Listings may be sent to: Goings On, Gloucester Daily Times, 36 Whittemore St., Gloucester, MA 01930, or emailed to Joann Mackenzie at jomackenzie@gloucestertimes.com, at least two weeks prior to the event.
Kite Day at Cogswell’s Grant, April 9
Saturday, April 9, is Kite Day at Essex’s Cogswell Grant. Bring your own kite or build one of your own, and watch professional kite flyers from Kites Over New England fly their kites, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. A limited number of kite-building workshops (courtesy of Blue Hill Observatory and Science Center) will be held with all materials included, where kids and adults can make their own kites and learn to fly them. Free for flyers and spectators; $10 for kite-making workshop. Cogswell’s Grant is located at 60 Spring St., Essex. Questions? 978-768-3632.
Restaurants hiring Gold Star family members
Ninety Nine Restaurant & Pub is launching a new restaurant-wide hiring initiative focusing on recruiting Gold Star family members at all 103 locations across New England and upstate New York. This campaign seeks to highlight Ninety Nine’s support of the family members of fallen U.S. service members. and is a multi-faceted effort. Specific hiring days are: Tuesday, April 5, and Wednesday, April 6, from 9 to 11 a.m., and 1:30 to 5 p.m. at all 103 Ninety Nine Restaurant and Pubs. To apply, visit: www.99restaurants.jobs, and indicate special status in the application. For more information, visit www.99restaurants.com or follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/99restaurants, and Instagram @99restaurants.
Backyard Growers’ trio of events
This April, Backyard Growers has a new line-up of three big back-to-back events at its big, new headquarters, at 103R Maplewood Ave., Gloucester. If you care about your community here in Gloucester, put them on your radar. For tickets and more information, visit: www.backyardgrowers.org.
Friday, April 8, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Social Justice During An Ongoing Pandemic — Resources, Equity and Agency in Gloucester will be the focus at a panel nonprofit discussion moderated by Professor Shoshana Madmoni-Gerber, of Suffolk University, with Melissa Dimond, Wellspring House; Susan Erony, Friends of Cape Ann Refugees; Lara Lepionka, Backyard Growers; and Jennifer Perry, The Open Door. Lunch, followed by buffet lunch and conversation with Seham Awad, local cook and Syrian refugee. Tickets are $30, all inclusive; at www.backyardgrowers.org.
Friday, April 8, 3 to 5 p.m., Lara Lepionka’s Big Send-Off Open House — Say good luck, but not goodbye to Backyard Growers founder Lara Lepionka, as she steps down to explore new opportunities after 12 plus years of leadership. Tasty treats, great garden stories, and a big thank to Lara. RSVP to corinne@backyardgrowers.org.
Saturday, April 9, 10 to 11 a.m., Workshops: How to Plan Your Vegetable Garden — learn how to plan and optimize your vegetables garden at this training event for small and raised beds. With Q&A, in person, or on Zoom on Thursday, April 14, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. For tickets or Zoom link, visit: www.backyardgrowers.org. Free for Backyard Growers, $15 general admission.
Essex Library events
ESSEX — TOHP Burnham Free Library, 30 Martin St., Essex, has some great programs coming up this spring. Check out the ones listed here, and register for all events at essexpl.org. Questions? 978-768-7410.
Wednesday, April 6, 7 p.m., Discover the Joy of Bird Feeding — A virtual Audubon program with Scott Santino. Register at essexpl.org for Zoom link.
Thursday, April 7, at 7 p.m., Meet Author and Essex resident Billy Baker, Boston Globe journalist and author of “We Need to Hang Out More: A Memoir of Making Friends” at the library, third floor.
Spring concerts
The Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation’s spring concert series celebrates the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and pays tribute to those lost in the Holocaust, with the premiere of a specially commissioned work at a Holocaust memorial concert. Tickets for the two May concerts are $45 for preferred seating, $30 for general seating and $10 for students, available at the door or at www.gloucestermeetinghouse.org, where you will also find full details. The Gloucester Meetinghouse is located at the corner of Middle and Church streets, Gloucester. The schedule is:
Sunday, May 1, 3 p.m., Yom HaShoah Holocaust Memorial Concert — world premiere of a specially commissioned work, “The Grip of Evil: The Endurance of Hope,” written and to be conducted by American composer Leslie Steinweiss. The program includes Holocaust remembrances plus narration by Judith Black.
Sunday, May 27, 3 p.m., baroque ensemble plays Bach on period instruments directed by Mark Dupere. Featured will be “Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D Major,” the Sinfonia from “Cantata Non sa che sia dolore,” the “Violin Concerto,” the Sinfonia from “Cantata Am Abend aber desselbigen Sabbatas,” and the “Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D major. ”
Manchester COA
MANCHESTER — The Manchester Council on Aging offers trips and events that will get you up, out and ready for adventure. For more information or to reserve a seat on the van for any of the trips scheduled here, call 978-526-7500, or visit the Manchester Council on Aging office at 10 Central St.
Wednesday, April 6, trip to the Olive Garden in Danvers— Casual Italian-American restaurant. Van pick-up starts at 11 a.m.
Friday, April 8, trip to the malls— Choose between Northshore Mall in Peabody or Liberty Tree Mall in Danvers. Senior van pick-up starts around 10 a.m.
Tuesday, April 12, Lobster Roll or Chicken Salad Roll Lunch — Catered by Jeff’s Variety of Gloucester. $12, lobster; $6, chicken. Pick up at the COA office, 10 Central St., or have it delivered. Open to the first 60 who sign up.
Wednesday, April 13, trip to Sir Pennycandy’s Apothecary in Rockport — Check out this unique old-fashioned candy shop chuck full of sweet and savory treats and gift goodies. Van pick-up starts at 11 a.m., returns around 1 p.m.
At Manchester library
MANCHESTER — The Manchester Public Library, 15 Union St., Manchester, offers these programs. For registration, questions and more information, visit www.manchesterpl.org, or call 978-526-2017.
Tuesday, April 5, 4 p.m., Hearthside Book Group — on Zoom to discuss the novel “The Lincoln Highway” by Amor Towles. Register for Zoom link with Lori Dumont at ldumont@manchesterpl.org or 978-526-7711.
March 10, 6-7 p.m., Teen Advisory Board (TAB) meets— at the library.
‘Planning Your Life'”
ESSEX — The Essex Council on Aging is sponsoring the speaker series, “Planning Your Life — the Next Phase.” This free monthly program is geared to those 60 and older, and offered on the third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. on the third floor of the handicapped/elevator accessible Essex Town Hall, 30 Martin St., Essex. Intended to assist people in preparing for their future senior years, the sessions are conducted by experts on each topic. The schedule is April 19— Housing Options; May 17— Elder Law; June 21—Getting Organized; July 19— Travel and Leisure; Aug, 16—Lifelong Learning; Sept. 20 —Medicare 101; Oct. 18,— Planning Ahead for Your Departure: Funeral Planning; Nov. 15 — Social Security. Questions? Call 978-768-7932.
Gloucester Republicans
The Gloucester Republican City Committee meets on the third Saturday of each month at Shore Tech, Harbor Loop, at 9:30 a.m. If you’re concerned about the direction this country and our world are headed, please attend. Change starts at the local level, and many hands and voices are needed. Together, we can make a difference. All political persuasions are welcome.
Essex story hours
ESSEX — The TOHP Burnham Library hosts story hours with children’s librarian April Wanner outside on the lawn each Wednesday for songs, rhymes, stories and creative play, from 9 to 9:30 a.m., Wee Ones, ages 0-2 with a caregiver; and 10 to 10:30 a.m., ages 3 to 5 with a caregiver. The TOHP Burnham Library is located at 30 Martin St, Essex. If it rains, check the library’s Facebook page for Story Hour via Facebook Live at the same time.
Chorus rehearsing
PEABODY— The Northshoremen Barbershop Chorus welcomes men of all ages who love to sing to join them. The chorus rehearses every Wednesday night from 7-9 p.m. at the Peabody Electric Light Company, 201 Warren Street Extension, Peabody, except for the first week of each month, when they rehearse on Thursdays. Come to the next rehearsal, or for more information call 866-727-4988.
Rockport renewals
ROCKPORT — The Rockport Public Library offers automatic renewals on most items checked out from the library. Items will automatically renew if they have not been returned three days before their due date. Patrons will no longer have to take steps to renew items, even if the items came from a library in Rockport’s network of libraries. Items that cannot be renewed include lucky day titles, items on waiting lists, items that have reached their renewal limit, items borrowed from outside the Merrimack Valley Library Consortium (MVLC), items checked out from a nonparticipating library. By initiating renewals automatically, the library complements its existing fine-free model, under which the library no longer charges fines for overdue items. Patrons who have registered their email addresses with the library will get an email notifying them that their items have been automatically renewed — and reminders of upcoming due dates. To add your email for this service, email info@rockportlibrary.org, call 978-546-6934 or speak with a librarian.
For job seekers
Need help with your resume or cover letter? Looking for advice on your job search? Contact jobseeker@sawyerfreelibrary.org or call 978-325-5500 to make an appointment for in-person assistance with a librarian. Computers, Chromebooks, tablets, WiFi Hotspots, printing, photocopying, plus scanning and saving via email and flash drive are also all available, free at Sawyer Free Library, 2 Dale Ave., Gloucester. For more information, visit sawyerfreelibrary.org
Smithsonian in Essex
ESSEX — The Smithsonian’s Museum on Main Street, in cooperation with Massachusetts Humanities, is coming to the Essex. The Essex Historical Society and Shipbuilding Museum and Essex Town Hall will host “Crossroads: Changes in Rural America,” a traveling exhibit produced by the Smithsonian’s Museum on Main Street program, from Sept. 10 to Oct. 22. This outreach program engages small town audiences and underserved rural communities. For more information, contact Jen Atwood at jatwood@masshumanities.org.
Creativebug
ROCKPORT — The Rockport Public Library has added Creativebug to its list of online databases. Creativebug offers more than 1,000 videos by artists and professionals detailing a wide variety of art and craft projects for all ages. Videos cover painting, ceramics, knitting, quilting, jewelry-making, party crafts, and more. Some crafts can be learned in a single video, or skills can be honed over multiple videos. To get started, visit www.rockportlibrary.org, go to home page, enter your library card number and email address. After that, you’ll only need to enter your card number to get crafting! Questions? 978-546-6934.
Drum circle
Every Wednesday from 2 to 4 p.m. a Drum Circle will be held at The Performance Room at Whale’s Jaw Cafe. Drum Circles have been known to be a healing and growth event for all who join the circle. So bring a drum or percussion instrument and join the group led by Dickie Newport at the cafe, 17 Railroad Ave. in Rockport.
