Signature Essex Heritage Celebration Opens Saturday, Sept. 12, With More Than 200 Events Across 34 Communities
Essex County’s parks, waterways, historic sites and important cultural institutions will take center stage as Trails & Sails kicks off its 16-day, 25th anniversary celebration on Saturday, Sept. 12.
Trails & Sails is an annual signature event of the Essex National Heritage Area, and attracted more than 30,000 visitors in 2025.
Starting this opening weekend, Sept. 12-13, the public can find events highlighting Trails & Sails’ four themes: Essex County Revolution 250, Outdoor Explorations, Life by the Water, and Stories We Share.
This year’s Trails & Sails will be held from Sept. 12-27. A full calendar of events may be found at the Trails & Sails website.
All events are free, including guided hikes, behind-the-scenes tours of historic and cultural sites, boat trips, cultural celebrations, and family-friendly adventures for all ages. (Some events require registration.) Through community partnerships, Trails & Sails offers accessible experiences that connect people with the stories, landscapes, and traditions that define the region.
About Trails & Sails
Trails & Sails is an annual signature event of the Essex National Heritage Area, encouraging people to explore 34 communities and 500 square miles of extraordinary historical, cultural, and natural assets in northeastern Massachusetts.
Since 2002, Trails & Sails has welcomed more than 175,000 visitors who have experienced the places that make Essex County special: from birdwatching on Plum Island to exploring Den Rock Park in Lawrence, to historical sites from Saugus to Salem. The Essex National Heritage Area is an incredible place to explore with family and friends, offering a rich combination of natural beauty and history.
This milestone year marks a shared history of community engagement, exploration, empowerment and connection with the region’s parks, waterways, historic sites and iconic cultural institutions.
This year, as the nation commemorates America250, participants can expect to see historical reenactments, historic artisan demonstrations, interactive exhibits, and a wide variety of community-driven experiences designed for all ages and interests.
Many organizations have already committed to participating this year, with more than 200 events listed on the Trails & Sails event calendar.
Printed copies of the 2026 Trails & Sails guidebook are available at local libraries and host sites.
Trails & Sails is your ticket to adventure across Essex County, Massachusetts — a region recognized as a National Heritage Area for its rich history, cultural treasures, and natural landscapes. Each September, this vibrant event series provides access to hundreds of unique experiences, from guided hikes and paddles to behind-the-scenes tours, historic reenactments, interactive exhibits, artisan demonstrations and community celebrations. Whether you’re a history buff, a nature lover or simply curious to discover something new in your own backyard, Trails & Sails has something for everyone.
About Essex Heritage
Essex National Heritage Commission (Essex Heritage) is a nonprofit organization that has been federally authorized to work in partnership to oversee the unique heritage resources of the Essex National Heritage Area. Our mission is to preserve and enhance the historic, cultural, and natural resources of the Essex National Heritage Area located in Essex County, Massachusetts. The Essex National Heritage Area was created by an act of Congress in 1996 and encompasses the 34 cities and towns of Essex County, Massachusetts. It includes two National Park Service sites — Salem Maritime National Historical Park and Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site — and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Parker River National Wildlife Refuge. There are also several state parks, thousands of acres of conservation land, and numerous museums, historic houses and heritage sites that are open to the public and owned/managed by nonprofit organizations and municipal governments.
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