Amesbury Days set for this weekend
Jun. 25—AMESBURY — Hungry dinosaurs will be seen at Heritage Park on Saturday as the 121st Amesbury Days celebration begins.
The weeklong celebration of all things Carriagetown includes the third annual Amesbury Beer and Music Walk taking place tonight, June 25, at several Water Street and Oakland Street locations, including The Shed at iMarc and the Chestnut Innovation Center, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Eli Bailin is the organizer of Amesbury Days, which was canceled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He said tickets for the Beer and Music Walk sold out about two weeks ago but he is looking forward to doing more in the near future.
Heritage Park in the the Lower Millyard will be the setting for a more family-friendly event Saturday when a free screening of Steven Spielberg's 1993 classic "Jurassic Park" will play just as the sun begins to go down at roughly 9 p.m.
An Amesbury Days citywide yard sale will be held Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., and drone racing featuring North East Racing Drones will take flight at Woodsom Farm on Sunday at 4 p.m.
The Studio 2: Beatles Tribute Band will perform a free concert in the Upper Millyard Amphitheater on Monday from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Another free, family-friendly favorite, Kids Night, will be held at Heritage Park on Tuesday from 5 to 7 p.m.
Anyone age 18 and over can head to Heritage Park on Thursday for Comedy Night, featuring well-known, Boston area comics Steve Sweeney, Dave Russo, Jim Colliton and Carolyn Plummer. Showtime is 8 p.m. Tickets for Comedy Night are $12 and available at www.eventbrite.com/e/amesbury-days-comedy-night-tickets-157331539871.
"People can feel free to bring their own lawn chairs and some food and nonalcoholic beverages," Bailin said. "But we will have beer and wine for sale at the location."
"Dirty Dancing," starring Patrick Swayze, will be the Date Night movie. It will be shown at Heritage Park on July 2 at roughly 9 p.m.
The second annual New England Kendama Classic will take place in the park July 3 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Kendama is a personal favorite of Bailin, who promised some of the best kendama players from around the country will be headed to the city next weekend.
July 3 will be a big day for the celebration and will begin with The Amesbury Days 5K, which will start at Heritage Park at 9 a.m. Register at www.millenniumrunning.com/amesbury5k#details.
"We are expecting between 700 and 800 runners," Bailin said. "This will be a run and walk and is being produced in partnership with Green Stride and Millennium Running, which is the top endurance event producer in the Northeast. They always put on a fantastic event."
The Amesbury Days Scavenger Hunt will be held that day from 2 to 4 p.m. and features more than $1,000 in prizes. Sign up at www.eventbrite.com/e/2021-amesbury-days-scavenger-hunt-registration-155718753985.
The annual fireworks will also make a return to the city on July 4.
The free, traditional event will take place at Woodsom Farm and the fuses will be lighted at 9:30 p.m.
"We are expecting a much-larger-than-average crowd this year," Bailin said. "For people who are planning on coming, we ask that they carpool if possible. Also, if you can, walk from the downtown. We will also have a band playing beginning at 6 p.m. and many food vendors will be there."
The Amesbury Days sponors are Amesbury Chevrolet, Shea Concrete Products, the Institution for Savings, Morrill Electric, ARC Technologies, TD Gymnastics, Gould Insurance, The Amesbury Lions Club, the Merrimack Valley Animal Hospital, Dolan Financial Services and Newburyport Bank.
The Amesbury Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring both movie nights.
Staff writer Jim Sullivan covers Amesbury and Salisbury for The Daily News. He can be reached via email at jsullivan@newburyportnews.com or by phone at 978-961-3145. Follow him on Twitter @ndnsully.
Editor's note: This story corrects the date of the Beer and Music Walk to tonight, June 25, which was incorrect in an earlier version.
