Community resources - Marblehead Current

Marblehead Farmers’ Market launches season this Saturday with new offerings

23May

By Leigh BlanderNo Comments

Community resources, Environment, Life Style, Local News, Nonprofit corner, Top Stories, Uncategorized

Marblehead Farmers’ Market launches season this Saturday with new offerings

The Marblehead Farmers’ Market launches its 26th season on Saturday, May 27. The popular market runs every Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon, through November 18. The market attracts up to 900 people a week. The Marblehead Farmers’ Market returns May 27. CURRENT PHOTO / LEIGH BLANDER Come check out the strawberries when the Farmers’ Market reopens May 27. COURTESY PHOTO “It’s a great place to get outside and just enjoy the day on a Saturday morning,” said Stephen Fowler, who manages the market. “We honestly have people who come to the market not even to shop but to socialize. Then we have serious shoppers who try to supply their whole week.” This season, the Farmers’ Market will feature 20 farms and food vendors, with about three craft vendors each week. Of course, the Scouts will b...

‘The Great Gatsby’ becoming a Marblehead Little Theatre musical

22May

By Linda WerbnerNo Comments

Community resources, Culture, Entertainment, Life Style, Local News, Nonprofit corner, Top Stories

‘The Great Gatsby’ becoming a Marblehead Little Theatre musical

When it comes to writer F. Scott Fitzgerald, Doug Hill jokes half-seriously that he is “somewhat obsessed.” The past president of Marblehead Little Theatre considers himself something of an aficionado of the American novelist whose books and short stories examined and celebrated the exuberance and dissipation of the Jazz Age. So when Hill’s friend, Fred Anthony Marco, presented him with a script last spring transforming “The Great Gatsby” into a musical, something which had never been done before, Hill’s expectations were somewhat subdued, to say the least. After all, the novel has been adapted four times—and counting—into big-budget films including Robert Redford and Mia Farrow’s 1974 version and most recently Leonardo DiCaprio’s take in 2013. What more could be said about this iconic...

18May

By Leigh BlanderNo Comments

Community resources, Culture, Entertainment, Life Style, Local News, Nonprofit corner, Top Stories, Views & Reviews

Calling all writers: Revived Literary Festival taking submissions

The Marblehead Festival of Arts is bringing back its Literary Festival, originally known as Writers World, for the first time since 2019. The Festival’s writing contest is also returning, along with several speakers, panels and workshops. The Marblehead Current is a presenting media sponsor of the MFoA. “Despite the limited resources and a small, all-volunteer committee, Marblehead's Literary Festival can stand with the best of them in terms of programming and quality of speakers — all at no cost to attendees,” said Margo Steiner, who has been involved with the Festival since 1980. “We may not be the largest such festival in the country, but we like to think that our annual celebration of writers, readers and all things literary speaks to many within the community and beyond who st...

CURRENT EVENTS: Marblehead’s best bets May 17-24

17May

By Leigh BlanderNo Comments

Community resources, Culture, Entertainment, Life Style, Local History, Local News, Marblehead Public Schools, Nonprofit corner, Top Stories, Views & Reviews

CURRENT EVENTS: Marblehead’s best bets May 17-24

Welcome to our new feature, Current Events, spotlighting exciting happenings in the coming week. If you’d like to contribute a listing, please email Current associate editor/senior reporter Leigh Blander at lblander@marbleheadnews.org. Go behind the scenes with ‘Gatsby’May 17, 6:30 p.m. In conjunction with Marblehead Little Theatre’s world premiere of “The Great Gatsby: An American Musical,” which premieres June 23, Abbot Library will host a lively discussion with two of the show’s creators: Fred Anthony Marco and Doug Hill, both of Marblehead. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” has long been considered one of America’s great novels. Come learn about the artistic process of turning a literary classic into a new, original musical. Learn more at abbotlib...

Marblehead Racial Justice Team to discuss climate justice

17May

By Leigh BlanderNo Comments

Community resources, Culture, Environment, Local News, Nonprofit corner, Press releases, Science

Marblehead Racial Justice Team to discuss climate justice

The theme of this month’s Conversations on Race event with the Marblehead Racial Justice Team will be “Climate Justice is Racial Justice.” The program will be held Monday, May 22, 7 p.m. at the Marblehead Museum, 170 Washington St. Climate justice is a term used to talk about the impact of environmental pollution on different populations. During this session, Rev. Clyde Elledge from St. Andrew’s Church will explore climate justice as a historical movement. Discussion will move to present day climate injustice and its contribution to systemic environmental racism. The program will be broadcast on Zoom. Register HERE. For details, email infoMRJTeam@gmail.com.

ENDING THE STIGMA: Releasing emotion and reclaiming peace in turbulent times

15May

By Leigh BlanderNo Comments

Community resources, Local News, Top Stories, Viewpoints

ENDING THE STIGMA: Releasing emotion and reclaiming peace in turbulent times

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and Mother’s Day, so it feels fitting to focus on women’s mental health this month — where we are and what we can do about it. We are living in turbulent times and women’s mental health is suffering as a result. Wendy Tamis Robbins, anxiety expert/author COURTESY PHOTO There is uncertainty in the economy, gun violence, an extreme political divide, dehumanizing directives and legislation in southern states, and the recent Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade. And this is just in the U.S. We can’t help but also be affected by watching the conflict and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and women struggling in Iran and under Taliban rule in Afghanistan. These events have all contributed to a global mental health crisis that cont...

11May

By Brian Flynn, LVO YMCA Exec. Dir.No Comments

Community resources, Local News, Nonprofit corner, Sports

Lynch/van Otterloo YMCA happenings

The Y kicked off the countdown to summer with its annual Healthy Kids Day with fun activities for the whole family. More than 300 children attended and enjoyed a variety of activities including gardening, creating camp friendship bracelets, swimming in the pool and jumping in the gymnastics studio. The day ended with a special family yoga session. Swampscott police dog Sora greeted children at Healthy Kids Day. COURTESY PHOTO We were thrilled to have the Swampscott Police and their adorable canine team member Sora visit, as well as the Salem Fire Department which shared safety tips and touch-a-truck fun. A special thank you to all our vendors for sharing important opportunities and information, including Foster Massachusetts, Marblehead Mental Health Task Force and Happy Joy Ballo...

BEST BETS: Marblehead events & happenings, May 10-17

10May

By Leigh BlanderNo Comments

Community resources, Culture, Entertainment, Life Style, Local News, Nonprofit corner, Top Stories, Uncategorized

BEST BETS: Marblehead events & happenings, May 10-17

Welcome to the Marblehead Current’s new feature, Best Bets, spotlighting exciting events and happenings in the coming week. If you want to contribute a listing, please email lblander@marbleheadnews.org. Spring Celebration Presented by Discover Marblehead and the Chamber of Commerce, the Spring Celebration on Saturday, May 13, will feature local artisans, stores and restaurants in locations around town. There will be live music, games and more. For the full schedule of events and locations, click HERE. Film Festival The JCC of the North Shore’s Jewish Film Festival is screening four movies this week: “Matchmaking” on May 10 at 7 p.m.; “Farewell Mr. Hoffman'' on May 12 at 1 p.m.; “Our Story” on May 13 at 6 :30 p.m. and “Lost Transport” on May 16 at 1 ...

METCO hosts Culture Feast, community welcome

8May

By Leigh BlanderNo Comments

Community resources, Culture, Local News, Marblehead Public Schools

METCO hosts Culture Feast, community welcome

Marblehead’s METCO program invites the community to its annual Culture Feast at Marblehead Head School on May 19, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The Culture Feast will feature several performances, including by Kenyan singer, writer and activist Wangari Fahari. Food trucks Jamaica Mi Hungry, BonMe and Cookie Monstah will be there, too.

Star Jennifer Coolidge sends video message to MHS cast of ‘Legally Blonde’

1May

By Leigh BlanderNo Comments

Community resources, Entertainment, Local News, Marblehead Public Schools, Top Stories, Uncategorized

Star Jennifer Coolidge sends video message to MHS cast of ‘Legally Blonde’

Hollywood star Jennifer Coolidge sent a special video message to the cast and crew of the Marblehead High School musical "Legally Blonde." The students performed three sold-out shows over the weekend. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEc5v41LCEA Coolidge made a name for herself in the 2001 "Legally Blonde" movie where she played the manicurist to the lead character, Elle Woods (played by Reese Witherspoon.) Coolidge has gone on to earn Emmy and Golden Globe Awards and recently starred in the popular series, "White Lotus." MHS student Chloe Curtis played Elle in the MHS production. Curtis has family in California who know Coolidge and invited her to the production. Unfortunately, Coolidge couldn't make it, but sent the video message instead. You can watch it HERE. "The cast...