Highland Street Foundation, in partnership with the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation, is supporting a series of events and activities for Massachusetts families during the February school vacation week, including nature walks at Mass Audubon sites, story walks in City of Boston parks, as well as hours of free access at the Franklin Park and Buttonwood zoos.
In addition to live events and activities, where social distancing and public health guidelines will be followed, there are also virtual programs through the Boston Public Library and Commonwealth Shakespeare.
Some events require prior registration and capacity at some venues is limited, so please check the full schedule below for further details.
For other questions or additional information, please contact Brian McNulty at the Highland Street Foundation: bmcnulty@highlandstreet.org.
BOSTON HARBOR NOW, BOSTON, MA
Waterfront Bingo All Week
Explore the Waterfront in a whole new way! Find hidden treasures, wildlife, history, public art, places to play and get moving on the Harborwalk during vacation week.
Pick up your special February Vacation Week edition of Waterfront Bingo at the Boston Harbor Islands Welcome Center downtown from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday February 17 or Thursday February 18. Complete your board by March 19, 2021 and be entered to win a $1000 college scholarship!
Click here to download your Bingo board.
BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY (VIRTUAL)
Various Programs All Week
Interested in music, art, biology? The Boston Public Library presents a number of programs during February school vacation week. Something for everyone, ages 0-18.
Click here to register.
BUTTONWOOD PARK ZOO, NEW BEDFORD, MA
Free Admission on Thursday, February 18
Hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.. Advanced registrations are required and will be issued on a first come first serve basis. Capacity is 900 people for the day.
Address: 425 Hawthorn Street, New Bedford, MA 02740
Winter is the perfect time to visit Buttonwood Park Zoo in New Bedford! Home to many cold weather loving species, it’s a great chance to see the antics of adorable red pandas, playful river otters and lumbering black bears. Charlie’s Nature Play is open and the possibilities for fun are endless! Take a walk on the wild side with BPZOO!
Click here to register.
CITY OF BOSTON PARKS & RECREATION
Storywalks all month at 5 Boston locations
StoryWalks are an innovative and delightful way for children and adults to enjoy reading and the outdoors at the same time. Laminated pages from a children’s book are attached to wooden stakes, which are installed along an outdoor path. As you stroll throughout the park, you’re directed to the next page in the story. StoryWalk installations will run from
Friday, February 12, through Friday, March 12. Locations include:
• Brighton Common, 30 Chestnut Hill Avenue, Brighton
• Franklin Park, 50 Walnut Avenue, Roxbury
• Iacono Park, 150 Readville Street, Hyde Park
• Adams Park, 4225 Washington Street, Roslindale
• Lopresti Park, 33 Sumner Street, East Boston
Click here for more information.
COMMONWEALTH SHAKESPEARE COMPANY (VIRTUAL)
Shakespeare through design: a video series for kids and families
This February, CSC brings Shakespeare to life in your home. Join professional theater artists as they take you into the process of creating a design for the theater in our series of 20-minute videos perfect for kids and families who want to learn the answers to these questions and more.
CSC will produce a series of two 20-minute videos by costume designer Brooke Stanton and scenic designer Efren Delgadillo Jr. Brooke covers costume designs for Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Efren presents scenic designs for Romeo and Juliet. Videos are available to stream on CSC’s website starting Monday, February 15.
Click here to view.
DISCOVERY MUSEUMS, ACTON, MA
Free Admission on Wednesday, February 17
Hours of operation are 9 – 11 a.m., 12 – 2 p.m., and 3 – 4:30 pm. Advance registrations are required to visit and will be issued on a first come first serve basis; no walk-ins are accepted, including to the outdoor exhibits. Capacity is 165 people for the day.
Discovery Museum is a hands-on museum for families that blends science, nature, and play. The Museum offers outdoor experiences year-round in addition to interactive indoor STEM exhibits. Outdoor experiences include the accessible, 550 sq ft Discovery Treehouse and nature playscape; sock skating rink; da Vinci Outdoors experiences including a 13’ giant Lever; the Adventure Hill slide, scramble, and climb; and many more outdoor surprises throughout campus. Discovery Museum is open with COVID safety protocols in place including limited capacity and masks required for ages 2 and up.
Address: 177 Main Street, Acton, MA 01720
Click here to register.
FRANKLIN PARK ZOO, BOSTON, MA
Free Admission on Tuesday, February 16 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Advance registrations are required and will be issued on a first come first serve basis. Capacity is 560 people for the day.
Address: One Franklin Park Road, Boston, MA 02121
Click here to register.
GORE PLACE WALKING TOUR, WALTHAM, MA
Daily tour February 15-19, starting at 11 a.m..
Advanced tickets required and must be purchased by 9 a.m. morning of tour. Tours last 45 minutes are limited to 10 guests. Code for free ticket: gorewalk
Address: 52 Gore Street, Waltham, MA 02453
Walk the grounds of the estate and learn the history of Gore Place as a country seat and working farm of the early 1800s. A wealthy Boston couple, Christopher Gore and his wife Rebecca developed their estate in Waltham over several decades. Gore called it “My farm at Waltham.” Gore was a founding member of the Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture (est. 1792) and was innovative in his methods of farming. This tour uses Gore’s letters and the journal of his farm manager, Jacob Farwell, among other sources, to tell the story of farming on the estate in the early 1800s.Gore Place has restored the mansion, carriage house and farmer’s cottage; and kept the original 50 acres of what was a 200-acre farm.
Click here to register.
MASSACHUSETTS AUDUBON SOCIETY
Free admission at 5 locations – one per day
Get outside and explore one of these five wildlife sanctuaries during Mass Audubon’s Winter Recess. Every day during the week of February 15–19, you can visit a different wildlife sanctuary for free. To allow us to safely manage the number of people on the trails or in a gallery at any given time, we are using an Entry & Parking Reservation system. All tickets must be obtained online in advance—you will not be able to get tickets onsite.
Click here to register