Friday, September 20 | 11 AM – 7 PM
Shopping: 11 AM – 6 PM
Networking: 5:30 – 7 PM

Join us for the second annual Main Street Meet-Up: A Gloucester Business Tour sponsored by the Businesswomen’s Committee of the Greater Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce. All are invited to join in!

Put on your power-walking shoes and prepare to explore some of Gloucester’s finest retail businesses, right here on Main (and adjacent) Streets! You can pick up your Passport and Raffle Tickets at Shore Nutrition or the Chamber of Commerce office. Plan to visit the participating businesses on your Passport to get stamped and enter raffle drawings at each location. When you are finished, please join us as early as 5 PM at The Cut for networking until 7 PM. *Don’t forget to turn in your Passports for additional Grand Prize Drawings to be held at 6:15 PM. (You do not have to be present to win!)

Register and purchase your Passport & Raffle Tickets today for just $15/$25 (You may also purchase at Shore Nutrition or at the Chamber office.)

Shops will be open from 11 AM to 6 PM for all Passport holders, with on-street networking, owners waiting to meet YOU, and a chance to win a raffle prize in every store!  All proceeds benefit the Businesswomen’s Opportunity Fund in honor of Carolyn M. O’Connor

You are invited to Cake Ann in Gloucester for coffee, pastries, and “a side of sustainability” to learn how businesses like yours can save on energy costs and consumption. “Bright Ideas for Your Bottom Line: Energy Efficiency Made Easy” is the second of a three-part speaker series about sustainable business practices. This session features Energy Source and Mass Save for Small Business and is supported by TownGreen and the Greater Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce.

Energy Source is a comprehensive energy efficiency and electrification provider partnering with local utilities to implement the Mass Save Program. Join presenter Crystal Hamlin, Program Manager at Energy Source, to learn about their turn-key process to reduce your energy consumption and lower your energy costs, allowing you to focus on your business. An overview of the Mass Save Small Business Program, such as no-cost assessments and utility incentives, will also be provided. The presentation will include brief case studies of participants over the last year, with a first-hand account by Denise Raimo of Annisquam Auto. You will also learn about limited-time enhanced incentives being offered.
A Q & A session will follow the presentation.

Register for free at: https://bit.ly/SustainabilitySeries-Sept2024

This program is sponsored by the Greater Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce’s Business Sustainability Committee and TownGreen.

Get your tickets now for the 2nd Annual Blackburn Brew Fest on Saturday, September 21 at Stage Fort Park. Advance tickets are $50 per person (at-the-door purchase price is $60). Designated Driver tickets are also available at $10. Brews, hard ciders, food trucks, music, and games, all in beautiful Stage Fort Park overlooking Gloucester Harbor.

Learn more and buy your tickets at blackburnbrewfest.com!

CHAMBER ANNOUNCES MANCHESTER’S FESTIVAL-BY-THE-SEA ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 3RD

The Greater Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce is excited to be presenting Manchester’s Festival-by-the-Sea, a Cape Ann Classic, in partnership with the Town of Manchester-by-the-Sea. The festival will be held on Saturday, August 3rd from 10 AM to 4 PM in three Manchester-by-the-Sea town parks: Town Hall, Reed and Masconomo. Over 100 artisans, food vendors, and non-profits will be on hand, offering original artwork, handmade goods, tasty treats, and more. This family friendly event includes live outdoor entertainment, shopping and sidewalk sales by local retailers, restaurants, food trucks, a beer garden, and fun activities for kids, including Face Painting by Miss Wendy and “reptile fun” from the Cape Ann Vernal Pond Team!
We are also very pleased to announce that there will be live music in three locations: the Masco Bandstand, Town Hall Park, and the lot at 7 Summer Street. The music in Masco Park is sponsored by Kelly Auto and a schedule and listing of performers (11 AM to 4 PM) will be posted on the day of the event. The music Stage at Town Hall is sponsored by The Cut (11 AM to 3 PM) with performers to be announced and the 7 Summer St. lot will feature John Jerome with other outdoor retail vendors from 12 – 2 PM.

A free shuttle service, sponsored by Beauport Ambulance, will run between the High School upper parking lot and downtown Manchester from 10 AM to 4 PM. Shuttle stops will be made at Masco Park, Town Hall Park, Reed Park, the Manchester Public Library and 7 Summer Street. The last pick-up of the day will be at 4 PM at Masco Park.

The Chamber wishes to acknowledge and thank the Manchester Board of Selectmen, the Manchester Fire & Police Departments and Manchester Parks & Recreation for their support and assistance in bringing this festival to life!

We also thank the many business sponsors and downtown merchants for their support in helping to make this year’s Festival-by-the-Sea possible. A listing of the sponsors is provided below:

Presenting Co-Sponsors: M&T Bank and Harbor’s Point Condo Association
Gold Sponsor: Applied Materials
Music Stage Sponsors: Kelly Auto (Masco Bandstand) & The Cut (Town Hall Park)
Shuttle Sponsor: Beauport Ambulance Service
Supporting Sponsors: Cape Ann Savings Bank, Manchester-Essex Rotary Club & Sullco, Inc.

Additional information may be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FestivalbytheSea.

DOWNLOAD MAP BROCHURE | SEE FULL LIST OF ARTISANS, NON-PROFITS, FOOD VENDORS

Contact Details: Michelle Pepin, Director of Events, 978-283-1601, michelle@capeannchamber.com

Gloucester’s Summer Block Parties have become a Cape Ann Classic, and the Greater Cape Ann Chamber is excited to be presenting three Block Parties this summer in partnership with the City of Gloucester. The first one will be Saturday, July 13^th from 6 PM to 10 PM on Main Street. Party-goers will enjoy fun dining options, live outdoor entertainment and street performers for a family-friendly night on the town. The Block Parties offer local shopping, restaurants, food trucks and non-stop fun!

The following is the schedule of Music & Performers for the July 13^th Block Party:

MUSIC:

• East End Stage (Stage Sponsor: BankGloucester)
  • 6:00-7:30 PM    TheGloucester Student Band
  • 7:30-9:00 PM    The Dogtown Cats
• Center Stage (Stage Sponsor: Cape Ann Savings Bank)
  • 6:00-8:00 PM      Jim & Tonic (Jazz Band)
  • 8:00-10:00 PM    Bill Gleason
• West End Stage (Stage Sponsor: Institution for Savings)
  • 6:00-8:00 PM      Carlos Barberi with mediterranean Sounds    
  • 8:00-10:00 PM    Tony Frontiero

STREET PERFORMERS: Intersection of Hancock & Main

• 6:15-7:00 PM: Tobin Renwick from The Red Trouser Show
• 7:10-7:45 PM: Cape Ann School of Dance
• 8:00-8:45 PM: Tobin Renwick from The Red Trouser Show

*Also on the street will be: Face Painting by Miss Wendy, ‘The Balloonitik’ with her fun balloon art for the kids, and a bucket drummer.

The Chamber wishes to acknowledge and thank the City of Gloucester, Supporting Partner, many business sponsors, and main street merchants for their support in helping to make this year’s Block Parties possible. A listing of the sponsors is provided below:

• Stage Sponsors:  BankGloucester; Cape Ann Savings Bank; Institution for Savings
• Gold Sponsors:  Addison Gilbert Hospital; Applied Materials; Beauport Hospitality; The Building Center; and Endicott College
• Silver Sponsors:  A&A Services, Cape Ann YMCA, Chase Bank, and Ebenezer Tax and Services

The Second Block Party will be on Saturday, August 10^th. The Third Block Party will be on Friday, August 30^th. 

Additional information may be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/gloucesterblockparty.

The Greater Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce invites you to join us at the Chamber’s 44th Annual Small Business Awards Dinner on Thursday, June 13 from 5 to 8 PM at the Castle Manor Inn, Gloucester, to honor the 2024 Greater Cape Ann Small Business Persons of the Year. This year’s honorees include Erika Brown, Publisher/Editor of The Manchester Cricket (Manchester-by-the-Sea); Jack & Cathy Porter, Sandy Bay Service Center, Inc (Rockport); The Ellis Family (Heath & Tom Ellis), The Schooner Thomas E. Lannon (Gloucester); Ramie Reader, Reader Electrical (Essex); and John P. Muldoon, Publisher/Editor of The Local News (Ipswich).

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.

Friends, family members, and colleagues of all small business honorees are invited and encouraged to attend the awards dinner. Tickets for the dinner are available for $75. Please visit the chamber website (www.capeannchamber.com) to register for the dinner and for more information on the 2024 Small Business Persons of the Year.

Sponsored by:

Proceeds from Sale of 11 Remaining Low-Number Plates Will be Used to Support Local Charitable and Community Initiatives

The 11 remaining low-number Cape Ann license plates will be made available to the highest bidders through an online auction beginning Monday, April 8, with all proceeds going to the Cape Ann Community Foundation (CACF), which supports local charitable initiatives and organizations.

The auction will conclude on Patriot’s Day, Monday, April 15. Any Massachusetts resident who wants to display their love and support for Cape Ann will have a chance to secure the 11 remaining Cape Ann license plates between 1-100. The remaining plates are numbers 4, 8, 55, 66, 78, 79, 87, 88, 90, 91 and 92.

In addition, this year CACF will for the first time allow those who make a donation to the foundation to choose available 3-digit and 4-digit license plates.

For more information on the auction and to register to bid, visit www.lovecapeann.com. The site also has information on how to request a specific plate through the foundation and the easy steps to order a random Cape Ann license plate through the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles.

Visit bit.ly/CALP24 to bid today!

The Rockport Division of the Greater Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce will hold the 32^nd annual Rockport Community Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, March 30 at 2 PM.  The event is for the children of the town – preschoolers through grade one – and will take place at Millbrook Meadow, Beach Street, Rockport.

Pre-schoolers will be grouped in one section and kindergarteners and first graders in another.  In addition to assorted candies, chocolates, and small prizes, the hunt will feature four golden eggs to be redeemed for larger prizes. The Easter Bunny is also expected to make an appearance.  Children should bring a basket and arrive early – the hunt will begin promptly at 2.

This year’s event is being organized by the Chamber’s Rockport Division with key support from Institution for Savings and donations from Rockport Inn & Suites and The Seafarer Inn.

As part of a 2024 nationwide promotion, the Greater Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce has joined the ranks of over 200 communities representing Chambers in 43 of 50 states to use the “extra” day of Leap Year to do something kind for someone else.

Originally conceived by the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce, the first Leap of Kindness Day saw hundreds of local organizations helping thousands of local people on February 29, 2016. Four years later in 2020, Leap of Kindness Day was even bigger and better as chambers throughout the US, Canada, and Ireland joined in for the spread of a lot of kindness.

For our part of #LeapofKindnessDay this year, the Chamber is promoting non-monetary donation requests from our non-profit members. As of this posting, 19 non-profit members have sent in their requests, which are posted on the Chamber website at https://bit.ly/LeapofKindnessDay. Requests were also sent out individually on our Facebook and Instagram feeds over the past few weeks.

If you have a minute, please check out the list of requests, which are summarized below. They range from small item donations to volunteer time to more substantial needs (but it never hurts to ask!). Full request details and contact information for each non-profit participating are available at https://bit.ly/LeapofKindnessDay. If you are able to help fulfill one request, remember to let us know

Leap of Kindness Day Donation Requests from Member Non-Profits

• Action Inc.: Personal care items/toiletries for guests at their Emergency Shelter.
• Backyard Growers: Gift cards to Timberline Enterprises to buy lumber.
• Cape Ann Vernal Pond Team: Help with autobody repair of 2021 Toyota Sienna Van.
• CORE Recovery Center: Equipment for new fitness room in their center.
• Essex Historical Society & Shipbuilding Museum: A telehandler or telescopic forklift.
• Gloucester Education Foundation: Volunteers to assist in 2024 Gloucester Student Arts Festival in May.
• Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute/Gloucester Biotechnology Academy: An industrial printer, gift cards, school supplies and food donations.
• Lanes Coven Theater Co.:  Volunteer lawyer or accountant to join Board and storage and rehearsal spaces.
• Maritime Gloucester: Volunteers to provide the programs and experiences to our members, visitors, and community.
• The North Shore Health Project: Gift cards in small amounts ($10+) from McDonalds, Dunks, Dollar Store, and the like for their clients.
• Pathways for Children: 3T – 6T sized items of clothing and volunteers.
• Project Adventure: A Utility Task Vehicle (UTV) and 40 (ish) 8.5×11 acrylic sign holders.
• Rockport Art Association & Museum: Portable wheelchair ramps for its entrances.
• Rocky Neck Art Colony: Volunteer gallery sitters for short shifts.
• Schooner Adventure: A plunge router and a ½” drive impact driver; home-cooked meals and new volunteers.
• Seaside Sustainability: Volunteers to help our environment by participating in coastal cleanups and more.
• SeniorCare, Inc.: Gas gift cards and emergency blankets for their Medical Transportation Service.
• The Open Door: Food Donations (cereal, condiments, coffee, tea, baking and muffin mix, and cooking oils).
• Wellspring House: $25 gas gift cards for their clients.

Share Your Plans for Leap of Kindness Day 2024

Please help us keep track of all the wonderful acts of kindness happening in communities across the region on Leap of Kindness Day – February 29, 2024. Is your organization, company, or family doing something to help? Please fill out this form and let us know so we can share it on our website!

Please contact Cindy Rodzen, Director of Marketing & Communications, at cindy@capeannchamber.com if you have any questions.