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Take a Sip of History on New Salem Spirits Trolley

History, Salem Dining, Salem Shopping No Responses »

Sep 072016

The booming craft maker scene in Salem is getting its own tour! Salem Spirits Trolley launches a new excursion focusing on locally made cider, spirits, and beer beginning Friday, Sept. 9th.

“We are thrilled to offer this fantastic new tour to both locals and visitors,” says Salem Spirits Trolley founder and owner Karen Scalia. “Salem’s renowned and award-winning food scene now has a great companion with its outstanding craft beer, cider and spirits scene.”

The tour will include stops at Far From the Tree Cider, Deacon Giles Distillery and Notch Brewing.

Hosted by emcee comedian Mark Scalia, the Salem Spirits Trolley offers an entertaining and unique look at Salem, from the waterfront to the historic McIntire District. The 3-hour tour includes a special spice tasting, which showcases what spices are used in the making and distillation or brewing process, followed by tastings at each tour location.

Transported by the Salem Trolley, guests have the opportunity to talk with the local crafters about their process and passion, and get a behind-the-scenes perspective on the distilling and brewing process, as well as its relevance to the story of Salem.

Like Scalia’s Salem Food Tours, the experience is not just about the local samples, but about the connections between the spirits, the spice trade, and Salem’s history.

Additional tour partners include Salem Spice and the Cheese Shop of Salem, sharing more of Salem’s rich retail and culinary scene with participants.

The concept came to Scalia, who founded Salem Food Tours in 2010, after two of the local makers, Far From the Tree Cider and Deacon Giles Distillery, impressed her with their extraordinary products and special locations.

“Like our terrific Salem chefs, I wanted to shine a light on what they were doing,” says Scalia, “Since the locations of the tasting room and distillery were not in close proximity, the concept of a trolley tour was born. The addition of Notch Brewing to downtown Salem rounded out a fantastic experience.”

The Salem Spirits Trolley will offer regularly scheduled public tours beginning Friday, Sept. 9th, and private tours are available for groups. All ticket-holders must be 21+ and must sign a waiver before embarking on the tour. For more information, visit salemspiritstrolley.com.

Interactive Theatre Tasks You with Judging Woman’s Innocence or Guilt as a Witch

History, Salem Event No Responses »

Sep 032016

A word misspoken. A deed misunderstood. Common enough occurrences in today’s society where social media could quickly shed the light of truth on the situation. But there was a time when the only social media was word of mouth and when hearsay was taken as gospel. So stands the story of Bridget Bishop as presented in the interactive play Cry Innocent which begins its September season in Salem Ma today.

“The year is 1692. Bridget Bishop has been accused of witchcraft and YOU are on the Puritan jury. Hear the historical testimonies, cross-examine the witnesses and decide the verdict. Is Bridget Bishop capable of witchcraft? Play your part in history… ”

This traditional “must-see” performance is unique as it begins outside on our Essex Street Pedestrian walkway and then whisks you into the “courthouse” (our Old Town Hall). But not before you see costumed performers walking about, among you, for several minutes. Then conversations begin. Voices become louder. Proclamations! Exclamations!! Accusations!!!

Witchcraft is afoot in Salem and witnesses have seen Bridget Bishop doing and saying suspicious things. She dresses differently. She holds herself up differently. Is she “different?”

Purchase admission to the trial and you sit on the jury listening to testimony and for those brave enough, you can actually ask questions of witnesses and officers of the court. Then you decide, is Bridget Bishop guilty of being a practitioner of the dark arts?

No spoiler here, sometimes she is set free. Sometimes she is not. How say you? See the performance and judge for yourself. Did she commit a crime against society or was she a victim of a criminal abuse of community gossip?

Cry Innocent is a presentation of History Alive, Inc. which is committed to the “production of new plays and theatrical scenarios based on true stories from the past. Emphasis is given to interactive theatre so that actors and audience together, through a playful and dynamic way of engaging with history, might broaden their understanding of the present and gain a fresh sense of purpose within their own era.”

Performances are held weekends in September and October 1st – 31st. Approximate duration of the trial reenactment is 45 minutes.

Ask at the History Alive, Inc. box office cart, located in Derby Square, for directions to the location of Bridget Bishop’s arrest.

For more details on showtimes and ticket prices, check out the Cry Innocent website http://cryinnocentsalem.com/

For more information on History Alive, Inc. please email: historyaliveinc@gmail.com

Love Salem? Share Your Enthusiasm as a Volunteer

Salem Event, Salem Festivals, SMS News, Volunteer Opportunities No Responses »

Aug 282016

Over 20,000 visitors served during the Haunted Happenings weekends and holidays in October! That’s the final head count for last year’s Information Booth Volunteers. What will it be this year? Join us and be a part of this rewarding community effort.

Salem Main Streets is looking for volunteers with enthusiasm for Salem to help greet visitors at the October Information Booth. Volunteers will staff the booth at the start of the Essex Street Pedestrian Mall handing out maps and sharing information about Salem’s wide variety of attractions, events, and businesses.

All volunteers are asked to be available for a minimum of two shifts for two hours each and will be required to complete a one hour orientation session. The orientation will take place on Saturday, September 10 at 9:30am at the National Park Service Regional Visitor Center, 2 New Liberty St, Salem. SIGN UP FOR ORIENTATION NOW!

This is a great experience for new volunteers who not only will be updated on new October events, but will also interact with returning volunteers who in turn will share insights and information with those new to the program.

Volunteers are needed for:

Two hour shifts throughout the day each weekend in October
October 6 (Parade night)
October 10 (Columbus Day)
October 31 (Halloween Night)

We are also looking for multi-lingual volunteers to assist the many international visitors who come to Salem.

If you have availability some of these days, enjoy helping visitors by showing them your enthusiasm for our cultured and historic city, and want to make it fun and easy for visitors to explore all of Salem’s sites and attractions, please join us!

For more information or to become a volunteer please contact Kylie Sullivan, Salem Main Streets’ Executive Director, at (978)744-0004 x15 or kylie@salemmainstreets.org. This program is a partnership between Salem Main Streets, the National Park Service, the City of Salem, Destination Salem, and the Salem Chamber of Commerce.

Reflections on How Salem Is Seen by Visitors

Salem Event, Volunteer Opportunities No Responses »

Aug 232016

Reflections are how we “see” ourselves. A mirror, a pool of water, the eyes of a loved one. But how does a city such as Salem see its reflection? In the comments of visitors.

To test this point, we found this favorable review of Salem, as seen through the eyes of an Australian traveler. (Thanks to a posting on Destination Salem’s Facebook page back in June).

Linda Bentley from Sydney, Australia is a well-known traveler/reviewer with her own website The Packed Bag and it was interesting to observe the things she wanted to see and did see. Was it the historical, the hysteria, or the hysterical items that called to her?

The blog was simply called USA – Massachusetts: Salem

Potential long stay and short term day trip visitors can look at her blog as a summation of things to do and see in Salem the year round.

But we can use it as a mirror to determine if we are communicating what we want to the outside world. What do you think? Did she share an engaging, inviting, diverse “message” about Salem, MA?

You Can’t Beat the Beat; Salem Jazz & Soul Festival This Weekend

History, Salem Event, Salem Festivals No Responses »

Aug 202016

Diversity of entertainment is what you will find this weekend in Salem Ma. Summer may be ending, but we won’t let it go quietly. No, not “quietly.” The air will be filled and flowing with music. There also will be A LOT to see as the 10^th Salem Jazz and Soul Festival is set for today & Sunday, from 11am to 7pm.

Rain or shine, the Salem Jazz and Soul Festival has delivered and will deliver again funk, soul and jazz — live & free of charge to overflow crowds of Salem residents & visitors at our Salem Willows, an area uniquely qualified to be hosting the event, as you will learn during this great SJSF Public Service Announcement produced by Salem Access TV.

Saturday, August 20th

Salem High School Jazz Band
What Time Is It, Mr. Fox?
Austin Torpedoes
BT/ALC BIG BAND
The Nth Power

Sunday, August 21st

North Shore Jazz Project All Stars
Edmar Colon
Jen Kearney
Tim Gearan
Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers

Interested? The full descriptions of these performers are so extensive and so diverse, that they require a page onto themselves.

From beginners to veterans and musical stylists in between, there will be something musically happening throughout these two days of the Salem Jazz and Soul Festival to keep you moving.

The SJSF is a nonprofit, volunteer-run organization that produces free concerts and raises money for music education causes on the North Shore.

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