This walking tour explores Cogswell's Grant as a working farm from the 17th century to the present day. Bertram and Nina Fletcher Little purchased the property as a summer estate and filled the 18th century farmhouse with their wonderful collection of antiques. We will walk through the fields and to the marsh, while discussing the rich history of the families who lived and farmed here and how coastal farming has evolved over nearly four centuries. Regular tours of the house will be available for a fee. www.historicnewengland.org/visit/homes/cogswell.htm

Join us for a narrated sightseeing tour that winds down the beautiful Essex River aboard Essex River Queen, a pontoon boat. Notice the abundant wildlife and changing landscape along your trip. Bring along your binoculars and sketchbooks! You're bound to be inspired! Limited availability, First come, First Served.  Event capacity: 55. www.essexcruises.com

2 hour guided kayaking tour of the Essex River Basin! Please arrive at 9am to be fitted to boats & equipment and go over safety issues before the adventure begins at. LIMITED AVAILABILITY. ONLINE RESERVATIONS Required. Reservations Available 9/9 AT 9AM.  Event capacity: 12. www.erba.com

Meet the "Hermit!"--a hermit lived in Ravenswood Park for 33 years. Walk in his footsteps sharing tales from his book "A Hermit's Wild Friends."  Event capacity: 50. www.thetrustees.org/pages/357_ravenswood_park.cfm

Join the Cape Ann Museum for a walking tour of Fitz Henry Lane's Gloucester. Stroll through this nineteenth century maritime artist's Gloucester neighborhood. Walk past some of the views captured in his landscape paintings and learn about Lane's active participation in the community. Finish at the Cape Ann Museum which is home to the preeminent collection of paintings and drawings by Fitz Henry Lane.  Event capacity: 20. www.capeannmuseum.org

Join Schooner Adventure for a walking tour of Gloucester's working waterfront during its fishing heydays. Using maps from the 1880s and historic photographs, we will go back in time to visit the former buildings and businesses that once occupied our harbor. Tour will start at the Fisherman's Statue; walk from the Boulevard, down Rogers St., ending at the Fitz Henry Lane House. Tour will be about 90 minutes.  Event capacity: 30. www.schooner-adventure.org

Chill with the coolest guys in town! Enjoy a cool visit to Cape Pond Ice Company, icing Gloucester's fleet since 1848. We were featured in Sebastian Junger's account of The Perfect Storm. Tours highlight the history of the ice industry, with vintage film of natural ice harvests. See first hand 300-pound block ice being made - up to 350 tons per day, fishing vessels taking on ice and ice sculptures being carved in our historic icehouse on Gloucester's working waterfront. www.capepondice.com

Join Greenbelt at Tompson Street Reservation! Bring your 6+-year-olds and join us on a treasure hunt in nature. You will need a stamp pad, a notepad and a sense of adventure. Limited to 20 participants; RESERVATIONS required. Reservations Available 9/9 AT 9AM online or phone Essex Heritage at 978-740-0444.   Event capacity: 20. www.ecga.org

Welcome aboard the Schooner Thomas E. Lannon for a 1.5 hour sail about historic Gloucester Harbor. Help Captain Tom Ellis and his crew raise the sails or just relax and enjoy the views of castles, lighthouses, and the working waterfront. Let your imagination take you back 100 years when Gloucester's harbor was full of working Schooners. LIMITED AVAILABILITY. First come, First Served. No advance reservations will be accepted. Come to the Schooner Sails shed to get tickets before lining up to board the boat.  Event capacity: 45. www.schooner.org

The Gloucester Committee for the Arts will be conducting tours of Gloucester City Hall's renowned and extensive wall murals, created by the Works Projects Administration (WPA) in the 1930s. Don't miss the chance to spend time with these stunningly vibrant paintings that add yet another unique flavor and richness to Gloucester's artistic history.

Join Yankee Fleet for an exciting whale watch trip leaving from our new location in downtown Gloucester. Our mission statement is to preserve marine life and their habitats through education and research. Join us for an opportunity to view and photograph Humpback, Fin and Minkie whales in their natural habitat. Bring sunscreen, rubber soled shoes, and dress in layers. Guaranteed sightings since 1944. LIMITED AVAILABILITY. ONLINE RESERVATIONS Required. Reservations available 9/9 at 9AM.  Event capacity: 50. www.yankeefleet.com

Join the Manchester-Essex Conservation Trust and use navigational skills to find geo-caches and natural treasures in the Wilderness Conservation Area. Small groups will use GPS receivers or compasses to find well-hidden buckets containing treats for children and info sheets on what is seen. This will be a nature treasure hunt for children, too. Each team should ideally bring a handheld GPS, a compass, a cell phone, and a backpack with water, jackets, and bug spray. A few GPS units will be available on loan. Assistance will be available. Refreshments will be enjoyed on completion. www.mect.org

Join the Manchester Historical Society for a tour of one of Manchester's most beloved landmarks. The Trask House on Union Street was built in 1823 by local businesswoman Abigail Hooper, who ran a thriving general store on the property. That same year, she married Captain Richard Trask, one of Manchester's most successful merchant ship captains. Today, the original rooms of the Trask House contain an impressive collection of period furniture, artifacts and fine art. manchesterhistorical.com

Free block printing demonstrations using an antique Acorn press made by the Adams brothers of Boston, 1830 to 1870. Linoleum blocks carved at the shop are used to make cards and printed fabric for use in the home. It follows the tradition of the Folly Cove Designers 1938 -1969 of Gloucester that was created by the praised local artist and writer Virginia Lee Burton Demetrios. Notice how many of artist's works are thoughtfully inspired by the history and natural splendor of the Cape Ann area. www.sarah-elizabeth-shop.com

Toad Hall Bookstore will sponsor a 2 hour natural history tour of of the Mill Brook Watershed. The Mill Brook Watershed begins in the middle of Cape Ann's Dogtown and runs approximately 2 miles from a large bog to front beach. This walking tour will be lead by Eric Hutchins and focus on the plants, animals and geology of seldom toured section of Rockport.   Event capacity: 25.

Guided walk around the Babson Farm Quarry, unearthing the granite industry era followed by a traditional hand-stool stone splitting demonstration. Halibut Point itself is made of sheets of 440 million year-old granite that now cascade from rocky headlands to the abundant tidal pools below. The panorama encompasses views from Crane Beach in Ipswich to Mount Agamenticus in Maine and the Isles of Shoals off the coast of New Hampshire. This glorious natural landscape is breathtaking and inspiring. www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/northeast/halb.htm