Friday, August 1st at 6:00pm marks the return of our fantastic local band, Goddesses in front of the Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church 50 Middle Street! Tony and Samantha Goddess, with their great band, always rock the Meetinghouse outdoor stage with popular favorites. Goddesses repertoire spans the roots of rock to its pinnacle and beyond to deliver a non-stop performance that will have you on your feet, singing along, and wanting more. Headlined by powerhouse couple Tony and Samantha Goddess on vocals and electric guitar, the Goddesses features Dave Sag on bass, Steve Chaggaris on drums, and John Cameron on keys.
This will be a perfect evening for you to enjoy Goddesses delivering a non-stop performance that will have you on your feet, singing along, and wanting more.
Tonight your free-will donations will go to support The Gloucester Education Foundation. GEF drives innovation, encourages creativity, expands student opportunities and empowers educators to strengthen teaching and learning in the Gloucester Public School District.
Meat & Sweet returns with delicious treats for your picnicking delight so bring a folding chair, blanket and some extra cash for when the buckets go around to raise money for GEF.
Greater Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce is excited to present Manchester’s annual ‘Festival by the Sea’, a Cape Ann Classic, in partnership with the Town of Manchester-by-the-Sea and downtown businesses. The festival will be held on Saturday, August 2nd, from 10 AM to 4 PM in three Manchester-by-the-Sea town parks: Town Hall, Reed, and Masconomo.
Over 90 artisans, food vendors, and non-profits will be on hand, offering original artwork, handmade goods, tasty treats, and more. This family-friendly event includes live outdoor entertainment, restaurants, food trucks, and fun activities for kids, including Face Painting by Miss Wendy and “reptile fun” from the Cape Ann Vernal Pond Team!
DISCOVER DOWNTOWN DEALS AT THE ‘SALE BY THE SEA’
While exploring the festival, don’t miss the ‘Sale by the Sea’ sidewalk sales featuring Manchester’s charming downtown retailers. Local boutiques and specialty shops will showcase unique treasures, coastal-inspired goods, and festival-exclusive discounts right on the sidewalks. The walkable downtown setting makes it easy to hop between festival activities and shopping, while the free shuttle service connects all locations for a full day of entertainment and discovery. It’s the perfect opportunity to support local businesses and take home a special piece of Manchester-by-the-Sea’s distinctive charm.
LIVE MUSIC AT THREE LOCATIONS
We are pleased to announce live music performances at three locations: the Masco Bandstand, Town Hall Park, and the lot at 7 Summer Street. The music in Masco Park is sponsored by Kelly Auto.
Masco Bandstand Schedule:
10 AM: Livin’ on Luck
12 PM: Joe Wilkins and Friends
2 PM: Rob Banks and the Money Makers
Town Hall Park Schedule:
11 AM: Liam Anastasia-Murphy
12:15 PM: Pete Lindberg
1 PM: Matt Rich
2:15 PM: Brother Toaster
7 Summer Street:
11 AM to 2 PM: Acoustic guitarist Chris J. Carter
FREE SHUTTLE SERVICE
A free shuttle service, sponsored by Beauport Ambulance, will run between the High School lower parking lot and downtown Manchester from 10 AM to 4 PM. Shuttle stops will be made at Masco Park, Town Hall Park, Reed Park, the Manchester Public Library, and 7 Summer Street. The last pick-up of the day will be at 4 PM at Masco Park.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
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:
Gold Sponsors: Applied Materials & Rite Window
Music Stage Sponsor: Kelly Automotive Group (Masco Bandstand)
Shuttle Sponsor: Beauport Ambulance Service
Supporting Sponsors: Cape Ann Savings Bank, Manchester-Essex Rotary Club, & Sullco, Inc.
Rhiannon Hurst & Friends Music on Meetinghouse Green, July 25th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Cape Ann couldn’t be more proud of these rising stars who will share their exceptional talent as a quartet in an evening of unforgettable Jazz in front of the Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church 50 Middle Street.
Rhiannon Hurst earned some serious respect in the Jazz world even before she graduated high school. She was one of four graduating seniors to receive the Excellence in Music Award from the Massachusetts Music Educators Association. She was also the recipient of a prestigious 2021 National Young Arts Foundation award in Jazz voice for her caliber of artistic achievement. Her professional engagements have ranged from Boston’s Symphony Hall and the State Room to the North Shore’s favorite restaurants. Join us for this incredible performance by Rhiannon Hurst and friends!
Your free-will donations tonight will benefit Pathways for Children, who nurtures children and supports families impacted by economic and social inequity through programs that educate, enrich, empower and motivate. The evening’s food vendor will be Crepes Du Jour, offering sweet and savory crepes for all to enjoy! Please bring folding chairs, blankets and extra cash for when the donation buckets go by!
Join the Sawyer Free Library on Thursday mornings for Garden Storytime with Backyard Growerson the Saunders House lawn! Running this Thursday through August 28, the Library’s Garden Storytime is great for kids of all ages. Children will plan, plant, water, weed, maintain and harvest a garden at the library all summer, while sharing books and stories about gardening and the outdoors. Free lunch is provided for all children by The Open Door.
Thursdays at 11:00am on the Saunders House Lawn located at 88 Middle Street. This program runs from July 10th through August 28th. No reservations required to attend but the weekly program is subject to cancellation due to inclement weather.
Dear Friends of the Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation,
Please join us on July 18th at 6:00pm for music by Headlands, a favorite local band who brings an eclectic range of instruments for all to enjoy! Headlands, with their exciting three-part vocals that put their stamp on whichever musical genre they choose, whether an acoustic trio or a full-blown rock band with percussion, fiddle and horns, Headlands treats their audiences to thrilling harmonies, tight arrangements, and humor! Please join us for this spectacular Music on Meetinghouse Green event! Backyard Growers will be our local non-profit joining us for this event, Backyard Growers cultivates healthy, connected, resilient communities and fights for food sovereignty by empowering people to grow their own food. They increase equitable access to vegetable gardens and the resources people and communities need to grow their own food. Our food vendor for the evening will be the Lobster Roller, serving up delicious seafood for the Cape Ann community! Please bring folding chairs, blankets and extra cash for when the donation buckets go by! Located at the corner of Church and Middle Streets.
FULL SUMMER SCHEDULE
DATE MUSIC NON-PROFIT
July 18 Headlands Backyard Growers
July 25 Rhiannon Hurst & Friends Pathways for Children
August 1 Goddesses Gloucester Education Foundation
August 8 Willie Alexander The Open Door
August 15 Hye Fusion Grace Center
August 22 What Time is it, Mr. Fox Action, Inc.
August 29 Jim n’ Tonic HAWC
Sept 5 Cape Ann Big Band Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation
Doors: 10 am Stories begin about 10:20 am. Join us every Wednesday morning in July & August for Bubbles and Books on our seaside lawn. Fairytales do come true at castles by the sea!
Start the morning with a bubble party featuring music, crafts, and a light snack. Around 10:20 am, we’ll gather on the ocean-facing lawn for storytime—bring a cozy blanket for your little one to cuddle up on while we enjoy tales by the sea.
This season, our Storybook Authors theme brings special guest readers whenever possible! Some of the wonderful guest readers this season include Rick Doucette on July 23rd. After storytime, we’ll enjoy more bubbles and end the morning with a scavenger hunt around the grounds. We encourage little ones to come dressed in their favorite crown, cape, or whatever makes them feel magical!
Tickets are now available to the annual Gloucester Rotary Comedy Night, featuring Ken Rogerson, Artie Januario, Sam Pelletier, and Boston’s Dave Rattigan on Thursday, August 28, 2025, at Cruiseport Gloucester, located at 6 Rowe Square on Gloucester’s harborfront. Doors open at 7pm and the show starts at 8pm.
Ken Rogerson, the funniest man you’ve never heard of, has performed on the nationwide “Rescue Me Comedy Tour” with Denis Leary, and made television appearances on such shows as NBC’s Late Night with Conan O’Brien, The Late Show with David Letterman, Comics Come Home for Comedy Central and Showtime’s A Pair of Jokers and more. Rogerson has also appeared at The Chicago Comedy Festival and TBS’s The Comedy Festival in Las Vegas. The Boston Herald proclaimed, “He makes the absurd seem logical” and Las Vegas Magazine wrote, “As far as pure stand-up goes, it doesn’t get any better than Rogerson.”
Artie Januario (aka Artie J.) has spent 10 years living a double life as a pharmacist and one of Boston’s premier comedians. He has been selected to perform at Denis Leary’s prestigious annual Comics Come Home concert, the longest running comedy benefit show in the United States, which has raised more than $4 million for the Cam Neely Foundation, which aids cancer patients and their families during treatment. He’s traveled the country, performing all over New England as well as in Las Vegas and Atlantic City, and is a favorite for fundraisers and corporate events. Among the acts he’s worked with: Dom Irrera, Brian Regan, Jeff Dunham, and Lenny Clarke.
Sam Pelletier has been bringing his unique blend of observation and relatability to audiences for over a decade. Originally from the (somewhat) great state of Maine, Sam won the Cellar on Treadwell Competition in 2023, and was a finalist in the New England’s Funniest Comedian Competition of 2021. He opened for national headliners including Shane Torres, Joe Bartnick, and Alex Edleman. Sam has been featured in the Boston Comedy Festival, Maine Comedy Festival, and Mutiny Radio Comedy Festival in San Francisco. His hobbies include hiking and being a good listener.
Host Dave Rattigan had summer plans included performances in Ireland (for the second time), as well as at the Hampton Beach (NH) Comedy Festival and the inaugural Cotuit (MA) Comedy Festival. In addition to standup, he’s had humorous columns published in The Boston Globe, Christian Science Monitor, North Shore Magazine and North Shore Sunday, and has acted in regional TV commercials and small independent films “that didn’t pay anything.”
The Gloucester Rotary will hold its annual Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser on Saturday, August 16, 2025, 7:30 am to 11:00 am 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 16-17.
A special free parking area is available for Pancake Breakfast attendees.
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.
Summer is a time for discovery—and at Sawyer Free Library, the adventure is just beginning.
Sawyer Free Library invites the community to celebrate summer with the launch of its 2025 Summer Reading Program:Level Up at Your Library. This year’s theme is all about playful learning—spotlighting puzzles, games, and hands-on fun designed to spark curiosity and creativity in readers of all ages.
With a vibrant lineup of free events–from live animal visits and magic shows to garden story times and interactive challenges–Level Up encourages young readers to power up their imaginations and discover new worlds.
The Summer Reading Program is open to children and teens who can register in person at any Summer Reading Program event or online through August 1. Participants are encouraged to read (or be read to) for at least 500 minutes over the summer. With their “Level Up at the Library” reading logs, kids can earn prizes including Topsfield Fair tickets and a chance to win a signed Boston Bruins hockey jersey courtesy of the Boston Bruins Foundation.
The summer fun kicks off on Friday, July 11 at 10:00 a.m. at Gloucester City Hall with a live animal presentation by Wildlife Encounters Ecology Center. Children and families will meet exotic creatures and learn about their habitats, adaptations, and roles in the ecosystem.
Beginning July 10, Thursday mornings bring gardening and story-sharing with Backyard Growers in the library’s raised beds on the Saunders House Lawn.
A summer highlight comes on Monday, July 28 at 10:00 a.m., when The Poop Museum arrives at City Hall. This interactive science program, led by “poop expert” Susie Maguire, is packed with fun facts, hands-on learning, and plenty of laughs as kids explore the surprising world of human, animal, and insect poop.
The library will also host Ed the Wizard and his Reading is Magic Alchemy Laboratory on Friday, August 8, an interactive magic show that uses storytelling and everyday objects to demonstrate the transformative power of reading. Then, on Tuesday, August 12 at 10:30 a.m., Rick Roth and the Cape Ann Vernal Pond Team will introduce kids to real snakes and share fascinating facts about their habitats and behavior.
Tweens and teens have a summer program of their own to look forward to at Sawyer Free. Students entering grades 6–12 can earn a free half pint ofHoly Cow Ice Cream just by reading one book and filling out online form. They’re also invited to special events like the Teen & Tween Whale Watch on July 10 and Henna Tattoos on August 11. Youth are encouraged to get involved in the Teen/Tween Advisory Board (TAB), where they can help shape library programs, earn volunteer hours, and connect with friends and community.
Summer reading isn’t just for kids. Adults can join in by submitting book ratings, earning entries into prize draws for $25, $50, or $75 Cape Ann Gift Certificates. Submissions can be made online or at the library. In addition, the library will host a full schedule of virtual author talks throughout the summer. All adult library programming, in-person services, programs, and special events will resume in September. Library cardholders can also continue to enjoy free or discounted passes to local cultural attractions.
All summer programming is free, thanks to the support of the Massachusetts Library System, the Boston Bruins, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, and the Gloucester Cultural Council, a local agency supported by the Mass Cultural Council.
The Sawyer Free Library is excited to officially open its newly renovated, expanded, and modernized space this September. In the meantime, the Library’s digital resources are available 24/7 at sawyerfreelibrary.org.
The Gloucester Lyceum is looking for volunteers interested in bringing together national, regional, and local contemporary speakers with community members to explore pressing issues and ideas of our time.
If you are interested in joining the Lyceum Committee, please send a letter of interest to GloucesterLyceum@sawyerfreelibrary.org explaining why you are interested in joining this exciting new chapter of the Lyceum.
In the meantime, stay tuned for the first Lyceum event in October 2025!
Cape Ann Community 