Tourism Council November Meeting Recap: Celebrating the History of Cape Ann
History plays an important part in tourism across our region, and this was clearly evident in the November meeting of the Greater Cape Ann Chamber’s Tourism Council on November 15. We saw this in the discussion of recent events and activities and in the plans we discussed for the holidays and 2025.
One of the highlights of the year in the region is Cape Ann Plein Air, which helps to celebrate our art history, and 2024 was no exception. The weeklong outdoor painting competition drew artists from around the US and many from the Cape Ann communities, all of whom continue our proud art legacy. Other events and activities in October included the Essex Clamfest, which pays tribute to one of our most renowned seafood delicacies, and Rockport’s HarvestFest, which celebrates both the region’s historic charm and its bountiful fall harvest.
Looking ahead to 2025, the Tourism Council hosted representatives from Rev250, the group planning to hold a reenactment of the Battle of Bunker Hill at Gloucester’s Stage Fort Park on June 21 & 22 of next year. While the battle took place in Charlestown, the organizers needed to find a location better suited for the thousands of attendees expected for this event. They saw Gloucester as the perfect choice, in large part due to the history of the community dating back to the 1700’s. We’ll be sharing more updates on these plans as we get closer to the June event.
Holiday celebrations are also part of Cape Ann’s history, and the traditional community events and activities planned for the season always attract visitors to the region. This year, things kick off in November with seasonal shopping programs and continue through December with tree-lightings, downtown strolls, craft fairs and other holiday happenings – including the season-long Cape Ann Winter Lights program. Watch Chamber email updates and check the Chamber’s visitor website – www.capeannvacations.com – for more details on these holiday events and activities.
The Council is focused on continuing these and other efforts that help grow our visitor-based economy, and in our November meeting, we again discussed issues important to the tourism community, including downtown Gloucester parking, Commuter Rail schedules, Uber and Lyft services, and government support for tourism across the region. These topics and more were discussed in the November 19 Season in Review organized by Discover Gloucester, in which we heard from every sector of the tourism community and the Chamber provided data that reinforced the positive impact of tourism on the region’s economy.
And finally, we took a few moments in the November Council meeting to hear from Council members about their own recent happenings and plans.
We invite anyone who is involved in Cape Ann’s visitor-based economy or has an interest in joining discussions like these to come to future monthly meetings. Our Tourism Council meets 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 added to our email list or share updates with the group, please reach out to me or contact the Chamber staff.
Tony Sapienza
Co-owner, Blue Shutters Beachside Inn
Chair, Tourism Council
tsapienza@gmail.com
