Free Family Fun

The Salem Maritime Festival is all about Ships, Sawdust, Sailors, and Song, but, being a mother, I like to headline the fact that it's free family fun!  And the fun is educational, and the education is fun, so it's a painless way to spend a beautiful Saturday - and Friday night - with your family on Derby Wharf.

It all starts tonight with a free concert by Coyote Run, an awesome Celtic Rock band, so bring a blanket, a picnic (or at least an ice cream cone) down to Derby Wharf to listen and dance. 6:30 - 9:00 PM. 

Here's what we have to look forward to on Saturday: 

EVENTS

• Free Harbor Cruise Ticket Drawings: 9am(Central Wharf Ticket Booth)
• Free Harbor Cruises: 10am - 1pm
• Seaside Kite-flying: 10am - 4pm
• NE Aquarium Tide Pool Exhibit: 11am - 2pm
• Face Painting: 12noon - 3pm
• Muck Walk, Life at Low Tide: 12noon, 2pm
• Hayrides around Historic Salem: 1 - 4pm
• The Rebel Shakespeare Company: 1pm, 3pm
• The Weebluets, Scottish Dancers: 2pm 

All DAY 

Live Music (Schedule)

Friendship of Salem Tours & Demonstrations
USS Constitution Master Gun Drills
USCG 47' Motor Life Boat Tours
Canoe and Kayak Rides
Hands-on! Jolly Boat Sea Adventures
Traditional Craft Demonstrations
Special Children's Jr. Ranger Program
Boat building, Kite-flying and a Muck Walk!
Roving Storytellers

Experience the Salem waterfront as it was in its early seaport heyday!

Land Ho! Set your course for the 2011 Salem Maritime Festival

A Celebration of Four Centuries of Salem’s Maritime Heritage in “Ships, Sawdust, Sailors & Song” on Friday, August 5 and Saturday, August 6.

SALEM MARITIME FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

Friday, August 5th, 6:30-9 pm

Sunset Concert on Historic Derby Wharf featuring the exciting, contemporary Celtic rock band, Coyote Run 

Saturday, August 6th, 10am-5pm - Free Family Fun All Day!

 

Free Harbor Cruises!

Friendship of Salem Tours & Demonstrations

USS Constitution Master Gun Drill Team

USCG 47’ Motor Life Boat Tours

NE Aquarium Tide Pool Exhibit

Free Canoe, Kayak, Jolly Boat Rides, Hands-on! Sea Adventures

Horse-drawn Hayrides around Historic Salem (1:00 – 4:00pm)

Roving Storytellers, Craft Demonstrations

Boat building, Face Painting, Kite-flying and a Muck Walk!

SALEM MARITIME LIVE MUSIC SCHEDULE

Friday, August 5th 6:30 – 9:00pm

Sunset Concert on the Salem Waterfront featuring Coyote Run, with picnicking by the waterside and dancing under the stars. Coyote Run, a very contemporary Celtic rock band blends a marvelously eclectic Celt set list with their ancient earthy vibe for a lavish musical feast of harmony and rhythm. 

Saturday, August 6th 11:00am – 5:00pm

11:00 am: Ben Rudnick & Friends

12:30 pm: Three Sheets to the Wind

1:30 pm: Whose Muddy Shoes 

2:30 pm: New Bedford Harbor Sea Chantey Chorus

3:30 pm: The Love Dog

MORE ABOUT THE FESTIVAL 

Presented by the Salem Maritime, the National Park in Salem, the 23nd annual Salem Maritime Festival will host an exciting array of free family fun festivities, including live music, traditional craft demonstrations and seaport trade exhibits, story-telling, and much more!  The centerpiece of this year’s celebration will be the Friendship of Salem, a replica of 1797 merchant vessel that will host the NPS Junior Ranger Program for children. Visiting ships include a U.S. Coast Guard 47’ Motor Life Boat, Schooner Fame of Salem, which is a full-scale replica of a once famous Chebacco fishing schooner, the Vessel Finback offering the HOBBES onboard marine ecology program, Lewis H. Story, the flagship of the Essex Shipbuilding Museum with a fleet of kayaks, canoes, jolly boat, duck boats and radio-controlled model boats on display. Free 90-minute harbor cruises will be offered starting at 9am on the Schooner Fame of Salem and Vessel Finback (see website for Ticket Drawing information). Free kayak, canoe and jolly boat rides will be offered 10am – 4pm. Come celebrate four centuries of Salem maritime history at: www.nps.gov/sama.

Pictures from the Salem Maritime Festival

Yesterday's Salem Maritime Festival was fantastic. There were wharves filled with activity and family fun, including schooner sails, remote boat races, wooden boat decorating, kite making (and kite flying), face painting, henna tattooing, reenactors, cannon firing, and 19th century lawn games to play.

And music! There was music! Hundreds went to the opening concert on Friday night, and the bands that played through the day had people dancing under the tent.

Here are some of my pictures from this annual day of Free Family Fun...

Lawn Bowling (a'la 1804)

The Lewis Story, visiting from Ipswich.

Learning from a local lobsterman.

Tall Ship Friendship and Pedrick's Warehouse

USS Constitution Drill Team demonstrating a cannon firing drill.

Provisions, trade, costume... a look into history.

For more information on the Salem Maritime Festival and the Salem Maritime National Historic site, visit nps.gov/sama.

This week is Salem Heritage Days... don't miss the Pizza Contest on Monday night and the Ice Cream Bowl on Tuesday! You can view a PDF of the schedule of Heritage Events here.

Set your course for the Salem Maritime Festival this weekend!

Set Your Course for Salem Maritime National Historic Site This Friday and Saturday, August 6 & 7

Salem Maritime Festival is happening this weekend, kicking off on Friday with Mango Blue, in an outdoor evening concert of Afro-Latin world music, integrating rhythm & blues, jazz, funk and Caribbean influences. Saturday is free family fun day, with a wide array of waterfront activities to delight visitors of all ages. Come celebrate four centuries of Maritime heritage at your National Park in Salem! For a complete schedule, visit the NPS website.

FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS

Free Harbor Cruises on the schooner Thomas E. Lannon of Gloucester, schooner Fame and vessel Finback of Salem.

9:00am - Central Wharf ticket booth opens
All Festival visitors are invited to enter the drawings for a ride on the ship of their choice. Random drawings will be held 30 minutes prior to each departure. Ticketed passengers (only) should be prepared for immediate departure down the Central Wharf gangway, and will come aboard, meet the crew and join in the hands-on activities. All children under the age of 16 years must be accompanied by an adult. Scheduled departures for the 90-minute boat rides are:
10:00 am - Fame (Ticket drawing at 9:30am)
10:15 am - Finback (Ticket drawing at 9:45am)
10:45 am - Thomas E. Lannon (Ticket drwg at 10:15am)
11:45 am - Fame (Ticket drawing at 11:15am)
12:00 noon - Finback (Ticket drawing at 11:30am)
1:30 pm - Fame (Ticket drawing at 1:00pm)

Kayak Trips
Rock, Paddle Surf will be providing kayaks for short trips in the harbor, and partnering with the Coast Guard Auxiliary on paddling safety.

Rowing Trips
Friendship's jolly boat will also be hosting short rowing trips in the harbor on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Live Music Program
11am-1pm Warszawiaki Orchestra
1-3pm Sharks Come Cruisin'
3-5pm New Bedford Harbor Sea Chantey Chorus

Special Exhibit
Presented by Excelerate Energy, a marine life detection Research Buoy protecting marine mammals & right whales

PLUS!

Friendship of Salem open house
USS Constitution Master Drill Team
Sea-faring trade demonstrations of boatbuilding, coopering, rope making, cargo loading, sail-setting
17c Homes
Historical reenactments
Traditional crafts
Model Boats
Lobstering demonstrations
Small Boats exhibit

CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES

National Park Service Junior Ranger Program
Seaside kite flying
Environmental "Muck Walks"
Model boat building
Colonial Games
Face-painting
Fish printing
Horse-drawn wagon rides and more!

The Festival is organized by the National Park Service and Salem Maritime Festival Committee, with logistical support from the Salem Chamber of Commerce, Essex National Heritage Commission, the City of Salem and Derby Street Neighborhood Association.

To date, sponsors for this program include:
Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation
Excelerate Energy
1805 Custom House Realty Trust
Beverly Cooperative Bank
Shetland Park
Best Maps/Haunted Happenings.com
Fred J. Dion Yacht Yard, Inc.
Hawthorne Cove Marina
Instant Signal and Alarm
Michaud & Raymond Oil, Inc.
Salem Five Charitable Foundation
Salem Witch Museum
The Salem Inn
Bouchard and Sons

For more information, visit us on the web at nps.gov/sama or call 978-740-1650.

National Park Service prepares for the return of Friendship of Salem!

National Park Service Superintendent Patricia S. Trap announced today that Friendship of Salem is sailing home. "It is time to celebrate. Friendship is in the water and if the weather holds, we invite the community to join us Sunday, November 22nd, shortly after 2:30 pm on historic Derby Wharf to wave her home."

Part of the Salem Maritime National Historic Site, Friendship has been under repair at Boothbay Harbor Shipyard since May. She was launched off the marine railway on Thursday, November 19, 2009. Since then, the Friendship crew has been hard at work getting the ship ready to set sail home.

"We plan to depart Boothbay on Saturday, November 21, with an anticipated arrival during high tide on Sunday, November 22nd," confirmed the Chief of the Marine Divison, Colleen Bruce. "Inclement weather can delay her departure and subsequent arrival, so we suggest that anyone interested in welcoming our ship home to first check the park's website (nps.gov/sama) or contact the National Park Service Visitor Center at 978-740-1650," she urged.

To celebrate her arrival, the National Park Service will distribute a free, commemorative handkerchief to the first 75 people. The hankies will be distributed from the National Park Service Orientation Center at 193 Derby Street starting at 1 pm on the day of Friendship's arrival.

In the 18th century, family and friends would gather on the wharf and wave their hankies as a ship arrived home after an extended absence. "Waving the ship into port is both a fitting tribute to her homecoming and a great way to commemorate Salem's rich maritime heritage," stated Trap.

Kalmar Nyckel is in port

The Kalmar Nyckel, a replica of a 1638 colonial ship that first voyaged to the New World in 1638, is in port in Salem! She is berthed at Central Wharf at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site for the weekend. She will be open to the public for tours on Saturday, August 1st.

The Kalmar Nyckel brought 24 settlers of Swedish, Finnish, German and Dutch descent to establish the first permanent European settlement in the Delaware Valley. She made a total of four round trip crossings of the Atlantic - more than any other ship of that era.

For more information on the Kalmar Nyckel, visit http://www.kalmarnyckel.org/.For more information on the Salem Maritime Festival - "Free family fun featuring ships, sawdust, sailors and song" - visit nps.gov/sama.

I took these pictures of the Kalmar Nyckel

on Thursday afternoon.

Salem Maritime Festival, Salem Heritage Days Start this Weekend

Mark - or should I say, clear - your calendars because Salem Heritage Days start this weekend! The complete schedule of events for Heritage Days can be found on Salem.org and Salem.com.

Good news for shoppers! In hopes you will be encouraged to spend a little longer in Salem, the City is giving you more time in the parking garages and Church Street lot! One-hour validation stamps will be worth double in the Church Street Parking Lot, Museum Place Garage, and South Harbor Garage, so you can spend a bit longer enjoying downtown. Many retailers and restaurants offer validation stamps, so make sure to inquire when you are making purchases.

If you forget to get a validation ticket, parking in these three locations is $1.50 per hour.

The Salem Maritime Festival kicks off Heritage Days this weekend with free family fun on July 31 and August 1 at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site. On Friday night, there will be a free concert featuring Entrain at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site. On Saturday the park will feature free events, crafts and trades demonstrations, and activities for families.

Our tall ship Friendship is out of port for some renovation work, but we will be visited by the Kalmar Nyckel from Delaware. The Kalmar Nyckel will be docked on Central Wharf this weekend, and she will be open for tours on August 1. Kalmar Nyckel was one of America's pioneering colonial ships, whose historical significance rivals that of the Mayflower, though never been widely told. Her first voyage to the New World in 1638 World brought 24 settlers of Swedish, Finnish, German and Dutch descent to establish the first permanent European settlement in the Delaware Valley. She made a total of four round trip crossings of the Atlantic-more than any other ship of the era. The replica of the Dutch-built pinnace has been sailing since 1998 as a goodwill ambassador and educational outreach for the Kalmar Nyckel Foundation and the State of Delaware.

And that's just the beginning! Heritage Days is 10 days of music, food, street fairs, special events, and fun. Hope you can join us!

Friendship will be away from port for two more months...

This information came out on Friday. We hope repairs move swiftly and that Friendship will be home in Salem soon.

If you are planning to come to the Salem Maritime Festival on July 31-August, 1, the Kalmar Nyckel will be in port and tours of the visiting vessel will be available. Click here for more information on the Salem Maritime Festival.

Here's the information on Tall Ship Friendship:

Salem Maritime National Historic Site today announced that the tall ship Friendship of Salem will not be at the Salem Maritime Festival, July 31-Aug 1, or making her much-anticipated trip to Newburyport’s Yankee Homecoming, August 13-16. “We are very disappointed that Friendship has not been able to sail this summer, as we had planned one of our most exciting sailing seasons so far,” said Salem Maritime Superintendent Patricia Trap. “However, ensuring the safety of the ship, her crew, and the visitors we hope to welcome aboard as passengers in the near future is our top priority. We want Friendship to be afloat at Derby Wharf and sailing as an ambassador for the National Park Service, the Essex National Heritage Area, and the City of Salem for years to come.”

Friendship traveled up to Boothbay Harbor Shipyard in early June to be hauled out for routine inspection and maintenance. Close inspection discovered rot in the bow of the ship that will necessitate extensive repairs. “Rot prevention and removal is a constant process on a wooden vessel.” said National Park Service rigger Jeremy Bumagin, who is the chief mate for the vessel, “and to this end, when the ship is in port you will see our carpenter John Pyndynkowski and our dedicated volunteers replacing weakened wood and making sure that the exposed wood is painted, sealed or oiled to minimize water infiltration. But in this instance, we had more water infiltration than we anticipated.”

Repairs are currently anticipated to take another two months, although the final schedule has not yet been determined. It is hoped that Friendship will be back at Derby Wharf in September. For updates on the ship’s status, please visit the “Friendship Sailing Schedule” page on Salem Maritime’s web site, www.nps.gov/sama.

NPS Photo: Friendship in dry dock, Boothbay Harbor, Maine, June 2009.

Free Family Fun!

The 20th Annual Salem Maritime Festival kicks off the annual Salem Heritage Days this weekend.

The Maritime Festival will kick off on historic Derby Wharf at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site on Friday, August 1, 2008 with a free concert featuring Entrain, the eclectic Martha’s Vineyard-based six-piece band. Entrain will bring their unique combination of rock, blues, calypso, zydeco, jazz and funk to Derby Wharf from 7-9 PM.

The free Maritime Festival will present its usual mixture of traditional craft demonstrations, children’s activities, and demonstrations aboard the National Park Service’s tall ship Friendship on Saturday, August 2, 2008 from 10 AM to 6 PM and from noon to 5 PM on Sunday, August 3.

The musical line-up will include maritime music groups like Atwater& Donnelly and the New Bedford Sea Chantey Chorus that are maintaining traditional forms, as well as groups like Sharks Come Cruisin’, who are reinterpreting traditional sea chanteys with a rock and blues sound. The Maritime Festival will also showcase the best local talent along with groups from around New England, including Buddy Walker and his band, the New Hampshire-based rock, funk, and reggae Casual Labor Band, and Rhode-Island based maritime singer-songwriter Jon Campbell.

The Salem Maritime Festival is free and open to the public. It will take place on Derby Wharf at Salem Maritime National Historic Site on Saturday August 2 from 10-6 and Sunday, August 3 from 12-5. For more information and directions to the venue, please visit the Salem Maritime National Historic Site web site at www.nps.gov/sama.

Music Schedule for the 20th Annual Salem Maritime Festival

Friday, August 1st

7-9pm: Evening concert by Entrain, the eclectic Martha’s Vineyard-based six-piece band playing rock, blues, calypso, zydeco, jazz and funk.

Saturday, August 2nd

10 am taped music

11 am-1 pm: Orville Giddings Band—rock and blues

1 pm-2pm: Jon Campbell—contemporary maritime music

2 pm-3pm: Casual Labor Band—rock, classic rock, southern rock, pop, funk and reggae,

3 pm-4pm: Warszawiaki Orchestra—traditional Polish music

4 pm-6 pm: Shark’s Come Cruisin’—punk rock maritime music

6 pm-9 pm: Evening Concert by Squeeze Box Stompers—cajun, zydeco, and country blues

Sunday, August 3rd

12 noon-2 pm: New Bedford Harbor Sea Chantey Chorus

2 pm-3pm: Michael O’Leary and the Stroms - sea chanteys and Celtic music

3 pm-5pm: Atwater & Donnelly - traditional American folk music

For more information, visit the Salem Maritime National Historic Site web site at www.nps.gov/sama and the Maritime Festival Site at
http://www.nps.gov/sama/parknews/maritimefestival2008.htm.