Salem Heritage Days starts this week!

Salem's Annual Heritage Days celebration begins on Friday evening August 6th and continues through Sunday, August 15th.

With over 40 different events, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

49 Annual Salem Heritage Days Begins August 6

Mayor Kimberley Driscoll today announced this year’s Heritage Days schedule of events to begin on Friday evening, August 6^th and continue through Sunday, August 15.

Mayor Driscoll stated, “Heritage Days has been a long standing tradition in Salem, and this year we have ten days of fun-filled events. With almost forty different activities to choose from, there is something for everyone to enjoy.”

To put everyone in a festive mood, Heritage Days kicks-off with a concert at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site on Derby Wharf featuring ‘Mango Blue’, a band that integrates a wide array of influences from rhythm and blues to jazz and funk.

Boys and girls get an early start on the first full day of Heritage Days events beginning with the Haunted City ‘Junior’ Triathlon at Salem Willows starting at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 7th, followed by the 22nd Annual Salem Maritime Festival, which celebrates four centuries of Salem maritime heritage of “Ships, Sawdust, Sailors and Song” that includes tours of the tall ship Friendship and four other visiting ships. This is a whole day's worth of free, family fun down at Derby Wharf.

What is really exciting is that there are nine new events that are terrific additions to the calendar this year. Two of them happen on the first Saturday of Heritage Days: Edsel Day on Salem Common where you will be able to view restored Edsels from around the USA as Salem hosts the 42^nd Edsel Owner’s Club National Meet. This is something you don’t see every day, so don’t miss the opportunity to view these unique cars; and a free showing of the movie ‘Breaking Away’ at CinemaSalem to get us ready for the Witches Cup Bicycle Race on Wednesday, August 11^th, another new addition to the Heritage Days schedule.

Other events new to Heritage Days include the Fire Department’s Public Safety Day; free tours of the Peabody Essex Museum’s Crowninshield-Bentley House, an Ice Cream Social at the Woman’s Friend Society; the 1^st Annual Salem Seersucker Bicycle Ride and Social; Coalition of Immokalee Workers Rolling Museum Exhibit; and Historic Salem Inc. Jazz Social aboard the Friendship.

Don’t worry, all your favorites are packed into the schedule: Mayor's Night Out Restaurant Sampler where you will be able to join Mayor Driscoll on a tour of three of Salem's hot dining spots – the newly opened Green Land Café, The Lyceum, and Vic’s Boat House at Victoria Station (this always sells out, so make your reservation early); Tour-A-Truck; The Dog Show, which will take place on Derby Wharf this year; Salem’s Best Pizza Contest, which is on a new night and at a different time – Monday, August 9^th from 5:00p.m. to 7:00 p.m.; the hottest event from last year, the Salem Community Concert Band and new this year, Jazz Band Concert down Salem Willows; the Ice Scream Bowl; Kids Night on the Common, the Essex Street Fair and the 9^th Annual Phillip House Antique Car Meet to name a few.

Salem Senior Recognition Days take place during Heritage Week which hosts eight different activities just for Salem Seniors from dances to picnics to free admission into most of Salem’s tourist attractions (see schedule for more details).

As part of the celebration, the City of Salem will double the merchant one-hour validation stamps at both garages, so spend a little bit longer enjoying downtown (some restrictions do apply).

Also, just for Salem residents, the Salem Ferry will take $2 off a ferry ticket Monday-Friday, August 9^th -13^th. If you haven’t been on the ferry yet, take advantage of this special offer and spend an August day on the water and experience coastal New England on a scenic, narrated trip aboard this high-speed catamaran – It’s way more than just a boat ride! (Restrictions do apply, proof of residency is required. Offer not valid during commuter runs.)

As we celebrate Salem being such a great place to live, work and visit, we would also like to pay tribute to one of our past Heritage Days Committee members and one of Salem’s much loved citizens Joseph A. ‘Pep’ Cornacchio, Sr. and dedicate Salem Heritage Days 2010 to his memory.

Mayor Kimberley Driscoll stated, “No one embodied Salem’s great sense of community and love for Salem more than Pep. You couldn’t attend a Heritage Days event without seeing Pep, whether it was on the Common, down at the Willows Shell or marching in a Heritage Days parade. So as you enjoy this week, just take a moment to think of some of the fond memories you have had seeing Pep around town and at Heritage Days activities of years past.”

Visit Salem.com for the complete schedule of events (PDF) or Salem.org to see Heritage Days events, as well as other events and programs planned in Salem this month.