arts – Page 28 – Salem Main Streets

Salem Provides Valentine Event To Bring Together Community And Merchants

Jan 082014

Sweet deal coming up in Salem Ma! We don’t have to sugar coat this event. The next project that Salem Main Streets presents to the community is the Annual Salem So Sweet Chocolate & Ice Sculpture Festival.

This decadent tradition of delectable chocolate, sparkling ice sculptures, chocolate sampling and Valentine’s Day shopping draws crowds from near and far.

So much so that we want to invite local businesses to take advantage of opportunities to participate in the Salem So Sweet Chocolate & Ice Sculpture Festival; offer a promotion, sponsor an ice sculpture, or showcase food/wine at the kick-off event.

It may be cold outside but chocolate warms the heart and invites customers into stores as we head into the month of February.

Wine & Chocolate Tasting Kick-off Event: Friday, Feb. 7, 6:30 – 8:30 pm, Colonial Hall at Rockafellas
Ice Sculptures around Town: Starting Feb. 8
Shopping Promotions, Events and The Golden Ticket Raffle: Feb. 8 – Feb. 16
…and much more!

The application for participation is due Friday, Jan. 10.

For more information or to participate, contact Kylie Sullivan at kylie@salemmainstreets.org or 978.744.0004 x15.

Gables Tour— Christmas Banned In Salem

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Dec 082013

Christmas in New England. Today a warm picture of snow outside the home with family gathered around a tree & gifts, or family gathered around the dinner table, smiling and ready for a feast of food. But ’twas not such in early Massachusetts history. And no, you can’t blame the Salem witches for that.

As part of the annual Christmas Tours of the Gables, this year you’ll find much discussion about the fact that Christmas was banned in New England for nearly two centuries. The House of the Seven Gables is offering daily, now through Dec. 31 from 10am to 5pm, a special tour blending the unique history of the mansion with the little known history of Christmas in colonial Massachusetts.

The Puritans bristled at the day being used solely for “reveling.” It was seen as sacrilegious that the day was given over to drinking, feasting and all manner of over-indulgence, instead of quiet contemplation.

Take the tour to hear the story of how the Puritans got their way outlawing Christmas in 1659 and how the holiday inched its way back into the hearts of the population so that Massachusetts officially legalized Christmas in 1856.

Explore the maritime, architectural and literary history of the house and discover Christmas’ transformation from a rowdy seasonal celebration to the peaceful family-centered traditions we recognize today. The rooms of the mansion will be decorated for the holiday tour by local interior decorators, historical societies, and florists.

200 years of history in a walking tour— and you get to see the charming rooms of the House of the Seven Gables; that is a nice present to give to your family, or just yourself.

This special tour is offered during regular hours in December except during the production of A Classic Christmas. Closed Christmas Day. Open on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve, 10am-2pm. For more details on the Tour, please call 978-744-0991.

Santa Stops By The Hawthorne Hotel

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Dec 062013

While there have been several sightings of Santa Claus in Salem and surrounding communities, Salem Main Streets has been informed by reliable sources that the jolly old fellow will make a full appearance 6pm tonight— at the Hawthorne Hotel.

In what has become an annual event, Santa will suddenly appear atop the roof of the Hawthorne Hotel. Using their truck ladder, Salem fireman will then help him down to the street where awaiting children (…of all ages…) will engage in cheering, smiling and delighting in his presence.

Santa will stop for cocoa and caroling at the Gazebo on Salem Common before continuing on to the Museum Place Mall; there he will sit for autographs and pictures.

Salem Main Streets would like to thank the Salem Fire Department, the Hawthorne Hotel, Salem Common Neighborhood Association, YMCA, Arbella Drum & Bugle Corps, 62 Restaurant & Wine Bar, Museum Place Mall, Brian Donnelly, and Salem’s Vintage Photography for their participation in this special event.

The Hawthorne Hotel is located at 18 Washington Square, Salem, MA

Salem- A “Must See” Stop For A Different Holiday Season

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Dec 012013

December is here, and so begins the “other” celebration season for which Salem is gaining a reputation. Salem Ma? Ground zero to spook central, as some have called us, becomes a tourist attraction for all things relating to a warm & toasty family holiday? Yes Virginia, there is another Salem.

We will begin with Historic Salem Inc which presents one of many must-see events to be highlighted over the next few weeks: The Christmas In Salem House Tour.

Let their own words describe this favorite event of locals and tourists:

“Few communities have the rich legacy of historic houses that Salem, Massachusetts boasts. These homes, spanning four centuries, help define the character as well as the appearance of the city, and every year some of their owners invite visitors in to view their homes decked out in full holiday regalia, with the help of professional decorators and florists.”

Here is a peek at last year’s tour.

The 34th annual Christmas in Salem House Tour, Dec. 6-8, will focus this year on “Ports of Call In the Historic Derby Waterfront District” featuring nine homes.

TOUR DETAILS

Friday Night Candlelight Preview Tour, Dec. 6, 5:30-8:30 p.m.; for advance ticket holders only
Saturday, Dec. 7, 10:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 8, 11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

HIGHLIGHTS

Historic homes, decorated for the holidays by local designers, florists and garden clubs.
Friday night Candlelight Tour of selected houses
Complimentary Salem Trolley Service
Restaurant, Shopping and Attractions Discounts
A Holiday Concert
A historic Derby Street walking tour with Jim McAllister on Saturday morning
Wine Tastings at Salem Wine Imports
A spice tasting at the Picklepot with Salem Food Tours

Historic Salem, Inc. is celebrating its 68th year as the city’s preeminent preservation group. Christmas in Salem is its primary fundraiser, and a significant portion of the proceeds will support the interior restoration of the Nathaniel Bowditch house as well as community and educational programming through the year.

For more information, please contact Historic Salem, Inc. at 978-745-0799 or info@historicsalem.org.

It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like…

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Nov 232013

No not Halloween. We do celebrate other holidays and traditions here in Salem Ma. In fact, we are building quite a resume as a December event destination for residents, North Shore neighbors and tourists. You will read about these in upcoming blogs.

As a lead-in have you noticed some subtle changes in Salem as you walked around (we love walking around the Downtown district, everything is so conveniently located) this weekend?

Ribbons and wreaths are appearing all over the place. Elves? Gremlins? (Well, it is Salem…).

There is a really tall tree in Lappin Park. Did Samantha twitch her nose and it magically appeared?

As residents know, every year we join Mayor Kimberley Driscoll in lighting Salem’s Holiday Tree at Lappin Park (next to the Bewitched Statue at the intersection of Essex and Washington Streets).

This year’s event will take place on Friday, Nov. 29 at 6:30pm. We invite you to bring the entire family to enjoy carols with the Paul Madore Singers; there will also be cocoa and snacks on hand!

The event is organized by Salem Main Streets and the City of Salem. This year’s tree comes from Benjamin Nutter Architects in Topsfield, thanks in part to a donation from the Meetinghouse Church. Decorations and lights are made possible by individual contributions and donations from a number of local businesses. Salem Main Streets would like to thank North Shore Marine and Bill’s Auto Clinic for their services in delivering the tree.

And keep an eye open for changes to the storefront windows of merchants along such Salem locales as Essex, Washington, Front and Derby streets. They will also be getting into the Holiday Spirit.

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