Tourism Council Update – April 2025
Tourism Council March Update: Looking Forward to an “Event-Full” 2025
The Greater Cape Ann tourism community has benefited from major events that attract and delight visitors throughout the year – events like the Waterfront Festival and the Blackburn Brewfest in Gloucester, Motif # 1 Day in Rockport, the Festival by the Sea in Manchester, the Clamfest in Essex, Ipswich’s Downtown Tuesdays, and so many more.
In the March 21 meeting of the Greater Cape Ann Chamber Tourism Council, we discussed another event – one that promises to be among the largest we’ll see in the region in 2025. On June 21 & 22, Gloucester’s Stage Fort Park will be the setting for the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill. Hundreds of enactors and thousands of attendees are expected to gather on these two days that will celebrate a defining moment for our nation. The recreation will represent the people involved in the conflict of June 17, 1775, with activities planned on land and in the harbor.
Given the scope of this event, organizers realized the event could not be held in the current urban setting around the Bunker Hill monument in Charlestown, and after a review of possible sites, Stage Fort Park was determined to be the ideal location, with its large open space, hills, and waterfront access. This will undoubtedly be one of the busiest days of the year on Cape Ann – an opportunity to showcase for visitors all our region has to offer. Visit this site to learn more about the exciting activities being planned, and watch for more updates in the months ahead.
The Bunker Hill 250 event will be just one of the topics covered in the Tourism Council’s annual spring mixer, on May 13. Each year, the Tourism Mixer provides an opportunity for the community to come together to reconnect and to share information on plans and new developments for the spring, summer, fall and beyond. This year, the mixer will be held at the Manchester-by-the-Sea Museum, which has taken a lead in welcoming visitors to the town and its neighbors. This is the first time the Tourism Mixer will take place in Manchester-by-the-Sea, and we used our March meeting to lay out initial plans.
Spring is also a time when tourism activities begin to ramp up, and we can see this in some of the events planned for the coming months, including Rockport’s Easter Egg Hunt (April 19). Another upcoming event is the Cape Ann Community Foundation’s Candlepins for a Cause fundraiser (June 5), which will celebrate the charitable work made possible by sales of the Cape Ann license plate, an important contributor to the promotion of the region.
Check the events calendars on the Chamber website and its Cape Ann Vacations and Rockport visitor sites for details on these and other happenings in the months ahead.
Over the past year, the monthly meetings of the Tourism Council have provided an opportunity to discuss issues important to the community, and our March meeting was no exception. Representatives from Discover Gloucester shared insights from the recent Governor’s Council on Travel and Tourism, which focused on the important contributions of the state’s visitor-based economy and offered insights on developments of interest to the tourism industry. It was noted Cape Ann represents an impressive 10 percent of the state’s total tourism market.
Events and issues like these will be on the agenda for our next meeting, on April 18. Anyone who is involved in or has an interest in Cape Ann’s visitor-based economy is invited to join us for this and upcoming monthly meetings. We gather on the third Friday of each month at the Greater Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce offices — and via Zoom. If you’d like to be part of these discussions, please reach out to me or contact the Chamber staff.
Tony Sapienza
Co-owner, Blue Shutters Beachside Inn
Chair, Tourism Council
tsapienza@gmail.com
Learn more about the Greater Cape Ann Chamber’s Tourism Council
