5 Things to Start the Day: Oct. 18

Here are five things to start your day in Beverly:

1. Give Blood: Today the American Red Cross is hosting a blood drive at the Budleigh Masonic Lodge from 2-7 p.m. To make an appointment, call 1-800-Red-Cross or go to redcrossblood.org.

2. You've heard of speed dating, but tonight, the Enterprise Center has teamed up with the Young Entrepreneurs of the North Shore and the North Shore Music Theatre to offer Speed Consulting, an opportunity to sit down, face-to-face, with leading business experts in six very important areas, each for 10 minutes! Learn more about the event and signing up here. 

3. Indigo Blu is hosting a Pop Up Shopping Event today from 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. Check out more about the event here. 

4. Tonight Valerie Fletcher, Executive Director of the Institute for Human Centered Design, will be presenting . The lecture, "The Value of Design," will focus on celebrating the benefits of interior design as well as how design shapes and impacts our everyday lives. 

5. Did you go to the Topsfield Fair? Blogger Susan Plutsky took some great shots while she was there--including today's 5 Things Pic. Take a look at the full gallery here. 

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For more of today's happenings, head over to our Events Calendar.

To send us a photo or suggested item to be featured in the “5 Things” column, send it via e-mail to beverly@patch.com.