shopping – Page 7 – Salem Main Streets

Grab Your Shopping Baskets! Salem Farmers’ Market is Back!!!

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

Jun 092015

No sooner does the energy of the Salem Arts Festival fade from Derby Square / Artist’s Row area than the Salem Farmers’ Market moves in with just as much fanfare, sounds, sights, colors and characters. This Thursday, from 3-7 pm you can get fresh with a veggie, fruit, etc. at Derby Sq on Front St. — rain or shine.

A farmers’ market allows growers the opportunity to market directly to consumers without having to deal with a food broker; they can also explain to customers how the food is grown and even advise on preparation. It’s a win/win.

That is especially true this year as we have a bumper crop of farms that will be delivering diverse produce.

Clark Farm
Gibney Gardens
Grant Family Farm
Heavens Harvest Farm
Honey Pot Farm (new!)
Long Hill Orchard
Maitland Mountain Farm
Wally’s Vegetables

But, as has been said before, this isn’t your grandmother’s Farmers’ Market. It’s produce and more.

Things You Can Eat (or drink)
A & J Lobsters
All Fruit, Inc. (new!)
Auntie Elsie’s Oatmeal Crisps
Cookie Monstah
Far From The Tree
Fishwives Specialty Foods
Jodi Bee Bakes
Grassy Roots (new!)
Milk and Honey
Mill River Winery
Rowand Seafood
Stillman’s at the Turkey Farm
Sweet Lydia’s
Swissbakers
Valicenti Pasta Farm
When Pigs Fly

Other Things To Bring You Joy
Teas, Herbs & Spices : Just Herbals (new!); Salem Spice

Jewelry: Heritage Handmade

Bed, Bath, Home Products: Salem Soapworks

Plus music. Don’t forget the music. Everything from folk to rock, Celtic tunes, sea shanties, and classical to name just a few. Keep checking this list as we constantly update the performance schedule.

The Salem Farmers’ Market participates in SNAP and accepts the EBT card. SFM is still looking for volunteers to help with set up and break down of the market. Click here for more info.

Salem Farmers’ Market is a Salem Main Streets project in partnership with the City of Salem, the Salem Chamber of Commerce, and Mass in Motion Salem.

Salem Arts Festival: A Living Portrait of the Local Arts Scene

History, Salem Event, Salem Festivals, Volunteer Opportunities No Responses »

Jun 052015

Living, growing, expanding— the 7th Annual Salem Arts Festival (which takes place this Friday, Saturday and Sunday here in Salem Ma) will have several firsts this year.

The musical acts on Friday night will be outside on Derby Square for the first time! Yes, music is a lively element woven into the fabric of our Salem Arts Festival. Music is entertainment. Music is also art.

Speaking of art, the annual Juried Art Show had a twist on the submission process that apparently super-charged the number of entries, according to Kylie Sullivan, Executive Director of Salem Main Streets, (SMS), the community non-profit organization which started the Festival.

“I’m very excited about the juried gallery this year,” she says. “I think it’s the most diverse range of media and styles that we’ve ever had. This was our first year doing an on-site jury process, and we had more applications than ever before.”

And another “first” type event at the Festival is the “Front Yard Street Art” collaborative public art installation. It is one of the most anticipated events this year as it will transform Front Street into a temporary green space and masterpiece during the festival. “Front Yard Street Art” is a fiber arts project that was completed through the leadership of local artist Kate Babcock and the open participation of community members and groups of all ages and abilities.

In total, Salem Arts Festival will feature over 80 artists and performers, and includes a variety of art, music, dance, and theatre performances. The family-friendly event also includes art-making for all ages and artisan vendors selling their creations.

“There’s been a tremendous amount of collaboration between so many local groups and individuals to continue to improve and expand the festival every year. We’re so excited about the phenomenal energy and talent that will be on display this year,” adds Sullivan.

The Festival is spread out at a variety of venues in downtown Salem, with the focus primarily on Old Town Hall, Derby Square, Front Street, and Artists’ Row.

The Festival kicks off with an opening reception at Salem’s Old Town Hall on Friday, June 5th at 6 pm. The free event allows visitors to enjoy beautiful art work while being entertained by renowned local performers Briana Paquin, Siren of the Circle, and headliners The Squeezebox Stompers.

This year, the Salem Arts Festival also celebrates the launch of Liz LaManche’s piece “Salem’s Connected World,” the first commissioned public art project completed by the City of Salem’s Public Art Commission and Public Art Planner Deborah Greel. It will be visible all throughout the festival grounds.

In addition, the Festival marks the return of vendors to Artists’ Row, with all new tenants for the 2015 season.

The goal of the Salem Arts Festival is to promote all the arts in Salem and to provide the entire North Shore arts community an opportunity to showcase their talents. The Festival is run in collaboration with Salem Main Streets by a team of dedicated volunteers, including representatives from Salem State University, the Peabody Essex Museum, Creative Salem, and many more.

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, please visit www.salemartsfestival.com.

2015 Salem Arts Festival Schedule

Friday, June 5th – Old Town Hall Gallery Reception – 6 pm to 9 pm
7:00 – 7:50 pm, Briana Paquin
7:50 – 8:00 pm, Siren of the Circle
8:00 – 9:00 pm, The Squeezebox Stompers

Saturday June 6th – Gallery, Street Fair, and Art-Making – 11 am to 6 pm

Derby Square
11:30 am – 12:15 pm, The Bordellos
12:30 – 1:15 pm, Witch City Belly Dance
1:30 – 2:15 pm, Brooks Young Band
3:20 – 4:05 pm, The Othership
4:15 – 5:00 pm, Dark Follies
5:15 – 6:00 pm, Poppa Cigar

Artists’ Row
1:00 – 1:30 pm, Olivia Gale
2:15 – 3:00 pm, The Whiskey Sippers
3:00 – 4:00 pm, Right Mix Quartet
4:00 – 5:00 pm, JAMINIC
5:00 – 6:00 pm, Art Attack

Old Town Hall Upstairs
2:30 – 3:15 pm, History Alive!
4:00 – 4:30 pm, Brady Kenny O’Brien Academy of Irish Dance
4:55 – 5:15 pm, Aurora Borealis Dance Company

Sunday June 7th – Gallery, Street Fair, and Art-Making – 11 am to 6 pm

Derby Square
11:30 am – 12:15 pm, Strange Interlude
12:15 pm – 1:00 pm, Pete and Chris Amusements
1:00 – 1:45 pm, The Coteries
2:00 – 4:00 pm, Linda Peck, around Old Town Hall
2:00 – 2:45 pm, True Monks
3:15 – 4:00 pm, Jumpin’ Juba
4:15 – 5:00 pm, Absolute Gentleman
5:15 – 6:00 pm, Machine 475

Artists’ Row
12:15 – 1:00 pm, Carubia Brass Bands
1:30 – 2:00 pm, 1+1
2:15 – 2:45 pm, The Ridiculous Project
2:45 – 3:15 pm, Jennifer Evans
3:15 – 3:30 pm, “Up”: A Play by Michael Jaros
4:00 – 4:45 pm, The High Meadow Howlers
4:50 – 5:10 pm, Christopher Noran

Old Town Hall Upstairs
2:45 – 3:05 pm, Jackie Bowden

*All times are approximate and subject to change.

Mid 60s temperatures and partly to mostly sunny days are in the forecast for the Salem Arts Festival . We invite you to bring the entire family for a most entertaining and enlightening day.

(Photo courtesy John Andrews at Social Palates)

What is Art? Salem Arts Festival Provides Answers

Salem Event, Salem Festivals, Salem Shopping No Responses »

May 312015

Is art “either a plagiarist or a revolutionary” (as artist Paul Gauguin once stated) or is it “filling a space in a beautiful way” (artist Georgia O’Keeffe)? Art is many things to many people. You will experience that next weekend (June 5-7) when the 7th annual Salem Arts Festival rolls out across Salem Ma.

Let’s go to an unbiased source, the Oxford Dictionary, where art is defined as “The expression or application of creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting, drawing, or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.”

Then add dance, theatre, film, music, photography, and even knitting. Now you have the palette from which the Salem Arts Festival is drawn.

The SAF seeks & presents art and performance for the sophisticated art patron as well as for the art novice. And this especially includes interactive activities for children. This is a family-friendly event which annually attracts 5000 attendees.

The Salem Arts Festival schedule includes The Gallery, performances, Street Fair, and art-making activities all to be found within easy walking distance of each other at Old Town Hall, Derby Square, Front Street, and Artists’ Row.

What is your definition of art? Will it alter or be reinforced after attending the Salem Arts Festival?

The SAF promotes the arts in downtown Salem through this festival for residents and visitors by providing opportunities to highlight the existing artist community and encouraging general community participation in the arts.

The Salem Arts Festival is organized by Salem Main Streets and a collaboration of Salem organizations which provide support for the festival, including the City of Salem, Salem State University Center for the Creative and Performing Arts, Peabody Essex Museum, Salem Arts Association and Creative Salem.

Photo Credit – Social Palates

Salem Salutes Itself with Community Service Awards

Contests, History, New Businesses, Salem Dining, Salem Event, Salem Shopping No Responses »

Apr 262015

Who are the “best of the best” when it comes to business & community activity over the past year in Salem Ma? The Salem Chamber of Commerce asked residents to select from 36 nominees in six categories. Over 1900 people responded.

Awards were handed out at the 93rd annual Celebrate Salem Awards Dinner, on April 22at the Peabody Essex Museum.

2014 Businesswoman of the Year: Brandi Dion – B&S Fitness Companies & CrossFit IronSpider

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.

B&S Fitness Companies’ goal is to improve the quality of life and health for every customer through innovative and effective fitness programs. CrossFit IronSpider is a fitness community dedicated to helping everyone achieve their individual goals within an inspiring group setting. In addition to fitness programs, B&S offers event management which raises and donates over $50k each year to non-profit organizations.

2014 Businessman of the Year: Paul Van Ness – CinemaSalem, Salem Film Fest, The Cabot, Van Ness Creative

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.

CinemaSalem is more than a film-lover’s movie theater; it’s also a café, an art gallery, an art house, a live music venue, and a home Salem Film Fest, one of America’s largest all-documentary film festivals. Van Ness and a group of investors recently acquired The Cabot in Beverly, MA. Van Ness Creative is a full-service film and video production company

2014 New Business of the Year: The Ugly Mug Diner

The New Business of the Year award is given to the best new business that opened in 2014.

The Ugly Mug Diner is a twisted American Diner in the heart of Salem. A foodie haven, serving beer, bacon and espresso, with a soda jerk, hand cut fries, and biscuits with red gravy.

The 2014 Excellence in Retail Award: Milk & Honey Green Grocer

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.

Milk & Honey Green Grocer is the local grocery store for people who care about the environment, community, and sustainability. Offering residents of the North Shore carefully selected products of the highest quality.

The 2014 Community Service Award: Creative Salem

The Community Service Award is awarded to a member or organization who has an outstanding record of community service and volunteer participation.

Creative Salem celebrates the city of Salem as a hub of creativity, 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.

The 2014 Long-Term Achievement Award: Jim & Nancy Hurrell (Salem Trolley, Pirate Museum, Witch History Museum, Witch Dungeon)

The Long-Term Achievement Award is given to a business that has achieved 10 or more years of success in the community.

Witch History Museum: The stories of 1692 told through a historically accurate live presentation and tour. Witch Dungeon Museum: An award winning reenactment of the trial of beggar-woman Sarah Good – from the original transcript of 1692. Salem Pirate Museum: The unique and little-known history of New England sea-robbers comes alive at the Pirate Museum. The Salem Trolley provides visitors with a narrated one hour tour and all day shuttle service through beautiful and historic Salem.

This year, winners received an original wood sculpture created by Tommy Gagnon of Boston Woodturning.

For more information on the event or the Salem Chamber please visit www.salem-chamber.org or call 978-744-0004.

Global Event ‘Record Store Day’ to Have Salem Connection

History, Salem Event, Salem Festivals, Salem Shopping No Responses »

Apr 162015

Vinyl, wax, platters, discs…. all names for the LP, more lovingly recalled as a ‘record.’ Yes, the round thing that rotated on a record player your parents or grandparents talked about from their youth. To celebrate the continued existence of records and spread the word about the unique culture surrounding independently owned record stores in the US and world-wide, Record Store Day was created. Locally the Salem Theatre is partnering with Salem’s own independent record store, The Record Exchange, to promote an entire weekend, April 17-19. (Record Store Day usually takes place on the third Saturday of April. )

The day is for the people who make up the world of record stores to celebrate the unique culture of a record store and the special role these independently owned shops play in their communities. Special vinyl and CD releases and various promotional products are made exclusively for the day.

The Record Exchange advises from its Facebook page: Come and celebrate records, music & YOU, our amazing customers & friends, this Saturday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Yup…it’s RECORD STORE DAY! We’ll have Ziggys and Sons Donuts for all, some very cool RSD limited edition records, and we’ll be putting used CDs & DVD sets on sale just for the day.

As for the live musical contribution from the Salem Theatre, kicking off the weekend on Friday, April 17 at 7:30pm is a returning favorite Don White with opening act Julie Dougherty.

Saturday, April 18 at 7:30pm is a CD Release for Justin Goodrich. Justin is an American singer-songwriter and actor. Independently he has released two solo-acoustic EP’s, “A Revenant Affair” and “Fallen Angels, Tears of Stone”. Each ticket purchase for the Justin Goodrich concert will include a free copy of the new album “Steadfast Hearts and Borrowed Time”.

Wrapping up the weekend on Sunday, April 19 at 5pm is An Evening with Chris Noran and Kevin William. Chris and Kevin are Indie Folk artists from Salem and Boston respectively. Together these two will play two full sets of Bon Iver-esque, ambient rock-folk in a warm and intimate space.

To give you an idea of how the “culture” of a record store can have an effect on someone, David Grohl of the Foo Fighters, who is the 2015 Ambassador for Record Store Day, recalls: “I found my calling in the back bin of a dark, dusty record store.

1975’s K-Tel’s Blockbuster 20 Original Hits by the original Stars featuring Alice Cooper, War, Kool and the Gang, Average White Band and many more, bought at a small record shop in my suburban Virginia neighborhood, it was this record that changed my life and made me want to become a musician. The second that I heard Edgar Winter’s “Frankenstein” kick in, I was hooked. My life had been changed forever. This was the first day of the rest of my life.

I believe that the power of the record store to inspire is still alive and well, and that their importance to our next generation of musicians is crucial.”

Record Store Day is managed by the Department of Record Stores and is organized in partnership with the Alliance of Independent Media Stores (AIMS), the Coalition of Independent Music Stores (CIMS) and celebrates the culture of independent record stores by playing host to in-store events/performances, signings and special product releases on a global scale.

The Record Exchange, located at 256 Washington Street, is one of the oldest used brick & mortar record stores in the United States; it was founded in Salem, MA in 1974.

Founded in 2002, Salem Theatre aims to enrich the artistic, cultural and economic life of the Greater Salem region and build connections with new, diverse audiences and theatre artists through the performance of classic, contemporary, and new works of exceptional theater as well as through the arts education outreach. It is located at 90 Lafayette Street.

For more info on the concerts, either call The Record Exchange at 978-745-0777 or directly contact the Salem Theatre at www.salemtheatre.com or call 978-790-8546 .

(Record/turntable photo courtesy of J Fry from FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

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