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Calling all Creative Arts Entrepreneurs!! This free workshop is for you! Learn ways to Identify Your Ideal Customer and Find Solutions to Reach Them

~ Sawyer Free Library

This is the second of a three-part series “Branding Your Own Creative Arts Business: A Three-Part Marketing and Communications Series”

Learning to market your own creative arts business involves developing a vision of the audience you are looking to reach. How do you determine your target market? Who are you selling to? Simplify your success by learning what questions to ask to identify your market and determine which channels to use to reach them. To find out – join the Sawyer Free Library at 21 Main Street on Tuesday, October 15 from 5:00 to 6:00 pm.

This is the second of a three-part series entitled “Branding Your Own Creative Arts Business: A Three-Part Marketing and Communications Series” led by Leah Hancock, owner and founder of Placid Marketing with over 15 years of experience in integrated and online marketing communications.

Registration required at sawyerfreelibrary.org. Space is limited! If you have questions, please contact moneill@sawyerfreelibrary.org or 978-325-5562.

~ Hammond Castle Museum

Prepare yourselves, honored guests, for an adventure unlike any other, as the late John Hays Hammond Jr. comes to life for a gathering of his dearest friends and respected colleagues. Within the medieval walls of Hammond’s castle home, secrets and curiosities await.

As you travel through the castle’s darkened corridors and rooms, you’ll encounter some of the most peculiar guests ever assembled. Are they members of a secret society, social and Hollywood royalty, or leaders straddling the boundaries of science and the occult? These mysterious figures have converged at Hammond Castle for a reason, and you’re about to find out why.

This unique promenade theater performance will transport you through time and space. You’ll step into different rooms and meet a captivating cast of characters ranging from Hillman, Hammond’s loyal butler to the eccentric Hammond and his glamorous wife, Irene – each with their own extraordinary tale to share. These stories have been expertly adapted by the talented Doug Cowell and are based on Hammond’s original ghost stories. Hammond’s writing style, reminiscent of the 1920s Weird Tale and the 1950s Pulp Fiction offers a unique blend of supernatural intrigue and kitschy charm.

Starring:

  • Anthony Lentz as John Hays Hammond Jr.
  • Shari Chaplin as Mrs. Irene Hammond
  • Lauren Casey as the Reporter
  • Michael Greene as Hillman, the Butler
  • James “Jimmy T.” Tarantino as the Sailor
  • Alison Landoni as the Mason

Beginning on the drawbridge, and leading through multiple rooms within, this walking, theatrical program runs just shy of 60 minutes in total. Performances begin at 6 pm and run every 15 minutes through 9 pm.  **Roaring 1920s and similar attire are encouraged!**

Reserve Your Tickets Here!

This Thursday: An Evening of Art, Music, and Community for the 2025 Sawyer Free Library!

~ Sawyer Free Library

Join the Sawyer Free Library this Thursday, September 19 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the North Shore Arts Association (11 Pirates Lane, Gloucester) for an evening filled with creativity and connection—all in support of the Sawyer Free Library 2025 Capital Campaign.

Take a Sneak Peek HERE at some of the stunning artwork up for grabs in our silent and live auctions from artists such as Jeff Weaver, John Terelak, Robert Gruppé, Coco Berkman, Charles Movalli, Jon Sarkin, and many more. Every bid brings us closer to restoring, expanding, and modernizing Gloucester’s beloved historic library.

The excitement begins at 7:15 p.m. when Walt Kolenda from Cape Ann Auction kicks off the live auction. Be sure to place your bids early—our silent auction closes promptly at 7:00 p.m.

Enjoy light refreshments, snacks, and live music while mingling with fellow art lovers and community members.

Whether you’re a seasoned collector or new to the art world, the 2025 Sawyer Free Library Benefit Art Auction promises to be a thrilling event. It’s a chance to enjoy a fun evening, connect with friends, and take home an original piece of art, all while supporting the future of the Sawyer Free Library. We hope to see everyone there for this exciting and meaningful and free community event!

Register HERE to let us know you are coming to the auction or for more information, visit sawyerfreelibrary.org or call 978-325-5500

Peter Krasinski Returns for One-Night-Only Performance of Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror

~ Hammond Castle Museum

Internationally acclaimed pianist Peter Krasinski returns to Hammond Castle Museum for a command performance to breathe new life into the 1922 silent film Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror, often called ‘the film that would change cinema history forever.’

Set in the medieval grandeur of our Great Hall, designed with near-perfect acoustics, this screening offers a unique blend of film and live music. As Count Orlok stalks across the screen, Krasinski’s masterful accompaniment on Hammond’s original 1920s Chickering & Sons grand piano will immerse you in an unforgettable symphony of sight and sound, creating a truly haunting experience this October.

Monday, October 14
The performance begins at 7:30 pm.
Admission: $40  
Hammond Castle Museum Member discounts apply!

Tickets are selling fast and the event is expected to sell out, reserve your seats now so you don’t miss out!

Reserve your seats here!

All proceeds from this program will support the restoration and preservation of the Museum.

Learn about the two NEW exhibits that opened this month and some more of our upcoming events here!

Get Your Main Street Meet-Up Passport and Join the Fun!

~ Greater Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce

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

2024-Main-St-meet-Up-RevBDownload

Free Presentation! Bright Ideas for Your Bottom Line: Energy Efficiency Made Easy

~ Greater Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce

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

Sustainability-Series-Sept-17-FinalDownload

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

Help The Open Door Raise Awareness for Hunger Action Month

~ todtheopendoor

September is Hunger Action Month™, an annual, nationwide campaign by the Feeding America network to raise awareness and encourage action to reduce food insecurity.  

The Open Door served 957 MORE people and had 4,452 MORE household visits in the first six months of 2024 than the same period in 2023. That means more people are visiting the nonprofit, more often.  

Want to help raise hunger awareness and keep local people fed?  Learn more below about the opportunities on Cape Ann to participate: 

  • Volunteer with The Open Door! Packing groceries, delivering meals, sorting food or sorting donations at Second Glance, and corporate engagement opportunities are just a few of the many roles available to volunteers. Learn more at FOODPANTRY.org/volunteer. 
  • Wear orange. Orange is the color of hunger awareness. 
  • Enjoy a sweet treat: 

Brothers Brew in Rockport will offer a vanilla donut frosted with orange sprinkles starting Sept. 8 for Hunger Action Month 

Cake Ann will offer special creamsicle and chocolate orange flavored cupcakes to help raise hunger awareness starting Sept. 1 

The Cut will offer a Hunger Action Month cocktail 

Holy Cow’s Gloucester location on Pleasant Street will serve an Orange Creamsicle flavored ice cream 

Turtle Alley will offer chocolate bars embossed with the word “LOVE” 

A portion of proceeds will support local hunger-relief programs of The Open Door! 

  • Watch out for Hunger Action Month themed coasters at 1606 Restaurant & Oyster Bar, the Seaport Grille, and The Cut to donate! 
  • See Gloucester City Hall and the Beauport Hotel lit up with orange lights. 
  • Get tickets for The Open Door Thrift the Runway Fashion Show by Second Glance, the thrift store of The Open Door at The Cut on Sunday, Sept. 8. Visit FOODPANTRY.org to learn more.  
  • Gloucester Mayor Greg Verga will issue a proclamation naming September Hunger Action Month™ at the Thrift the Runway Fashion Show on Sunday, Sept.8.  
  • The Gloucester City Council will also wear orange Hunger Action Month ™ t-shirts to help raise awareness at their Tuesday, Sept. 10 meeting.  
  • SHOP and DONATE at Second Glance year-round. Revenue at the store raises funds for hunger-relief programs of The Open Door. Free referrals are also given to the community for those in need. 

Learn more about Hunger Action Month™ at FOODPANTRY.org.  

~ Hammond Castle Museum

Audition Dates: Friday, September 6th, and Monday, September 9th from 4-7 pm.
Non-union, paid roles.

This October, the Hammond Castle Museum will present, “The Terror of Abbadia Mare” a new performance based on founder, John Hays Hammond, Jr’s original, horror stories. This room-to-room theatrical performance weaves some of the original members of the Hammond household into the stories. Hammond’s writing style is reminiscent of the 1920s Weird Tale and the 1950s Pulp Fiction and offers a unique blend of supernatural intrigue and kitschy charm.

The Museum is seeking actors to fill the following roles for this performance including:

  • Reporter: Age range: 20’s – 40’s, any build, any gender, character fits the 1920’s look, a slice of the 1920’s right away.
  • The Butler: Age range: 30’s, male presenting, slim to average build, the proper English butler who has been by Hammond and has been running his house for years.
  • Spiritualist:  Age range: 20’s- 30’s, female presenting, a spirit.
  • Sailor: Age range: 30’s-40’s, male presenting, any build, a spirit.
  • Dr. Serisan: Age range: 30’s-50’s, male presenting, South American master of black magic and a horde of zombie workers.
  • The Mason: Age range: 30’s-40’s, male presenting, blue-collar worker, a spirit.
  • Gertrude: Age range: 20’s, female presenting, high class, a spirit.
  • John Hays Hammond Jr.: Age range: 30’s-40’s, slim build, male presenting, Master of the House and host of the party.

Rehearsal dates: October 15th & 16th. 6 – 8 pm.
Performances: October 21, 22, 23 & 25. 6 – 10 pm.

Sign up at: https://forms.gle/aLjxLtDMoRpebkMo6.

No calls to the Museum, please.