If you would like to find out how to participate in one or more scheduled Amesbury Days event, please use our contact page to drop us a note. We will contact you with information about Town of Amesbury requirements for vendors, booth prices, available time slots, etc.

Now, residents who want to ditch the flotsam and jetsam from their garages and attics have TWO great ways to sell it during Amesbury Days: from their own homes, or at a central location downtown.

That’s right! Now, if you don’t want people coming to your home to root through your stuff and hassle you about whether you’d be willing to sell that nice armoire before the sale actually begins, you can sign up for a yard sale display booth at downtown.

Details will be announced soon. If you’re interested in receiving more info, use our contact page to drop us a note.

If you are an entertainer, promoter, or event planner, please note that Amesbury Days 2012 will begin on SATURDAY, June 23, 2012 and run through SATURDAY, June 30, 2012, with fireworks following at Woodsom Farm on July 4.

We look forward to hearing from you if you would like to be considered for inclusion as an Amesbury Days event. Please use our contact page to get in touch.

Email your images to us and we will include as many as possible (along with a credit line) in our soon-to-be-posted gallery.

Please consult this page or the Amesbury Days Facebook page for any changes to the above.

(NOTE: If the event is cancelled due to weather, we will reschedule it for late August/early September.)

Mid-afternoon today the heat and humidity at Woodsom Farm was thick and soupy. We knew a cell was moving our way, but the 3pm radar made the impending storm look manageable and fleeting. Amesbury Days volunteers busily set up signs and guided vendors to their spots. We assumed that at worst we were in for a 10-minute shower, and at that point we welcomed the thought of a little precipitation and a drop in temperature.

The first inkling that our bunions were wrong came when we talked with the ReMax hot air balloon pilot. He informed us that the FAA had grounded the project for an unforeseen length of time, due to the unsettled atmosphere. Shortly thereafter, the wind shifted and hulking mounds of cumulonimbus clouds bubbled and frothed, darkening the northwest sky and turning our farm from the Shire to Mordor.

Next thing we knew, everyone was running for cover. The cell was directly overhead and building. Walls of rain pommeled our cars and the vendors’ tents. The canopy on Adele Faso’s Maggie Sundae display filled with so much water that it would have collapsed if not for the help she received from fellow vendors. Musicians from the Merrimack Valley Concert Band rushed to shelter their instruments, protect the sound equipment, and find shelter.

Little did we know that during this time, the Amesbury Days website received so many hits that it crashed from the overload. Fortunately, our Facebook team, Kimberly and Frank Czar, phoned us with the news. “Are the fireworks still on?” they asked. “Yes!” we said. They provided an update on the Facebook page,  and we got the amesburydays.org site rebooted.

The maelstrom lasted how long? A half hour? Hour? We lost track of time. But as we kept our eyes fixed on the northwest, we saw signs of a break. Slivers of light, then blue sky amidst the gray and ochre. People trickled in, the band began to play, children danced, puffs of mist rose from the creases of the drumlins, and a rainbow appeared in the southeast. We heard the director whisper to his musicians: “Too bad we didn’t rehearse Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”

The time is now 9:05pm. This volunteer is back home, drying off and fielding phone calls and emails from fireworks fans hoping to get to the farm in time. Meanwhile, the Lake Attitash Association volunteers are still working, crusted in mud, to solicit donations for Amesbury Days and lake cleanup.

God bless America…and God bless good friends and helping hands. We couldn’t have gotten through the storm otherwise. Once again, Amesbury showed what it’s made of. And it’s all good.   

– kate broughton

Please note that Lions Mouth Road traffic is now closed from both directions, but you can park in the Amesbury High School lot and walk the short distance (roughly 0.75 miles) to the farm.

Bring a sweater. Hard to believe, but the storm helped drop the temperature and usher in a welcome, cooling breeze.

PS – Please patronize our vendors. They braved the storm, got soaked, and perhaps even lost merchandise due to the maelstrom. We hope you will reward their steadfastness by purchasing some of their wares.

Q. I have never been to Woodsom Farm. What can I expect?
A. Woodsom Farm is one of Amesbury’s open space gems. Located on Lions Mouth Road a scant two miles from Town Hall (see map below), the 370-acre property is a beautiful, bucolic setting of prime pastureland, bird nesting sites, drumlin hills, and wetlands. Come early to enjoy walking the trails, and bring a camera to capture a spectacular sunset.

Q. Is there a charge to attend the fireworks?
A. No, but we encourage donations to help defray the costs. Please look for the Amesbury Days volunteers in the bright yellow shirts.

Q. When do the fireworks begin?
A. The fireworks are scheduled to begin at 9:15pm.

Q. What should I bring to the fireworks display?
A. Be sure to bring a blanket, pillows, and other comfort items that will ensure a pleasant experience. Alcoholic beverages are not allowed. Dress appropriately, bring some bug repellant, and relax. There will be food, beverage, and novelties vendors on hand (glow sticks, balloons, etc); many of them do not accept credit cards, so it’s a good idea to have cash with you. Also, please bring some spare change to donate to our fundraising team.

Q. How soon should I arrive at Woodsom Farm?
A. That depends on what you want to do. We have wonderful carnival midway games beginning at 5pm, and ReMax Hot Air Balloon rides beginning at 5:30pm. The Merrimack Valley Concert Band begins at 7pm. In between we have vendors, balloon twisters, and more. We recommend that you arrive asap to secure a place on the hill and avoid traffic jams.

Q. How late can I arrive?
A. Lions Mouth Road will be closed to ALL automobile traffic by approximately 8pm. All in-bound traffic from the Kimball Road area will be re-directed to the Farm via alternate routes starting around 6:30pm.

Q. Where and when should I park?
A. If you come early enough (say, 6pm at the latest), you can probably finding parking spaces on the grounds of Woodsom Farm. If you arrive later than that, you will have other options all within an easy walk of the farm:

• Cashman Elementary School, Lions Mouth Road – 1/4 mile walk to Woodsom Farm
• Amesbury High School, Highland Street – 1/2 mile walk to Woodsom Farm
• Water Street Parking Lot (off Elm Street) – 2 mile walk to Woodsom Farm
• Friend Street Parking Lot – 2 mile walk to Woodsom Farm
• All Saints Anglican Church (Friend Street) – 1.75 mile walk to Woodsom Farm

View Amesbury/Woodsom Farm Fireworks Parking in a larger map

Q. What happens when the fireworks are over?
A. To ensure a smooth flow of traffic, vehicles will be routed one of two ways: back through town, or along the back roads. If you are directed to follow the latter route and you aren’t familiar with Amesbury, don’t be alarmed. Signs will point the way back to town. Drive safely!

Q. What if it rains?
A. The rain date for fireworks is Tuesday, July 5.

Q. How will I know if the fireworks have been cancelled due to inclement weather?
A. We will post an announcement on the website.

When you donate, you will receive a ticket stub that will put your name into the pot for prize drawings when Amesbury Days is over.

Be sure to save your stub!!! We will announce winners (and prizes) online on July 11. Check the website to see if you have the winning number!

WARNING: Henry involves innocent bystanders in his act.

Thursday, June 30, 7-8pm in the Millyard Amphitheater.