About Orientation Edition
Since it’s orientation week, here’s what’s in the packet: the who, what, where, when, why, how, and wow. If you want to review the original packet, it’s in our About Time Edition.
sev·en·ing /ˈsev·ən·ing/ v.
- The act of showing up after seven(ish).
- Of showing up for your people, your community, your neighbors, your county, and, honestly, yourself.
- Being in Essex County, where all the weird, wild, wonderful, and worth showing up for things happen when the evening opens up, and anything becomes possible.
- Considered by some to be the ancient and underrated art of showing up after seven(ish). A way of life, not a trend. Not a moment. Essex County has been doing it forever.
Welcome to Sevenings, Essex County’s official orientation to everything happening after seven(ish), and yes, we mean official, we made the packet ourselves. New here or back since May, consider today your orientation either way, same session for all, refreshed for the semester. Think of (un)forever yeong and the (s)evening shift as your orientation leaders, county guides, and the people who already know where all the good exits are. Per and the crew show up every single week to walk you through it, because Essex County’s after-hours scene has been running without a proper welcome committee for far too long, so we’re the ones putting it on the record. Live music, drag, trivia, art, games, whatever the county’s got on the schedule after dark, we’re covering every campus. Consider your ID badge issued. Consider yourself oriented.
Oh hey there, Essex County schoolings and homeroomies. There’s always just something about the first week of school. Okay. O-kay. Deep breath, name tags ready, backpack fresh, intro practiced. First bell hasn’t even rung yet, whether you’re more schoolings or homeroomies, you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be this week. Welcome all, you just found your people.
Roll call, Essex County. (S)evening shift – Here! But (un)forever yeong is off with Al Mamater and will be out this week, supposedly dealing with some ancient credit audit nobody can quite explain and a registrar’s office that has apparently been waiting decades (we mean years) for this moment. Per could not, in fact, skip it, not even for us. Last text said something about “clearing per name” and we are choosing to believe every word.
So the (s)evening shift called in the drag royalty duo of Cole Edge and Stu Dent to run the room this week. Cole’s got semi-confident-awkward-new-kid energy. Stu’s the one double checking everything and mentioning the syllabus even though there isn’t one. Together they make one slightly overwhelmed but very enthusiastic welcome committee.
Because schoolings AND homeroomies, it’s officially Back to School week across Essex County, and this week we’re treating every single event like it’s somebody’s first day. New player, new dancer, new voice on the mic, new fan of a genre, new face at Thursday night, new witness to a classic. Essex County, nobody expects you to already know the ropes. That’s the whole point of orientation. Come find your seat. There’s room for everyone.
September 1, 2026
Trivia Taco Tuesday at 7:00 PM
Trivia Taco TuesdayConsider this your placement test, schoolings and homeroomies, the one that decides whether you’re a genius or just really good at guessing C. The Bell Inn & Tavern runs trivia every single Tuesday at 7pm with $3 tacos all night, so even if you bomb the exam you leave with a full stomach. Cole’s convinced this counts as an entrance interview. Stu’s already lost, gained, and re-lost his confidence twice. Nobody’s grading you on a curve here, just showing up with a decent guess and an appetite. First day jitters are normal. The tacos totally help. Welcome to Fall 2026 semester sevenings, Essex County.
September 2, 2026
Casual Gaming Meetup at 7:00 PM
New to the building? The Castle‘s got you, no map required. This casual gaming meetup exists specifically to onboard folks who’ve never touched a board game past Monopoly, alongside veterans who’ll happily show you the ropes without making it weird or something like that. Cole’s already declared themselves an unofficial guide, schoolings. Stu just wants someone to explain the rules slower, please, and thank you. No tryouts, no cuts, no prerequisite, just tables full of games and people who remember what it’s like to walk in not knowing anyone. Come find more of your people. That’s the whole first-week assignment.
Beginner Hip Hop at 8:30 PM
Right there in the name, schoolings and homeroomies, Beginner. Seacoast Stilettos created this class for everyone who has always wanted to and wondering if it’s too late to start. Priscilla breaks musicality, rhythm, and choreography down step by step, no dance background, no judgment, just sneakers and a willingness to look a little silly on day one. Cole insists they are a complete natural. They are not. Stu’s bringing enthusiasm and negative rhythm, and we love that for him. Everyone in that room was new once. Tonight, so are you. Welcome to the floor.
September 3, 2026
Open Mic at 7:30 PM
First week, no seniority, schoolings and homeroomies. Gulu-Gulu Cafe‘s weekly open mic is built for exactly the person who’s never grabbed a mic before, sign-ups start at 7:30, show starts at 8, and the room is full of people who remember their own first time up there. Cole’s workshopping something new tonight. Stu’s still deciding if he’s a poet, a singer, or just someone who wandered in. All are welcome outcomes. Come watch if you’re not ready, come perform if you are, either way you’re already part of the class.
ABRAXAS: New England’s Premier Santana Tribute at 8:00 PM
Consider this an orientation to a whole genre, honeys, 21+ only, ID required at the door. The Cut welcomes ABRAXAS, fronted by guitarist Ed Antonelli, delivering Santana staples like Black Magic Woman and Oye Como Va alongside deep cuts from the Doobie Brothers, Eric Clapton, and ELP. If you somehow missed this entire era of music the first time around, tonight’s your makeup class, no textbook required, just a guitar solo doing the actual teaching. Cole’s already got their air guitar tuned. Stu’s taking mental notes, unnecessarily. Welcome to Gloucester’s rock history department, schoolings and homeroomies.
Buster Pants Thirstiest Thursday! at 9:00 PM
Your official welcome to Salem nightlife, schoolings and homeroomies, no orientation packet needed. Every first Thursday is Thirstiest Thursday at Koto, hosted by Buster Pants with special guests Dick Kayin and Peewee Vermin, serving dancing, drinking, games, and full glam drag, 21+ only, no cover, please tip generously. Cole’s treating this as a cultural immersion program. Stu’s just here for the vibes and a little bit gagged in the best way. If you’ve never been to a proper Thursday night out, this is the crash course, taught with confidence, sequins, and zero apologies.
September 4, 2026
Horror Movie Watch Along at 7:00 PM
First watchalong ever? Oh the horror… sevenings. The Lost Library‘s black box theater hosts its Horror Movie Watchalong with comedian and bingo host Will Pottorff joined by fellow comics and horror fans riffing MST3k style over a surprise classic. No prior experience with this format required, just a willingness to laugh at something scary alongside strangers. Cole’s bringing unsolicited commentary. Stu’s hiding by minute ten, which really, respect the real. Twenty dollars, popcorn included, prizes on the table. Come get oriented to your new favorite kind of movie night.
September 5, 2026
Hunger Action Day All Day
This one’s the orientation everyone should have already had, schoolings and homeroomies, and there’s no reason for skipping it. We’re committed to community sevening for all. Hunger Action Day is a national day of awareness dedicated to ending hunger in our communities, and The Salem Pantry is asking Essex County to show up, wear orange, snap a photo, tag The Salem Pantry, and spread the word that everyone deserves reliable access to healthy food. Cole and Stu are both wearing orange, no negotiating. They are grateful for the food assistance available during these challenging times. This is the introduction to the type of sevening community care that actually sticks with you well past the first week. Show up for your people.
School of Rock at 7:00 PM
The whole plot is an orientation story, so this is basically required viewing. Firehouse Center for the Arts presents Andrew Lloyd Webber’s School of Rock, The Musical, where failed rocker Dewey Finn poses as a substitute teacher and has exactly one week to turn a class of straight-A strangers into an actual band, no experience required on their end either. Fourteen new Lloyd Webber numbers join the original film songs, including You’re in the Band and Stick It to the Man. Tickets start at $30. Everyone in this story starts as a beginner. Some of them end up legendary.
September 6, 2026
The Big Lebowski at 7:00 PM
Somehow, someone out there has never seen this movie, and The Cabot is fixing that tonight, screening as part of the EBT Card to Culture program. The Dude abides, orientation complete, no further instruction necessary. If you’re new to cult classics, this is the gentlest possible entry point, funny, quotable, and endlessly rewatchable once you’re properly inducted. Cole’s seen it a dozen times and still gets lines wrong on purpose. Stu is, shockingly, a first-timer tonight, and we are thrilled to witness it. Welcome to the club. Bathrobes, cardigan, bowling shirt and shoes optional but encouraged.
Consider this your orientation for the week, our Essex County schoolings and homeroomies. Don’t lose it.
That’s just this week’s sevening picks, Essex County. There’s always more sevening than fits in one packet, so go check the full course catalog on our calendar. CC members, if your event belongs on the roster, submit a member marketing request and let’s get it enrolled.
Not on the newsletter yet? That’s an incomplete, fix it. And follow us on the socials, @creativecollectivema and @creativecollectiveexplores, both, every week, no exceptions, no extra credit for skipping one.
Until next week, Essex County. Stay sevening. You know where to find us. We’re everywhere.
– Cole Edge and Stu Dent, running orientation for (un)forever yeong (currently with Al Mamater), from the (s)evening shift, out. Welcome to Essex County and the Fall 2026 semester, schoolings and homeroomies alike. High-fives!
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