Essex CLAMFEST returns on Saturday, OCTOBER 25^th (RAIN OR SHINE!)

On Saturday, October 25, the 40^th Annual Essex ClamFest and Clam Chowder Competition will return. This beloved fall event will feature over 40 Artist and Vendor booths, plus 15 Non-Profit Booths, a K-9 demonstration, Kids’ Activities, including the Cape Ann Vernal Pond Team, and Face Painting by Miss Wendy, live music, food vendors, Rockport Brewing Company, 90+ Cellars Wine Cellars and, of course, the ever-popular Clam Chowder Competition. The festival is free to attend and will take place at Shepard Memorial Park in Essex from 11 AM to 4 PM.

The clam chowder competition runs from Noon to 1 PM (or while supplies last). The cost is $15.00 for adults and $10 for children under 10 to enter the chowder tasting area. Over 1,000 people are expected to participate and taste the best of the best. Each chowder taster will have the opportunity to choose his or her favorite for the People’s Choice Award, while nine esteemed judges will vote to select the winner of the Judges’ Award. This year, there are eight competitors: 35 Beach (Manchester), Addison Gilbert Hospital/ Sodexo (Gloucester), Castle Manor Inn (Gloucester), CK Pearl (Essex), Seaport Grille (Gloucester), The Farm Bar & Grille (Essex), The James Restaurant (Essex), and Woodman’s (Essex).

Essex Clamfest is produced by the Essex Division of the Greater Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce. BankGloucester is our Presenting sponsor; Brookline Bank is our Gold sponsor; Applied Materials is our silver sponsor, and Hiltz Disposal is our supporting sponsor.

The rain Location for the festival is at the Essex Elementary School, on the same date.

A century ago, the name Chaplin was as famous as that of Spielberg, Redford, or Streep. In Hollywood’s early days, he was a comedian, producer, writer, director and composer widely regarded as the greatest comic artist of films—and, according to Encyclopedia Britannica, one of the most important figures ever in motion picture history.

On Sunday afternoon, Nov. 2, at 3:30pm a Charlie Chaplin masterpiece, The Gold Rush, will be featured marking the 100th anniversary of this silent-film classic, with live organ accompaniment by maestro Peter Krasinski in the historic 1806 Meetinghouse, home of the Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church.
The Gold Rush is a 1925 American silent film comedy written, produced and directed by Chaplin. It received an Academy Award nomination, and it has since been added to the National Film registry by the Library of Congress for its cultural, historic and aesthetic significance.

Silent films aren’t silent at all. Before ‘talkies’ came along the action was augmented by vigorous pianists or skilled organists whose music swelled or swooned to match the action. The Gold Rush will be accompanied by Peter Krasinski, a master of improvised silent movie accompaniment, whose exciting performances delight kids and adults alike. Krasinski will exploit all the tone colors and power of the 1893 Hutchings/Fisk organ, creating music that adds mystery, intrigue and excitement to this notable film.
Tickets are available at the door and with more information at http://www.gloucestermeetinghouse.org.
Cost: $20 General, $5 Students, Under 12 free

The Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church is located at 50 Middle Street in Gloucester. Parking is available on the Green in front of the Meetinghouse and at other locations in the Historic District. The side entrance at 10 Church Street offers elevator access.

The Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church started its history as the first Universalist church in America in 1779, a rebellious congregation that played an important role in the quest for religious freedom as enshrined in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. The architecturally significant building predates lighthouses on Cape Ann and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation is an independent, secular nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation dedicated to the historic building’s preservation and its use for and by the Cape Ann community.

Step back in time to the days immediately following the Stock Market crash, as ruin awaits many and the nation is on the brink of the Great Depression, to attend one of John Hays Hammond, Jr. famed soirees to celebrate All Hallows’ Eve. In his strange fortress that he calls the ‘Abbey by the Sea’, you’ll meet the eccentric inventor and the members of his inner circle who reveal secrets steeped in obsession, dread, and the macabre. Come dressed for a 1920s Halloween gathering, and journey through time and space as you descend into the darkened castle amidst its haunting chambers and your hosts’ descent into madness.

This unique promenade theater performance begins on the drawbridge and winds through multiple rooms within the Castle. It runs just shy of 60 minutes in total. Performances begin at 6 pm and run every 15 minutes through 9:00 pm. Performances are limited to groups of 15 audience members at a time for an intimate experience. Each story is approximately 6 to 10 minutes long.

**Vintage Halloween attire styled from the 1920s is encouraged. ** Not recommended for children under 13 years old.

Internationally acclaimed accompanist Peter Krasinski returns to the Great Hall this Halloween season for two unique performances featuring live improvised accompaniment to classic black-and-white silent films: Phantom of the Opera and Metropolis. Krasinski will perform on John Hays Hammond Jr.’s original Chickering & Sons piano, filling the soaring acoustics of the Great Hall with an unforgettable blend of history, music, and cinematic magic.

Please join us on Thursday, October 9,  at the newly renovated Sawyer Free Library for our annual Byrnes Lecture exploring how cutting-edge genomics is transforming our understanding of ocean life and human health.

The ocean is a source of endless mystery, sustaining life on Earth and inspiring generations of discovery. Within its depths, remarkable creatures hold clues not only to the resilience of marine ecosystems but also to the health and longevity of humans. Yet, as pressures from climate change, overfishing, and pollution intensify, understanding how ocean life survives and adapts has never been more critical.

GMGI researchers are harnessing cutting-edge genomic technologies to illuminate the hidden blueprints of marine life, driving forward new strategies for conservation, and building essential connections between ocean science and human well-being.

Admission to this event is free, but registration is required. Click here to reserve your spot.

Doors for this event open at 5:00pm, with the lecture beginning promptly at 5:30pm.

This is GMGI’s Annual Byrnes Lecture, honoring longtime GMGI and community supporter John Byrnes. As a resident of Cape Ann for over 20 years, he was an integral part of the community, providing advice and generous philanthropic support to GMGI and many other organizations.

Yesterday, Gloucester’s middle school band lit up the O’Maley stage with a joyful, high-energy performance that showed just how transformative music education can be.

Thanks to a recent $10,000 grant from Music Drives Us, the elementary and middle school band programs continue to grow and thrive, serving over 200 4-8th graders at no cost to families.

But with $60,000 still to raise this school year, GEF and GPS need the community’s support to ensure that the opportunity to learn an instrument remains available to every Gloucester student in grades 4-8. Every donation helps!

Read the story in the Gloucester Daily Times here and here

Donate to GEF to support the elementary and middle school bands (and please put “BAND” in the Special Instructions field so we know where to direct your gift!)

Join us in the candlelit Great Hall at Hammond Castle Museum for an extraordinary group reading with Kevin V. Coan, a highly regarded evidential medium with over 35 years of experience. Kevin’s empathetic approach and down-to-earth demeanor have brought comfort and healing to countless individuals, offering profound messages of connection from loved ones who have crossed over.

Enjoy light refreshments as Kevin uses his remarkable ability to interpret messages through photographs of the departed. Witness firsthand the power of his gift to bridge the gap between worlds and provide evidence of the enduring bond with loved ones.

A single printed photograph of those who have passed is needed to help facilitate the possibility of a reading. Learn more and reserve your seats before they’re gone! This event is expected to sell out.