Queens at the Castle

Friday, June 13th.
Two shows:
6:00 – 7:30 pm |  Doors at 5:30 pm.
8:30 -10:00 pm | Doors at 8:00 pm.

Strictly 21 & Over only. IDs will be checked upon admission.

Get ready for a night of glitz, glam, and fierce performances in a setting like no other! Join us for Queens at the Castle, a high-energy, laugh-out-loud evening hosted by one of Boston’s most iconic queens and featuring three of the region’s top drag performers.

Meet Your Host:

Kris Knievil: A beloved fixture of Boston’s drag scene since the late ’90s, Kris Knievil is known for her buxom blonde allure and commanding stage presence. As the program director at Boston’s storied drag bar, Jacques Cabaret, Kris brings years of experience and charisma to the stage, ensuring an evening of laughter and entertainment. bostonspiritmagazine.com

Featuring Performances By:

Alana Thicc: Get ready for a performance that’s as bold and dynamic as her name suggests. Alana Thicc brings energy, sass, and a whole lot of talent to the stage, promising to captivate the audience with every move.

Chanel the Angel: A glamorous queen with a heart of gold, Chanel the Angel combines vintage Hollywood elegance with modern flair. Her performances are a blend of powerhouse vocals and cheeky humor, making her a standout in the cabaret scene.

Stef Anya: Known for her role in “Life’s A Drag,” Stef Anya brings a unique blend of theatricality and authenticity to her performances. Her captivating presence and emotive storytelling through drag make her a must-see act.

Presented by: Sam Orlando | QUEENDOMTalent

Learn more & reserve your tickets at: https://bit.ly/QueensHCM

Can You Help The Open Door?

Donations needed!

The rain on the morning of Saturday, May 10, put a damper on an annual food drive that benefits The Open Door. Each year, local letter carriers from Gloucester, Rockport, Manchester and Ipswich collect donations of nonperishable food and deliver them directly to The Open Door through the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive.

It’s a national initiative spearheaded each year by the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) that benefits food pantries all over the country.

Unfortunately, inclement weather nearly halved the donations collected last weekend.. Local letter carriers collected approximately 9,000 pounds of good food for local people whereas last year, the same food drive collected 17,000 pounds of food on a sunny, clear-skied day.  

Want to help The Open Door make up the difference and stock the shelves at its food pantries this spring?

The Open Door will be accepting additional donations of nonperishable food at all of its locations next week during business hours: 

  • The Open Door Gloucester Food Pantry at 28 Emerson Ave., Gloucester MA will accept donations at the back of the building Monday through Friday from 8:30a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 
  • The Ipswich Community Food Pantry at 00 Southern Heights, Ipswich MA will accept donations Wednesday and Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 
  • Second Glance Thrift Store of The Open Door (Main Store) at 2 Pond Road, Gloucester MA will accept donations Monday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:40 p.m. at its main store.  

Food insecurity has been up at The Open Door, especially over the past two years. In 2024 and in 2023, the nonprofit met a 30% increase in requests for food assistance. With looming federal cuts to programs like SNAP (formerly known as Food Stamps) and at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), in addition to tariffs, extra donations are a huge help as The Open Door works to stock its shelves.

Most needed donations include:  

  • Coffee 
  • Condiments (ketchup, mustard, mayo, and salad dressings) 
  • Cooking Oil 
  • Peanut Butter 
  • Canned Tuna 

The Open Door asks the community to please avoid donating anything in glass containers. 

Thank you!

Charles & Gregory Tompkins live in Concert Saturday May 17th

Dear Friends of the Gloucester Meetinghouse,

The Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation will present the last concert of our 2024-25 season on Saturday, May 17th at 7:30pm with Charles and Gregory Tompkins, a talented father and son duo that will combine the sounds of the organ, piano and violin. This is a wonderful program you do not want to miss!

PROGRAM:

Concerto in F major after Albinoni…Johann Gottfried Walther (1684-1748)

Solo in D major, Opus 4 No. 5…John Stanley (1712-1786)  

Passacaglia in G minor, “The Guardian Angel”…from the Mystery (Rosary) Sonatas for Violin Heinrich Biber (1644-1704)

Sonata in B-flat, Opus 65 No. 4…Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)

Capriccio… Naji Hakim (b. 1955)

Adoration… Finale (from First Sonata for Organ) Florence Price (1877-1953)           

Tickets are available at the door and online, with more information on our website, www.gloucestermeetinghouse.org

Sip & Sow at Cape Ann Lanes

🥕 Join us for a Sip & Sow evening at Cape Ann Lanes and Laneside Pub & Brewery, where we’ll share tips and guidance for successfully starting your own veggie garden in containers this year. Backyard Growers will be planting herbs and veggies for the season in the brewery’s beer garden planters.

🍻 Thanks to Laneside Brewery for collaborating with Backyard Growers on Grow Wild, their new limited edition sour featuring prickly pear. $1 from every Grow Wild goes to supporting Backyard Growers’ programs in the community connecting people with the resources, space, and knowledge they need to grow their own food.

💚 Your ticket purchase for this event also supports Backyard Growers’ programs.

🍅 Come on down to chat veggie gardens and enjoy a delicious brew!

THIS SATURDAY: Help Stamp Out Hunger on Cape Ann! 

Want to help alleviate the impact of hunger here on Cape Ann? Donating to help stock the shelves at The Open Door is as easy as leaving a bag of nonperishable food by your mailbox this Saturday for Gloucester AND Rockport residents thanks to local letter carriers.

Each year, members of the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) organize the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive to collect donations of food in their communities. Donations on Cape Ann will be delivered directly to The Open Door.

Most needed donations include:  

  • Coffee 
  • Condiments (ketchup, mustard, mayo, and salad dressings) 
  • Cooking Oil 
  • Peanut Butter 
  • Canned Tuna 

The Open Door asks the community to please avoid donating anything in glass containers.  

Locally, the Ipswich and Manchester-by-the-Sea post offices are also participating in this year’s Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive.

Those that live in communities other than Gloucester, Rockport, Manchester-by-the-Sea, or Ipswich can check with their local post office to see if they are participating in this weekend’s food drive.  

This Friday Evening: Join us for an Opening Reception & Presentation by Our Curatorial Director!

Program:
5:30 PM – 6:00 PM | Networking & Refreshments
6:15 PM – 6:40 PM | Presentation by Curatorial Director John Leysath
6:40 PM – 7:30 PM | Exhibit Tours

Light refreshments will be served.

Join us for our opening reception & presentation celebrating the opening of ‘Spinning Platters with Hammond: Inside the World of Vinyl Records.’ Join us for an evening of history, innovation, and discovery as we unveil never-before-seen and heard archival materials highlighting John Hays Hammond Jr.’s contributions to sound recording.

Exhibition Highlights:
-A selection of rare and unique records from John Hays Hammond Jr.’s personal collection, including aluminum, vinyl, and shellac discs in a variety of unusual formats.
-Fun and interactive displays that explain how records are made and how they work—perfect for all ages to enjoy and understand.
-Rare recordings from the collection, including newly digitized recordings shared with the public for the first time.

See a behind-the-scenes look at our NEW temporary exhibition with our new Assistant Curator Here!

SEE THE INVITE HERE, then be sure to RSVP HERE!

RSVPs are greatly appreciated to help us manage capacities.

Gloucester Biotechnology Academy OPEN HOUSE!

Are you curious about Gloucester Biotechnology Academy? Do you have your GED or HiSet and are looking for what’s next?

Come visit during our OPEN HOUSE on 📅 Monday, May 5th from 3pm to 5pm 📅.

Chat with teaching staff, tour our state-of-the-art teaching laboratories, and learn about the application process!

Tuition and fees will be waived for the Academy’s incoming class of 2026. Stipends may be available for students who qualify.

Questions? Please reach out to Director of Partnerships & Enrollment Laura Richane at laura.richane@gmgi.org.

Can’t make the Open House, but want to learn more? Please visit our website at gmgi.org/education/apply.

Gloucester Rotary to Honor Leo Bergeron

Leo Bergeron

Leo Bergeron will be presented with the Gloucester Rotary’s Paul Harris Distinguished Service Award at a special dinner on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at Cruiseport Gloucester, located at 6 Rowe Square in downtown Gloucester. The Paul Harris Distinguished Service Award is the highest honor bestowed by the Gloucester Rotary and recognizes Leo as a long-time local banker and community activist.

Leo was selected by a Rotary committee of previous Paul Harris recipients. Over its 100+ year history, the Gloucester Rotary has honored more than sixty individuals with the award. The award is named after Paul Harris, a Chicago attorney who founded the Rotary movement in the early 1900s.

After graduating from Nichols College in 1976, Leo began a career in the banking industry working at lending institutions in the New Hampshire seacoast region and on Boston’s North Shore. In 2000, he joined Cape Ann Savings Bank in Gloucester where he successfully established a commercial lending department to serve Cape Ann businesses.

After previously serving other Rotary Clubs and a presidential position with the Kiwanis Club in NH, Leo was welcomed by the Rotary Club of Gloucester as a member 25 years ago, where he has held several leadership positions, including the club’s 2020-2021 presidency.

Leo has a daughter, Brianna; a grandson, Graham; and has been married to his wife Jacqueline for almost 20 years. His hobbies include freshwater fly fishing and riding his motorcycle.

Tickets for the Paul Harris Distinguished Service Dinner are $60 per person and may be reserved by contacting committee Chair Steve Kaity at 978-407-1504 or skaity@strongleather.com. The dinner is open to the general public and friends and colleagues of Leo are encouraged to attend.

Join Us Tomorrow Evening As We Discuss Our Historic Pipe Organ Including Our Goals For Its Restoration!

Program:
5:30 – 6:00 PM | Light Refreshments & Networking
6:00 – 7:00 PM | Presentation
7:00 – 7:15 PM | Conclusion & Q&A
Light refreshments will be served.

Join us as we explore some of the most legendary organists of the 20th century who have played this remarkable instrument, including Virgil Fox, E. Power Biggs, Joseph Bonnet, and Marcel Dupré.

Gather in the Great Hall, surrounded by the organ’s pipes, which are ingeniously built into the very walls of the room, as we share the story of this one-of-a-kind instrument. We’ll also discuss how the organ now sits silent, and unveil our vision to breathe life back into it and bring organ concerts back to the Museum.

This presentation will be led by Peter Kennett, Vice President of the Board of Directors at Hammond Castle Museum and Organ Restoration Team Lead, alongside John Roper, Deputy Team Lead from the Plenum Organ Company.

Admission: Advanced Registration: $20/ Walk-In: $25
Reserve your seat at: https://bit.ly/MAYHCMPipeOrgan