Join us as we explore some of the most legendary organists of the 20th century who have played this remarkable instrument, including Virgil Fox, E. Power Biggs, Joseph Bonnet, and Marcel Dupré.
Gather in the Great Hall, surrounded by the organ’s pipes, which are ingeniously built into the very walls of the room, as we share the story of this one-of-a-kind instrument. We’ll also discuss how the organ now sits silent, and unveil our vision to breathe life back into it and bring organ concerts back to the Museum.
This presentation will be led by Peter Kennett, Vice President of the Board of Directors at Hammond Castle Museum and Organ Restoration Team Lead, alongside John Roper, Deputy Team Lead from the Plenum Organ Company.
REMINDER – this Wednesday, April 30th is the last day for all local youth poets to submit entries for this year’s Poetry without Paper contest! Enter today HERE!
Any questions, email Tricia at tbalsan@sawyerfreelibrary.org, call 978-325-5555 or stop by the Sawyer Free Library at 21 Main Street!
This unique collaborative event brought together four libraries and hundreds of community members to honor the wonders of the natural world. The highlight of the afternoon was a captivating conversation with acclaimed author and naturalist Sy Montgomery and award-winning wildlife illustrator Matt Patterson, who shared insights from their latest book, Of Time and Turtles: Mending the World, Shell by Shattered Shell.
“It was a joy to witness our communities come together to celebrate nature, storytelling, and the enduring power of libraries,” said event organizers. “This Earth Day event reminded us of the vital role libraries play in inspiring imagination, fostering empathy, and encouraging stewardship of our planet.”
Sy Montgomery, author of more than 30 books including The Soul of an Octopus, a National Book Award finalist, is renowned for her ability to bring readers into the heart of the animal world. Her latest work explores the resilience, beauty, and mystery of turtles—and of time itself.
Matt Patterson’s intricate wildlife illustrations, featured in The Book of Turtles—a Robert F. Sibert Honor Award recipient—showcase the rich biodiversity of turtle species and emphasize their importance within global ecosystems.
Sy beautifully captured the spirit of the day when she said, “A library is a portal not just to our own world, but to worlds unknown… a refuge, a space rocket. Libraries show us we can dream anything, do anything, be anything.”
The four Cape Ann libraries are deeply grateful to the nearly 300 attendees who made this Earth Day gathering so memorable. We hope the event sparked a renewed sense of connection—to nature, to community, and to the incredible institutions that are our public libraries.
For those inspired to take further action in support of turtle conservation, Sy and Matt recommend two local organizations doing vital work: Turtle Survival Alliance, dedicated to saving turtles from extinction and Turtle Rescue League, a Massachusetts-based group rescuing and rehabilitating injured turtles, relocating eggs from hazardous areas, and rehoming unwanted pet turtles.
Together, let’s keep celebrating, learning from, and protecting this extraordinary planet we call home.
Left to Right: Essex’s T.O.H.P. Burnhan Public Library Director Carla Christensen, Rockport Public Library Director Cindy Grove, Author Sy Montgomery, Illustrator Matt Patterson, Rockport Library Adult Program Coordinator Osha Rose and Gloucester’s Sawyer Free Community Librarian Meg O’Neill
The Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation presents Charles Tompkins and son Gregory Tompkins in concert on Saturday evening, May 17th. Charles Tompkins (organ and piano) and Gregory Tompkins (violin) will perform in the Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church. They are a dynamic and talented father and son duo who have performed in venues such as Trinity University in San Antonio, TX, Harvard Memorial Church in Cambridge, MA, and at the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC.
Dr. Charles Boyd Tompkins is the Distinguished University Organist and Professor of Music Emeritus at Furman University, Greenville, South Carolina, where as a member of the music faculty he taught organ, harpsichord, church music, and music theory from 1986 until his retirement in December 2022. He currently serves as the accompanist for the University’s outstanding choral ensembles (the Furman Singers, Furman Chamber Choir, and Belle Voci Women’s Chorale), directs Furman’s Hartness Organ Recital Series, and plays for academic convocations and weddings. Charles was central to the commission of a Fisk concert organ, completed in 2003, for the Charles E. Daniel Memorial Chapel.
Gregory Tompkins is a versatile violinist who regularly performs in solo, chamber and orchestral settings throughout the United States. Gregory is a member of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra, the Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra, and serves as principal second violin Opera Theater of Connecticut and Orchestra New England. He is a member of the faculty of Gateway Community College and the Hopkins School in New Haven, CT.
The Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church is located at the corner of Church and Middle Streets (GPS 50 Middle Street) where parking is available on the green. An elevator is available from the side door at 10 Church Street. Admission for the event is $30 General, $10 Students (all ages), under 12 free. For advance ticket purchases and more information please visit: www.gloucestermeetinghouse.org
Find out at the Sawyer Free Library on Tuesday, April 29, from 2:00 to 4:00 PM!
Local tweens and teens are invited to design and plant their very own mini garden with the help of Backyard Growers. All materials will be provided—including everything you need to start growing your own garden at home.
This special event will be held at Sawyer Free Library, 21 Main Street, Gloucester.
Open to students in grades 6–12 (ages 11–19). Space is limited, so registration is required at sawyerfreelibrary.org.
Want to help feed local people this summer? The Open Door Empty Bowl Enchanted Forest and Online Artists’ Bowls Auction, which benefit summer hunger-relief programs, offer a way for anyone to donate or volunteer.
Empty Bowl Enchanted Forest will be held on Thursday, May 1 from 4-7 p.m. at Cruiseport Gloucester. Pay-what-you-can tickets and the Online Artists Bowls Auction are available at FOODPANTRY.org.
With inflation and looming cuts to social services agencies, the fundraiser comes at a critical moment for food security.
“As we prepare for significant cuts to the federal safety net, more children are at risk of going hungry, especially during the months they are not in school,” said Julie LaFontaine, President and CEO. “We invite the community to join us for an event to remember what we hold in common and to raise critical funds for our summer programs including Summer Meals, Mobile Market, and Food Pantries.”
The Greater Boston Food Bank estimates that, without state intervention, proposed federal cuts and changes to SNAP, TEFAP (USDA), and school meals will lead to a 77% increase in demand at local food pantries like The Open Door.
Last year, The Open Door distributed 2.35 million pounds of food to 11,893 people through its Food Pantries. The nonprofit met a 30% increase in requests for food assistance in 2024, through 100,774 visits.
The Open Door distributed more than 18,000 breakfast and lunch meals to local children during the summer of 2024. The nonprofit also distributed more than 169,000 pounds of food through its Mobile Market.
Attendees of Empty Bowl Enchanted Forest will choose a bowl hand-painted by a member of the community, soup to-go, cookie, roll, fruit, and water. A soup tasting will also allow participants to try a handful of soups prepared by The Open Door kitchen. Additional soups will be available to-go by a handful of local restaurants, caterers, and eateries.
The artists’ bowls will be available to view at Empty Bowl Enchanted Forest, and a select few are featured at Cape Ann Savings Bank on Main Street in Gloucester leading up to the event. The online artists’ bowls auction features bowls painted by numerous, talented local artists.
Looking for something fun and educational to do with the kids? Bring them to Hammond Castle Museum for free self-guided tours on Thursday and Friday! All children enjoy FREE ADMISSION, and that includes access to our featured fine art exhibit: Eric Pape: The Fair God.
Explore the Museum’s incredible architecture, marvel at centuries-old stone and wooden artifacts, and get inspired by the stunning works of one of America’s great illustrators and painters.
Free admission for all kids ages 12 & under.
Self-guided exploration of the Museum
Access to ‘Eric Pape: The Fair God’ exhibit
Free-on-site parking
Reserve your tickets ahead of your visit at: bit.ly/HCMTickets or register upon your arrival in the Museum Shop.
Looking for a unique and engaging summer program for middle or high school students? GMGI’s Summer STEM programming is now accepting registrations!
Our Summer STEM programs are one-week courses designed to provide students with the opportunity to experience hands-on science in a biotechnology laboratory.
Held in Gloucester Biotechnology’s state-of-the-art teaching labs at Blackburn Center, students are immersed in authentic laboratory investigations and use cutting-edge biotechnology equipment, the scientific method, and critical thinking to analyze samples and make data-driven conclusions.
The course is taught by Academy staff and does not require any previous science or lab experience. Each student will have ample guidance and support in these real-world investigations. All students ages 13 to 18 are welcome to apply!
Step into the pawprints of local predators—think coyotes, fisher cats, and bobcats—in this wild and wildly fun outdoor adventure with Kestrel Educational Adventures and Sawyer Free Library on Friday, April 11 from 3:00 to 5:00 pm at Stage Fort Park in Gloucester – meet at the gazebo!
Designed for curious minds in grades 6–12 (that’s ages 11–19), this hands-on program brings the science of predator ecology to life through games, crafts, and energetic discussions. You’ll track, play, and learn your way through the habits and habitats of some of New England’s most elusive carnivores.
Whether you’re a future wildlife biologist, a nature lover, or just ready to get outside and do something cool, this event is your ticket to adventure.
The program will take place at Stage Fort Park located at 24 Hough Avenue in Gloucester.
No experience necessary—just bring your sense of curiosity and maybe a friend or two! Registration required at sawyerfreelibrary.org. Questions? Contact: anakoneczny@sawyerfreelibrary.org.
Join us for our third annual Eric Pape fine art exhibit, featuring works previously unseen since the artist’s death in 1938.
Including Newly Restored Chapter Initials for Lew Wallace’s’The Fair God’ from Pape’s Locked Studio in Annisquam!
Join us as we kick off our 2025 season with this extraordinary exhibit of works rarely seen by one of Boston and Cape Ann’s golden age illustrators and painters.
At the time of the exhibit, it is expected to be the largest collection of Pape’s artworks on public display anywhere in the world, many of which haven’t been publicly seen in nearly a century. The artwork is primarily on loan from the private collection of avid Pape collector and biographer Dr. Gregory Conn, the world’s leading expert on the 20th-century artist.
This year’s exhibition came together serendipitously when Thomas Meeks, curator of the General Lew Wallace Study & Museum in Indiana, engaged Dr. Conn for verification of several original illustrations from Wallace’s 1873 publication “The Fair God.” These artworks were in Pape’s famed Annisquam “Locked Studio” and had remained in the condition in which they were when the studio was reopened in the late 1980s. This past winter, Dr. Conn sponsored their subsequent restoration, conservation, and re-framing. This exhibit marks their public debut since the restorations, which coincides with Dr. Conn’s newest book, a hardcover, bound catalog of this exhibition, which is, named after Pape’s most renowned illustrated deluxe edition of Wallace’s novels.
In addition, an important early fine art painting from Pape’s 1890 trip to Egypt will be on loan from a private collector, “The Last Soldier,” a painting of the Sphinx by moonlight The remaining works chosen for this exhibition include, but are not limited to oil copies of several famous large-scale pastel portraits by Pape, which are displayed in Dr. Conn’s private collection. Since the works of art remain in their original, unfixed state, they are unsuitable for international transit and exhibition. Alberto Romero, a popular sculptor in Spain who created the exhibition’s central portrait of Eric Pape contributes five modern portraits, also on loan from Dr. Conn’s private collection. Romero´s work has received widespread attention both in Spain and in Central America and can be found in many noted collections.
Additionally, attendees can view the three Pape paintings on permanent display in their respective galleries within the Museum, including Pape’s sole surviving mural, “The Wireless Naval Battle of Gloucester Bay.”
Free admission for all kids ages 12 & under.
Cape Ann Community 