111The Gloucester Waterfront Festival, which takes place Saturday and Sunday at Stage Fort Park, will host more than 175 juried artisans and craftspeople from throughout the United States in one of the North Shore's largest waterfront festivals.

The festival also boasts day-long music events, and ethnic foods. The traditional pancake breakfast will be held on Saturday morning and the traditional New England Lobster Bake takes place on Sunday afternoon.

This year's festival features demonstrations of glass flamework, stone carving, oil painting and honey production with live bees. Specialty food booths will offer samples of herbal dips, jams, jellies, sauces and mustards.

A magician from New York City, Jonathan Blair, will be among the family-style entertainers. Other new entertainment includes the Tim Janis Ensemble with Celtic music, as well as Dick Kaplan and the Excellent Jazz Band.

Beth Morris, the chamber's economic development manager, said the festival is intended as an event to show off Gloucester. This year, she noted that the traditional lobster bake will be presented by Lobsta Land, the winner of this summer's New Fish Festival.

"What is most exciting about the event this year is that the fair is no longer accepting sponsors which means there is more juried crafters because that is now the entire focus," she said.

The selection of exhibits includes jewelry, watercolors, pottery, custom signs, bird houses, quilts, floral arrangements, wildlife art, dolls, antiques, photography, candles, metal sculpture, maps, textiles, stained glass, music boxes, scroll work, wood burning, nautical crafts, aromatherapy, Native American art, soaps, oil paintings, blown glass, pewter, calligraphy and pet goods.

In addition to continuous music, the North Shore Old Car Club will present a display of more than 60 antique autos and fire trucks on Sunday. The ReMax hot air balloon will be back by popular demand to give tethered rides for a fee early Sunday evening.

The waterfront festival runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The event is sponsored by the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce and produced by Castleberry Fairs & Festivals. Admission is free, rain or shine. There is parking at Stage Fort Park with a reduced $10 fee for non-residents as well as Gloucester High School. For more information, call the chamber office at 978-283-1601 or by email at info@CapeAnnChamber.com., or visit www.capeannvacations.com.

Block party and new performing arts center

Main Street will be closed to traffic this Saturday from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. from Hancock Street to Washington Street. The event features live entertainment at both ends of the street, plenty of shopping, and both indoor and al fresco dining.

"We want the whole city to go downtown and party," said Peter Van Ness, one of the many organizers.

The block party events dovetail with the festival in that it begins when the crafters shut down for the day.

"This is another way to take in the downtown," said Morris.

A live concert will take place from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. at the corner of Main and Washington streets featuring the music of the Acoustic Firetrucks, In Your Ear, the Paula Karahalis Band and Dire Wolf.

Will Hunt, Ian McColl and M. Lynda Robinson of Blackburn Performing Arts | formerly known as the West End Theater | will host an open house at the theatre on both Saturday and Sunday to introduce their new venture to the community. The theater is located at the Blackburn building at 1 Washington St.

"The new partnership will dedicate itself to bringing the highest quality regional and local performers and productions to Cape Ann," said Hunt.

During the open house, Cape Ann actors will be reading "10-minute plays" every 15 minutes from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, while acoustic music will be played in the main theatre. Tours will be offered continuously; food and drink will be available in the lobby.

On Saturday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., an official reception will be held to recognize the publishing of Robinson's third short play: "The Best 10-Minute Plays of 2007" recently published by Smith & Kraus.

On Main Street, near Hancock Street, live dance performances begin at 6 p.m. by Cape Ann Center for Dance, Dawn's Studio of Dance and Nadine's Dance Center.

An outdoor slide show begins at 8:30 p.m., at the corner of Center and Main streets featuring Ernie Morin's "Fort series" and "Faces of Downtown" along with Joe Ciaramitaro's "Fishermen and their Boats" and "Gloucester at Dawn."

The Block Party has been organized by a group of local citizens, including Jackie Hardy, Joe Ciaramitaro, Erika Hansen, Janice Lufkin Shea, and Vickie Van Ness and Peter Van Ness in collaboration with Blackburn Performing Arts.

For more information, visit the downtowngloucester.com.

Gloucester Waterfront Festival schedule

Saturday, August 16

7:30 a.m. SEmD 11:00 a.m. Rotary Club's Pancake Breakfast

10:00 a.m. SEmD 6:00 p.m. Festival Opens: All Arts & Craft and Food Booths

10:00 a.m. SEmD 6:00 p.m. Children's Area: Giant Inflatables, Sand Art, Face Painting

10:00 a.m. SEmD 6:00 p.m. Live Music All Day

Jose Farinango SEmD Flute Music

Sergei Novikov SEmD Classical Piano Music

Steve Rapson SEmD Solo Guitar instruction

Food Court Stage:

11:00 a.m. SEmD Magic by Jonathan Blair

12:00 noon SEmD Excellent Jazz Band

1:30 p.m. SEmD Magic by Jonathan Blair

2:30 p.m. SEmD Excellent Jazz Band

3:30 p.m. SEmD Magic by Jonathan Blair

4:30 p.m. SEmD Excellent Jazz Band

nday, August 17

10:00 a.m. SEmD 6:00 p.m. Festival Opens: All Arts & Craft and Food Booths

10:00 a.m. SEmD 6:00 p.m. Live Music by Jose Farinango, Sergei Novikov, Steve Rapson

10:00 a.m. SEmD 6:00 p.m. Children's Area: Giant Inflatables, Sand Art, Balloon Artist, Face Painting

10:00 a.m. SEmD 4:00 p.m. North Shore Old Car Club displays dozens of antique/vintage autos

12:00 noon SEmD 5:00 p.m. Lobster Bake | Sponsored by the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce

1:00 p.m. SEmD 5:00 p.m. John Burrows and the Coca Banana Band | Food Court Stage

5:00 p.m. SEmD 7:00 p.m. Re/Max Hot Air Balloon will be offering tethered rides for a nominal fee

(proceeds from balloon rides to benefit Labor Day Fireworks Fund)