Sturbridge

Christmas by Candlelight
2025-12-23 08:00 - 17:00, 2025-12-27 08:00 - 17:00, 2025-12-28 08:00 - 17:00, 2025-12-29 08:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Old Sturbridge Village, 1 Old Sturbridge Village Road, Sturbridge, 01566, United States
Come experience the history of Christmas festivities at Old Sturbridge Village. Relish old traditions and create new ones as you watch demonstrations of classic Christmas projects, stroll through the decorated Village and Christmas Tree Trail, listen to stories and live music, sample sweet treats, and more. We hope your family will join us, as we celebrate a very special time of year.
Sparkling Sights & Festive Decorations
Come see the Village decorated for the season! Glowing lanterns and twinkling string lights will guide you as you stroll through dozens of historical buildings, along the Christmas Tree Trail, and across the Wish Bridge. Every night there will be a lighting ceremony at 4:30 p.m. Plus, take a ride on the horse-drawn carryall while singing the songs of the season!
Cozy Christmas Traditions
Discover the origins and evolution of traditions like nutcrackers, Christmas stockings, Christmas gifts, toys, and more. Sample sweet treats like mulled cider and gingerbread. See a spectacular miniature nativity featuring 600+ pieces. Explore the history of other winter holidays as well! PLUS: One of the traditions of Christmas by Candlelight is exploring Christmas traditions from a different culture each year in one of our historical buildings, this year we will highlight some French-Canadian traditions!
Merry Music
Hear the sounds of familiar seasonal songs and sing along! Village favorites such as “Up on the Housetop” and others were written in New England in the 1800s. PLUS, embark on a musical journey through the 19th century with Upon a Midnight Clear – An Acoustic New England Christmas presented by ClockJack Productions!
Santa, Storytelling, and More
Meet Old Saint Nicholas and Mrs. Claus in their charming cabin. A great photo opportunity! Hear the tiny whistle of tiny trains and watch a full display of model trains. Children of all ages can also enjoy classic holiday stories.
Shop for Unique Gifts
From Village-made pottery and tin, to candy, spices, and ornaments, bring home a memory from your visit. Plan to check off your shopping list, as there are many stocking stuffers and unique items to discover. Ox & Yoke Mercantile, located right outside the Visitor Center, opens at 1:00 p.m.! Or shop online today for delivery in time for the holidays.
Creative Crafts
See our tinner at work, visit with the printer, watch the potter spin clay, see stockings being knit, and the cabinet makers crafting wooden toys. Plus, there will be free craft kits for you to take home!

Knox Train of Artillery
2026-01-31 10:00 - 2026-02-01 16:00 | Old Sturbridge Village, 1 Old Sturbridge Village Road, Sturbridge, 01566, United States
Visit Old Sturbridge Village this January for a unique event to start off America’s 250th celebrations. In partnership with Fort Ticonderoga, this event commemorates the Knox Train as it moved through central Massachusetts. Follow Colonel Henry Knox’s journey from New York to Boston to deliver more than 50 cannons in the winter of 1776 and see reenactment group Knox’s Artillery as they interpret the history behind moving cannons from Fort Ticonderoga to Dorchester Heights. Explore the historic Village and interact with costumed historians as they demonstrate the facets of daily life after the Revolution, hear stories from reenacted patriots who marched on the Trail, see cannon demonstrations, and learn about the impacts the Revolution had on people in the 1830s.
More Highlights Include:

See Knox’s Artillery reenactment group interpret the history of moving guns from Fort Ticonderoga to Dorchester Heights.
Meet a team of guest oxen and learn about how they helped in the transport of artillery during Knox’s journey.
Watch cannon demonstrations and see 7 cannon brought by the staff of Fort Ticonderoga.
Learn about American artillery of the Revolution compared to the Massachusetts Artillery of the 1830s.
See our cabinetmakers building a log sled based on one in our collection.
Learn about using draft animals and their importance to early 19th-century farmers, featuring our ox teams.
See our blacksmiths forging wheels to be used to transport the cannons.
Hear stories from a recreated patriot who marched on the Knox Trail from Pittsfield to Cambridge in 1976.

Family Field Days
2026-04-15 09:30 - 2026-04-26 17:00 | Old Sturbridge Village, 1 Old Sturbridge Village Road, Sturbridge, 01566, United States
Kick off April school vacation with a round of friendly family competition! For ten days this April, families of all ages, shapes, and sizes are welcome to join in a slate of 19th-century-inspired games, competitions, and feats of skill. Grab a scorecard and chart your progress as you see how far you can hit an 1830s baseball, how long you can balance on a set of stilts, and how many targets you can hit. Throughout the day, guests will be welcome to try out additional drop-in games and activities. Village staff will be in on the fun, too, as costumed historians participate in craft and trade-related competitions.
As always, guests can also chat with our costumed historians, marvel at historical craft demonstrations, visit with our heritage breed animals, walk our nature trails, explore our gardens, and more!
PLUS: This April, kids received FREE admission with the purchase of an adult general admission ticket using code KID26. Up to two kids, 17 years old or younger, are admitted for free per adult paying for full-price general daytime admission.
Please note: Some activities may be weather-dependent. Schedules are subject to change without notice.
Games & Activities:
Competitions

Graces Toss
Target Shoot with Rubber Band Rifles
Egg and Spoon Race
Stilts Walk
Milk Bucket Carry
Trundling Hoop Race
Jump Rope Challenge
Trap, Bat, and Ball – Baseball

Drop-in Activities

Nature Scavenger Hunt
Paradoxes and Puzzles, puns and riddles
Tug of War
Stories
Marbles
Quoits
9-pin

More Green, Less Screen Letterboxing Challenge
2026-04-18 00:00 - 2026-04-26 00:00 | MA
Leave your devices behind and get OUTSIDE this April vacation week! Explore the outdoors while hunting for hidden letterboxes on properties conserved by Opacum Land Trust and local historical sites beginning Saturday, April 18 and ending Sunday, April 26. Are you up for the challenge?
What is letterboxing? It’s like a treasure hunt! Follow clues to find hidden letterboxes, collect stamps in your logbook, and enter to win prizes.
How it works:

Form a team with your family, your friends, your book club, or even your dog – EVERYONE is welcome to participate!

Register your team to receive a set of clues to letterboxes hidden on up to 13 different properties conserved by Opacum and local historical sites. There will be letterboxes for all abilities – clues will include an estimated distance and difficulty so you can choose challenges that are right for you.

Letterboxes will be hidden on properties and historical sites in Brimfield, Holland, Monson, Southbridge, and Sturbridge.

Each letterbox you find will have a rubber stamp, ink pad, and logbook inside. You bring a logbook with you (any notebook works!). When you find the letterbox, stamp the stamp in your book to prove you’ve found it.

Complete at least 3 boxes between April 18th and April 26th to be entered in a drawing for a prize.

Find more boxes? Get more entries! 5 or more boxes = 2 entries, 10 or more boxes = 5 entries.
At the end of the week, submit a photo of all of the stamps that you’ve collected to be entered into the drawing.

Best of all, it’s FREE!!!

Grab your kids, your dog, or a hiking partner, bring your walking shoes, and discover the fun in your own backyard. Perfect for all ages and abilities!

Yankee Ingenuity
2026-05-02 09:30 - 17:00, 2026-05-03 08:00 - 17:00, 2026-05-09 09:30 - 17:00, 2026-05-10 09:30 - 17:00, 2026-05-23 09:30 - 17:00, 2026-05-24 09:30 - 17:00, 2026-05-25 09:30 - 17:00, 2026-05-30 09:30 - 17:00 and 1 more date | Old Sturbridge Village, 1 Old Sturbridge Village Road, Sturbridge, 01566, United States
Yankee Ingenuity begins this May with a series of weekend programs exploring New England’s long-standing role in shaping American innovation. Throughout the month, local makers, small businesses, and community partners will be featured alongside historical interpretation, illustrating how the region’s economy has long been driven by creativity, skill, and practical problem-solving. Organized around four themes—Eat, Move, Play, and Work— this event connects everyday life from the Revolutionary era through the 1830s to the present, highlighting the businesses and industries that continue to sustain the region today.
Yankee Ingenuity: EAT | May 2 & 3
The first weekend of Yankee Ingenuity begins with EAT. Culinary tradition and food production have long been a foundation of New England life. Amelia Simmons’s American Cookery (1796), America’s first cookbook, will be brought to life on hearths similar to those used in her era. Guests will witness the recipes and techniques that defined early American cooking, featuring distinctly regional ingredients like cornmeal, pumpkin, and cranberries that set American cuisine apart from its European roots.
Yankee Ingenuity: MOVE | May 9 & 10
The challenge of transporting people, goods, and equipment has been an area of constant innovation in New England. From the ox to the horse, from the canal boat to the railroad, each advancement shaped how commerce flowed and communities connected. Discover how the region’s geography and economic needs drove creative solutions to the age-old problem of movement, transforming local trade into networks that reached across the nation.
Yankee Ingenuity: PLAY | May 23 – 25
All work and no play was not the case for New Englanders, who brought the same ingenuity to leisure as they did to labor. From hand-crafted games and intricate puzzles to folk crafts and outdoor pastimes, residents found creative ways to fill their free hours. These diversions weren’t just entertainment, they reflected the values, skills, and social bonds that knit communities together during an era of rapid change and growth.
Yankee Ingenuity: WORK | May 30 & 31
Like most of America, during formative years of the country, New England was starved for workers, which led to groundbreaking innovation and mechanization. The Industrial Revolution can claim a large part of its American origins right here in New England, where water-powered mills, interchangeable parts, and factory systems transformed how goods were made. This drive to do more with less labor didn’t just change the economy, it reshaped the landscape, the workforce, and the very nature of American work.

Mother's Day Brunch at Cedar Street Grille
2026-05-10 10:00 - 14:00 | Cedar Street Grille, 12 Cedar Street, Sturbridge, MA, 01566, United States
Celebrate Mother’s Day at Cedar Street Grille with a delicious dining experience designed to make Mom feel special. From 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, enjoy the restaurant’s unique brunch menu, along with a selection of amazing Mother’s Day specials crafted just for the occasion.
After brunch service, the regular menu will be available starting at 3:30 PM, offering even more options for a relaxed afternoon or evening celebration.

Mother's Day at Avellino & The Duck
2026-05-10 11:00 - 16:00 | The Duck, 502 Main Street, Sturbridge, 01518, United States
Celebrate Mother’s Day at The Duck and Avellino with a specially curated prix fixe menu filled with all of Mom’s favorites – mouthwatering dishes, handcrafted cocktails, and indulgent desserts. Show her how much she means to you with a memorable meal and quality time together.
Pricing is $47.95 per adult, with a children’s menu available for guests under 12. Seating is available from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Please call us at (508) 347-2321 if you have special accommodations or are booking a large party.
*Reservations require a $25 per guest non-refundable deposit which will be applied to your check the day of the event. No shows will forfeit their deposit. Tables are reserved for 2 hours per reservation.

Southbridge Garden Club Annual Plant Sale
2026-05-17 09:00 - 12:00 | Sturbridge Town Common, Main St, Sturbridge, MA, 01566, United States
Garden Club members will be providing a host of perennials from their gardens, in clean pots and fresh soil. A variety of houseplants will be sold, as well. New This Year! Howe’s Farm and Garden in New Braintree will be providing a wide variety of annuals — flowers and vegetables in packs, as well as hanging baskets — all pesticide free!
There will be a table of special “Garden Treasures” and vendors selling various products. Additionally, local organizations will be represented, including Free Soil Tests from the Massachusetts Master Gardener program. The Friends of the Joshua Hyde Public Library will be selling plant related books such as gardening and landscaping books, and cookbooks as well.

Murder Mystery Dinner - I Love The 80s to Death!
2026-10-30 18:00 | The Barn at Wight Farm, 420 Main Street, Sturbridge, MA, 01566, United States
The 80’s are taking over The Barn at Wight Farm this Halloween and the biggest names in music are in town for one unforgettable concert event. But when backstage drama turns deadly, the spotlight shifts from center stage to a full blown murder mystery. This is not Miami Vice… this is murder, and you are part of the investigation.
Break out the neon, tease that hair sky high, grab your leg warmers, and channel your inner rockstar detective. From Careless Whispers to Sunglasses at Night, you will follow the clues, uncover secrets, and work to solve the crime in totally rad 80’s style.
As the mystery unfolds, enjoy a plated dinner prepared by the chefs at The Barn.
Dinner Menu (plated dinner):
Cheese & Artisan Crackers Cocktail Hour
1st Course: Bistro Garden Salad
2nd Course: Beef Tenderloin Medallions – Creamy Mashed Potatoes, Asparagus
Dessert: Cheesecake with Fresh Strawberries
(Vegetarian option: Burrata Ravioli)
Kindly inform us at the time of booking if you prefer a vegetarian selection.
Date: Friday October 30, 2026
Time: Arrive at 5:45 PM | Mystery begins at 6 PM
Location: The Barn at Wight Farm
Cost: $75 per guest (tax and gratuity not included)
A $30 deposit per person is required at booking and will be applied to your final bill.
Full cash bar available.
Get ready for a night of HALLOWEEN FUN – food, fun, nostalgia, and intrigue you will not want to miss.
If you need assistance, please call us at 774.241.8450
