Mar 032015
 

Interaction. There are many factors contributing to Salem Film Fest’s continued growth and worldwide recognition, with interaction between moviegoers and filmmakers being a key element. You can be part of that process March 5-12 when Salem Film Fest is presented in Salem Ma.

Shoulder the LionThis year, 38 films will be showcased by filmmakers representing 10 different countries telling stories from around the world. Of these films, 29 will be making their North American, US, East Coast, New England or Massachusetts premiere.

As self-described on their web page “Salem Film Fest focuses on well-told stories with strong technical elements and interesting visual approaches, each film screened over the week-long schedule represents an immersive aesthetic experience, an opportunity to glimpse the world with fresh eyes, and leave changed as a result.”

It is also an open opportunity for you, the viewer, to speak directly with many of the driving forces of the films to be screened, as more than half of these films will feature Q&As with the filmmakers.

For example, consider this forum topic: Filmmakers often encounter people experiencing difficult life situations while making a film. How does a filmmaker balance respect and empathy for their subjects, while crafting the narrative of their film?

Salem Film FestScreenings will take place at the Peabody Essex Museum and CinemaSalem.

PEM will also host the opening night film and the closing awards ceremony, live music, talks and art making.

For films shown at PEM, tickets may be purchased at the admissions desk, by calling 978-542-1511 or by visiting salemfilmfest.com. Ticket sales at PEM will conclude each day by 4:30 pm. Tickets are also available through CinemaSalem (in-person box office or at cinemasalem.com).

(Photo from Shoulder the Lion, a film focusing on “three artists, three tragedies. The usual story told in a very unusual way.”)

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Feb 212015
 

There are many exciting things happening behind the scenes at Salem Main Streets, and we want to bring them to light. So——

You are invited!

Please join us for Salem Main Streets’ Annual Meeting

Tuesday, February 24, 2015
5:30 pm to 7 pm
at the Salem Five Community Room, 210 Essex Street

– Celebrate Salem Main Streets’ (SMS) achievements over the past year
– Learn more about SMS mission and goals for the coming year
– Enjoy an evening with SMS supporters, volunteers, committee members, and constituents

Free
Cash bar and light refreshments
Open to all who live, work, and play in downtown Salem

HulaArt going upExplains Kylie Sullivan, SMS Manager, “For many nonprofits, ‘annual meetings’ are primarily a function of the board and those concerned with the administration and governance of the organization. We are throwing the doors wide open for this meeting – inviting all our board and committee members, volunteers, downtown businesses, partners, sponsors, residents, municipal officials and employees, you name it. The message we want to send is that this is YOUR Main Streets and that everyone who cares about the downtown community should feel invested in the operation of Main Streets.”

Frankly no one can remember the last time Main Streets held an annual meeting. It’s time! We have so many great achievements to celebrate and recognize. Yes, we are talking about the Volunteer Booth, and the Farmers’ Market and the Holiday Tree— and so many more. And we are talking about you!

“We have so many great partners involved with Main Streets,” continues Kylie, “and we want them to be able to understand how their contribution fits into the larger Main Streets picture. Many of our partners and volunteers may only be involved with just one part of Main Streets (the info booth, the Farmers’ Market, Salem’s So Sweet) and they don’t really know how it connects to the larger mission and goals for SMS.”

To that end, while there will be a “speaking” portion of the meeting, it will be noticeably short; greater focus will be devoted on mingling with each other and visiting “stations” manned by committee members around the room to learn more about the different aspects of Main Streets and give feedback.

Consider this is to be more an interactive ongoing conversation, rather than a passive presentation.

We look forward to seeing you and listening to your input, and hopefully your participation sometime during the next year with one (or more) of our projects.

(Photo courtesy of Social Palates is of the Hula Art Project, an example of “board and committee members, volunteers, downtown businesses, partners, sponsors, residents, municipal officials and employees,” working together)

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Feb 172015
 

PEM LumberjackCould they have planned it any better than this? In the midst of one of the most outrageous winter snow seasons we’ve ever seen, the think-tank at the Peabody Essex Museum has scheduled a Lumberjack Party as the theme for this Thursday’s PEM/PM event! This should bring people out of the woodwork (sorry, had to get one pun in there).

Seriously though, the vision is to create an experience of spending a winter night in the North Woods (something we are all feeling) while celebrating the art of trees. And that is inspired by PEM’s Art & Nature Center exhibition “Branching Out: Trees as Art.”

PEM urges you to dig deep to get into the spirit of the event: wear your boots and flannel, then get your photo taken in their Lumberjack Photobooth, complete with beards, axes and other woodsy-themed accessories.

Other highlights of the event include obviously woodworking demonstrations, a Brew Talk with Salem’s From the Tree Cider, and more “timber” related activities; local bearded band, Tigerman WOAH, will provide the perfect backdrop with their Appalachian mountain folk/bluegrass-influenced punk rock with the occasional hip-hop freak-out.

PEM/PM evening parties take place on the 3rd Thursday of each month as a way for PEM to invite, entertain, educate and interact with the local community.

In this case, the current exhibition, “Branching Out: Trees as Art,” explores ways in which contemporary artists use trees as an inspiration as well as a medium for their art. Made with bark, wood, roots, seedpods, leaves and biosignals, more than 30 varied works and a selection of hands-on interactive opportunities ask us to consider our relationship with trees as a vital natural force.

A cash bar will be available, as will a special small plate menu courtesy of the Hawthorne Hotel. Admission to PEM/PM: free of charge for members and Salem residents (bring ID); $10 for non members. The event runs from 6 – 9 pm on Feb. 19 at the Peabody Essex Museum. For more details go to www.pem.org  or call 866-745-1876.

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Feb 102015
 

Salem loves a Festival. It’s our tradition to REALLY celebrate a holiday. So, it is no surprise that Valentine’s Day has been the recipient of our special magical treatment with this year’s (Feb. 6-15) Salem’s So Sweet Chocolate & Ice Sculpture Festival. Saturday is Valentine’s Day and neither snow nor sleet nor ice will deny the event and the on-going Golden Ticket promotion.

Many downtown businesses are offering discounts and special offerings throughout the festival on items that will bring a special smile to your loved ones! By also picking up your Golden Ticket at any of the participating businesses during the festival, you will have a chance to win a Salem’s So Sweet gift basket. Just have the Golden Ticket validated at a minimum of 8 participating businesses (no purchase necessary) to enter.

A full list of participating businesses and promotions are available below or by stopping by the Salem Main Streets office at 265 Essex Street for a brochure. Please also check our Facebook page for updates.

SALEM304_Salem_So_Sweet_2015_Brochure_V3_Inside_001Who’s afraid of snow? Shop early. Shop late. Shop Salem!

(“Golden Ticket” image courtesy of Social Palates via Instagram)

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Feb 052015
 

Snowstorms to the left; snowstorms to the right. And the Seattle Seahawks in between. Salem sure has had a lot in the news to contend with over the past week. But we weathered the weather and the Patriots took the air out of the Seahawks to win the Super Bowl. Now it’s….. chocolate time! Our annual Salem’s So Sweet Chocolate & Ice Sculpture Festival (Feb. 6 – 15, 2015) is about to get underway and what a way to celebrate the Super Bowl victory, spoil your loved one and forget about the weather than with some wine, chocolate and fun events to warm the heart.

Our week-long celebration leading up to Valentine’s Day kicks off Friday, Feb. 6, 6:30 to 8:30 pm in Colonial Hall at Rockafellas with a chocolate extravaganza. If it’s chocolatey and a restaurant or store sells it in the city, then it will most likely be represented at one of the sampling tables. For the price of admission, one glass is given to each ticket holder to fill and refill all evening, tasting wines that go with chocolate.

And then there is the chocolate. And not just chocolate (we love saying that). There have been in the past chocolate-covered pretzels & cherries, mousse, a chocolate wine, chocolate ice cream, cakes, cookies, etc. etc. etc. It’s ok. Indulge. We won’t tell.

20140207_1801072015 Participating Merchants

62 Restaurant and Wine Bar
Adriatic Restaurant and Bar
Artemisia Botanicals
Caffé Graziani
Coffee Time Bake Shop
Far From the Tree Hard Cider
Gulu-Gulu Café
Harbor Sweets
Jodi Bee Bakes
Melita Fiore Patisserie
Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt
Pamplemousse
Rockafellas
Salem Waterfront Hotel
Salem Wine Imports
Turtle Alley Chocolates
Victoria Station & Vic’s Boathouse
Village Tavern
Ye Olde Pepper Companie

There is of course more to the Festival, such as our popular Ice Sculptures, and promotions offered by individual merchants. More on these in our next blog.

Reminder, tickets are $25 per person and can be purchased over the phone at 978-744-0004, online here, or in person at the Salem Chamber of Commerce, 265 Essex Street, Suite 101. Don’t delay, they usually sell out very quickly.

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