Sale of Low-Number Plates, Customer Plates, Special-Number Plates 
Fund Cape Ann Community Foundation Grants for Local Non-Profit and Civic Initiatives 

The Cape Ann Community Foundation (CACF) will launch its annual Cape Ann License Plate Online Auction on April 10, and this year, the 11-day program will include new opportunities to secure custom plates and special-number plates, as well as the remaining low-number plates.

Any Massachusetts resident who wants to display their love and support for Greater Cape Ann will have a chance to bid on these Cape Ann license plates during the auction, which runs through August 20.

In addition to remaining four low-number Cape Ann license plates between 1-100 – CA66, CA78, CA79 and CA88 – this year’s auction will for the first time include auction discounts for 3- and 4-digit custom plates and special-number plates reflecting local area codes and exchanges, zip codes, and dates when Greater Cape Ann communities were founded. Some examples of the special-number plates include 525, 9130 and 2026. These plates will be available at a discounted price of $300, a significant auction discount. 

Custom 3- and 4-digit plates – with numbers selected by drivers – will be offered at an auction price of $250, a 50 percent discount.

There are still thousands of random plates still available, for a payment of just $40 every other year. These plates are typically delivered within 10 days, with no need to go to a Registry of Motor Vehicles office.

All proceeds from the auction and other Cape Ann License Plate sales go to CACF, which uses the proceeds to fund grants awarded each year to local non-profits and civic initiatives. Since 2017, the Foundation has granted more than $130,000 to over 60 organizations. 

For more information on the auction and to register to bid, visit www.lovecapeann.com. The site also has information on the easy steps to order a random Cape Ann license plate through the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles. 

“The Cape Ann License Plate gives you the opportunity to show your love for Cape Ann while helping local non-profits, and there’s no better time to secure a plate than during our annual online auction,” said Britta Cahoon, co-chair of the Cape Ann Community Foundation board of directors.  “We encourage everyone to join this year’s Cape Ann License Plate Online Auction and help us help our deserving non-profits.”

“More and more people want a Cape Ann License Plate, and the most sought-after numbers are available through the auction, often at prices much lower than at any other time during the year,” said Foundation Co-Chair Tony Sapienza. “This will be an important 11 days for our non-profits and our entire community, and we invite you to be part of the excitement and to show your love for Cape Ann by purchasing one of these special plates.”

For more information about the Cape Ann License Plate Online Auction and for assistance in obtaining a Cape Ann License Plate, call the Greater Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce at 978-283-1601 or visit the Chamber office at 24 Harbor Loop in Gloucester. 

To preview and pre-register for the auction visit the Cape Ann Community Foundation website at www.lovecapeann.com. 

Artists of all levels are invited to take part in a special day of creativity and coastal tradition at the Cape Ann Plein Air Motif No. 1 Paint-Out, held in conjunction with the Greater Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce’s Motif Day. This unique event offers painters the opportunity to capture one of the most iconic and frequently painted views in the region while working alongside fellow artists in a vibrant, community setting.

Participants will have the chance to compete for prizes and sell their work, making it both a celebration of Cape Ann’s rich artistic heritage and a rewarding professional opportunity. The 2026 event will be judged by Todd Montanaro, award-winning artist, curator at the Rockport Art Association & Museum, and a respected figure in Cape Ann’s plein air tradition.

Families are also encouraged to attend and enjoy a dedicated children’s art event hosted by Cape Ann Art Haven, making this a fun and inclusive day for all ages.

Registration is now open ($20): https://www.capeannpleinair.org/2026-motif-day-paint-out

At Beauport Financial, we continuously monitor and update your plan, so it reflects the life you’re actually living — not the life you had five years ago.

Call us today to schedule a meeting with one of our advisors at 978-283-0748.

Sharing photos from Sugar Mags announcement of their Main Street opening at the former Oliver’s Harbor location. Open 7 am – 1 pm. I stop in for a scone which was perfect. Several customers were enjoying breakfast. Welcome back!

BAGEL OF THE WEEK! 🌶️Jalapeño Cheddar

SCHMEAR OF THE WEEK! HONEY ROSE

ROCKPORT – SAT AND SUN 8 AM TO SELLOUT – 1 WHISTLESTOP MALL

DOWNTOWN LOWELL FARMERS MARKET ON SUNDAY, APRIL 12 😊@dtlfarmersmarket @hivepublicmarket
101 PAIGE STREET FROM 11 AM – 2 PM

PRE-ORDERING:
www.hotplate.com/saltysbagels (see link in bio)

June 4 – 27

When a concerned mother finds her son with an “inappropriate” book, an attempt to reason with the local librarian erupts into an explosive, town-wide confrontation. As tensions rise and consequences escalate, we learn that these women have more that connects them than what meets the eye. Bad Books explores the first impressions and raucous debates that divide us while forcing audiences to consider what it really means to care for our children. 

Sharyn Rothstein’s poignant drama opens the 2026 Season with cunning humor and heartfelt dialogue in this regional-premiere directed by M. Bevin O’Garaº. Running from June 4 to 27, all performances are at the Natti-Willsky Performance Center – 267 East Main Street, Gloucester. Showtimes are Wednesdays – Saturdays at 7:30pm, with matinees Saturdays & Sunday at 2:00pm.

BETRAYAL by Harold Pinter

July 9 – August1

After Jerry and Emma collide for the last time, their final encounter unfolds into a seven year long, torrid love triangle entangled with secrets, deception, and Emma’s husband Robert. Throughout this backwards tailspin, the three navigate unexpected impulses, forbidden trysts, and their own feelings of betrayal. 

From Nobel Prize winning playwright Harold Pinter and directed by Shana Gozanskyº, Betrayal runs July 9 to August 1, all performances are at the Natti-Willsky Performance Center – 267 East Main Street, Gloucester. Showtimes are Wednesdays – Saturdays at 7:30pm, with matinees Saturdays & Sunday at 2:00pm.

DALLOWAY: FIRST LOVE by Lindsay Joelle

August 13 – 29

From the playwright behind last season’s The Garbologists comes an unlikely world premiere of feminine proportions. Clarissa Perry is a tree climbing, combat boot wearing goth with no interest in entertaining the slew of suitors found by her money-strapped father. The pressure is on Clarissa to find a husband and save her family’s estate when she receives a visit from an unapologetic, care-free suffragette who could convince Clarissa that she might want to forge a new path for herself. Experience a modern, coming-of-age story in this stand-alone prequel to Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway. 

Written by Lindsay Joelle and directed by Rebecca Bradshawº, this world premiere production runs August 13 to August 29.All performances are at the Natti-Willsky Performance Center – 267 East Main Street, Gloucester. Showtimes are Wednesdays – Saturdays at 7:30pm, with matinees Saturdays & Sunday at 2:00pm.

MOON MAN WALK by James Ijames

September 10 – 26

Travel to the moon and back as Spencer revisits his childhood home in Philadelphia following his mother’s passing. With the help of the unfettered Petrushka, along with the haunting memory of his mother, Spencer dives into the mystery of his youth and uncovers the true identity behind his estranged father. Journey through time and space as we discover how our pasts shape, protect, and connect us all in this time-bending, regional premiere drama. 

Written by Pulitzer Prize winning playwright James Ijames and directed by Dawn M. Simmonsº, Moon Man Walk runs September 13 to 29. All performances are at the Natti-Willsky Performance Center – 267 East Main Street, Gloucester. Showtimes are Wednesdays – Saturdays at 7:30pm, with matinees Saturdays & Sunday at 2:00pm.

Please credit all printed materials as below:
©2026 Barry A. Hyman

Spring Haul-Out…

GLOUCESTER, MA – April marks National Poetry Month, a nationwide celebration established in 1996 by the Academy of American Poets to promote the awareness and appreciation of poetry in America. 

The City of Gloucester invites residents and visitors alike to celebrate by getting to know its Co-Poet Laureates, Heidi Wakeman and Jay Featherstone. Selected by the Committee for the Arts last spring and officially appointed in July 2025, the pair are serving a two-year term dedicated to elevating poetry throughout the community. 

Co-Poet Laureate Featherstone is a longtime poet, educator, and literary leader in Gloucester. He has helped revive and shape the Gloucester Writers’ Center while drawing deep inspiration from the city’s artistic legacy and dedicating his work to strengthening its poetic community across generations.

A community-driven poet, educator, and arts advocate, Co-Poet Laureate Wakeman actively contributes to Gloucester Writers Center, engages local audiences through workshops and public events, integrates poetry into education and civic life, and promotes accessible creative expression across diverse groups here in the City. 

Co-Poet Laureates Wakeman and Featherstone co-host The Pleasure of Poetry, a podcast produced in collaboration with 1623 Studios. Their most recent episode, released April 1, features a conversation with Rockport poet Martha Fox and continues their mission of making poetry accessible and engaging for all audiences.

Throughout April, our Co-Poet Laureates will be sharing their work across the city and leading workshops designed to inspire writers of all levels. Co-Poet Laureate Wakeman will be reading a poem at the beginning of the City Council meeting on Tuesday, April 14th at 6:30PM, and Co-Poet Laureate Featherstone will read a poem at the beginning of the City Council Meeting on Tuesday, April 28th at 6:30PM. They will also be sharing their poems during the following public events: 

• Earth Day Flag Raising on Wednesday, April 22 at 12:00 pm at City Hall 
• Earth Day Recycling Festival on Saturday, April 25 at O’Maley Middle School
• From the Deep: A Downtown Gloucester Arts Party presented by the Harbortown Cultural District on Saturday, May 2 at businesses across downtown 

In addition, Co-Poet Laureate Wakeman is partnering with the Sawyer Free Library to offer two free workshops this month:

• Fighting Words Poetry, presented in collaboration with the Pulitzer Center (April 6)
• Find Your Joy: Teen and Tween Poetry Writing, part of the annual Poetry Without Paper contest (April 24)

These events provide a fun opportunity for the community to experience the power of poetry.

—
Mayor Paul Lundberg
City of Gloucester

days.  The Center will be closed Friday, April 10th, April 20th(Patriots’ Day) Tuesday, April 21st and possibly Wednesday, April 22nd.  Call regarding the 22nd before venturing down. 

𝓣𝓸𝓭𝓪𝔂’𝓼 𝓢𝓹𝓮𝓬𝓲𝓪𝓵𝓼
🍕Buy any 18” Pizza get an 18” Cheese for $5
🍕Buy any 16” Pizza get a 16” Cheese for $5
🍕Half off 18” Pizzas
(Pizza deals can not be combined)

🦞$17.99 Lobster Rolls

During her 18 years as series editor of The Best American Short Stories, Heidi Pitlor read and assessed thousands of stories published in magazines and online in the US and Canada. Join Pitlor and short story writer Susan Shepherd on Saturday, April 25, 1 p.m. at the Shalin Liu Performance Center in Rockport, Mass., for a lively discussion on the joys and current struggles of the beloved short story. 

 

“We at Literary Cape Ann are really thrilled to present this conversation with Pitlor and Shepherd about the love of the short story,” says Literary Cape Ann co-founder Rae Francoeur. “We’ll talk with those in attendance about what editors look for in short stories, what makes a short story memorable and best ways readers can get the most out of a short story. We’ll also touch on some of the reasons short stories have a harder time finding publishers today.”

 

Before helming The Best American Short Stories series, Pitlor was a senior editor at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for 10 years. She is the founder and director of Heidi Pitlor Editorial, a firm providing editorial support to authors, agents, and publishers. Pitlor is also the author of the bestselling novels “The Birthdays”; “The Daylight Marriage,” which was optioned for film; and “Impersonation.” The New York Times Book Review said of “Impersonation,” “Pitlor’s voice is witty and brisk…like sitting down with a refreshingly honest friend who skips the part about how great her life is and dives right into the real stuff. We need more friends like this. Authors, too.” 

 

“If there’s anything I Iong for lately,” says Pitlor, “it’s genuine human connection. If there’s anything I read for, it’s the same. I look for smartly written characters, humanity of language, emotionally true descriptions of how we do and do not connect as people. These traits are what made me fall in love with fiction decades ago, and they’re what I find myself most drawn to still.”

 

Shepherd’s writing has been published in the Boston Globe, Ploughshares, the Chicago Quarterly Review, Story, Swamp Pink, the Harvard Review and One Story. Her story “Baboons,” from the Kenyon Review, was selected by Lauren Groff for publication in the 2024 “Best American Short Stories.” Shepherd’saudio work as a writer, producer and reporter has aired on NPR, Marketplace, and on multiple NPR shows, including her short fiction podcast 11 Central Ave.,which aired on a number of public radio stations around the country and won a Gold Medal for Best Comedy from the New York Festivals and a National Gracie Allen Award for Best Producer, Comedy. Shepherd recently finished the novel Animalia, several stories of which have been listed as distinguished stories in The Best American Short Stories. 

 

Award-winning actor and audio book narrator Peter Berkrot will present dramatic interpretations of each writer’s work. The discussion will be followed by book sales and a signing courtesy of the Bookstore of Gloucester. 

 

LCA is honored to host these esteemed writers and thanks Bach Builders for making these free events possible. Thanks also to the enthusiastic readers who attend.

 

Literary Cape Ann provides the community of Cape Ann with events and information that support and reinforce the value and joy of the literary arts.

 

OPENING DAy

MAY 8TH, 2026

MOTHER’S DAY WEEKEND

Sharing this information from Facebook regarding an upcoming fundraiser in Magnolia. Save the date!

Sharing information from The Lobster. This sounds like a great event. Hope to see many of you there.

APRIL 8, 2026 ~ GLOUCESTER MARINE GENOMICS INSTITUTE ~ 

Looking for a unique and engaging summer program? GMGI’s Summer STEM programming is now accepting registrations!

Our Summer STEM programs are one-week courses designed to give students hands-on science experience in a biotechnology laboratory.

We are thrilled to announce that this year, we are partnering with Maritime Gloucester for our new program, From Harbor to Helix: Training in Environmental DNA. During this one-week course, students will dive into authentic marine science by collecting environmental samples using hands-on sampling techniques. Back in the lab, students will analyze their samples using industry-standard biotechnology methods, including micropipetting, DNA extraction, gel electrophoresis, PCR, and DNA metabarcoding. This immersive experience connects fieldwork to cutting-edge molecular biology, giving students a firsthand look at how scientists study biodiversity and marine ecosystems from sample to sequence.

The course is taught by Gloucester Biotechnology Academy and Maritime Gloucester staff, and does not require any previous science or lab experience. Each student will have ample guidance and support in these real-world investigations.

Registration is open to rising 9th graders through seniors who graduated in 2026 who are interested in real-world science and learning in a hands-on environment.

Want to learn more? Please visit our website or contact Hannah Lister for more information.