Apr 082017
 

Local food, fashion, drink, dancing, and fun await you April 14th as you are invited to attend the fourth annual Salem Arts Festival Fashion Show Fundraiser in support of one of Salem’s greatest festivals (we refer of course to The 9th annual Salem Arts Festival which will be held June 2nd to 4th, 2017)!

The Fashion Show gets bigger and better every year, and it’s really the perfect way to introduce the dynamic, locally-focused energy behind the Arts Festival,” says Kylie Sullivan, Executive Director of Salem Main Streets (SMS), the community non-profit organization which oversees the Festival. “The need for financial support is critical for the success of the festival, which annually welcomes over 5,000 attendees to downtown Salem over the first weekend in June.  We are committed to keeping the festival free and open to the public, but we’re also committed to paying our artists – that means we need to raise some substantial funds.”

The event will be held upstairs at the beautiful and historic Old Town Hall at 32 Derby Square, this year with a record-breaking number of boutiques.

The Fashion Show annually highlights a growing number of local boutiques – including Avalanche, Beach Bride Baubles, The Boutique, Curtsy, Emporium 32, J. Mode, Lifebridge’s Second Chance Thrift Shop, Modern Millie Vintage & Consignments, Ocean Chic Boutique & Waterbar, the Peabody Essex Museum Shop, re-find and re-find men’s, and RJ Coins and Jewelry, with professional stylist Lisa Ann Schraffa Santin on hand. Make up will be provided by the fabulous artists from Laura Lanes Skin Care, Rouge Cosmetics, Radiance Aveda, Arbonne by Roz, and Victoria Crisp, with hair styling by Bella Hair Studios and My Barber Shop.

Karen Scalia of Salem Food Tours is the mastermind behind all fashion show logistics and staging, and Creative Salem serves as the show’s media partner – locals know that means it’s going to be an amazing night. Attendees can additionally expect some fantastic outside-the-box accoutrements from local creative genius Grace & Diggs, a photo booth with Creative Salem, and mind-blowing lighting by Retonica. Food by Ferreira Foods, drinks by North Shore Bartending, dancing with DJ Seth, and a great raffle will make the evening complete!

Advance tickets are $25 per person with a cash bar, with $40 VIP tickets available for an assigned seat on the catwalk and a free thank you treat. Tickets purchased the day of the event are $30, with $45 for VIP seats – but this event has sold out the past two years, so we don’t recommend waiting!

Purchase tickets over the phone at 978-744-0004 x115, in person at 265 Essex Street (Salem Main Streets), or online at https://salem-main-streets.ticketleap.com/fashion-2017. Proceeds directly benefit the Salem Arts Festival.

About the Salem Arts Festival

This popular free event features over 100 artists and performers, and includes a variety of art, music, dance, and theatre performances. The family-friendly event also includes an artisan street fair, art-making activities for all ages, and a temporary community-created public art installation.  The Festival is run by Salem Main Streets in collaboration with a team of dedicated volunteers, including representatives from Creative Salem, Salem State University, the Peabody Essex Museum, and more. The Salem Arts Festival is supported in part by the City of Salem and a grant from the Salem Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

(Photo credit to Creative Salem)

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Jan 032017
 

Understandably, we’ve taken a little break. It’s been a busy last few months in Salem Ma. Halloween season was filled with creatures and creativity. That was followed by the Winter Holiday season, culminating with our double New Year’s Eve party extravaganza of LAUNCH and LAUNCH… Light It Up! And we could not have done any of these projects without a great showing of community support in the form of volunteers.

In February, it will be Salem’s So Sweet. In March, it will be the Salem Film Fest. In June, it will be the Salem Arts Festival. And so on. Whether these are Salem Main Street events or not, volunteers drive the projects from start to finish.

And that’s not just in Salem.

The annual “Volunteering and Civic Life in America” report, released by the Corporation for National & Community Service and the National Conference on Citizenship, substantiates that service to others is a priority for millions of Americans.

In fact for 2013 the report found that 62.6 million adults volunteered through an organization. They put in almost 7.7 billion hours which translated to around $173 billion, based on an estimate of the average value of a volunteer hour.

Time well spent.

And we just wanted to take this moment to thank you all again for giving of your time and experience to projects that benefit the Salem Ma community.

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Dec 262016
 

What is better than one great New Year’s Eve party? Two!!! In conjunction with the City of Salem and Creative Salem that is what you are going to get to bid farewell to 2016 and say a big hello to 2017 with LAUNCH! and LAUNCH… Light It Up!

“When we organized LAUNCH! for the first time a few years ago, it was immediately clear that there was a strong community desire to come together on New Year’s Eve,” states Kylie Sullivan, Salem Main Streets’ Executive Director.

“This event has always been family-focused and kid-friendly, which is fantastic, but there was an opportunity to do more to serve the adults in our community. The City approached Creative Salem to develop a concept, and we’ve been working closely together to program and connect the two events.”

“We were very excited to create a new concept event featuring local creative organizations coming together to create a truly unique and wholly Salem happening that could also support the amazing family event that Kylie and Salem Main Streets have run and we have supported since its inception” states John Andrews, owner of Creative Salem.

Launch!

The early portion of the evening (4-6pm, Old Town Hall) will be the traditional LAUNCH! event. This event is free to all and family-friendly, with a $5 suggested donation to help support Salem Main Streets’ “Holiday Happenings” initiatives, including the Holiday Tree and the wreaths and ribbons around the downtown. Family programming will include hat making, photo booth, kids’ silent disco, interactive art exhibit with Phil Wyman, and more! There will be an early countdown just before 6 pm.

Volunteers are needed for a variety of jobs:

  • Set up (2 to 4pm): Volunteers should ideally be able to lift up to 25 pounds.
  • Greeters (4 to 6 pm): Greet people at the door and collect optional donations.
  • Craft activity support (4 to 6 pm): Help activity leaders as needed.
  • Face painters (4 to 6 pm): We’re not looking for high levels of artistic talent – ability to paint hearts, stars, and “Happy 2017!” is sufficient.  We’ll provide the paint and brushes.
  • Break down (5:45 to 7pm): Volunteers should ideally be able to lift up to 25 pounds.

Launch… Light It Up

Come back at 9 pm for LAUNCH…LIGHT IT UP, new this year, as Creative Salem and Retonica transform Old Town Hall into a Black Light Dance Hall! This 21+ event will be $20 per person with a cash bar, live performance by local group Dandrew, sounds by DJ Seth, arcade games courtesy of Bit Bar, hat making with Grace & Diggs, plus a photo booth, food by Bambolina, interactive pop up art exhibit, and a special countdown at midnight. Tickets are available at https://creative-salem.ticketleap.com/launch-light-it-up-nye-salem/

About Salem Main Streets

Salem Main Streets’ mission is the continued revitalization of downtown Salem as a vibrant, year-round, retail, dining and cultural destination through business retention, recruitment, and the promotion of the downtown district.  SMS produces and supports numerous community events and initiatives throughout the year, including the Salem Farmers’ Market, Salem Arts Festival, Salem’s So Sweet, and the October Information Booth.  SMS operates thanks to the generosity and partnership of the City of Salem and Mayor Kimberley Driscoll, the Salem Chamber of Commerce, Destination Salem, and many other local business sponsors and community volunteers.

About Creative Salem

Creative Salem is an organization of like-minded creative individuals with the mission of ensuring creativity and the arts are a relevant part of daily community and small business life, and operates through the support of its partners and members. Creative Salem celebrates the city of Salem as a hub of creativity, and is dedicated to promoting collaboration, facilitating quality artistic events, and providing contemporary tools for local creative professionals to find and connect with new audiences while encouraging them to apply their skills to help solve challenges facing the community.

For more information about these events, contact Kylie Sullivan, Salem Main Streets Executive Director, at (978)744-0004 or kylie@salemmainstreets.org, or visit http://salemmainstreets.org/

 

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Nov 162016
 

SFM_winter

How many more people are suddenly coming for Thanksgiving dinner? Don’t panic. You can still serve them all, and with the freshest of items, because the Salem Winter Market returns this Saturday, Nov. 19th (and again on Dec. 17) with the best of the season goodies from area farmers and vendors.

A seasonal extension of the Salem Farmers’ Market, this year’s Salem Winter Market will take place on Saturday, Nov. 19th and Saturday, December 17th­, both from 1 pm to 5 pm.  The indoor market this year will take place inside the Museum Place Mall (1 Church Street).

You will wander through the Museum Place Mall to touch, smell, and feel locally grown & made items— and interact with the vendors themselves.

How did you grow this?”

What did you use to make this look like that?”

How do I cook this to get the most taste out of it?”

That is what a Market is all about. You talk direct to the “manufacturer” with no middle man. No trucking company. No sales clerk. Direct and fresh.

“We are also very excited to showcase our vendors in the Museum Place Mall this year, where we can complement and highlight the variety of great year-round tenants in the mall,” says Kylie Sullivan, director of Salem Main Streets. “I think a lot of our residents underestimate the great range of retail, restaurants, services, and attractions that are in the Mall right now. There’s something to do and see every day of the week here!”

And who are the vendors at this year’s Salem Winter Market?

FARMS

  • Gibney Gardens (Nov only)
  • Grant Family Farm
  • Honey Pot Farm
  • Long Hill Orchard
  • Maitland Mountain Farm

SEAFOOD

  • A & J Lobsters

TEAS, HERBS, SPICES

  • Hannah’s Herbals
  • Salem Spice

SWEETS

  • Bella and Harvey
  • Grammy’s Bakery

WINES & HARD CIDERS

  • 1634 Meadery

JEWELRY & CRAFTS

  • Aerophytes
  • Heritage Handmade/Shine Jewelry

PREPARED FOODS

  • All Fruit Inc
  • Beckah’s Bangin’ Butter
  • K’s Kitch’n
  • Popped Gourmet Popcorn

 BED, BATH & HOME PRODUCTS

  • Bare Cheek Beauty

PASTA

  • Valicenti Pasta Farm

Mark your calendar for the Salem Winter Market, Saturday Nov. 19th at the Museum Place Mall, 2 E India Square Mall, Salem MA.Then bring a big bag or box. You will need it!

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Nov 142016
 

From freaky fun destination to fabulous foodie stop, Salem Ma converts itself in November from what you saw in October. Gone are the ghouls. Enter the entrees as Salem Fall Restaurant & Wine Week launches Sunday, November 13 – Thursday, November 17.

salem-rest-weekFor these 5 days only, participating Salem Ma. restaurants will offer either a two-course prix-fixe dinner menu for $19, or a three-course prix-fixe dinner menu for $29, or a three-course, prix fixe dinner and wine flight for $49 (note these prices – except for the wine selection – do not include drinks, taxes, or gratuities).

Salem has, over the last few years, established itself on the North Shore as an entertaining culinary destination and people really look forward to our Fall Restaurant Week event. And why not? From one dining locale to another, you will be treated to a wide variety of delicious foods – from steak to seafood, American to ethnic, there is something for everyone. Restaurants offer multiple choices for appetizers, entrees as well as desserts.

Salem Fall Restaurant & Wine Week is sponsored by the Salem Chamber of Commerce.

Reservations are encouraged; contact the restaurants directly. Please mention “Restaurant Week” when making your reservations.

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