Beginning in 1899 as a one-day festival for employees of Amesbury’s various mills, Amesbury Days has grown into an over 120-year-old multi-day program of events, activities and celebrations drawing people from within and around the city. Little is known about that first celebration except that it began as a one-day outing at Lake Gardner for the employees of the town’s various mills. However we do know that the Second Annual Outing of the Merchants and Manufacturers of Amesbury was held on August 8th, 1900 and was promoted as “Amesbury Days at Hampton Beach.”  The beaches from Hampton to Salisbury provided backdrops for subsequent Amesbury Days until 1916 when the town’s firefighters proposed a field day at the new town park and the Amesbury Days Association voted to join them. On September 14th, 1916 the festival was moved into town and the town’s new park on Friend Street was officially dedicated. Amesbury Days has grown to a series of 15 + events for the whole family over the course of 12 days. Thanks for your interest  and we look forward to seeing you in Amesbury!