Photos : Caitlin Smith

Brushstrokes…

Friday, October 2 at 6:00 PM
Cultural Center at Rocky Neck, 6 Wonson Street, Gloucester, MA

Open Studio on Saturday, October 24 from 2-4 PM
51 Main Street (Rear), Gloucester, MA

Elizabeth Bish Closing Talk on Friday, October 30 at 6 PM
51 Main Street (Rear), Gloucester, MA

The Rocky Neck Art Colony invites the community to join Gloucester artist Elizabeth Bish for an intimate Artist Talk on Friday, October 2, at 6 PM at the Cultural Center at Rocky Neck.

As the 2026 Gloucester Invitational Artist, Bish will share her artistic journey and process to date and how she’s looking forward to the Goetemann Artist Residency  providing her with the time and space to explore new directions in her painting, pushing her familiar language of landscape and still life toward greater abstraction.

A longtime Gloucester resident and practicing chiropractor, Bish has devoted decades to the study and practice of painting. Working primarily in oils, her work encompasses landscape, still life, figurative painting, and abstraction. Her paintings are grounded in close observation while increasingly exploring the possibilities of color, shape, gesture, and abstraction.

Bish has exhibited throughout Cape Ann, including at the Rockport Art Association, North Shore Arts Association, and Patricia Sullivan Gallery. Her work reflects a deep connection to the Cape Ann landscape and a continuing curiosity about how that landscape can be translated through paint.

The Artist Talk is open to the public. For more information, visit the Rocky Neck Art Colony or contact the Cultural Center at Rocky Neck.  RNAC.director@gmail.com.  

A spirited night of costumes, live music, dancing, and 12 one-of-a-kind experiences up for bid

Get ready for an unforgettable night of Halloween fun, creativity, and Rocky Neck style! The Rocky Neck Art Colony (RNAC) will host its third annual Beaux Arts Ball Halloween Bash on Saturday, October 24, from 6–10 p.m. at 51 Rocky Neck Restaurant.

This is not your ordinary Halloween party.  GET YOUR TICKETS HERE.

Guests are invited to come dressed to impress—or dressed to surprise—for an evening filled with live music, dancing, passed hors d’oeuvres, a costume contest, prizes, and plenty of creative Rocky Neck spirit. Artists, friends, neighbors, and art lovers will come together for one of the Colony’s most festive celebrations of the year.

And this year, the fun extends beyond the dance floor.

12 One-of-a-Kind Experiences Up for Bid

Adding to the excitement is a special online silent auction featuring 12 unique, one-of-a-kind experiences.

These aren’t your typical auction items. Each experience offers an opportunity to do, see, taste, learn, or enjoy something truly memorable—created especially for this year’s Beaux Arts Ball.

The auction will be open for viewing and online bidding, so everyone can take part, whether attending the Ball or cheering from afar.

“This is one of those evenings that captures the spirit of Rocky Neck—creative, welcoming, a little unexpected, and a whole lot of fun,” says Elizabeth Carey, Executive Director of the Rocky Neck Art Colony. “And the auction has some wonderfully unusual experiences that we think people will have a lot of fun discovering and bidding on.”

Come in Costume. Come to Dance. Come for the Fun.

The Beaux Arts Ball has quickly become a Rocky Neck fall tradition, bringing together the Colony’s artistic community and friends from throughout Cape Ann for an evening of celebration and connection.

So gather your friends, dream up your costume, and join the party!

Tickets are now on sale to the public.

Beaux Arts Ball Halloween Bash

Saturday, October 24, 2026
6–10 p.m.
51 Rocky Neck Restaurant
51 Rocky Neck Avenue, Gloucester, MA

Tickets and event information:  HERE

Online Silent Auction:
Watch for the auction to open online and discover all 12 extraordinary experiences available for bidding.

Proceeds from the Beaux Arts Ball and silent auction support the programs and activities of the Rocky Neck Art Colony, helping sustain exhibitions, artist opportunities, education, cultural programming, and the historic Cultural Center at Rocky Neck.

About Rocky Neck Art Colony

Founded in 1973, the Rocky Neck Art Colony is a nonprofit arts organization dedicated to nurturing excellence in the arts and celebrating the artistic history and culture of Rocky Neck. Through exhibitions, workshops, artist opportunities, cultural events, and community partnerships, RNAC helps sustain the creative spirit and cultural vitality of this historic art colony.

September 29, 2026 ~ Hammond Castle Museum~

One hundred years ago, John Hays Hammond Jr. embarked on one of the most ambitious projects of his life: building Hammond Castle Museum. But why construct a brand new medieval-inspired castle after already transforming his previous home into a castle-like residence? And why was Hammond absent during the first year of construction, entrusting oversight of the project to one of the Hammond Research Laboratory’s engineers?

Join us tomorrow evening as Collections Director Beth Welin takes us on a fascinating look back at 1926 as we explore the personal, professional, and historical events that shaped Hammond’s life during this pivotal year. Discover how the construction of his extraordinary home and laboratory unfolded, the people who helped bring his vision to life, and the remarkable story behind one of Cape Ann’s most iconic landmarks.

Museum members enjoy complimentary admission.
A $15 fee applies to the general public. Reservations encouraged.

We’re opening the diary, sharing the letters, and exploring the archives to discover what was really happening during the year it all began. There may even be a little tea (with Mussolini) spilled along the way! Reserve Your Seats Here!

Tomorrow Evening: A Rare Look at Hammond’s Personal Letters, Diary & Photographs from the Earliest Days of the Castle’s Construction

We’ve got something for everyone today! Stop by Long Beach Dairy Maid for a sweet treat, then head over to SurfSide for some seriously good Wednesday specials! 🙌

🍦 LONG BEACH DAIRY MAID — OPEN 2–9

Buy any ice cream and get the 2nd HALF PRICE!

*Second ice cream must be of equal or lesser value.

🍕 SURFSIDE — OPEN 11–9

🍕 Buy any 18” pizza and get the 2nd 18” HALF PRICE!

*Limit 2 per customer

🦞 BONUS SPECIALS

🦞 $17.99 + tax Lobster Roll served with Chips & Pickles

🍕 16” Pizzas HALF PRICE!

*Limit 3 per customer

Come hungry, save room for ice cream, and make your Wednesday a good one! 😋

Pizza specials exclude gluten free and online orders. Pizza specials cannot be combined.

I was hoping the storm wouldn’t blow away all the leaves on one of my favorite trees in fall. I will be keeping my eye on this as the leaves turn. I love classic fall scenes.

🏆 Readers’ Choice: Design Build
🏆 Readers’ Choice: Builder, Custom Homes

To everyone who voted, supported us, or trusted us with your home: thank you! These awards mean so much to our entire team, and we’re grateful to be part of the North Shore community.

Friday, October 2 at 6:00 PM
Cultural Center at Rocky Neck, 6 Wonson Street, Gloucester, MA

Open Studio on Saturday, October 24 from 2-4 PM

51 Main Street (Rear), Gloucester, MA

Elizabeth Bish Closing Talk on Friday, October 30 at 6 PM

51 Main Street (Rear), Gloucester, MA

Gloucester, MA The Rocky Neck Art Colony invites the community to join Gloucester artist Elizabeth Bish for an intimate Artist Talk on Friday, October 2, at 6 PM at the Cultural Center at Rocky Neck.

As the 2026 Gloucester Invitational Artist, Bish will share her artistic journey and process to date and how she’s looking forward to the Goetemann Artist Residency  providing her with the time and space to explore new directions in her painting, pushing her familiar language of landscape and still life toward greater abstraction.

A longtime Gloucester resident and practicing chiropractor, Bish has devoted decades to the study and practice of painting. Working primarily in oils, her work encompasses landscape, still life, figurative painting, and abstraction. Her paintings are grounded in close observation while increasingly exploring the possibilities of color, shape, gesture, and abstraction.

Bish has exhibited throughout Cape Ann, including at the Rockport Art Association, North Shore Arts Association, and Patricia Sullivan Gallery. Her work reflects a deep connection to the Cape Ann landscape and a continuing curiosity about how that landscape can be translated through paint.

The Artist Talk is open to the public

Transience…

October 10 – 11, 2026  ~ 10 am – 5 pm

Annisquam Village Hall, 36 Leonard St, Gloucester, MA

This carefully curated show features 30 local artisans and fine artists, both returning favorites and some with us for the first time.  They’ll offer Homemade preserves as well as hand-crafted jewelry,  sea glass, beautiful purses, pottery, paper goods, ornaments, decoupage, hand painted shells, silk scarves, pashminas, candles, and cashmere mittens.  The Gallery will showcase works in watercolors, oils and pastels.

http://www.annisquamartsandcraftshow.org/about.html 

Please join me, the Coalition for the Prevention of Domestic Abuse, and many others of our community as we come together on Tuesday, October 6th, at 12:30pm on the steps of City Hall to once again proclaim October as Domestic Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month.

We anticipate remarks from our elected officials, HAWC (Healing Abuse Working for Change) and the Gloucester Police Department reflecting our efforts over the last year towards responding to domestic abuse. We will present a proclamation declaring October Domestic Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month and raise our Ending Abuse flag. Please note the date and plan to join us.

Each year, we in Gloucester come together in this manner with local officials, community partners, survivors and their families to reaffirm our combined commitment to prevention and response. We join together to recognize the experiences of survivors and their families, and to highlight the critical work being done within our city to provide the necessary services and support. For more than twenty-five continuous years this has been a longstanding tradition in our community.

We recognize that abuse and violence remain critical and preventable public health issues affecting the safety and well-being of our community. While we are well aware of the increased challenge these efforts may take during these times, we remain proud and pleased with the continuing response from so many segments of our community.

We are committed to support services providing hotlines, shelter, safety and education to victims and survivors; and that we will need each other and our community’s services as we try to address and prevent incidents of domestic abuse and sexual assault.

Please join me and others as we stand with survivors and recognize that some community members have additional layers of vulnerability related to gender, race, ethnicity, class and immigration status. This year we need to assure that we sustain our commitment to pursuing restorative justice with and for all peoples, including Immigrant Families, Black, Indigenous, People of Color, LGBTQIA+ and Trans Persons.

I sincerely hope you will be able to join us for this important annual event. This is an open event, so please encourage others in your network to attend. While RSVPs are appreciated they are not strictly necessary.

Best regards,

Mayor Paul Lundberg
City of Gloucester

The Lobster King Tuesday Special is here! 👑🦞

🦞 $13.99 + tax Lobster Roll

Served with chips & pickles!

🍕 BONUS PIZZA SPECIALS

🔥 Buy any 18” Pizza and get a 2nd 18” Pizza HALF PRICE!

*Limit of 2 per customer

🔥 Buy any 16” Pizza and get a 2nd 16” Pizza HALF PRICE!

*Limit of 2 per customer

📍 SurfSide is OPEN 11-9!

And don’t forget dessert! 🍦🍁

Stop by Long Beach Dairy Maid — OPEN 2-9 and buy any ice cream, get the second HALF OFF!

*Second item of equal or lesser value.

🍁 Featuring our Maple Soft Serve Creemee sprinkled with Maple Sugar!

Pizza specials exclude gluten free

Excludes online orders

Pizza specials cannot be combined

We were happy to hear the Gloucester House Pub on Rogers Street had reopened so we stopped for some dinner and good company. I had some French Onion Soup and Jim had the fish fry. It’s a welcoming atmosphere; warm in more ways than one. Thanks for welcoming us back in such a friendly manner! See you all there soon.

Think your cardboard boat can survive Manchester Harbor? There’s only one way to find out. 🚣‍♂️📦 Float or Die!

The Manchester-by-the-Sea Cardboard Boat Regatta is back Sunday, October 11 at 11 AM — and we’re looking for brave builders, questionable engineers, creative geniuses and anyone else willing to put their boat-building skills to the ultimate test.

Build it. Decorate it. Bring your crew. Then climb aboard and see whether your creation floats… or becomes part of the harbor.

No experience required. No fancy materials required. Just a little creativity, a sense of humor and the willingness to get wet.

FREE to enter. Open to all ages.

Want to race? Start building now.

👉 Get the boat-building rules, see past contenders, find event details, and register at http://www.mbtscardboardboatregatta.blogspot.com

Not ready to race? Come down, cheer on the competitors and watch the fun.

Sunday, October 11 • 11 AM
Manchester Inner Harbor
FREE to race • FREE to watch

Tag the person you think should build a boat with you.