Rockport

“Christmas in July” to benefit Cape Ann Kids Holiday Fund

~ Wellspring House

Forget waiting until December – The Cape Ann Kids Holiday Fund is getting into the holiday spirit this summer! Action Inc., Pathways for Children, and Wellspring House are thrilled to announce Christmas in July, a fun, festive summer fundraising campaign to make sure every child on Cape Ann receives something special this holiday season. Think ugly sweaters optional, generosity required.

While the days are long and the beaches are busy, Cape Ann’s nonprofit community is already thinking about the 1,400 children across Gloucester, Rockport, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Essex, and Ipswich who deserve a magical holiday season – no matter what their family’s budget looks like. With the cost of housing, groceries, and daily essentials continuing to stretch family budgets thin, getting a head start now means more toys, more books, more pajamas, and more smiles come December.

So, this July, we’re asking Cape Ann to do what it does best, show up for its neighbors, and have a great time while doing it.

About the Cape Ann Kids Holiday Fund

The Cape Ann Kids Holiday Fund is a collaboration between Action Inc., Pathways for Children, and Wellspring House, Inc. For Cape Ann families struggling to make ends meet with prices for daily needs at an all-time high, the Fund’s holiday toy drive provides much-needed relief and helps brighten the holiday season for local children. Over two days this December, nearly 700 parents and caregivers will take part in an in-store toy shopping experience, selecting age-appropriate gifts for more than 1,400 local children from toys donated by community members and gift cards purchased through donations. Volunteers throughout Gloucester, Rockport, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Essex, and Ipswich help sort donations, set up the holiday store, and serve as personal shoppers.

Get Out, Give Back: Benefit Events Across Cape Ann

A growing roster of Cape Ann restaurants, venues, and businesses are hosting Cape Ann Kids benefit events this July, with a percentage of proceeds going directly to the Cape Ann Kids Holiday Fund. From dining out to special events, there are plenty of ways to get involved and make a difference. Confirmed participants include Machaca, Beauport Hotel, Gloucester House, Fox Creek Tavern, The Farm, and more. Participating partners span Gloucester, Rockport, Manchester, Essex, and Ipswich. For the full updated list visit capeannkids.org.

Among the highlights, Christmas in July will take over the Birdseye Rooftop at Beauport Hotel on the evening of Saturday, July 25th for a festive evening of live music, décor, and sunset skies with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Cape Ann Kids Holiday Fund. This 21+ event requires advance tickets.  Details and tickets are available HERE.

The Grand Finale: Concert on Meetinghouse Green

Christmas in July wraps up on Friday, July 31 at 6:00 PM with a magical evening concert as part of Music on Meetinghouse Green, presented by the Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation. The night features a performance by Rhiannon Hurst & Friends, with Pathways for Children as the evening’s beneficiary, every dollar raised goes directly to the Cape Ann Kids Holiday Fund. Everyone is encouraged to bring their lawn chairs, friends, and holiday spirit. In July.

How to Spread the Joy

  • Get out and give back at a participating Cape Ann Kids benefit event this July
  • Join us for the July 31 concert on Meetinghouse Green in Gloucester
  • Donate online at capeannkids.org
  • Spread the word with friends, family, and fellow Cape Ann neighbors

CAPE ANN LIBRARIES CELEBRATE EARTH DAY WITH ACCLAIMED AUTHOR SY MONTGOMERY 

~ Sawyer Free Library

Four Libraries to host Community-Wide Celebration of Earth Day

As the world gets ready to celebrate Earth Day 2025, Cape Ann’s public libraries are joining forces to inspire environmental action and education. This year, four public libraries of Cape Ann—Gloucester, Rockport, Manchester-by-the-Sea and Essex – are proud to present bestselling author Sy Montgomery and renowned wildlife illustrator Matt Patterson for a special event exploring the wonders of turtles and the natural world.

On Saturday, April 19, from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm, the libraries will welcome Montgomery and Patterson to the Shalin Liu Performance Center in Rockport, MA, for an engaging discussion of their acclaimed book, Of Time and Turtles: Mending the World, Shell by Shattered Shell. The event will feature a 60-minute presentation, followed by a 30-minute Q&A session. Attendees can submit questions in advance through their library’s website.

This free event offers a rare opportunity to hear directly from two of the most passionate voices in nature writing and wildlife illustration. Tickets are available online through each participating library’s website—space is limited.

“A library is a portal not just to our own world, but to worlds unknown–worlds that have never been–worlds of imagination. A library holds the keys to every kingdom.  And just think: all of us can step through this magical door right in our own neighborhood! For me, the library is an entryway, a refuge, a space rocket. Libraries show us we can dream anything, do anything, be anything. They are more essential today than ever before,” shares author Sy Montgomery about the importance of public libraries. 

Cape Ann’s libraries are thrilled to bring this Earth Day program to the community as part of their ongoing commitment to sustainability and environmental education. Montgomery and Patterson will share their experiences working with injured turtles, discuss their creative collaboration, and inspire audiences to see the world—and its wildlife—through a fresh, more compassionate lens.

As coastal communities, Cape Ann’s libraries recognize the critical importance of protecting the environment for future generations. With this special event, the libraries hope to encourage people of all ages to deepen their connection to nature and take meaningful action. In addition, each Cape Ann library will offer a variety of Earth Day programs throughout March and April, encouraging individuals of all ages to take meaningful steps to protect our environment – because every day is Earth Day.

Sy Montgomery is an internationally acclaimed author and naturalist, celebrated for her remarkable ability to bring the lives of animals and their ecosystems to readers of all ages. She has written over 30 books, including the National Book Award finalist The Soul of an Octopus, and has traveled the world researching rare and extraordinary creatures. Her latest work, Of Time and Turtles, explores the resilience and wonder of these ancient beings while offering profound insights into the mysteries of time itself.

Matt Patterson is an award-winning wildlife illustrator whose detailed, captivating artwork brings the beauty of nature to life. His illustrations in The Book of Turtles, a Robert F. Sibert Honor Award recipient, showcase the stunning diversity of turtles and highlight their crucial role in ecosystems worldwide.

The community is invited to celebrate Earth Day with an unforgettable conversation about wildlife, conservation, and the timeless lessons turtles can teach us. This special program is made possible through the collaborative efforts of Cape Ann’s public libraries —Gloucester, Rockport, Manchester-by-the-Sea and Essex – and their shared commitment to fostering a love of nature, literature, and lifelong learning. 

For those interested, Susie’s Stories in Rockport will be offering to purchase signed copies of Sy Montgomery’s book Of Time and Turtles: Mending the World, Shell by Shattered Shell through their website. 

For more information or to reserve free tickets for this special event, please contact your local library: Sawyer Free Library, Rockport Public Library, Manchester-by-the-Sea Public Library and T.O.H.P Burnham Library. 

Uncovering Rockport’s Dark Past: Author Talk with Rob Fitzgibbons & Wayne Soini

~ Sawyer Free Library

Join local authors Robert Fitzgibbons and Wayne Soini at the Sawyer Free Library on Thursday, March 27 at 5:30 pm for a riveting discussion on their book, Murder in Rockport, Massachusetts: Terror in a Small Town, which sheds new light on two chilling unsolved murders that shook the small seaside town in the 1930s.

On May 21, 1932, Finnish tailor Arthur Oker was brutally murdered in his shop in Rockport, sending shockwaves through the community. Just over a year later, on Halloween night in 1933, Swedish immigrant and fellow churchgoer Augusta Johnson was slain in her home, deepening the town’s fear and sparking an exhaustive investigation. Authorities searched every house, interviewed 2,500 households, and even enlisted the help of a mystic—yet the crimes remained unsolved.

Through newly uncovered state police archives, Fitzgibbons and Soini reveal long-lost details about the murders, the extensive efforts to solve them, and a surprising suspect who emerged decades later.

Registration is required at sawyerfreelibrary.org. For more information, contact jtravers@sawyerfreelibrary.org.

THIS SATURDAY: HELP STAMP OUT HUNGER!

~ todtheopendoor

Support the National Association of Letter Carriers’ (NALC) annual, nationwide Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive this Saturday!

Locally, NALC Branch 25 post offices participating in the food drive include the Gloucester, Rockport, Manchester-by-the-Sea, and Ipswich post offices. People in those communities can leave non-perishable food donations by their mailbox on the morning of Saturday, May 11. Letter carriers will deliver the donations to The Open Door to help feed local people.

 The Open Door asks participants to please NOT  donate anything in a glass jar. 

The Open Door is specifically requesting donations of the following: coffee, condiments (ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, and salad dressings), peanut butter, tuna, and cooking oil.  

Those who live outside the above four communities are encouraged to contact their post office to learn if they are participating in the Stamp Out Hunger food drive. 

Rockport PTO 2023 Holiday Fair

~ rebsly
pto holiday fair logo only, color

Saturday, November 18th
9:30 to 2 PM
Rockport High School
24 Jerdens Lane, Rockport

Come get your holiday shopping done or buy something unique for yourself! We will have:

  • Amazing Crafters and Artists
  • Photos with Santa
  • Gingerbread House Kits
  • Face Painting
  • Sensory Art Table
  • Surprise Jars for the Kids (they sell out fast!)
  • High Quality Raffle Items
  • Yummy Baked Goods
  • Coffee and Lunch

This is just a small sample of some of the amazing items that will be there!

This Week at the Little Art Cinema

~ littleartcinema

The Furies: September 6 & 7 @ 7:00

Scarlet: September 8 & 10 @ 7:00, September 9 @ 3:00

This week our Anthony Mann series continues with The Furies! In 1870s New Mexico Territory, megalomaniacal widowed ranch owner T. C. Jeffords (Walter Huston, in his final role) butts heads with his firebrand of a daughter, Vance (Barbara Stanwyck), over her dowry, choice of husband, and, finally, ownership of the land itself. Sophisticated in its view of frontier settlement and ablaze with searing domestic drama, The Furies is an often-overlooked treasure of American filmmaking, boasting Oscar–nominated cinematography and vivid supporting turns from Judith Anderson, Wendell Corey, and Gilbert Roland.

We also have Scarlet, Pietro Marcello’s follow up to Martin Eden. Shortly after World War I, veteran Raphaël returns home from the frontlines a widower and father to an infant daughter. Raised in rural Normandy, the child Juliette grows into a headstrong young woman who dreams of greater possibilities. She seeks refuge in the nearby woods, where she meets a witch who promises scarlet sails will one day take her away from her village. Reckoning with her future and swept away by a rakish young pilot (Louis Garrel) who literally falls from the sky, Juliette never stops believing in the witch’s prophecy. Tracing Juliette’s journey throughout the 20 years of great invention between the world wars, Scarlet delicately weaves together music and fantasy, history and folklore, realist drama and ethereal romance, to craft a timeless story of a young woman’s emancipation.

You can also find the rest of our showtimes at www.littleartrockport.com!

1st Annual GCACC NEXT GEN Corn Hole Tournament is on Sunday June 4th! Sign up now!

~ oliviaperezodess

The 1st Annual GCACC NEXT GEN Cornhole Tournament is presented in partnership by the Greater Cape Ann Chamber’s NEXT GEN Cape Ann Young Professionals Committee and the American Legion Post 98.

Please join us on Sunday, June 4 for a day of fun competition! Food and beer will be available for purchase as well as raffles!

To sign up, please click here. The deadline to sign up and pay is June 1st

2nd Annual WellFest: Saturday, May 20 @ Harvey Park in Rockport

~ Greater Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce

Join the Greater Cape Ann Chamber’s Health & Wellness Committee for the 2nd Annual WellFest: A Greater Cape Ann Community Wellness Fair. This year, we are moving to Harvey Park in Rockport!

This event will showcase the Cape Ann region’s broad range of health and wellness services. This event will provide something for people of all ages!

  • Food & Nutrition
  • Movement, Balance & Exercise
  • Hearing & Vision
  • Health in Mind, Body & Spirit
  • Youth Development & Lifelong Learning 
  • Senior Readiness

Here is the list of attending vendors (* = offering free raffle):

  • 4GBS – For the Grand Bandquet of Sexuality *
  • ABC Home Healthcare Professionals *
  • Action Inc.
  • Addison Gilbert Hospital
  • Arbonne Consultant
  • Backyard Growers *
  • Beauport Hearing Care
  • Bonneville Design
  • Cape Ann Animal Aid
  • Cape Ann Botanicals *
  • Cape Ann Lanes *
  • Cape Ann Transportation Authority (CATA)
  • Cape Ann YMCA
  • Cometeer
  • Disability Resource Center *
  • Eastern Essex Regional Public Health Coalition
  • Essex County OB/GYN Associates *
  • Gloucester Health Department
  • Manchester Essex Conservation Trust *
  • North Shore Adventures *
  • NorthShore24 Fitness *
  • ONESTOP Harm Reduction Center *
  • Rockport Art Association & Museum *
  • Rockport Council on Aging
  • Rockport Exchange *
  • SeniorCare Inc.
  • Supportive Living Inc.
  • The Open Door
  • Treetop Yoga *

Thank you to our Sponsors:

Help Stamp Out Hunger this Saturday!

~ todtheopendoor

Make a donation this weekend without leaving home!

Residents of Gloucester, Ipswich, Manchester-by-the-Sea, and Rockport: please leave non-perishable, unexpired food donations in a bag by your mailbox this Saturday to be delivered by your local letter carrier to The Open Door!

PLEASE, NO GLASS!

MOST NEEED ITEMS:

  • Coffee
  • Condiments (ketchup, mustard, mayo, and salad dressings)
  • Cooking oil
  • Peanut butter
  • Tuna

IF you live outside the above communities, please contact your local post office to learn if they will be participating in the National Association of Letter Carrier’s Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive this year.

Thank you! Your support helps stock the shelves and connect local people to the food they need to thrive.

In 2022, The Open Door helped stabilize the lives and health of 8,486 people from 4,872 households through the distribution of 1.78 million pounds of food.

More information about The Open Door and its programs available at FOODPANTRY.org

Rockport PTO 2022 Holiday Fair

~ rebsly
pto holiday fair logo only, color

Saturday, November 19th
9:30 to 2 PM
Rockport High School
24 Jerdens Lane, Rockport

Come get your holiday shopping done or buy something unique for yourself! We will have:

  • Amazing Crafters and Artists
  • Photos with Santa
  • Gingerbread House Kits
  • Face Painting
  • Sensory Art Table
  • Surprise Jars for the Kids (they sell out fast!)
  • High Quality Raffle Items
  • Yummy Baked Goods
  • Coffee and Lunch

This is just a small sample of some of the amazing items that will be there!