MARBLEHEAD EVENTS FIELD GUIDE
Colonial Craft Fair at Jeremiah Lee Mansion: A Day of Hands‑On Trades and Living History
A one‑day, six‑hour event on May 30 where artisans and reenactors demonstrate the crafts and daily life of colonial New England—this guide helps you plan a visit to the Jeremiah Lee Mansion gardens.
Colonial Craft Fair at Jeremiah Lee Mansion: A Day of Hands‑On Trades and Living History.
Step into colonial New England in the gardens of the Jeremiah Lee Mansion, where the Marblehead Museum stages a lively, hands‑on craft fair: artisans demonstrate furnituremaking, candle making, textiles and more while historic interpreters and reenactors bring 18th‑century life to vivid life.
Highlights
Outing Highlights
Reenactors and Culinary Demonstrations
Meet members of Glover’s Marblehead Regiment and watch a culinary historian work through 18th‑century recipes—hands‑on interpretation that places daily life and military presence of the era front and center.
Traditional Craft Demonstrations
From a mantuamaker and cabinetmaker to a tinsmith, chandler, gunsmith, and leatherworker, the fair showcases the tools and techniques that sustained households and maritime communities in early New England.
Jeremiah Lee Mansion Gardens
The event takes place in the gardens of the Jeremiah Lee Mansion, a lively outdoor setting that anchors demonstrations and interpretation across the site.
What the day feels like
What to Expect During the Day
Over a six‑hour span visitors stroll the mansion grounds, pause at demonstration stations where craftsmen and women work by hand, and engage with historic interpreters and reenactors to gain a sensory sense of everyday colonial life—sights, sounds and even smells—all presented by the Marblehead Museum.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who this event suits—and the practical limits to consider.
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
Saturday, May 30th, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; the event runs roughly six hours.
Jeremiah Lee Mansion Gardens, 161 Washington Street, Marblehead, MA 01945; the mansion gardens are the site for demonstrations and interpretation.
No specific gear list is provided by the operator; note that activities are set outdoors in the mansion gardens and the event may be moved indoors in the event of rain or wind.
Members: $10 per person / $25 maximum per family. Non‑members: $15 per person / $40 maximum per family. Ages 3 and under are free.
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
When and how long is the Colonial Craft Fair?
The fair takes place Saturday, May 30th from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; the event spans approximately six hours.
Where is the event held?
The fair is held in the Jeremiah Lee Mansion gardens at 161 Washington Street, Marblehead, MA 01945.
Do I need to register in advance?
Walk‑ins are welcome; pre‑registration is not required.
What are the admission prices?
Members: $10 per person with a $25 family maximum. Non‑members: $15 per person with a $40 family maximum. Children ages 3 and under are free.
What happens if it rains or is windy?
In the event of rain or wind, programming will be held inside the Lee Mansion rather than outdoors.
Who operates the Colonial Craft Fair?
The event is hosted by the Marblehead Museum.