Weekend Events

What's Happening on the North Shore This Weekend: November 13-15, 2026

Kathleen Militello, Realtor® · Published November 12, 2026 · 11 min read · Boston's Coastal North Shore

The weekend of November 13-15, 2026 brings the Salem Literary Festival to town, Big Head Todd and the Monsters to Beverly, the Galapagos to Rockport, and two nights of live music to Salisbury Beach, with quiet gems in Rowley, Newbury, and Essex in between. Kathleen Militello, Realtor® with The Militello Team at eXp Realty, shares her verified, town-by-town guide with times, admission, parking, and MBTA notes.

Key Takeaways

Big Head Todd and the Monsters headlines Beverly on Saturday at The Cabot (listed as sold out), with an ABBA tribute Friday at the Larcom and comedy at Off Cabot both nights.
The free Salem Literary Festival fills the weekend, with the Local Lit reading Friday at the Salem Athenaeum and panels from 11 AM Saturday at Tabernacle Church.
Gloucester stacks free stops: Second Saturdays at the Cape Ann Museum for Cape Ann residents, the Friday Davis House tour, Saturday’s city hall talk, and Sunday’s PokéFest.
Rockport pairs the Galapagos with National Geographic Live on Friday and a free Toy Story screening Saturday morning at Shalin Liu.
Salisbury's Blue Ocean Music Hall runs both nights: a Poison tribute Friday and Shawn Colvin on Saturday.

Events by Town

The full weekend, town by town, with the times, venues, and prices as published by local organizers for November 13-15, 2026. Where an admission is listed, I have kept the listed price so you know what to expect; where nothing is published, I say so rather than guess.

Cape Ann’s biggest weekend

Gloucester

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The Joshua Tree

Friday, 8 PM (doors 7 PM), The Cut, 177 Main St. The U2 tribute band, tickets from $26.45.
Music Bingo

Friday, 7-9 PM, Gloucester Brewing Company.
Captain Elias Davis House Tour

Friday, 2-3 PM, Cape Ann Museum Downtown Campus, 27 Pleasant St. Free.
Taste Gloucester Walking Food Tour

Friday, 11:30 AM-2:30 PM, downtown. A guided history and food walking tour, listed at $125.
Delta Generators

Saturday, 8 PM, The Cut, 177 Main St. Hometown blues-rock live in the harbor town.
Second Saturdays at the Cape Ann Museum

Saturday, 10 AM-5 PM, 27 Pleasant St. Free admission for Cape Ann residents; Highlights Tour at 11 AM.
“AI’s Promise and Peril: A Conversation”

Saturday, 1 PM, Kyrouz Auditorium, Gloucester City Hall, 9 Dale Ave.
“Laugh Out Loud” at Gloucester Stage

Friday through Sunday (November 12-15), 7:30 PM curtain, Natti-Willsky Performance Center, 267 East Main St. The Cape Ann Shakespeare Troupe’s three one-act comedies, second weekend of the run.
PokéFest

Sunday, 11 AM-4 PM, Gloucester Fraternity Club, 27 Webster St. Free. A Pokémon trading event with free cards for young players.
Sip & Shop at Beauport Boutique

Sunday, 2-6 PM, Beauport Hotel, 55 Commercial St. Holiday shopping with bubbly.
Yule Candle Making Course

Sunday, 10 AM, Apothecary Suil Crow, 153 Main St.
Old World Ornaments Class

Sunday, 3-5 PM, Virginia Made Products, 153 Main St. Paint your own glass ornaments.

Admission: Free: the Cape Ann Museum’s Second Saturdays for Cape Ann residents, the Captain Elias Davis House tour, PokéFest, and the city hall talk. Ticketed: The Cut shows from $26.45, the food tour at $125, and Gloucester Stage performances.

Parking: Metered on-street parking on Main and Pleasant Streets plus municipal lots a short walk from The Cut and the museum; leave extra time on show nights.

MBTA access: Gloucester station on the Rockport branch of the Newburyport/Rockport Commuter Rail line is a short walk from downtown venues on Main Street; West Gloucester station also serves the city.

Music on the beach

Salisbury

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Shot of Poison with Rotten Apple

Friday, 8 PM (doors 7 PM), Blue Ocean Music Hall, 4 Oceanfront North. A Poison tribute with an Alice in Chains tribute opening; reserved seating listed at $25.50-$29.50.
TASN Short Play Festival

Friday, 7:30-9:30 PM, The Actors Studio of Newburyport, Crossroads Plaza, 1 Merrill St. Short plays presented by the studio.
RiverFeast: An Evening with Shawn Colvin

Saturday, 8 PM, Blue Ocean Music Hall. The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter, presented by 92.5 The River.

Admission: Blue Ocean shows are ticketed; Shot of Poison is listed at $25.50-$29.50 and Shawn Colvin is ticketed through the venue. The short play festival’s admission is listed by the studio.

Parking: Blue Ocean Music Hall sits right on the beach with the large oceanfront beach lot and nearby street parking; arrive early for the evening shows.

MBTA access: Salisbury has no MBTA station, so plan to drive. The closest rail stops are Newburyport on the Newburyport/Rockport Line and Haverhill on the Haverhill Line, each about twenty minutes away.

Theater, a fair, and a fundraiser

Newburyport

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“SIX: Teen Edition”

Friday, 6 PM, and Saturday and Sunday at 2 PM and 6 PM, Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square. A production by the Firehouse education program.
Friendsgiving Party

Friday, 7:30-11 PM, Port Vida Mexican Cantina, 10 Center St. A pre-holiday gathering downtown.
NEF Lighthouse Auction: Bid for the Kids

Saturday, 6-9:30 PM, Newburyport City Hall, 60 Pleasant St. The Newburyport Education Foundation’s annual auction fundraiser.
Winter Craft Fair

Sunday, 9 AM, Congregation Ahavas Achim, 53 1/2 Washington St. Local craft vendors; check the congregation’s listing for details.

Admission: The Firehouse show is ticketed and the Lighthouse Auction is a ticketed fundraiser; the craft fair’s admission is listed by the congregation.

Parking: Downtown parking is metered and fills early on weekends; the municipal garages, including the Inn Street garage, are an easy walk from Market Square.

MBTA access: Newburyport station is the northern terminus of the Newburyport/Rockport Line and is about a mile from Market Square, an easy walk or a short ride.

Early American music in a 1670 house

Newbury

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Concert at Swett’s Tavern: Ampersand Presents Music of a New Nation

Saturday, at the Swett-Ilsley House, 4 High Road. A Historic New England performance of early American “New Nation” music in a house that served as a tavern in the late 1600s. Tickets through Historic New England.

Admission: Ticketed through Historic New England; the historic house has limited visitor capacity, so booking ahead is worth it.

Parking: A small on-site lot serves the historic house; High Road is quiet with limited street parking, so arrive in good time.

MBTA access: Newbury has no train station; the closest stop is Newburyport station on the Newburyport/Rockport Line, about ten minutes away by car.

An easy, local weekend

Ipswich

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Ipswich Democratic Town Committee Meeting

Saturday, 9:30 AM, Collins Room, Ipswich Public Library, 25 North Main St. The monthly town committee meeting; all are welcome.
Crane Estate Grounds and Great House Tours

Saturday and Sunday, subject to the Trustees of Reservations schedule. Autumn walks and guided tours of the Great House continue in season; check the Trustees website for the day’s hours.

Admission: The library meeting is free and open to the public. Crane Estate Great House tours are ticketed through the Trustees, and the grounds passes are listed by the Trustees.

Parking: The library has its own lot plus on-street parking on North Main Street. The Crane Estate has its own visitor lots off Argilla Road.

MBTA access: Ipswich station on the Newburyport branch is about a mile from the town center; the Crane Estate is a few minutes farther by car.

A quest at the library

Rowley

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Mastermind Adventures: Eaglesclaw School of Wizardry

Saturday, 10 AM-noon, Rowley Public Library, 141 Main St. An interactive story-game program hosted by the library for young adventurers; check the library calendar for ages and registration.

Admission: Admission was not listed by the sources; confirm the program details and any registration on the library calendar.

Parking: Library parking at the Main Street entrance, with on-street spaces nearby.

MBTA access: Rowley station on the Newburyport branch serves the town; the library is a short drive from the station.

A hands-on craft day on the river

Essex

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Shipyard Skill Session: Sharpening Planes and Chisels

Saturday, Essex Shipbuilding Museum, 66 Main St. A hands-on woodworking skills workshop; listed as sold out on the museum’s tickets page, so check for a waitlist. The museum’s exhibits are closed for the season while workshops continue.
A River Weekend in Town

Saturday and Sunday: river views, antiquing and dining along Main Street, and a stop at The James pub by the river. Essex River Cruises are done for the season until spring.

Admission: The shipbuilding museum’s exhibits are closed for the season; the workshop is ticketed and currently listed as sold out. Walking, antiquing, and dining need no admission.

Parking: Parking clusters around Main Street, near the river, and at the museum; follow local signs and leave extra time on weekend afternoons.

MBTA access: Essex has no train station; the closest stops are Gloucester (including West Gloucester) on the Rockport branch and Ipswich on the Newburyport branch, each a short drive.

From the Galapagos to a Toy Story morning

Rockport

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National Geographic Live: Discovering the Galapagos

Friday, 7:30 PM, Shalin Liu Performance Center, 37 Main St. Rockport Music presents researcher Sarah Knutie.
National Gala and Awards Ceremony

Friday, 6-8 PM, Rockport Art Association and Museum, 12 Main St. The Greater Cape Ann Chamber’s annual celebration; tickets around $100.
Toy Story

Saturday, 11 AM, Shalin Liu Performance Center. A free screening of the Pixar classic; reservations encouraged.
New Juried Artist Members Show

On view through November 29 at the Rockport Art Association and Museum, 12 Main St.

Admission: The Toy Story screening is free with reservations encouraged; the Galapagos talk is ticketed, and the chamber gala is a ticketed fundraiser. The members show is included with museum admission.

Parking: Municipal lots off Main Street and on-street parking serve the performance center and the art association; arrive early at show times.

MBTA access: Rockport station is the terminus of the Rockport branch, and the Shalin Liu Performance Center is a short walk from the station.

Three stages and a sold-out headline

Beverly

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Mamma Mania: The ABBA Tribute

Friday, 8 PM, Larcom Theatre, 13 Wallis St.
Shannon Fiedler at Off Cabot

Friday and Saturday, 6:30 PM, Off Cabot, 9 Wallis St. Four comedy shows across the two nights.
Big Head Todd and the Monsters

Saturday, 8 PM (doors 7 PM), The Cabot, 286 Cabot St. Reserved seating listed at $58.50-$91; the show is listed as sold out, so check the venue for returns.
An Evening with Peter Billingsley and A Christmas Story

Sunday, 7 PM, The Cabot. A screening of the holiday classic with the actor who played Ralphie.

Admission: All four shows are ticketed at their venues; Big Head Todd is listed as sold out.

Parking: Street parking and municipal lots around Cabot Street and Wallis Street fill early on show nights.

MBTA access: Beverly Depot is the junction of the Newburyport and Rockport branches; The Cabot, Off Cabot, and the Larcom are about a ten-minute walk from the station.

A weekend for readers

Salem

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Salem Literary Festival

Friday through Sunday. Friday opens with the Local Lit author reading at 7 PM at the Salem Athenaeum, 337 Essex St. Saturday panels run from 11 AM at Tabernacle Congregational Church, 50 Washington St. Sunday mixes online sessions with afternoon in-person programming. Free.
Candlelight Concerts at Old Town Hall

Friday, two concerts at 32 Derby Square: Coldplay vs. Imagine Dragons from about 6 PM and The Best of Hans Zimmer from about 8:30 PM. Ticketed.
Salem Holiday Markets

Saturday, from 10 AM, listed on Route 1A. Free to browse.
Ren McLean at Gulu-Gulu Cafe

Friday, 8 PM, 247 Essex St. Live music in the Salem cafe.
Ghosts of Salem Walking Tours

Daily departures through the weekend from Charlotte Forten Park on the waterfront.

Admission: The literary festival is free; the candlelight concerts are ticketed; the holiday market is free to browse; the walking tours are ticketed by their operators.

Parking: Museum Place and South Harbor garages plus metered street parking. Salem’s first post-Halloween weekend is calmer, so the downtown lots move quickly.

MBTA access: Salem station on the Newburyport/Rockport Line is about a fifteen-minute walk from downtown, or a short ride.

Comedy, wrestling, and a woods run

Lynn

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Marlon Wayans

Friday, 8 PM, Lynn Memorial Auditorium, 25 Exchange St, inside City Hall. Ticketed.
Super Nova Wrestling: HYPERNOVA

Saturday, 7 PM, Neal Rantoul Vault Theatre, 25 Exchange St. Listed at $5.
Run Wild Group Run

Sunday, 10 AM, Lynn Woods Reservation. A free group run through Lynn’s biggest woods; see the run organizers for the meeting spot.
The Vault Open Jam

Sunday, 5-8 PM, LynnArts, 25 Exchange St.

Admission: Marlon Wayans is ticketed through the auditorium; the wrestling night is listed at $5; the group run is free.

Parking: Downtown Lynn has municipal lots and garages near City Hall and Exchange Street, plus metered street parking.

MBTA access: Lynn station on the Newburyport/Rockport Line serves downtown; City Hall and Exchange Street are a short ride or about a fifteen-minute walk from the station.

Kathleen's Tips for the Weekend

Book ahead where tickets are involved: the Galapagos talk in Rockport, the Candlelight concerts in Salem, and both Blue Ocean shows all tighten up as the weekend nears. Big Head Todd at The Cabot is already listed as sold out, so check the venue for returns if that is the night you want.
Gloucester is the free-weekend winner: Second Saturdays at the Cape Ann Museum for Cape Ann residents, the Friday Davis House tour, Saturday’s city hall talk, and Sunday’s PokéFest.
Let the train do the parking in Salem and Beverly on Saturday night; both stations are a reasonable walk from the venues, and the downtown lots there fill early in the evening.
Mid-November is shoulder season: gallery hours and pop-up markets can shift, so glance at venue websites the morning of, and check the Salem Literary Festival schedule before planning around a session.
The free Toy Story screening at Shalin Liu seats quickly even when it is free, so reserve a spot if that is the plan.
The quieter towns still shine: Rowley’s library quest, Newbury’s concert in a 1670 tavern, and Essex’s river walk all make gentle day stops between the bigger evenings.

Event Calendars and Links

Schedules shift, so these are the calendars I check for last-minute changes and ticket availability before I head out.

Thinking of living here?

Thinking of Living Here?

A weekend like this shows what these towns feel like in mid-November: music and light in the coastal downtowns, quiet museums, and a slower pace on the beach. Every town has its own market rhythm, and I know the differences from Salisbury to Lynn. If a weekend out here has you wondering what it would be like to live in one of these communities, call me at (978) 500-1480 or book a conversation. I will tell you what I really think.

Kathleen Militello, Realtor® · The Militello Team | eXp Realty

Warmly, Kathleen

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Frequently Asked Questions

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