Salem Extends Skipper Ride-Share Service Two Months Through September 30
DATELINE — SALEM
The Salem Skipper, the city's popular on-demand ride-share service, will keep running through September 30 — nearly two months longer than riders had been told to expect — after the city secured one-time funding and made service adjustments to close the budget gap.
TOWN HALL
The extension of the Salem Skipper is the headline item from City Hall this cycle. The on-demand ride-share had previously been slated to wind down in early August, but through a combination of newly acquired one-time funding and operational changes, the city has pushed that deadline to September 30, 2026. No permanent funding solution has been announced, and the extension appears to be a bridge while officials continue the search for a sustainable source.
Also still open for applications: the Summer 2026 round of Salem City Academy, Mayor Dominick Pangallo's civic education program for residents. Applications are being accepted as the city moves through its Salem 400th anniversary year.
Parade enthusiasts have a little more time to sign up for the Salem 400+ Heritage Days Parade on August 1, after organizers extended the registration deadline to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, June 30 — though the city warns that spots are nearly full and capacity is expected to be reached soon.
COMMUNITY & ARTS
The Salem Public Library feed retrieved this cycle resolved to the Salem Public Library in Salem, Ohio, and contained no programming information applicable to Salem, Massachusetts. No library events from a Massachusetts source were available in this window.
Coming up on the community calendar: a Pride Artisan Marketplace is listed for June 27, and an interfaith Pride service is scheduled for June 28 at a Salem church — see ELSEWHERE IN THE NEWS for details on the latter.
ELSEWHERE IN THE NEWS
"2026 July 4 Fireworks Guide For Salem Area" — Salem Patch has compiled a guide to Independence Day fireworks, parades, and other celebrations marking America's 250th anniversary in and around the city. Per Salem Patch (read it at https://patch.com/massachusetts/salem).
"Salem High, Salem Hospital Launch Medical Assisting Practicum For Students" — A new partnership placed Salem High School medical assisting students in a clinical setting at Salem Hospital this past spring, per Salem Patch (read it at https://patch.com/massachusetts/salem).
"North Shore Country-Themed Music Bar Set To Close" — A country-themed music venue on the North Shore is scheduling its final night for July 3, per Salem Patch (read it at https://patch.com/massachusetts/salem).
"North Shore Projects Ticketed For $12.1 Million In Federal Earmark Spending" — An initial FY2027 appropriations markup includes 16 projects across the North Shore and Merrimack Valley, per Salem Patch (read it at https://patch.com/massachusetts/salem).
"Salem-Based HAWC Says Annual Walk, 5K Raised $165K For North Shore Services" — The June 7 fundraising event drew 551 participants, with proceeds supporting HAWC's free domestic abuse services on the North Shore, per Salem Patch (read it at https://patch.com/massachusetts/salem).
"Salem Church To Host Interfaith Pride Service For North Shore Community" — A free interfaith service celebrating the LGBTQ+ community is set for June 28 in Salem, bringing together multiple faith traditions, per Salem Patch (read it at https://patch.com/massachusetts/salem).
"Salem Skipper Shuttle Gets Temporary Reprieve Through End Of Summer" — Salem Patch also reported on the Skipper extension, a story the city's News Flash covered directly today (read it at https://patch.com/massachusetts/salem).
COMING UP
- **June 25:** Super 70's Rock Show with Super Trans Am (Salem area venue) - **June 26:** Blues Brothers — The Next Generation; Summer Luau with Music by Mulholland Drive; Changes in Latitudes — Jimmy Buffett tribute show - **June 27:** Love is Love Pride Artisan Marketplace; Pride Tea Dance Salem 2026; The Fools; Foo! (Foo Fighters tribute) - **June 28:** Salem interfaith Pride service (free, open to the public); Paint on Stage! for Kids; Paint Night! for Adults - **June 30 (4 p.m. deadline):** Last day to register for the Salem 400+ Heritage Days Parade (August 1) - **July 1:** Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers - **August 1:** Salem 400+ Heritage Days Parade, Salem, MA - **September 23:** Sixth Annual Preservation in a Changing Climate Conference, Peabody Essex Museum Morse Auditorium