Salem Festivals – Page 32 – Salem Main Streets

Haunted Happenings Kickoff Weekend

Oct 062013

Bargains were there for the taking at the featured event this weekend, The Haunted Biz Baz. The Salem Chamber of Commerce produced a lively market atmosphere that motivated visitors and residents to move from one booth to another, charmed and delighted.

There were also plenty of activites for children during daytime hours such as the Salem Common Family Fun Day or The Big Draw at Peabody Essex Museum.

Adults faced their fears at night at The Terrifying Haunted House, Terror at the Village, and some terrifying Tales at the Witch House.

Or you could just take a break from it all. The Salem Theatre Company is presenting “The Crucible,” while Gordon College/History Alive is offering “Goodnight, Captain White.”

Our Info Booth volunteers helped nearly 2000 people this weekend. Check our calendar for events during the week, and mark your date books to join us next weekend when we do it all over again.

Anything Happening Before Halloween?

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Sep 272013

Spotlights are about to be switched on. While it may not be the Greatest Show on Earth, Salem’s “Haunted Happenings” October month-long festival will give most other Halloween festivals a run for their money. But before we turn the page to all that is dark and gloomy and fun, September has one more week.

And what a week it has been and will still be.

Another great Farmers Market took place on Thursday, followed by a lively PEM/PM after-hours gathering of the Steampunk followers (as evidenced by the lively Emperor Norton’s Stationary Marching Band pictured here). Feed the stomach and the mind.

Speaking of feeding oneself, Billy Costa of NECN’s “TV Diner” will serve (could not resist) as the emcee of the 4th Annual Mystery Dine Around Salem Waterfront Hotel, Friday from 5:30-11pm. The menu? “Be transported to one of 15 designated restaurants for a fabulous dinner; then following dinner, guests return to the hotel to enjoy the Decadent Dessert Buffet, dancing, live DJ, and the opportunity to bid on an assortment of auction items.” There may be tickets still available, call 978.740.8788. Proceeds to benefit The Lifebridge Campus.

Then looking ahead to Saturday, well you can’t beat the drums loud enough to support the special fundraiser for the Boys/Girls Club of Salem music program taking place at Wynott’s Wands, 127 Essex St.

Salem musician Aaron Katz from The Dejas plans to drum 30 hours straight in an effort to set a new World-Record for Drumming in a Retail Store. And spurring him on will hopefully be you and other community members making donations.

Children, tourists, artists and residents are invited to get involved and bring their own instruments to participate and show solidarity for the music program’s initiative— as well as give Aaron some musical changes of pace for his drumming.

Survival of another kind manifests itself later in the day, as The Running Dead- Zombie 5K run is unleashed. Runners will try to stay the course while besieged by “zombies” who have the lone goal of eliminating you. The choice is yours. Proceeds will benefit the NSMC Cancer Center. Info and registration at www.runningdeadz5k.com

And then the weekend ends with a full Sunday.

Cruise the historic waters of Salem Sound aboard a full-scale replica of the 1812 privateer schooner FAME! From 11am to 12:45pm passengers will learn about the fishermen, pirates, privateers, traders and men of war who shaped our North Shore. Limited Availability! No reservations. Booth opens at 10:30AM. First come, first served. 80 Pickering Wharf. More info available at www.trailsandsails.org.

Enjoy Spiritual Middens: The Archaeology of Folklore – an exhibit and artifacts on display at the Witch House, 310 1/2 Essex St. You will find featured deliberately concealed items designed to protect a home’s vulnerable places, the threshold and the hearth. Entrance to the exhibit is free to Trails & Sails event attendees from 1-3pm only. For more info go to www.trailsandsails.org.

Learn about Salem and the Abolitionist Movement. A walking tour will begin at Old Town Hall in Derby Square; examine the history and impact of local and national abolitionists in Salem. This 90 minute tour will move around downtown Salem on city sidewalks. For more info go to www.trailsandsails.org. Runs from 1-3 pm.

Share an experience as you observe The 3rd Annual Gimme Shelter Birdhouse Auction, 1-3 pm at Artist’s Row, 24 New Derby St. Featured birdhouses were designed, built, and donated by local folks of all ages and abilities. Proceeds to benefit the Northeast Animal Shelter. Hosted by Salem Collective of Artists and Musicians, Serendipitish, and Social Palates. For more info go to salemcollective@gmail.com. or www.facebook.com/salemcollective/events

Drive over to Winter Island Pavilion for the 4 Paws Fundraiser Charity Cookout for Service Dogs, from 1-5 pm. Food, games, a bounce house, and music are all included for the price of admission! Plus raffle prizes. All proceeds will go to the Charity 4PawsforAbility towards Gabriel Lacerda’s goal to help him receive an Autism Service Dog! Fun for the whole family and a great cause! For more details go to www.paws4gabe.com

Taste the Gables. Join local chefs for an elegant evening of fun, food, and camaraderie under the tent on The Gables’ oceanfront lawn. Proceeds will benefit the preservation of eight historic houses. Caterers and chefs, vintners and brewers will offer their specialties and compete for your vote. It runs from 4-8 pm at 115 Derby St. For more info go to www.7gables.org.

Many of these events are benefits. Salem may be famous for Halloween as a tourist destination, but we are that and so much more.

Haunted Happenings Honored

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Sep 152013

Salem MainStreets has always known that Haunted Happenings is an event worthy of national recognition. Now others not only know it, they are spreading the word. The American Bus Association (ABA) has announced that our month-long celebration is one of the Top 100 Events in North America for 2014

ABA’s Top 100 Events in North America is an annual compendium of the best events for group travel in the United States and Canada. Each spring, a committee of ABA-member motorcoach and tour operators selects the Top 100 Events for the subsequent year; the list is unveiled in September. Winners are chosen from hundreds of celebrations, festivals, fairs, commemorative events, and more that have been nominated by ABA members.

“The attractiveness of Salem Haunted Happenings as a don’t-miss entertainment value is only part of why its selection this year is such a distinction for Salem,” said Peter J. Pantuso, CTIS, ABA’s president and CEO. “The real news here is that Haunted Happenings has been recognized as a potential magnet for tourism dollars, at a time when re-energizing domestic tourism is so important to our spirit and our economy. The honor gives Salem, Massachusetts an important boost in visibility among professional tour planners.”

The Top 100 Events receive worldwide attention via the media–television, radio, and print–such as USA Today and CNN. ABA distributes some 10,000 copies of the Top 100 Events in North America magazine, featuring the winners, to all of its members and to thousands of travelers worldwide.

“Motorcoach groups spend more and stay longer,” Pantuso said. “That’s why Haunted Happenings is truly a local economic asset. There is no better way to jump-start tourism than to attract motorcoach groups to a great event and convince them to extend their stay.”

And unlike most other “celebrations, festivals, fairs, commemorative events,” ours is neither a one nor two day event; it is 31 days & nights filled with music, art, history, entertainment, costumes and magical moments.

Check out the several spots Salem Ma has designated for motorcoaches. Then, women & men, leave the driving to them.

PEM Inspired Gifts

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Aug 242013

Gifts are a token of affection, an expression of friendship, or a transfer of goods in business with no expectation of return. And gifts are also the theme of this year’s Salem Arts Association “PEM Inspirational” show, The Gift, Sept. 6-29. The subject this year is Peabody Essex Museum’s Fabergé Revealed exhibition.

This is the 7th year that SAA members and non members have been asked to create art derived from a PEM exhibit. Last year, the Salem Arts Association presented Off the Top of Your Head, inspired by the Peabody Essex Museum’s Hats: An Anthology of Stephen Jones. Visitors were delighted with over 45 pieces, some of which included real milliner’s hats!

This year the questions posed to artists were:

What is the definition of a gift?
What is the meaning of a gift?
Could artists create a “gift” with interpretations in various media.

No doubt there will be plenty of inspiration from which to draw.

At the Peabody Essex Museum’s Fabergé Revealed show, you will see some amazing gifts there that were created for the aristocracy. Fabergé is synonymous with refined craftsmanship, jeweled luxury and the Russian imperial family. This exhibition explores the ideas of luxury, innovation, entrepreneurship and imperial patronage while providing insight into Peter Carl Fabergé’s life, business and legacy.

The Peabody Essex Museum will share (as a gift) its 181 Essex Street space to SAA for this exhibition. The curator of Fabergé Revealed, Dean Lahikainen, the Carolyn and Peter Lynch Curator of American Decorative Art for the Peabody Essex Museum, will judge the 7th “PEM Inspirational” show.

Viewings will be Thurs- Sun. from noon-6pm. For more details, visit salemartsassociation.org or contact: 978-745-4850.

We’re Jammin’, Jammin’…

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May 102013

…And I hope you like jammin’ too. The Bob Marley Ensemble will share their music and message Saturday, May 11th as part of the Salem Jazz and Soul Festival/Berklee College of Music Summer Series. Performance time has been reset to 5:30-7:30pm in Derby Square. It is sponsored by Lobster Shanty and expect to find a lot of good music and good feelings (and this is Salem, so there will be much good food to be had within walking distance).

Bob Marley Ensemble to perform at Salem Ma Matt Jenson, assistant professor of piano at the Berklee College of Music in Boston initially designed a class called “The Music and Life of Bob Marley” which presents an in-depth study of Marley’s life, maintaining respect for the soulfulness of his music and for his message of love and resistance to oppression.

This one semester class consists of 15 auditioned singers and instrumentalists who come from around the world. In a lecture-demonstration format, Jenson takes the students on a biographical tour of Marley’s fascinating life, and then rigorously coaches the ensemble as they prepare for performances.

Such as the one they will offer Salem. For more info go to www.salemjazzsoul.com

DrumFest & ZumbaFest

But that’s not the only music in Salem on Saturday. Not one, but two kickoff fundraisers will play out for Salem Culture Fest.

Presented by A3D (African Development through Drum & Dance), a Drum Fest will fill the air at from 10-11am at St. Peter’s Church. It is a drum circle event led by Mamadou Diop, president of A3D and leader of the award winning band “Mamadou.” For a $10 donation you can join in, bring a drum (some will be available). Mamadou to appear in Salem Ma

Doors to the ZumbaFest will open at 12:30pm, with dance sessions running from 1:30-3pm. Fee to participate is $20. There will be vendors, refreshments, activities and raffles for participants before & afterward until 4pm.

These funds will go towards mounting the annual Salem CultureFest, set this year for July 20 & 21. All funds raised there will be used to support the organization’s ongoing projects of educational development in Senegal, distribution of medical supplies to West Africa, and a donation to a local charitable organization.

For more info, go to www.a3dinc.org

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