Salem Shopping – Page 9 – Salem Main Streets

Take a Sip of History on New Salem Spirits Trolley

History, Salem Dining, Salem Shopping No Responses »

Sep 072016

The booming craft maker scene in Salem is getting its own tour! Salem Spirits Trolley launches a new excursion focusing on locally made cider, spirits, and beer beginning Friday, Sept. 9th.

“We are thrilled to offer this fantastic new tour to both locals and visitors,” says Salem Spirits Trolley founder and owner Karen Scalia. “Salem’s renowned and award-winning food scene now has a great companion with its outstanding craft beer, cider and spirits scene.”

The tour will include stops at Far From the Tree Cider, Deacon Giles Distillery and Notch Brewing.

Hosted by emcee comedian Mark Scalia, the Salem Spirits Trolley offers an entertaining and unique look at Salem, from the waterfront to the historic McIntire District. The 3-hour tour includes a special spice tasting, which showcases what spices are used in the making and distillation or brewing process, followed by tastings at each tour location.

Transported by the Salem Trolley, guests have the opportunity to talk with the local crafters about their process and passion, and get a behind-the-scenes perspective on the distilling and brewing process, as well as its relevance to the story of Salem.

Like Scalia’s Salem Food Tours, the experience is not just about the local samples, but about the connections between the spirits, the spice trade, and Salem’s history.

Additional tour partners include Salem Spice and the Cheese Shop of Salem, sharing more of Salem’s rich retail and culinary scene with participants.

The concept came to Scalia, who founded Salem Food Tours in 2010, after two of the local makers, Far From the Tree Cider and Deacon Giles Distillery, impressed her with their extraordinary products and special locations.

“Like our terrific Salem chefs, I wanted to shine a light on what they were doing,” says Scalia, “Since the locations of the tasting room and distillery were not in close proximity, the concept of a trolley tour was born. The addition of Notch Brewing to downtown Salem rounded out a fantastic experience.”

The Salem Spirits Trolley will offer regularly scheduled public tours beginning Friday, Sept. 9th, and private tours are available for groups. All ticket-holders must be 21+ and must sign a waiver before embarking on the tour. For more information, visit salemspiritstrolley.com.

Join Us for a Visual Walk Through the Farmers’ Market in Salem Ma

Salem Dining, Salem Event, Salem Farmers Market, Salem Shopping, SMS News No Responses »

Aug 152016

We can write all day about how great our Salem Farmers’ Market is. We can talk about the vendors, and all the various produce and products, especially as we’re starting to enter peak produce season. We can talk about how much we know YOU love us, because you voted us the BONS Readers’ Choice this year! But, our friend John Andrews at Creative Salem made a video on Vimeo earlier in the season, and e think it’s worth a second look as an even better way to give potential first-time attendees a solid foundation as to the fun, food, and friends that can be made.

Salem Farmers’ Market operates every Thursday through Oct. 13th from 3-7 pm in Derby Square on Front Street.

Here are just a few things to look forward to in the upcoming weeks:

Starting this week, City Hall To Go will be at the market every week. Pay your parking tickets AND get your kale in the same place!
Mayor Kim Driscoll will be meeting us on Aug. 25 for a “Meet the Mayor” event.
Each week in September, we will have a market scavenger hunt for kids – well, or really anyone who wants to!
Plus we’ve got a few ideas up our sleeves for late September in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month.

Oh yeah, and don’t forget about all the great vendors!

Bargain Hunters Be Advised – Essex Street Fair Returns

Salem Event, Salem Festivals, Salem Shopping No Responses »

Aug 122016

StreetFairPostcards 2016 v2

As Salem Heritage Days winds down to its closing events, it does not slow down. This weekend, Saturday, August 13 & Sunday, August 14 from 10am – 6pm you will find the Essex Street Fair along the Pedestrian Mall. Rain or shine. The bargains will be on display!

This two-day festival is where over 40 artisans, craftors, and food vendors from in and around Salem join local merchants to sell their merchandise.

Fun for all ages, this street festival has something for everyone. Crafts, jewelry, paintings, stained glass, and other unique items will be featured along the Essex Street Pedestrian Mall all weekend long.

For more information, contact the Salem Chamber of Commerce at info@salem-chamber.org.

Lazy Days of Summer Giving Way to Heritage Days

Salem Dining, Salem Event, Salem Farmers Market, Salem Festivals, Salem Shopping, SMS News 2 Responses »

Aug 022016

More than 40 different events over 10 days — if that doesn’t convince you to put Salem’s Heritage Days festival on your “to do” list for summer events, we don’t know what will. As we have already given the Festival a full write up, let’s consider this a gentle reminder! It takes place Aug.4-14th at Derby Wharf, Salem Common and other locales around Salem, inviting residents and visitors to explore Salem’s past and present through music, food and events.

While most of the schedule is set, there are always possible changes, so just another reminder to check the schedule before attending.

Look it over. As the saying goes, there is something for everyone, no matter what your age.

Wanted: Pokemon Hunters for an All Day Poke-Walk in Salem Ma

Contests, Salem Dining, Salem Event, Salem Shopping No Responses »

Jul 272016

Fad or not, the search for Pokemon has quickly (and surprisingly) ingrained itself into the hearts and minds of people of all ages the world wide— and Salem is a perfect example with this Sunday’s (2-8pm) “SalemGo! Catch Em’ All!” city-wide Pokemon Go event that will include a scavenger hunt, a costume contest, various prizes, pizza, and (of course) Pokemon!

John Andrews of Creative Salem, one of the sponsors explains, “The event will be an all-day Poke-walk that will be open to any willing participants. You can casually follow the map with some friends, or you can participate in the Pokemon-Themed scavenger hunt that will take you all around town.”

Chris Ricci, driving force behind the project further explains that “SalemGo! Catch Em’ All!” will be a team event. “There will be a maximum entry of three people per team, so be sure to team up with some pals! Bringing a battery charger would be ideal, and you can get portable ones fairly inexpensively at electronic stores. And be sure to dress well for the weather! This summer has been unpredictable, and it could be a scorcher on Sunday, so dress well and stay hydrated!”

John adds, “So excited to be hosting this amazing Pokemon event this Sunday throughout Salem. Working with our friends at @livelongandpizza and @silvermoonc0mics and more, this is a must attend for Pokemon fans.”

In fact Flying Saucer Pizza Company will be the official Pokemon Center of the evening where you can grab a bite as well as some specialty drinks.

And Silver Moon Comics will be hosting the costume contest; everyone is encouraged to give it a go and have fun with it!

Salem Main Streets caught up with Chris Ricci for some additional insights on “SalemGo! Catch Em’ All!”

Fads come and go. What makes Pokemon Go different?

“Fads are interesting in more recent years as the vast majority of them have been strictly digital. Apps and games have taken the world by storm, and I distinctly remember everyone and their mother playing Angry Birds like there was no tomorrow.

But, now here’s Pokemon Go, which I think is extremely different despite falling in the same category. Pokemon Go combines the nostalgia of the old Pokemon games from the mid-to-late 90s and adds in not only a digital element, but a virtual reality element. The app quite literally forces you to walk around to accomplish anything, which is marvelous because it’s essentially an excuse to go outside.

Naysayers and detractors will say how people shouldn’t rely on an app to go outside, but why not?

People are having an incredible amount of fun playing it, and the game itself is inter-connected with everyone so if you see a Pokemon in your vicinity, other people in the same area can too. We live in an incredible town that has tons of places to not only catch Pokemon, but to earn experience points and to battle, and we also live in a place where people can feel comfortable doing so without the looming fear of something bad happening.

So, yes, this fits the mold for a fad, but the ripple effect that Pokemon Go is having on the city is unlike anything I’ve seen in games.”

According to Salem Patch, here are five of the many Pokéstops in Salem:

Salem Witch House
St. John’s Roman Catholic Church
Essex County Bell
The Lady of Salem
Salem Superior Court Building

Have you found any at your office itself?

“Oh, of course! There’s been a whole bunch in the office and around the office itself. We live in a city that is very busy when it comes to Pokemon, and this was taken into account when it comes to the walk that is scheduled. It’s going to go through various terrain to insure that there are a wide range of different Pokemon to catch!”

And… What teams are you and the other sponsors?

“This is a good question. Personally, I’m on Team Valor (Red) and I know some of our sponsors are on Team Mystic (Blue), but in the end, the teams don’t really matter. Especially for the walk. You can have a team full of Valor members, or you can mix it up and play with your friends that are on other teams. When I designed the walk, I only had one thing in mind: having fun. And it’s much more fun to play with a bunch of friends as opposed to rivals.”

Be sure to check the Facebook page event for more info on “SalemGo! Catch Em’ All!”

And we will see you Sunday!

Older Entries Newer Entries