Rockport has made the list of “Top 11 of most welcoming towns in Massachusetts,” published by WorldAtlas.com.
World Atlas said for those visiting the Bay State, Rockport is “a critical seaside destination for cute attractions and vibrance.”
“Visitors may find scenic Main Street and Bearskin Neck to be fantastic peninsular locales for everything lively and welcoming, as shoppers will always be greeted by store owners and residents while exploring chocolate delicacies and imported gifts at the tip of Cape Ann,” it went on. Receiving a shoutout is Feather & Wedge, a “hip local restaurant in the town, with its embracing charm that includes cocktail meals and granite walls provided by socially pleasing employees.”
“Rockport makes tourists and settlers feel like they traveled to a much simpler time in Massachusetts history,” World Atlas said.
Massachusetts has 351 cities and towns; other communities earning a spot on the Top 11 list are Concord, Lexington, Sandwich, Aquinnah, Marion, Provincetown, Stockbridge, Nantucket, Great Barrington and Wellfleet.
Scholars and musicians
Three Cape Ann residents have been attending college this fall as awardees of the Rockport Music Board of Trustees Scholarship, given to exemplary music students from Cape Ann and surrounding North Shore communities. The scholarships are given in honor of Susan Gray and Alec Dingee and Eve and Phil Cutter.
This year’s three awardees are:
Benji Koeplin is a graduate of Rockport High School, and a multi-instrumentalist. He started as a violist, switching to violin in elementary school, and is proficient at the piano, guitar, drums, and the vibraphone. He is attending Belmont University in Nashville, majoring in music business, with the goal of running a recording studio and becoming a producer. Koeplin was highly involved with activities at Rockport High, including the Jazz 1 honors ensemble, the Honors Orchestra, chamber music, the drama program, and the baseball team. In 2023, he was inducted into the Rockport High School’s Music Hall of Fame, which is the highest honor from the music department. He is well known for his community service, having volunteered as a youth soccer coach and using his music to show appreciation for the emergency responders of Rockport.
Finnian Mulkern is a bassist and graduate of Rockport High School. He is attending Berklee College of Music in Boston, majoring in performance. Equally comfortable on the upright bass and electric bass, he was a key participant in many Rockport High ensembles, including chamber music, jazz band, and orchestra. As the section leader in school’s orchestra, he led sectionals and was seen by his Rockport teachers and peers as a natural leader. He participated in the Cape Ann Jazz Workshop, and never hesitated to audition for a solo in school ensembles when the opportunity arose.
Aeneas Strozier is a bassist and graduate of Hamilton-Wenham High School. He is attending UMass Amherst’s College of Engineering and Honors College, and plans on adding a music related major or minor in the spring. In the meantime, he will be registering for as many music classes as possible! Strozier is a long time participant in the Cape Ann Jazz Workshop, won his school talent show with a new composition for piano, and was awarded best bassist overall in 2022 for the Massachusetts All State Orchestra. A leader in both academics and music, he is a finalist for the National Merit Scholarship, and has helped the concert and jazz bands excel as the bass player laying the strong sense of pulse and swing.
Founded in 1981 as the Rockport Chamber Music Festival, Rockport Music presents concerts and cultural events in the Shalin Liu Performance Center, 37 Main St. Its education and community outreach activities serve nearly 10,000 students and adults throughout Cape Ann and the North Shore annually.
Rockport Music is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and is supported in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council.