Category Archives: Uncategorized

March 2, 2025

2024 Christmas In Salem Part 7 – First Church Of Salem (Salem, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: December 7, 2024

Location: 316 Essex St, Salem, MA

Hours: Open all day Saturday, special Sunday hours 1-4 pm

I am still planning on posting all of the summaries of my tours of the homes and buildings on the Christmas In Salem tour, albeit a little late. I did get side tracked with some other events I attended. But, I will now focus on these last remaining homes of the tour. I am also adding a bonus surprise to this post which will be revealed at the end of the description of this church.

From the 4 leaf clover-like design at the top of the building to the unique design, the First Church of Salem is one of the more recognized structures in the city of Salem, MA., that doesn’t have “witch: in it’s name. In fact, as I took the photo above a lady mentioned how it was one of the most photographed buildings in Salem. But, the interior of the building and the building’s history are lesser known points of interest.

Built in 1836, the The First Church of Salem is not only considered the continuous Protestant Congregation, it is also considered one of the best examples of stone masonry Gothic Revival ecclesiastical structures in the United States.

Constructed of cut and regularly coursed Quincy granite covered by a low-hipped slate roof, the First Church of Salem has symmetrical front facade on which is centered a square, crenelated attached bell tower with a Tudor-arch front doorway. Just like my home. Above the doorway is a large traceried (ornamental stone openwork) pointed-arch window. There are additional pointed-arch windows with basic tracery and diamond-shaped panes on either side of the tower and along the side walls. The church also houses stained glass windows by such names as Tiffany, LaFarge and Reynolds. Grace Park, widow of George Swinnerton Parker of Parker Brothers fame, dedicated one of the stained glass windows in memory of her husband and 2 sons.

Festive decor was abundant in the church.

In the back of the church, there was a room for functions and receiving people.

A pianist played some holiday music.

One of the interesting tidbits the guides for the church discussed was the church’s role in Leslie’s Retreat. To make a long story short, starting in 1718, the First Church of Salem broke into five different churches, with all but one rejoining the original First Church in later years. Today, the congregation worships at the meetinghouse of the North Church, built in 1836. The one congregation that remains independent is the Tabernacle Church in Salem, which separated from the First Church in 1734 over a row about a minister at the time. 

On February 26, 1775 at North Church, which is the current location of the First Church, Reverend Thomas Barnard Jr left his pulpit to join a group of Salem men to convince the British Colonel Leslie to not attack a munitions depot alleged to be stored in North Salem. After some cajoling (and perhaps some bending of the truth), Col. Leslie agreed to not attack. It is said that if not for the reverend’s efforts, the Revolutionary War would not have started in February, 1775 instead of April, 1775. A portrait of the reverend still hangs at the church.

Drum roll please for the bonus to this post…

Every so often, I am planning on adding book reviews from authors from New England or books about New England. I’ve read many books from authors based in New England or about the area. But, to refresh my memory, I will have to re-read some. If you do have any New England themed books or books written by people from New England, feel free to leave a comment or suggestion!

This was not my first go at a book by this author some of you may have heard of. And, although I’ve given this author many tries, I’ve never been overly impressed. But, that may be because it’s just not my personal taste of genre. However, this book was different. I am copying and pasting text from my goodreads review. Click on the link if you want to read the entire review. And, send a friend request if you’re a goodreads user!

The Shining – Stephen KIng

It may be surprising to some. But I am not a huge Stephen King fan. However, he definitely delivered in this effort.

Of course, I had seen the movie several times before reading the book. However, not everyone prefers the film over the book. In fact, Stephen King has been a sharp critic of the film version. While each production stands on their own, here’s what I appreciated about the book.

Jack Torrance. What a character. Unlike the film, Jack is a much more nuanced and layered character in King’s book. Sometimes he seems dangerous, indeed evil. Other times he seems almost relatable, particularly his struggles with his vices.

I also appreciated the Wendy character in the book. She was both sincere and, frankly, bad ass.

King transitioned smoothly to various side stories…

14 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , | posted in Christmas, Christmas In Salem, church, history, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, photography, photos, Salem, travel, Uncategorized

February 5, 2025

2024 Christmas In Salem Part 6 – The Greymoor /Putnam-Balch House (Salem, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: Dec. 7, 2024

Location: 329 Essex St, Salem, MA

It’s easy to see why the Grey-Balch residency is considered “the most ambitious and outstanding residence of its era in Salem.”

The Greymoor-Balch House boasts rusticated wooden sheathing, paired pilasters with fluted tops at the corners of the facade and an elaborate arched dormer window above the second floor which is enhanced by a heavily bracketed cornice. The front entrance porch is supported by eight square molded columns capped by a balustrade with corner posts supporting urns.

The house’s decor is modeled after the Second Empire and Italianate styles.

Greymoor was built by James S. Putnam in 1872 after he demolished a house on that site which was owned by Benjamin Marston, a former Essex County high sheriff and colonel in the state militia. In 1881 the property was by Frank Balch. Balch worked at the Naumkeag Steam Co. Balch’s son is said to have improved x-ray technology by inventing the Balch Roentgen Scopic screen in 1916 which reduced the time required for taking an x-ray picture from 20 seconds to 1/5 of a second. Balch’s company, Balch Roentgenoscopic Screen Co, was located in Salem, MA.

The house served as Salem’s American Legion headquarters between 1921 and 1979. Between 1971 and 1981, Donald Costin restored the house as a private home. More recently, the current owners have restored the house to its original decor. The 6,352 square foot included 3 floors with 2.5 bathrooms, 5 bedrooms and 8 fireplaces. When the house was listed for sale in June, 2019, the house was listed for just under a paltry $1.4 million.

Upon entering the home, it was clear there was a lot of Christmas decor in the house.

I thought this arched door was very elegant.

Of course, my favorite of any home is the kitchen. I always like to look at the kitchens of these old homes! This very old looking cast iron coal stove had 6 burners. I especially enjoyed the artwork and decor above the stove.

In the hallway, there was this painted window that could be opened.

The home was tastefully decorated. I especially liked the lighting fixtures.

Fitz Blarney provided some holiday cheer.

I have a pet peeve about taking photos in general. But, especially with photos of homes. If there is a vehicle or some other obstruction, I won’t take head on photos of the building. So, I will often take photos from an angle or the side. However, this home is so pretty, I decided to include a front facing photo of the building from the real estate website when it was on the market (photo courtesy of priceypads.com).

5 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | posted in Christmas, Christmas In Salem, historical, history, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, photography, photos, travel, traveling, Uncategorized

January 24, 2025

Christmas By Candlelight 2024 (Old Sturbridge Village, Sturbridge, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: Dec. 21, 2024

Location: Old Sturbridge Village, 29 Stallion Hill Road
Sturbridge, MA (1 hour southwest of Boston, MA)

Universally Accessible: Some of the areas are universally accessible. But, many of the houses do not have ramps or other universally accessible entryways. See below for more details from their website:

Old Sturbridge Village is an outdoor museum with unpaved roads that lead to houses, farms, shops, mills, and gardens typical of 19th-century rural New England. While more than half of the Village’s historic buildings have wheelchair-accessible entrances, interior access varies. The Village’s unpaved roads are generally firm and stable. Most roads are level, with steeper grades located near the Bullard Tavern, Glass Exhibit, and Herb Garden. Longer, more gradual grades are located near the Visitor Center and Freeman Farmhouse.

Summary: Old Sturbridge Village hosted their annual Christmas By Candlelight event last month. Historical actors discussed the many historical aspects of the holiday and many Christmas decorations were on display.

The spirit of Christmas was alive in Sturbridge, MA! An 1830s Christmas that is.

Every year, Sturbridge Village recreates Christmas during the olden days. Toys, treats and decorations were in abundance at the event.

The first thing that caught my eye was the Tree of Heroes.

Each star hanging from the tree included the name of a service member from the area who has died. It is a sobering reminder of the sacrifice of others and the loss people feel this time of the year and throughout the years.

At the village, one of the biggest decorations, literally and figuratively, were the nutcrackers.

Although nutcrackers were a part of the Christmas decor of the 1800s, they really became more common in the states after World War II. American soldiers stationed in West Germany after the war would send them home as gifts.

Nutcrackers are said to represent fear and strength. And, in some cultures, luck. Since their purpose is to crack open the shells of nuts, which requires a certain amount of force and strength, they are figures of strength and being fierce. In fact, they are so fierce, according to German folklore, they were believed to ward off evil spirits and protect homes because of their strength.

This employee at the village was working diligently on a nutcracker. The carved bodies of the nutcrackers are delivered to the village and the workers are responsible for painting and decorating them. She said she can paint and decorate one nutcracker in one evening (at least when people like me weren’t pestering her with questions). She told me the hardest part of decorating the nutcrackers is getting all the lines straight.

Of course, the homes, buildings and grounds were decorated for the season.

The interior of the homes were just as beautiful as the outside of them.

Toys, of course, are also a big part of the holiday. There were toys from the 1800s and modern day era at the event.

But, not all of the gifts children received were toys or dolls. Children in the 1800s would leave carrots and hay in their shoes to feed St Nick’s horse (or donkey) in the hopes he might leave gifts such as chocolates, candy, fruits, nuts, coins and other gifts in their shoes.

There were also musicians, magicians and other entertainers at the event.

Of course, what would the holidays be without food? The house where the Italian traditions were shown featured a Ceppo, a wooden pyramid structure designed to hold shelves full of different Christmas items. Some levels had gifts and food items while other levels had candles on them. Besides being a potential fire hazard, the Ceppo was meant to represent a flame and act as a substitute for the Yule log.

In the corner of the table you may have noticed a figure holding a stick.  La Befana, the “Christmas Witch”, is considered a good witch who rides around on her broomstick. She carries around a sack of gifts and candies for good children. The name  La Befana originates from the Greek word Epifania, the Italian name for the religious festival of the Epiphany.

The Italian Christmas Eve tradition of the Feast of the Seven Fishes was also discussed. But, thankfully, no fish was prepared or served at the event. In its place, cakes, cookies and other sweets were on display. And a chocolate layered cake was served. I did not partake. But, the consensus was it was “delicious.”

Just looking at all the photos makes me hungry! Believe it or not, even with all of the photos I have posted, I could have posted even more.

As an added bonus, there was a gingerbread house contest.

The “winning gingerbread house was “Best In Show” gingerbread house was this “Farm Creation.”

The rest of the gingerbread houses and other gingerbread structures are posted below, in no particular order.

11 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | posted in Christmas, Massachusetts, New England, Old Sturbridge Village, photographs, photography, photos, Sturbridge, Uncategorized

December 25, 2024

Christmas In Salem Part 3 – Grace Church (Salem, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: December 7, 2024

Location: 385 Essex St, Salem, MA

Website: Grace Church

Not all of the buildings in the Christmas In Salem tour are homes. This part of the tour took us to the Grace Church.

Grace Church has been at its current location since 1926. Previously, it was a wooden Gothic Revival building in 1869. The original church was demolished as it was deemed inadequate for the needs of the congregation. Philip Horton Smith and Edgar Walker, both architects of Salem, constructed the stone masonry late Gothic Revival structure that exists at the location today. Four of the stained glass windows in the church were transferred from the original 1856 structure, two of which are by Tiffany.

While the church was being built, Grace Church acquired the Burill House as a Parish House. The building has been remodeled and enlarged while adding a cloistered wing to the church.

Susan Gentile’s “Heavenly Light” art project adorns the walls of the church.

If you look closely at this stained glass window, you may see some historical figures (besides the obvious one).

In the second row of the stained glass window, there are images of Martin Luther King, Ghandi and Mother Teresa.

Grace Church is involved in many activities and causes such as the Abundant Life Garden which engages children in scripture and agriculture as well as many other causes.

5 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | posted in Christmas In Salem, church, New England, photographs, photography, photos, Salem, travel, Uncategorized

December 19, 2024

2024 Christmas In Salem Part 1 – The Cotting-Smith Assembly House (Salem, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: December 7, 2024

Location: 138 Federal St, Salem, MA

Parking: There are several parking lots and garages in the Salem area

Universally Accessible: No, many of the homes do not have ramps or universally accessible entry

When you ask most people what they think of when they think of Salem, MA they will most likely reply with something about Halloween and witches. However, Salem has become an all year round attraction. In fact, the Christmas in Salem event has quickly become one of the more popular events in Salem.

Christmas In Salem is a series of guided tours at 13 historic homes and buildings in Salem, MA. In these series of posts, I will take you all on these tours and give some observations from my perspective through my photos and the information provided by the informative tour hosts and the literature from this event.

The first home on the Christmas In Salem tour is the Cotting-Smith Assembly House (aka as the Assembly House) on Federal St. This house was used as the headquarters of the tour. People registered for the tour by showing their receipt and, upon registering, were given a handbook with the addresses and writeups for each building.

Built in 1782 as a “Federalist Clubhouse”, the Cotting-Smith Assembly House was used as a ballroom and concert venue as well as a place to host lectures and other events for Salem’s elite. The Marquis de Lafayette was said to have danced in that very house in 1784 and it is said that George Washington dined there in 1789. While the original documentation for the building is not available, it is believed the house was essentially plain and functional in its original state in 1782.

The building was originally funded as a joint stock venture. Once it was rendered obsolete in 1792, Jonathan Waldo, one of the original developers, obtained full ownership. Waldo then sold the house to Samuel Putnam in 1794. Either Waldo or Putnam hired renowned Salem architect and craftsman Samuel_McIntire to remodel it as a private home. McIntire added 4 pillar of iconic pilasters to the second floor facade and a pediment centered above. The Assembly House is said to the the only wooden structure designed by McIntire with a pavilion front. The house was later remodeled during the 1830s or 40s. During this time the Greek Revival portico was added to the front of the house featuring an ornate frieze of carved grape vines by master carpenter Joseph True. The Assembly House, which is now owned by the Peabody Essex Museum, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The building acted as the meeting place for visitors to get their handbook of houses to visit and map of all of the buildings on the tour. So, there wasn’t much decor at this particular home. However, I did see some photo worthy things.

Sometimes the little things can tell a lot about a home. For instance, this wallpaper spoke to the trade relations between Salem and other countries. This wallpaper, which shows what looks like a rendition of life and culture of the people of Asia, may have been an example of how the owners traveled to certain parts of Asia. It was not unusual for people to put up wallpaper that reminded them of places they traveled to or traded with.

This is not an original print, though. It is a stylized representation of wallpaper from that time.

While wallpaper may not be in vogue now, it was a treasured possession of the wealthy at the time this house was built.

According to Historic New England, the earliest record of wallpaper in America is in the estate inventory of a Boston stationer in 1700, where “7 quires of painted paper and three reams of painted paper” were listed. But, only one wallpaper in Historic New England’s collection with a history in New England dates back to the 1700s. Like all early references, this was more descriptive of quantity than of design. Only one wallpaper in Historic New England’s collection with a history in New England dates to this early period. This wallpaper was later used to cover a copy book of poetry in 1783.

Initially, paper hangings, as wallpaper was called in the eighteenth century, were only available from stationer and book sellers. Or they could be custom ordered from merchants who specialized in importing luxury goods. Eventually, wall paper could be purchased from upholsterers.

Prior to 1760, only the wealthiest colonists in urban areas in New England could afford wallpaper. Wallpaper was expensive because of the process involved in making it. The rolls the wallpaper was printed on had to be made of individual sheets of paper. These sheets were glued together. Then, they were hand printed with wood blocks, one block for each color of the design.

That is what makes the Christmas In Salem event so interesting. You can learn so much about the history of wallpaper just by touring a historic home!

Please join me on my tours of all of these historic homes!

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14 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | posted in Christmas, Christmas In Salem, historical, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, photography, photos, travel, Uncategorized

November 23, 2024

Phantoms By Firelight (Old Sturbridge Village, Sturbridge, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Event: October 26, 2024

Location: Old Sturbridge Village, 29 Stallion Hill Road, Sturbridge, MA (1 hour southwest of Boston, MA)

Cost: Prices tanged from $14 to $45 depending on your age and when you bought them. More information can be found at the link below

Ticket prices

Universally Accessible: Yes

Parking: Free parking is included in the ticket price

Website: Phantoms By Firelight

Summary: Performers entertained visitors with gravity defying acts, fire breathing and other jaw dropping tricks!

Fiery frights awaited all at this year’s Phantoms By Firelight event at Old Sturbridge Village.

An array of performers, dare devils and acrobats entertained countless visitors last month at Old Sturbridge Village.

Perhaps this event should have been titled, “don’t try this at home.”

The family friendly event included card tricks by Magnus The Magnificent.

There were also games like this World Scramble game. Can you guess the phrase hidden in this world scramble?

After all the fun and games, it was off to the Village Common to watch Alexander the Upside Down Man.

The feats of strength by Andrew were very impressive!

Whew! I got sore and tired just watching Alexander!

Next on the list of things I’ll never be able to do was the rope climbing extraordinaire Philomena.

But, before the show got started, the ring master got the crowd pumped up for the event!

After all that climbing, Philomena took a well deserved rest!

After the show, I was able to take a photo of the star of the show!

As the evening wore on and darkness fell upon the village, The performers kept everyone warm and entertained! Ignatius and Anastasia, aka the Masters Of The Flame, kept everyone enthralled with their fiery tricks! I liked the contrast of the agility and graceful of Philomena and the pure rock and roll daredevil action of Ignatius and Anastasia!

After that breath taking display, it was on to the Cyrkus Vampyr Finale Ultimo. As the name would seem to suggest, this was the finale of the evening.

This performance included some awesome acrobatics and more fun with fire!

There were also additional shows at the event. In the spirit of the Halloween season, there were some macabre events like this re-enactment and info session about wakes. This event was both respectful and informative.

There was a lot of differences from wakes during the early 1800s. For instance, during the early 1800s, which is the time frame Old Sturbridge Village is based, people didn’t take visitors for wakes. People’s wakes were very different. People mourned and reflected on their own. A casket with a mannequin represented how the people would mourn.

The lighting and decor added to the atmosphere of the event.

The performers at the event were not the only people who dressed up! Some of the visitors also wore costumes or other decorative items.

In addition to all of the performances, there was a Clues & Candy game where they had to collect stamps to complete a picture. The lucky ones who completed the tasks were rewarded with a treat pick up! There were also demonstrations of casket making, musicians and spooking story telling!

Despite all of the fire and death defying acrobats (or maybe because of it), the Phantoms By Firelight event was a big hit with both old young!

Please see below for videos from the event!

19 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | posted in acribatic, fire, Halloween, Massachusetts, New England, Old Sturbridge Village, photographs, photography, photos, Sturbridge, Uncategorized

October 29, 2024

2024 Zombie Walk (Salem, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Event: October 5, 2024 (held annually the first Saturday of October)

Location: Salem Commons, Salem MA (about half an hour northeast of Boston, MA)

Website: 2024 Salem Zombie Walk

Summary: The zombies took over Salem, MA, earlier this month!

Zombies of all shapes, sizes and ages gathered in Salem, MA, to feast upon some of the brains of the city folk. They originally planned to go to Washington, DC. But, they would have gone hungry.

All of the zombies, monsters and other ghouls met up at Salem Commons for some photo opportunities. From prom queens to fear leaders, the costumes were as creative as they were scary!

Some of the zombies got tired even before the walk began.

Eventually, the zombies lumbered their way through downtown Salem. Over the years, the walk has really grown in popularity. hundreds if not thousands of people lined the streets, many of them recording the walkers on their cellphones. And the zombies didn’t disappoint. They moaned, leaned into the cameras and shuffled their way through the streets. I love how they get into the spirit of the event!

In some of the photos, you may notice the participants were given buttons that state “I Survived the Zombie Walk!”…or did they? We may never know.

Despite all the moaning, shrieking and close calls with the zombies, the city survived the zombie walk just fine. This time.

The zombie in the video below usually brings his laboratory experiment with him each year!

12 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | posted in horror, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, photography, photos, Salem, travel, Uncategorized, zombie walk

October 17, 2024

2024 Haunted Happenings Grand Parade (Salem, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Event: October 3, 2024

Location: Salem, MA (about 30 minutes northeast of Boston, MA)

Cost: Free

Summary: Salem, MA, officially kicked off their Haunted Happenings season last week with their annual Haunted Happenings Grand Parade.

Website: Haunted Happenings Grand Parade

It’s official! Spooky season has come to Salem, MA!

To usher in the Halloween season, Salem, MA, recently held their 42nd Haunted Happenings Grand Parade! But, even before the parade began, there was plenty to photograph. The sun set just as the parade was getting underway providing some beautiful photo opportunities.

It wasn’t just the parade marchers who got dressed up for the event! These spectators were also dressed up!

A variety of aliens, dinosaurs, pirates and an assortment of other ghoulish characters marched or drove in the festive event!

The theme of the parade this year was “Our Time On Earth.” and some parade floats had decoration reflecting this theme.

Parade participants spend a lot of time and effort preparing their floats for the parade. Some of these floats and vehicles were weeks or months in the making. These vehicles and floats of all kinds, some with interesting passengers, were decorated for the event.

But, not all of the participants were in vehicles or floats. Some of the characters walked or used other modes of transportation to get around.

You may have noticed some Halloween pails in some of the photos. During the parade, some of the people marching in the parade would pass out candy or just give high fives!

As if all that wasn’t enough below is some video from the parade!

23 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , | posted in Halloween, Massachusetts, New England, parade, photographs, photography, photos, Salem, Uncategorized

September 20, 2024

6th Annual Salem Vintage Lawn Party (Salem, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Event: September 14, 2024

Location: Salem Commons , North Washington Square, Salem, MA (35 minutes northeast of Boston, MA)

Cost: Free

Dog Friendly: Yes

Universally Accessible: Yes

Summary: Salem Commons transformed into the days of the 1920s for a very special event.

It was a swinging good time last weekend at Salem Commons.

For the past 6 years, the Salem community Neighborhood Association has hosted the Vintage Lawn Party. The party included dancing, antique cars, music and vendors selling all things vintage.

On my way to the event, I noticed this sky writer. Only in Salem!

While dressing up for the event is not required, it is encouraged and appreciated! Many people came dressed up in their best vintage wear! In fact, it seems like each year more guests decide to don their best attire. I used some special settings such as black and white and sepia to give some of the photos an old timey feel.

Annie and the Fur Traders kept the people dancing with their swinging sounds.

And, of course, there was dancing.

If dancing isn’t your thing, there were some cool cars to check out. In previous years, there was only one or two cars at the party. But, over time as word about the party spread, more and more cars began to show up. I love the curves, shape and sleekness of the cars.

This 1966 Excalibur has a special connection to Salem. It was the very same car used in the Bewitched episodes filmed in Salem, MA. The owner of the vehicle, “Sid” posed with his car.

Below is a photo of the very same car from the Bewitched episode filmed in 1970.

There were also lawn games for everyone to enjoy. Although it may seem like a new sensation, cornhole has existed since the 1880s in different forms.

Croquet, another game that has been around since the 1800s, was also a popular game played by both the young and old.

This 5 year old is quite the croquet prodigy.

There were a number of merchants selling everything from clothing, art ceramics and everything in between.

After a long day of partying and dancing, this pooch was all partied out!

17 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , | posted in cars, dancers, dancing, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, photography, Salem, Uncategorized, vintage, vintage lawn party

August 26, 2024

Dancing On The Greenway (Rose Kennedy Greenway, Boston, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Event: August 6, 2024

Location: Rose Kennedy Greenway, Boston, MA

Summary: For the past 2 years, Facone has been holding dancing events along the Greenway.

They were dancing on the Greenway this summer. Specifically, the Dancing on the Greenway, a series of dancing events along the Rose Kennedy Greenway, took center stage every Tuesday during the summer months.

The event attracted dancers of all capabilities and a few curious onlookers.

The best part of the event was watching everyone just having fun. It didn’t matter if they were good dancers, not so good or somewhere in the middle.

Each dancing event featured a different type of dancing. The theme of the dancing event during my visit was Scottish Ceilidh. Pronounced as kay-lee, Ceilidh is a gaelic word meaning gathering or party. And the dance event seemed more like a gathering and party. While technique and style were a bonus, it was really all about having fun and learning about this Scottish Ceilidh dance genre. A dance instructor and experienced Scottish dancers helped lead the dancers during this event.

Some of the music for these dance events the summer were recordings played on a sound system. But, I made sure to stop by while there was a live band performing. Susie Petrov, Stephen Thomforde and Marnen Laibow-Koser provided the music for the event I attended.

AS darkness fell upon the Greenway, the lights of the city lit up the dance area.

In yet another sign that summer is indeed winding down, the final Dancing on the Greenway event is Tuesday, August 27. But, they may be back again next year! So, don’t forget to stop by next summer! Just don’t forget to bring your dance shoes!

17 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Boston, dancers, dancing, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, photography, photos, Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway, Uncategorized