Still looking for a unique and engaging summer program for middle or high school students? GMGI’s Summer STEM programming is 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!

Financial aid is available to those who qualify.

Want to learn more? Please visit our website or contact Hannah Lister for more information.

For Immediate Release

Every year since 1981 the Greater Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce has celebrated Small Businesses to honor the achievements of our region’s small business entrepreneurs and their employees and to thank them for their contributions to the economic vitality and community life of the greater Cape Ann region. The Chamber is pleased to announce the 2025 Greater Cape Ann Small Business Persons of the Year.

This year’s honorees include Allan Houle, owner of Manchester Ace Hardware (Manchester-by-the-Sea); Kimberly Cameron Tibert, owner of Sand Castles & Wharf Rat Trading Co. (Rockport); Joe Ciolino, owner of The Weathervane (Gloucester); Natasha Taylor, Office Manager of the Essex Historical Society & Ship Building Museum (Essex); and Kerrie Bates, Director of ReCreation and Culture (Ipswich). Each small business person of the year will be honored throughout the weeks of June 2-13 via the Chamber’s social media, websites, and email communications. The honorees will also receive a special citation from their respective local government at their individual ceremony.

Friends, family members, and colleagues of all small business honorees are invited and encouraged to attend the individual receptions (all from 5-7 PM) to be held on the following dates and locations: Tuesday, June 3, for Allan Houle at Cala’s in Manchester-by -the-Sea; Wednesday, June 4, for Natasha Taylor at The James Pub, Essex; Thursday, June 5, for Kerrie Bates at True North Ale co., Ipswich; Monday, June 9, for Kimberly Cameron Tibert at The Emerson Inn, Rockport; Tuesday, June 10, for Joe Ciolino at Oak to Ember, Gloucester.

Please visit www.capeannchamber.com for more information on each of the 2025 Small Business Persons of the Year.

May 27, 2025
Media Contact: Michelle Pepin
michelle@capeannchamber.com

Picture this: you’re sitting in one of Cape Ann’s most beautiful venues, listening to a renowned aging scientist, learning about some of the earth’s longest-lived animals and what they can teach us.

Please join us on Tuesday, June 3rd at Rockport Music for a night of science by the sea with special guest, Steven Austad, Ph.D.

Come to hear Dr. Austad tell stories of some extraordinary animals, considering why, for example, animal species that fly live longer than earthbound species, and why animals found in the ocean live longest of all.

Dr. Austad’s approach to studying aging differs from the usual approach found in the field of aging science. Instead of focusing on species with short lifespans like fruit flies and mice, which are experimentally manageable but unsuccessful at combating aging, he investigates nature’s biggest successes, like a 400-year-old shark or a 200-year-old whale. He suggests we should research long-lived species — instead of those with short lifespans — and use them as models for discovering novel anti-aging products and processes.

Opening remarks and Q & A with Andrea Bodnar, Ph.D., GMGI’s Donald G. Comb Science Director.

Doors open at 5:30pm and the talk begins promptly at 6pm.

This talk is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Space is limited – please click here to register!

Friday, June 13th.
Two shows:
6:00 – 7:30 pm |  Doors at 5:30 pm.
8:30 -10:00 pm | Doors at 8:00 pm.

Strictly 21 & Over only. IDs will be checked upon admission.

Get ready for a night of glitz, glam, and fierce performances in a setting like no other! Join us for Queens at the Castle, a high-energy, laugh-out-loud evening hosted by one of Boston’s most iconic queens and featuring three of the region’s top drag performers.

Meet Your Host:

Kris Knievil: A beloved fixture of Boston’s drag scene since the late ’90s, Kris Knievil is known for her buxom blonde allure and commanding stage presence. As the program director at Boston’s storied drag bar, Jacques Cabaret, Kris brings years of experience and charisma to the stage, ensuring an evening of laughter and entertainment. bostonspiritmagazine.com

Featuring Performances By:

Alana Thicc: Get ready for a performance that’s as bold and dynamic as her name suggests. Alana Thicc brings energy, sass, and a whole lot of talent to the stage, promising to captivate the audience with every move.

Chanel the Angel: A glamorous queen with a heart of gold, Chanel the Angel combines vintage Hollywood elegance with modern flair. Her performances are a blend of powerhouse vocals and cheeky humor, making her a standout in the cabaret scene.

Stef Anya: Known for her role in “Life’s A Drag,” Stef Anya brings a unique blend of theatricality and authenticity to her performances. Her captivating presence and emotive storytelling through drag make her a must-see act.

Presented by: Sam Orlando | QUEENDOMTalent

Learn more & reserve your tickets at: https://bit.ly/QueensHCM

Donations needed!

The rain on the morning of Saturday, May 10, put a damper on an annual food drive that benefits The Open Door. Each year, local letter carriers from Gloucester, Rockport, Manchester and Ipswich collect donations of nonperishable food and deliver them directly to The Open Door through the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive.

It’s a national initiative spearheaded each year by the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) that benefits food pantries all over the country.

Unfortunately, inclement weather nearly halved the donations collected last weekend.. Local letter carriers collected approximately 9,000 pounds of good food for local people whereas last year, the same food drive collected 17,000 pounds of food on a sunny, clear-skied day.  

Want to help The Open Door make up the difference and stock the shelves at its food pantries this spring?

The Open Door will be accepting additional donations of nonperishable food at all of its locations next week during business hours: 

• The Open Door Gloucester Food Pantry at 28 Emerson Ave., Gloucester MA will accept donations at the back of the building Monday through Friday from 8:30a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 

• The Ipswich Community Food Pantry at 00 Southern Heights, Ipswich MA will accept donations Wednesday and Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 

• Second Glance Thrift Store of The Open Door (Main Store) at 2 Pond Road, Gloucester MA will accept donations Monday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:40 p.m. at its main store.  

Food insecurity has been up at The Open Door, especially over the past two years. In 2024 and in 2023, the nonprofit met a 30% increase in requests for food assistance. With looming federal cuts to programs like SNAP (formerly known as Food Stamps) and at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), in addition to tariffs, extra donations are a huge help as The Open Door works to stock its shelves.

Most needed donations include:  

• Coffee 

• Condiments (ketchup, mustard, mayo, and salad dressings) 

• Cooking Oil 

• Peanut Butter 

• Canned Tuna 

The Open Door asks the community to please avoid donating anything in glass containers. 

Thank you!

🥕 Join us for a Sip & Sow evening at Cape Ann Lanes and Laneside Pub & Brewery, where we’ll share tips and guidance for successfully starting your own veggie garden in containers this year. Backyard Growers will be planting herbs and veggies for the season in the brewery’s beer garden planters.

🍻 Thanks to Laneside Brewery for collaborating with Backyard Growers on Grow Wild, their new limited edition sour featuring prickly pear. $1 from every Grow Wild goes to supporting Backyard Growers’ programs in the community connecting people with the resources, space, and knowledge they need to grow their own food.

💚 Your ticket purchase for this event also supports Backyard Growers’ programs.

🍅 Come on down to chat veggie gardens and enjoy a delicious brew!

Want to help alleviate the impact of hunger here on Cape Ann? Donating to help stock the shelves at The Open Door is as easy as leaving a bag of nonperishable food by your mailbox this Saturday for Gloucester AND Rockport residents thanks to local letter carriers.

Each year, members of the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) organize the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive to collect donations of food in their communities. Donations on Cape Ann will be delivered directly to The Open Door.

Most needed donations include:  

• Coffee 

• Condiments (ketchup, mustard, mayo, and salad dressings) 

• Cooking Oil 

• Peanut Butter 

• Canned Tuna 

The Open Door asks the community to please avoid donating anything in glass containers.  

Locally, the Ipswich and Manchester-by-the-Sea post offices are also participating in this year’s Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive.

Those that live in communities other than Gloucester, Rockport, Manchester-by-the-Sea, or Ipswich can check with their local post office to see if they are participating in this weekend’s food drive.