Get Salty with the Sawyer Free Library and The Open Door!

Join us on Saturday, January 25 from 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM at the Sawyer Free Library (21 Main Street) for a fun, family-friendly popcorn party. While your popcorn pops, decorate a festive snowman bag and then create your own custom salty seasoning blend. It’s the perfect winter snack!

This popcorn extravaganza with the Library and The Open Door is part of the 4th Annual Gloucester’s So Salty Festival—a city-wide celebration of Gloucester’s famously salty character. Hosted by the Cape Ann Museum in partnership with local cultural institutions and businesses, this exciting weekend features ice sculptures, live music, salty treats, free art activities for kids, and much more. You won’t want to miss it!

While you’re at the Library, don’t forget to learn how you can save money and energy this winter. Home Works Energy will be on-site from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM to help you sign up for a no-cost home energy assessment through the Mass Save Program.

These events—and the whole So Salty festival—is free and open to the public, so bring your friends and family for a taste of Gloucester’s saltiest delights!

For questions about these or any Library community program and events visit sawyerfreelibrary.org, call 978-325-5500 or stop by the Sawyer Free’s temporary Library space at 21 Main Street in Gloucester.

Make Your Own Ice Cream at SFL @ 21 Main Street

Come Celebrate Gloucester’s SO SALTY Festival at the Sawyer Free Library!

Learn about the power of salt as you join the Sawyer Free Library and The Open Door to make your own ice cream on Saturday, January 20th from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at 21 Main Street in Downtown Gloucester. The event is open to the public to come and enjoy!

Make scientific observations as you add ingredients and watch the power of salt in action. The best part will be enjoying your own homemade ice cream!

This event is part of the 3rd Annual Gloucester’s So Salty Festival which is free and open to the public.

Celebrate the fish city’s recognizably salty character with local cultural institutions and businesses during the 3rd Annual Gloucester’s So Salty festival led by the Cape Ann Museum in partnership with area cultural institutions and businesses. Inspired by the annual Salem’s So Sweet event, this two-day event will include ice sculptures, live music, salty treats, free kids’ art activities, and much more.

For more information visit sawyerfreelibrary.org or 978-325-5500.

“So Salty” Fun at SFL@21Main Street Saturday, Jan. 21

Join in on the “So Salty” Fun at the Sawyer Free Library at 21 Main Street in downtown Gloucester on Saturday, January 21:

10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.   “Snacks by the Sea with The Open Door”

The Sawyer Free Library and The Open Door will present a cooking demonstration of a salty snack for families. Throughout the day, we will celebrate local food traditions with a display of our historic cookbooks and recipes in the Local History collection. 

1:00 to 2:00 p.m. “Sea Shanties and Maritime Heritage Through Folk Music

Come listen, sing, engage, and celebrate maritime heritage and community with local musician and teacher Olivia Gale, who was born and raised in Gloucester. Join the fun as Olivia leads an exploration of history, story, and performance of sea shanties, nautical ballads, and other folk music written about the sea.  

Both events are free and open to all ages to come and enjoy!

These Sawyer Free Library events are a part of the 2nd Annual Gloucester’s So Salty Festival taking place throughout Gloucester Saturday, January 21 and Sunday January 22, 2023 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.


Celebrate the fish city’s recognizably salty character with local cultural institutions and businesses during the 2nd Annual Gloucester’s So Salty festival led by the Cape Ann Museum in partnership with area cultural institutions and businesses. Inspired by the annual Salem’s So Sweet event, this two-day event will include ice sculptures, live music, salty treats, free kids’ art activities, and much more.

All events are free and open to the public.

For additional details on the Library events, visit: sawyerfreelibrary.org or 978-325-5500.

Gloucester’s So Salty at the Sawyer Free Library this Saturday, 1/20 – it is all about SALT ISLAND

GLOUCESTER’S SO SALTY! at the SAWYER FREE LIBRARY

As a part of Gloucester’s So Salty celebration, the Sawyer Free Library invites you to learn more about Salt Island. This Saturday, January 22 at 2 pm join researcher Mary Ellen Lepionka for a virtual presentation on the history of Salt Island. After, Jayne & Andy Knott of Save Salt Island and Denton Crews of Friends of Good Harbor Beach will present on recent efforts to preserve this area.

Click HERE to register for your Zoom Link or contact Julie Travers at jtravers@sawyerfreelibrary.org for more information.