Nov 182023
 

Santa Claus is coming back to town in 2023! Join Salem Main Streets and the City of Salem as we celebrate two of our most beloved annual traditions – Santa’s Arrival and the lighting of Salem’s Holiday Tree – all in one evening. Bring the whole family out for carols, festivities, and fun!

Santa Claus will arrive at the top of the Hawthorne Hotel (18 Washington Square W) promptly at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 24, with assistance from the Salem Fire Department, of course. Organizers recommend arriving to the Salem Common by 5:45 p.m. to catch the arrival. Brass carols will be provided by Coventry Brass.

Santa’s arrival will be followed by a procession down the Essex Street Pedestrian Mall to Lappin Park (next to the Bewitched Statue at the intersection of Essex Street and Washington Street) for the Holiday Tree Lighting and carols by History Alive performers. Participants are encouraged to bring lanterns (store-bought or homemade) to carry in the procession. Safety first, though – electric candles are highly recommended!

The tree this year has been generously donated by Rebekah H. Murphy and Jozef R. Kluczkiewicz of Salem. The tree was secured and decorated by the City of Salem Department of Public Works, and installed with help from Iron Tree Service and Quinn Brothers Iron Works. Lights and decorations for the Holiday Tree were made possible in part by contributions from our local business community, including Black Cat Curiosity Shoppe, Coon’s Card & Gifts, Derby Square Architects, Emporium 32, Harrison’s Comics, The House of the Seven Gables, Jenni Stuart Fine Jewelry, Laura Lanes Skin Care, Modern Millie, Nocturne, Witch City Walking Tours, and Witch City Wicks. Salem Main Streets would like to thank the City of Salem, the Hawthorne Hotel, and the many other community partners who make these special events possible.

For more information about any of these events, contact Kylie Sullivan, Salem Main Streets Executive Director, at (978)744-0004 or kylie@salemmainstreets.org, or visit http://salemmainstreets.org/festivals/holiday-happenings/santa-arrives-in-salem and follow Salem Main Streets on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

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Sep 262023
 

Salem is going to the dogs (and cats and lizards and bunnies), and we couldn’t be happier about it! Salem Main Streets is very pleased to produce the return of the Howl-o-ween Pet Parade, to be held on Saturday, Oct. 14 at 11 am on Derby Wharf, Salem Maritime National Historic Site.

Pets of all species are welcome at the parade, but should be well-behaved and comfortable at a busy event where there are likely to be many dogs. The parade is rain or shine.

Salem Main Streets asks all parade participants to register online in advance if possible, with a small donation of $5 for Salem residents and $10 for nonresidents. Proceeds go directly to Salem Main Streets in support of special community programs all year round.

Online registration for the parade can be found at www.salemmainstreets.org/howl-o-ween.

The 2023 Howl-o-ween Pet Parade is supported by lead sponsors Wolf Next Door Coffee, King Lewis Engraving, Jenni Stuart Fine Jewelry, Jay’s Smoke Shop, and Blackcraft, as well as Annie’s Asian Mart, Couch Dog Brewing, Coven, Emporium 32, Enchanted, Koto, Miel Dental Aesthetics, Salem Bespoke Boutique, Wicked Good Books, Witch City Wicks, Bark Busters Boston North, Biss, Gulu Gulu Café/Flying Saucer Pizza Company, Re-find, and Whimsy’s Sweet Life.

Salem Main Streets’ mission is the continued revitalization of downtown Salem as a vibrant, year-round, retail, dining and cultural destination through business retention, recruitment, and promotion of the downtown district.  SMS provides direct support to downtown businesses, and produces numerous community events and initiatives throughout the year, including the Salem Farmers’ Market, Salem Arts Festival, Salem’s So Sweet, and the October Information Booth.  SMS operates thanks to the generosity and partnership of the City of Salem and Mayor Dominick Pangallo, Destination Salem, the Salem Chamber of Commerce, and many other local business sponsors and community volunteers.  Contact Salem Main Streets by phone at 978-744-0004, or by email at kylie@salemmainstreets.org, or visit the website at www.salemmainstreets.org for more information.

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Aug 232023
 

We are currently looking for local Salem enthusiasts to help greet visitors at the October Information Booth.  Volunteers will staff two booths at central locations in the downtown district, handing out maps and sharing information about Salem’s wide variety of attractions, events, and businesses.

Volunteers are needed for two hour shifts throughout the day each weekend in October, as well as Friday afternoons and some additional days as needed. If you have availability some of these days, enjoy helping visitors by showing them your enthusiasm for our cultured and historic city, and want to make it fun and safe for visitors to explore all of Salem’s sites and attractions, please join us!

All volunteers are asked to be available for a minimum of two shifts for two hours each and are required to complete a one hour (in-person or virtual) orientation session. The in-person orientation will be held on Saturday, Sept. 9 at 10 am at the National Park Service Visitor Center. The virtual orientation will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 13 at 6 pm. Interested volunteers may sign up at https://signup.com/go/UkghUOH

If you are interested in any other volunteer needs or to be added to our volunteer list, please contact Elise at elise@salemmainstreets.org.

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Jul 282023
 

It’s that time of year again – the Best of the North Shore‘s annual awards have been announced, and our Salem businesses have risen to the top again! We are especially excited for the recognition of our Salem Farmers’ Market, selected as Best Farmers’ Market by Northshore Magazine’s editors. Thank you for continuing to recognize our work!

Check out this awesome list of Salem-based award winners below (if I missed one, let us know!), or check out North Shore Magazine’s website for a full list – www.nshoremag.com/bons-2023

DINE

Bakery/Bread – A&J King (Readers’)

Charcuterie Board – The Cheese Shop of Salem (Editors’ & Readers’)

Cookies – Goodnight Fatty (Editors’ & Readers’)

General Excellence – Ledger (Readers’)

Ice Cream – Holy Cow Ice Cream Café (Editors’ and Readers’)

Mediterranean – Adriatic (Readers’)

Raw Bar – Turners’ Seafood Salem (Readers’)

Seafood – Turners’ Seafood Salem (Readers’)

DRINK

Beer Menu – Notch Brewing (Editors’)

Cocktails – Ledger (Readers’)

Distillery – Deacon Giles (Readers’)

Hotel Bar – The Roof at Hotel Salem (Readers’)

Irish Pub – O’Neill’s Irish Pub (Readers’)

Patio – Notch Brewing (Readers’)

Tap Room – Notch Brewing (Editors’)

Wine List – Ledger (Readers’)

LIVE

Candy Shop – Curly Girl Candy Shop (Readers’)

Cheese Shop – The Cheese Shop of Salem (Editors’ & Readers’)

Chocolate – Harbor Sweets (Readers’)

Clambake – Patriot Seafoods (Readers’)

Farmers’ Market – Salem Farmers’ Market (Editors’)

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

PLAY

Charter Boat – The When and If (Editors’)

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

RENEW

Barber Shop – Badabing Barbershop & Shave Parlor (Readers’)

Facial – uGlow Med Spa (Rearders’)

Hair Salon, Men’s – Fringe Salon (Editors’)

Massage – Freedom Massage (Readers’)

Nail Salon – JIA The Nails Place (Readers’)

Spin Class – Inner Cycle (Readers’)

Strength Class – Inner Cycle (Readers’)

Yoga – Yoga Sakti (Readers’)

SHOP

Accessories – J. Mode (Editors’)

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Jul 212023
 

Salem’s Ice Scream Bowl is back! It’s time to sample some of the best ice cream in the North Shore from some of the many ice cream shops the area has to offer. Salem’s Ice Scream Bowl event will be held on Wednesday, August 9 on the Salem Common from 6:00-7:30 p.m., rain or shine. A Heritage Days favorite, this annual event is a chance to taste some classic flavors and new combinations from the area’s premier ice cream shops.

A few of the homegrown local businesses serving samples at the event will include Captain Dusty’s Ice Cream, Cherry Farm Creamery, Holy Cow Ice Cream Café, Melt Ice Cream, Whimsy’s Sweet Life, and more. Local DJs the Salem Halloween Girls will be spinning some sweet tunes to keep you dancing!

The cost is $6 for adults and $4 for children. Tickets are purchased on site on the day of the event, cash only.  A spoon and napkins will be supplied with the purchase of a ticket. All of our materials are recyclable or compostable in an effort to reduce the impact of this popular event.

This year’s Ice Scream Bowl will be directly followed by the Salem Common Neighborhood Association’s Movie Night! The evening’s movie will be “Holes,” starting at 8 pm. Bring a blanket and camp chairs so you can settle in after your ice cream to catch an outdoor movie with your neighbors.

The 2023 Ice Scream Bowl is made possible thanks to the support of Broad Smiles Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics, Coon’s Card & Gift Shop, Emporium 32, Jenni Stuart Fine Jewelry, Modern Millie, Silly Bunny, and Witch City Wicks, as well as the generous donation of product and staff time by the participating ice cream shops! 

Proceeds go to support Salem Main Streets, a nonprofit organization focusing on the continued revitalization of downtown Salem as a vibrant year-round retail, dining, and cultural destination. Salem Main Streets organizes the Salem Farmers’ Market and many other events in downtown Salem, as well as offering direct business support to downtown businesses. The Ice Scream Bowl is coordinated in partnership between Salem Main Streets and the City of Salem as part of Salem Heritage Days.

For any other questions or comments regarding this event, please contact Kylie Sullivan at Salem Main Streets at (978) 744-0004 x115 or email at kylie@salemmainstreets.org.

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