NEWBURYPORT — People who may be looking for some great ideas for renovating or designing their kitchens or simply enjoy looking at others' kitchens will have plenty of opportunity next weekend.
Newburyport Elementary Parent Teacher Organization will be hosting its 11th annual Newburyport Kitchen Tour that Saturday, July 30, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The tour will feature 11 kitchens through Newburyport and Newbury.
"The tour can start anywhere you buy your ticket and you get a map that's inside and you can go in any order you want. In each home, there are supervisors who are available to answer questions," said Juliet Alsina, a parent volunteer in the Newburyport elementary schools.
The tour includes stops at unique homes, such as a beach house, restored antiques, converted churches and much more. The stops are 2 Beck St., 2 East Boylston St., 3 Columbus Ave., 10 Tyng St., 19 Storeybrook Drive, 24 Kent St., 36 Franklin St., 85 Prospect St., 216 Northern Blvd., 255 High St. in Newburyport and 8 High Road in Newbury. In addition to viewing the kitchens, tour-goers will be able to enjoy glimpses of the first-floor living spaces as well.
A team of five women — Mary Jo Verde, Gretchen McClure, Deb Pare, Amy Conlin and Alsina — is responsible for pulling together the fundraiser for the Newburyport elementary schools.
"We do it from nuts and bolts and through word of mouth to find kitchens and we work with contractors and builders to find out who has had a new kitchen done," Alsina said.
The Newburyport Kitchen Tour was created in 2000 as a fundraising vehicle for the elementary schools in conjunction with the Newburyport Elementary PTO. which was formed in 2007 and serves students in pre-kindergarten through grade 5 at the Bresnahan, Kelley and Brown schools.
The PTO also holds other fundraisers, including bake sales, T-shirt and wrapping paper sales and trivia nights, Alsina said.
Proceeds from the events help provide much-needed materials such as geography and history books, arithmetic supplies and other various school supplies.
The Newburyport Kitchen Tour has been among the group's biggest fundraisers.
"It has been extremely successful," Alsina said.
The event goes off rain or shine. Tickets are $20. They are available in advance at Fowle's Cafe, 17 State St.; Fowles Market, 341 High St.; Greater Newburyport Chamber of Commerce & Industry, 38R Merrimac St.; Souffle's, 14 Market St.; Lynch's Pharmacy, 173 High St.; and at www.newburyportkitchentour.com. People who purchase tickets online will need to print out a receipt and bring it to the William Raveis, Dolores Person Group office, 12 Federal St., to obtain their official ticket. Tickets will also be sold the day of the event.
This tour was created to "generate funds to support the school and to provide a really fun and inexpensive day of excitement for all those who participate," Alsina said.
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