A musical tidal wave is hitting Cape Ann this week with the kick-off of two more annual summer events and continued weekly music in Gloucester and Rockport.
The Harbor Loop Summer Concert Series kicks off Thursday, July 11, in collaboration with the city of Gloucester and in partnership with Discover Gloucester. The bands kicking off the series are The Carnivals and Lense. The music on Harbor Loop, located off of Rogers Street, runs from 5:30-9:30 p.m. every Thursday through Aug. 29. Those attending can sit on the hill, bring a picnic, blankets or chairs and enjoy the show at this family-friendly concert overlooking Gloucester’s Inner Harbor.
Food is available from Ross Franklin’s 5-Star Phresh Phood food truck, with tacos, tater tots and more.
On Thursday, July 18, will be Jim-n-Tonic and a surprise performance with a national touring band that will be announced next week.
Organizers wanted to thank returning sponsors whose contributions continue to make these concerts free: Institution for Savings, Cape Ann Savings, Brookline Bank, Neptune’s Harvest, Noble Electric, and Cape Ann Lanes; and new sponsors Applied Materials and Starbird Dispensary.
For details, visit the Facebook page “Harbor Loop Summer Concert Series.”
Also taking place the same day is the return of Culture Splash from 4-7p.m. in the city’s two cultural districts with all kinds of fine arts and performers. A free water shuttle will run 4-8 p.m. to transport “Splashers” between the two cultural districts. For details, visit discovergloucester.com.
Cape Ann Museum is among the participating organizations and it too shares music. Its CAM Courtyard Concerts during the Culture Splash Thursdays feature local and regional musicians from 5-6:30 p.m. The museum offers free admission during Culture Splash from 4-6:30 p.m. Limited outdoor seating will be provided by the museum, or bring a lawn chair.
Music is also a component of Gloucester’s Summer Block Parties, with the first kicking off Saturday, July 13, from 6-10 p.m. along Main Street where there will be live outdoor entertainment and street performers for a family-friendly evening. The Block Parties also offer local shopping, restaurants and food trucks.
Then on Sunday at Stage Fort Park, the concerts at the bandstand continue throughout the summer, and this week features the seven-piece Horizon & The Horns, with its pop-hits music program, on July 14 at 6:30 p.m. at the Antonio Gentile Bandstand. For details on all summer concerts, visit: https://davidlbenjamin.com.
Two music series in Rockport
The Rockport Legion Band, with director Bob Rick, will perform its second free concert of its 91st year on Sunday, July 14, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Back Beach Bandstand on Beach St., Rockport. This is the annual Teddy Bear’s Picnic concert, which will feature the Gloucester Student Band, under the direction of Jamie Klopotoski. The series claims to have the best popcorn in Massachusetts and children are especially welcome. Children under 12 with a teddy bear or favorite stuffed animal will get a free box of popcorn. Folding chairs and blankets are suggested.
This week’s concert program includes favorites like “Sweet Caroline,” “Eye of the Tiger,” “Captain America March,” “How to Train Your Dragon,” Taylor Swift’s “Shake it Off,” “Barbie’s World,” and “Frozen,” among others. For details, visit: https://rockportlegionband.org.
Then on Mondays evenings are the weekly concerts at the same venue. This week on July 15 starting at 6:30 p.m. will be Funbucket. For details on the season, go to the Facebook page of “Music at the Beach.”
An innovative “Midsummer Night’s Dream”
Lanes Coven Theater Co. presents “Midsummer Night’s Dream” by William Shakespeare for a two-week run from July 13 to July 28 at the tented outdoor stage at Windhover Performing Arts Center, at 257R Granite St. in Rockport. The show is directed by Lily Narbonne.
“This is a stunning re-imagination of ‘Midsummer’ like you’ve never seen. Whether it’s your first time or tenth time seeing this tale, expect the unexpected. Rediscover the magic, romance, and fairy kingdom through the Bard’s timeless words, surrounded by the forest of Cape Ann,” according to a program statement.
Justin Genna plays Oberon. Adrianna Mitchell and Kadeem Ali Harris return (after playing Lady Macbeth and MacDuff in the Lanes Coven 2022 production of Macbeth) as Titania and Bottom; Eryn O’Sullivan returns as Helena; Max McNamara as Lysander; Malachi Rosen as Peter Quince. New to Lanes Coven are: Eliza Fichter, Julia Hertzberg and Nate Stephenson. For the first year, Lanes Coven has an Educational Acting Internship program, all from Cape Ann: Ella Mooradian, Mia Contilli and Nate Oaks.
For details and tickets, visit: lanescoven.com.
Humor and Art
The Rocky Neck Art Colony opens a new exhibit, “What’s So Funny?,” a juried exhibition of recent work by 43 artists from seven states at the Cultural Center at Rocky Neck, 6 Wonson St., Gloucester.
“Humor in art serves many purposes — as a light moment in dark times, as a commentary to illuminate or challenge, or simply as a small treat, a bit of candy. Employing a rich variety of media and techniques, including painting, photography, sculpture, installation and stop motion animation, these artists poke fun, elicit cheap laughs, and expose truths…Come, figure out what’s so funny, and laugh with us,” according to an exhibit statement.
The public is invited to an opening reception on Sunday, July 14, from 5 to 7 p.m.
Colleene Fesko, a Boston-based fine art and antiques appraiser, served as juror. The exhibiting srtists are: John Bassett, Jennifer Blesso, Katie Bull, Mike Cangemi, Betsy Carter, Katherine Coakley, Yhanna Coffin, Michael Costello, Debra Damon, Andrew Dixon, Cheryl Dyment, Liz Sibley Fletcher, Rebecca Flores-Mantilla, Seth Goldfine, Laura Green, Blyth Hazen, Kata Hull, Emily Lombardo, Brendan MacAllister, Andy Matlow, Judith-Grace Miller, Evan Morse, Judi Muscara-Orfanos, Greg Orfanos, R.Ellis Orrall, Sarah Marcella Parella, Christy Park, Jennifer Pinck, Jonathan Pinto, Howard Pohl, Dennis Poitras, Hans Pundt, Judy Robinson-Cox, Tom Robinson-Cox, Mia Rosenblatt Tinkjian, Lynn Sausele, Andrew Steinberg, Dana Telsrow, Suzanne Ulrich, Jake Ursino, Karen Watson, Christine Whalen-Waller and James Wickey.
The show runs through Aug. 25. In a related program, “Laughs from the Past” movie night will be held on Aug. 3. For details, visit: rockyneckartcolony.org.
Other art events
Jane Deering Gallery at 19 Pleasant St., Gloucester presents an exhibit featuring the work of Vincent Castagnacci in “Variations on the rock that is Cape Ann.” There is a public opening reception on Thursday, July 11 from 5 to 7 p.m.; and because it is Gloucester’s Culture Splash, the opening event features a guest musician, Matt Jenson, who will perform at the reception.
Born in Providence, Rhode Island, Castagnacci is a painter with studios in Pinckney, Michigan and earlier in Gloucester. From 1959 to 1962 he studied drawing, painting, printmaking at the Boston Museum School and drawing and sculpture with George Demetrios in Boston and Gloucester. He later earned a master’s of fine art at Yale University, and joined the University of Michigan faculty in 1973. In 1980, he was awarded a grant from the American Academy in Rome where he was a visiting artist for nine months, according to his bio.
The exhibition runs through July 28. Hours are Friday and Saturday, from 1 to 5 p.m., and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. and by appointment, 917-902-4359.
Cape Ann’s Jon Sarkin will open a maritime art show of new works, with a midsummer reception, on Saturday July 13 at 7 p.m. at his Fish City Studios at 39 Main St. in downtown Gloucester. The show is open daily through Labor Day. For more information, visit: jonsarkin.com.
The next Rockport 2nd Saturday Art Walk takes place on Saturday, July 13, from 5 to 8 p.m. when 25 fine art galleries will be open with refreshments and new art to share, all within easy walking distance in Rockport’s historic downtown. Participating galleries will display the 2nd Saturday banner at their door.
Around the corner: ‘Irish in the Fort’
The Sawyer Free Library welcomes local author Anne Power Parsons next Thursday, July 18. From 5:30-6:30 p.m. she’ll talk about “The Irish in the Fort,” her contribution to the Gloucester 400 Stories Project. She will share her family story and research about the vibrant community of Irish fishermen and their families living in the Fort from the mid-1800s to the early 1900s. The event is at the library at 21 Main St. in downtown Gloucester. All are welcome. To register, visit: sawyerfreelibrary.org.
Parsons grew up in Gloucester and became intrigued with her Irish family history, thanks partly to a collection of letters written by her father, Donald Maurice Power. In addition to describing their family history, the letters revealed glimpses of the community of Irish fishermen and their families living in the Fort during this period.
The event is free to attend at the Sawyer Free Library at 21 Main St. in Gloucester. For more information, visit sawyerfreelibrary.org or call, 978-325-5500.
Around Cape Ann is a column devoted to events happening on Cape Ann and artists from Cape Ann performing elsewhere. If you would like to submit an item, contact reporter Gail McCarthy at 978-675-2706 or gmccarthy@gloucestertimes.com at least two weeks in advance.