Essex County's 25th Trails & Sails Drew Tens Of Thousands

SALEM, MA — Tens of thousands of visitors from across Essex County and beyond took part in the 25th annual Trails & Sails celebration in September, according to Essex National Heritage Area.

The program highlighted history, the outdoors and the arts through free events held across the region.

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Trails & Sails is the signature event of Essex National Heritage Area. This year's program included more than 200 events, ranging from one-day presentations to two-week explorations, and spanned more than 500 individual offerings during the month.

"We are overwhelmed by the success of our 25th anniversary program," said Annie Harris, CEO of Essex National Heritage Area. "It is always exciting to share our love of this region, and this year we not only reconnected with our longtime supporters but made new connections with many first-time visitors."

All events were free because of nonprofits and local businesses that offered accessible experiences connecting people with the stories, landscapes and traditions of the region. Organizers grouped the events around the themes of Essex County Revolution 250, Outdoor Explorations, Life by the Water, and Stories We Share.

Harris thanked the organizations and staff members who helped put the monthlong event together.

"This event would not be possible without our community partners who work so diligently to share their love of Cape Ann and the Merrimack Valley," Harris said.

A small number of events were rescheduled because of inclement weather.

Essex National Heritage Commission, also known as Essex Heritage, is a nonprofit organization federally authorized to work in partnership to oversee the heritage resources of the Essex National Heritage Area. Its mission is to preserve and enhance the historic, cultural and natural resources of the Essex National Heritage Area in Essex County.

The Essex National Heritage Area was created by an act of Congress in 1996 and includes the 34 cities and towns of Essex County.

It also includes Salem Maritime National Historical Park, Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site and Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, along with state parks, conservation land, museums, historic houses and other heritage sites open to the public.