Last night was the annual Stage Fort Welcoming Center re-opening party (see photos.) It’s tradition for Gloucester businesses to take 30 seconds to share new business news. I wish I wrote down everybody’s highlights. I didn’t. Please write back here to share the 2017 season Gloucester updates and special offers you mentioned last night or would have mentioned if you could have attended! We’ll make sure to fan them back out. A few businesses are transitioning to second generation family members at the helm. It’s exciting and positive to hear their news. Guess who?

Cape Ann Community Cinema and Gloucester Stage have some luminaries booked that will knock your socks off. Local fare accompanied the spiels thanks to Cape Ann Coffees, Gloucester House Restaurant, Beauport Hotel, Topside Grill, Captain Carlos, Castle Manor Inn Sea Glass Restaurant, and others.

We celebrate local culture, food and business daily in historic Gloucester.

That’s why GMG has a year round arts and events calendar, and another just for music. What if we decided upon the Same Saturdays once a month to call out some extra attention or add into special plans in the works? Gloucester Saturdays could be as simple as:  Participants would be invited to submit events ahead of time– pretty much along the lines of how everyone programs already. Restaurants. Shops. Galleries. Museums. Everybody. This recurring day would give some more time for people to plan ahead or work together. It doesn’t have to be rigid. It could encompass folks who want to open early (Lee’s!) or stay extra late (Short and Main Tiki bar!) We’re lucky to have a mix of operational styles.

But which Saturday? cue unofficial GMG poll (poll closes in less than a week)

 Double check the recurring annual events page to see if any of yours are missing. Some month for a Gloucester Literary Festival has been requested for years. January and February may be good months to consider.

Here’s more about the Saturday option from Gloucester’s downtown Harbortown cultural district and other downtown news:

“what do you think? There are numerous requests about downtown Gloucester committing to staying open late, ONE night each month, YEAR ROUND. The most recent request is from Jo Anne Chirico, owner of goodlinens, added into a list with suggestions back when the district was formed and in response to the first survey. The discussion also recently came up in the tourism commission. Lanesville, Annisquam, and Magnolia could be featured with their own night leading into that Saturday ( if not that Saturday.) If it were a Saturday, do you have a preference for First, 2^nd, 3^rd, or last Saturdays? Let us know.  Boston has First Fridays. Plymouth, MA, offers “first Saturdays” as does Lowell (leans mostly arts related businesses). Hillsborough plans for Last Fridays (primarily art walks). Newburyport has special events and art walks 4 nights a year. Gloucester has the 3 block parties. Some towns that program around one night or series use a signifier to indicate which businesses participate (window cling/sticker/lights on/etc). Rockport has a great solution in using their lovely lanterns NIGHTLY in season, like so Each summer (June-September), enjoy Rockport at Night where galleries and shops keep their doors open from 4-8 pm. From Main St. to Bearskin Neck–the town’s merchants welcome you with hors d’oeuvres, wine, and beverages while you enjoy the renowned talents of this creative Art Colony (participating shops will have a lantern hanging outside)”

OPPORTUNITY FOR DISTRICT Forwarded from the Mayor: There is a $500 fall-winter festival grant from the MCC.  St Peter’s Fiesta received one for this summer! Email possible suggestions by June 1. We’ll toss the list back out and decide together if there’s one to put forth as the district, or maybe there’s one that’s just right for a partner, as with St. Peter’s Fiesta.

From the MCC: Festivals Taking Place September 1, 2017 – February 28, 2018
Online application available: June 2017
Preliminary funding decisions begin: September 1, 2017
Application deadline: September 15, 2017 at 5 PM (ET)
Grants announced: October 2017 “Applications to the Festivals Program will be reviewed on a “first-received, first-reviewed” basis. Regional diversity will be taken into consideration as part of the application review process.”

Nutshell: It is hoped that the cultural district name will be shortened to Gloucester’s downtown cultural district, not Gloucester’s downtown Harbortown cultural district. Also, the footprint needs to be revised to reflect all downtown.  We wanted both those things from the outset, and that is the feedback we continue to receive. Loud and Clear!