Author: Donna Ardizzoni

Ardizzoni Photography, Business Manager, Grandmother, love living in Gloucester, love to swim, kayak, walk and of course take pictures. Our company does computer networking, Office Management, Medical Billing, transcription, networking software updates and virus protection

Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation-Music on Meetinghouse Green, July 9 John Baboian

Posted on by Donna Ardizzoni

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 1, 2021

JOHN BABOIAN ENSEMBLE KICKS OFF RETURN OF FREE FRIDAY CONCERTS ON THE GREEN
Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation opens the sixth season of Music on Meetinghouse Green on Friday, July 9 at 6:00 p.m. with famed guitarist John Baboian playing Jazz and Swing. Baboian’s ensemble is joined by renowned vocalist Sandi Bedrosian. The free outdoor concert will be held at the corner of Middle and Church Street with food available from the Causeway Restaurant. Free-will donations to support Pathways for Children, the evening’s featured local non-profit organization, will be requested. The 2021 summer music series is dedicated in memory of Harry Hintlian for his encouragement, generosity, and for making the Meetinghouse a net zero building.

John Baboian has shared the stage with a who’s who of music’s top vocalists and musicians for the last four decades. He has been on the faculty of the Berklee College of Music for more than 40 years and is well-known for his work in Jazz, Swing, Blues, Rock, R&B, Classical, Latin, and World music. In addition to his live concerts, television and radio appearances, Baboian is well known as a composer and educator  and has offered numerous international teaching clinics.

Baboian teams up with renowned vocalist Sandi Bedrosian for the July 9th concert on the Green. As a performer, Bedrosian is accomplished in Jazz, Swing, R&B, Classical, Top 40, Gospel and Liturgical music. She has starred in and directed numerous musical productions.

CONCERT DESCRIPTION
Music on Meetinghouse Green, now in its sixth season, features nine free Friday evening concerts with great music, favorite foods from local vendors, and benefits a different North Shore non-profit organization each week through free-will donations from the audience. Concert goers bring lawn chairs and blankets to spread out across the spacious green. Performances are handicap accessible, parking on the Green is limited to persons with disabilities only.

ABOUT THE GLOUCESTER MEETINGHOUSE FOUNDATION
Founded in 2015, the Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation is dedicated to preserving the landmark building as a civic hub, entertainment venue, and community center. In addition to its work to preserve the historic 1806 Meetinghouse, GMF is currently raising funds to restore Meetinghouse Green to provide a safe and more flexible outdoor concert and event venue. For more information about GMF, a full schedule of upcoming concerts, and to sign up for the GMF newsletter, visit www.gloucestermeetinghouse.org.

OUR SPONSORS
Thanks to our Sponsors all the series’ expenses, such as for the musicians, are pre-paid. 100% of the free-will donations go to our non-profit community partners.

Platinum              John & Janis Bell, J.J. & Jackie Bell, Cape Ann Savings Bank, J. Linzee Coolidge, Scobie Ward

Gold                      BOMCO, Michael & Mary Ann Bresnan, Landesign, Inc.

Silver                     Anonymous, Tom Burger & Andrée Robert, JoeAnn Hart & Gordon Baird, Pat Johnson & Jeff Henderson, Susan McKain & Ken Steiner, Charles Nazarian, John & Sandra Ronan

Bronze                  Jerry Ackerman, Karen Bell, Pamela Bynum & Henry Ferrara, Peter Calkins & Susan Casey, Frederick Cowan, Richard Gardner, Rev. Janet Parsons, Dick Prouty, Joe & Maggie Rosa, Peter & Kathleen Van Demark, Kathleen Williams, Sarah Willwerth-Dyer & Michael Dyer

 

Happy 4th of July, The Magnolia Community Farmers Market will be closed for the 4th of July

Posted on by Donna Ardizzoni

Just a reminder that the Magnolia Community Farmers Market will be closed for the fourth of July.  Enjoy your holiday.

 

Magnolia Community Farmers’ Market

Posted on by Donna Ardizzoni

Thank you all who came out of Sunday morning for the  Magnolia Community Farmers Market on Lexington Avenue, Magnolia, Gloucester, MA.   It was well attended and lots of fun.  Hope to see you all Sunday, June 27, 2021.   June 27, 2021 10 -1,  Lexington Avenue will be  alive with fun and great food and gifts.

Black Crowned Heron

Posted on by Donna Ardizzoni

Saw the pretty heron on Shore Road yesterday on my walk.  The heron just stood there knowing walkers were admiring this beautiful bird.

Music on Meetinghouse Green, Summer Music Festival 2021

Posted on by Donna Ardizzoni

PRESS RELEASE (for immediate release):

Music on Meetinghouse Green, Summer Music Festival 2021

This summer series is dedicated in memory of Harry Hintlian for his encouragement, generosity, and for making the Meetinghouse a net zero building. The free outdoor concerts resume live on the Green at the corner of Middle and Church Street starting July 9th on Friday evenings at 6:00pm. Join us for the festival’s sixth season of great music, raising funds for Cape Ann non-profits via free-will offerings, and delicious food available from local vendors. More info at: http://www.gloucestermeetinghouse.org

 Description:

This unique free summer music festival features a different popular musical ensemble at each Friday evening concert on Meetinghouse Green and benefits nine North Shore non-profits via free-will offerings from the audience. Bring lawn chairs, blankets and your favorite libation to enjoy the music and delicious food available from local vendors while supporting the local non-profit partner of the event with cash or check donations.

Performers:

The season again opens with the acclaimed John Baboian Ensemble from the Berklee School in support of Pathways for Children. Concerts offer a delightful medley of Jazz, Punk, Rock-n Roll, and Oldies from the 50s to the 70s. Some of this season’s offerings include:  What Time Is it Mr. Fox? with Brian King; singer Mari Martin; Willie Alexander’s Persistence of Memory Orchestra; The Goddesses; and The Cape Ann Big Band. The Middle Eastern group, Hye Fusion, returns with music ideal for line dancing and there are two newcomer ensembles to delight music-lovers: the internationally-acclaimed Klezmer band, Ezekiel’s Wheels and Vermont lyrical Folk duo, The Early Risers.

 Schedule:

DATE MUSICIANS NON-PROFIT PARTNER FOOD VENDOR
July 9 John Baboian Ensemble Pathways for Children Causeway
July 16 The Early Risers Backyard Growers Common Crow
July 23 Hye Fusion Maritime Gloucester Classic Cooks
July 30 The Goddesses Open Door Jalapeno’s
August 6 What Time Is It Mr. Fox? North Shore Health Project Maria’s Pizza
August 13 Mari Martin HAWC Jalapeno’s
August 20 Ezekiel’s Wheels Grace Center TBD
August 27 Willie Alexander’s Persistence of Memory Orchestra Gloucester Education Foundation TBD
September 10 Cape Ann Big Band Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation Causeway

Location, Time and More Info:

The Green in front of the Gloucester Meetinghouse is located at the intersection of Middle and Church Street. The program starts at 6:00PM and concludes around 8:30PM. Please consult www.gloucestermeetinghouse.org  for more information about the performers, non-profits and food vendors. Sign up for our email blasts to stay current, especially for contingency plans in case of bad weather. Note: parking on the Green is limited to a small area near Middle Street for persons with disabilities only.

Sponsors

Thanks to our Sponsors all the series’ expenses, such as for the musicians, are pre-paid. 100% of the free-will donations go to our non-profit community partners.

Platinum          John & Janis Bell, J.J. & Jackie Bell, Cape Ann Savings Bank, J. Linzee Coolidge, Scobie Ward

Gold                 BOMCO, Michael & Mary Ann Bresnan, Landesign, Inc.

Silver               Anonymous, Tom Burger & Andrée Robert, JoeAnn Hart & Gordon Baird, Pat Johnson & Jeff Henderson, Susan McKain & Ken Steiner, Charles Nazarian, John & Sandra Ronan

Bronze             Jerry Ackerman, Karen Bell, Pamela Bynum & Henry Ferrara, Peter Calkins & Susan Casey, Frederick Cowan, Richard Gardner, Rev. Janet Parsons, Dick Prouty, Joe & Maggie Rosa, Kathleen Williams, Sarah Willwerth-Dyer

Restoration of the Green Coming Up Soon!

After many years of neglect Meetinghouse Green is in need of a thorough restoration. Last year, summer series virtual audiences contributed $7,500 towards a Feasibility Study by the firm Landesign, Inc. to improve accessibility and enhance safety. The GMF is currently seeking large government and foundation grants plus individual donations to fund this over $200K project, slated to begin this fall and be completed in time for the 2022 summer series.

About the GMF

The Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit modeled upon the Old North Foundation in relation to Boston’s famous Old North Church.  Its mission is to preserve the landmark building as a civic hub, entertainment venue, and community center. The ongoing preservation of the building seeks to combine the highest standard of restoration with energy conservation techniques and has achieved a ‘net-zero’ building carbon footprint with the help of Reforest the Tropics and its climate-change initiative TownGreen/2025.

Building History and the Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation

Completed in 1806 for the first Universalist Church in America, the grand Federal Style, 600-seat Meetinghouse with a 110’ lantern steeple and Paul Revere Bell is a jewel in the heart of the Historic District. Now well into its third century serving the people of Cape Ann, its history is steeped in the establishment of religious freedom in Massachusetts and the Constitutional separation of church and state. Home of the present-day Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church and host to The Grace Center, the building is alive with activities like concerts, family-friendly entertainment, events, symposia and civic celebrations.