Salem Shopping – Salem Main Streets

Salem’s Best of the North Shore Winners – 2018

Aug 142018

In case you missed it, the annual Best of the North Shore (BONS) awards have been announced by North Shore Magazine for 2018! As usual, Salem businesses gave a strong showing among the awardees – listed below are all the winners located in Salem. Are your favorites included? Maybe a few that you’d never considered trying? Congratulations to all the 2018 winners!

DINE

Bacon – Back Alley Bacon (Readers’ Choice)

Bakery/Bread – A&J King (Editors’ and Readers’ Choice)

Brunch – Ledger

Fish & Chips – Turners Seafood at Lyceum Hall (Readers’)

Gluten-Free – Jodi Bee Bakes (Readers’)

Indian – Passage to India (Editors’ and Readers’)

Mexican – Howling Wolf Taqueria (Editors’ and Readers’)

Mussels – Sea Level Oyster Bar, Salem

Pizza – Bambolina

Ramen – Kokeshi (Editors’ and Readers’)

Raw Bar – Sea Level Oyster Bar, Salem

Seafood – Turners Seafood at Lyceum Hall (Readers’)

Sushi – Koto (Readers’, tie)

Tacos – Howling Wolf (Readers’)

Vegetarian – Life Alive (Editors’ and Readers’)

DRINK

Bar – Opus (Readers’)

Beer Garden – Notch (Readers’)

Beer Menu – Gulu Gulu Café (Readers’)

Cocktail – Opus (Readers’)

Distillery – Rumson’s Rum

Hard Cider – Far From the Tree (Editors’ and Readers’)

Juice Bar – Life Alive (Readers’)

Tap Room – Notch (Readers’)

Winery – Mill River Winery (Editors’ and Readers’) – Rowley business, sells at Salem Farmers’ Market

INDULGE

Bake Shop – Caramel Patisserie (Editors’, tie), A&J King (Readers’)

Candies – Ye Olde Pepper Companie (Editors’), Harbor Sweets (Readers’, tie)

Chocolate – Harbor Sweets

Cookies – Goodnight Fatty

Dessert – Counter at Hotel Salem

Ice Cream – Melt (tie)

RENEW

Yoga – Yoga Sakti

PLAY

Dance Studio – Dance Enthusiasm (Readers’)

Family Hangout, Indoor – Peabody Essex Museum (Editors’ and Readers’)

Festival (Fall) – Haunted Happenings (Editors’ and Readers’)

Festival (Spring) – Salem Film Fest

Museum – Peabody Essex Museum (Editors’ and Readers’)

Tourist Attraction – House of the Seven Gables (Readers’)

SHOP

Books – Wicked Good Books (Readers’)

Cheese Shop – Cheese Shop of Salem (Editors’ and Readers’)

Clothing, Women’s Upscale – J. Mode (Readers’)

Makeup Selection – Rouge (tie)

Yoga Apparel – Yoga Sakti (Readers’)

LIVE

Gourmet Market – The Cheese Shop of Salem (plus tie for Readers’)

Personal Chef Service – Fine Food and Cooking by J. Ricardo Sanchez

MINGLE

Billiards – Village Tavern (Readers’)

Date Night – Opus (Readers’)

First Date – Bit Bar (Readers’)

Girls’ Night Out – Sea Level Oyster Bar, Salem

Guys’ Night Out – Bit Bar

Heritage Days Celebrate Salem’s Community Spirit with 40 Events

History, Salem Event, Salem Festivals, Salem Shopping 2 Responses »

Aug 042018

Forty events. Thirteen Days & Nights. Salem’s celebration of our past, present and future, known as Heritage Days, has something for kids, senior citizens and everybody in between. It runs from August 1-13 and it takes place all over Salem. Bring comfortable walking shoes.

New events this year include public performances in Derby Square and Gables Fest, the House of the 7 Gables’ 350^th anniversary celebration with a special day of stories, song and dance. Also new this year, the Salem YMCA is joining forces with the Salem Education Foundation to enhance Kids Night on Common with many new crafts and special live performances.

And, that’s just what’s new!!!

The week begins with some very special events just for our seniors, and the first weekend of Heritage Days is highlighted by the 30^th Annual Maritime Festival offering maritime exhibitors and demonstrators, free harbor cruises, a magic show and ten different music, dance and entertainment acts scheduled throughout the weekend. The Salem Common will be hopping Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday with Pizza Night, National Night Out, the Ice Scream Bowl followed by the SCNA’s weekly movie, and Kids Night.

The Salem Police Department has been hard at working organizing National Night Out, this nationwide initiative designed to promote positive police-community relationships. This year promises to be bigger and better than ever. Event highlights include all types of public safety vehicles on display, a K-9 demonstration, and Salem Police/Fire vs. Boys & Girls Club basketball game. There will be over 60 tables and tents setup by different organizations, social service agencies and local businesses offering information and free give-a-ways, along with free raffle opportunities to win bicycles and gift cards. Kids’ activities include inflatables, games, and arts & crafts. There will also be free pizzas, drinks, and snacks donated by Salem businesses.

Of course, your favorite Salem Main Streets fundraiser, the Salem Ice Scream Bowl, is back again this year with six awesome local vendors providing an array of delicious flavors! The 2018 Ice Scream Bowl will be held Wednesday, August 8 on the Salem Common from 6-7:30 p.m. rain or shine. Please note the change to Wednesday this year from our traditional Tuesday night.

In addition, Salem Main Streets’ Salem Farmers’ Market is celebrating 10 seasons this year! We will be adding a few extra treats for this week’s market, Thursday, August 9, in celebration of our 10th season, Heritage Days, AND National Farmers Market Week. Customers can look forward to some sweet new Farmers’ Market merchandise, extra special live music, interpretive dance-on-demand by Betsy Miller, and of course, some of the best local farms and vendors to be found on the North Shore. The Market will run as it does every week from 3 pm t0 7 pm on Derby Square.

Check out the full schedule.

It is packed with free opportunities for Salem residents to visit many of our downtown museums and attractions and receive discounts on the Salem Ferry and tours to Bakers Island Light Station. Pick a day or two during the week and plan a stay-cation, be a tourist and visit the Ropes Mansion or take a Cry Innocent walking tour or be part of the Salem Wax Museum’s 25 anniversary with its 25-cent admission for Salem residents or ride the Salem Trolley and visit the Witch House for free.

It’s your community. Enjoy it!

Salem Farmers’ Market Readies New Crop of Delights with June 7 Season Opener

Business Spotlight, New Businesses, Salem Dining, Salem Event, Salem Farmers Market, Salem Festivals, Salem Shopping, Volunteer Opportunities No Responses »

Jun 052018

What do the following seven major farms have in common: Clark Farm, Gibney Gardens, Maitland Mountain Farm, Grant Family Farm, Heavens Harvest Farm, Long Hill Orchard, and Wally’s Vegetables? They are the heart of the Salem Farmers’ Market, which returns for its 10^th season this Thursday from 3-7pm, at Derby Square on Front Street in Salem, MA

Just as every shopping mall has anchor stores which are the main attractions, so does a successful Farmers’ Market have booths with general appeal items of summer vegetables, such as from the above-mentioned local and regional farms.

“Over the past decade, the Farmers’ Market has truly become a destination for the community – it’s a gathering place as well as an opportunity to get fresh, local produce and other one-of-a-kind goods,” Salem Main Streets Executive Director Kylie Sullivan said, adding that the market typically draws over 2,000 market-goers weekly. “With the great range of vendors that we have, there’s something for everyone at our Farmers’ Market.”

What Will You Find at Salem Farmers’ Market?

For five months every year, the largely volunteer-run market gives residents and tourists alike the opportunity to buy farm-fresh produce, seafood, baked goods, and meats. Also available are an array of specialty foods, bakery products, spices, and non-food vendors. In total this year we have 35 participating vendors!

Exciting new additions (think of them as all the cute and intriguing smaller stores in the mall) to the 2018 market include Fixx Chocolates, Kim Gregory Pure Pastry, Red Antler Apothecary, Root NS, Sustainable Food Solutions, and Zen Bear Foods, along with many other surprises and additions throughout the season.

Every week the market offers live music and representation from different community groups and initiatives.

To celebrate the market’s 10-year anniversary this year, attendees can look forward to limited edition swag, prizes, and special events popping up throughout the season, both at and outside of the market.As in previous years, the Salem Farmers’ Market will continue to take EBT through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. In compliance with the City of Salem’s plastic bag ordinance, we encourage attendees to bring their own bags – or buy a tote bag at the market to support our work!

The market is made possible through the leadership of Salem Main Streets and the Farmers’ Market Committee, as well as the generous contributions of numerous volunteers. We are still accepting volunteers to help with weekly set up from 1:30 to 3pm, help at the info table between 3-7pm, and break down help from 6:30 to 7:30pm. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Salem Farmers’ Market.

To get the latest updates about the farmers’ market, visit our website at www.salemfarmersmarket.org, or follow us on Facebook or Twitter .

The Salem Farmers’ Market will be held at Derby Square on Front Street in Salem, MA every Thursday from 3-7pm from June 7^th through October 11^th, 2018. Mark your calendar. Set aside a basket. And we’ll see you on Thursdays!

Salem Arts Festival to Showcase over 200 Artists & Performers

History, Salem Event, Salem Festivals, Salem Shopping, SMS News, Volunteer Opportunities No Responses »

Jun 012018

Performance art. Gallery art. Public art. It all awaits you this weekend, June 1-3 as the family-friendly Salem Arts Festival celebrates its 10th anniversary. And you are a most welcome guest!!!

“It’s hard to believe how far this festival has come in 10 years. So much conscious work and collaboration across organizations and disciplines has been done over the years to create a one-of-a-kind event, truly unique to Salem,” says Kylie Sullivan, Executive Director of Salem Main Streets (SMS), the community non-profit that founded the Festival.

The Salem Arts Festival kicks off with an opening reception at Salem’s Old Town Hall on Friday, June 1st at 6 p.m. The free event allows visitors to enjoy beautiful art work in the juried gallery while being entertained by renowned local and regional performers Betsy Miller Dance Projects, High Meadow Howlers, Samba Viva, and headliners Los Sugar Kings.

Over the weekend, this free celebration of arts, culture, creativity and community will feature over 200 artists and performers, and includes a variety of art, music, dance, and theatre performances. Public activities include onsite art-making for all ages, local artist vendors selling their creations, a juried art exhibition and a community-built public art installation.

Arts Festival Locations

The Salem Arts Festival takes place in the heart of Salem at a variety of indoor and outdoor venues. Primary locations include Old Town Hall, Derby Square, Front Street, and Artists’ Row. A Juried Art Show, sponsored by Peabody Essex Museum will be held in Old Town Hall throughout the festival, with an artist street fair in the area around the building on Saturday and Sunday

Live performances will take place (weather permitting) on Derby Square and Front Street. The event is rain or shine; in the event of inclement weather, performances will be moved into Old Town Hall and Front Street Coffeehouse.

This year, Creative Collective, a locally based creative organization that connects creativity, community and commerce joins SMS as Salem Arts Festival organizer, founder and Chief Creative Officer John Andrews says “Partnering with Salem Main Streets made so much sense to the collective, and as we watch the growth of the creative economy and learn more every day how important support of the arts and culture are to healthy, safe and vibrant communities we are honored to be partnering with and fostering the 10th anniversary of the festival.”

One of the most anticipated events this year is “Bee to Brick”, our fifth collaborative public art project, this year led by Salem artists Kate Babcock and Jen Platt. Bee to Brick will install playful swarms of several hundred “bees” around the festival area, created entirely out of recycled plastic bottles and other reusable plastic pollution.

Over the past few months, community groups and locals of all ages have created hundreds of bees in an effort to increase awareness of the critical role pollinators play in sustaining our ecosystem. After the project, the bees will be transformed to “bricks” that will be used be students from the Phoenix School for their “Bottle Brick Project.”

The Salem Arts Festival also celebrates the third annual “Mural Slam” on Artists’ Row this year, organized by the City of Salem’s Public Art Commission and Public Art Planner Deborah Greel. Murals will be painted throughout the weekend by 10 selected artists and will be completed by the end of the festival. The murals will remain to bring vibrancy to Downtown Salem throughout the year.

The goal of the Salem Arts Festival is to promote all the arts in Salem and to provide the entire North Shore arts community with an opportunity to showcase their talents. SAF is organized by Salem Main Streets, the Creative Collective, and a collaboration of Salem organizations, including the City of Salem, Salem State University, Salem Food Tours, the Phoenix School, Salem Public Space Project, the Salem YMCA, Peabody Essex Museum, and the Salem Arts Association.

The Salem Arts Festival is supported in part by a grant from the Salem Cultural Council and an additional grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Support for the annual Fest Fundraiser was provided by Salem Five Bank and by the gracious support of its other creative partners, including Retonica Event Lighting, The Scarlet Letter Press, and Octocog Marketing and Design.

Visitors interested in attending the Salem Arts Festival can find easy access to the downtown by public transportation or parking at one of the many downtown lots in the City. For more information and for the full festival schedule, please visit www.salemartsfestival.com.

A special thanks to over 30 businesses that supported the 10th anniversary of the festival through financial support and other means, the list of supporters can be found on the festival website.

Winner of Best Arts Festival in the 2017 Best of the North Shore (BONS) awards, the Salem Arts Festival strives to showcase and support as many artists, creatives and performers as possible on an annual basis and throughout the year.

We hope to see you join the celebration this weekend in Salem Ma!

Use Your Feet To Get Around Salem Ma — But Not By Walking

Business Spotlight, Resources, Salem Event, Salem Shopping No Responses »

Apr 222018

Salem, already known as a very walkable city, is gaining prominence as a rideable community as well. For the 2^nd year, the Salem Bike Share program is offering an on-demand ride sharing service, with 50 bicycles in 10 different locations to see the city.

Operated and managed by Zagster, Inc., it began this year on March 1^st. With the weather beginning to get nicer, you can expect the bikes to begin renting out more quickly.

Mayor Kimberly Driscoll has praised the program: “Not only does it encourage residents, commuters and visitors to get out of their cars and onto bikes, but it is reflective of our nationally recognized complete streets policy.”

Reported figures from last season indicate that 1153 different riders made 2480 cumulative rides.

Salem Bike Share program features the Zagster 8, an award-winning bicycle known for its practical design, comfortable riding, and easy handling. The bike includes a spacious front basket that’s perfect for carrying shopping bags or personal belongings. As rider safety is a priority, every bike includes automatic lights, a bell, and full reflectors. Riders must be 18 years or older and are reminded to obey traffic laws, wear a helmet, and be a safe rider.

The way it works

Bikes are accessible at any station via the Zagster Mobile App that you must sign up for. It is available for iPhone and Android – or online at https://bike.zagster.com/salem/ where you can find information on membership options and fees.

Zagster bikes have a built-in lock which allows users to ride as long as they want and stop wherever they want along the way and lock the bike. Check out the video

Bikes need to return to any Zagster-Salem station at the end of a ride.

Appleton Street off North Street
Congress Street
Federal Street
Front Street
Hawthorne Boulevard
MBTA Commuter Rail Station
Salem Ferry Terminal
Salem Willows

The Salem Bike Share program is funded in partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and Salem State University.

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