Pick #1: Tulip Festival Open House
Get ready for tulips, tours and tinkering because it’s time for the Stevens-Coolidge Place’s annual Tulip Festival. Begin your day with a tour of this historic estate, followed by some friendly competition at corn hole, tip toe through the tulips with a guided tour and end the afternoon picnicking on the lawn with paper flower sun catchers to bring home. Welcome spring!
Curious to see the full house? Join us for full house tours being offered every half hour from 10am to 1:30pm on a first come, first serve basis. Inside you’ll find a two-story mural of the gardens, artifacts from around the world and of course the story of Helen and John Coolidge as they transformed this once working family farm into a gentleman’s summer estate to escape the hustle and bustle of busy city life.
Guided tours of the gardens are also available at no additional fee and will leave from the back patio at 10:30am, 11:30am and 12:30pm. What better way to celebrate the arrival of the friendly tulip, than with a knowledgeable horticulturalist.
Bring the whole family and enjoy making flower sun catchers with the kiddos and reading stories in the cozy nook of a tree. Throughout the day, the gardens and grounds are open for exploring. Play lawn games set up around the property. Borrow a blanket for lounging. Get lost in the colorful world of our multiple manicured gardens or share a picnic with friends.
And of course, no trip would be complete without a trip to the greenhouse to see what seasonal goodies are for sale to add to your garden. Special arrangements will be available today in preparation for Mother’s Day. Holland Flowers will alos be on site for those visitors wishing to take the tulips home with them! Green Apple Cafe will be on site for people looking for lunch options.
Questions? Want to become a Trustees member and enjoy free and/or discounted programs?
Contact kbibeau@thetrustees.org or visit us on Facebook and Instagram!
Help us plan for the day. Pre-registration encouraged.
Busy on May 5th? You can enjoy the Tulip Festival on May 4th as well!
Pick #2: Milking Time at Appleton Farms
Sundays at 4:00 pm
Join us Every Sunday at 4PM to see our Jersey heard being milked. See the cows bring brought in from pasture, get a look at the milking up close and ask our dairy farmer a few questions! Perfect for kids and adults alike. While you are here take a peek in the cheese kitchen viewing room, visit with our other barnyard animals or have a picnic in the stone paddock!
Please note that the time of this program can fluctuate slightly depending on the animals or farmer’s schedule. We recommend getting to the farm a little early so you don’t miss any of the action. Active milking will be going on, but our Dairy Farmer will do their best to answer all questions while they are working.
Pick #3: New England Gem and Mineral Show
Saturday – 9:00am – 5:00pm
Sunday – 10:00am to 4:00pm
$6 and children under 12 are free
The North Shore Rock & Mineral Club (NSRMC) will host their annual event showcasing products like minerals, gemstones, jewelry, lapidary tools, beads, and much more. The event will take place in Coolidge Hall and The Fair Trade Building on the Topsfield.
The weekend show features wholesale and retail dealers of books, crystals, mineral specimens, fossils, gemstones, jewelry, beads and jewelry supplies, lapidary rough and supplies, as well as minerals and crystals exhibits, hourly door prizes, mineral and fossil identification.
Activities for children include Spin-A-Gem, gold panning, mineral sifting and geode cracking.
As always, for a comprehensive list of family activities please visit our good friends at North Shore Kid
Good Morning Gloucester 