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The herring have been running at this time of year “since time immemorial,” said Kim VanWormer, guest experience manager and miller at Plimoth Patuxet Museums.
And so they will this year. The Herring Run Festival at the Plimoth Grist Mill and Jenney Pond Park will “run” from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 26, highlighting the importance of the fish, recognizing Earth Day, and offering plenty of free fun and educational activities.
“Tens of thousands of [herring] swim up from the coast to Billington Sea, where they spawn,” VanWormer said. “Mother Nature permitting,” she said, there will be plenty of the anadromous fish (they live in salt water, but spawn in fresh water) swimming up Town Brook. VanWormer said herring numbers have improved over the years, largely thanks to the town’s restoration of the waterway.
Historically, the fish were vital to the survival of the Indigenous people who lived in the area, as well as to the Pilgrims. Herring provided food for them in early spring, and a source of fertilizer for growing corn.
The festival will feature booths and tables from community organizations, along with activities and games. You can walk into a giant, inflatable whale named “Salt” while a naturalist talks about the giant creatures. There will be a trailer with stuffed animals and birds that are representative of local wildlife. You can unpack the organs of an “anatomically correct dolphin model” from the Whale and Dolphin Conservation center.
Food vendors will be on hand, and there will be a beer garden hosted by local brewery Independent Fermentation, offering its herring-themed brew, “Anadromous Ale.” Paul Nixon, who owns IndieFerm, will perform with his band Shady Roosters.
The grist mill will operate from 1 to 3 p.m. Admission is free for Plymouth residents, but others have to pay – $11 for adults, and $8 for children.
A rain date is set for Sunday, April 27, if there is “torrential” precipitation. VanWormer suggests parking downtown and walking through Brewster Gardens or getting a free ride on a Ride Circuit electric vehicle. Parking at Jenney Pond will be limited this year because of ongoing restoration and repair work.
To get an idea of what the runs look like, take a look at the fish camera on the town’s monitoring site.
Monday, April 14
MIY Studio invites you to learn how to make felted eggs at Uva Wine Bar, 46 Main St., starting at 7 p.m. Fiber artist Kati Carloni will guide you through 2D and 3D needle felting techniques in this beginner-friendly class. The bar opens at 6 p.m., giving you time to settle in with a glass of wine or beer. Supplies and materials are included. Tickets are $45, and you can buy them here.
“Penguin Lessons,” starring Steve Coogan, continues at the Plimoth Cinema at Plimoth Patuxet Museums, 137 Warren Ave., along with “The Friend,” starring Naomi Watts and Bill Murray. Starting on Friday, April 18, “One to One: John & Yoko,” will begin screening. The film brings to light previously unseen footage of John Lennon and Yoko Ono during the early 1970s. “The President’s Wife,” starring Catherine Deneuve and Michel Vuillermoz, will also open on Friday, April 18. The film chronicles the rise of Bernadette Chirac, a “woman-behind-the-man.” It’s based on true events when Jacques Chirac was elected president of France in 1995. Film times are 4:30 and 7 p.m. Tickets are $12.50, $11 with a club card, $10 for seniors or members, and $8.50 for seniors with a club card.
Wednesday, April 16
Read to a Dog with Abby at the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St., from 4 to 5 p.m. Children under 12 who can read independently can sign up for a 15-minute session with the non-judgmental golden retriever, who is a certified therapy dog. Registration is required, and you can do so here.
Friday, April 18
Blues musician Chris Cain will perform at the Spire at 8 p.m., with doors opening at 7 p.m. His latest album, “Good Intentions Gone Bad,” was released last July. Singer, songwriter, and guitarist Cain was inspired by such greats as Grant Green, Wes Montgomery, B.B. King, and Albert King. He’s been touring for more than 30 years and has 15 albums to his name. Tickets are $32.40 and $36, and you can get them here.
Saturday, April 19
Jimmy Tingle will perform his comedy one-man show, “Humor and Hope for Humanity,” at the Spire at 8 p.m., with doors opening at 7 p.m. A Cambridge native, Tingle has been performing his comedy for decades and does not shy away from making fun of politics. His recently released documentary, “Jimmy Tingle: The ‘Radical’ Middle – Why Would a Comedian Run for Office?” covers his run for lieutenant governor in Massachusetts, and is available on YouTube. Tickets for the show are $27 and $30, and you can get them here.
Inebri-Art and Plymouth Pride will host Arts & Crafts on the Green, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The family-friendly event is free, and features local artists and artisans making and selling their creations on the Town Hall Green, 26 Court St. There will also be live performances by local musicians to add to the festive atmosphere. Artists or musicians interested in being vendors should email inebriart@yahoo.com.
Sunday, April 20
1620 Winery, 55 Cordage Park Circle, will celebrate the holiday with a family-friendly Easter Brunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.in the winery’s “rustic and elegant ballroom.” Along with the menu – one mimosa per adult, and a cash bar -there will be live music by Little Miss & the Boom. The cost is $55 per person, or $10 for children under 12 (chicken fingers and fries provided for them). Get your reservation and tickets here.
Wednesday, April 23
The Plymouth Area Chamber of Commerce, 100 Armstrong Road, Suite 204, in Plymouth Industrial Park, will host a LinkedIn Leverage seminar from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Steve Dubin and Joe D’Eramo from PR Works will provide their insights from more than 20 years of working with clients on how to maximize the benefits of your LinkedIn profile, using it as a marketing tool. The cost is $19, and reservations are required as the seminar is limited to 30 people. To sign up, register here. For more information, contact Dubin by email SDubin@PRWorkZone.com, or at 781-582-1061.
The Disney film “Moana” will screen at the Spire at 2 p.m., with doors opening at 1 p.m. It’s a heroine’s journey when Moana (voiced by Auliʻi Cravalho) decides to leave the safety of her island and find a way to save her people, teaming up with the demi-god Maui (voiced by Dwayne Johnson) along the way. Children get in free, and adults pay $5. Tickets are available here.
Thursday, April 24
Plimoth Patuxet Museums will present a program for prospective or current gardeners called “A Year in a Gardener’s Live – Late Spring,” from 10 a.m. to noon. Visitors will learn tips and tricks for planting and get a tour of the greenhouse which is filled with seedlings. Tickets are $21.99 for museum members, $32.49 for general admission, and you can buy them here.
The band Twisted Pine will perform at the Spire at 8 p.m., with doors opening at 7 p.m. Twisted Pine started as a bluegrass group but evolved to “an ensemble of players who shapeshift across genres.” The group recently released its third album, “Love Your Mind.” The band features Chris Sartori on upright bass, Dan Bui on mandolin, Kathleen Parks on fiddle and lead vocals, and Anh Phung on flute. Tickets are $23.40 and $26, and you can buy them here.
Friday, April 25
Enjoy a Pour & Paint Night at 1620 Winery, 55 Cordage Park Circle, from 6 to 9 p.m. An instructor will lead you through the creation of your own masterpiece. All materials will be provided. The painting process involves a pouring technique rather than brushes, so wear clothing that can withstand paint splatters. Have a glass of wine and enjoy the charcuterie station as part of your admission price. Tickets are $55.20 and are available here.
The Plymouth Garden Club will be creating “Books and Blossoms” arrangements from 12 to 4 p.m. in the Fehlow Room at the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St. Club members will create a floral table arrangement based on a book title. Visitors can view the flowery results from 4 to 6 p.m. Stop by to play the game of guessing the book title that goes with the arrangement at each table.
Saturday, April 26
Visit the Plymouth Garden Club’s “Books and Blossoms” tables in the Fehlow Room at the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St., from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Plymouth Antiquarian Society invites the public to the “South Shore History Symposium: The South Shore and the War for Independence” from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Spire. The event, presented by Back Roads of the South Shore, will commemorate the 250th anniversary of the beginning of the Revolutionary War, and its impact on area citizens. Doors open at 8:30 a.m. for registration and refreshments. The symposium will feature six speakers sharing new perspectives on Revolutionary War-era stories from across the South Shore. Tickets are $20 and you can buy them here; or email info@plymouthantiquarian.org; or mail a check to the Plymouth Antiquarian Society, P.O. Box 3773, Plymouth, MA, 02361, by Monday, April 21.
Still another Revolutionary War 250th anniversary event hosted by the Plymouth Antiquarian Society will start at 2 p.m., where guests are invited for “Liberty and Tea at the Spooner House Museum,” at 27 North St. Guests will sample historic teas – including varieties famously tossed into Boston Harbor during the Boston Tea Party – and an herbal “Liberty Tea” favored by patriots. The event will feature a pop-up exhibit of Revolutionary-era artifacts and guided tours of the Spooner House, home to one of Plymouth’s most influential patriots, Ephraim Spooner. Admission is $12 per person, or $8 for Plymouth Antiquarian Society members, and you can get tickets here.
Sustainable Plymouth and Sustainable Pinehills will host an “Hour of Action” from 4 to 5 p.m. at the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St. Join fellow climate-concerned citizens for a productive hour. Attendees will discuss current climate policy issues, learn how to make an impact on them, and make an action plan.Drop-ins are welcome, and no preparation is necessary.
Come enjoy the Herring Run Festival, at Jenney Pond Park and Plimoth Grist Mill from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. See the lead item in this column for more details.