Please click on the button below for our weekly snapshot of national, state, county and city/town data.

For additional information related to the COVID-19 pandemic, please see the "COVID-19 Updates" section below.

The Chamber's Economic Outlook Breakfast is core to our mission to help grow the local economy, and has been held annually for over 30 years. Join us with housing expert and award-winning Realtor and business owner Cynthia Nina-Soto, as we discuss how accessible housing is key to job creation, business development, stabilized neighborhoods, and overall economic prosperity.

Ms. Nina-Soto, 2020 Board President at North Shore REALTORS ® is a staunch advocate for affordable housing and a board member for Harborlight Community Partners.

 

Occurring on the first Thursday of the month at 9am, the Greater Cape Ann Chamber hosts Coffee & Connections, a virtual networking event! We will continue holding these via zoom so that anyone may join us from anywhere. Meet new people, expand your business connections and stay in touch with friends and colleagues. 

Celebrate our 100th year with us! We’re safely gathering with Greater Cape Ann’s business leaders and local, city, and state officials at the beautiful Beauport Hotel to enjoy delicious food, great company, and dance the night away on Thursday, March 10. Tickets are going fast so sign-up today!

Sponsorships are still available for the Annual Celebration. Please see the link below for a summary of sponsorship opportunities. Contact Sara at sara@capeannchamber.com for more information

Winter Birding Speaker Series 

Free Events | Tours, Presentations, and Professional Guides 

Saturday, February 26 | 9 AM POSTPONED

Friday, March 11 | 5 PM

Sunday, March 13 | 9 AM

Saturday, April 30 | 8 AM

On Thursday, March 17, the community of greater Cape Ann will come together once more to try their luck in our Irish Sweepstakes. 12 lucky leprechauns will win a "pot of gold", ranging from $500 - $10,000! Contact the Chamber today to purchase your lucky ticket!

The Kay Ellis Memorial Scholarship is looking for applicants to award scholarships in 2022. Over $34,000 in scholarships has been given to students pursuing secondary education in travel and tourism. Applications are being accepted now through April 30. Visit the website below to apply.

In addition to making her own pottery, Cynthia offers pottery classes and is grateful for the over 1,400 students of all skill levels that have found their way to share the warm and bright pottery studio. Students work at their own pace with an instructor available for guidance as needed. Classes are held in a fun, relaxed environment. Laughing and breathing encouraged!

Backyard Growers is now accepting 2022 garden applications. Every year, Backyard Growers connects hundreds of Cape Ann residents with the resources to grow their own food in community gardens, backyard gardens, and container gardens. Interested parties can visit www.backyardgrowers.org to learn more and apply, or call 978-281-0480 for assistance filling out an application.

March 1st Deadline! Employees may be surprised they qualify for this new construction, affordable rental opportunity! Please share with employees/friends/colleagues – anyone who may benefit from stable, below-market rent (utilities included).

The Residence at Riverbend is asking for pet supply donations to benefit the Ipswich Humane Group and Dawgs Fight Back Rescue. Swing by 149 County Road in Ipswich and drop off donations in their lobby.

Select your favorite places on the North Shore of Boston to dine, renew, shop, and play. Vote in one subcategory or all 140+!

From Debbie & Nick Benn - Good Day to our friends and former guests. It is with a heavy heart but spring in our step that we are announcing the closure of the Seven South Street Inn, Bed and Breakfast. It has been our pleasure to welcome you all into our 1766 Colonial home for the past 22 years. Running the Inn has been an experience of a lifetime and we have met and become friends with so many of you.

No need for mountain travel, or skis! Dress in your winter best and gather friends for another fun evening in the Beauport Lobby, this time transformed into a stylish "apres-ski" chalet-like Champagne Lounge - for one night only! Sip on Veuve Clicquot Brut or Rosé, available by the bottle and glass, and groove to upbeat sounds by the award-winning Jimmie Espo of 617 Weddings & Events! Enjoy a gourmet light menu featuring shellfish towers, caviar, savory bites, sweets and more.

Try your hand at maple sugaring at Appleton Farms! Join for a fun, hands-on workshop that kids and adults will love. After exploring our maple sugaring tools, use our hand drill to practice tapping a tree! Go through the whole process from maple sugar tree ID to boiling sap, and we’ll be sure to play along the way. Appleton Farm's knowledgable educator will answer your questions so you can be a sugar maker at home. We’ll finish up with a story– and, of course, a maple syrup sample!

Join the Cape Ann Museum's Teen Arts Council to learn about a variety of creative career paths, including careers at cultural institutions like the Cape Ann Museum, artistic careers represented by artists in CAM’s collection, and careers in the trades that build the world we live in.

Working in the sweet spot between folk, jazz and pop since the late 70’s with hits like “Chuck E.’s in Love,” Rickie Lee Jones remains an artist of boundless curiosity with a sophisticated cool sensibility. Ever since her debut, Jones has created music that consistently defies easy categorization, an aesthetic she writes about in her brand new memoir, Last Chance Texaco: Chronicles of an American Troubadour.

This webinar will provide tips to make the most out of your next medical appointment. The more prepared you are, the more likely you will be to discuss the issues that are most important to you and leave with a plan in place.

Sawyer Free Library to host Dr. Andrew Budson as a part of its educational series Of Sound Mind: A Series on Dementia. Based on his award-winning book, Dr. Andrew Budson will explain how individuals can distinguish changes in memory due to Alzheimer's versus normal aging, what medications, diets, and exercise regimes can help, and the best habits, strategies, and memory aids to use, in seven simple steps. He will also discuss his newest book, including how caregivers can manage issues with memory, language, vision, behavior, driving, incontinence, sleep, and more.

Castle Hill Productions presents Arcadia by Tom Stoppard. Arcadia is set both in 1809 and the present at the elegant estate owned by the Coverly family. Stoppard’s comedic masterpiece moves smoothly between the centuries and explores the nature of truth and time, the difference between classical and romantic temperaments, and the disruptive influence of sex on our life orbits- the attraction Newton left out.

Little Red Rooster is offering a 20% discount to all Greater Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce members! Little Red Rooster has an amazing

customizable signature fried chicken sandwich, specialty sandwiches, buckets of chicken, creative sides & more!

Misselwood is ready to ring in the new year with an amazing limited-time special! Take your team out of the office and join us on campus.

Book your corporate meeting during our semester intersession dates and receive 50% off the facility rental. Call 978-232-2128 or email misselwoodevents@endicott.edu to start planning your meeting today.

Local Sales, Discounts & Promotions

As a small or medium sized business owner, it is challenging enough to meet the day-to-day requirements for running your business. Increasingly it is becoming more difficult to achieve your business goals, keep up with ever changing technology and stay ahead of the hiring curve.

Please join the Enterprise Center and Stephen Webster of Wellfleet Enterprises, Inc. for this one-hour interactive workshop webinar. The workshop webinar will include a question-and-answer segment.

The City of Gloucester is now accepting applications for the 2022 Community Preservation Act (CPA) round of funding. Eligibility forms must be submitted by March 8, with full applications due May 3. CPA funds can be used for:

LEAP is now recruiting employers and

community members! Be a “Career Mentor” and virtually advise a youth/young adult summer intern in a six-week project-based remote learning experience.

The Essex National Heritage Commission (Essex Heritage), in keeping with its long tradition of supporting the region’s unique cultural heritage, announced the start of the 2022 Partnership Grant program cycle, now through February 25. Over the next year, the 12 grant recipients will be working to implement a diverse range of educational, interpretive, accessibility and preservation projects throughout Boston’s North Shore and the Merrimack Valley. Any eligible organization is encouraged to apply, the application process has been designed with simplicity in mind and most applications take less than an hour to complete.

The new Creative County Initiative website is user-friendly and beautiful. Over the next two months, website developers would like to collect at least 200 Artist and Organization Profiles, and populate the events page with as many live and virtual events, workshops, and opportunities as possible. Organizers plan to launch a major promotional campaign in March as they build public awareness of this amazing resource.

Residential households in the U.S. can order one set of 4 free at-home tests from USPS.com. Here’s what you need to know about your order:

Click the link below, and complete the form to place your order. No credit card information is required.

The Massachusetts COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave law requires employers to provide up to one week of paid sick leave to employees who need leave for a covered COVID-19 related reason. Read the full update below.

Conley's Drug Store is no longer offering in-store vaccinations. Please go to their new clinic located at 79 Turnpike Road in Ipswich. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday 10 AM - 5 PM. Conley's also sells at home antigen tests, KN95 masks, and other protective equipment.

Identification and health insurance are not required. Walk-ins will be accepted while supplies last at each clinic.

Ipswich | Mondays from 2 - 6 PM

Our Lady of Hope Rectory

Essex | Thursdays from 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Town Hall Annex

Rockport | Saturdays from 10 AM-Noon

Community House

Located at 40 Beach Street in Manchester, Allen's Pharmacy has RT-PCR test appointments available this week. Their RT-PCR test device offers a runtime of 30 minutes which allows them to provide you with same day results. RT-PCR tests are considered the "gold-standard" of COVID-19 testing. This molecular test is administered using an anterior nasal swab to detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2 genetic material or RNA.

Wellspring is Looking for an Annual Fund & Donor Services Manager

If you are interested in promoting with the Greater Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce and sponsoring this newsletter, please contact Ken Riehl at ken@capeannchamber.com