Tens of thousands of visitors from throughout Essex County and beyond sampled the best of history, the outdoors, and the arts during the 25th annual Trails & Sails celebration.
Trails & Sails, the signature event of Essex National Heritage Area, included more than 200 events from one-day presentations to two-week explorations, spanning more than 500 individual offerings in September.
“We are overwhelmed by the success of our 25th anniversary program,” said Annie Harris, CEO of Essex National Heritage Area. “It is always exciting to share our love of this region, and this year we not only reconnected with our longtime supporters but made new connections with many first-time visitors.”
All events were free thanks to non-profits and local businesses offering accessible experiences that connect people with the stories, landscapes, and traditions that define the region. They were organized around the themes of Essex County Revolution 250, Outdoor Explorations, Life by the Water, and Stories We Share.
“This event would not be possible without our community partners who work so diligently to share their love of Cape Ann and the Merrimack Valley,” Harris said. “Thank you. I also want to highlight the tremendous work done by our staff. Events such as this don’t just happen; our team devoted countless hours behind the scenes to make it all possible.”
Essex National Heritage Area also wishes to extend its sincere gratitude to official media sponsor WBZ-TV, whose team amplified Trails & Sails’ many offerings across Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island.
A small number of events were rescheduled due to inclement weather. Please check the Trails & Sails website calendar for more information.
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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