Apr 042015
 

Fundraiser 4A work of art is oft times a labor of love, so very true when it comes to the annual Salem Arts Festival. It takes time, planning, volunteers and your support to mount this fabulous popular free event which features over 60 artists and performers, and includes a variety of art, music, dance, and poetry performances. The Festival is set for June 5-7, 2015 and you are invited to join us for the Second Annual Salem Arts Festival Fundraiser this Thursday, April 9, 7:30-10:30 pm, for a night of local food, fashion, drink, dancing, and fun to support the Salem Arts Festival. Location will be at Old Town Hall at 32 Derby Square.

“The need for financial support is critical for the success of the festival, which doubled in size last year and welcomed over 5,000 attendees,” explains Kylie Sullivan, Manager of Salem Main Streets (SMS), the community non-profit organization which started the Festival. “We are committed to keeping the festival free and open to the public, but that means we need to raise some substantial funds.”

She adds, “Last year’s fundraiser was such an incredible party; it was the perfect way to introduce the renewed energy behind the Salem Arts Festival .”

We think this year’s fundraiser will kick off things on a high note as well.

The opening act will be Multiple Guys with Noise Machines, a group of teenage musicians that’s an offshoot of North Shore Jazz Project All Stars –  – hooray for young musicians!

Party band, The Ward Eights will be returning again this year to get you on the dance floor.

Fundraiser 1Local boutiques will be participating in an onsite Fashion Show, including J. Mode, Ocean Chic Boutique, Addicted Fashions, The Boutique, and more! Make up will be provided by Rouge Cosmetics.

Food will be provided by The Lobster Shanty, Flying Saucer Pizza Company, the Hawthorne Hotel, Front Street Coffeehouse, and more to be announced soon.

The event will also include a number of great raffle prizes!

Tickets are $25 per person with a cash bar; proceeds directly benefit the Salem Arts Festival. Purchase by calling 978-744-0004 x15, visit 265 Essex Street (Salem MainStreets office), or go online.

Fundraiser 2The Salem Arts Festival is conducted as a collaboration of Salem Main Streets and a team of dedicated volunteers, including representatives from Creative Salem, Salem State University, the Peabody Essex Museum, and others.

The Salem Arts Festival is supported in part by a grant from the Salem Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

Last year this fundraising event sold out – so get your tickets early, get ready to dance and feel like a real patron of the arts!

(In fact, if you’re interested in sponsoring the Salem Arts Festival Find out more at http://salemartsfestival.com/sponsorship/ ).

(All pictures courtesy of Social Palates)

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Mar 272015
 

Declare your appreciation for local businesses, businessmen and businesswomen who “serve you & Salem right” by casting votes in this year’s Celebrate Salem Awards.

The finalists have been nominated by their peers, the members of the Salem Chamber of Commerce. Now you, their customers, clients and patrons will fill out ballots, electronic and traditional, to honor “the best of the best.”

Did you enjoy a meal or shopping experience, or consultation? Did the merchant make you feel like he/she cared about you? Let others know that “this” business merits extra attention for providing not only satisfactory customer service but shows it cares about Salem by getting involved in community projects.

  1. Businesswoman of the Year is a Chamber member who has demonstrated excellence in business practices throughout the year and has demonstrated a sincere commitment to Salem.
  2. Businessman of the Year is a Chamber member who has demonstrated excellence in business practices throughout the year and has demonstrated a sincere commitment to Salem.
  3. The New Business of the Year award is given to the best new business that opened in 2014
  4. The Excellence in Retail Award showcases the outstanding achievements of Salem retailers and will be awarded to the retailer that applies superior knowledge, creativity and industry know-how to develop innovative strategies, and contributes to the growth of the Salem retail sector.
  5. The Community Service Award is given to a member or organization who has an outstanding record of community service and volunteer participation.
  6. The Long-Term Achievement Award will be given to a business that has achieved 10 or more years of success in the community

Deadline for voting is April 3rd 2015; voting can be done by:

And after the tabulations are completed, the awards will be handed out by The Salem Chamber of Commerce at the Celebrate Salem Awards Dinner on April 22nd at the Peabody Essex Museum. For information on attending, or on the voting process, call 978-744-0004.

 

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Mar 222015
 

Over 600 people decided that what Artopia had to offer was something they wanted to experience. Thursday’s PEM/PM monthly late night party at the Peabody Essex Museum was a grand old time and if we may say, an artistic success for all the community groups that came together to create the schedule of events.

Attendees were invited to…

… contribute to a fiber arts project by knitting spring flowers with the folks from the Salem Arts Festival (a Salem Main Streets project)… sit and sketch with local group Sketch Collective… drum along with Express Yourself… catch Salem Sketches — short films created right here in Salem — which screened at recent Salem Film Fest… create your own instrument with Salem Jazz & Soul… and enjoy a 15-minute gallery experience highlighting some “ordinary” gems in the museum’s Japanese art collection.

And there was much more. Music that excited and moved the crowd from Ross Livermore Band. Front Yard Street Art, a collaborative fiber arts project open to community members and groups of all ages and abilities certainly attracted a lot of attention.

Hats off to Creative Salem, the Salem Arts Festival and, of course, the Peabody Essex Museum. Producing an event to attract over 600 people on a weeknight certainly indicates that art is not only alive & well in Salem— it also delivers an exciting environment.

(Video produced by JoeyPhoenixPhotography.com by way of CreativeSalem.com)

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Mar 182015
 

Vibrant and creative are words to define the arts & culture scene of Salem — and those words will take physical shape this Thursday from 6-9 pm as Artopia takes over the monthly PEM/PM event, hosted by the Peabody Essex Museum.

Now, this blog may shake a little as you read it because we at Salem Main Streets are very excited about Artopia as so many local groups and festivals are involved! It is a real coming together of the community.

“The theme of this event is ‘Art in the Everyday,’ which is part of why we’re playing a lot with the creation of art and elevating ‘ordinary’ objects or activities,” reveals Kylie Sullivan, Main Streets Manager.

For example… contribute to a fiber arts project by knitting spring flowers with the folks from the Salem Arts Festival… sit and sketch with local group Sketch Collective… drum along with Express Yourself… catch Salem Sketches — short films created right here in Salem — which screened at recent Salem Film Fest… create your own instrument with Salem Jazz & Soul… and enjoy a 15-minute gallery experience highlighting some “ordinary” gems in the museum’s Japanese art collection.

ArtopiaFor Artopia, PEM is partnering with the Salem Arts Festival and Creative Salem to super-charge this celebration. PEM/PMs are held on the 3rd Thursday of every month as a way to introduce and invite the community to utilize the resource that PEM is to the community.

Adds John Andrews of Creative Salem, “There will be roaming performance artists including members of ARTiculate this. Featured live artists will be Denny Tentindo,  Ben Stebbings and Jamie O’NeilAlso at our Creative Salem table, we’ll have Allison White doing a needlepoint demo.”

The evening, as with all PEM/PM events, includes music, cocktails and conversation with separate stations for creativity. But Artopia doesn’t stop there.

Local author and meatball aficionado Adeline Myers, will discuss her recently published cookbook Global Meatballs and even prepare a couple of her favorite recipes. A well-crafted meatball can be a work of art!

Beer lovers can glean creative brewing insights from Newburyport Brewing Company and sample its locally brewed and appropriately named beers: Newburyport Pale Ale, Plum Island Belgian White and Green Head IPA.

And as they say, “that’s not all folks” as the evening will also feature North Shore-based Ross Livermore Band. A local favorite, the band has toured throughout New England and beyond and was recently nominated for Best in State in the New England Music Awards.

One other item to note, and of personal interest to those of us at Salem Main Streets and the Salem Arts Festival, is the Front Yard Street Art project.

Front Yard StreetFront Yard Street Art is a collaborative fiber arts project open to community members and groups of all ages and abilities. Create your own “green space” (field, garden plot, jungle, etc.) made of yarn, felt, fabric, and whatever else inspires you! Each piece will become part of a large-scale temporary art installation transforming Front Street during the Salem Arts Festival weekend.

Examples created by the students at the Phoenix School in Salem, will be on display Thursday evening as well.

And what is the cost of admission for this extravaganza? For PEM members and Salem residents (with ID) it is free of charge. For nonmembers, it is only $10 at the door. PEM is located at 161 Essex St., Salem Ma. For more info go to www.pem.org or call 978-745-9500.

Artopia is a most creative reason to venture out into the evening.

(Phoenix School photo courtesy Joey Phoenix)

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Mar 062015
 

Meatballs are globally loved as local author Adeline Lutts Myers discovered and uncovered for her new cookbook Global Meatballs. In celebration of her work, several of Salem’s finest restaurants are cooking up a foodie event Meatball Fest, March 5-12.

Meatball FestMeatballs get a slot in the Salem festival calendar? Those simple things where you take ground beef, add some spices, roll it and cook it? Yes, but what kind of meat and which spices? And can you substitute anything else for beef? Do you fry or bake, or use another method? As the author learned, each country rolls differently with its native recipes.

“In writing the book,” she reveals in her blog, Kitchen Roots, “we wanted a representative group of meatballs from around the globe. I ended up with recipes from over 40 countries and cultures. In doing the research some were easier to nail down than others.”

Here in Salem on March 5-12 you will find these special meatball related recipes/offerings at:

  • Adriatic Restaurant and Bar (call for specific menu offering)
  • Bella Verona (the delicious PolpiteVeal Meatballs baked with penne as well as Lasagne w/polpettine small meatballs)
  • Cilantro (Albondigas al Chipotle – Cheese stuffed meatballs cooked in a spicy smoked chipotle sauce)
  • Finz Seafood & Grill (traditional style meatballs using ground beef, pork, and turkey; roasted, then smothered and baked with marinara sauce, mozzarella and parmesan cheese)
  • Firenze (call for specific menu offering)
  • Nathaniel’s at the Hawthorne Hotel (assorted meatballs, with appropriate sauces and or garnishes such as roasted chicken‬ & spinach meatball; beef, arugula & portabella meatballs; and chicken with ‪chorizo‬ sausage, Jalapeño-jack cheese, ‪bacon‬ and cilantro)
  • Opus (call for specific menu offering)
  • Peabody Essex Museum’s Garden Restaurant (Greek-style lamb meatball with feta cheese, spinach, tomato, mint, oregano and olives, served with a roasted pepper and tomato chutney)
  • The Tavern at the Hawthorne Hotel (Appetizer‬: ‪‎Buffalo chicken‬ meatballs, stuffed with blue cheese, served with hot sauce and sour cream dips with blue cheese stuffed celery. ‎Entrée‬: Fresh ‪‎mozzarella‬ and basil stuffed meatballs, spaghetti, marinara sauce and shredded parmesan cheese)

In addition, there will be a book signing with the author on Sunday, March 8th from 1 – 3 pm at Wicked Good Books, 215 Essex Street, here in Salem. You’ll get the chance to ask for her favorites, and share your thoughts.

Whether you favor a spicy meatball, a soft or bread crumb encrusted type, swimming in a sauce or standing alone, or even meatless, Global Meatballs by Adeline Lutts Myers will tantalize your literary tastes, while Salem’s restaurants will do the same for your taste buds.

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