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Sawyer Free Library to host Local Author Karin Gertsch on October 19th

~ Sawyer Free Library

All are welcome to the Sawyer Free Library at 21 Main Street on Thursday, October 19 at 5:30pm for an engaging talk with local author Karin Gertsch, who will discuss her debut novel Five Wishes, a heartwarming Massachusetts-based story about history, love, and lore.  All are welcome. No registration is required.

Five Wishes is about the MacInnes family, who live in a small New England town called Hamlet. Husband, Delbert MacInnes, was born and raised in Hamlet and is content to remain grounded, while his wife, Matilda, has been itching to make her dreams come true. Over the years her wish list was amended several times—her patience is wearing thin. When an unexpected event happens, Matilda learns that Delbert has kept a secret from her for decades. But, then, she’s never shared her precious secret with him. Five Wishes takes the reader on journeys from Hamlet to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, then overseas to an ancient castle in Scotland, before venturing back to the cozy Cape Cod-style home at Five Cedar Street, where a freshly-brewed cup of Darjeeling tea is waiting at the breakfast table.

Karin Gertsch is the author of Cape Ann & Vicinity: A Guide for Residents and Visitors, as well as Flora Has an Adventure, a children’s book for ages 3-8. The author is currently working on her second novel as well as a series of Flora stories for children. Karin will share about the research process for her novel, as well as the processes for researching and creating a travel guide and a children’s book.

All are welcome. No registration required. For more information, visit sawyerfreelibrary.org or 978-325-5500.

CAPE ANN CLASSIC CARS ON THE GREEN

~ chasnaz

This Saturday, October 14th, the Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation presents its fifth annual classic car show on the green in front of the Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church from 10am to 2pm. The event was postponed due to bad weather from last Saturday. The show is free and open to the public. You vote in nine categories for the trophy winners, including Best in Show. There are tours of the historic Meetinghouse, an art show and a 50/50 raffle to add to the excitement. Proceeds benefit the ongoing restoration of the building and grounds. Show cars (entrance fee $20) should arrive around 9am. Preregistration is recommended due to limited space on the green, but not required, email: c.nazarian@gloucestermeetinghouse.org Coffee, pastry and sandwiches available nearby on Main Street. The green is located at the corner of Middle and Church Streets, with the show car entrance between the stone pillars. GPS: 50 Middle Street, Gloucester, MA

This is the best little autumn classic car show in New England! More info at: http://www.gloucestermeetinghouse.org

Spooktober at SFL for Teens and Tweens with local authors Alyssa Alessi and E.C. Hanson

~ Sawyer Free Library

Prepare for spooky vibes at 21 Main Street this Friday, October 13 from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. as the Sawyer Free Library dim the lights and set the stage for not just one, but TWO local authors who will share hauntingly fun details from their books. This event is designed for teens and tween (6 to 12th graders).

Alyssa Alessi is a Boston native who has always loved all things spooky. Her debut middle grade book is entitled Izzy Hoffman Is Not A Witch. She writes stories for tween, teen, and adult audiences that are inspired by the macabre vibes of New England. She enjoys writing for young readers and fueling their excitement for discovering their interests… especially when their interests include witches, vampires, werewolves, and UFOs!

E.C. Hanson lives in Salem, Massachusetts. He earned his MFA in Dramatic Writing from NYU and was the recipient of an “Outstanding Writing For The Screen” certificate. His work has been published by Smith & Kraus and Applause Books in 8 play anthologies. More than 35 of his short plays have been developed and produced in the United States. He has written three books of horror fiction. They include: All Things Deadly (Salem Stories), Wicked Blood, and Fake Somebodies, Real Nobodies.

This event is designed for teens and tween (6 to 12th graders). No registration is needed. For more information call the Library at 978-325-5500 or email  moneill@sawyerfreelibrary.org. Sawyer Free Library programming information can be found at sawyerfreelibray.org

October 13 Meeting of the Gloucester Area Astronomy Club

~ Michael Deneen

Our 8:00 Friday October 13 GAAC meeting, at the Lanesville Community Center, will feature a wide-ranging talk by UMass Lowell Physics Professor Supriya Chakrabarti, director of the Lowell Center for Space Science and Technology.

Professor Chakrabarti, who’s made a career of explaining science, will review a series of UMass Lowell astrophysics and space science research projects, including the development, with student participation, of new instruments that are used with ground, balloon, and space-based platforms (including the Hubble), and MASTS, a “one-stop support system for innovators working on small spacecraft,” with partners from academia, industry and government.

We hope you can join us at 8:00 pm on October 13 at the Lanesville Community Center. There’s plenty of free parking, and there is no cost. This promises to be a really fun night, with an accessible, varied program on current science, great snacks, great conversation, and friends old and new. If skies are clear, you’ll get a chance to view Saturn and (possibly) Jupiter after the meeting.

Sawyer Free Library’s BRICK BY BRICK Community LEGO Celebration – this Saturday, 9/16!

~ Sawyer Free Library

Join the Sawyer Free Library for a fun LEGO-filled community event THIS Saturday, September 16, from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm at 20 Main Street in downtown Gloucester, right across from the Sawyer Free Library temporary location. 

Build your own library-inspired LEGO creation with the help of a certified LEGO Master from the LEGO Discovery Center Boston. Check out the specially commissioned LEGO model replica of the 2025 Sawyer Free Library. Have fun creating with LEGOs along with face painting, prizes, music, and more! 

All are invited to this FREE community celebration of the 2025 Sawyer Free Library’s upcoming community groundbreaking which is taking place on Friday, September 29th!

For more information on the LEGO event or the 2025 Sawyer Free Library Groundbreaking visit: sawyerfreelibrary.org

The SawyerFree2025.org campaign depends on the generosity of supporters like you. 

We still need your help. Make the new Sawyer Free Library a reality- donate now!

CODA Film Screening at the Library on Thursday, August 31

~ Sawyer Free Library

Movie Screening at Sawyer Free Library at 21 Main Street in Downtown Gloucester – Free and open to the public, registration required.

The Sawyer Free Library is partnering with Cape Ann Community Cinema with a free screening of the award-winning movie, CODA (2021), at the Sawyer Free Library located at 21 Main Street on Thursday, August 31, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. The event is free and open to all, although registration is required.   

CODA, which stands for child of deaf adults, tells the story of Ruby Rossi and her family’s struggling fishing business. The only hearing person in her home, Ruby discovers a passion for singing that makes her choose between supporting her family and following her dreams.  

Attendance is free, but reservations are required. Any questions, call 978-325-5500 or visit sawyerfreelibrary.org.

Sawyer Free Library to Host LEGO Event for Community “LET’S BUILD TOGETHER: 2025 Sawyer Free Library”

~ Sawyer Free Library

The Sawyer Free Library is hosting an exciting LEGO community event in advance of the 2025 Sawyer Free Library’s upcoming groundbreaking celebration. LET’S BUILD TOGETHER: 2025 Sawyer Free Library will take place on Saturday, September 16, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at 20 Main Street in downtown Gloucester, directly across from the Sawyer Free Library temporary location.

Co-hosted with the LEGO Discovery Center Boston, the free event, LET’S BUILD TOGETHER: 2025 Sawyer Free Library Brick by Brick LEGO Celebration, will bring together families, enthusiasts, and Lego lovers of all ages for a morning filled with boundless creativity, fun, and community spirit as they share their excitement for the future of the Sawyer Free Library.

Whether you’re a seasoned Lego enthusiast or new to the world of building blocks, this free event is open to individuals of all ages and skill levels. Event highlights include:

  • The opportunity to build “library” inspired creations with an Official Lego Master Model Builder from the LEGO Discovery Center Boston.
  • The official unveiling of the specially commissioned 2025 Sawyer Free Library Lego model, created using over 1,000 Lego blocks and made possible through the generosity of Dore + Whittier | Oudens Ello Architecture.
  • Extraordinary Lego masterpieces courtesy of the Boston LEGO Discovery Center.
  • Participants of all ages can showcase their construction skills through imaginative Lego challenges designed to inspire creativity and teamwork and win fun prizes.
  • Explore, build, and play freely with Legos, enjoy a musical performance by Gloucester’s own youth rock band, “Kicked off the Bus,” photo-ops with LEGO Minifigure characters, face painting, prizes and more!

In addition to the Lego festivities, attendees will also get a peek into the exciting plans for the 2025 Sawyer Free Public Library which promises to be a welcoming and inclusive environment, offering cutting-edge technology, diverse collections, engaging programs, and dedicated spaces for collaboration, learning, and relaxation. There will be information on how people can get involved and support this once-in-50-year opportunity to secure the future of this vital public institution.

The 2025 Sawyer Free Library Groundbreaking Celebration is scheduled to take place on Friday, September 29, from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. at 2 Dale Avenue in Gloucester, taking place rain or shine in the tented parking lot. The ceremony will mark the exciting beginning of the Sawyer Free Library’s comprehensive renovation, modernization, and expansion, and Gloucester realizing its vision of the 21st-century Library it so deserves – a dynamic and modernized community space that will inspire generations of lifelong learners in Gloucester and beyond. This exciting local history making event will be open to all.

To learn more about the Sawyer Free Library’s Community Lego Event or the 2025 Sawyer Free Library Groundbreaking Celebration, visit sawyerfreelibrary.org or 978-325-5500.

The Sawyer Free 2025 campaign is grateful for the tremendous engagement and investment at every level from all parts of the community but we still need the community’s help. To learn how you can be a part of making the new Sawyer Free Library a reality, visit www.2025SawyerFree.org.

SFL presents Author Talk with Ellen Levy: The Saturday Evening Girls in Gloucester 

~ Sawyer Free Library

On Thursday, August 24, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., in a lively presentation at the Sawyer Free Library at 21 Main Street, Ellen Levy will relay the story of the Boston library group, Saturday Evening Girls, that created magnificent Arts and Crafts pottery at the turn of the last century. The story of the Saturday Evening Girls is beloved: a story of turn of the century determination and an early example of immigrant women developing useful trade skills to make a career in America. This group of women turned a reading club into the beginnings of Paul Revere Pottery.

In addition to becoming an important financier of the club, Helen Storrow would create a summer camp in Wingaersheek Beach in West Gloucester for the women, often exposing the young women to the outdoors and rural life.  

Ellen will share the data and stories she gathered for her series of historical fiction books taking place in the 1910s in Massachusetts.

Event will take place at SFL @ 21 Main Street in Gloucester. Registration not required. Questions? Contact: jtravers@sawyerfreelibrary.org

The Saturday Evening Girls

The Young Gloucester Scientist’s Club Presents: Community Scavenger Hunt – Friday 8/25

~ Sawyer Free Library

The Young Gloucester Scientist’s Club Presents:  Community Garden Scavenger Hunt on Friday, August 25 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Join the Sawyer Free Library for an afternoon of garden bed exploring, scavenger hunting and a little bit of dirt-based science! In this hour long field trip to the Burnham Field Community Garden the Library’s friends at Backyard Growers will share some of the science behind growing and harvesting your own food.

This program is suitable for 4th-8th graders. Registration is required. Click HERE or go to SawyerFreeLibrary.org