5 things to do this weekend, including free ice skating and a celebration of Gloucester's saltiness

Sometimes, we can make sense of troubled times by turning to the arts. We can get a view into different worlds and the experiences of others. One place this is happening is at the Peabody Essex Museum with the screening of “We Are Made From the Land,” a film about the protection of Indigenous territories. There is also the exhibit “Shaping Futures” at the Fuller Craft Museum, which showcases works made by incarcerated individuals. And for those looking to simply spend time in community, Gloucester’s So Salty festival is a good place to start. These events and more, below.

The Peabody Essex Museum will host a screening and panel for the short documentary “We Are Made From the Land: Protecting the Seal River Watershed,” about one of the most tremendous land protection efforts in Manitoba, Canada. The film shares “firsthand perspectives on the trauma of historic land separation and the healing power of recent collective action to protect Indigenous Dene and Cree Nation land.” Following the screening, audiences will hear a discussion between co-producer Stephanie Thorassie, a member of the Sayisi Dene First Nation and the executive director of the Seal River Watershed Alliance; Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area (IPCA) collaborator Jeff Wells of the National Audubon Society; and Jocelyn Forbush, chief conservation officer at Mass Audubon. Tickets are included with admission to the museum.

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Visit the Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton to view an exhibit that features the work of incarcerated individuals in the New Hampshire Furniture Masters’ Prison Outreach Program. In “Shaping Futures,” artists from men’s programs in Maine and New Hampshire, as well as craftspeople from a women’s program in New Hampshire, have fashioned furniture and objects using their woodworking skills. The exhibit “underscores the transformative impact of making, mentorship, and the development of hand skills.” Participants include Charlie J., who crafted a mahogany work called “Butterfly Vase,” and Mike H., who created a “3-D Chess Set” from walnut, maple and mahogany. There will also be a panel, “Building Bridges: Creative Practice and Partnership in Prison Systems,” with instructors and former participants from the prison outreach program on Saturday at 2 p.m. [For more art exhibit recommendations, check out our winter visual arts guide.] 

It’s the middle of winter, and for those craving a dose of something spooky, Brighton Bazaar’s annual “Dead of Winter” market has arrived. The free event will be held at the Charles River Speedway, offering wares from over 50 local small businesses, specializing in oddities and magical items. Food trucks Tandoor & Curry on Wheels, SnacksBox Boston, and Wanderlust will be on site, songs will be spinning, and sake bar The Koji Club will have a stall. Pets are welcome, and an immersive art gallery from DanamalArt will provide an interactive experience. Visitors can join the fun from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

The Cape Ann Museum, in partnership with Discover Gloucester, is hosting the 5th annual Gloucester’s So Salty festival, a free celebration that pays tribute to the city’s “salty” maritime character. Activities include an ice sculpture display, live music by the local band Three Sheets to the Wind, art activities, a reading of a children’s story, and an opportunity to meet newly elected Mayor Paul Lundberg. Downtown shops will also be holding fun programs, such as making salt dough at Local Colors and watching fish printing demonstrations at Joe’s Fresh Fish Prints. The festival runs from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday at the museum’s downtown campus courtyard.

Lace up a pair of ice skates and glide across Frog Pond at this event held by Friends of the Public Garden, in partnership with The Skating Club of Boston. Admission to the rink is free, as are skate rentals, and complimentary hot chocolate will also be served. Skating with Friends will kick off the winter season’s programming, offering mid-day skating time. At Sunday’s community gathering, the public is welcome to join in the fun between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Editor's note: Due to the impending snowstorm, the free skate has been rescheduled to Sunday, Feb. 15.