This is the year to discover Trails & Sails: A Weekend of Walks and Water. There is a terrific line-up of events from Saturday morning through Sunday evening, September 24 and 25, that will keep you busy exploring the nooks and crannies throughout the

the Essex National Heritage Area.

Trails & Sails is the weekend of opportunities. It features two days filled with more than 150 free events hosted by more than 75 sites and organizations throughout the Essex National Heritage Area. This is your chance to finally visit the museum down the street, row a dory across the harbor, take a guided tour of the woods you commute past each day! If you haven’t been there since you were in school, this is the time to go again and take your family and friends. It is this collection of cultural, historic and natural resources that make Essex County such a wonderful place to live and work. Take this opportunity to visit, explore the resources, become a member and have some fun.

If you have participated in Trails & Sails before, there are many more new events this year ‘ more than 60% of the 2005 events are new. And if you have been trying to get on a whale watch or schooner sail for the past three years, but haven’t woken up early enough, this may be your year (we still recommend waking up early, though!).

Be Happy and Healthy!

This year’s Trails & Sails will feature a ‘heart healthy’ component, offering events that are being produced in conjunction with the North Shore Medical Center to encourage healthy living in Essex County. These events will combine heritage and health into fun, informative events.

The ENHC is extremely grateful to the Eagle Tribune, TD Banknorth, Eastern Bank, First National Bank of Ipswich, Rockport National Bank, North Shore Medical Center and Newburyport Five Cents Savings Bank for their support of Trails & Sails: A Weekend of Walks and Water.

Full Festival details can be found at www.essexheritage.org.