Tag Archives: events

September 19, 2026

2026 Vintage Lawn Party (Salem, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Event: September 12, 2026 (usually held annually the weekend after Labor Day)

Location: Salem Commons, Salem, MA

Universally Accessible: Yes

Dog Friendly: Yes

Summary: People dressed in their best vintage wear as they listened to, or danced to, swing music and posed for photos by the various antique cars.

Swing music, antique cars and snazzy dressers were in abundance last Saturday at the annual Vintage Lawn Party in Salem, MA.

People dressed to the nines in their best vintage clothing.

And, of course, they danced to the swinging sounds of Annie and the Furtrappers.

As someone with two left feet, I always appreciate the dance moves on display at this event.

One of the main attractions at the party are the cars. A variety of antique cars were featured at the event. In fact, I think that is what attracted the attention of most of the onlookers and got their interest.

This guy didn’t just bring his vehicle. He also brought some old slot machines that were previously used in local speakeasys during the 1930s They are are also still in working order!

Annie and the Furtrappers provided the entertainment for the event. They have been the musical performers every year I have attended and they always get the crowd moving.

There were also vendors selling swag and other wares from that era. Some of the vintage clothing being sold were over 100 years old!

There were games like croquet, bocce and other games popular at that time, and still to this day. But, this visitor found another way to have fun and travel.

You never know who’s going to show up at these events. It is Salem, after all.

Who knew Mike was such a classic car aficionado. He did drive quite a bit in the first and best Halloween movie, though.

The party was for the birds. Literally. Again, it’s Salem.

This busker, Persephoneo is one of the performers who pose for photos and entertain people on Essex St,

Dogs are also welcome at the vintage party!

Orion wore his best bowtie to the event.

Fergus McWolfstein (also known as Gus) had a fun time at the party!

As the annual lawn party becomes more popular, it’s great to see more people attend! But, what really makes me happy is seeing the regulars who come every year. It’s great seeing familiar faces and reconnecting with people. I also wonder about and miss some of the regulars who can no longer attend. Below are some of the regulars I have photographed over the years.

9 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , | posted in dancing, Massachussetts, musicians, New England, photographs, photography, photos, Salem, Uncategorized, vintage lawn party

September 23, 2025

7th Annual Salem Lawn Party (Salem, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Event: September 13, 2025

Location: Salem Commons, N, Washington Square, Salem, MA (about 40 mins northeast of Boston)

Cost: Free

Dog Friendly: Yes

Summary: People enjoyed dancing, music, lawn games, classic cars and a vintage marketplace at Salem Commons earlier this month.

The annual Salem Lawn Party was the tops! People celebrated in their best vintage clothing and dusted off their dancing shoes! In fact, if you didn’t know any better, you might think it was the 1920s. But, the biggest attraction wasn’t the dancing nor was it the other activities such as the lawn games. No, one other thing took center stage.

The cars are always a popular attraction at the event! People love to walk around the cars, sometimes even being able to sit in them. So, it took me a long while to be able to take this photo without people being in the way.

What would a vintage lawn party be without some swinging music? Annie and the Fur Trappers provided the musical entertainment and kept the party going.

People were dressed to the nines in their finest vintage wear.

One of the more nattily dressed people at the party was Moustache Mike. Mike’s suit was slightly different than most suits, though. People could write on his suit. In fact, he encouraged it!

In addition to all of the positive and fun messages on his suit, there was some signatures from some very popular with ties to Salem. The famous Addams Family of Salem signed his suit!

Of course, there was also dancing! As someone with two left feet, I’m always impressed with their agility, grace and talent.

Even dogs like to dance!

There were also lawn games such as Cornhole, bocce and outdoor bowling!

The vintage market sold items that were popular during the olden days!

The party isn’t just for humans. Dogs like Penelope, a 5 year old pit mix, had fun at the party!

Cats also liked the event! Sal, a 2 and a half year old Maine Coon cat, had a fun time, while still keeping an eye out for the dogs!

While this year’s party is over, there’s plenty of time to work on your dance moves for next year’s party!

Here’s a video of people dancing at the party!

18 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , | posted in Massachusetts, photographs, photography, photos, Salem, travel, Uncategorized

January 12, 2025

Frozen Fire Festival (Salem, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Event: January 1, 2025

Location: Charlotte Forten Park, 289 Derby St, Salem, MA

Cost: Free

Parking: There are several parking lots and garages in the area (parking was free during my visit because of the holiday)

Universally Accessible: Yes

Dog Friendly: Yes

Website: Frozen Fire Festival

Summary: Performers performed death defying acrobatic and fiery acts in a free event open to the public

Just because the “big holidays” were over, it doesn’t mean the festivities were over in Salem, MA!

During the week after Christmas and New Year’s Day, Salem has been hosting a variety of daredevils, acrobats and entertainers.

As you will see in this post, it was difficult to select the most interesting and fun photos to post. The entertainers were so talented and the event had so much to offer!

The events for each day varied slightly. I went on New Year’s Day, the last day of the event. There wasn’t a big crowd, perhaps in part because it was the last day of the event. While the event was free, people could rent an igloo to keep warm and there were food and beverage stations as well as curling lanes and warming stations.

People had so much fun curling! I never knew people could have so much fun playing this modified version of curling. Or, how intense the competition could be!

There were also smore or marshmallow stations. People could make their own smores or just toast marshmallows!

There was also a swing if you wanted to take a break and just relax.

There were also ice sculptures at the event. Since it was a mild day, there was only one sculpture I could photograph.

Now, on to the main attractions of the event! There were 6 half hour performances each hour. Some of the performers performed several times. But, their performances changed somewhat each time they performed. Some of the photos were taken at various performances throughout the day. Of course, it being New England, it snowed and rain intermittently throughout the day before the event. But, the weather didn’t affect the show!

Jay Moran kicked off the event with some agile fire tricks.

Qatherine showed off her skills.

Celia kept the tension high with her high aerial performance!

Not only was Orissa flexible (she is considered the “most flexible woman in the world), she also is an archery expert…with her feet!

But, my favorite performance of the night was Irina Jang. Not only did she put on an amazing performance, she also gave some great photo opportinities!

The event wasn’t just fun for people! Freya, a 2 year old, mini doodle also had fun at the event!

10 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , | posted in fire, Massachusetts, New England, performers, photographs, photography, photos, Salem, winter

November 23, 2024

Phantoms By Firelight (Old Sturbridge Village, Sturbridge, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Event: October 26, 2024

Location: Old Sturbridge Village, 29 Stallion Hill Road, Sturbridge, MA (1 hour southwest of Boston, MA)

Cost: Prices tanged from $14 to $45 depending on your age and when you bought them. More information can be found at the link below

Ticket prices

Universally Accessible: Yes

Parking: Free parking is included in the ticket price

Website: Phantoms By Firelight

Summary: Performers entertained visitors with gravity defying acts, fire breathing and other jaw dropping tricks!

Fiery frights awaited all at this year’s Phantoms By Firelight event at Old Sturbridge Village.

An array of performers, dare devils and acrobats entertained countless visitors last month at Old Sturbridge Village.

Perhaps this event should have been titled, “don’t try this at home.”

The family friendly event included card tricks by Magnus The Magnificent.

There were also games like this World Scramble game. Can you guess the phrase hidden in this world scramble?

After all the fun and games, it was off to the Village Common to watch Alexander the Upside Down Man.

The feats of strength by Andrew were very impressive!

Whew! I got sore and tired just watching Alexander!

Next on the list of things I’ll never be able to do was the rope climbing extraordinaire Philomena.

But, before the show got started, the ring master got the crowd pumped up for the event!

After all that climbing, Philomena took a well deserved rest!

After the show, I was able to take a photo of the star of the show!

As the evening wore on and darkness fell upon the village, The performers kept everyone warm and entertained! Ignatius and Anastasia, aka the Masters Of The Flame, kept everyone enthralled with their fiery tricks! I liked the contrast of the agility and graceful of Philomena and the pure rock and roll daredevil action of Ignatius and Anastasia!

After that breath taking display, it was on to the Cyrkus Vampyr Finale Ultimo. As the name would seem to suggest, this was the finale of the evening.

This performance included some awesome acrobatics and more fun with fire!

There were also additional shows at the event. In the spirit of the Halloween season, there were some macabre events like this re-enactment and info session about wakes. This event was both respectful and informative.

There was a lot of differences from wakes during the early 1800s. For instance, during the early 1800s, which is the time frame Old Sturbridge Village is based, people didn’t take visitors for wakes. People’s wakes were very different. People mourned and reflected on their own. A casket with a mannequin represented how the people would mourn.

The lighting and decor added to the atmosphere of the event.

The performers at the event were not the only people who dressed up! Some of the visitors also wore costumes or other decorative items.

In addition to all of the performances, there was a Clues & Candy game where they had to collect stamps to complete a picture. The lucky ones who completed the tasks were rewarded with a treat pick up! There were also demonstrations of casket making, musicians and spooking story telling!

Despite all of the fire and death defying acrobats (or maybe because of it), the Phantoms By Firelight event was a big hit with both old young!

Please see below for videos from the event!

19 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | posted in acribatic, fire, Halloween, Massachusetts, New England, Old Sturbridge Village, photographs, photography, photos, Sturbridge, Uncategorized

November 15, 2024

6th Annual Farm Parade (Southwick, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date of Event: October 19, 2024

Location: College Highway, Southwick, MA (2 hours southwest of Boston, MA, 30 minutes northwest of Hartford, CT)

Cost: Free

Parking: Free parking was available at some of the local establishments including the shopping center on College Highway

Universally Accessible: Yes

Pet Friendly: Yes

Summary: Horses, cows, dogs, chickens and even a few people marched in the 6th annual animal parade to raise funds for the Polverari-Southwick Animal Shelter.

Parades usually feature people as the main participants. However, the Farm Parade in Southwick, MA, is a little different. Animals were the main attraction at this parade. Officials projected that 75 to 100 animals of all kinds were expected at the parade.

The parade was free for all who came to watch. But, there was a $20 fee to enter the parade. The proceeds went to help the Polverari-Southwick Animal Shelter.

The Powder Mill School marching band provided the musical entertainment for the event.

Another big attraction of the parade were the tractors, cars and other modes of transportation in the parade.

Since the parade was just before Halloween, there were lots of people dressed up and some of the vehicles were also decorated for the season!

But, out of all of the vehicles in the parade, the ones posted below are my favorites.

What fun it must have been to ride around in your own mini tractor or vehicle.

The people who went to the parade weren’t left out of the fun! As you may have noticed in the photo above, some of the people on the vehicles threw candy and beads to the onlookers!

Although it wasn’t required, some of the visitors dressed up for the event!

The farm parade has been growing in size over the years and I look forward to seeing what the following years have in store!

14 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | posted in animals, Massachusetts, New England, parade, photographs, photography, photos, travel