Cape Ann Museum celebrates fifth annual “Gloucester’s So Salty” event with ice sculptures, sea shanties, and free family activities
Saturday, Jan. 24 and Sunday, Jan. 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
GLOUCESTER (January 2026) – Bundle up and head downtown for the fifth annual Gloucester’s So Salty, a two-day celebration of the city’s salty character and vibrant community. The Cape Ann Museum is partnering with cultural institutions and local businesses across Gloucester to offer free, family-friendly activities throughout downtown.
Families can explore ice sculptures, sing along to sea shanties, create hands-on art projects, and enjoy special promotions at participating businesses, all while experiencing the charm of Gloucester in winter.
“Gloucester’s So Salty has become a beloved winter tradition that brings our community together,” said Oliver Barker, Director of the Cape Ann Museum. “This event celebrates everything we love about Gloucester—our maritime heritage, creative spirit, and the local businesses and families that make this place special.”
Inspired by Salem’s So Sweet, the annual event brings more than 2,000 visitors to downtown Gloucester each January to shop locally, enjoy free activities, and seek out ice sculptures sponsored by local cultural institutions and businesses.
Don Chapelle carving a lobster-inspired ice sculpture at Gloucester’s So Salty in 2022.
Photo courtesy of Aram Boghosian.
While the Museum’s downtown campus on Pleasant Street is temporarily closed for renovations, visitors are invited to stop by the Museum Courtyard to view featured ice sculptures inspired by Fish Story by Virginia Lee Demetrios, Cat by Katharine Lane Weems, and Man at the Wheel by Leon Craske, and to pick up a map highlighting the weekend’s activities.
From 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 24, and Sunday, January 25, bundle up in your favorite winter coat and stroll along Pleasant, Hancock, Main, and Rogers Streets to enjoy a wide variety of free activities, including:
- Cape Ann Museum Courtyard: Stop by to be entered into a drawing to win one of five family memberships. Winners will be announced throughout the weekend. While there, take a selfie with the ice sculptures and use the event map to discover more than 10 additional sculptures throughout downtown.
- Live Music: Enjoy free admission to a sea shanty performance by local band Three Sheets to the Wind at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Gloucester, 10 Church Street.
- Family Activities: Meet newly elected Mayor Paul Lundberg at the Sawyer Free Library on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. for a special reading of Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton, along with free art activities and music from Elsa’s Frozen Ice & Snow Show, The Open Door, and Pathways of Gloucester.
- Downtown Stops:
- Dogtown Books, 132 Main Street – snippets of salty poetry
- Local Colors, 121 Main Street – make salt dough
- Joe’s Fresh Fish Prints, 206 Main Street – fish printing demonstrations
- Lockwood Studios, 2 & 4 Eastern Avenue – open mic, poetry readings, and jam session
Explore additional downtown businesses offering special activities and promotions throughout the weekend. For a full schedule of activities and times, visit: capeannmuseum.org/event/5th-
Community partners for the 2026 event include the Cape Ann Museum, Discover Gloucester, The Sawyer Free Library, Pathways and The Open Door.
