April in New England: Top Events and Travel Deals

Spring might officially arrive in March, but April in New England is when the itch to road trip really flares up. It’s also the month when our national PBS television show Weekends with Yankee begins its 10th broadcast season on public television stations nationwide. This year’s first episode takes you behind the scenes at Tanglewood, the beloved music venue in the Berkshires, and if you haven’t purchased your tickets yet for Popular Artist Series concerts this summer, you need to act fast because this year’s impressive lineup includes not only James Taylor but other legends sure to attract sold-out crowds including Paul Simon.

If you’re looking for inspiration to get you on the move, here are our weekend-by-weekend tips on where we’d go in April 2026 if we were you, plus the inside scoop on new attractions, travel deals, and opportunities to hang out with our Yankee team.

April in New England: 2026 Top Events and Travel Deals

Weekend of April 4-5, 2026 (Easter Weekend)

Newport Night Run | Newport, RI

If you’ve been feeling cooped up on chilly nights, head to Newport, Rhode Island, on Saturday, April 4, for an after-hours 5K. Grenon’s Newport Night Run under the stars is a fundraiser for the Newport Public Education Foundation, and you’ll be glowing by the time you finish walking or running the course, even if you’re not wearing a glow stick around your neck.

Casey Farm Egg Hunt | Saunderstown, RI

The Casey family owned this coastal acreage from 1702 until 1955, and now Historic New England sustains Casey Farm as a working landscape. You can support their efforts by purchasing tickets for the 18th annual Casey Farm Egg Hunt, which is so much more than a frantic search for candy-filled eggs. Kids will love visiting the rabbits and chickens, making crafts, playing farm games, and posing for pics with the event’s “MC,” Mr. Chicken.

Weekend of April 11-12, 2026

The Elephant’s Trunk | New Milford, CT

The largest weekly flea market in New England, the Elephant’s Trunk Country Flea Market in New Milford, Connecticut, anticipates an April 12 kickoff to its 2026 season of deal- and vintage-hunting Sundays. Pro Tip: Drive your biggest vehicle because you’re going to find more here than you bargained for (I once went home with a table made from an entire tree trunk). Serious shoppers pay a premium to begin browsing as early as 5:30 a.m., but you don’t have to be an early bird to be wowed by the array of goods offered by upward of 400 vendors.

Researching Women in the American Revolution | Concord, NH

A genealogy deep dive awaits on Saturday, April 11, when the New Hampshire Historical Society reveals strategies for Researching Women in the American Revolution. Space is limited for this three-hour afternoon session, led by Melanie McComb from American Ancestors, so be sure to purchase your registration in advance.

Weekend of April 18-20, 2026

Patriots’ Day is Monday, April 20, so if you live in Maine or Massachusetts, you likely have a three-day holiday weekend. And if you don’t, why aren’t you lobbying your state representatives?

Revolutionary Commemorations | Lexington, Concord, and Arlington, MA

The 251st anniversary of “the shot heard round the world” and the outbreak of the American Revolution will be marked with myriad reenactments and events in Lexington, Concord, and Arlington, Massachusetts, throughout the weekend. Keep in mind, too, that many Massachusetts 250 programs and exhibitions will continue during the year ahead, such as the Concord Museum’s Revolutionary Legacies exhibition, which runs through September 7.

Boston Marathon | Boston, MA

Head to the Boston Marathon Fan Fest this weekend. It runs Friday, April 17, through Sunday, April 19, ahead of Monday’s 130th Boston Marathon. Yankee is proud to partner with the BAA to produce the Boston Marathon Official Program.

Kingdom Maple Festival | St. Johnsbury, VT

The iconic flavor of maple is celebrated in the sweetest ways possible at the annual Kingdom Maple Festival in the Maple Center of the World (aka St. Johnsbury, Vermont). Be there on Saturday, April 18, for pancake breakfast (of course), a Sweet Street Fair, and Vermont Folklife sugaring-themed “listening parties” at 11 a.m. and 1:30 and 3 p.m. There’ll be “maple menu takeovers” at local restaurants all weekend long.

Weekend of April 25-26, 2026

Nantucket Daffodil Festival | Nantucket, MA

Daffodils are fêted on Nantucket like nowhere else in New England the last weekend in April. Celebrations at the 50th annual Nantucket Daffodil Festival are guaranteed to be sunny, no matter the weather, so make plans early to be there for four days of events including traditions like the Antique Car Parade & Tailgate Picnic, the Daffodil Hat Pageant, and the Dog Parade.

Vermont Maple Festival | St. Albans, VT

Nothing eclipses Vermont maple! So head to St. Albans April 24-26 for the 59th annual Vermont Maple Festival, and enjoy sugarhouse tours, pancake breakfasts, a Sappy Art Show, a parade, carnival rides, the annual Sap Run 8.5-mile race, and more syrupy goodness. New this year, in celebration of National Poetry Month, the Eloquent Page Book Store hosts a contest for writers of all ages with a “Sweet Taste of Spring” theme.

Seaweed Saturday | Portland, ME

The highlight of Maine Seaweed Week (April 24-May3) is Seaweed Saturday on April 25, when the Gulf of Maine Research Institute hosts a free day of tastings, conversations, art, and shopping, all focused around the booming seaweed industry in the state. Can’t get to Portland on Saturday? North America’s largest seaweed food and drink festival continues throughout the week with tours and events, plus themed menus at dozens of participating restaurants statewide.

New England Folk Festival | Marlborough, MA

The 82nd annual New England Folk Festival in Marlborough, Massachusetts, is a celebration of traditional dance, music, food, and crafts from diverse cultures. With close to 1,000 performers, you’ll be entertained every moment. More than 50 artisans and vendors will sell their wares at the Festival Marketplace. Expect plentiful opportunities to get on your feet or make something with your own hands.

Newburyport Literary Festival | Newburyport, MA

Celebrating its 21st year in 2026, the Newburyport Literary Festival runs April 24-26, but the big day is Saturday, when there are free author readings and other events all day, all over town. If you’re an aspiring writer, check out Sunday’s roster of workshops. Make an immersive weekend of it by reserving tickets for Friday’s welcome event with the authors—they’re $50 in advance or at the door.

Fine Art & Flowers | Hartford, CT

America’s oldest continuously operating public art museum, Hartford’s Wadsworth Atheneum, shows off floral artistry in two and three dimensions during the 43rd annual Fine Art & Flowers exhibition, April 24-26. You’ll see magnificent fresh arrangements by floral designers alongside the art masterpieces that inspired them. Make a weekend of it by checking out the budding culinary scene in West Hartford.

New This April in New England | 2026

261, A Women’s Sports Pop-Up | Boston, MA

Through April 30, 261 at Para Maria, inside Boston’s Envoy Hotel, celebrates women athletes, from the basketball players competing in this month’s NCAA Final Four to members of Boston’s new National Women’s Soccer League team, Boston Legacy FC. The name, 261, is inspired by the bib number worn by Kathrine Switzer, the first woman to officially run the Boston Marathon. An exhibition of Boston Globe photography of women competing is open free during all Para Maria operating hours. Stop in to watch a game or a match and enjoy food and drinks in this inspiring setting.

April’s Best Travel Deals

~ This is not a prank! For 24 hours only on April 1 (April Fools’ Day), take 20% off a 2026 stay at one of Kennebunkport Resort Collection’s Maine hotels.

~ Be your kids’ superhero when you book an overnight stay at Boston Harbor Hotel, which is transforming into Harbor Hero Academy Headquarters April 21-22, during Massachusetts schools’ spring break. You’ll save 50% on luxurious lodgings and enjoy on-site activations like Superhero Brunch and a complimentary Spring Break Movie Night.

Yankee Out & About

Write Place, Write Time at Ocean Edge Resort | Brewster, MA

Make reservations this month to join Yankee for a Cape Cod writing retreat at Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club. Write Place, Write Time, scheduled for the weekend of May 15-17, is designed to foster community, self-expression, and creativity. Our focus will be on the wellness benefits of letter writing, both for you and the recipient! Book now, and give yourself a gift that has the potential for ROI—Ripples of Impact—in your life and in the lives of people you love.

What are you excited to do this April in New England? Let us know in the comments below!

Kim Knox Beckius

Kim Knox Beckius is Yankee's travel & branded content editor. A longtime freelance writer/photographer and Yankee contributing editor based in Connecticut, she has explored every corner of the region while writing six books on travel in the Northeast and contributing updates to New England guidebooks published by Fodor's, Frommer's, and Michelin. For more than 20 years, Kim served as New England Travel Expert for TripSavvy (formerly About.com). She is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and is frequently called on by the media to discuss New England travel and events. She is likely the only person who has hugged both Art Garfunkel and a baby moose.

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