Find Your Winter Wonder with Mass Audubon

Explore the Season: Winter Programs, Events & Adventures 

If you’re looking to shake off the seasonal slump, reconnect with nature, or find ways to bring your family and community together, these seasonal happenings offer a welcoming trailhead into the best of winter.  

From the thrill of owling under star lit skies and celebrating the solstice with neighbors to cozy gingerbread decorating, guided nature walks, and exploring by snowshoe, we’ll help you experience the peaks of winter on your own terms. Add in holiday shopping and festive events across the state, and you’ll find countless ways to turn winter into a season of joy, connection, and discovery. Here’s how… 

Make Gingerbread Babies at Drumlin Farm, Lincoln 

December 6-13 

Run, run as fast as you can—to Drumlin Farm for a fun day of tasty holiday adventures! Decorate gingerbread babies, read the classic story, and explore the farmyard with your little ones together. Meet animal characters from the story and savor this can’t-miss holiday staple.   

Welcome Winter at Arcadia, Easthampton 

Saturday, December 13 

Bring your family and friends to this festive gathering featuring nature-inspired crafts, engaging activities, community music-making, and live performances. Stroll through the glowing spiral pathway outlined with luminarias as you reflect on the past season and add a wish to the wishing tree to set your intentions for the days ahead. 

Can’t make Saturday? Stop by Arcadia’s Family Christmas Bird Count happening the next day, to take part in an annual bird counting tradition that’s been going strong for over a hundred years! 

Celebrate the Winter Solstice at Ipswich River, Topsfield and the Boston Nature Center, Mattapan 

Friday-Saturday, December 19-20 

The winter solstice brings the year’s fewest hours of daylight to the Northern Hemisphere. Join the longstanding tradition of honoring this time with community and light. At Ipswich River, families and adults will have the opportunity to make their own lanterns to light their way on an evening walk through the sanctuary. At the Boston Nature Center, art and nature combine, where families will channel their solstice experiences into a nature-inspired craft.  

Prowl for Owls  

Winter is prime time for owling, when many species become more vocal as they search for mates. This advantage makes a big impact when looking for the otherwise silent flyers and masters of camouflage. To experience this seasonal spectacle, Mass Audubon offers a full lineup of owl prowls, guiding you in listening for calls and looking for clues from Barred, Great Horned, Snowy, Northern Saw-whet, and more owls across Massachusetts. Some events even feature the opportunity to meet one of our resident wildlife ambassadors! 

A Nature Year: Winter Edition 

Embrace winter by learning all of the ins and outs of the natural phenomena happening close to home. In the 3-month seasons of Mass Audubon’s A Nature Year series, you’ll dig deeper into what makes winter in Massachusetts, winter. Meeting monthly from December-February, with topics specific to your community, you can find A Nature Year at: 

• Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary, Sharon 
• North River Wildlife Sanctuary, Marshfield 
• Boston Nature Center and Wildlife Sanctuary, Mattapan 
• Museum of American Bird Art Education Center, Canton 

Don’t Let Snow Stop You: Snowshoeing & Cross-Country Skiing 

Hoping for snowfall this winter? Embrace the chill by swapping out your hiking boots for snowshoes! Bring your own pair or rent snowshoes at Broad Meadow Brook in Worcester, Wachusett Meadow in Princeton,  Boston Nature Center in Mattapan, and Pleasant Valley in Lenox.  

Cross-country skiing is also permitted at some sites—bring your own pair to explore the trails in a new way.   

Shop Nature-Inspired Gifts from the Mass Audubon Shop  

Check one more thing off of your holiday list by scoring gifts from the Mass Audubon Shop early. Nature lovers of all ages will appreciate the unique crafts, accessories, apparel, and equipment—especially since your giving will support Mass Audubon’s mission to protect nature for people and wildlife too.  

Start New Traditions 

Whatever you do this winter, do it your way! Explore one of our wildlife sanctuaries at your own pace, look for what inspires you, and find a new favorite place to visit all season long. However you choose to welcome winter, there’s a spot at Mass Audubon waiting for you—full of fresh air, open space, and the promise of something new just ahead. 

Find a Place to Explore