Dear EHSSM Community, 

Spring has officially arrived in Essex with the return of the Alewives as they make their 

annual migration from the Atlantic Ocean → the Essex River → the Alewife Brook→ Chebacco Lake, where they spawn. 

To celebrate, we are throwing the 1st Annual Alewife Festival to honor this ecological wonder at our shipyard. 

Saturday, May 16, 2026 | 4pm – 7pm (Rain Date: May 17)

EHSSM Shipyard, 66 Main St, Essex, MA

Free to the public; donations to support EHSSM are welcome.

• Educational Adventure: Families can participate in a "Herring Obstacle Course," mimicking the difficult upstream journey of the Alewife, along with educational arts and crafts.

• Local Flavors: The Lunch Lady food truck will be on-site serving local favorites, paired with a pop-up beer garden hosted by Rockport Brewing Co.

     Come for the science and family-friendly fun, stay for the community party!

The Alewife Festival extends EHSSM’s mission to celebrate the stories of the shipyard and the waterways that sustain it. By connecting the community to this annual migration, the museum highlights the deep-rooted relationship between the town’s shipbuilding legacy and the health of its natural environment.

The festival is the culmination of a month-long educational push, featuring two Alewife-themed lectures at the EHSSM School House:

• May 5 @ 7:00 pm: Neil Shea of the Ipswich River Watershed Association (IRWA) will discuss the human-made obstacles, such as dams and culverts, that challenge the Alewife’s migration.

• May 12 @ 7:00 pm: Joe Hoelbeche of the Massachusetts Dept. of Marine Fisheries will explore the general life history and ecological significance of the Essex Alewife run.