the city’s rich past. Contribute original characters to a continually expanding street scene in this in-person art making session held in Create Space Studios at the Peabody Essex Museum. The program is included with admission and is recommended for ages 10 and up. Activities are designed and led by PEM art educators as part of the Salem 400+ series celebrating more than four centuries of local history. This session is part of the museum’s Regular Drop-in Art Making in Create Space Studios.

A kids-focused fundraiser is set at Nova Adventure Park in Lynnfield, MA. Mention PYFC at the ticket counter when purchasing tickets. Attendance is open to everyone, and having a child in the program is not required.