Author: Joey Ciaramitaro

OPEN ON A SUNDAY?!?! Your shake and tea dreams just came true, this weekend we’re getting salty and opening on Sunday too!! Come out and support your favorite local businesses downtown!! You don’t want to miss our special ice sculpture

Thursday to Sunday. 12pm to 4:30pm.

Delivery available. order at www.bexsushi.com

JANUARY 18, 2026 ~ SAWYER FREE LIBRARY

The Sawyer Free Library is pleased to welcome Kory Curcuru of 1623 Studios for a screening of his latest Timeline: Cape Ann The Blizzard of 78′ on Friday, January 23 from 3:00 to 4:00pm in the Community Room. 

The Blizzard of 1978 was a catastrophic nor’easter that swept across New England, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and the New York metropolitan area. Forming on February 5 and lasting until February 7, this historic storm brought record-breaking snowfall, fierce winds, and widespread devastation. Massachusetts was hit especially hard, with snow piling up for over two days. The blizzard remains one of the most infamous winter storms in U.S. history.

Take a look back at this unforgettable event and its lasting impact on Cape Ann with Kory Curcuru of 1623 Studios.  Register at sawyerfreelibrary.org.

This annual event brings over 2,000 people to the downtown area each January to shop at local stores, enjoy family friendly activities, visit the Museum Courtyard, and find each of the ice sculptures sponsored by local cultural institutions and businesses.

Gloucester’s So Salty will take place on Saturday, January 24 and Sunday, January 25, 2026 from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm!

Activities and Performances

Ice Sculptures, Saturday and Sunday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

While the downtown Museum is temporarily closed for renovations, we welcome you to visit us at the CAM Tent in the Museum’s Courtyard to grab a Brochure map of the weekend’s activities and find all the ice sculptures downtown (Hint, three are right by the tent in the Courtyard!).

Sea Shanties, Saturday, January 24, 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Sea Shanties performed by Three Sheets to the Wind. Free and open to the public. Unitarian Universalist Church of Gloucester, Middle Street, Gloucester.

Sawyer Free Library, Saturday 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Meet Mayor Lundberg who will be reading Katy and the Big Snow, by Virginia Lee Burton, at 1:00 p.m. and enjoy free children’s activities and crafts on Saturday with Open Door and Pathways of Gloucester. Free and Open to the Public.

Sawyer Free Library: All events are open to all ages, families and community members!

• Saturday 10:30 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. on the Second Floor (Children’s Department): Frozen Fun with Elsa: Elsa’s Frozen Ice & Snow show brings stories and the science of ice together for a fun morning of learning for children!
• Saturday 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. on the Main Floor (Reading Lounge): Live Music Trio featuring a variety of wintertime fun including Gershwin, Disney, some folk tunes, and classics
• Saturday 1:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. on the Main Floor (Reading Lounge): Mayor Lundberg reads Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton
• Saturday 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. on the Ground Floor (Community Room): Get Salty with fellow Community Partners! The Open Door hosts Crispy Chickpeas (includes samples!!!) and Pathways for Children offers Salt Art Snowflakes (colored salt and glue of pre-cut snowflake shapes).

Businesses Downtown

Check individual locations for days and times including listings for Special Offers as well as Family Friendly Activities!

• The Bookstore of GloucesterFestive window display, 10% off select Salty books, and special ‘salty’ candles for sale courtesy of A Tale of Two Candles! Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. & Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. 61 Main St.
• Floating Lotus All weekend: 10% Off storewide. Join us for a Drumming Class: Primal Roots Drumming on Sunday, Jan 25th, 1:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m. at the store. (Bring your own drum or rent one! For tickets visit: www.floatinglotus.net/products/primal-roots-drum. 169 Main Street.
• Gloucester Lyceum & Sawyer Free Library Sawyer SATURDAY: Free events and activities! 10:30 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.: Frozen Fun with Elsa: Elsa’s Frozen Ice & Snow show brings stories and the science of ice together for a fun morning of learning for children! 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. on the Main Floor: Live Music Trio featuring a variety of wintertime fun including Gershwin, Disney, folk tunes, and classics, 1:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.: Mayor Lundberg reads Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton, 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.: Get Salty with crafts by The Open Door and Pathways for Children. 2 Dale Avenue.
• Dogtown BooksCreate your own Salty poetry, expressions or silly phrases on our front window! Saturdayand Sunday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. 132 Main St.
• Fireflies Boutique Stop in for piece of Saltwater Taffy, free, at Fireflies Boutique. 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Saturday & Sunday, 100 Main St.
• Cape Ann Olive Oil 20% off on all salts and salt related products. Saturday & Sunday, 10-:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. 57 Main St.
• Design of Mine, a local boutique, 40% Off storewide Saturday & Sunday, 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. 33 Main St.
• Sweats of Gloucester 20% off storewide Saturday & Sunday, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., 85 Main Street.
• Saluti and The Salted Cod After you find all the ice sculptures, come to Saluti, Gloucester’s new wine bar, located at the end of Main Street and enjoy a $5 mug of mulled wine or spiked cider! Good all weekend, 12:00 p.m. to closing. 272 Main Street. Offer also available at the Salted Cod on Rocky Neck (53 Rocky Neck Ave.)
• Pop Gallery will be serving up Sales & Ales, warming libations and featuring some fun new looks as well as a Gloucester-So-Salty Raffle prize. Saturday, 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., Sunday 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m., 67 Main St.
• Local Colors Come paint salt dough fish, while supplies last; see and shop work by local artists too! Saturday & Sunday, 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m., 121 Main St.
• Design of Mine 40% Off storewide, All Weekend. 33 Main St.
• Happy Tails Shoppe 10% Off All Dog & Cat Treats. Saturday & Sunday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., 186 Main St.
• Masshole & Co Pet Provisions Special:Doggie “Pawgaritas” – $1 with any purchase! A cucumber-based drink topped with whipped cream that pups can’t resist. Saturday & Sunday, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., 137 Main St.
• Mark Adrian Shoes Icy, salty streets getting you down? Stay safe, dry, warm and fabulous in new winter boots! Lots on sale! Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., 103 Main St.
• Gloucester Apparel and Pat Ds Photos Buy-3, Get-One-Free Hat Sale! Includes Fleece Lined Caps. Pat D’s Photos: All notecards $3 each and large banner flags discounted to $25. Plus – free Salted Caramels 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. each day. 44A Main St., in between the Cave and Caffe Sicilia.
• The Dress Code Stop by The Dress Code to warm up and enjoy 20% Off winter coats! Saturday, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 159 Main St.
• Joe’s Fresh Fish Prints Come check out Fish Printing Demonstrations from 11:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m., 6 Main St.
• Castaways Vintage Café $2 Salted Caramel lattes!! Saturday & Sunday, 6:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m., 65 Main St.
• Sample This Winter Sale! Saturday & Sunday, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., 123 Main St.
• Cape Ann Lanes/Laneside Pub & Brewery Special Offer! Buy-1, Get-one-free hot cocoa in our Winter Wonderland Beer Garden OR 10% off bowling and food after 4:00 p.m. Offer good all weekend! 53 Gloucester Ave.

Pre-Salty! GLO-ARTs – Make Your Own Ice Sculpture, A Children’s Program

Join Sawyer Free Library and Gloucester Center for the Arts (GloArts) to make a collaborative ice sculpture for the 5th Annual Gloucester So Salty Festival! We’ll be making elements for the collaborative ice sculpture using food coloring, natural plants, and more. We’ll also talk about how to assemble our final sculpture. Once the elements freeze, you’re invited to come back on Friday, January 23 from 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. to help put out our ice sculpture art installation outside the library! Patrons ages 11-19 (grades 6-12) are welcome to participate in this event. Space is limited, so registration is required.

Saturday, January 17, 1:30—3:30 p.m.

Sawyer Free Library, 2 Dale Avenue, Gloucester

978-283-3331

Book online HERE

This deal expires January 31 2026so take advantage of our Repair More Save More Special.

Mention this Deal at the time of your appointment to save on services!

On Wednesday, January 21st, we’re proud to host a Beeman Elementary PTO Fundraiser, where 20% of ALL food sales will be donated directly back to Beeman Elementary PTO. That means every taco, burrito, chimichanga, and bite you enjoy helps support local students, teachers, and programs that make a real difference in our community.

📅 Wednesday, January 21

⏰ 4:30–9PM

🍽 Dine-In • Take-Out • Delivery

No tickets. No special menus. No extra steps.

Just show up, order your favorites, and you’re automatically giving back.

This is one of those nights where doing good is easy, skip cooking, gather with friends or family, and enjoy a meal that supports the people who make Gloucester such a special place to live and raise kids.

Whether you’re a Beeman family, a Machaca regular, or just someone who believes in supporting local schools, we’d love to see you. Every plate served helps strengthen our community, and we’re honored to be part of that.

Come hungry. Leave full.

And know that your dinner made a difference. ❤️

We’ll see you at Machaca. 

Meet Pudding! This big guy was picked up as a stray back in 2019, not much is known about his life before that. He was adopted out all those years ago but has made his way back to us, his family loved him but unfortunately Pudding wasn’t too fond of his feline brother and had to come spend some time with us, that is until he found you! Pudding hasn’t spent too much time with us here, and it’s safe to say he isn’t a fan of all the crazy commotion that shelter life brings. Pudding would do best in a quiet home without any other pets. He’s considered special needs because he’s believed to have had a polyp in his ear at some point, which caused him to have a slight head tilt, he also is FIV positive. Interested in having this big guy in your home, please stop on by and see if you have a connection!

Great news! We extended our New Year’s adoption special and waived the adoption fee for Pudding to help him find his forever home soon!

Apply for Pudding today: capeannanimalaid.org/catapp

Thank you!

BreedDomestic Shorthair/Mix Age8 years 3 months 24 days GenderMale SizeLarge ColorBlack/White Spayed/NeuteredDeclawedNo HousetrainedYes Special Needs

______________________________________
Cape Ann Animal Aid

Christopher Cutler Rich Animal Shelter
4 Paws Lane
Gloucester, MA 01930

(978) 283-6055

www.CapeAnnAnimalAid.org

www.facebook.com/CapeAnnAnimalAid

If you needed a reason to brave the cold and hit downtown this winter, this is it.

During Gloucester’s So Salty Festival, Machaca is doing something we almost never do…

we’re opening for LUNCH.

📅 Saturday, January 24 & Sunday, January 25

🕛 Open 12–4:30PM 

While the city fills with ice sculptures, winter magic, and salty coastal vibes, we’ll be inside serving hot, crave-worthy comfort food that hits exactly when you need it most.

Yes, the Smashburger Is on the Lunch Menu 👀🍔

If you’ve heard the hype but haven’t stayed up late enough to try it, this is your moment.

Our Smashburger, normally a late-night favorite, will be available during lunch hours for So Salty weekend. No waiting until 9PM. No late night required. Just pure smashburger perfection when the sun is still up.

Alongside the Smashburger, we’ll also be serving:

• The Machaca Burger

• The Hawaiian Burger

Burger Special | Dine-In Only

The Perfect Winter Pit Stop ❄️

So Salty is all about exploring downtown, popping into shops, checking out the ice sculptures, and soaking up Gloucester’s winter energy. Machaca is your warm-up spot, grab lunch, thaw out, and refuel before heading back into the cold.

This is a limited-time, once-a-year kind of thing. If you’ve ever said, “I keep hearing about that Smashburger but…” this weekend is your chance.

Come for the ice.

Stay for the burgers.

And enjoy Machaca in a way you usually can’t.

We’ll see you next weekend. ❤️🔥

☎: 978.473.0922
💻: katelyn.ciaramitaro@evrealestate.com