The Month of May is turning into a whirlwind of activities in the city. The best thing to do is make a schedule of all the events and pick and choose how many can be attended.
It always amazes me to hear someone complain, “There is just nothing to do in Newburyport.” That’s the typical response one would hear out of a teenager, usually preceded by an exhale and the plaintiff, “I’m bored”.
In truth, depends on what you consider exciting and it also reflects someone with a lack of imagination. This town is crammed in cultural, ecological, historical, intellectual, literary and musical resources. And I mean crammed.
But May is hot with diversity. In particular, the Custom House is bursting forth with activities that join culture, history, music and a child-like sense of wonder in their upcoming Maritime Days. This week long event is something not to miss and should be similar to the time when we had the H.M.S. Bounty, but even more so!
And of course, the Newburyport Preservation Trust will be doing another kick-ass (excuse my enthusiasm!) stretch with Preservation Week. We’ve all seen the CPA rejuvenate our places of worship from the Belleville, Old South and St. Paul’s but now we all gaze in wonder as the Steeple is finalized at the First Religious Society of Newburyport. That particular Steeple is often the Motif Number One for our city and it will only benefit our city more when fully restored. Regardless of the fact that Theophilus Parsons, who attend here, advocated and contributed three of the Amendments in the Bill of Rights and was the first to coin the phrase, ‘Bill of Rights’;this church is full of history.
As for all the religious assemblies, whether an organ recital, or a tour – try to squeeze in as many activities as possible to see all these sacred places.
For those who want to get back to nature and love our parks; there is a fundraiser this Saturday evening for the important Newburyport Parks Conservancy followed by the Saturday on the 21st of Operation Clean Sweep. Nothing is more fulfilling than making our great parks sparkle with some elbow grease!
And to be fair, there are 5K runs, Historical events at the Cushing House, Art at the NAA, Strut-for-Stray on the 22nd for the Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society, plays, shows and so many musical events at our many restaurants that it literally is our cultural fountain that keeps the Newburyport Daily News, The Current and the Town Common alive!
So, if you lack imagination; you must cast off laziness and do some digging online and in the local papers!
As I have already suggested: List every event and then decide what you can attend, and weep at those you must miss!
Not participating is being absolutely left out on these kind of events which truly will not be repeated.
At least not in the form they take this year!
-P. Preservationist
http://www.ppreservationist.com
Brick and Tree 