Tag Archives: photographs

First Harbor Company Christmas Tree

Date Of Visit: December 7, 2024

Location: 3 Beacon St, Marblehead, MA

Cost: Free

Parking: There are a limited amount of parking spaces (about 5 total spots)

Universally Accessible: Yes

Summary: Each year at Christmas time, the First Harbor Company anchors a lit up Christmas tree in Marblehead Harbor.

For some people Christmas season begins right after they finish their last serving of sweet potatoes. I know…yuck!

But for me, Christmas time starts when the First Harbor Company drops anchor on their Christmas tree dinghy in Marblehead Bay. The First Harbor Company makes a variety of hand made products such as wreaths, leashes and buoys. They also sell other products such as books and prints. The dinghy is owned by Tom and Samantha Peach. They decorate the tree and launch it from the launching area at the Little Harbor Company.

I planned my arrival early in the morning before the sunrise to get photos that would accentuate the lights on the tree. I loved how peaceful the water seemed.

I used the other boats and buoys in the harbor to give perspective and frame the photo.

As the sun began to rise, the colors made the landscape so pretty. The pink, black and blue colors in the clouds gave both a warming and ominous feeling.

During my previous visits, the lights on the tree usually went out shortly after the sun rise. But, during this visit the lights stayed on well past sunrise. Although, they do not stay on for most of the day light hours.

If you do plan on seeing the tree in all its splendor, keep in mind parking is limited and because there are trailers and boats sometimes parked near the parking area, it can be hard to find parking there. I parked on the side of the access road at the entrance to avoid being stuck in the narrow parking spots.


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

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!


6th Annual Farm Parade (Southwick, MA)

Date of Event: October 19, 2024

Location: College Highway, Southwick, MA (2 hours southwest of Boston, MA, 30 minutes northwest of Hartford, CT)

Cost: Free

Parking: Free parking was available at some of the local establishments including the shopping center on College Highway

Universally Accessible: Yes

Pet Friendly: Yes

Summary: Horses, cows, dogs, chickens and even a few people marched in the 6th annual animal parade to raise funds for the Polverari-Southwick Animal Shelter.

Parades usually feature people as the main participants. However, the Farm Parade in Southwick, MA, is a little different. Animals were the main attraction at this parade. Officials projected that 75 to 100 animals of all kinds were expected at the parade.

The parade was free for all who came to watch. But, there was a $20 fee to enter the parade. The proceeds went to help the Polverari-Southwick Animal Shelter.

The Powder Mill School marching band provided the musical entertainment for the event.

Another big attraction of the parade were the tractors, cars and other modes of transportation in the parade.

Since the parade was just before Halloween, there were lots of people dressed up and some of the vehicles were also decorated for the season!

But, out of all of the vehicles in the parade, the ones posted below are my favorites.

What fun it must have been to ride around in your own mini tractor or vehicle.

The people who went to the parade weren’t left out of the fun! As you may have noticed in the photo above, some of the people on the vehicles threw candy and beads to the onlookers!

Although it wasn’t required, some of the visitors dressed up for the event!

The farm parade has been growing in size over the years and I look forward to seeing what the following years have in store!


2024 Zombie Walk (Salem, MA)

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!


2024 Haunted Happenings Grand Parade (Salem, MA)

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!


Great Elephant Migration (Newport, RI)

Date Of Event: July through August, 2024

Location: Cliff Walk, Newport, RI

Cost: Free

Summary: 100 elephants were placed along the Cliff Walk in Newport, RI.

The elephants have come to Rhode Island.

No, these isn’t a tagline for the next Hollywood blockbuster. The Great Elephant Migration was a display of 100 elephants made from lantana, a plant common in the southern and northeast part of India. It’s truly incredible to think the artists could make such incredible artistic renderings of elephants.

The 100 Indian elephants, which have since been transported to New York City, were displayed at 3 locations along the Cliff Walk in Newport, Rhode Island; The Breaker’s Mansions, Salve Regina University, Doris Duke/Rough Point Mansion and there was a solitary elephant on display a little farther away from the Cliff Walk at the Great Friend’s Meeting House at 21 Farewell Street, Newport, RI, which is posted below.

The elephants were made in the shape of actual elephants. The herd consists of replicas of real-life elephants personally known to The Coexistence Collective. The Coexistence Collective is a community of around 200 artisans in southern India who made them. And, most of the elephants had names and, in some instance a matriarch twin. For instance, Sarah, the Duchess of York, is the matriarchal twin of Mayflower, who had a darker shade than most other elephants because she is a darker shade in real life.

It took 6 to 7 years for the artists to complete each elephant. So, a lot of care was taken to get all of the details right for each elephant.

The first place I visited to photograph the displays was The Breaker’s Mansion. It is a beautiful mansion inside and out. There were 28 elephants at this location. Initially, I was going to photograph every elephant and include their name for each of them. However, that seemed like pure drudgery and not necessarily much fun for people to look at. So I scrapped that idea. I did, however, photograph all of the elephants. Very often, I think I shouldn’t photograph something. Then, after looking at it a second time, I am glad I did. That is one thing I’ve learned from taking so many photographs. There are no shortcuts and you really shouldn’t always go with your gut instinct. Something that looks like a dull or “mid” photo can actually look very nice after a second look.

The elephants were on sale! The sales would go to raise funds for the 22 conservation organizations around the country. The prices ranged from $8,000 for a baby elephant to $22,000 for the largest tusked elephant. I heard from a volunteer that almost all have already been sold.

I particularly liked how they kept the parents and babies together in some of the displays.

They also seemed to show the elephants smiling or possibly talking. As though they were happy to be there.

I couldn’t help myself from taking a few photos of the architecture and art at The Breaker’s. I hope to get more photos another time when I go on a tour.

I made several trips to the exhibits, particularly the elephant display at Salve Regina University because it was easily accessible off the Cliff Walk. My favorite photos were from when I visited just after sunrise. I particularly liked how the sun shone on the elephants. Plus, there were less people there to get in the way of the photos. And, that was the most difficult part of the photo shoot. It was a very popular display and some of the elephants were located at mansions that didn’t open until 10 am. So it was almost impossible to photograph those elephants without people being there. I noticed in many of my photos some of the elephants had a few extra legs and feet. And human at that!

However, my favorite place to photograph the elephants was at The Doris Duje Estate (aka Rough Point). The wide open lawn and scenic background was very pretty. It almost made you feel like you were in India photographing them. Well, sort of.

Elephants weren’t the only animals on display at the Rough Point Mansion. Flowery depictions of Princess and Baby were also on display on the front lawn. Princess and Baby were Doris Duke’s pet camels.

The displays at Salve Regina University were pet friendly. Fiona a 4 year old mixed breed, got in the shade under this elephant.

As I mentioned above, the elephants are now in New York City. They will eventually go on to Miami South Beach, the Buffalo Pastures in Browning, Montana, and Los Angeles. 


Redcoats & Rebels (Old Sturbridge Village, Sturbridge, MA)

Dates Of Event: August 3 & 4, 2024

Location: Old Sturbridge Village, 1 Old Sturbridge Village, Sturbridge, MA (1 hour and 30 minutes southwest of Boston, MA)

Hours: Hours and days of operation vary depending on the time of the year

Cost: $30 for adults, $28 for seniors (age 55+), and $15 for youth (ages 4-17). There is a $3 discount if you purchase tickets online. Military families also receive discounts.

Parking: Free parking is provided at the village

Summary: Hundreds of historical reenactors gathered at Old Sturbridge Village to recreate the Revolutionary War era.

Website: Old Sturbridge Village

The largest military re-enactment in New England, Redcoats and Rebels, made its annual appearance at Old Sturbridge Village earlier this month. From cooking demonstrations to the highlight of the event; the battle reenactment, the historical village depicted life in the colonial era. Many of the reenactors showed off their culinary chops and craft making skills.

One of the delicacies served up at the encampment was egg pie (yum). And, it is still considered a popular dish in some parts. The big meal of the day, however, was a turkey dinner with all the fixings.

Horses played an integral part of life during this time and there were many people riding or caring for their horses. I found it heartwarming to see the care and effort they put into caring for these animals.

Some of the items on display were toys from that era. I don’t know about you. But, I’d rather play with my phone!

Tents and soldiers could be found throughout the encampment.

Some of the weapons from that era were also on display. I especially appreciated the fine detail incorporated in these weapons.

Music also played a big part at the event.

These drummers had a unique type of drumming. Not only did they bang on their drums, they also banged their sticks together.

I noticed these musicians practicing before a musical event.

Doctor Newman, with the assistance of a fellow reenactor, explained the process of amputation during the Revolutionary War era. The average amputation at that time took 2 minutes and were done without any anesthesia. And, since liquor thins blood, they could not even take a few sips of whisky to help dull the pain.

For someone with such a gruesome job, Dr. Newman was a rather jovial sort.

The tools of the surgeon were shoddy. The white object that looks like a mitten was used to wrap the area where the amputation took place. It was a grim reminder of the cost of war that we should never forget.

There were many re-enactors I was fortunate enough to photograph at the event.

But, the re-enactors weren’t the only people who dressed up for the event. These visitors also dressed up in their best Colonial era attire.

Finally, after a busy day photographing the re-enactors, it was time for the Redcoats and Rebels battle to begin!

The battle was a realistic reenactment of the Revolutionary War.

As you can see by some of the soldiers in the photo below, the cannons did make a very loud noise.

The British proved to be a formidable opponent.

But, in the end, the Rebels were able to keep them at bay and eventually the Redcoats retreated.

Both armies made sure to not leave their wounded behind.

As I was leaving, I passed by the “Field Of Flags.” Each flag represents a person who had died serving their country. It was a moving display to never forget those who have sacrificed for their country.


British Encampment (Salem, MA)

Dates Of Event: June 15 & 16, 2024

Location: Salem Maritime National Historic Site, 160 Derby St, Salem, MA

It’s 1774 in Salem, MA. The British military governor of Massachusetts General Thomas Gage moved the state General Court and capital of Massachusetts from Boston to Salem. This was done for a variety of reasons but stemmed from something having to do with tea.

After the little dustup also known as the Boston Tea Party, the British Parliament, in an effort to punish Massachusetts colonists, passed the Coercive Acts (aka as the Intolerable Acts by the colonists). These acts were not just “coercive”. They were also divisive. While some Salem colonists supported them, others not so much. So, things were somewhat contentious. Sounds familiar.

To celebrate the 250th anniversary of this historic decision, the National Park Service at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site and a variety of historical actors held a 2 day event to educate and entertain guests.

The day started with a mass at St Peter’s Episcopal Church on St Peter’s St. Since this was 1774, the mass and messages were slightly different from things you might hear today at a religious ceremony.

The pastor railed against “speaking out against the government” and for loyalty to the crown.

From exclaiming “Huzzah” when the Governor was announced to dressing to the nines, the congregation was eager to show their respect to the crown. Respect for the crown was the common theme of the sermon and mass. In fact, when the donation plate was brought to each person the collector said the money would go to the government. Not to those in need but rather the government.

People at the ceremony were dressed in their Sunday Bests.

General Thomas Gage (on the right in the photo below) and a fellow officer sat in a pew specially designated for him.

Tributes to the king and the crown could be found inside the church.

After the mass, the event continued onto the Salem Maritime National Historic Site on Derby St. This particular flag included symbols for Scotland who were part of the British empire.

At the encampment, actors displayed what life was like in Salem, MA, during 1744. From knitting their own uniforms to cook and starting fires, life was certainly much different 250 years ago.

The British Encampment event was family friendly. In fact, they even had some rifles (wooden toy rifles) for people of all ages to enjoy.

And, some real rifles used by the historical actors.

There were also historical experts who showed off some of the foods, fashion and medicine that were common for that time.

The food in these photos were common for most meals during 1774.

And, after eating all that food. Tea was a common beverage.

Fashion was another big part of Salem in 1774. This hat was considered not only very fashionable but very expensive for its time.

Knitting was a big part of life in Salem in 1774.

Musicians kept the guests entertained with music from that era.

I don’t want to give it all away. But, the Coercive Acts didn’t go over very well and something happened a year later. But, that’s a topic for another day!


Winteractive (Boston, MA)

Date of Event Currently on display (Jan 17 – Apr 15)

Location: Downtown Boston (MA)

Cost: Free

Parking: There are several parking garages in the downtown Boston area.

Universally Accessible: Yes

Dog Friendly: Yes

Website: Winteractive

Summary: 16 art exhibits are located throughout downtown Boston.

While this winter weather may have been a difficult one for many of us, there was a bright spot in the downtown Boston area. The walkable art exhibit known as Winteractive brought some color and fun to what can be a dreary and frigid Boston winter.

The exhibits, which were inspired by the winter art festivals in Quebec, Canada, are located throughout the downtown Boston area. However, they are mainly located near Downtown Crossing train station, City Hall Plaza and High Street as well as Summer St. near the South Station train station. You can view the locations on this map. While it is possible to walk to all of the exhibits, it may be a good idea to use public transportation or rideshare services to view some of the exhibits off the beaten path.

As you will see, some of the exhibits are interactive. Whenever possible, I got some friendly people to help use the interactive devices for filming. I am listing these exhibits in the order of their locations. Eleven exhibits are are located in or near the Downtown Crossing area. Two more are located in or near City Hall Plaza and the last 2 are located in the Financial District on or near Summer St. Consult the map on the attached link above if you plan on visiting these exhibits.

Echoes: A Voice From Unchartered Waters

1 Franklin St

Mathias Gmachl (United Kingdom)

Steel structure on base

As you emerge from the Downtown Crossing train station, the first exhibit you will see ifs Echoes: A Voice From Unchartered Waters. This exhibit in the shape of a whale is meant to ask us to consider our everyday activities on nature and the environment and to make us be more aware of its fragility. The exhibit not only lights up. It also makes sounds that you can only hear if you’re very close to it.

The artist Mathias Gmachl said he wanted to create a space for people to discuss the future of our planet.

The next 5 works of art were all completed by the same artist; Mark Jenkins. These are all listed below. Mark uses common household or personal items such as tape, wigs, fabrics, fishing rods (yes fishing rods) and rope among other items in his work. Although there is not ,more information available for all of these exhibits, I have included some info when I can find it. Since some of the exhibits relied on their lighting to add to their artistic value, I only went either at night or just before night time. I did like how the sunset or pre sunset light reflected on some of the installations.

Fisherman (Untitled #1)

Summer St at Chauncy St

It is not fish, but love, this person is trying to catch. Good luck, there!

The Swing (Untitled # 2)

Winter St at Tremont St

Woman Suspended (Untitled #3)

Temple Pl

*this exhibit is temporarily unavailable

Stairwalker (Untitled # 4)

31 Bromfield St

Clothesline (Untitled #5)

9 West St (the site of the outdoor lot at Brattle Book Shop)

Blissful Rendezvous

Summer Street Pedestrian Plaza

Kezna Dalz

Vinyl digital print

This exhibit was meant to show the commonalities between the Boston and Quebec provinces by including the flora and fauna of both locations and using Boston as its backdrop. You may notice some of the more notable landmarks and things common in Massachusetts and New England such as lobsters, deer and colorful flowers.

There are also 5 “play feature” exhibits made by LeMonde Studio. They make sounds, light up or do some other fun things based on user interaction.

Light Lane Bikes

Summer Street Pedestrian Plaza

I tried to get someone to ride these bikes so I could display the way the lights change but I had no takers. The colored lines on the bikes light up and moved as people pedal. That’s it!

Guitar Slide

City Hall Plaza

As the name suggests, there is a slide on the neck of this guitar

Music Box

High Street Place Entrance

Photo Frame

Summer Street Pedestrian Plaza

I was able to persuade someone to crank the lever on the device next to the frame and light up this picture frame!

Bird House

Hyatt Regency, One Avenue De Lafayette

This is another interactive exhibit. You simply crank the lever on the box and the bird makes some interesting sounds!

“End Game” (Nagg & Nell)

Max Streicher

Recycled vinyl signs, fans, steel cable

This was certainly my, and many other people’s, favorite exhibit. There were always a group of people stopping by to photograph it whenever I passed by the area. However, the back story of the characters in this exhibit is pretty grim. The inflatable heads are based on characters in the play by Irish novelist Samuel Beckett; End Game. In this play, the characters Nell and Nagg are forced to live out their lives in a dumpster after losing their legs. Yikes.

Myth And Evidence

Washing St and Court St

Mathieu Valade

Urethane animal shape, faux fur, metal, polycarbonate, plywood, wood

The mythical unicorn stands behind a frosted glass display. This was a tricky photo to take. I wanted to photograph it at night to show off the light in the display. Yet, the display did tend to reflect the glare from the street lights and lights from the storefronts. In retrospect, I should have photographed it from the other side.

Island Of Warmth

125 Summer St

ATOMIC3

Steel and light elements

Two hundred and twenty bulbs light up intermittently on this visual, musical and luminous display. The Island of Warmth is a tribute to Montreal’s festive tradition. But, despite the name, it’s not going to keep you warm. So, don’t try to warm up by it!

Territories 2.0

175 Federal St

Olivier Roberge

Steel, polycarbonate, paint, miniature models, LED lighting

Described as a “true narrative microcosm”, this walk in exhibit is a diorama which depicts a natural environment that has been abundantly transformed by human intervention and climate change.

Although it’s more like Springactive at this point, this exhibit is a must see if you’re in the Boston area! But, don’t wait. The displays will only be up until April 15!


2024 Salem’s So Sweet (Salem, MA)

Date Of Event: February 10, 2024 (event is held annually the weekend of or before Valentine’s Day)

Location: Salem, MA (about 30 mins northeast from Boston, MA)

Cost: Free

Parking: There are 2 main parking garages and several other parking lots and metered parking available throughout the city. See below for parking information in Salem, MA.

Parking in Salem

Website: Salem’s So Sweet

Summary: 26 ice sculptures were placed throughout Salem, MA for the Salem’s So Sweet annual event.

Love and a little bit of ice was in the air in Salem, MA, last month. In celebration of the Salem’s So Sweet event, held each year around Valentine’s Day, 28 ice sculptures were unveiled for the Salem’s So Sweet annual event.

Due to the mild temperatures and some clumsy pedestrians, some of the ice sculptures did not fare well . But, of the 28 ice sculptures only only two sculptures were completely demolished.

I am listing the sculptures numerically as they are listed on the map for the event (which is attached in the link at the top). I stayed the entire day so I could photograph the ice sculptures before and after they were lighted. Looking through the photos, I am glad I photographed the ice sculptures before they were lighted because they did melt considerably throughout the day.

Each time I post photos of these events, a feeling of nostalgia sweeps over me and it makes me miss and want to visit Salem. So, posting these photos, although at times time consuming, can actually be fun.

1 Blackcraft Coffee – this ice sculpture was not available

2 One Piece Flag

3 Crystal Snowflake

4 Viking. A lot of people came by to take their photo in the opening of the Viking sculpture. Fun fact: the name of the sports teams for Salem State College is The Vikings.

5 Moon

6 Salem Loves Architecture.

7 Dog (only one of those dogs is a sculpture). Banks, a 3 year old Cream Golden Retriever, was nice enough to pose for the photo on the left.

8 Gummy Bear

9 Keith Haring, Untitled with Heart and Two Figures

10 Coraline

11 Witch. One of the things I appreciate about the Salem’s So Sweet event, and really any event in Salem, is they always keep a Halloween or historical element to their sculptures or other art. Because, as I and other notables have said, “it’s always Halloween in Salem.”

12 Camera

13 Candy Picture Frame. The sculpture has “It’s not the chocolate that matters, it’s the people you share it with” written on the banner. I agree wholeheartedly! As an added treat, Charlie stopped by the sculpture for a few photos!

14 Dragon. It’s the year of the Dragon (technically the Wood Dragon) and the Peabody Essex Museum, which is where this sculpture was located, held a Lunar New Year Festival earlier that day (which I attended). So, this was a particularly appropriate sculpture.

The Lunar New Year Festival at PEM (Peabody Essex Museum – isn’t weird I wrote it out anyway – why didn’t I just type Peabody Essex Museum in the first place?) was wonderful. But I didn’t get too many great photos (except for the back of the person’s head in front of me). I did, however, get this photo from the event.

15 Cat – The Witch House (aka the Jonathan Corwin House). They always have a cat sculpture here. But, it’s shape, type and posture of the cat does change. But, like some of the other places on the list, they have always placed a similar sculpture at their location ever since I’ve been photographing the event.

16 Crystal Ball. This crystal ball had melted quite a bit by the time I got to photograph it. But, I think I saw an eye in the sculpture if you look close and enlarge the photo.

17 World. This sculpture, sponsored by the Journeymasters, is much like the sculpture outside the Witch Bouse in that it is usually in the shape of a globe and only varies slightly over the years I have been lucky enough to photograph it. Like some of the other sculptures on this list, the lights for this sculpture changed colors

18 Lobster, This sculpture located outside of Turner’s Seafood is another sculpture that keeps a certain theme each year. It usually bears a resemblance to a lobster or some other seafood fare.

19 Skull.

20 Curly Girl. This sculpture always makes me smile. Located outside of Curly Girl Candy Shop, the Curly Girl sculpture changed some funky colors!

21 Fairy. It may be hard to see since this sculpture did melt quite a bit. But it looks like a fairy may be playing a harp.

22 Gayle The Snail. I think I was driving behind this sculpture on the way to the event.

23 Whale Tail

24 Cauldron

25 Anchor – this sculpture was not available.

26 Rocking Horse

27 Fall In Love With Salem

28 Bakery

There was also this bonus ice sculpture located outside Re-find which wasn’t part of the official Salem So Sweet ice sculpture event.

I also enjoyed the tasteful decor of the windows at Re-find and some of the other stores in Salem.

At the visitor center, guests could write their own valentine’s and post them for all to see. It was good to see people getting into the spirit of the event!

I now know whenever I go to Salem I’m not just photographing the event or display that is my main purpose of going there. There are always interesting things to photograph in Salem. Besides the ice sculptures, there were also light displays, decorations and even an interesting guest at the event.

This house on Derby St is always decorated for the various holidays and other special days throughout the year and I always make sure to stop by to see the new decorations. However, this photography session was different than my usual shoots. While taking photographs behind the fence at the residence, the owner and decorator of the display invited me on to the property to get a closer look and take some photos. So, I was able to get some photos of things most people don’t get to see, at least not up close. Again, like some of the ice sculptures, I appreciate the nods to Halloween and the darker side of things, especially during this romantic time of the year.

The pumpkins at Stardust kept with the Halloween theme seen throughout the city.

There was also some new art at The Point section of Salem.

And, of course it is Salem, so people don’t wait until October to dress up for Halloween.

Lastly, there was one special visitor at the event. Lucifer, the official cat of Salem, took in the sculptures.