Wiki Spotlight on Salem’s PEM

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May 032014
 

Spreading the word about Salem, MA to a global audience is up to you today. The Peabody Essex Museum is holding an all day Wikipedia Edit-a-thon, 9am-5pm in the Create Space 2 area of PEM. It is open to the public and free of charge.

PEMNative American and Chinese art collections will be the focus of the day. It will be a fun-filled event with a social purpose. And another great way to spend a Saturday in Salem doing something completely different than last week!

“We’re bringing together Wikipedia editors, museum staff and anyone interested in joining the ranks of Wikipedia’s global volunteer editor corps to share PEM’s unique resources with the world,” explains Ed Rodley in a recent Connected PEM blog.

Rodley, who is Associate Director of Integrated Media at PEM, adds “We’ll be uploading images of objects from our permanent collections, while learning how to write and edit Wikipedia articles…and meeting new friends.”

With over 4 million English language articles, Wikipedia is considered the world’s most successful online encyclopedia. Anyone with Internet access can be an editor but there are of course rules and guidelines.

Training, advice and guidance will be offered at PEM Edit-a-thon by experienced Wikipedians as well as by museum personnel.

You are advised to bring your own laptop and charger.

Lunch will be provided (pizza) plus coffee, tea and water, but you may bring your own.

For a full schedule of the day’s activities go to the PEM Edit-a-thon Wiki page where you can also sign up.

Poets and Poems to be Honored in Salem

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Apr 292014
 

Mass PoetryLetters become words, words become phrases, and phrases become ideas. Then gifted writers craft it all into messages for poems. Those writers, words and poems will be honored later this week as the annual Massachusetts Poetry Festival will be held from May 2 – 4 in downtown Salem.

Participating poets include Kim Addonizio, Lucie Brock-Broido, Rafael Campo, Oliver de la Paz, Carol Ann Duffy, Cornelius Eady, Rhina Espaillat, Forrest Gander, David Ferry, Li-Young Lee, Philip Levine, Marge Piercy, Susan Rich, Vivian Shipley, and C. D. Wright.

But more than just poems though, the Festival also offers workshops, panels, readings, music, visual arts presentations, and a book fair featuring small presses and literary magazines.

As stated on the Mass Poetry website: “It’s a perfect time to celebrate poetry, meet up with old friends that share your love of words, and make new friends.”

To find out more about the Festival go to their website.

Live from Salem MA it is Sunday!

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Apr 272014
 

Yes, almost the same headline as yesterday’s blog, because today, Sunday April 27th offers yet another day of fun-filled community events:

5K Road Race & Fun Walk, 9-10am

Wicked Good Books Giveaway, 10am – 2pm

Y Art show at Gulu Gulu, 4-6pm

A mostly flat and fast course awaits an expected 400 runners and walkers today during the 18th Annual North Shore Wellness Fair 5K Road Race & Fun Walk. The race, hosted by Salem State University, promotes and encourages a healthy lifestyle. Proceeds benefit LifeBridge, the Northeast Animal Shelter and the Wellness Center at Salem State University. Streets along the race route near Canal Street and Lafayette Street will be affected during the race time, which is from approximately 9-10am.

Be there, bring a chair, breathe fresh air.

Free Books Wicked Good BooksAfterwords, you can run or jog over to our brick and cobblestone Pedestrian walkway on Essex Street for Day #2 of the Great Book Giveaway. It’s a BYOB (bring your own box or bag) free book event. Where The Derby Bookstore once stood, soon will be Wicked Good Books, 215 Essex St. Surplus books in the changeover are being made available to the public today as they were yesterday.

What kind of books are there for the taking?

From the Wicked Good Books Facebook page “We have quite a mix left for FREE, including lots of mysteries, gardening, cookbooks, and self-help, and a HUGE assortment of Young Adult. Please share!”

Speaking of sharing, Salem YMCA program participants will offer for your viewing pleasure over 140 pieces of art, courtesy of the Gulu Gulu Cafe. Head to the Y Art Show at the Gulu, 247 Essex St, from 4-6pm, and if you see something you like then bid on it to support the Y! The day will include a silent auction, music, art, and fun! Music by Jeff Savlon & Brian Donnelly.

Co-sponsor, Salem Collective of Artists and Musicians (SCAM), assisted by holding an art workshop with the Y kids and in hanging the artwork!

All proceeds benefit Salem YMCA childcare programs and initiatives.

It will be another great day to visit Salem Ma. We welcome you to our community.

Live from Salem MA it is Saturday!

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Apr 262014
 

Writing a blog about Salem Ma is fun, but it is even more enjoyable when there is more than one event going on during the same day. And in our community, that is quite often. For example among the activities today we have:

Healthy Kids Day, Noon-3pm
Salem Jazz & Soul Fundraiser, 8-10:30pm

Healthy Kids day is just what it sounds like. A day for kids to play and learn and have fun, fun , fun. The YMCA’s national initiative to improve families’ health and well-being, features games, healthy cooking demonstrations, arts and crafts and more to motivate and teach families how to develop a healthy routine at home.

Each area Y has different activities. For the Salem Y there will be:

  • Summer Camp games
  • Swim tests, swim safety, demos and family swim relays in the pool
  • Family Zumba
  • Theatre Games
  • Vendors:
  • Smoke House, with the Salem Fire Department
  • K9 Dogs, with the Sheriffs Department
  • McGruff Crime Dog, with the Police Department
  • North Shore Physical Therapy
  • Plummer Home for Boys
  • Walgreens
  • Energy assessments
  • Children Fingerprinting with New York Life
  • Woodworking workshop with Home Depot

The Salem Y is located at One Sewall St. Call 978.740.9622 for more info.

And then the night belongs to music. The sounds of Jazz and Soul will fill the air because… the Salem Jazz and Soul Spring Fundraiser takes place tonight in Ames Hall, 290 Essex St.

Salem Jazz & SoulBut more than just music, it is also a dance party featuring the band Combo Sabroso, (tasty combo) which presents “soul cleansing” Latin dance music and reggae. You will hear hard hitting “salsa dura” sounds of the 1970s (Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri, Oscar D’leon and Sonora Poncena), salsa arrangements of American R&B (Marvin Gaye, Bill Withers and Santana) plus reggae versions of pop hits  (Elton John, Steve Miller and The Police). The band’s members are from Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Saint Maarten, Venezuela and the United States.

And that’s not all! North Shore businesses and artists have also donated items for auctions and raffles!

Tickets are available from salemjazzsoul.org, as well as Pamplemousse, and In a Pig’s Eye; proceeds will fund the Salem Jazz and Soul Festival’s non-profit mission of producing free concerts and supporting music education causes on the North Shore.

From start to finish, Salem is a Saturday destination. And don’t forget in between to visit our diverse dining and shopping options in the downtown district.

Fire and Spice – Salem Arts Festival Fundraiser

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Apr 182014
 

finz arts festival eventbrite image

Pickering Wharf, home of the Salem Spice Trade, is about to get even spicier!  You’re invited to attend “Fire and Spice”, a fundraiser event for the Salem Arts Festival, this Thursday, April 24, starting at 7:30 p.m. at Finz Seafood and Grill at 76 Wharf Street, Salem, MA 01970.

What is “Fire and Spice”?

“Fire and Spice” is a celebration of food, fashion, and fun, as well as a way to raise funds for the 6th annual Salem Arts Festival, and will include:

What is the Salem Arts Festival, and why is Salem Main Streets involved?

The Salem Arts Festival is a free, family-friendly festival held in downtown Salem on June 6 through June 8, including an art show, a street fair, live performances, and art-making activities.  The Festival is actually a Salem Main Streets project, as it creates a destination event that attracts visitors and residents alike, celebrates the community of working artists and performers who call Salem home, and contributes to a sense of place in downtown Salem.

Why is this fundraiser so important?

We are working hard to make this year’s Arts Festival better than ever.  We’re increasing the number of opportunities for the community to participate in art-making during the festival.  We’ve committed to paying a stipend for all performers, which is something we’ve never been able to do in the past.  We’re tackling our very first public art project – HulaArt.  But we can’t take these exciting new steps without raising additional funds.

What’s with the “spice” theme?

For the first year, the Salem Arts Festival will have a central theme – and this year’s theme is SPICE!  Why spice?

  • Because Salem was the center of the Spice Trade for the better part of a century.
  • Because the culinary scene in Salem is exploding.
  • Because we think the Salem arts scene is just so spicy.

You’ve convinced me.  How do I buy tickets?

Tickets are $25 and can be purchased in person at the Salem Chamber of Commerce offices at 265 Essex Street, by phone at 978-744-0004 x15 (Kylie Sullivan), or online by clicking the link below:

BUY TICKETS FOR FIRE AND SPICE

Anything else?

So glad you asked!  Guests are encouraged to bring any “tired” or “expired” spices lurking in the cabinet to contribute to the Festival’s Spice Drive.  These spices will be collected and reused for attendees to create unique pieces of art during the festival.

You don’t want to miss this special event, so grab your dancing shoes and help us make this year’s Salem Arts Festival the best yet!

 

The Ward Eights - photo credit Social Palates

The Ward Eights – photo credit Social Palates

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