festival – Page 27 – Salem Main Streets

A Day of Learning, A Day of Fun

May 102014

School is in session this Saturday as Education Day breaks out all over Salem Ma. But it will be unlike anything you’ve seen before. Classes are in skin care, recycling, rope making, mixology, Farmers Market, photography and more.

The Salem Education Foundation is presenting the “2nd Annual Hats Off to Education Weekend” as a way of promoting community involvement and investment in the public schools of Salem, Ma.

The schedule as posted by SEF includes:

Workshops and Fun Activities, at Old Town Hall, 10am – 3pm
・   The Community Development Coalition will host a bilingual scavenger hunt in Old Town Hall and visitors can take part in a session titled “Journey through the Immigrant Experience”
・   TD Bank will offer finance classes for teens and adults
・   John Andrews of Social Palates and “we_are_Salem” will offer a photography class
・   The House of The Seven Gables will offer bilingual “Dominican Tales”
・   Salem Historical Tours will speak about the city’s rich history
・   The North Shore Career Center will offer workshops on how to build a resume and find a job
・   Henry Miller’s Architecture Lab at Boston Architectural College will offer two hour long workshops on how to build a speaker for your handheld device. Space is limited for this workshop. Please register by emailing Henry.Miller@the-bac.edu
・   Additionally, children will have the opportunity to look at gemstones, learn about beekeeping, brush up on their Harry Potter facts, learn about the importance of recycling, healthy food and gardening and engage in arts activities

Free Community Read Book, Old Town Hall, 10am – 3pm
・ The Community Advisory Board will give away copies of “The Good Thief,” written by Hannah Tinti, a Salem native. This is the book selected for the city of Salem’s first Community Read.

Activities at the Salem Common will include:
・   The Hogwarts Hustle Kids’ Fun Run at 10:30am This is a half-mile fun run for kids age 12 and under. There will also be a dash for kids 4 and under. Kids are encouraged to dress as their favorite Harry Potter characters. Finisher ribbons will be awarded to the first 100 runners
・   12 noon Basketball Tournament! Email Andre at adaley@bgcgs.org
・   Adults and children alike can have a Zumba experience with the energetic Gina Grinarml
・   Learn circuit training with Kerry Murphy
・   Play in a basketball game with Mayor Kim Driscoll
・   Hula hoop and free dance to the rhythms of Mamadou’s drummers!

Performances, at Old Town Hall, 10am – 3pm
・   The Salem High School Jazz Band
・   Destination Imagination team Challenges
・   School-age Latin and African dancers from Greg Coles and his Salsa for the Schools program
・   A theater group and other local talents

The SEF mission is to provide funding for projects that further students’ educational experiences in science, mathematics, the arts and humanities. It supports projects that go beyond the scope of those funded by the Salem Public School Department. And it works with the larger community to make schools a true community enterprise by promoting and coordinating volunteerism and participation in the schools.

Learn something and have a lot of fun.

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.

TY, Thanx, Thank you

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Nov 102013

Volunteering is the ultimate exercise in democracy. You vote in elections once a year, but when you volunteer, you vote every day about the kind of community you want to live in. (Marjorie Moore, Minds Eye Information Service, Belleville, IL, USA

Contributions made by area volunteers at various Salem sites were spotlighted recently at a Volunteer Appreciation Party held at the National Park Service Visitor Center.

Salem Main Streets partnered with the City of Salem, National Park Service, and Destination Salem to honor the over 100 wonderful volunteers from the October Information Booth, the “Shutdown Booth” and the Salem Farmers’ Market. Speakers at the event included (pictured) Kate Fox of Destination Salem, Salem Mayor Kimberley Driscoll, Kylie Sullivan of Salem Main Streets and Jonathan Parker of the National Park Service. (photo by Karen Scalia)

Besides “thank you’s” being handed out, we also had a number of “fun facts” to share that night.

The Salem Farmers’ Market served over 37,000 shoppers, the Shutdown Booth helped over 13,000 people, and our own Info Booth responded to multiple questions posed by more than 25,000 visitors.

Being a volunteer is a win-win-win situation here in Salem. You are helping your community. You are helping people from outside the community better understand Salem. And you are making yourself feel good about sharing your spare time.

And as a further thank you, local restaurants generously donated fantastic food for the event, creating quite the spread! Donating restaurants included Adriatic Restaurant & Bar, Caffe Graziani, Capt’s Waterfront Grill & Pub, Finz, Flying Saucer Pizza Company, Gulu-Gulu Cafe, Life Alive, Opus, Salem Waterfront Hotel, Village Tavern, and Victoria’s Station.

Don’t ever question the value of volunteers. Noah’s Ark was built by volunteers; the Titanic was built by professionals. (Dave Gynn, Coleman Professional Services, Ohio, USA )

What Do We Do For An Encore?

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Nov 022013

What makes Salem the great place it is to live and work in is that there is always something going on that is different than what just finished. Point in fact, we just closed out the craziness of Haunted Happenings. Before the dust settles we shift to the serenity of fine dining and the casualness of shopping at a winter market.

Beginning Sunday Nov. 3 through Thursday Nov. 7th and repeating the following week Nov 10-14, the 7th annual Salem Fall Restaurant Week offers an invitation to residents, and anyone within driving distance along the North Shore.

Participating Salem restaurants (over 20 at this point) will offer either a prix-fixe two-course dinner menu for $18 or a prix-fixe three-course dinner menu for $28. Some restaurants will offer both course options. Prices are per person and exclude beverages, tax, and gratuity. This event is sponsored by the Salem Chamber of Commerce. Check their website or their blog for an updated list of participating restaurants, menus and offerings.

But what if you are the master chef— your family the only regular customers? Then we have a supply of fresh products for your table, beginning Nov. 7th when the Salem Winter Market opens its doors in Old Town Hall.

It will include produce from local farms, pasture-fed meat, spices, pickles, soup, baked goods, artisan soap, jewelry, wreaths, and more. All items are grown or produced in New England.

“The Winter Market is a fantastic opportunity to support local farms and artisans through the holiday season,” states Kylie Sullivan, manager of Salem Main Streets and organizer of the market. “We’re very excited to showcase so many summer farmers’ market favorites as well as some new vendors in this historic space.”

Current vendors at the 2013 Winter Market include:

Farm Vendors (produce): Clark Farm, Grant Family Farm, Long Hill Orchard & Farm, Wally’s Vegetables

Non-Farm Vendors (not produce): Big Sky Bakery (bread), Fishwives Specialty Foods/Mandy’s Seafood Chowder (chowder), Piper Ranch (meat), Salem Spice (spices, also selling Maitland Mountain Farm’s pickles), Valicenti Organico (pasta/sauces), Wolf Meadow Farm (cheese)

Artisan Vendors: Salem Soapworks, Shine Jewelry/Heritage Industries

This list is still subject to growth.

The Market will run six weeks on Thursdays from 3 – 6 p.m., Nov.7 through Dec. 19. There will be no Market the week of Thanksgiving. Old Town Hall is adjacent to Derby Square where the Summer Farmers’ Market is held.

The market is made possible through the generous support of Mayor Kimberley Driscoll and the City of Salem, the Salem Chamber of Commerce, and Mass in Motion Salem, as well as numerous volunteers. The market participates in the SNAP program and will accept the EBT card at the market.

For more information or to volunteer, contact Kylie Sullivan, Salem Main Streets Manager, at 978-744-0004 or kylie@salemmainstreets.org, or visit http://salemmainstreets.org/salem-winter-market/ . You can also follow Salem Main Streets on Facebook and Twitter to keep current on Winter Market news.

No Kidding, Salem Has Activities For Kids

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Oct 172013

Oh to be a kid in Salem Ma during Haunted Happenings. We’ve had Family Days on the Common. The Big Draw in front of the Peabody Essex Museum. There is a Carnival on Derby Street. And not a week goes by that one of our Downtown stores or organizations isn’t offering some activity focusing on children.

Just look at what is on this weekend’s horizon.

Sat./Sun. 11am-noon: Professor Wunders’ School of Magic. This is promoted as a fantastic event for families, with fun special effects and audience participation! Learn the basics of magic, and cast exciting spells with Professor Wunders. Every child receives a magic glow ring as a gift before the show. Free pictures with the Wizard on stage after the show. 7 Lynde St (Gallows Hill Museum Theater) For ticket prices: 978-825-0222 or GallowsHillSalem.com/

Sat./Sun. 11am-5pm: Ask a Witch & Make a Wand. You are invited to stop by and make a wand with the Witches Education League. Ask questions about Witches and Witchcraft. This is the 20th anniversary of Ask A Witch. All proceeds go to charities. Artemisia Botanicals, 3 Hawthorne Blvd ArtemisiaBotanicals.com

Sat./Sun. 11am-5pm: Salem Common Fun Days. Where else can you find nteractive inflatables, games, entertainers, fun foods, contests and more other than on the Salem Common. Brought to you by New England Parties. A portion of proceeds will benefit non-profit partner Salem Common Neighborhood Association. Salem Common

Sat. Noon-3pm: Annual Children’s Halloween Parade & Costume Party Children ages 3-10 are invited to Salem Common in costume. From there the parade travels down Essex Street to a costume competition in Derby Square. Parade Registration at 11am, parade begins at noon. Costume party from 1pm-3pm at the Phoenix School. Rain location: 89 Margin St. Salem Common PhoenixSchool.org

Sat./Sun. Noon-10pm: Haunted Happenings Carnival Once again Fiesta Shows builds something out of nothing, creating andelight for all the senses for kids of all ages. takes over while visiting Salem and act your age somewhere else! Games, rides and all the fun rolled up in one! Derby St.

Sat.1-3pm: Jedi Knight Training will be held on the Common Children between four and nine years of age will have a chance to interact with a real Jedi Knight. And this interactive performance is geared for both boys and girls! Children are led through a series of challenges including Jedi Force Magic, the Laser Balloon Barrage and Jedi Teamwork culminating in an epic lightsaber duel with the Jedi Master himself. There is no admission fee and costumes are encouraged! Salem Common.

One other item to mention is the Sixth Annual Pumpkin Decorating Contest. Strictly for people on the younger side, it is set up with three age groupings: 6-year old and under, 7-10 year old and 11-14 year old. Their pumpkins will be on display for family, friends and tourists to view during October on Salem Common. Objects, paper, and materials of any kind may be pinned or glued to pumpkins. Participants may also draw or paint on their entries. They are to deliver finished works of art to the Common Oct. 18 from 4-7pm and Oct. 19 from 11am to 2pm. Judging will take place Oct. 20 at 11am. For full rules go to Salem Patch.

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