New England Events – March 2013
It’s March — spring is on its way, but there’s still time to enjoy the last bits of outdoor winter adventure. Happy skiers catch their last runs on the sunny slopes, and the changing temperatures bring about nature’s sweetest treat: pure maple syrup! Learn what it’s all about at maple sugaring days around the region. Mid-March, you’ll find a celebration about all things Irish with St. Patrick’s Day parades and events honoring New England’s strong Irish heritage.
For more New England events in March, check the individual state web sites at the bottom of the page.
Save the Bay Seal Tours
Select dates from November - April
Newport, Rhode Island
From November through April, Save The Bay offers one-hour seasonal seal watching tours aboard the M/V Alletta Morris from Long Wharf Dock in Newport, Rhode Island. Bundle up and don’t forget the camera!
Maple Days at Old Sturbridge Village & Native American Traditions Weekend
Maple Days: Weekends in March; Native American Traditions Weekend - March 2-3, 2013
Old Sturbridge Village – Sturbridge, Massachusetts
Visitors to Old Sturbridge Village will be greeted by the sweet smell of wood smoke mixed with maple syrup as historians demonstrate maple-sugar making at the Village’s own working “Sugar Camp.” On weekend days in March, see maple sugaring as it was done in early 19th-century rural New England and learn why the final product historically was sugar, not syrup. Old Sturbridge Village is the largest outdoor history museum in the northeast and portrays life in a New England village in the 1830s. On March 2-3, come for Native American Traditions Weekend. Learn about Native American winter traditions including cooking, snowshoeing, storytelling and winter fashions. Stop by the millpond to witness a traditional ice harvest and see the long lost art of ice cutting.
Winter Doe Camp: A Winter Retreat for Adventurous Women
March 1-3, 2013
Hulbert Outdoor Cente - Fairlee, Vermont
A winter retreat for adventurous women! Vermont Outdoors Woman sponsors its Annual Winter Doe Camp. Participants stay in heated cabins at night and play in the snow all day. Spend the weekend learning winter outdoors skills while staying near the shores of Lake Morey. This event includes classes such as dog sledding, fire making, traditional winter camping, cross country skiing, orienteering, spring turkey hunting, ice fishing and many more will be offered. Don’t miss the opportunity to receive affordable outdoor education in a stress-free, supportive environment.
Magic Hat Mardi Gras Parade & Block Party
March 1-3, 2013
Burlington, Vermont
View 40+ parade floats along Church Street to the sounds of rock bands and brass orchestras. Sample authentic Louisiana Moonpies and Lake Champlain Chocolates. A wonderful way to break up winter – guaranteed to be a colorful parade! All festivities are free.
Annual Privateers’ Bash at the Connecticut River Museum
March 2, 2013
Connecticut River Museum – Essex, Connecticut
A swashbuckling party with grog, grub, music and great raffle prizes, plus booty for best costumes! This event features Caribbean party music by The Sun Kings and Sea chanteys by Free Men of the Sea. Pirate Attire Encouraged (eye patches provided). Ticket proceeds benefit the museum.
Annual Chilly Chili Cookoff in the White Mountains
March 2, 2013
North Conway, New Hampshire
Stroll the Village of North Conway and have a great day sampling mouth-watering recipes of homemade chili, ranging from mild and delightful to wild and adventurous – plus a Vegetarian Chili Cookoff as well. Salsa and cornbreads are part of the deal, too! Enjoy a Tres de Marzo Chilly Chili Stroll through the Village of North Conway. Stroll from Flatbread Company at the Eastern Slope to Chef’s Market to Vintner’s Cellar Winery to Rafferty’s to Rugged Mill — tasting chili and listening to great music at every stop. A filled passport qualifies you to be a “Judge” for People’s Choice and eligible to enter the “Hottest Summer Vacation Giveaway.” Once you’ve had your fill of chili, top it off with complimentary steamy hot chocolate and yummy cookies donated by Arts in Motion.
Ben & Jerry’s Winter Festival
March 2, 2013
Ben & Jerry’s Factory – Waterbury, Vermont
Celebrate the season with fun-filled outdoor activities for all ages. Admission is free. The surrounding grounds are transformed to provide the perfect opportunity to play outside, enjoy the snow, welcome the extended daylight and, of course, eat ice cream! Free ice cream tours and new flavor samples.
Spring Bulb Show: The Botanic Garden of Smith College
March 2-17, 2013
Northampton, Massachusetts
A spectacular array of crocuses, hyacinths, narcissi, irises, lilies, and tulips provide an early glimpse of spring. View the magic of 5,000+ bulbs blooming simultaneously in the Lyman Conservatory! The annual Spring Bulb Show is a long-standing Smith College tradition, dating back over 100 years. Bulbs from South Africa add an exotic flavor to the display.
Thimble Island Cruises - Seal Watch Tours - Connecticut
Starting March 3, 2013 - Weekends
Stoney Creek, Connecticut
Seals will begin arriving in Long Island Sound during the month of December. Reserve your spot now on a great Sea Mist tour. Sea Mist Thimble Island Tours will be offering seal watch cruises aboard the Sea Mist. Cruises will leave every Saturday and Sunday for walk ons. Weekdays for groups of 20 adults or more.
Annual Vermont Chili Festival
March 9, 2013
Middlebury, Vermont
Named one of the Top 10 Winter Events for the past three years by The Vermont Chamber of Commerce, this event includes activities for all ages and award-winning chili, located all on the streets of historic downtown Middlebury. More than 50 local and regional restaurants will be on hand to compete for awards. Enjoy chili created with Vermont sourced ingredients and cast your vote: Best Beef, Chicken, Pork, Game, Veggie, Kitchen Sink, and Best Overall. Stroll down Middlebury’s historic Main Street and revel in a carnival of street jugglers, face painting, live music and more. Warm up in the Cocoa Cabana with hot cocoa and cider, and attend the award ceremony in the beverage tent. $5 per person.
Maple Sugaring Day at Remick Farm
March 9, 2013 (Maple Days for Schools earlier in the week)
Remick Country Doctor Museum – Tamworth, New Hampshire
See maple sugaring at a real working farm. Visitors will learn about Native American, Colonial, and modern backyard boiler maple sugaring methods, then visit the new Remick Museum Sugar House to see an indoor evaporator system. Participants can learn about tapping maple trees, collecting sap and boiling it down to syrup. Taste maple products such as maple cream, maple jelly, maple candy, and of course, sugar-on-snow. Group tours require a minimum of 12 persons per group; call for advance reservations.
Old Deerfield Craft Fair
March 9-10, 2013
ESE Young Building - West Springfield, Massachusetts
As a juried craft fair, the Old Deerfield Craft Fair selects its exhibitors for their quality. The wonderful variety of crafts includes quilts, baskets, wood carvings, pottery, dolls, dried flower arrangements, teddy bears, decoys, tin, theorem, stenciling, jewelry and more. The Old Deerfield Craft Fairs have been among the highest ranked shows in Massachusetts and New England by Sunshine Artist Magazine, for 25 years a major publication of the arts and crafts movement in the United States.
NATO Telemark Festival
March 9-10, 2013
Mad River Glen – Waitsfield, Vermont
The world’s largest and oldest gathering of Telemark skiers…. It’s a free heel shindig of knee dropping Mad River Glen skiing, wild competitions, skill clinics, demo gear and fun. This year’s Tele-Dance Party is brought to you by the local award-winning craft brewery Lawson’s Finest Liquids with music by the legendary (smokin’) Guy Burlage Band.
Hebron Maple FesItivaL – CONNECTICUT
March 9-10, 2013
Hebron, Connecticut
The Maple Festival is held annually the second weekend in March throughout the town of Hebron, Connecticut. Each year thousands of people come from miles around to enjoy and experience the weekend of maple related events. The goal for this event is to bring families together and provide noncommercial, inexpensive enjoyment during a quiet time of year.
Annual Big Dummy AiR CONTEST AT SUGARBUSH
March 10, 2013
Sugarbush Ski Area – Lincoln Peak, Warren, Vermont
Build your skiing and snowboarding dummy – then hurl it down the trail and see how far it goes! Big prizes for the best Dummy. This is a classic Mad River Valley event.
Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade – NewporT, RHODE ISLAND
March 16, 2013
Newport, Rhode Island
Find your best green attire, keep your eyes open for leprechauns, and join in the revelry to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Newport! Parade begins at City Hall, 43 Broadway, at 11:00am and continues through Washington Square to Thames Street and ends at Augustine’s Church. After, tour a historic Newport Mansion or the International Tennis Hall of Fame, or enjoy the many shops and historic sites in town.
Plimoth Plantation: Opening Day
March 16, 2013
Plimoth Plantation, Plymouth Massachusetts
As Plimoth Plantation opens for another season of fun, join the Museum staff for the annual salute to spring with a celebratory walk and “Rare Breeds Animal Parade” from the Henry Hornblower II Visitor Center to the 17th Century English Village. Help escort Plimoth Plantation’s four-legged and feathered friends to their “home away from home” for the 2013 season. Families are encouraged to create and bring signs to carry in the parade, welcoming our animals home. This event is FREE to Museum members and is included with Museum admission. Get up close with rare breeds including goats, sheep, chickens and cows and meet our newest pack of baby animals! As of this day, Plimoth Plantation and Mayflower II are now open daily from 9 am to 5 pm.
Connecticut Spring Antiques Show
March 16-17, 2013
Hartford Amory - Hartford, Connecticut
The Connecticut Spring Antiques Show is a fantastic pre-1840′s antiques show. Collectors and historians will enjoy this look at our country’s past and an opportunity to own a piece of history. Come see what Antiques and The Arts Weekly calls “The singular popular showcase for American furniture and decorative arts. Nearby, visit The Mark Twain House & Museum, the Harriett Beecher Stowe Center and the Connecticut Science Museum.
The New Hampshire Maple Experience: The Rocks Estate
March 16-17, 23-24, 30-31 and April 6, 2013
Bethlehem, New Hampshire
Popular Maple Tours are back at The Rocks Estate, a 1,400-acre property, owned by the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests. Reservations are recommended. Discover the history of maple sugaring, participate in the process of tapping trees and making syrup, enjoy horse-drawn wagon rides through the scenic Rocks property, and taste maple sugar treats. Visitors learn how to identify the sugar maple trees that produce the sweet sap for making syrup, hear the history of maple sugaring, and see part of the process demonstrated at the on-site New Hampshire Maple Experience. The Experience is housed in a renovated historic building, which features a working sugar house and Museum featuring a collection of sugaring artifacts. For those looking to turn the springtime Maple Experience into a weekend-long North Country stay, The Rocks collaborates with local inns to offer weekend vacation packages.
South Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade
March 17, 2013
Boston, Massachusetts
The South Boston St. Patrick’s Parade is the second largest parade in the country, attended by nearly 600,000 to one million people every year and televised nationally. Featuring marching bands and pipe bands from across the U.S., colorful floats and a celebration of all things Irish in Boston’s most Irish neighborhood.
Restaurant Week Boston
March 17-22, 24-29, 2013
Boston, Massachusetts
What a week for a Boston getaway! More than 200 Greater Boston restaurants offer two weeks of special 3-course prix fixe menus for lunch and dinner, as well as a 2-course lighter lunch at many of the participating restaurants. Sponsored & coordinated by the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau and American Express.
Annual March Maple Madness: A Weekend of Maple Sugaring
March 23, 2013
Mount Washington Valley – New Hampshire
Mount Washington Valley invites guests and residents alike to join in a scavenger hunt and an inn to inn tour featuring maple tastings. The weekend includes a self-guided inn-to-inn tour where ticket holders will sample tasty delights both savory and sweet. The inns’ recipes can be found in a keepsake booklet included in the ticket price. Along the way there will be opportunities to visit several “sugaring” locations to experience the maple syrup process first hand, as well as, ‘Maple Country Partners’ happy to share clues and information.
Vermont Maple Open House Weekend
March 23-24, 2013 (check website to verify final date)
Statewide
The Annual Vermont Maple Open House Weekend will be held at sugar houses throughout Vermont. The Open House Weekend is the public celebration of the maple syrup season in Vermont and an opportunity for the public to visit one or more “sugar houses” throughout the state. Activities during Open House Weekend will be different at each sugar house but will include the opportunity to watch maple syrup being made (weather permitting) and often sample maple products.
Annual Mystic Irish Parade
March 24, 2013
Historic Downtown Mystic – Mystic, Connecticut
The annual event has close to 2000 participants and 30,000 spectators making it the largest single day event in the area. The Mystic parade starts at Mystic Seaport’s South Lot and heads into Historic Downtown Mystic where the parade’s “marquis act” will perform.
Maine Maple Sunday
March 24, 2013
Statewide – see web site for details
In Maine, always on the fourth Sunday in March, you can travel across the state to maple syrup farms and see firsthand how sap is magically turned into your favorite sugary topping. There are lots of free tastings and other activities, too.
Annual Bromley Rando Race
March 24, 2013
Bromley Mountain, Vermont
Rando – short for randonnée – ski racing harkens back to skiing’s early years, when skiers challenged the mountain both up and down, without the help of chairlifts. Using climbing “skins” with alpine touring or telemark bindings (or even “split” snowboards), racers start at the base of the mountain, ascend it, then descend it (on marked in-bounds ski area trails), as fast as possible, over multiple laps, up to 5,000′ cumulative vertical, in the truest test of the most complete skier overall.
New Hampshire Maple Weekend
March 24-25, 2013
Statewide
Over 60 sugar houses across the state will participate in this open house weekend. Visit a sugar house near you and learn how maple syrup is made and the modern methods used to carry on this ancient tradition. Enjoy free samples, horse-drawn rides, sugar on snow, pancake breakfasts and more! Fun for the whole family.
Explore more New England events:
- Connecticut Events
- Maine Events
- Massachusetts Events
- New Hampshire Events
- Rhode Island Events
- Vermont Events
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