Wampanoag Heritage Day

Saturday, August 16

10 am-2 pm

Join us for the fifth annual Wampanoag Heritage Day, a fun-filled celebration of Wampanoag culture at Heritage featuring a variety of activities from 10 am-2 pm, including:

• 11:30-12:15: Watch a performance by the Wampanoag Nation Singers and Dancers of eastern social songs and dances (with audience participation encouraged!)
• Make a wampum pendant to take home by drilling a hole in a quahog shell to make a necklace pendant with native educator Darius Coombs
• Craft a corn husk doll to take home
• Explore the wetu, a reproduction of a historic dwelling, the mush8n, a reproduction dug-out canoe, and the Three Sisters demonstration garden, all created in collaboration with local Wampanoag partners
• View and learn about historic Wampanoag artifacts found on the land that is now Heritage Museums & Gardens
• Visit a native artisan to shop for handcrafted contemporary wampum jewelry

All activities are free with museum admission or membership.

Presenter/Artisan Bios:

The Wampanoag Nation Singers and Dancers are a group of musicians, educators, and artisan from the tribal communities of Mashpee on Cape Cod, Aquinnah on Martha’s Vineyard, and Herring Pond in Bourne. Their performances of eastern social songs and dances have both educated and entertained audiences of all ages in museums, schools, and various multicultural events. They dress in traditional clothing and their songs are accompanied by a water drum and handcrafted rattles. They encourage audience participation and prefer to dance with the people instead of for the people.

In addition to their performances at Heritage, they have appeared at Jacob’s Pillow, the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum, The Peabody Essex Museum, Cambridge Arts Council, The Mary Baker Library, Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center, Mashpee Powwow, Aptucxet Trading Post Museum, Stonehill College, Brown University, and more. They have toured throughout New England and as far away as Bermuda, Hawaii and the United Kingdom. For three years they have participated in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, heading up the First Light Float and delivering the televised land acknowledgement.

Darius Coombs is a citizen of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe and is the Cultural Outreach Coordinator for the Mashpee Wampanoag Education Department. Darius is the former Director of the Wampanoag Indigenous Program at Plimoth Patuxet Museums for over 30 years. Over his career Darius worked with Smithsonian, History Channel, National Geographic, and Scholastic.  His teaching of Wampanoag and other Indigenous cultures in the history of the northeast is recognized throughout the country. He has presented at conferences, colleges, historical societies, museums, indigenous institutes, and all grades and levels of learning in North America. Darius is also the recipient of the 2016 New England Museum Association Award for Excellence and the 2021 Bay State Legacy award.

Location: Check in at the Ticketing Pavilion

Highland Street Foundation Family Fun Day

Tuesday, August 26

In partnership with the Highland Street Foundation, Heritage Museums & Gardens will offer free admission on Tuesday, August 26 as part of the August Adventures program.

Returning in 2025, this popular program sponsored by the Highland Street Foundation provides free access to new and old partner organizations, highlighting the geographical and cultural diversity of the Massachusetts arts and culture community. It features 31 days of 100% free admission to 31 venues in Massachusetts. 

Hidden Hollow Birthday Bash

From 10 am-2 pm, celebrate the 15th birthday of our favorite place to explore, learn, and play outdoors with games, crafts, and special treats. Craft your own party hat, help decorate a giant birthday card, play party games, and have fun freeze dancing on the stage. At 11 am, Puppets, Paul and Mary will perform You, Me, Trees & The Sea, an interactive show about how we can all take care of the environment, on the Hidden Hollow stage. Then we’ll sing Happy Birthday and enjoy some birthday cake! The celebration will continue with special activities until 2 pm. All activities are free with admission or membership.

Puppets, Paul & Mary are an entertainment and educational duo creating musical interactive puppet performances that children of all ages and abilities are sure to enjoy. They first debuted at the Cape Rep Theater in Brewster, MA and have been traveling all over Massachusetts with their performances, delighting hundreds of children and families over the years. Paul Kehoe brings his musical talent, and Mary Wilson brings her puppetry skills to each performance that’s filled with engaging, interactive, and educational fun!

Mary Wilson is an early childhood educator and professional puppeteer with Pitter Patter Puppets. She has worked in the field of early education for over 30 years and has a contagious passion for puppets as a tool for teaching. Paul Kehoe is an elementary school teacher, professional musician and songwriter who plays guitar. His musical style is a huge hit with children of all ages.

Saturday, August 2 - This event has now passed.

Bug Out! Family Event Day

Join us for a day of family fun as we celebrate the outdoor art exhibit David Rogers’ Big Bugs and the pollinators that help Heritage’s gardens grow during National Pollinator Week with special guests, games, crafts, music, and more.

Schedule of Activities:

10 am-3 pm

Parade Field:

• Community booths: Visit the Parade Field to learn more about the efforts of organizations to preserve and protect pollinators, including:
  • Butterflies of Cape Cod
  • Global Entomology Coalition: Exploration table exhibiting some live insects and insect collections
  • Grow Native Massachusetts
  • Master Gardeners
  • Pollinator Pathway Cape Cod
• Music and Games: Dance to bug-themed music, play outdoor lawn games, and build with giant blue Imagination Playground blocks
• Hart Family Maze Garden: Take part in a pollinator activity
• Hidden Hollow features insect-themed activities
• Family Challenge – Go on a fun scavenger hunt, complete challenges along the way with your group, and collect a pollinator prize!

Timed Activities:

• 10:30 am, 11:30 am, 12:30 pm, 1:30 pm, & 2:30 pm: Story Time on the Hidden Hollow stage – every hour on the hour
• 1-1:45 pm: Toe Jam Puppet Band - Bring a blanket and join us on the lawn for this regional favorite kids’ band for music and fun at the Outdoor Concert Stage.

All extra pollinator-focused activities are free with admission or membership. No advance registration is required.

Saturday, June 21 - This event has now passed.