Somebody looked at the end of August, looked at the pile of zucchini nobody can give away, and booked a festival. Notch has boat races, a crop swap, and live music on Saturday afternoon, and you are supposed to bring your own zucchini. Saturday is stacked either way: a free makers market on the harbor lawn in the morning, a food pop-up at Far From the Tree in the afternoon, and a goth night at Bit Bar to close it out.
Friday, August 28
Tea and cake tasting at Jolie. 3 to 5 PM, Jolie Tea Company, 316 Derby Street. Free samples, every Friday, and nobody makes you buy anything. Details
Cardboard Salem. 3 PM, Peabody Essex Museum. Build the city out of cardboard. Better with kids, fine without. Details
Fusion String Ensemble, Enduring Echoes. 5:30 PM, Salem Athenaeum. The Athenaeum salon series is one of the quietest good rooms in town. Details
Sunset paddle tour. 6:45 PM, Salem Willows. Last week of August, so the light is doing the work for you. Details
Miz Diamond Wigfall Friday Night Drag. 8 PM, Bit Bar. Still the most reliable Friday in Salem, and we said the same thing last week. Details
Saturday, August 29
Zucchini Fest at Notch. 12 to 5 PM, Notch Brewing, 283R Derby Street. Green Witch is hosting: live music, zucchini games, zucchini boat races, and a crop swap. Bring your own zucchini. All ages. Details
Made with Kindness Market. 10 AM to 1 PM, Charlotte Forten Park. Free, outdoors, on the water. Go before Notch. Details
HAVOQ with DJ Succubux and Vudu:DJ. 9:30 PM, Bit Bar. Goth and industrial, 21+, $10 if you show up in all black or something creative, $15 if you do not. Details
Lauren Norcia with a Ruta Jalisco pop-up. 2 PM, Far From the Tree. Music in the taproom, tacos in the yard. Details
Chinese painting traditions with Yao Desheng. 10 AM to 3:30 PM, Peabody Essex Museum. $79 and a full day, so this is a commitment, not a drop-in. Details
Esoteric lecture: The Devil's Work. 6 PM, The Satanic Temple, 64 Bridge Street. Details
Cry Innocent: the People vs. Bridget Bishop. 3 PM, Salem Armory Visitor Center. Details
McIntire tour for kids and families. 10:30 AM, First Church in Salem. Details
Saturday morning run club. 11:30 AM, Couch Dog Brewing. Run first, then the reward is right there. Details
Also on Saturday: slime potion brewing at The Lost Library, 10 AM. Tube Bugs and Living Histories at PEM, 1 and 2 PM. Convivial Craft at the Athenaeum, 1 PM.
Sunday, August 30
Jacob Piascik with a Jennifer Lee food pop-up. 2 PM, Far From the Tree. Same formula as Saturday, different cook. Details
Hands-on History. 11 AM, House of the Seven Gables. Details
Tour en Español. 12 PM, House of the Seven Gables. Details
Slime potion brewing class. 10 AM, The Lost Library. Details
Monday, August 31
Nothing. No listings anywhere, which happens maybe twice a summer. Take the night. Let me know if you find any otherwise.
Tuesday, September 1
Writers' Open Studio. 9 AM, Salem Athenaeum. Details
Test Kitchen Tuesdays. 5 PM, Hallowed Ground, 87 Washington Street. Whatever the kitchen is working out that week. Details
Tuesday trivia at East Regiment. 7 PM, 30 Church Street. Details
Salem Writers Group. 7 PM, Salem Athenaeum. Details
Wednesday, September 2
Free bingo with Will Pottorff. 6 PM, Gulu-Gulu Cafe. Free, and the crowd takes it more seriously than you would expect. Details
Open mic night. 5 PM, Far From the Tree. Details
Notch run club. 6 PM, Notch Brewing. Details
Super Smash Bros Ultimate tournament. 8 PM, Bit Bar. Details
Thursday, September 3
Granite Coast at the farmers market. 3 to 7 PM, Derby Square. Live set running the length of the Thursday market. Details
Pegzilla with Dred Buffalo. 7 PM, The Satanic Temple, 64 Bridge Street. Metal, in the last room in Salem you would expect to book it. Details
Stained glass, an introduction. 6 to 8 PM, NSGS Artists Row, 26 New Derby Street. Beginner class. Artists Row keeps quietly running good ones. Details
Also on Thursday: Wicked Running Club at Village Tavern, 5 PM. East Reggie Run Club, 6 PM. Trivia at Couch Dog and open mic at Gulu-Gulu, both 7:30 PM. Karaoke at Bit Bar, 9 PM.
On the Horizon
Mahi Mahi is running an end-of-summer dog cruise on Saturday, September 5 at 4 PM. Yes, you bring the dog. Details
That is the week. Monday is pretty empty and I am not going to pretend otherwise. If we missed something, hit reply and tell us. That is honestly how half of these listings get found.
If you know someone in Salem who always asks what is going on, forward this to them.
And if sitting down to a long dinner with a table of Salem people sounds good, DNNR is the thing we are building next. Reply "dinner" and we will keep you in the loop.
From Witch City, a local's guide to Salem, MA.