Holiday Tour at House of 7 Gables Historical in More Ways Than You Think

 History, Salem Event, Salem Festivals  No Responses »
Dec 072016
 

gables

What can you learn during a Christmas house tour? How people lived, dressed, ate and celebrated Christmas over the centuries? That is interesting enough — but how about that Christmas was banned in Salem and throughout Massachusetts Bay Colony for nearly two centuries! So, as fascinating as the history of the Salem Witchcraft trials are to read and believe, the tale of Christmas being banned here is equally strange and you can learn more about that during the ongoing Christmas Tours at the House of Seven Gables!

(You can also read up on the reasons for the ban at the History of Massachusetts blog)

The daily tours (10am-5pm now thru Dec. 31st) will lead you from room to room in the house, which will of course be beautifully adorned with traditional holiday decor. You will see how life changed for the various occupants over the centuries, drawn against the backdrop of the winter holiday season.

The important revelation for many attendees will be that you are being given the opportunity, at The House of the Seven Gables mansion, to walk the halls of a house that has stood the test of time and to witness the changing nature of Christmas in New England.

And no matter which day and time you take the tour, mark your calendar for the accompanying Home for the Holidays event this Sunday from 2-4pm. Consider it a chance to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the season and enjoy live music, family activities, and festive decor at this National Historic Landmark museum campus.

Activities planned include:

  • Free “Christmas over Four Centuries” historic mansion tours
  • Holiday crafts that celebrate the spirit of founder Caroline Emmerton
  • Hands-on history at the Living History Lab
  • Live music with pianist Mark West and Phoenix Music
  • Viewing of the unique Settlement Tree and handmade ornaments
  • Festive shopping in the Museum Store
  • Deals on gift memberships

The House of Seven Gables is located at 115 Derby Street, Salem Ma. Christmas tours are included with admission. For more information about Holidays at The Gables, or for any other questions about The House of the Seven Gables, please contact rconary@7gables.org, or call 978-744-0991 x104.

 

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Festive Fridays at Salem Stores; Open Later Hours for Holidays

 Uncategorized  No Responses »
Dec 012016
 

For the sake of argument, let’s say that neither Black Friday, nor Small Business Saturday nor
Cyber Monday were sufficient enough to meet your shopping needs for the holidays, birthdays and anniversaries that fall in December. What else can you do?. How about a visit or two to Salem during our Festive Fridays celebration, which begins Dec. 2nd.

Explains Kylie Sullivan, Salem Main Streets executive director, “Salem Main Streets knows how it is. You WANT to shop local, but you get home from work too late in the evenings and you’re simply too busy on the weekends. That’s why Salem Main Streets is encouraging downtown retailers to stay open late every Friday this December leading up to Christmas and Hanukkah to help you with your holiday shopping!”

festivefridaysWhich stores will be open during Festive Fridays? Glad you asked that.

Each week on Facebook, we’ll post a list of businesses who have committed to staying open until at least 8 pm, as well as announcing any great deals or special treats that you can look forward to.

As an extra incentive for you to shop & participate, Kylie adds, “If you post a #selfiewithashopkeeper any Friday evening in December on Facebook or Instagram, you could win a prize from a local business!”

So, after a long Friday to end a long work week, do you want to then drive to the mall, find a parking spot, walk across the parking lot to enter a packed mall only to be jostled by other tired, unhappy shoppers unable to find that unique gift for aunt Ellen, cousin Eddie or the boss?

Or do you want to stroll along our walkable streets to sample from an eclectic bunch of stores that are staying open later because they genuinely want your business and that of anyone you recommend their products or services to?

For additional information relating to any of these events, please contact Kylie Sullivan, Salem Main Streets Executive Director, at (978)744-0004 or kylie@salemmainstreets.org, or visit http://salemmainstreets.org/festivals/holiday-happenings/salem-festive-fridays/ and follow Salem Main Streets on Facebook and Twitter.

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Winter Market Returns Just in Time for Thanksgiving

 Salem Dining, Salem Event, Salem Farmers Market, Salem Shopping  No Responses »
Nov 162016
 

SFM_winter

How many more people are suddenly coming for Thanksgiving dinner? Don’t panic. You can still serve them all, and with the freshest of items, because the Salem Winter Market returns this Saturday, Nov. 19th (and again on Dec. 17) with the best of the season goodies from area farmers and vendors.

A seasonal extension of the Salem Farmers’ Market, this year’s Salem Winter Market will take place on Saturday, Nov. 19th and Saturday, December 17th­, both from 1 pm to 5 pm.  The indoor market this year will take place inside the Museum Place Mall (1 Church Street).

You will wander through the Museum Place Mall to touch, smell, and feel locally grown & made items— and interact with the vendors themselves.

“How did you grow this?”

“What did you use to make this look like that?”

“How do I cook this to get the most taste out of it?”

That is what a Market is all about. You talk direct to the “manufacturer” with no middle man. No trucking company. No sales clerk. Direct and fresh.

“We are also very excited to showcase our vendors in the Museum Place Mall this year, where we can complement and highlight the variety of great year-round tenants in the mall,” says Kylie Sullivan, director of Salem Main Streets. “I think a lot of our residents underestimate the great range of retail, restaurants, services, and attractions that are in the Mall right now. There’s something to do and see every day of the week here!”

And who are the vendors at this year’s Salem Winter Market?

FARMS

  • Gibney Gardens (Nov only)
  • Grant Family Farm
  • Honey Pot Farm
  • Long Hill Orchard
  • Maitland Mountain Farm

SEAFOOD

  • A & J Lobsters

TEAS, HERBS, SPICES

  • Hannah’s Herbals
  • Salem Spice

SWEETS

  • Bella and Harvey
  • Grammy’s Bakery

WINES & HARD CIDERS

  • 1634 Meadery

JEWELRY & CRAFTS

  • Aerophytes
  • Heritage Handmade/Shine Jewelry

PREPARED FOODS

  • All Fruit Inc
  • Beckah’s Bangin’ Butter
  • K’s Kitch’n
  • Popped Gourmet Popcorn

 BED, BATH & HOME PRODUCTS

  • Bare Cheek Beauty

PASTA

  • Valicenti Pasta Farm

Mark your calendar for the Salem Winter Market, Saturday Nov. 19th at the Museum Place Mall, 2 E India Square Mall, Salem MA.Then bring a big bag or box. You will need it!

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No Trick, Salem Treats You to a Halloween PARTY!

 History, Salem Event, Salem Festivals  No Responses »
Oct 272016
 

be-safeHalloween is no longer just for kids and adults with kids. October 31st in Salem Ma has had a tradition of proving just that. This year, even being on a Monday night, we expect record crowds of adults to converge on Washington Street like a horde of zombies for completion of our month-long Haunted Happenings celebration.

According to the National Retail Federation (NRF) “Millennial consumers (ages 18-34) are now the most likely of all adult generations to participate in Halloween. They’re also one of the top spenders on Halloween costumes, spending an average $42.39 compared with $31.03 for all adults.”

This youthful population segment has big plans for those costumes too: their intent to attend parties is up 10.9% from 2006, reports the NRF.

Winifred Sanderson: Sisters, All Hallow’s Eve has become a night of frolic, where children wear costumes and run amok!

Sarah: Amok! [dances around]  Amok, amok, amok, amok, amok.

And… that brings us back to Salem Ma. We are having a party. Millennials and every other older generation are invited but we want this night of fun and frolic to be a safe one.

This is a link to Halloween Night’s Be Smart, Be Safe, Have Fun suggestions flyer that we urge you to read and make use of. Simple advice is offered, such as if you have to drive here, park someplace else, like Beverly or Danvers. Don’t bring liquor. Don’t bring real swords. Don’t bring fake swords or anything that looks like a weapon. They WILL BE confiscated.

The second part of the flyer has the day & evening festivities schedule, from Shock Top Beer Garden, ( 21+) on Federal St. at Washington Street, to all the different bands at various locations in the Downtown District, to the 10:15pm Halloween Finale Fireworks at Washington Street & Bridge Street.

After the closing fireworks show, please be respectful as you leave town. You may not know this but many parts of the Downtown District are residential. There are people trying to get some sleep because they ARE going to work Tuesday. That brick structure you are leaning up against may look like an empty office building, but it is really a refurbished apartment complex.

And if you are using social media to share with all your friends not lucky enough to be here, consider using the tags #SalemMA and @hauntdhappnings in your pictures & tweets.

Have a great time, we made this party for you!

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Parade To Set Tone of Haunted Happenings

 History, Salem Event, Salem Festivals, Volunteer Opportunities  No Responses »
Oct 032016
 

While October 1st technically starts Salem’s month-long celebration of Halloween, the real kick-off has been the Annual Salem Chamber of Commerce Haunted Happenings Grand Parade. This year, the 21st annual parade will be held Thursday, Oct. 6th from 6:30pm-8pm.

chamber-halloween-paradeThe Salem Chamber of Commerce cordially invites you to participate as a walker, to become a volunteer, or just attend this year’s event, which will feature the theme “100 Years of Parks and Play.”

The term “children of all ages” could not better describe the participants as thousands of Salem’s students from kindergarten to college and our local business owners will be ready to march from Shetland Park to the Salem Common.

Along the way you will see colors, lights, sounds and faces of kids basking in the limelight that for that given moment they are the center of attention. They represent all that is fun about Salem.

The Annual Salem Chamber of Commerce Haunted Happenings Grand Parade will be starting from Shetland Properties on Congress Street then turning left onto Derby Street, right onto Central Street, left onto Front Street, right onto Washington Street, right onto the Essex Street Pedestrian Mall and ending at the Common.

This will necessitate certain road closings from 6pm until 9:30pm.

  • Congress Street will be closed from Harbor Street to Derby Street.
  • Derby Street will be closed from Congress Street to Central Street.
  • Commuters will not be able to use Route 1A between Dodge St. and Brown Street which includes Derby Street, Hawthorne Boulevard and Washington Square at the Common entrance.
  • Front Street and Washington Street between New Derby Street and Church Street will be closed.
  • Essex Street will be closed at Washington Street.

When it all stops at the Common, it does not end as there will be a continuing celebration with local favorite DJ Doug entertaining the crowd.

For the latest developments, please check the Salem Chamber of Commerce Haunted Happenings Grand Parade Facebook page

It is a parade, it is a party, it is a traveling brochure of things to come during Haunted Happenings in Salem Ma. this month. And by attending, you will be a part of it!

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