Sep 152016
 

What do people in Salem MA and surrounding communities do on a Thursday night, that is the 3rd Thursday night of the month that other people don’t do? We go to a museum— to party! Tonight the PEM/PM party is called Parranda, from 6-9pm at the Peabody Essex Museum.

parrandaYou are invited to join us at PEM celebrating Salem’s Dominican culture and community, on an evening where the museum stays open later for the general community to make greater use of the facilities in a way that brings people together through an exchange of ideas and culture.

Cut loose, get fired up and enjoy live traditional merengue tipico music as well as the latest hits in Dominican hip hop and electronic music.

But that’s not all there is to Parranda! Savor delicious foods, enjoy artwork by students from the Point neighborhood, create your own fufus, popular Dominican noise-making toys, or grab a pot and join the Parranda.

Co-organized with the North Shore Community Development Coalition, Parranda  should foster a connection with the Dominican community through lively cultural exposure and exchanges.

While there is a $12 entrance fee at the door, Salem residents, college students and PEM members will have free access.

There will also be a cash bar and special small plates menu supplied by the Hawthorne Hotel.

The Peabody Essex Museum is located at 161 Essex Street, Salem Ma. For additional information, please call 978-745-9500.

Estas invitado!

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Sep 072016
 

salem-spirits-trolleyThe 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.

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Aug 152016
 

FarmersMarket_Salem_Logo_LargeWe can write all day about how great our Salem Farmers’ Market is. We can talk about the vendors, and all the various produce and products, especially as we’re starting to enter peak produce season. We can talk about how much we know YOU love us, because you voted us the BONS Readers’ Choice this year! But, our friend John Andrews at Creative Salem made a video on Vimeo earlier in the season, and e think it’s worth a second look as an even better way to give potential first-time attendees a solid foundation as to the fun, food, and friends that can be made.

Salem Farmers’ Market operates every Thursday through Oct. 13th from 3-7 pm in Derby Square on Front Street.

Here are just a few things to look forward to in the upcoming weeks:

  • Starting this week, City Hall To Go will be at the market every week. Pay your parking tickets AND get your kale in the same place!
  • Mayor Kim Driscoll will be meeting us on Aug. 25 for a “Meet the Mayor” event.
  • Each week in September, we will have a market scavenger hunt for kids – well, or really anyone who wants to!
  • Plus we’ve got a few ideas up our sleeves for late September in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month.

Oh yeah, and don’t forget about all the great vendors!

 

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Aug 072016
 

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Short of going to a Museum of Ice Cream, the next best thing is going to the Salem Main Streets Ice Scream Bowl this Tuesday from 6-7:30pm where, for a small fee, you will sample a variety of ice cream from multiple local vendors. As in past years, the event will take place on the Salem Common.

This Heritage Days Festival favorite gives “kids of all ages” a chance to taste some classic flavors as well as some exciting new combinations from the area’s premier ice cream shops.

Window Contest 041A few of the businesses serving samples at the event include Captain Dusty’s, Cherry Farm Creamery, Maria’s Sweet Somethings, and Melt Ice Cream.

Kylie Sullivan, SMS Executive Director says, “North Shore 104.9 will also be in attendance with fun games and takeaways. New this year, we will be featuring a ‘community fair’ of sorts, where a number of kid-focused community groups and organizations (such as Salem Youth Soccer, Girl Scouts, Mass in Motion, and the SPUR Backpack Drive) will be present.”

The cost is $6 for adults and $4 for children. Tickets for the Ice Scream Bowl are purchased on site at the event. A spoon and napkins will be supplied with the purchase of a ticket.

Proceeds go to Salem Main Streets; we are a nonprofit organization with the goal of revitalizing downtown Salem as a vibrant year-round retail, dining, and cultural destination. Salem Main Streets organizes the Salem Farmers’ Market, Salem Arts Festival, and many other events in downtown Salem.

The Ice Scream Bowl is coordinated in partnership between Salem Main Streets and the City of Salem as part of Salem Heritage Days, a 10 day event to celebrate the people of Salem.

For any other questions or comments regarding this event, please contact Kylie Sullivan at Salem Main Streets, (978) 744-0004 x15 or email at kylie@salemmainstreets.org.

Kylie adds, “Salem’s Ice Scream Bowl is a fun event for both children and adults to cool down from the heat and enjoy tasty ice cream. Current weather forecast calls for sunny skies and a high of 82 degrees. Ice cream sure sounds like a good idea!”

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Aug 042016
 

Maritime_Festival_Logo_NLShips, sawdust, sailors and song all in Salem this weekend as the National Park Service celebrates the 28th year of the Salem Maritime Festival.

The Salem Maritime Festival will run August 5th, 6th and 7th, featuring live music, historical reenactors, harbor cruises, demonstrations, interactive programs, arts, crafts, and more! The Salem Maritime Festival is hosted by Salem Maritime National Historic Site in cooperation with the Essex National Heritage Commission.

But, take note, this is not your typical ocean-themed event with one or two seafaring craft docked in the harbor for walk-aboard tours. Visiting & Participating Vessels include:

  • Lobster Boats
  • Schooner Adventure
  • Schooner Ardelle
  • Sea Shuttle’s Endeavour
  • Schooner Fame, Full-scale replica of a War of 1812 Privateer
  • Sloop Friendship
  • United States Coast Guard Patrol Boat

Not surprising then that one of the most popular features of the Salem Maritime Festival will be the free 90-minute boat rides around Salem Harbor. In fact, on Saturday, festival goers will be given the opportunity to enter a series of raffles for chances to set sail in Salem harbor on some of the above-mentioned craft. Lottery entries begin 10:30am

Music is also a big part of this festival.

Friday, August 5th:

6-8pm, Squeezebox Stompers – Cajun/Zydeco

Saturday, August 6th (MC Merrill Kohlhofer):

10am, Wolf Music – Sea Chantey

11am, Ye Mariners All

12pm, Warszawiaki Orchestra – Polka Music

2pm, Campbell Music – Folk

3pm, New Bedford Harbor Sea Chantey Chorus

4pm, Mamadou –West African World-Fusion

6-7pm, Salem Philharmonic Orchestra

Sunday, August 7th (MC Tony Toledo):

11am, Wolf Music – Sea Chantey

12pm, Ron Reid Music – Steel Drum/Caribbean

1pm,Tony Toledo (MC) – Story Telling

2pm, Marina Evans – Folk

3-5pm, Atwater-Donnelly – Folk

And beyond this being a 3-day festival, beyond this being part of the Salem Heritage Days festival, it is also in honor of the National Park Service’s Centennial year.

On August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed the act creating the National Park Service, a new federal bureau in the Department of the Interior responsible for protecting the 35 national parks and monuments then managed by the department and those yet to be established.

“The Centennial will celebrate the achievements of the past 100 years, but it is really about the future. It’s about kicking off a second century of stewardship for America’s national parks and for communities across the nation.  Most importantly, it’s about inviting you to join us.” — NPS

History. Adventure. Fun and games. And a lot more await you Aug. 5-7 in Salem Ma. Bring sunglasses. Bring your boat shoes. For full schedule of events, go to the Salem Maritime National Historic Site website.

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