Berry Picking Permits Now Required at Parker River National Wildlife Refuge
August 27, 2008
Did you know that you can pick cranberries and beach plums at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge?
Well, you can, but you need to obtain a free permit before you do. The permit may be obtained free of charge at the Refuge headquarters and visitor center located at 6 Plum Island Turnpike, Newburyport or at the Refuge entrance gatehouse on Sunset Avenue, Newbury. Failing to obtain a permit prior to berry picking may result in a citation and fine.
2008 Newburyport Buskers Festival, Aug. 31 and Sept. 1
August 26, 2008
When: Sunday, August 31 and Monday, September 1, 11:00am – 5:00pmWhere: Downtown Newburyport and Market Square
If you’re looking for something to do this weekend and you want to be outdoors in Newburyport, then check out the 2008 Newburyport Buskers Festival, sponsored by the Greater Newburyport Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The two-day festival takes place on Sunday, August 31 and Monday, September 1 in Market Square and downtown Newburyport from 11:00 am – 5:00 pm.
What is a busker and what is busking? A good question. The short answer is “street performers.”
Wikipedia defines “busking” as follows: “Busking is the practice of performing in public places for tips and gratuities. People engaging in this practice are called buskers. Busking performances can be just about anything that people find entertaining. Buskers may do: acrobatics, animal tricks, balloon modelling, card tricks, clowning, comedy, contortions & escapes, dance, fire eating, fortune-telling, juggling, magic, mime and a mime variation where the artist performs as a living statue, musical performance, puppeteering, snake charming, storytelling or recite poetry or prose as a bard, street art (sketching and painting, etc.), street theatre, sword swallowing, or even present a flea circus.”
And we have seen most of these types of performances at the annual Newburyport Buskers Festival. Not sure about the snake charmer and actual flea circus events, but most of the others we have seen performed in Newburyport.
Newburyport’s Buskers Festival celebrates the American busking tradition. It is one of the only Buskers Festivals in the United States. Other great festivals are located in Canada, and international festivals in Italy, Singapore and New Zealand.
Labor Day Bird Watching For Beginners at Joppa Flats Education Center
August 25, 2008
When: Monday, September 1, 2008: 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.mWhere: Meet at the Joppa Flats Education Center, One Plum Island Turnpike, Newburyport
Cost: Pre-registration fee of $5 for Mass Audubon members: $7 for non-members.
Minimum age: 8 years. A parent or guardian must accompany children.
What’s That Bird? Birdwatching For Beginners.
On Labor Day, Monday, September 1, Mass Audubon’s Joppa Flats Education Center is offering special birdwatching trips for entry-level bird watchers. It happens to everyone. Something feathered flies by, shows up at your feeder, or lands by your beach towel, and suddenly it hits you: What is that bird?
You’re invited to ask that question and all the others you have about our avian friends on this guided trip around one of the best locations for seeing birds in New England.
This program is especially good for people who have little to no experience identifying birds, but everyone is welcome.
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One Affordable Housing Unit Available at the Foundry, Newburyport
August 25, 2008
The condominium, which is is one of the larger units in this 20-unit development located at located at 129 Merrimac St., is just a few blocks away from downtown.
The Department of Community Development is working with the state’s Department of Housing and Community Development to coordinate the sale of this unit to an income-eligible buyer. The maximum price for this unit is $211,695, with a condo fee of $237 per month.
Program manager Rosemary Coulombe is accepting applications for this unit. She can be reached at 978-465-4465.
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September 2008 Public Skating Schedule at Graf Rink
August 25, 2008
Here is the public skating and stick time schedule for the Graf Rink, Low Street, Newburyport for the rest of the month of September, 2008.
Sunday public skating at the Graf Rink returns starting September 7th from 2:00 to 3:45 p.m.
Note: The Graf Rink will be closed on Monday, September 1 for the Labor Day holiday.
Public Skating:
10:00 a.m to 11:45 a.m. – Monday through Friday
3:00 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. – Wednesday and Friday
2:00 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. – Sunday
Stick Time (16 and over):
12:00 p.m to 1:45 p.m. – Tuesday, Thursday and Friday
Fall Skating Lessons:
The Graf Rink, Low Street, Newburyport, is now accepting applications for its fall Learn to Skate and Tiny Tots programs beginning in September.
Classes will run on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday. Classes are available during the day, evening and on weekends. Spaces are limited!
For detailed information such as class times and cost please visit the Graf Rink website or call the office and request to have an application sent to you. Applications are also posted in the Graf Rink lobby.
All classes are taught by professional coaches who have been hired by North Shore Rink Management.
Birthday party packages as well as advertising opportunities are available at the Graf Rink. Please contact the rink at (978) 462-8112 or visit the Graf Rink website for more information.
Bloomberg.com Has Nice Review of Plum Island and Greater Newburyport
August 24, 2008
With that said, there is a nice online review of Plum Island and the Greater Newburyport region by Jeremy Gerard on Bloomberg.com., the New York-based international financial and information services concern.
Mr. Gerard and his wife recently explored Plum Island and Greater Newburyport during a three-night stay at blue: the inn on the beach at Plum Island. All in all they were favorably impressed with the quality of the inn and the fine shopping, the numerous places to dine, great beaches and natural resources available to them while they were here in the Newburyport region.
He describes the Plum Island/Newburyport area as an “under the radar” destination that slips by many tourists as they visit Cape Cod and other more popular tourist destinations along the New England seacoast.
The easy commute to Plum Island/Newburyport from Boston and the lack of traffic congestion were also highlighted in his article. The lobster rolls and chowder offered at Bob Lobster’s were hits with Mr. Gerard as well as a host of other local attractions and dining establishments.
Here are a list of the locations/dining spots that were named (all favorably by the way) in Mr. Gerard’s review:
- Bob Lobster (seafood and more; on the causeway (Plum Island Turnpike) to Plum Island)
- Mad Martha’s -breakfast on Plum Island
- Fowle’s- breakfast & lunch (including a wide selection of newspapers and magazines)
- Plum Island Grille – dining (Plum Island dining)
- 10 Center Street - dining (downtown Newburyport waterfront)
- The Blach Cow -dining (downtown Newburyport waterfront)
- Oldies Marketplace – antiques and all things used; a flea market
- Gram’s – ice cream in downtown Newburyport
The only gripe that Mr. Gerard had about his stay was the 20.7 percent room/service charge (includes a 15 percent gratuity and 5.7 percent tax) that is applied at blue: the inn on the beach. We have seen this same complaint expressed in other reviews of the inn. Perhaps management of the inn should consider reevaluating this room/service fee charge structure to a more moderate rate as it is often the only blemish in otherwise fine reviews of the inn that we have seen.
To see all of Mr. Gerard’s review, visit his online review of Plum Island and the Greater Newburyport region by Jeremy Gerard on Bloomberg.com.
2nd Annual Plum Island House Tour, Saturday, September 6th
August 23, 2008
The organizers of the tour are renting three buses (47 seats per bus). All participants on the tour, to deal with the logistics of Plum Island roads, must ride the bus; you can’t follow along in your car.
Check out Beach-house hopping: PI Taxpayers Association gears up for tour
by M. Renee Buckley in the latest online edition of The Newburyport Current for more detailed information about the Plum Island House Tour and how the proceeds from the event will be used to support Island related projects such as snow fencing to help prevent beach erosion, planting beach grass, purchasing Mobi-Mats, a patented, environmentally friendly and removable walkway, to help preserve the beach by keeping people on dedicated trails and out of the dunes.
Open Registration Evening At Bracken School of Irish Dance, August 28th
August 22, 2008
Where: Bracken School of Irish Dance, 102 Bridge Road, Salisbury, MA
The Bracken School of Irish Dance in Salisbury, MA will be hosting an Open Registration evening at the studio from 6:00 pm-8:00 pm on Thursday, August 28, 2008. For details, contact Heidi at 978-465-6863.
The Bracken School offers traditional Irish dance classes for boys, wee pats, beginner through championship and adult. No experience is necessary.
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Birding For Breast Cancer Fundraiser At Plum Island, August 24th
August 22, 2008
Where: Parker River National Wildlife Refuge on Plum Island
Cost: A $30 donation is requested.
If you want to help support breast cancer reserach and also get in a few hours of morning birdwatching on Plum Island, then make plans to attend “Birding for Breast Cancer” a fundraiser in memory of Nancy McGrath-Kelleher, the sister of Sue McGrath of Newburyport Birders.
This fund raising event is scheduled for this Sunday, August 24th from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge on Plum Island.
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Kayak Building Workshop At Essex Historical Society & Shipbuilding Museum
August 22, 2008
Where: Essex Historical Society & Shipbuilding Museum’s Waterline Center, 66 Main St., Essex, MA
Cost: Tuition is $1,200, or $1,000 for students and special cases.
The Essex Historical Society & Shipbuilding Museum will hold a one-week kayak building workshop September 29 through October 5, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the museum’s Waterline Center, 66 Main St., Essex.
Instructor Rick Eliot will be teaching the one-week kayak building course. The kayak design is based on traditional skin covered kayaks used by the Inuit Eskimos.
Students will build their own kayaks, custom-designed to meet their particular interests. The finished kayak is a work of art, ultra light (30 pounds or less), durable, and beautiful.
All tools and materials are provided; no prior carpentry skills required. Tuition is $1,200, or $1,000 for students and special cases. Class size is limited and advance registration is required prior to Sept. 19.
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