GLOUCESTER MEETINGHOUSE NEW ORLEANS JAZZ NEW YEAR’S CONCERT DECEMBER 29TH

Celebrate the beginning of New Year’s weekend on Friday, December 29th at 7:30pm in the historic Gloucester Meetinghouse with the Good Old Salty Jazz Band playing New Orleans Jazz tunes of the holiday season.  This group of legendary local musicians will delight you with their fantastic sound!

Robert Tuffley, cornet & trumpet
John Cameron, piano
Jimmy Favazza, drums
John Hicks guitar & banjo
Dave Sag, bass
Robert Landoni, sax & clarinet
Rikki Razdan, sax & clarinet
Ben Tuck, trombone

Last year’s New Year’s concert in the Meetinghouse sold out, so purchase your seats early!  Light refreshments will be served.  The Meetinghouse is located on the green at the corner of Middle and Church Streets. There is a side entrance with an elevator at 10 Church Street. 

Unable to attend in person? The concert will start at 7:30pm and will be simulcast on the Gloucester Meetinghouse YouTube channel, where it will be available afterwards.

Tickets are available online at www.gloucestermeetinghouse.org or at the door by cash, check or credit card.  General seating $30; students $10; children under 12 free.

Stop by SFL@21 Main Street this Thursday evening during Downtown Gloucester: Men’s Night

It is Downtown Gloucester’s Men’s Night this Thursday evening, December 14! Come visit downtown businesses and shops, including the Sawyer Free Library at 21 Main Street. The first 20 men who come to the Library between 4:00 -6:00 pm will receive a swag bag with a free book! While there, be sure to browse the shelves, including our Season’s Readings selections, Festive Films on DVD, and holiday music albums. 

For more information, or to learn more about the fun happenings, services and more at the Sawyer Free Library check out sawyerfreelibrary.org!

Beauport Cruiselines New Year’s Eve Cruise!

Cruise into 2024 amidst the waves and beneath the stars aboard Beauport Cruiselines!

Our can’t-miss New Year’s Eve Cruise will feature a sparkling Champagne Toast, Lively DJ Entertainment, delectable Passed Hors D’oevres, a delicious Mac & Cheese Martini Bar a Chinese Food Feast, and more! What better way to sail into the New Year?

Cash bar available.

Tickets are $96.00 per person. Guests 21+ only.

Reserve your spot today: https://beauportcruiselines.com/cruise-schedule/

What are you doing this New Year’s Eve?

Bid farewell to 2023 and ring in the brand-new year, 2024, in grand style in our Castle’s Great Hall. Get ready to dance the night away with the fantastic beats of Scape Audio New England and be entertained by our emcee of the festivities – Bruce Jacques! Savor the evening with an array of mouthwatering hors d’oeuvres by Creative Catering and raise your glass for a complimentary sparkling champagne toast as we count down to the stroke of midnight with our New Year’s illumination. But that’s not all! Explore the many rooms of the Castle, each with its unique charm and history, adding an extra layer of delight to your New Year’s Eve celebration.

– Doors open at 9:00 pm and the celebration goes to 1:00 am.
– Tickets are only $125 for each guest.
– VIP Tables (Limited Availability) are only $850 and offer guaranteed seating for up to 6 guests, a bottle of champagne, and six souvenir champagne glasses for your midnight toast!
Hammond Castle Museum Member savings apply.

Don’t Miss, THIS WEEKEND! Celebrating Home, Solstice Art Exhibit

On December 9th and 10th from 11-4, Saturday and Sunday. Joy Dai Buell along with GLOUCESTER 400+, at O’Maley Middle School. CELEBRATING HOME – a festival of fine arts and crafts of mainly Cape Ann creators.. Tom Amend, Elizabeth Bish, Denise Brown, Joy Buell, Sara Collins, Jayn Gardner, Joanne Hurd, Ann Lafferty, Juliet Lockwood, Toby Milgrome, Kathy Morris, Dawn Pratson, Sue Wilson, and Leslie Wind amongst others.

With the holidays approaching this group is offering many options. The public will have the opportunity to meet the artists and craftspeople, who may share their experiences in creating. There will be a  variety of artistic styles for people to choose from. All are welcome!

Celebrate the season with Backyard Growers

✨ Join a fun evening to craft your own festive garland from raw materials provided by Backyard Growers, including dehydrated citrus, popcorn, salted gingerbread, and more. Light refreshments will be provided.

💚 Proceeds from this event support Backyard Growers’ mission to cultivate healthy, connected, resilient communities by empowering people to grow their own food. Come have some festive fun and support a great cause!

Equity in the Archives: How History is Told

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 12 at 11:00 a.m. at Cape Ann Museum

On Tuesday, December 12 at 11:00a.m. Cape Ann Museum will be presenting a panel discussion, Equity in the Archives: How History is Told with Julie Travers, Local History Librarian at the Sawyer Free Library; Miranda Aisling, CAM Head of Education & Engagement; and Trenton Carls, CAM Head Librarian & Archivist  

Presented in conjunction with Above the Fold: The Photographers of the “Gloucester Daily Times,” 1973-2005, this panel discussion explores how archives, timelines, and historical language have been newly examined and intentionally expanded during the Gloucester 400+ Anniversary in 2023, which marks 400 years since English settlement. 

Julie Travers, Local History Librarian at the Sawyer Free Library and Miranda Aisling, CAM Head of Education are both members of the Gloucester 400+ Diversity & Equity committee. They will share the efforts that went into drafting the Gloucester 400+ DEIA Framework which has been used by organizations across the region to expand their storytelling during the anniversary year. This framework was used by Travers to help guide the creation of the Gloucester Timeline, a massive undertaking from the Sawyer Free Library in association with the Cape Ann Museum, and by Aisling in the development of the CAM Native Initiative.  

They are joined by Trenton Carls, CAM Head Librarian & Archivist who will share the impact of the 2021 acquisition of an estimated 1 million photographs from the Gloucester Daily Times collection to the CAM Library & Archives. The photographs provide a wide lens on the Gloucester community from 1973-2005, bringing photographs into the Museum’s collections that highlight the breadth of the Cape Ann community during those years. 

The event will take place at Cape Ann Museum located at 27 Pleasant Street, Gloucester, MA.  It is Free for Museum members, $10 for non-members. Click HERE to register. It will also be Livestreamed on Vimeo and Facebook.

For more information about Sawyer Free Library’s digital archives, local history resources, and services, visit sawyerfreelibrary.org.