You can tell a lot about a culture by how it celebrates. Look into the history and traditions of New Orleans’ Mardi Gras, for example, and you’ll discover nothing less than the history of the Big Easy itself and the people who made it what it is today. Of course, some people just want to party. And that’s perfectly fine, too.
Having fun is ultimately what group travel is all about, and the festivals and celebrations you’ll find in the Northeast are sure to delight and entertain while also being living cultural artifacts of what makes these places special. They also might surprise you.
Summer in Camden, Maine, is short—there’s a reason this town of just about 5,000 permanent residents explodes in population when the weather turns warm. Summer means sailing, and sailing in Maine is forever linked with the windjammer, a type of traditionally rigged, multimasted schooner. Labor Day weekend is dedicated to celebrating this aspect of Maine’s maritime history with the Camden Windjammer Festival.
“More than a dozen windjammers enter Camden Harbor and berth overnight, dropping off one group of passengers Friday afternoon and departing Saturday morning with a new group of passengers,” says Grace McMullan, Camden Parks and Recreation assistant director. “This is a free event, and all are welcome to drop in, mingle, and spend time learning myriad facts about windjammers and Camden.”
The schooners are just part of the celebration, however. Other popular events include a lobster hauling demonstration and a lobster crate race (Maine of course loves its lobsters; there’s also a Maine Lobster Festival held in Rockland each August). The Windjammer Festival is about more than just these beloved schooners, though; it’s also about the unique history of Camden and the state of Maine. “This event is a celebration of the windjammers and schooners of the Midcoast,” says McMullan, referring to the central coastal region of Maine, “recognizing the hardworking captains and crew who continue to ply Penobscot Bay and who revel in the traditions of sailing these beautiful boats.”
Celebrations on or near water are always popular around New England, and one of the most popular festivals in Rhode Island takes it a step further with the blending of water and fire. WaterFire Providence is part art installation and part festival—a completely free event that’s a highlight on the city’s cultural calendar. Artist Barnaby Evans created the artwork known as WaterFire in 1994. Set within the rivers of downtown Providence are more than 80 braziers that, when set ablaze, illuminate the night sky and the waters below.
“We welcome visitors to come see it for themselves since it is seeing the city of Providence in a whole new way,” says Kellie Martin, manager of community and corporate relations for WaterFire Providence. “Each WaterFire is different and has different themes, supporters, and initiatives, so no two lightings are ever the same.”
Martin says the lighting ceremony in Waterplace Park is always a crowd favorite, with groups lining up before sunset to get the best view possible as boats come in with torches to light the braziers. There are other installations as well, such as “Starry, Starry Night,” taking place in Memorial Park. This installation is also a creation of Barnaby Evans and offers an interactive experience. Visitors who make a donation will receive a ribbon to write a wish on, and the wish ribbons are then attached to paper lanterns where they are on display for the duration of the festival. “This is also a great spot to take photos and selfies,” adds Martin, “and to walk around and read everyone else’s wishes.”
As Martin noted, WaterFire is different each year, and this year’s edition and any new offerings are still in the planning stages. While the event is free, guests are asked to either donate or purchase from the on-site vendors. “We hope groups take away from these events how crucial arts and culture are to communities,” says Martin. “Making it free and accessible is the goal.”
Credit: Jess Shada
IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES
Festivals are a great addition to a group tour itinerary because they add in a bit of variety—they’re something to experience, not just something to see. Festivals range widely, from your traditional state or county fair to citywide celebrations of a place’s iconic history. That’s certainly what you’ll find come October in Salem, Massachusetts.
Billed as the largest Halloween celebration in the world, Salem Haunted Happenings is a month-long, citywide festival of all things spooky and scary. Salem of course has a long association with witches, and groups can immerse themselves in both the black hat, broom-riding kind and also the very real history of the Salem Witch Trials of the 1600s.
“Salem Haunted Happenings is unlike any other fall festival in the Northeast,” says Ashley Judge, executive director of Destination Salem. “It’s a month-long celebration of Halloween and Salem’s rich history, offering an immersive experience filled with parades, street fairs, haunted houses, walking tours, live performances, and unique museums.”
With an entire city—known for its walkability—to explore, Haunted Happenings is a great choice for groups. While downtown Salem’s streets can be limited for parking, there are drop-off zones close to major attractions and motorcoach parking is available outside of the downtown core.
The Halloween fanatics of your group will love getting spooked at a haunted house or hearing some creepy ghost stories on a walking tour, while the Salem Witch Museum provides context to the city’s most infamous historic period. But, Salem boasts a rich history in other regards, on display at other popular attractions such as the House of the Seven Gables, inspiration of the novel of the same name by native son Nathaniel Hawthorne. And at the Peabody Essex Museum, you can visit the oldest continually operating and collecting museum in the country.
“While Halloween is the draw, visitors often discover the layers of Salem’s maritime heritage, artistic spirit, and diverse cultural offerings,”says Judge. “Haunted Happenings is fun and festive, but it’s also an opportunity to engage with Salem’s past in meaningful ways.”
Salem’s past goes back a very long way, but there’s another Northeast festival that goes back even further—well before the founding of the United States. The Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire invites groups to step back into the late 1500s from August through October on the grounds of Mount Hope Estate & Winery in Manheim—itself a historic property. Whether your group wants to dress up in their best interpretation of English Renaissance fashion or they want to stick to the present day and enjoy a turkey leg and a cold beer in their shorts and flip-flops, the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire has them covered.
“We find that every individual experiences the fair differently,” says Nicole Boyer, group sales manager for Mount Hope. “Some come for the food, some for the beer, some for a place they can dress up and get whisked away into a magical world, some for the people watching, some for the music, some for the comedy, some for the jousting, etc.”
Now in its 45th year, the festival is one of the most popular of its kind in the country. Some days do sell out, so Boyer recommends making advanced reservations. The grounds cover 35 acres, so plan for a lot of walking and a lot of sights to see.
“We hope guests leave behind the worries of modern life for a day and feel welcomed to our lively Renaissance village,” says Boyer.
These are some of the biggest and best-known festivals the Northeast has to offer; but if your upcoming destination isn’t near one of these, odds are you’ll find one worth a trip somewhere close by. Whatever way you choose to celebrate, your group will be getting an up-close and authentic look at the culture of the place you’re visiting.
By Todd Kortemeier
Main Image: WaterFire Providence, Providence, Rhode Island; Credit: John Nickerson
