Tag: yarmouth

Fresh produce and homemade goods at the Bass River Farmer’s Market

Discover the Bass River Farmers Market in South Yarmouth

What’s the hottest spot in town for gourmet seafood, healthy vegetables, and fresh-baked artisan breads?

It’s the Bass River Farmer’s Market. And yes, it’s more than just a place to grab a few ears of sweet corn for dinner — although that’s never a bad idea.

Shop Locally Grown Vegetables and Farm Fresh Eggs in Cape Cod

The market now hosts over 20 vendors on Thursday and Saturday mornings, peddling just-picked produce, fresh-caught seafood, gourmet pastries, olive oils, pickles, jams, relishes, scented candles, pet treats, jewelry and too many hand-crafted goods to list in a single blog post.

The Bass River Farmers Market has is a great spot to browse for handmade gifts or to pick up fresh, locally produced foods

Longtime market manager Carlene Veara says the myriad crafters make the market ideal for visitors to hunt for that perfect Cape Cod gift. But, she said, the biggest attractions are still the food vendors.

Fresh-Caught Seafood and Seasonal Vegetables at Bass River Farmers Market

Lane Gardens of Dighton and Oakdale Farms of Rehoboth truck in their fresh-picked seasonal vegetables. Fireking Baking Co. of Braintree draws early birds looking for the first choice of artisan breads. And fresh seafood vendor Denice Lapierre brings succulent sea scallops caught on her partner Chris Merl’s day boat, the Isabel and Lilee.

The seafood has piqued interest and made the Bass River Farmers Market a locavore’s destination — where finnicky foodies can gather locally sourced ingredients to create the perfect gourmet meal.

Yarmouth’s Locavore Destination for Day Boat Scallops

Lapierre’s specialty is day boat sea scallops, harvested on short trips and brought to shore in small loads. Day boat scallops also called “dry scallops” aren’t treated with additives that preserve the seafood and help the meat retain water. Because they have less water content, the scallops don’t ooze liquid when they sizzle in a frying pan. And that means they can be sauteed to perfection — delivering the crisp, caramelized coating that food-lovers expect from local scallops.

Denice Lapierre’s specialty is fresh “dry scallops” from her partner Chris Merl’s boat, the fishing vessel Isabel and Lilee, named after their two daughters.

Local Wild-Caught Fish and Fresh Produce in Yarmouth’s Market

She sells her dayboat sea scallops. In addition to the fresh sea scallops, Lapierre sells haddock and other finfish, depending on what’s available from her supplier, Red’s Best. Sometimes she has black sea bass, sometimes striped bass or even the largely undiscovered treat of local skate wings. All of the fish she sells are wild-caught, except for the salmon, which Lapierre said is farmed in Maine and was added to her inventory after repeated customer requests.

Lane Gardens owner Laura Smith says the presence of Lapierre’s seafood has boosted overall turnout at the market, which makes everyone happy.

Smith brings fresh-picked vegetables, berries, fruits and herbs to the Bass River market, with specific items varying by the season. During the mid-August bonanza, her wares include just about everything that can be grown in New England — sweetcorn, carrots, cucumbers, broccoli, scallions, tomatoes, beets, peppers, eggplants, potatoes, salad fixings, and summer squashes, along with basil and other herbs. Lane Gardens also has layer hens for farm-fresh eggs, which she said sell out quickly at the market. The farm also has a certified kitchen for pickles and other processed farm foods. If you don’t see what you want, just ask, and Smith will bring it next time, she said.

Support Cape Cod Farmers with Healthy, Farm-Fresh Goods

Smith also accepts SNAP benefits and is registered with HIP, the state’s Healthy Incentives Program, which offers instant rebates to customers who use their EBT cards to purchase healthy, farm-fresh goods. If a customer has $100 on an Electronic Benefits Transfer card and buys $30 worth of vegetables, Smith accepts payment and immediately refunds the full amount to the customer’s EBT card via HIP. So, in effect, the customer is getting high-quality, fresh local food for free.

Laura Smith of Lane Gardens in Dighton sells fresh vegetables, berries, fruits, and eggs at the Bass River Farmers Market in South Yarmouth.

The popular program helps low-income families eat healthier while supporting local farmers — which is always a worthy endeavor.

“Eating locally grown food lets us support our farmers and helps to grow our local economy in Southeastern Massachusetts, the Cape and the Islands,” said Karen Schwalbe, executive director of the Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership.

Strong demand at our local markets has allowed farmer’s markets to diversify their products to include locally caught fish and shellfish, along with value-added products like salts and seasonings, jams and jellies, and baked goods, she said.

If want to support local food producers by shopping at Bass River Farmers Market, here are some things to know:

Plan Your Visit: Hours, Location, and Parking at Bass River Farmers Market

  • The market is located at 311 Old Main St. in South Yarmouth, and it’s open on Thursdays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., rain or shine. (Look for the signs placed around town by Veara, who rises with the roosters to let everyone know it’s market day.)
  • The season begins in mid-June and ends this year on Sept. 7th.
  • Parking is available at the market or nearby lots.

Photo credit: All photos by Lilee Merl

Andy Tomolonis is a textbook author, travel writer and freelance multimedia journalist.

The Bass River Mercantile

Bass River Mercantile

A Long-Standing Presence in South Yarmouth

If you’ve ever spent much time in Yarmouth, Massachusetts, you’ve probably seen the building. Or maybe you’ve missed sight of it, but have driven by countless times, leaving it peripherally in the rearview as you gauge the queue of cars on the Bass River Bridge and count your lucky stars, (or shake your fists to the sky, respectively), at the visual oracle of impending traffic and time. If you are generationally local to Yarmouth, chances are your grandparents, great-grandparents and even great-great-grandparents had memories of the beautiful old building, as it has resided in that spot for 230 years. Making its way through time as a rope factory in the 1790s, a general store, a post office, a gathering place for whispers of Victorian-era ghost stories, and eventually an established spot for local goods, crafts, and treats. By the existence of steam-powered cars, the timeworn building had already been settling its bones for nearly a century, presiding over the metamorphosis from the dusty, horse-cloven streets of Olde Cape Cod, to the pavements bustling with the honking horns and fleeting pop songs of vehicles passing by.  

A Tranquil Escape in South Yarmouth

Although it overlooks one of Yarmouth’s most notoriously busy traffic stops, intersecting Rt 28 and the North and Old Main Streets at the bridge, once inside the goldenrod building with its front porch trimmed in scalloped forest green, the door closes behind you and the roadside din of Cape Cod summer fades into a comfortable hum. Your eyes adjust from the brightness of the mid-afternoon sun, and you take in the warmly worn wooden floors, the nickelodeon, shelves of old-timey candies, clove gum, and glass bottles of moxie, walls adorned with hand-carved silhouettes of mermaids, ships, and captain’s wheels, and the heavy beams still proudly holding it all together strong and steady for hundreds of years.

Immersed in Historical Cape Cod Charm

The longer you look the more you realize that you are standing in the belly of a historical monument to Yarmouth. If you linger in the room off to the right, (and it’s hard not to), where it’s adorned year-round for Christmas with decorations and ornaments, you can imagine its layers of time ago when it was still a post office and general store, and families would walk in after church for penny candies and brown paper parcels tied up with twine.  


Discover Local Treasures at Bass River Mercantile in South Yarmouth

Equally as intriguing as Bass River Mercantile’s historical influence in Yarmouth, is the seemingly endless array of things to look at. Most of what they carry is locally sourced, discovered at farmers’ markets and fairs, or brought in by Cape Cod entrepreneurs, but each item has a unique draw with its story, be it the connections to the Cape or its altruistic causes, from saving the turtles with The Turtleman Foundation to cleaning up coastlines with 4 Ocean. Every shopper will find something to take home here, whether it’s your first visit to the Cape or you’re a long-time year-rounder who likes to support local artists and businesses. Among the ample shelves of specially branded soaps, ornaments, and sodas, are lines of vintage model cars. Organic, lotions and lip balms, and scented candles are presented with a nautical backsplash of fishnets and glass floats.  

Unique Finds and Local Delights at Bass River Mercantile in Cape Cod

Here you will discover local treasures you won’t easily find in the typical beachside tourist shack. Shoppers who enjoy the thrill of an exceptional find will be elated with the racks of Cape Cod-inspired jewelry of silver and sea glass and pearls. The Original Cape Cod Chokers is a small family-owned, woman-founded business based in Barnstable, best known for its simple beach-inspired leather and pearl pieces.  In the front of the shop is a small stack of copies of Dead Tide, the debut novel of young Orleans author Jane Marks. A handwritten sign welcoming local soap maker, Michele Montalvo is displayed over generously cut artisan soaps in scents of Cranberry Pomegranate and Cherry Almond, gift-wrapped in tulle bags and silky ribbon. The Lighthouse Keepers jams, jellies, and mustards are in the back room with jars of honey and jerky and coastal-themed woven trivets. Lovely individually crafted pottery, mugs, and bowls made by a Chatham artist are laid out on tables and shelves amongst an assortment of hydrangea.

Experience Old-Fashioned Charm with Modern Appeal in South Yarmouth

The Bass River Mercantile manages to combine the unassuming charm of an old-fashioned general store, with what patrons are looking for in 2023: Quality craftsmanship with community roots that won’t break the bank. Stop in from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm any day of the week. From the ubiquitous to the unique, you’ll find just what you didn’t know you were missing from your Cape Cod Shopping experience.        

The Bass River Mercantile:

2 North Main Street

South Yarmouth, MA 02664

Phone: 508-760-1888

(Britt Skinner is a freelance writer.)

Photo Credit: Britt Skinner

This blog is funded through the Town of Yarmouth’s Tourism Revenue Preservation Fund.

The Flower Angels Thrift Store: A Must-See for Bargain Hunters in Yarmouth

Charming floral arrangements set in a teacup have warmed the spaces and spirits of lonely seniors in residential care homes for nearly a decade. To date, more than 55,684 of these individually handcrafted bouquets utilizing over 104,799 volunteer hours have been assembled and twice weekly delivered by The Flower Angels, a self-funded project of Community Connections, an organization that provides day habilitation, a wide variety of life and vocational skills, and social engagement opportunities and programs to individuals with disabilities, the

Spreading Love and Hope in South Yarmouth

Flower Angels began its mission to address the isolation and loneliness felt by elderly patients in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, hospice centers, and hospitals.  Before the challenges presented by the COVID pandemic, Individuals enrolled in Community Connections programs were very active in the flower deliveries, and as restrictions begin to lift in the facilities the hope is that the Community Connections group will once again be able to take on the enriching and involved roll in the community that they so enjoy.

Crafting Connections in Yarmouth: The Heart of The Flower Angels Workshop

In the meantime, volunteers gather on Mondays and Thursdays at the workshop to pick apart and artfully reassemble the bundles of buds and blossoms generously donated by local grocery stores, wedding venues, and funeral homes, and adhere the teacups with the complimentary saucers that will serve as the base.  Adele Lally, Workshop Coordinator, also manages the team of committed volunteers who come week after week.

Support a Worthy Cause: Visit The Flower Angels Thrift Store in Yarmouth

Like the workshop, the Flower Angels Thrift Store in South Yarmouth is made possible by contributions of gifts and donations from the community. The Flower Angels Thrift Store opened in June of 2022 and recently celebrated its Ribbon Cutting Ceremony with the Yarmouth Chamber of Commerce. Often landmarked by its colorfully illustrated namesake van parked in the front of the lot, the thrift shop/workshop combo is conveniently located on Rt. 28 in the Lighthouse Landing Shopping Plaza. Though it is clearly visible from the street the shop, while swiftly approaching its first birthday, is still a pleasant surprise to many who walk through its doors.  

Explore Hidden Treasures in Yarmouth at The Flower Angels Thrift Store

Thrift Store Manager Tara Weatherbee says, “I feel like a lot of people still don’t realize that this is a thrift store.” She elaborates, “We are here to support the amazing mission that the Flower Angels do. And it’s shopping for a great cause! I think it’s still not out there that the thrift store exists.” It makes sense. While the Flower Angels are locally renowned for the heartwarming arrangements handmade in the adjoining workshop, they don’t yet seem to conjure the collective minds of bargainers on the hunt for an exhilarating thrift. Nevertheless, it has begun to gain traction with a small following of dedicated shoppers who stop in regularly to peruse the store and lay claim to the newest trinkets that adorn the shelves. What you won’t find at the Flower Angels Thrift Store is junk. Each piece selected to be put out for sale is ready to be gifted or enjoyed on display at home. Much of what can be found here are boutique-quality items for genuine thrift store prices.

Uncover Unique Finds for a Good Cause in Yarmouth

This seemingly secret-in-plain-sight thrift store contains such an unexpected bounty it’s easy to lose track of the minutes spent browsing and chatting with the friendly staff. It has a cottage-chic meets favorite-auntie’s-closet vibe, with lots of framed wall art, and a rack of tenderly used pocketbooks and clutches. Silk scarves, table linens, and beautifully presented hydrangeas and azaleas are displayed for sale amid vintage garden-themed coffee table books and magazines. Unique pieces of sparkling costume jewelry are tucked away like Easter eggs amongst milky pastel glass vases, decorative baskets, and lacey doilies. A family of gently worn gnomes sits in wait amongst a display of garden tools, ceramic and terra cotta planters, and seed packets.

Tara mentions plans to expand the thrift store space to make room for more home highlight pieces. “Right now our main focus is going to be adding accent piece furniture, we are looking for small furniture pieces as well as gently or new garden items. Fairy garden stuff, gnomes, flowerpots, and any kind of gardening tools that are gently used. That’s what we’re focused on.” She goes on to say, “We do normally advertise what we’re looking for on social media, our Facebook page.

New items pop up as quickly as they disappear off the shelves. “People will call me or they will just show up during the hours that I’m open and they just bring in donations,” Tara mentions, as a customer carrying her chosen creamy leather handbag boasting a $7 price tag in the crook of her elbow, eyeballs a blue whale glug pitcher still with its original tags, and an additional handwritten price tag of $3.50. Minutes later Tara rings up the purchase and hands the smiling patron their carefully packed paper bag of merchandise. The bells hanging on the door jingle on her way out, and a breeze flutters the sheer curtains of the front window as it closes behind her.

Visit the Flower Angels Thrift Store

851 Route 28 #3, South Yarmouth, Massachusetts

Current Thrift Store Hours are Wednesday- Saturday 10-3

Starting Mid-May the hours will be Tuesday-Saturday 10-4

Do you want to support the cause? Donations to the Flower Angels are always welcome.

The Flower Angels are delighted to present another “Flowers After Hours” event on May 22nd from 5:30 pm -7:30 pm at the workshop.

At this event, you will make a floral arrangement to bring home for yourself or a loved one. The Thrift Store will also be open for shopping during this time. Tickets are limited and available for purchase.

(Britt Skinner is a freelance writer.)

This blog is funded through the Town of Yarmouth’s Tourism Revenue Preservation Fund.

Veteran’s Top Shot Invitational Golf Tournament

Since 2018 the Veteran’s Top Shot Invitational has been raising awareness and funds for local programs that directly support military families and veterans here on Cape. Organized by Devadigm, Cape Gun Works, and Coxswain Media’s Pixy 103, the highly anticipated annual fundraiser consists of a golf tournament in the spring and a shooting competition in September. This year the two charities chosen as beneficiaries are Heroes in Transition and the Nicholas G. Xiarhos Fund.

Justin Moose, a World Class Long Drive competitor is back at it again in 2023 to hit the longest drive. New to the event this year is Yarmouth’s own Jim Hallet, a pro golfer who played the PGA Tour. Having cut his teeth playing on the Bass River Golf Course, he joins Top Shot this year to hit closest to the pin.

Registration is open for the 5th Annual Golf Tournament on May 19th. This 22-hole scramble-style tournament with be held at Yarmouth Golf Club’s own beautiful Bayberry Hills, a premier championship golf course located at 635 West Yarmouth Road in West Yarmouth. Known for its uniquely challenging formidable bunkers, waste areas, and undulations, Bayberry Hills Golf Course boasts big greens and scenic Cape Cod views. The Links at Bayberry Hills is an old-fashioned styled 9-hole course with shorter pars. Golfers in the Top Shot Invitational Golf Tournament will get to experience both courses. Each registered team is allotted two golf carts and an invitation to the Pig Roast Luncheon preceding the event. The Opening Ceremony begins at 11:30 am followed by the Shotgun Start to the competition at noon. Raffles, auctions, and the Winner Prize Presentation will take place at the conclusion of the tournament, and will be sponsored by many local small businesses from in and around Yarmouth.

To volunteer with the Veteran’s Top Shot Invitational, you can fill out this online form on their website. Don’t have time to volunteer this year but you’d still like to be involved? Find out how you can be a sponsor, or you can easily donate to the cause. 100% of donations are given to charities to support vets on Cape!

Heroes In Transition: Serving Cape Cod Veterans and Military Families

In the fall of 2009, Capt. Eric A. Jones was a young marine helicopter pilot in Afghanistan. “He flew helicopters to be close to the troops on the ground and be there to help them when they needed it most,” shares his mother, Cyndy Jones. Tragically, her son’s life would be cut too short that October 26th when his helicopter crashed during a combat mission. Soon after this unimaginable loss, Cyndy and her husband Ken were moved to carry on Eric’s name and his mission for supporting troops on the ground, and founded Heroes in Transition, (HIT) in his honor.

Sgt. John Alexander, a military police Sgt. for the US Army, and Kristen, his wife of nearly 32 years, joined HIT in 2016 as Group Facilitators and created a monthly Military Couples Group. John and Lorrie Moran run HIT’s Veteran’s Group, and Kristen leads HIT’s Spouses group. Kristen also took on the role of HIT’s Program and Volunteer Manager last year.

Kristin speaks thoughtfully of utilizing her experiences as a military spouse making “every struggle, hardship, and lesson learned worth it!… Seeing the friendships formed through our monthly group events and our couples retreat weekends feeds my soul and fills my heart. It reassures us that what we are doing is much needed, and we are doing exactly what we are meant to do!”

Heroes In Transition offers programs at no cost to military families, spouses, and veterans. Upcoming events in April include a Spring Couples Retreat, a Family Overnight Getaway, the HIT Veteran’s Cornhole Challenge, and the Veteran Equine Warrior Weekend. Scheduled events and programs are posted on HIT’s website.

Groups, activities, and events offered for free to military families and veterans are entirely funded by community partners and sponsors, as well as donations, and proceeds from the merch shop. Fundraising is a huge undertaking of combined efforts between HIT, the community, and droves of volunteers and hard work. Some of the biggest annual fundraisers to date are the Fall Gala which is coming on its 14th year, and the Ruck4HIT which celebrates its 8th anniversary in May.

To stay up to date on HIT news and current events, email contact@heroesintransition.org to subscribe to the newsletter!

For more information about how you can get involved with Heroes In Transition as a volunteer, email volunteers@heroesintransition.org.

For more information about HIT programs you can email:

veterans@heroesintransition.org
couples@heroesintransition.org
spouses@heroesintransition.org
families@heroesintransition.org

(Britt Skinner is a freelance writer.)

This blog is funded through the Town of Yarmouth’s Tourism Revenue Preservation Fund.

Holiday Shopping: Gifting Outside the Box

Holiday Shopping in Yarmouth: Gifting Outside the Box

christmas shopping

We’ve all been there. As the days draw shorter and colder the autumn begins to slip away from us, and before we know it our pumpkin spice and bright foliage give way to peppermint sticks and frost just when we have begun to recover from our turkey and stuffing comas. As the winter holidays sneakily but steadily approach, our calendars fill up with family get-togethers and end-of-year celebrations with friends and colleagues. Our children begin their wish lists of newly advertised games and gadgets, (that will inevitably wind up at the bottom of the toy box by the new year), and they remind us of the gifts they need for their teachers, friends, and bus driver. Our Great-Aunt has decided on a last-minute Yankee Swap. Our parents, notoriously hard to shop for, tell us not to worry about them and that they don’t need a thing. Seemingly in cahoots with St. Nicholas, Father Time does his work and the second week of December hurries upon us when we aren’t looking.

Gift Shopping Challenges in Yarmouth

Black Friday deals have come and gone, and as what is arguably the most shopped holiday of the year draws near, parking lots become scarce. Storefronts that brim with holy and fir garlands of bells and lights accommodate patrons who fill the aisles, busily surveying for the best deal. While the festive tunes and snowy afternoons may put us in the mood for spiced egg nog and gift-wrapping by the fire, we don’t always have the perfect gift in mind, and we don’t always have the time or luck to drive all over to look for the very perfect thing. What if our favorite people are minimalists? What if our kids just don’t have the space on their shelves for another football or Lego set? What do you get that special someone who has it all? What is a Secret Santa to do?

The Beauty of Gift Baskets

Gift Baskets can be thoughtfully personalized in countless ways to surprise your giftee, and on any budget. Selecting the “basket” is the first step. Make sure your gift-holding vessel of choice is big enough for cushioning material on the bottom, (tissue, shredded paper, confetti- the possibilities are endless!), and 5-7 items for a robust and visually attractive presentation. For a more customized gift choose a basket and filler that can be used as part of the gift. To finish, wrap the basket in a coordinating color of cellophane and ribbon. Want to support local businesses? Here are some gift ideas that you won’t need to leave the Yarmouth area for!

Gift Ideas from Local Yarmouth Businesses

clothing gift

Vintage Treasures at Wicked Thrift, South Yarmouth

Wicked Thrift and Pop Rock Vintage, in South Yarmouth, was Cape Cod’s best of the best winner for 2022, boasting new arrivals daily, all year-round. Featuring vintage and designer clothing, shoes, jewelry, and accessories, Wicked Thrift is an exhilarating shop to peruse the racks for that rare find. Or you can shop online for local pickup or discount shipping! A vintage handbag containing jewelry and a gift card will certainly put a smile on the faces of your fashionista friends. Can’t narrow down your choices for that special someone? Electronic and traditional gift cards are available for online and in-store use. You can visit Wicked Thrift Thursday through Saturday 10 am- 6 pm, and Sundays 11 am- 4 pm. Wicked Thrift, 1094 Route 28, South Yarmouth MA 02664. Phone: 508-648-5902

Coffee and Keepsakes at Old King’s Coffeehouse, West Yarmouth

Old King’s Coffeehouse, established in 2019 is open 7 am – 3 pm year-round 7 days a week. A coffee mug containing a t-shirt and gift will energize the coffee lover in your life. Old King’s Coffeehouse, 44 Route 28, West Yarmouth, MA 02673. Phone: 774-470-5808

Spiritual Gifts from Ritual Cape Cod, Yarmouth Port

Ritual is your one-stop shop for the spiritual soul in your life. A small cast iron cauldron can be stuffed with an assortment of crystals, incense cones, talismans, and oracles. Gift cards are available to your pal to register for a workshop, or pick the goodies that speak to their soul. Ritual Cape Cod, 939 MA-6A Unit B, Yarmouth Port, MA 02675. Phone: 774-994-8358

Gift an Experience in Cape Cod

Fun and Games at Ryan Amusements, South Yarmouth

Gift an experience: bowling

Experiences are a hot gift-giving trend this year, for recipients of all ages! Prolonging the excitement of the season with the promise of a fun experience can be even more valuable than the trinkets and consumables that are more traditionally chosen as gifts. It’s the perfect treat for the loved one in your life that has it all! You don’t have to travel far and wide to gift an experience, nor does your giftee!

Ryan Amusements has locations on Cape and beyond for bowling and games. The South Yarmouth location offers bowling, cornhole, and for those over 18 years old- axe throwing! Special offers are available at select locations, and of course, gift cards are perfect for stocking stuffers for the whole family! Ryan Amusements, 1067 Route 28, S. Yarmouth, MA 02664. Phone: 508-394-5644

Cape Cod Gymnastics offers classes for kids of all skill levels in various sessions throughout the year. Register your child for 2022 Holiday Vacation Mini Flips Tuesday, Dec 27th through Friday, Dec 30th, and keep them busy during vacation! Cape Cod Gymnastics, 5 Corporation Rd – Yarmouth Port, MA 02675. Phone: (508) 744-7751

Whydah Pirate Museum is hosting children’s events during the last week in December and Saturdays in January and is included with admission. Gift certificates and cards are available for ticket purchase and the gift store. Take a look at the calendar and plan a visit! Whydah Pirate Museum, 674 MA-28, West Yarmouth, MA 02673. Phone: 508-534-9571

Cultural Center of Cape Cod’s mission is “to serve the entire Cape community and visitors to the area by offering instruction, entertainment, and exhibition in the visual, literary, and performing arts.” Buy tickets for the Winter Magic Antiques Show, or treat someone special to an upcoming class for them to discover a new hobby, or learn techniques for an existing favorite! Upcoming classes include Pastel Painting: Still Life and Interiors-Painting the familiar with Betsy Payne Cook, Introduction to Wheelthrowing, with Holly Heaslip, and “The Art Spirit” with Susan Overstreet. Winter Magic: A Quality Antiques Show on Sunday, January 1, 2023, from 10 AM – 3 PM. Cultural Center of Cape Cod, 307 Old Main St, South Yarmouth, MA 02664. Phone: 508-394-7100

Happy Shopping and Happy Holidays!

This blog is funded through the Town of Yarmouth’s Tourism Revenue Preservation Fund.

Photo credit: Britt Skinner

(Britt Skinner is a freelance writer.)

Making magick at Ritual

Unassumingly tucked away in a small commercial plaza off Rt. 6A lies in wait for a hidden gem- unlikely to be found by accident, and likely just what you didn’t know what you are looking for until you find it. That was true even for owner Holly Lemieux, when she established Ritual in May of 2021 after selling her popular boutique in Hyannis in pursuit of new endeavors. Having planned to take some time off to regroup in between projects, the universe- as it sometimes does- delivered just the right set of circumstances, and within a month Ritual found its home in Yarmouth Port.

Natural wooden shelving displays a wide variety of USDA, FDA-certified organic, and ethically wildcrafted dried herbs.

A string of bells jingle as two women enter the shop, and Holly is summoned from the firepit out back where she had been chatting with Meghan Hamilton, a Tarot reader and medium who does readings and Spell Consultations by appointment and walk-in on Fridays. Holly greets and invites her guests to browse to their spirit’s content through the ethereal collection of pewter and ceramic bowls brimming with skeleton keys and polished rings of hematite. Books of spellcasting and potions, meditations, and prayers span the rooms, intermingled with a wide array of oracle cards and idols, incense cones, and bottled bones. A full corner of the shop hosts shelves upon shelves of glass bottles of various dried resins and dried herbs, including some that are harder to source, and used for magical purposes- like Blue, White, Red, and Sacred Lotus.

“We are open to all practices and paths. We try to have material, books or ephemera to everybody who walks through our door.” -Holly, Owner of Ritual

Perhaps surprisingly, is Holly’s down to Earth approach to the otherworldy. “I like being able to change people’s conception of things,” describing how people unfamiliar with metaphysical things can perceive them as scary. “Either way we are all making meatloaf. Just using a different recipe,” she explains, and as such, she advises her patrons to let their individual intuition be the guide for which crystal, deck, or talisman to select. One woman approaches the counter with a handblown glass wand, an opaline bracelet, and a shiny piece of black tourmaline. Her friend, unable to choose between her narrowed-down selection of beaded gemstone bracelets, decides to go with all four; black onyx, rainbow fluorite, clear and rose quartz, and a bag of loose white sage. They talk amongst each other about scheduling a card reading as they exit the way they came in, past the one item in the store that is not for sale. A huge amethyst geode made to resemble a shark with its large googly eyes, aptly named Bruce.

Handmade and Artisan Products in Cape Cod

Ritual proudly offers handmade and artisan products crafted by local artists and practitioners on Cape Cod and nearby communities and is hosting its 2nd annual Salty Witches Samhain Market on October 30th.

Other upcoming events can be found on the website, including Psychic Readings with Kris on Tuesdays, Tarot, and Oracle on Wednesdays, and Energy Healing on Thursdays with Molly. Register for Conscious Creation, a 4 Week Intuitive Writing Workshop beginning November 4th. Jerry Marchand will share his knowledge of rare crystal and mineral specimens on November 12th, with 5% of the proceeds of his sales to benefit the Dakin Humane Society. Be sure to check the website and Facebook for updates and new events, including big news at the end of December!

Ritual is located at 939 Rt. 6A, Unit B
Yarmouth Port, MA 02675.
(774) 994-8358
ritualcapecod@gmail.com
ritualcapecod.com

This blog is funded through the Town of Yarmouth’s Tourism Revenue Preservation Fund.

Photo credit: Britt Skinner

(Britt Skinner is a freelance writer.)

Thacher Hall, A Hidden Gem in Plain Sight

Thacher Hall in Cape Cod
Thacher Hall

On Old King’s Highway among centennial Yarmouthport buildings such as the Edward Gorey House and Benjamin Thacher Gorham House, sits what architect Sarah Jane Porter calls “the most significant historic public structure of its period on Cape Cod.” Boston architect Samuel Thayer designed the building formerly known as the Church of the New Jerusalem in 1870, constructed by John Hinckley, with towering gothic arches, and stained glass windows. The church was originally the spiritual home to Swedenborgian Christians, (a popular denomination of its time), and was congregated for about a hundred years until the number of parishioners dwindled too low to maintain the edifice, and it fell into devastating disrepair.

In 1998 when Cape Cod community members, who wanted to see the property reinvented as a community center, organized The Yarmouth New Church Preservation Foundation, a local board of volunteer directors purchased the former church building for $1 and began the mission to breathe new life into the old bones of the building and utilize it as a community center. Sorely needed renovations continue to be primarily funded by donations, ticket sales, and the yearly contributions of the Friends of the Yarmouth New Church Preservation Foundation. Since then, the foundation has brought the building up to current fire codes and handicapped accessibility, improved water, and electrical services, and updated the sound and lighting systems.

A Great Place to Visit in Cape Cod

The carefully renovated belltower and belfry preserve the ethereal beauty and soul of the place, and the restored original stained-glass windows and frescoed walls overlook the original tracker pipe organ. Adding to its attention-drawing uniquely exquisite character are pews crafted of American Chestnut, a hardwood that became functionally extinct after a catastrophic blight in the early 20th century. 

However, even with all the restorations, a new roof, and a fresh coat of paint to broadcast its readiness to be a part of the community as a whole, the building is still frequently mistaken for a church. A common misconception that was perpetuated by the old name, The New Church. On June 26, 2022, after plans were temporarily halted by the COVID19 pandemic, the building was rebranded as Thacher Hall at a dedication ceremony by the foundation and members of the Cape Cod community.

Live Music in Cape Cod Thacher Hall
Live music with Blu Central & Greg Hischak

Yarmouth resident and foundation Event Manager, Victoria Krukowski, explains that while the beautiful building’s allure contains the staples, and ambiance of a gorgeous old church, it no longer holds any religious affiliations, and is the perfect venue for local artists to display galleries of their work in a place that according to her feels like taking a step back in time. Having a career background as a musician with the symphony orchestra, she appreciates how the rustic space carries soulful acoustics, and she deeply admires the historical artifacts and quirky intricacies that Thacher Hall offers a remarkable choice for private and community events.

Previous events have included Open Mic Nights, weddings, memorial services, the Cape Cod Chamber Orchestra, Haunted Octobers, and Christmas Strolls. Since 2020 it has been used as a community art center. Planned Events and availability can be found on the website, and they can be reached by phone at 508-744-7368, and by Email at events@yarmouthportcommon.org.

Thacher Hall invites you to attend a Historic 1870 Organ Demonstration and Concert at 2 pm on Sunday, August 7th, 2022, where you can learn the history of the organ, see how the organ is built, and hear it played by Dr. Mark Lawlor, of the American Guild of Organists of Cape Cod and the islands. This family-friendly event is free to attend.

Thacher Hall is located at 266 Route 6A (Main Street), in Yarmouthport. 

This blog is funded through the Town of Yarmouth’s Tourism Revenue Preservation Fund.

Photo credits: Britt Skinner and William DeSousa-Mauk

(Britt Skinner is a freelance writer.)

Yarmouth in the Revolution

In order to recognize the 250th anniversary of the events leading up to, and of the American Revolution, the Revolutionary War Commemorative Committee is researching events and filling gaps in our knowledge with an emphasis on primary sources, and the correcting of myths, embellishments, and unsupported generalities passed down over the years. We hope readers will be inspired to share with us family lore, diaries, letters, stories, or documents about the Revolution in “old” Yarmouth.

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Learn more about Yarmouth in the Revolution

Summer is in full swing on Cape Cod

The beaches are bustling with locals and visitors alike, and the ice cream shops can hardly scoop fast enough to cool off the queue of sun-kissed patrons in between rounds of mini-golf. But it’s not summer on the Cape, according to die-hard sports fans across the nation, without the excitement of the famously riveting Cape Cod Baseball League games played by the most up-and-coming college players with big dreams of making it to the Major Leagues. 

Red Wilson Field, named in 1981 for legendary Yarmouth coach, manager, and player Merrill “Red” Wilson, located at D-Y High School, has been home to the Red Sox since 1973. However, it would be another 4 years until the team would be expanded to include the town of Dennis. Over 40 years later, the 2022 Yarmouth-Dennis Red-Sox are off to a great start, currently holding first place in the East Division. The team recently had seven players selected onto the Easts All Star Roster, including two starting fielders, two reserve fielders, and three pitchers.

The 24th year of coaching for Scott “Pick” Pickler has seen him break the record for all-time managerial wins in the Cape Cod Baseball League. On June 25th after a 5 to 3 win against the Cotuit Kettleers, Pick earned his 540th win, all with the Y-D Red Sox, earning cheers and accolades from the team and fans.  “He is a great coach, a great ambassador for the community, and a great leader of these young men. We couldn’t be prouder of all his accomplishments,” boasts Shane Skinner, Interim President of the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox, who was there for the record-breaking game, and had the honor of presenting Pick with a plaque to commemorate the win. Pick and his team, in doing their part to give back to the community, have been involved by volunteering their time with many local organizations, including Cape Cod Five, Ryan’s Family Amusements, the Red Jacket, and the Dennis Senior Center.

Being involved with the Cape Cod Baseball League has been a blessing for Shane. “I’ve always had a passion for sports,” he explains, “and being able to combine that passion with my experience of running businesses is like a dream come true.”  Shane can be found at each and every home game making sure things run smoothly and overseeing all business operations. With the help of ten dedicated baseball fans on the Board of Directors, over 30 Volunteer Interns, and over a dozen Community Volunteers, the Yarmouth-Dennis Red-Sox enthusiastically hosts a fun Game Day experience for families and fans of all ages. At a recent game, a small group of young kids stood up in the balcony next to the press box and sang “Take Me Out To The Ball Game,” a new addition to the festivities this year. “I’d say most nights it’s about 60% giggles and 40% singing which is just great,” Shane laughs. “The kids love it.” Singers have come from all over the state, and some from right here on Cape to sing the National Anthem before games, and set the scene for a family-fun night of good ol’ American baseball.

Upwards of two thousand fans per game don Red-Sox gear, lining the bleachers and dotting the outskirts of the field with beach chairs, for their chance to see superstars in the making. The merchandise booth offers trinkets, hats, and attire for all ages to support their favorite team. Families who come early can observe batting practice and then partake in some of the in-game events. This week on Tuesday 7/19 is Pokémon at the Park Night, hosted by the Cape Cod Toy Chest, and patrons can enter with Pixy 103 to win a baseball autographed by the team. On Thursday 7/21, the players will be available after the game to greet fans and sign baseballs, souvenir bats, and other items. Concessions offer a satisfying assortment of ball-game favorites like sausage subs, hot dogs, burgers, pretzels, and cold drinks. They sell out of hot delicious Paradise Pizza by the 5th inning, so be sure to order early! The 50/50 shed will have raffle tickets on sale, in addition to candy and drinks. The raffle is held at the bottom of the 7th inning. The Y-D Red Sox, and the entire Cape Cod Baseball League, strive to maintain a family-friendly atmosphere. Admission and parking are free, but tax-deductible donations are always welcome. As a not-for-profit establishment, donations keep the team equipped and outfitted, and able to put on a great season year after year.

Baseball Clinics For Kids

Youth Baseball Clinics for ages 5-16 run Monday-Friday from 9-11:30 am and are run by Coach Pickler, the Assistant Coaches, and some of the players. “It’s just a great opportunity. These kids get to go out there and play some baseball and learn some skills from these top players and have a great time each week. The weekly clinics end with a kids vs. family baseball game. I just played against my two sons, and we couldn’t have had a better time.” The last week for the 2022 clinics begins Monday 7/25. Registration can be completed online or at the field.

There’s a saying amongst the team:

When on Cape Cod you must:

  1. Go the beach
  2. Eat a lobstah
  3. Go to a Y-D baseball game

We hope to see you there!

For more info about the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox visit the website, or find them on Instagram and Facebook.

This blog is funded through the Town of Yarmouth’s Tourism Revenue Preservation Fund.

Photo credit: Y-D Red Sox Intern Sadie Parker

(Britt Skinner is a freelance writer.)