Gloucester Elks Fall Craft Show Today

Posted on by Pat D

Stop by the Gloucester Elks on Atlantic Road and browse the wonderful local vendors at their booths out in the parking lot (weather permitting). Pat D’s Photos will be there along with several other of your favorites including Donna Ardizzoni and others.

Join the Sawyer Free Library for the Relaunch of the Gloucester Lyceum

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

 ~ Sawyer Free Library ~ 

Placemaking: Our Library In Our Community with Ethan Kent

The Sawyer Free Library will officially relaunch the Gloucester Lyceum with a special event, Placemaking: Our Library In Our Community, featuring internationally renowned placemaking leader Ethan Kent, Executive Director of PlacemakingX.

The program will be held Thursday, October 23, 2025, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. in the Sawyer Free Library’s Community Room, 2 Dale Avenue, Gloucester. Free and open to the public, registration is required at sawyerfreelibrary.org. Space is limited.

The program will begin with remarks by Mr. Kent, followed by interactive conversations with fellow attendees throughout the various spaces of the newly renovated, expanded, and modernized Sawyer Free Library. The perspectives shared in these dialogues will inspire closing insights from Mr. Kent, allowing participants to reflect on how Gloucester can continue to build meaningful, inclusive spaces—starting with its newly reimagined Library.

“Placemaking is about strengthening the connection between people and the places they share,” said Ethan Kent. “It’s about making the spaces we live, the places we love.”

The Gloucester Lyceum: A Tradition Renewed

Founded in 1830, the Gloucester Lyceum once brought thought leaders such as Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau to Cape Ann. Today, the Sawyer Free Library’s relaunch builds on this proud tradition, offering marquee programs that bring contemporary voices into dialogue with the community.

“The relaunch of the Gloucester Lyceum is about renewing a proud tradition of bringing people together for public discourse within a collaborative forum. True to the notion that a lyceum is “where the city comes to think,” we are honored to welcome Ethan Kent as our first speaker in this new chapter. His work around the world embodies the very spirit of community dialogue and imagination that we hope to cultivate right here in Gloucester,” said Laura Ventimiglia, Chair of the Gloucester Lyceum. 

“Welcoming Ethan Kent to Gloucester to help relaunch our historic Lyceum is both timely and inspiring,” added Mern Sibley, President of the Board of Trustees of the Sawyer Free Library. “Our newly reimagined Library is the hub of the community—offering so much to so many. Ethan’s work demonstrates how meaningful public spaces can bring people together, foster belonging, and strengthen communities.”

About the Sawyer Free Library

For nearly 200 years, the Sawyer Free Library has served Gloucester as a hub of culture, learning, and civic life. Its newly renovated and expanded building continues this mission, providing equal access to resources and programs that support the community’s evolving needs.

For more information and to register for this special evening, visit sawyerfreelibrary.org. Space is limited, so register today!

Rafe’s Chasm

Posted on by Donna Ardizzoni

Since we live in Magnolia Village of Gloucester, walking to Rafe’s Chasm is another blessing.  The woods open up to a beautiful ocean view.

https://capeanntrailstewards.org/page-18148

Rafe’s Chasm, ~10 Ac.

Permanently protected by the City of Gloucester.

Trail Difficulty: Easy to Moderate

Length:

Rafe’s Chasm Park was sold by the Trustees of Reservation in 1959 to the City of Gloucester for one dollar.

This 10 acre park runs from Hesperus Avenue to the rock along the shoreline, with views of Norman’s Woe rock to the northeast and Kettle Island to the southwest.

Rafe’s Chasm is located on private land about fifty yards outside of Rafe’s Chasm Park. PLEASE OBSERVE ALL “PRIVATE PROPERTY” POSTINGS.

Originally identified as Rafe’s Crack, this large rock fissure was finally noted as Rafe’s Chasm on maps beginning in the 1850s.

It is said that the name comes from a freed slave named Ralph who settled near the Chasm and built many of the rock walls that remain along HesperusAvenue.

Visiting the chasm became a popular tourist attraction after the Civil War.

 

Surfside Subs and Pizza Saturday 10/4 🍕🍔

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

𝓣𝓸𝓭𝓪𝔂’𝓼 𝓢𝓹𝓮𝓬𝓲𝓪𝓵𝓼
🍕Buy any 18” Pizza get an 18” Cheese for $5
🍕Buy any 16” Pizza get a 16” Cheese for $5

🎉Additional Specials for today!
🦞$13.99 Lobster Rolls
🍔 $4.99 cheeseburgers w/ Chips & Pickles

ALSO FOR LONG BEACH DAIRY 🍦

🚨🚨🚨Half Off Special for 10/4🚨🚨🚨
Vermont Maple Cremee
Sprinkled with Maple Sugar
and
Pumpkin Soft Serve
🍁🍦🎃🍦

Half off only on these two flavors for soft serve, special subject to change

Cozy Dinner at 525 Magnolia

Posted on by Pat D

As you know, I’ve been away for several days so upon return, I was craving a cozy meal in a location where “everybody knows your name”. The 525 Tavern on Lexington in Magnolia fit the bill perfectly following an afternoon at the shop. I ordered a margarita and Jim got some wine. We had chicken parm and shrimp scampi done to perfection. (Look at those shrimp!). Tammy and Larry told us they are currently changing over to a fall menu so we’ll be on the lookout for new items. I also had the 525 coffee for my dessert…..yummmmm. Thank you Phil for being a great server and thanks Tammy and Larry for another wonderful dining experience.

Thank you to Gloucester DPW for stepping up during the recycling crisis

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Gloucester DPW-

“That’s a wrap! 🎉 The DPW’s Recycle Beach has officially closed and clean up is complete! 🌊 Now back to business as usual. Hopefully, we will never have to set up a recycling drop-off again! ♻️ Together, we were able to keep this service running during the labor strike. Thank you for your support! 🙌 #RecycleBeach #CommunityEffort #Sustainability #ThankYou”

Bouquet Sale

Posted on by Donna Ardizzoni

Thank you, Generous Gardeners, for all your hard work and the beautiful flowers.

 

 

The most beautiful event of the year is the

Generous Gardeners

Stacy Boulevard Dahlia Bouquet Sale

Saturday October 4th at 10:00 by the tennis courts

Generous Gardeners volunteers will be cutting and arranging the amazing dahlias for sale to the public Saturday morning. The flowers will be in vases or plastic sleeves for you to transport home. The dahlias are spectacular this year, so be sure to see the show of flowers before this event. Arrangements will not be set aside or pre-sold.

We do expect the flowers to continue blooming, so if you cannot make it this Saturday, after October 11th, find Antonietta on the boulevard (or call or text her at the number below) over the next few weeks and she will make individual arrangements for you to purchase up until first frost. The dahlias need to recover from this big cutting so this will not be until a week after the sale. After that we will be digging out the plants to store for the winter. We will not be selling tubers this fall. Any extra dahlia tubers will be sold at our spring plant sale that is always the Saturday before Memorial Day.

Thank you for your support.

Susan Kelly

781-346-1363

Antonietta Calabrese

978-907-2675

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Flowers

Posted on by Donna Ardizzoni

The flowers on the Boulevard, get more and more beautiful every time I walk Stacy Boulevard.  The colors are amazing, and we need to thank Generous Gardners every day.