In the News: Free ‘So Salty’ fest celebrates Gloucester

January 20, 2022 / Art and Music, Food and Drink, Good to Know, History/Maritime, In The News, Outdoor Adventures, Things to Do & See

Gloucester Daily Times | Written by Gail McCarthy | January 20, 2022

Gloucester is celebrating its “salty” character with a two-day festival weekend filled with many free events and activities on January 22 and 23. Learn more about this celebration in the Gloucester Daily Times article, Free ‘So Salty’ fest celebrates Gloucester.

Gloucester calls to mind many colorful impressions, including “salty” for its salty character and salty air, to name a few.

In celebrating the city’s unique nature, the Cape Ann Museum, partnering with several cultural institutions and businesses, is presenting the first “Gloucester’s So Salty” festival with many free events around town this weekend.

Gloucester’s So Salty will take place on Saturday, Jan. 22, and Sunday, Jan. 23, from 1 to 4 p.m.

Organizers note that this event was inspired by the annual Salem’s So Sweet event in February — which will celebrate 20 years next month — and hope this festival too will become an annual tradition for Gloucester.

Gloucester’s So Salty features ice sculptures, salty sweets for sale, free children’s art activities, and much more, to be discovered as participants stroll along Pleasant, Hancock, Main and Rogers streets.

“The Cape Ann Museum is committed to offering safe, engaging activities for our community in these challenging times,” said Oliver Barker, the museum director. “Throughout the pandemic, museums have been a haven where people can go to find comfort and inspiration. During Gloucester’s So Salty we plan to celebrate the strong character that makes this city great.”

Partners in this inaugural event include Art Haven, Movement Arts Gloucester MA (MAGMA), Maritime Gloucester, Dogtown Books, Discover Gloucester and the Gloucester Cultural Council.

No festival is complete without a selfie opportunity. Festival goers will find one in the museum’s courtyard where there will be an ice sculpture inspired by Virginia Lee Burton Demetrios’ design called “The Gossips.” Additionally, people are invited to help “spread the gossip” when they stop by participating businesses where they can write their own “Gratitude Gossip” and bring it to the ice sculpture for display in a sharing of good-hearted gossip in the spirit of Burton, an award-winning children’s author, artist and leader of the Folly Cove Designers.

There will be free art activities, and buoy pick-up from the Lobster Trap Tree, at Art Haven, 180B Main St.

The museum offers free admission where one also can create a “salty watercolor” in the studio at Cape Ann Museum, 27 Pleasant St.

Other highlights include:

Live ice sculpting with Brilliant Ice presented by the Gloucester Cultural Council at the I-4, C-2 lot next to Gloucester House from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday.

The Salt Shaker, a free drop-in dance workshop, from 3 to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at

Movement Arts Gloucester MA (MAGMA)

11 Pleasant St.

The Seaweed Scream: End the day on Saturday at 4 p.m. at the I-4, C-2 lot to release some tension in this “salty gathering and seaweed toss.”

Search the sidewalk for snippets of “salty poetry” from

Dogtown Books

and write your own poetry with chalk.

Additionally, the

Bookstore of Gloucester

will offer 10% off nautical-themed books and

Cape Ann Olive Oil