CEO & President’s Update – August 2024
Greetings Greater Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce Community!
We hope you are enjoying the 2024 Summer season as much as we are. It is fair to say, July was nothing short of spectacular. The July calendar was impressive, filled with fireworks displays, local musicians and street performers, shopping at one of our countless and unique shops, dining on fresh local cuisine, or simply enjoying one of our favorite pristine beaches! Graduating high school seniors from the American Exchange Project, who recently visited our region summed up greater Cape Ann best, stating: “It is so beautiful here. This has been an amazing and special place to visit, and you can feel the sense of community everywhere you go.” We could not agree more.
August brings more exciting events and news. We kicked the month off with a successful Festival By The Sea in Manchester By The Sea. We continue to focus on the synergy that binds our major events and local businesses, and based on early feedback from our business community, our collaborative efforts are paying off. The August calendar continues with festivals including our signature Gloucester Waterfront Festival, the 2nd and 3rd Gloucester Block Parties, Ipswich Downtown Tuesdays, and Farmers Markets. Please check out the Calendar of Events on the Chamber website. Also, it takes a village to make these events a success and we are grateful for the Chamber staff, Board of Directors, City and Town staff, countless volunteers, and generous sponsors. Without your support and generosity, these events would not be possible.
We are extremely excited to announce the kickoff of the Greater Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce Podcast Series, beginning in August 2024. With 1,000 members, and 1,000’s of interesting stories, we feel it is important to share your stories. The Podcast Series will initially focus on hearing from you, our members, and sharing your stories. Our goal is to expand our content to a variety of interesting topics and discussions. If you are interested in learning more about our Podcast Series, and potentially participating, please contact the Chamber and we will be happy to speak with you.
Finally, we are less than two months away from our Annual Love Cape Ann Auction. The Auction is The Greater Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce’s largest fundraiser, and the event supports our educational, advocacy, cultural, workforce, economic, IDEA, community initiatives, as well as countless other initiatives. We ask you please consider donating an auction item, consider sponsoring the event, and attending the event on September 26th. It is going to be a truly fun evening and there are so many special items and packages you can only find on greater Cape Ann.
We hope you enjoy the remaining summer days, and explore something new, or revisit an old favorite.
Kindest regards,
Karen Ristuben, President, GCACC Board of Directors
Steve Buckley, CEO Greater Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce