Traveling Mystery Room with Big Ryan Saturday, December 27 | 1:00–2:30 PM Children’s Program Room | Sawyer Free Library, 2 Dale Avenue, Gloucester
The Sawyer Free Library is calling all young detectives and adventure-seekers! Kids ages 7–16 are invited to join Big Ryan for an exciting Traveling Mystery Room experience — an interactive adventure filled with teamwork, creativity, and fast-paced problem-solving.
The challenge: You’ve been abducted by aliens along with a group of your peers. Your only hope of escape is to work together, follow the clues, and complete each step needed to charge the escape pod. But act quickly — you have just one hour before the aliens discover you’ve broken free!
Important details:
Registration is required at sawyerfreelibrary.org, and space is limited — please register each child individually.
Designed for kids ages 7–16.
Parents of children ages 7–9 are strongly encouraged to stay and lend a hand with the mystery.
🎉 Please join us in celebrating the grand reopening of the newly renovated and expanded Sawyer Free Library — an inspiring, inclusive space created for our whole community. 🎉
Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony Friday, September 5 | 3:00 PM Celebrate the official opening of your newly transformed Sawyer Free Library! Remarks | Ceremonial Ribbon Cutting | Refreshments Performance by Cape Ann Youth Chorus Open to All | Rain or Shine
Community Celebration & Open House “A Library for Everyone” Saturday, September 6 | 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM Free and Open to All
Come tour the new library spaces at 2 Dale Avenue and enjoy music, activities for all ages, and more!
Saturday Event Highlights:
Library Card World Record Attempt Help us break the record for most sign-ups in a single day! All new and renewing cardholders receive a limited-edition commemorative library card.
Library Passport Adventure Explore the new Library and collect stamps and win prizes.
Special Guests & Giveaways • Wally the Green Monster from the Red Sox (12–1 PM) • Enter to win a signed 2025 Boston Bruins jersey
Art, History & Design Events • Artist Talk: Leslie Bartlett on the Library’s Cape Ann Quarries mural (10:30 AM) • Expert Talk: GreenScapes in Focus with landscape architect Lisa Giersbach (1:00 PM) • Timeline Cape Ann: Sawyer Free Library by Kory Curcuru of 1623 Studios documentary screening (12 & 2:30 PM) • Inaugural Art Exhibition in Matz Gallery • Zine-making and collaborative art projects
Explore & Discover • Tech demos in the Digital Learning Lab (podcast studio & more) • Local History Treasures exhibit and Gloucester Timeline Demos • “The Librarian Is In” booth (10 AM–12 PM) • Photo Booth for keepsake snapshots (11 AM–2 PM)
Live Music in the Reading Lounge • Highland Avenue Trio (10 AM–12 PM) • Steve Lacey String Duo (12–2 PM)
Family-Friendly Fun • Face painting, LEGO play, and STEM activities • Strega Mama Story Hour (11 AM) • Playful Engineers Program (2:00 PM) • “Teen Zone” Ribbon Cutting (10:30 AM) • T-shirt Dyeing (11 AM–1 PM) • Mario Kart Tournament (2–4 PM, signup required)
Food Trucks On-Site (in Library Parking Lot) • Pizza by Rhea Pizzeria Napoletana • Ice cream from SuperStar Ice Cream
Whether you’re a longtime patron or discovering the Sawyer Free Library for the first time, this celebration is for you!
Come experience YOUR new library—reimagined, renewed, and ready to inspire.
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.
Find out at the Sawyer Free Library on Tuesday, April 29, from 2:00 to 4:00 PM!
Local tweens and teens are invited to design and plant their very own mini garden with the help of Backyard Growers. All materials will be provided—including everything you need to start growing your own garden at home.
This special event will be held at Sawyer Free Library, 21 Main Street, Gloucester.
Open to students in grades 6–12 (ages 11–19). Space is limited, so registration is required at sawyerfreelibrary.org.
Step into the pawprints of local predators—think coyotes, fisher cats, and bobcats—in this wild and wildly fun outdoor adventure with Kestrel Educational Adventures and Sawyer Free Library on Friday, April 11 from 3:00 to 5:00 pm at Stage Fort Park in Gloucester – meet at the gazebo!
Designed for curious minds in grades 6–12 (that’s ages 11–19), this hands-on program brings the science of predator ecology to life through games, crafts, and energetic discussions. You’ll track, play, and learn your way through the habits and habitats of some of New England’s most elusive carnivores.
Whether you’re a future wildlife biologist, a nature lover, or just ready to get outside and do something cool, this event is your ticket to adventure.
The program will take place at Stage Fort Park located at 24 Hough Avenue in Gloucester.
No experience necessary—just bring your sense of curiosity and maybe a friend or two! Registration required at sawyerfreelibrary.org. Questions? Contact: anakoneczny@sawyerfreelibrary.org.
Join us for a fun-filled afternoon of FAMILY BINGO at the Sawyer Free Library on Monday, March 10 from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m.
Whether you’re a bingo pro or a first-time player, we want you to join us for an afternoon of friendly competition, great prizes, and maybe even some bingo puns! Bring the whole family and see if you can be the lucky winner.
Families with children of all ages are welcome, but this program is best enjoyed by children 5 and up. All children must be accompanied by a caregiver. Space is limited, please register at sawyerfreelibrary.org to save your spot!
Please note that registration priority will be given to families who have not previously attended Family Bingo. So if you missed out last time, make sure to register now!
The event will take place at the Sawyer Free Library located at 21 Main Street in downtown Gloucester. Please reach out to tbalsan@sawyerfreelibrary.org with any questions or call 978-325-5500.
Beat the winter chill by creating something soft and huggable! Whether you’re new to knitting and crochet or an experienced crafter, the Sawyer Free Library wants to invite local teens and tweens (students in grades 6-12, ages 11 -19) join Young Adult LibrarianAnnalise for a relaxing afternoon of learning basic stitches and exploring fun project ideas. The repetitive nature of these crafts is known to reduce stress—so come unwind, try something new, and leave with a skill you can enjoy all year long.
• Materials Provided: Yarn, knitting needles, and crochet hooks
• Feel Free to Bring: Your own yarn, needles, hooks, or work-in-progress
Teens and tweens, start your weekend off with a fancy flair! Join the Sawyer Free Library on Friday, February 7 from 3:00 to 4:15 pm for an afternoon of collage-making and cheese and cookie pairings from The Cave.
All materials will be provided. No registration is required, so stop by with a friend. Grades 6-12 (ages 11-19) welcome. Questions? Email Annalise at anakoneczny@sawyerfreelibrary.org.
On Friday, December 13 from 3:00 to 4:00 pm enjoy a sweet treat at the Sawyer Free Library located at 21 Main Street in downtown Gloucester. Stop by for free hot cocoa with fun add-ons like candy canes, whipped cream, and gingerbread cookies. Grab a cup to go or stay and chat with the YA Librarian.
Cape Ann Community 