Gloucester Main Street Block Party is on Saturday!

What a line up we have for the 2nd Gloucester Main Street Block Party on this Saturday evening August 12 from 6 to 10 PM! Our headline performer is Alazakam – The Human Knot, a world famous contortionist who will amaze you with his twisting and bending, while making you laugh at the same time! In addition, the NE Revolution will be present with games for the kids, a bucket drumming act from Berkley School of Music will be striking up a beat, and everyone’s favorite Cape Ann Dance will feature their talented young dancers. Please visit the Chamber Event Calendar for a full list of entertainment, non-profits, businesses and food vendors who will be on hand to delight the young and old alike! See you there! Please share to your friends & followers! The Gloucester Main Street Block Party is presented by the Greater Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the City of Gloucester.

Gloucester Area Astronomy Club Meeting, Friday, August 11: Astrophotography Night in Lanesville!

Image credit Phil Orbanes

Our August 11 GAAC meeting, at 8:00 pm at the Lanesville Community Center, will feature our annual, always-popular Astrophotography program, a series of presentations by our  photographers, each showing off some of their most compelling work. 

This will be an opportunity for you to experience locally-captured images of galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters in a bright, large format on our screen, with explanations of what we’re all seeing and what is important about it. 

We’ve also added an important new introduction to the program. This year our own professional explainer Dr. Bill Waller, late of Rockport High School, will tell us up front, in plain language, what some of those baffling initials the photographers use actually mean. Knowing what head-scratchers like Ha, RGB, O3, or RASA are all about can help you see more in each astronomical object, and understand more about the process of capturing its image.

We hope you can join us at the Lanesville Community Center on the 11th for a fun evening with GAAC. There’s plenty of free parking, no dues or fees, lots of great snacks and conversation and amazing presentations, and you’ll leave knowing things you don’t know now. What could be better? Doors open at 7:45.

Professor Bugman Entomology Adventures on Tuesday morning, 8/8

Sawyer Free Library is exited to present Professor Bugman Entomology Adventures on Tuesday, August 8 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Space is limited and registration is required for each child.

Meet & greet a variety of insects, bugs and more as Professor Bugman presents an engaging and memorable experience that inspires children and families.

This event will be held at Captain Lester S. Wass American Legion Post 3, (8 Washington Street.) Register HERE.

For more information on the this event and the complete schedule of summer happenings at the Library, please visit www.sawyerfreelibrary.org, call 978-325-5500, or 21 Main Street in downtown Gloucester.

Author Talk at SFL: DAN FULLER, “Gloucester Gale” on Thursday Evening

This Thursday, August 3, 5:30 to 6:30 pm, the Sawyer Free Library will welcome Dan Fuller,  author of Gloucester Gale: The True Story of the Swordfishing Schooner Dorcas at its 21 Main Street location in downtown Gloucester.

In “Gloucester Gale,” Dan Fuller tells the true story of Captain Joseph Silveira and the swordfishing schooner “Dorcas” during the August Gale of 1924. In this vivid narrative about men battling against a raging force of nature during the bygone age of wooden ships and harpoons, he reconstructs the events of that hurricane and the schooner “Dorcas,” the impact on the rest of the fleet out at Georges Bank, and their loved ones back in Gloucester.

Dan is a direct descendant of Captain Silveira, and this story has been part of his family’s folklore for generations. Dan has always been captivated by the sea and is an avid sport fisherman. He currently splits his time seasonally between Cape Cod Bay and Tampa Bay.

The evening is open to the public for all to enjoy. No reservations needed. Books will be available for sale and signing following the presentation.

For more information on the Sawyer Free Library’s Author Talks and the complete schedule of summer happenings at the Library, please visit www.sawyerfreelibrary.org, call 978-325-5500, or 21 Main Street in downtown Gloucester

Festival by the Sea is This Weekend

Manchester’s Festival by the Sea has become a Cape Ann Classic, and the Greater Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce is excited to be presenting this festival in partnership with the Town of Manchester-by-the-Sea. The festival will be held on Saturday, August 5th from 10 AM to 4 PM in three Manchester-by-the-Sea town parks: Town Hall, Reed and Masconomo. Over 80 Artists, artisans and food vendors will offer their original artwork and handmade goods. This family friendly event includes live outdoor entertainment, local shopping, sidewalk sales, restaurants, food trucks and fun activities for kids!

The music for the August 5th Festival by the Sea is sponsored by Kelly Auto. A schedule and listing of the performers will be available in front of the bandstand on the day of the event.

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 Sponsor: M&T Bank
  • Gold Sponsor:  Applied Materials
  • Media Sponsor (In-Kind):  KLOVE 107.3
  • Bandstand Sponsor: Kelly Auto
  • Supporting Sponsors: Beauport Ambulance, Cape Ann Savings Bank, Community Credit Union, Manchester-Essex Rotary, & Sullco, Inc.

Additional information may be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FestivalbytheSea. A full list of participating artisans, vendors, and non-profits may be found at www.capeannchamber.com/2023-fbts.

Free Community Concert @ August 11

To celebrate their Centennial Anniversary, the Gloucester Rotary will host a free Community Concert with musical guests Captain Jack & The Strangers (The Northshore’s Premier Billy Joel Tribute Band) and opener Brandon Blatchford & the Wannabe Teenagerson on Friday, August 11, 2023, 6-10pm at the Antonio F. Gentile Bandstand in Stage Fort Park.

The celebration will include food and beverages for purchase from 5 Star Phresh-Phood and Harbor Tap Trailer!

Mark your calendars!

For more information about the Gloucester Rotary, visit www.gloucesterrotary.org or follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RotaryGloucesterMA.

Gloucester Rotary Comedy Show

Tickets are now available to the annual Gloucester Rotary Comedy Night, featuring Carolyn Plummer, Jim Colliton, Jimmy Cash, and Boston’s Dave Rattigan on Thursday, August 31, 2023, at Cruiseport Gloucester. Doors open at 7pm and the show starts at 8pm.

Don’t miss this evening of fun and laughter! Tickets are $30 each and are available from Ruth Pino (ruth@ruthpino.com, 978-764-6710). Proceeds from the show will be used to support Gloucester Rotary’s local and international projects.

(This event always sells out!!)

www.scampscomedy.com

Gloucester Rotary Pancake Breakfast

The Rotary Club of Gloucester MA will hold its annual Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser on Saturday, August 19, 2023, from 7:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. in Stage Fort Park, located on Hough Avenue in Gloucester, MA.  This popular event takes place concurrently with the Gloucester Waterfront Festival, which is sponsored by the Greater Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce and is held in Stage Fort Park on Saturday-Sunday, August 19-20, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. both days. A special free parking area is available for Pancake Breakfast attendees.

Tickets for the Pancake Breakfast are $9 per person, $5 for children six and under, and are available in advance online at www.gloucesterrotary.org, from any Gloucester Rotarian or at the following Gloucester locations:
                Bank Gloucester, 160 Main Street, Gloucester, MA
                Cape Ann Savings Bank, 109 Main Street, Gloucester, MA

Tickets will also be available on the morning of the breakfast.   

Proceeds from the Pancake Breakfast will benefit local and international projects of the Gloucester Rotary Club.