Description

The First Congregational Church of Rockport will host its annual Old Sloop Fair on July 21^st-July 22^nd at 12 School Street, Rockport, MA.  The fair will operate from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on both days.  The church sanctuary will be open to visitors throughout the fair.
After cancellations in 2020 and 2021 and a limited fair in 2022 because of COVID, this year’s fair will include more activities than before.  For the first time, the church has invited arts and crafts vendors from around the region to participate.  Participating vendors include fine-art photography, hand painted glass, sea glass art, sea glass jewelry, other hand-made jewelry, resin crafts, and hand sewn items.  A complete list of vendors can be found at oldsloop.org  The Old Sloop Fair will also feature children’s activities and games this year, with a face painter on-site.  There will be a cookout lunch of grilled hamburgers and hot dogs.  The yard sale, a long-standing tradition of the fair, will feature art, jewelry, tools, baked goods, and more.
The Old Sloop Fair is one of the oldest and largest church fairs on the Massachusetts North Shore, and is a true Rockport tradition.  The fair originated in 1957 under the guidance of Pastor Ed Nutting, and is an important fund-raising event for the church.
The church sanctuary will be open throughout the fair to welcome visitors and the church historian will be present to answer any questions.  The First Congregational Church was organized in 1755 and has a rich history in Rockport.  The sanctuary building was constructed in 1804 as the Sandy Bay Parish meeting house.  The tall steeple and white façade close to the shoreline resembled a ship’s sail when seen from the sea, inspiring the local fishermen to call it “The Old Sloop.”
For more information visit oldsloop.org, email fair@oldsloop.org or call 978-546-6638