Two brass cannons cast in 1836 are coming to Beverly Harbor on October 10. They belong to the Concord Independent Battery, and they will fire during the first on-water reenactment of the Battle of the Hannah and Nautilus. That is one of seven fall events in Beverly MA closing out the city’s 400th anniversary year. Beverly 400+, formally Beverly Quadricentennial, Inc., is the nonprofit running the celebration. The fall lineup runs from Sunday, September 20 through Sunday, November 29, 2026. First, it opens with Beverly HarborFest at Lynch Park. Finally, it closes with the Beverly Holiday Parade down Cabot Street, themed “Celebrating 400 Years of Beverly.” In between come the Beverly Police Car Show, Bark in the Park, the Hannah and Nautilus reenactment, a Cars for Charity show at Cummings Center, and an Indigenous Peoples PowWow at Endicott College. Every one of them is free to attend. Here is the full schedule, plus how to get involved.
What fall events in Beverly MA are still coming up?
The lineup opens this Sunday, September 20, with the 15th annual Beverly HarborFest at Lynch Park. If you are reading this after the 20th, don’t worry. Six more events stretch through late November, and four of the seven happen at or launch from Lynch Park.
Beverly 400+ has been building toward this stretch all year. The 61st Beverly Homecoming ran July 26 through August 9. Then the first-ever Garden Party filled Beverly Common on August 8. We photographed that one. Most recently, Beverly 400+ partnered with Endicott College on a 25th-anniversary 9/11 memorial ceremony on Friday, September 11. Endicott President Bryan Cain hosted it at the college’s amphitheater. Notably, the color guard, the trumpeters, the Endicott Singers, a Beverly Middle School student, and Student Government President Vanessa Hurley were all born after 2001.
So the fall is where things to do in Beverly this fall really pile up. There is a police car show, a dog festival, a Revolutionary War battle on the water, a charity auto show, a powwow at Endicott, and a 1.7-mile holiday parade. Every event is free. The calendar runs through November 29, 2026.
Fall events in Beverly MA: the complete 2026 schedule
Here is the full Beverly 400 fall schedule, in order.
Beverly HarborFest 2026 (15th annual)
Sunday, September 20 | 1:00–5:00 PM | Lynch Park, 55 Ober Street | Free
The Beverly Harbor Management Authority hosts it. Specifically, HarborFest fills Lynch Park with educational activities, lawn games, live music, food, and climate awareness programming. It is a waterfront party first and a science fair second, and both parts work.
Event page
Beverly Police Car Show & Food Truck Event (5th annual)
Sunday, September 27 | 11:00 AM–3:00 PM | Lynch Park | Free for spectators; $15 vehicle entry (cash or Venmo, day-of only)
The Beverly Police Department brings classic and custom cars, food trucks, and a DJ spinning 50s and 60s music. A Police Cruiser Light-Off happens at noon, followed by a K-9 demonstration at 1:00 PM. Note: no pets at the K-9 demo. Proceeds benefit the North Shore Warriors Powerlifting Program.
Event details
Bark in the Park
Sunday, October 4 | 11:00 AM–3:00 PM | Beverly High School, 100 Sohier Road | Free (rain date: October 18)
A Beverly 400+ signature event. Here, dogs and their people can take part in races, a costume contest, a talent show, local dog-focused vendors, and food trucks. Pet-based vendors can still apply through Friday, September 25.
Beverly 400+ event page | CC listing
Historic Battle of the Hannah and Nautilus reenactment on the water
Saturday, October 10 | Arrive 8:30 AM; battle 9:00–11:00 AM | Dane Street Beach, Beverly | Free
Park free at Lynch Park (55 Ober Street) and take the complimentary shuttle to Dane Street Beach. Trombones 4 Revolution performs as spectators gather. Then the Concord Independent Battery, chartered in 1804, fires two live brass cannons, both cast in 1836. This is a Beverly 400+ signature event with major support from the Beverly Harbor Management Authority.
Event page
Cars for Charity Show (Solomon Fund)
Sunday, October 18 | 9:00 AM–12:00 PM | Cummings Center, Beverly | Free for spectators; donations requested
Expect exotics, collector cars, vintage rides, and muscle cars across the Cummings Center lot. Net proceeds go to Lifebridge, Amirah, Beverly Bootstraps, The Pelican Fund, and CCCBSD. Food vendor Flip the Bird gives 15% of its proceeds. It is a Beverly 400+ partnered event, and Beverly’s second charity car show in three weeks. Also note: October 18 is the rain date for Bark in the Park.
solomonfundcarshow.com
Indigenous Peoples PowWow at Endicott
Sunday, November 8 | 12:00–5:00 PM | Endicott College, Beverly | Free and open to all
Beverly 400+ presents this afternoon with the Ohketeau Cultural Center, the only Native-founded, Native-run cultural center in Central and Western Massachusetts. Ohketeau means “a place to plant and grow” in the Nipmuc language. Expect traditional Native American dance, drumming, storytelling, and crafts. Family friendly.
Event page
Beverly Holiday Parade 2026
Sunday, November 29 | Kickoff 1:00 PM, wraps around 3:00 PM | Cabot Street, Beverly | Free to watch
A Beverly tradition since 1947, run by Beverly Holiday Parade, Inc. This year’s theme is “Celebrating 400 Years of Beverly.” The 1.7-mile route starts at Beverly High School (100 Sohier Road), runs down Cabot Street past the City Hall viewing stand, and ends at Beverly Depot (10 Park Street). Float registration is open.
Float registration
What is the Battle of the Hannah and Nautilus?
This is one of the lesser-told stories of the American Revolution, and Beverly holds a direct piece of it. In September 1775, the schooner Hannah, owned by John Glover of Marblehead and chartered by George Washington, sailed from Beverly. Many historians consider her the first armed vessel of Washington’s navy. Then, on October 10, 1775, the British sloop Nautilus chased the Hannah back into Beverly Harbor. Both vessels grounded. Consequently, Beverly and Salem militia fired on the Nautilus from shore for roughly four hours, until the tide freed her around 8:00 PM. No American lives were lost.
On October 10, 2026, Beverly puts that engagement back on the water. Here is the detail we have not seen anywhere else: the reenactment lands exactly 251 years to the day after the real battle. Spectators will watch from Dane Street Beach this year. Independence Park, renovated for the 400th as a Beverly 400+ legacy project, sits right above the beach, but the new grass needs time to take root before crowds walk on it. Beverly 400+ President Todd Rotondo confirmed the change to us on September 20. The Beverly Community Preservation Committee, the Commonwealth, Beverly Rotary, Essex Heritage, Beverly 400+, and several city departments funded the work. The park carries its own weight beyond the battle. On July 17, 1776, Col. John Glover gave one of the earliest public readings of the Declaration of Independence on that same ground.
Specifically, here is what to expect on October 10. Arrive by 8:30 AM to catch Trombones 4 Revolution. The battle begins at 9:00 AM and runs to about 11:00 AM. Parking near Dane Street Beach is tight, so park at Lynch Park (55 Ober Street) and take the free shuttle to Dane Street Beach. No ticket. No charge.
How do you get involved in the Beverly Holiday Parade 2026?
First, float registration is open now at beverlyholidayparade.org. Beverly Holiday Parade, Inc. has run the parade since 1947, and this year’s theme, “Celebrating 400 Years of Beverly,” ties the tradition directly to the quadricentennial. Local businesses, neighborhoods, schools, and community groups are all invited to build a float. If your business has never been in it, this is the year.
Beyond the parade, Beverly 400+ offers three more ways to take part:
What’s Your Story, Bev? Submit a Beverly story at beverly400.org/stories. You can record a two-minute audio or video, upload up to three photos, or type a story of up to 400 words. Send questions to stories@beverly400.org.
The B4 Podcast. Hosted by Lindsay Barth, the B4 Podcast runs on YouTube at @VideoBeverly400. In the newest episode, Paul Earl, chair of the Beverly Harbor Management Authority, talks HarborFest history and the coming Hannah and Nautilus reenactment.
Bark in the Park vendors. Pet-based vendors can still apply through Friday, September 25 at the vendor application.
Frequently asked questions
What is Beverly 400+?
Beverly 400+, formally Beverly Quadricentennial, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2023. It runs the yearlong celebration of Beverly’s 1626 settlement. The organization has coordinated events from Beverly Homecoming through the full fall calendar. Find the complete schedule at beverly400.org.
Are all the Beverly 400 fall events free to attend?
Yes. In fact, spectators pay nothing at any of the seven events. The Beverly Police Car Show charges $15 for vehicle entry only, day-of, cash or Venmo. The Cars for Charity Show requests donations. Every other event, including the Hannah reenactment, the PowWow, and the Beverly Holiday Parade, is entirely free to watch and attend.
Where do most fall events happen in Beverly?
Four of the seven events take place at or launch from Lynch Park at 55 Ober Street. For instance, HarborFest and the Police Car Show both happen there. The Hannah reenactment offers free parking at Lynch Park with a shuttle to Dane Street Beach. Bark in the Park moves to Beverly High School. The PowWow is at Endicott College.
How can I keep up with Beverly 400+ news?
Visit beverly400.org for the full event calendar. The B4 Podcast, hosted by Lindsay Barth, publishes new episodes on YouTube at @VideoBeverly400. You can also share a Beverly memory at beverly400.org/stories, or find Beverly 400+ in the Creative Collective directory for ongoing coverage.
From the harbor to Cabot Street
The fall events in Beverly MA trace a line across the city. They start on the water at HarborFest, return to the water for the Hannah and Nautilus, and end on Cabot Street with a parade. That is four centuries of Beverly in one season, and none of it costs a ticket.
Creative Collective sits at the intersection of tourism, arts, small business, and city hall across Essex County. We also call The Bower at Montserrat College of Art in Beverly home, so this lineup lands close to our front door. We covered Homecoming and photographed the Garden Party. We plan to be at Dane Street Beach on October 10. Come find us.
About the author: John Andrews is Founder & President of Creative Collective, covering small business, arts, and community across Essex County. He photographed the Beverly 400+ Garden Party on Beverly Common on August 8, 2026.
This story comes from the Creative Collective community — Essex County businesses who believe when we thrive together, our whole region becomes more vibrant. We’re entrepreneurs, creators, and service providers across all industries, collaborating to build the community we want to be part of. If you see your business as more than just commerce — as a way to contribute to our regional ecosystem — you belong here. Discover how to join our community →
