Dec 012013
 

December is here, and so begins the “other” celebration season for which Salem is gaining a reputation. Salem Ma? Ground zero to spook central, as some have called us, becomes a tourist attraction for all things relating to a warm & toasty family holiday? Yes Virginia, there is another Salem.

We will begin with Historic Salem Inc which presents one of many must-see events to be highlighted over the next few weeks: The Christmas In Salem House Tour.

Let their own words describe this favorite event of locals and tourists:

Few communities have the rich legacy of historic houses that Salem, Massachusetts boasts. These homes, spanning four centuries, help define the character as well as the appearance of the city, and every year some of their owners invite visitors in to view their homes decked out in full holiday regalia, with the help of professional decorators and florists.”

Here is a peek at last year’s tour.

The 34th annual Christmas in Salem House Tour, Dec. 6-8, will focus this year on “Ports of Call In the Historic Derby Waterfront District” featuring nine homes.

TOUR DETAILS

  • Friday Night Candlelight Preview Tour, Dec. 6, 5:30-8:30 p.m.; for advance ticket holders only

  • Saturday, Dec. 7, 10:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

  • Sunday, Dec. 8, 11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Historic homes, decorated for the holidays by local designers, florists and garden clubs.

  • Friday night Candlelight Tour of selected houses

  • Complimentary Salem Trolley Service

  • Restaurant, Shopping and Attractions Discounts

  • A Holiday Concert

  • A historic Derby Street walking tour with Jim McAllister on Saturday morning

  • Wine Tastings at Salem Wine Imports

  • A spice tasting at the Picklepot with Salem Food Tours

Historic Salem, Inc. is celebrating its 68th year as the city’s preeminent preservation group. Christmas in Salem is its primary fundraiser, and a significant portion of the proceeds will support the interior restoration of the Nathaniel Bowditch house as well as community and educational programming through the year.

For more information, please contact Historic Salem, Inc. at 978-745-0799 or info@historicsalem.org.

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Nov 292013
 

Expect Salem (plus Beverly, Marblehead and a score of communities on the North Shore) to be overflowing with shoppers on Saturday. Small Business Saturday, initiated by American Express in 2010, is sandwiched between Black Friday and Cyber Monday. It is a day for people to show support to local merchants who operate businesses in their communities.

Small Biz SalemIn an effort to encourage Salem residents to “Shop Local First” this holiday season, Mayor Kim Driscoll announced that all parking in Salem would be free Nov. 28 – Dec. 1. This includes all on-street parking meters, City surface lots, and parking garages. Information about parking in Salem is online at http://parkinginsalem.com.

These are some of the busiest shopping days of the year,” said Mayor Driscoll. “Hopefully, by taking this step we can help inspire more Salem residents to come downtown and discover all the great retail shopping opportunities available at our independent businesses and shops.”

Karen Gordon Mills, Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration has stated:

Small businesses are the back bone of our communities. And when we shop small, we not only get great products and services, but we support our neighbors and strengthen our local economies.”

She points out that, “Over the last two decades, small and new businesses have been responsible for creating two out of every three net new jobs in the U.S., and today over half of all working Americans own or work for a small business.”

That certainly sounds like the entrepreneurial spirit that drives the business economy in Salem.

“By shopping small,” she concludes “we can help America’s small businesses do what they do best: grow their businesses, create good jobs, and ensure that our communities are vibrant.”

More than 100 million Americans have participated in the Small Business Saturday promotion. Our merchants in Salem invite you to join the party.

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Nov 102013
 

Volunteering is the ultimate exercise in democracy. You vote in elections once a year, but when you volunteer, you vote every day about the kind of community you want to live in. (Marjorie Moore, Minds Eye Information Service, Belleville, IL, USA

Contributions made by area volunteers at various Salem sites were spotlighted recently at a Volunteer Appreciation Party held at the National Park Service Visitor Center.

Salem Main Streets partnered with the City of Salem, National Park Service, and Destination Salem to honor the over 100 wonderful volunteers from the October Information Booth, the “Shutdown Booth” and the Salem Farmers’ Market. Speakers at the event included (pictured) Kate Fox of Destination Salem, Salem Mayor Kimberley Driscoll, Kylie Sullivan of Salem Main Streets and Jonathan Parker of the National Park Service. (photo by Karen Scalia)

Besides “thank you’s” being handed out, we also had a number of “fun facts” to share that night.

The Salem Farmers’ Market served over 37,000 shoppers, the Shutdown Booth helped over 13,000 people, and our own Info Booth responded to multiple questions posed by more than 25,000 visitors.

Being a volunteer is a win-win-win situation here in Salem. You are helping your community. You are helping people from outside the community better understand Salem. And you are making yourself feel good about sharing your spare time.

And as a further thank you, local restaurants generously donated fantastic food for the event, creating quite the spread! Donating restaurants included Adriatic Restaurant & Bar, Caffe Graziani, Capt’s Waterfront Grill & Pub, Finz, Flying Saucer Pizza Company, Gulu-Gulu Cafe, Life Alive, Opus, Salem Waterfront Hotel, Village Tavern, and Victoria’s Station.

Don’t ever question the value of volunteers. Noah’s Ark was built by volunteers; the Titanic was built by professionals. (Dave Gynn, Coleman Professional Services, Ohio, USA )

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Oct 272013
 

But, depending on the time 0f day/night, they may not lead out.

The City of Salem has published Road Closures & No Parking Zones for Halloween. And as a courtesy to our followers who may be nearby or are still miles away but planning to be here on the big day/night we are reprinting the schedule from the city website. Please note that all closures are subject to change based on conditions, crowd size, and other public safety factors.

Streets closed to traffic at approximately 4 p.m.( no later than 5 p.m.), and until approximately 11:30 p.m.

This means not only can’t you drive through these streets but if you parked there, you can’t leave either.No Parking

1.      Washington St. from New Derby to Bridge St.
2.      Essex St. from Barton Square to Union St.
3.      Derby St. from Lafayette St. to Congress St.
4.      Brown St. at New Liberty St. Second backup closure at Howard St.
5.      Lafayette St. from Derby to Front St.
6.      Hawthorne Blvd. from Derby St. to Essex St.
7.      Washington Sq. West from Essex to Brown St. Washington Sq. South closed. Washington Sq. North closed from Brown to Winter St.
8.      Winter St. at Bridge St. closed to inbound traffic.
9.      Williams St. at Bridge St.
10.     Congress St. closed at South Harbor Garage. Vehicles will be detoured to Pickering Way out to Derby St. Derby St. inbound traffic detoured to Little Hawthorne Blvd., right on Essex St. (Traffic direction will be reversed on Little Hawthorne Blvd.)

Streets closed to traffic from 10 p.m. until 11:30 p.m.

1.      Bridge St. will be closed to traffic between the westerly ramps and the Bypass Road.
2.      Incoming Bridge St northbound traffic will be detoured up westerly ramps to North Street. Bypass Road inbound traffic from Beverly will be diverted back to Bridge Street and back to Beverly. Incoming southbound traffic from Bridge Street will be diverted to the Bypass Road and back to Beverly.
3.      Franklin Street may be closed to traffic if needed.

Other closures or openings could be decided as special circumstances arise.

No parking tow zones from 4 p.m. to midnight. These will be enforced.

1.      Lafayette St. both sides Front to Derby St.
2.      Public parking lot along Front St. Public parking spaces located on Central St. in front of old police station.
3.      Essex St. from Barton Sq. to Hawthorne Blvd.
4.      Derby St. both sides between Congress and Lafayette St.
5.      Hawthorne Blvd. both sides.
6.      Front St.
7.      Central St.
8.      Washington St. from New Derby to Bridge St. both sides.
9.      Washington Sq. North, South, and West both sides.
10.     Federal St. both sides from Washington to Superior Court.
11.     Norman St. from Washington to Crombie St.
12.     Franklin St. on the Furlong Park/North River side of the street.
13.     New Derby St. between Klop Alley and Lafayette St.

Visitors planning to come to Salem on October  31st are strongly encouraged to take the commuter rail or ride the Salem-to-Boston Ferry. For more information about traveling to Salem during Halloween visit the Haunted Happenings website and to be notified about road closures follow @GetThruOctober on Twitter or our own Twitter account @SalemMainStreets.

We will also have this information at our new Visitors’ Info Booth, which is at the corner of Washington and Essex Streets, across from the Bewitched Statue.

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Oct 172013
 

Oh to be a kid in Salem Ma during Haunted Happenings. We’ve had Family Days on the Common. The Big Draw in front of the Peabody Essex Museum. There is a Carnival on Derby Street. And not a week goes by that one of our Downtown stores or organizations isn’t offering some activity focusing on children.

Just look at what is on this weekend’s horizon.

Sat./Sun. 11am-noon: Professor Wunders’ School of Magic. This is promoted as a fantastic event for families, with fun special effects and audience participation! Learn the basics of magic, and cast exciting spells with Professor Wunders. Every child receives a magic glow ring as a gift before the show. Free pictures with the Wizard on stage after the show. 7 Lynde St (Gallows Hill Museum Theater) For ticket prices: 978-825-0222 or GallowsHillSalem.com/

Sat./Sun. 11am-5pm: Ask a Witch & Make a Wand. You are invited to stop by and make a wand with the Witches Education League. Ask questions about Witches and Witchcraft. This is the 20th anniversary of Ask A Witch. All proceeds go to charities. Artemisia Botanicals, 3 Hawthorne Blvd ArtemisiaBotanicals.com

Kid's Day on the Common

Sat./Sun. 11am-5pm: Salem Common Fun Days. Where else can you find nteractive inflatables, games, entertainers, fun foods, contests and more other than on the Salem Common. Brought to you by New England Parties. A portion of proceeds will benefit non-profit partner Salem Common Neighborhood Association. Salem Common

Sat. Noon-3pm: Annual Children’s Halloween Parade & Costume Party Children ages 3-10 are invited to Salem Common in costume. From there the parade travels down Essex Street to a costume competition in Derby Square. Parade Registration at 11am, parade begins at noon. Costume party from 1pm-3pm at the Phoenix School. Rain location: 89 Margin St. Salem Common PhoenixSchool.org

Sat./Sun. Noon-10pm: Haunted Happenings Carnival Once again Fiesta Shows builds something out of nothing, creating andelight for all the senses for kids of all ages. takes over while visiting Salem and act your age somewhere else! Games, rides and all the fun rolled up in one! Derby St.

Sat.1-3pm: Jedi Knight Training will be held on the Common Children between four and nine years of age will have a chance to interact with a real Jedi Knight. And this interactive performance is geared for both boys and girls! Children are led through a series of challenges including Jedi Force Magic, the Laser Balloon Barrage and Jedi Teamwork culminating in an epic lightsaber duel with the JePumpkinsdi Master himself. There is no admission fee and costumes are encouraged! Salem Common.

One other item to mention is the Sixth Annual Pumpkin Decorating Contest. Strictly for people on the younger side, it is set up with three age groupings: 6-year old and under, 7-10 year old and 11-14 year old. Their pumpkins will be on display for family, friends and tourists to view during October on Salem Common. Objects, paper, and materials of any kind may be pinned or glued to pumpkins. Participants may also draw or paint on their entries. They are to deliver finished works of art to the Common Oct. 18 from 4-7pm and Oct. 19 from 11am to 2pm. Judging will take place Oct. 20 at 11am. For full rules go to Salem Patch.

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