G400+ Stories Project: ‘Gloucester is Home: Nina Francis Story’ (Video)

❤️NEW VIDEO RELEASE: The story of Nina Francis, Gloucester is Home. Take a moment to listen to the thoughts and memories of Nina Francis, 83, a longtime Gloucester resident of whose family emigrated from Sicily. She’ll share the story of how her ancestors missed one boat coming to America during WWI, but they boarded a second one. The first one never made it, so in this case “missing the boat” turned out to be fortunate for Nina’s family. Nina also shares some thoughts about hostilities towards Italians in WWII, and how this profoundly affected her family. Through ups and downs, good times and bad, and with strong love for her family, Nina is proud to call Gloucester her home.

Thank you to Sal Zerilli and Matthew Bradley for producing this film in partnership with the Gloucester400+ Stories Project. We appreciate your work and your joint mission to tell the stories of Gloucester. Thank you to Nina Francis for sharing her important story.❤️

The GMGI Science Hour is Back!

GMGI is excited to bring another season of timely, engaging science to you at home – just in time with the cold weather and dark evenings.

First up: Dr. Ian Hewson! Please join us in welcoming Dr. Hewson to the virtual series on Thursday, December 7th as he discusses the impacts of the long-spined sea urchin’s near-extinction in the Caribbean Sea in 2022. Register today!

You may wonder – what do sick sea urchins in the Caribbean have to do with us here in Gloucester? If a sea urchin population is affected, it can have drastic effects on it’s entire ecosystem, including surrounding coral reefs. And the health of coral reefs is vitally important to human health – they help to regulate our climate and play a crucial role in nutrient cycling.

Our Science Hour Warm Up gives a preview of Dr. Hewson’s talk, The Long-spined Urchin Mass Mortality of 2022: What Happened, What’s Happening Now, and Where to Go From Here. Read the Warm Up to learn more and to register!

screen grab from Cornell University

Dr. Hewson’s Science Hour talk is on Thursday, December 7th at 7pm. Click here to register!

Annual Gloucester Ladies Night at SFL@21 Main

Gloucester ladies, Thursday, December 7th is your day… and night! It is the 50th Annual Ladies Night and to celebrate, the first 20 ladies to come to the Sawyer Free Library at 21 Main Street between 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. will receive a swag bag including a holiday romance novel or a cozy holiday mystery! So be sure to stop by and happy holidays from Sawyer Free Library!

For more information, visit sawyerfreelibrary.org or call 978-325-5500.

‘HEAVENLY BAROQUE CHRISTMAS’ MEETINGHOUSE CONCERT ON DECEMBER 7TH

The Musicians of the Old Post Road return to Gloucester for their seventh year to perform a program called ‘Heavenly Baroque Christmas.’  The Thursday-evening, candlelit chamber-music concert begins at 7:30 p.m. in the historic Meetinghouse, home of the Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church, located at the corner of Middle and Church Streets (GPS 50 Middle Street).  A side entrance with an elevator is at 10 Church Street.

‘Heavenly Baroque Christmas’ celebrates the season with celestial works from Spain & New Spain.  The concert features music by Iribarren, Salazar, and others including Zumaya, the first Mexican classical composer of indigenous descent.  The Musicians of the Old Post Road perform on period instruments. They are joined by guests from Ensemble La Fontegara of Mexico and vocal soloists; soprano Adriana Ruiz & mezzo-soprano Hilary Anne Walker.

Tickets and more information are available online at www.gloucestermeetinghouse.org or at the door by cash, check or credit card. Preferred seating: $50; general seating $35; students $10; children under 12 free.

Treat yourself, friends and family to a merry little Thursday night concert of gorgeous Baroque music for strings, flute, harpsichord and voice; something that you won’t find anywhere else, a seasonal delight to the ear and a balm for the soul.

ENJOY THE MAGIC OF THE HOLIDAYS IN THE MEETINGHOUSE!!!

THIS SATURDAY: Holiday Market at Second Glance!

Shop for clothing, jewelry, handbags, artwork, vintage Christmas, holiday décor and gifts this weekend at Second Glance, Thrift Store of The Open Door.

WHEN: Saturday, December 2 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

WHERE: Second Glance at 2 Pond Road, Gloucester MA

WHAT: Shop at Second Glance this weekend for a curated selection of one-of-a-kind finds. Sustainable shopping and unique goods make meaningful gifts for the holidays!

Shoppers and donors at Second Glance help raise revenue for The Open Door hunger-relief programs. Learn more at FOODPANTRY.org

UPDATE: This event has been postponed.

Join us for a fun night of tabletop games in the Great Hall.

Enjoy favorites such as: Dixit, Risk, Fluxx, Munchkin, Chess (Lord of the Rings Edition), We Didn’t Playtest This At All, Apples to Apples, Settlers of Catan, and The Oregon Trail Card Game and more! We will also have “Hammond Naval Warfare,” a game of naval strategy designed by our founder, inventor John Hays Hammond Jr!  Don’t see your favorite games? Bring your own!

All games are on a first come/first serve basis. Doors open at 5 pm and gaming goes on until 10 pm. Bring your family & friends and stop by for an hour or stay the whole time! Light snacks will be available for purchase. Kids up to age 10: $5 / $15 general admission. Hammond Castle Museum members savings apply!