Salem Massachusetts insiders information guide to restaurants, bars, nightlife, shopping and living for tourists and residents.

Special Events / Festivals
Five Funny Females -  A while back we did a write up on this great ever changing comedy show and now they are back in town.   Our photo contest winner won a pair of tickets to this show but luckily for you there are still a few tickets left and you can save $5 if you buy advanced tickets online.

Salem Jazz and Soul Festival - The premier jazz event of the season over at Salem Willows Friday from 6-8 Saturday from 11:30 to 6 and Sunday from 1-4.  Check out [...] Continue Reading…

Today August 13th, Salem plays host to another great event, the Witches Cup bicycle race.

Back in the days of Greg LeMond Salem started up a world class bike race that found national acclaim with many top athletes coming to the Witch City to take part in the race.
In the cycling boom of the 1980’s, Salem proudly hosted annual elite calibre bicycle races with national exposure. It’s the goal of the Witches Cup organizers to revive the strong bicycle racing tradition in downtown Salem, Massachusetts. The last race to take place [...] Continue Reading…

Rita’s Italian Ice
188 Essex Street
978.741.7482
As the new cool kid in town Rita’s serves up some frozen treats.

With the scooperbowl just happening and the ice cream wars heating up a new hat was thrown into the ring recently when franchise frozen ice water shop Rita’s Italian Ice opened up.  Thankfully for them their big opening was a couple weeks back when we still had some summer heat.

Their shop along the pedestrian mall on Essex Street, next to Witch City Ink and across from Pamplemousse is a colourful explosion of red, green and white. [...] Continue Reading…

Many thanks to everyone who voted in our second photo contest Summer In Salem.  The voting closed today and with over 20,000 page views and a few hundred votes we have a winner.  Keela B. who tells us;
I’m not a Salem resident, but my sister and her fiance live in Salem so I’m in town visiting them quite a bit.

Well, Keela your image captured the eyes of many and you are our winner!

Thanks to the generosity of some great local businesses and promoters you’ve won the following prizes.

2 [...] Continue Reading…

Special Events / Festivals
Essex Street Fair - Downtown Salem & Pickering Wharf this Saturday, August 9 and Sunday, August 10 from 10 am - 6 pm Fun for all ages this street festival has something for everyone. Crafts, jewelry, paintings, stained glass, and other unique items will be featured along the Essex Pedestrian Mall. Street performers, face painters, and musicians will entertain all.

Berklee Summer Concert Series - Manami Morita on Derby Square, Saturday, August 9 from 5 - 7 pm

Salem Jazz and Soul Festival - The Nat Simpkins Band Featuring Henri Smith at the Museum Place Mall Fountain, Essex [...] Continue Reading…

Today we have special contribution from fellow insider Lizzie on TheSalemInsider.com blog.  After our last poll regarding the make up of our readers I thought this would be a fine post topic as many of our readers are young professionals and some are starting family’s.

As a new mom home on maternity leave with my little one, days can get a bit monotonous. There’s only so many walks to take, friends and relatives to visit and let’s face it, daytime television leaves something to be desired. So I was really intrigued when I realized that Cinema Salem has brought [...] Continue Reading…

The submissions are in for our second photo contest Summer in Salem, and I’m pleased to say we have some great photos. Thank you to everyone who took the time to send over a photo.  A big thank you goes out to all the businesses who stepped up and donated prizes. Now it is up to you, the readers, to weigh in and cast your vote determining who will win our prize pack consisting of:

2 passes to Five Funny Females comedy show a $50 value given by Drinkwater productions
$25 gift certificate to Spirits at 300 Derby
2 passes to DARQ
2 [...] Continue Reading…

Wanted to remind everyone that photos must be submitted tonight for our current contest Summer in Salem. We already have a few great photos but if you saw the results from the last contest we ran you’ll remember the voting was fierce so anybody has a chance to win.

So use the great weather today to get out there and shoot something!

Don’t forget we have some great prizes this time around that were donated by local businesses.

2 passes to Five Funny Females comedy show a $50 value given by Drinkwater productions
$25 gift certificate to Spirits at 300 Derby
2 [...] Continue Reading…

Special Events / Festivals
TheSalemInsider.com Photo Contest - Contest deadline is Sunday at 11:59pm get all the details including info on our great prize pack here.

Mayors Night Out - We ran into her honor the other night having an Italian Ice and she reminded us to join her Friday from 5 -7 for some drinks and apps as she kicks off Heritage Days

Heritage Days - Tons of activities going on through out the city.  Check out their complete listing here.

Salem Arts Association and Aepril Schaile present The ART of Bellydance -  Saturday, August 2nd from 1pm to 2pm on Artists [...] Continue Reading…

Earlier this year it appeared that one of Salem’s destination shops Fools Mansion was to close it’s doors forever. Thankfully for us locals and many tourists, on the day John the former owner was to close up shop a young Salem couple stepped up to the plate and bought the store.

Matt told me that he and his wife were not looking to become shop owners here in town but felt compelled to keep this well established clothier open and expand it with a focus on local artists and some edgier products.
The Grand Re-opening of Fools Mansion in Salem
Continue Reading…