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Salem MA is a Great First Date Option

Aug 212015

We just tweeted a silly little item, and then thought more about it.

Where do you take a #FirstDate to impress him/her? Salem MA. Just look at what is happening all day Saturday http://ow.ly/RdxnU @DestSalem

Salem MA really is a great place for a first date (and 2nd, and 3rd, etc).

There are over 30 activities and events listed on the Destination Salem Calendar alone for Saturday, 8/22/15. Over 30 just for Saturday!!!

That is important, because according to a number of websites, keeping busy and keeping the conversation going to build trust and familiarity are important on a first date.

Only 24% of people (surveyed at topdatingtips.com) said that they trust someone they’re out with on a first date! Communication and learning about the other person can ease anxieties.

What about the simple dinner and a movie? Prevailing thought is that the idea is not only unoriginal, it can get pretty expensive these days, be stressful and uncomfortable for both sides, especially in a fancy restaurant; then you go to a movie and don’t interact because you don’t know the other person’s “movie viewing” habits (do they like to chat during the film, make one-liners, focus strictly on the movie, etc).

According to the Art of Charm website:

“Instead of just taking the woman out to dinner, take her on an activity date. Ease the pressure of having to maintain constant stimulating conversation by doing something fun. That way you can shift your focus to an outside activity and let conversation arise more naturally.”

That applies to whether your date is female or male.

And that brings us back to Salem MA and over 30 things to do on Saturday August 22, 2015 (see the snippet above). Let Salem MA be your wing man.

Oh and what if the first date is on Sunday? There are just as many activities. We are here for you!

Shopping In Style This Weekend in Salem

Salem Event, Salem Festivals, Salem Shopping, SMS News No Responses »

Aug 052015

Bargains will fill the shelves, counters and floors of stores this weekend as Heritage Days closes out the weekend with the Essex Street Fair, and Pickering Wharf presents the next installment of First Friday.

First Friday is a stand-alone monthly activity by the good folks at Pickering Wharf, but this month it happens to fall during Heritage Days, so why not make it part of your Heritage Days celebration when you’re in town that day?

You will most definitely Shop, Dine and Unwind at Pickering Wharf where you will find exclusive specials, events and treats from over 20 unique shops and six fabulous restaurants.

First Friday festivities begin at 5pm with most stores remaining open until 9pm.

Participating restaurants will offer, at a minimum, 10% off with a receipt from a Pickering Wharf shop, as well as in-house specials. Some merchants will also have entertainment, refreshments, and some give-aways.

Bargains & free “stuff” make First Fridays at Pickering Wharf a must see event.

Then over the weekend, more than 50 vendors will participate in the Heritage Days festivities at the Salem Chamber of Commerce Essex Street Fair. The Essex Street Fair is an annual two-day event; this year it is to be held on August 8 & 9, 2015 from 10am – 6pm.

Along the Essex Street Pedestrian Mall artisans, craftors, and food vendors from in and around Salem join local merchants to sell their merchandise along the length of Essex St., from the Daniel Low Building to the Hawthorne Hotel.

Bring your friends and family to this street festival to browse through jewelry, crafts, paintings, and other unique items! Face painters and musicians will be strolling around to entertain the crowd.

For more information regarding the Essex Street Fair, contact the Salem Chamber of Commerce at 978-744-0004.

Heritage Days, Salem’s Own Live Variety Show, Day 2

Contests, History, Salem Event, Salem Festivals No Responses »

Aug 022015

Did Saturday’s events for Heritage Days make you feel like an audience member at a 3-ring circus? Actually, we hope you were more an active participant than a passive observer. Because — there is more today!

For example, new this year, the City of Salem and the Salem Moose Family Center will join forces to combine today’s (August 2nd ) “Tour-a-Truck” event with “Public Safety Day” which usually happens in September. Along with all of the kids’ big truck favorites, there will be music and many new things to do and see, 10am – noon at Salem Willows. The Ladies of the Moose will also be donating 50 bike helmets to be fitted by the Salem Police Department (on a first come first serve basis, so get there early!).

As mentioned in our previous blog, blending the past, present and future, our Heritage Days celebration spans a week (Aug. 1-9) with events featuring food, fun, and activities for all ages. There are nearly 40 different events throughout the festival, some on different days, some at the same time. FYI: you really do need to keep the URL of the Calendar of Events for Heritage Days bookmarked on your home computer, tablet or cell phone.

Another city might hold a one or two day celebration of its history, but not Salem. We give it a week!

Mayor Kimberly Driscoll stated, “Another week of fun filled activities are in store for this annual tradition. I want to thank all the event managers that have worked so hard to bring almost 40 different activities to choose from during Heritage Days this year.”

Sunday begins with the “Bridge & Back 10K Road Race” at 8am. And that is what it is. Runners depart from the corner of Washington & New Derby Streets, Salem, cross the Salem/Beverly Bridge to Beverly and then back to Salem. The Race is sponsored by the Tavern in the Square and all proceeds go to the Boys & girls Club of Greater Salem. For more details, go to www.salemroadraces.com.

And from noon- 8pm the Salem Willows Shell will once again play host to Bridgin G.A.P.S. concert with performances ranging from local and non-local recording artists, live bands, dance groups, poets and others. Plus there will be guest speakers from various non-profit and charitable organizations.

Relive elements of Salem’s rich heritage at the House of Seven Gables in the Living History Lab (10:30am – 1pm and 2 – 4pm). You can actually experiment with history by way of hands-on activities (as examples, 18th century handwriting or 17th century food preparation). For specifics go to www.7gables.org.

Additionally, for our residents, Salem is the perfect place for your STAY-CATION. Spend a day being a tourist and take advantage of the generosity of our tourist related business community. Many are free to Salem residents all year long, such as the Peabody Essex Museum, the Salem Witch Museum, the Salem Trolley (June-September), and the a fore-mentioned House of the Seven Gables.

The Witch House will be free to Salem residents during Heritage week. The Salem Ferry always has discounts for residents and during Heritage Days the Sea Shuttle, Mahi Mahi Cruises and the Schooner Fame are offering discounts for residents.

As part of the celebration, the City of Salem will also double the merchant one-hour validation stamps at both garages, so you can spend a little bit longer enjoying downtown (some restrictions do apply).

As stated in the headline, Heritage Days is a variety show— and we’ve only told you about the 1st & 2nd days thus far! More in upcoming blogs, and don’t forget to bookmark the calendar URL.

Heritage Days, Salem’s Own Live Variety Show

Contests, History, Salem Dining, Salem Event, Salem Festivals, Salem Shopping, Volunteer Opportunities No Responses »

Jul 302015

Blending the past, present and future, our Heritage Days celebration spans Aug. 1-9 with events featuring food, fun, and activities for all ages. There are nearly 40 different events throughout the festival, some on different days, some at the same time. You really do need to keep the URL of the Calendar of Events for Heritage Days bookmarked on your home computer, tablet or cell phone.

There is no better example to prove this point than the kick-off event: The 2015 Salem Maritime Festival will be held on the historic wharves at Salem Maritime National Historic Site, Saturday, August 1st from 10am – 4pm.

In its 27th year, the Salem Maritime Festival offers an exciting array of free family fun, including live music, free harbor cruises, craft demonstrations, costumed re-enactors and much more! Kids will enjoy a variety of fun activities including radio-controlled boats, a “Muck Walk” and touch tanks with their favorite marine critters.

A flotilla of visiting vessels including a U.S. Coast Guard 47′ Motor Life Boat, the Schooner Fame, the Schooner Ardelle and the motorized vessel Endeavor will all be participating in the festival. A fleet of kayaks from Salem Kayak will provide attendees with the opportunity to paddle and row Salem Harbor. Friendship of Salem, Salem’s own replica of a 1797 merchant vessel, will be open to the public and will offer a National Park Service Junior Ranger Program for children.

Free 90-minute harbor cruises aboard Fame, Ardelle and Endeavor will be offered throughout the afternoon by lottery. The cruises are scheduled for 12:00, 12:15, 12:30, 1:45, 2:00, 2:15pm.

Exhibitors and demonstrators at this year’s event include:
Salem Kayaks
Norumbega Canoe Club
USS Constitution & US Navy
Marlinspike Sailor of Marblehead
Musician Larry Young
R.P Raiseles Cooperage
Essex Shipbuilding Museum
Marine Modelers Club of New England
Salem Sound Coastwatch
Historic New England
Cat Cove Marine Labs
Division of Marine Fisheries
U.S. Coast Guard & U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary
Peabody Essex Museum
House of the Seven Gables
Witch House / Corwin House
Salem Beautification Committee
Salem Zouaves
Shipwrecks of New England
And more…

Recall what we wrote at the outset, that at times during the Festival some events would be running concurrently? While the wharf area will witness all things maritime, farther down the road, the Salem Willows will play host to not one, not two, but three other events on Saturday!

A Bridgin G.A.P.S. concert will present performances ranging from local and non-local recording artists, live bands, dance groups, poets and others from noon until 6pm. The Bridgin G.A.P.S. goal is to provide a festive, entertaining and educational platform for the local community to gather and celebrate in a safe and positive environment.

At the same time you can attend The Firemen’s Muster at 12:30 pm where crews will compete to throw the longest stream of water with an antique hand pumped fire engine. Come and see a 19th century sport that is being kept alive in the 21st century by a bunch of historic preservationists who obviously like to get wet!

And Clown Day will be also be happening, Saturday 11am – 3pm where clowns will be on hand all day to make balloon figures for your children, do some creative face painting using your kids as the canvas and then give a special performance at 2:30pm.

As stated in the headline, the Heritage Days Festival is a variety show— and we only told you about the FIRST day. More in upcoming blogs, and don’t forget to bookmark the calendar URL.

Farmers’ Markets Are the Heartbeat of a Community

Salem Dining, Salem Event, Salem Farmers Market No Responses »

Jul 292015

Those aren’t our sentiments this time. Those words are a key part of a headline and the actual first sentence in a 7/28/15 Huffington Post blog. That’s right. The social media powerhouse, Huffington Post referred to life at the Farmers’ Market as something important to the community. We know that here in Salem where regular attendees to our Thursday Farmers’ Market (3-7pm in Derby Square) don’t just grab & go. They stay and chat with the farmers and vendors. There is a community connection that flows over the counter.

Blogger Teri Turner reinforces that “I love talking to the farmers-who awakened three hours before I did-about what they grow, and what’s in season.” Her blog also focuses on the fact that her area Farmers’ Markets give a great deal of space to something not often seen at FM: items from the ocean.

And besides fruits and veggies, the Salem Farmers’ Market also has fresh seafood: including lobsters! You actually can bring home your personal “catch of the day” in a bargain buy!

If you’ve never been to our Farmers’ Market, mark your calendar for an entertaining and informative experience, Thursday from 3-7pm in Derby Square. Fruits, vegetables, flowers, bread, seafood, music and more.

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