Somerville’s 3rd Lunar New Year Cultural Celebration takes place on Saturday, February 14, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., at the Somerville High School Cafeteria, 81 Highland Avenue. The City of Somerville invites you and your loved ones to celebrate the Year of the Horse with the local Chinese, Vietnamese, East Asian, and Southeast Asian communities. This year’s theme is “Sharing Love Together for the Year of the Horse: Art, Culture, and Community.” Enjoy music, family-friendly storytelling, interactive activities, delicious food, face painting, and beautiful handicrafts. Experience the unique traditions and festive spirit of these diverse cultures.

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Black History Month programming in the City of Somerville will kick off with a Wellness Workshop, a grounding experience focused on breathwork, relaxation, and healthy treats to nourish both your body and mind. This session will be led by Monia Fernandez of Monarch Wellness. Attendees should be prepared for light physical activity as well as soft conversation, light refreshments, and breathwork. The event will be taking place on Thursday, February 12, at the Tufts Administration Building Atrium. For questions about any of the City of Somerville’s Black History Month events or to learn more about the specifics of each, visit somervillema.gov/rsj.

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Happy birthday this week to the following: Happy birthday to Donna Alibrandi, who is celebrating this week. We hope she has a great day. Also celebrating this week is Denise Racicot-Kallis. We wish her the very best of birthdays. We wish all of our Facebook friends, such as Laurie Herra-Bullerwell, JoAnn Bocca- Rivieccio, Rhiannon Riley, Anne Belcher, Diane Hill Melanson, Valerie Fitzpatrick, Phil Rudolph, Albert Piacentini, and Dave Ortega a very happy birthday. We hope everyone has a great day. To all the others we may have missed, we sincerely wish them the very best of birthdays.

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Veterans’ Lunch and Learn with Kenny Verlus of Salvation Solutions. The Somerville Veterans’ Services Department invites residents to come enjoy lunch and learn about financial information specific to Veterans’ and their families. The guest speaker will share solutions to improve your credit score and tax preparedness tips. Thursday, February 12, from 12 to 1:30 p.m., West Branch Library, 40 College Ave.

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Valentine’s Day Mixer by the Somerville Museum takes place on Friday, February 13, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., 1 Westwood Road. Bring a special someone, a friend, or treat yourself to a special pre-Valentine evening at the Museum with live Latin music from CuraSón, promoting love and connection by playing original music that comes from the heart. Enjoy mocktails, a chocolate tasting, sweet and savory snacks, and a free digital portrait while exploring our galleries featuring their current exhibit: Crafting the Mind. Sip and chat, dance and laugh, or sit and craft at the weaving table while meeting new people. For more information, visit: https://www.somervillemuseum.org/.

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East Somerville Main Streets wants to show Buddy’s Diner a little extra love and community support. Join them for a creative, feel-good gathering where neighbors of all ages can come together to make Valentines for Buddy’s Diner. Meet at Tulum Mexican Cuisine, 3 Washington St., on Saturday, February 14, 1 to 3 p.m. to make Valentines. They will provide all the supplies you need to bring is your creativity and community spirit. The Valentines created will be featured at Buddy’s to celebrate this local landmark. This is a free, family-friendly event, and everyone is welcome

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During colder months, older homes can bring drafts that drive up heating costs and reduce energy efficiency. To stay warm this winter, the Office of Sustainability and Environment is sharing tips to weatherize your home: Seal drafty areas like mail slots, pet doors, and spaces around external doors. Insulate windows using window film. Let sunshine in. On sunny days, open curtains and blinds to let as much sunshine into your home as possible. Not using a room? Consider closing the door permanently for the winter. This will help keep both the cold air from that room from moving into the rest of the house and all the warmth from seeping into unused spaces. For more long-term solutions, take advantage of a no-cost home energy assessment from Mass Save. To schedule an assessment, call (617) 329-4825 or visit MassSave.com/Somerville. Resources are available to landlords, renters, and homeowners.

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On Thursday, February 19, starting at 10:30 a.m. at the Holland Street Center. The Veterans Department along with the Council on Aging will be hosting Sgt. Daniel M. Clark, known as “The Singing Trooper.” He is a veteran (USMC) and a retired Massachusetts State Trooper. This is much more than a concert. As our Nation approaches its 250th birthday, Sgt. Clark is weaving a story of our Nation through stories and song. Lunch will be served following the performance. Please reserve your spot by calling Debby Higgins at 617-625-6600, ext. 2321.

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The City of Somerville opened an overnight Winter Warming Center during the coldest months of the year to provide a safe, warm place to sleep for our residents experiencing homelessness. Open 5 p.m. – 7:30 a.m. daily through April 12. For questions about the Warming Center, call 311. If you need assistance getting to the Warming Center or after-hours assistance, please call (339) 242-4744. Email warmingcenter@somervillema.gov. The Cummings Building, 42 Prescott St.

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Somerville High School (SHS) and Somerville Public Schools invite all interested community members to visit during one of three Open House events on February 11 and February 12. Staff will provide an overview presentation on the state-of-the-art facility before students lead community members on a walking tour of the building. Tours will be held on Wednesday, February 11, from 8:15 to 10:00 a.m., and on Thursday, February 12, during two sessions: 8:15 – 10:00 a.m. and 12:45 – 2:15 p.m. In the event of inclement weather, tours will be rescheduled for February 24, with times to be determined. For more complete information and office hours, please visit www.somerville.k12.ma.us/enrollment.

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Crochet with Tuft’s Hooked Club, Wednesday, February 18, 1 to 2:00 p.m. at SCOA Holland Street Center. Learn how to crochet with a collaboration between the Council on Aging and Tufts Hooked Club. Tufts Hooked Club is an organization comprised of Tufts students who want to spread awareness of the mental health benefits of fiber arts like crochet. To RSVP, please contact Natasha Naim at 617-625-6600 ext. 2317.

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The 2026 Maple Boil Down will be held on Saturday, March 7, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Weather Date: Saturday, March 14), Somerville Community Center, 22 Vinal Ave. Each February, a team of volunteers taps a swath of maple trees on the Tufts campus, collecting gallons of sap over a number of weeks. At the Maple Boil Down, they’ll boil it down into real 100% hyper-local maple syrup. Youth and adults alike will have a chance to learn about tree anatomy and physiology and experience the process of making fresh maple syrup first-hand.

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Join the Valentine’s Day Community Event, brought to you by Cambridge Health Alliance and Somerville Health and Human Services. Join in at the Somerville Public Library on Tuesday, February 17, from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. for the following: community resources, Valentine’s Day crafts, free STI testing and free pizza. All ages are welcome, Central Library 79, Highland Ave.

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A reminder that the deadline for Christmas tree pick-up is Friday, February 20. Trees can be placed directly on the sidewalk on your regular trash day after removing all decorations. Do not put trees in a plastic bag. Any trees not collected by then must be removed and held until yard waste collection resumes in mid-April.

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Join the Somerville Homeless Coalition for a night of local love at The Crystal Ballroom featuring some of Somerville’s best. Their 2026 Spring into Action celebration on March 26 brings together local flavors and fantastic live music from West of Willow and The Loomers. Be part of it and celebrate their community with them. Save the date; tickets drop in February. For support or additional information, please contact mconlan@shcinc.org.

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When you apply for Somerville’s Inclusionary Rental Program, you’ll now apply just once and will be placed on the waitlist for units at many properties. Learn more at an information session on Thursday, February 12, at 6:30 p.m. on Zoom. The application will close on March 2, and after that, it will not be available for 1 to 2 years. So, the time to apply is now. From February 2 to March 2, applicants can apply online at somervillewaitlist.org or in-person at the City Hall Annex (50 Evergreen Ave.) during regular business hours. If you have any questions or need help with your application, please get in touch with them by emailing inclusionary@somervillema.gov or calling them at (617) 625-6600 x2566.

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East Somerville Main Streets is inviting artists to apply to create the official Carnaval poster. This is a chance to showcase your creativity and help shape the visual identity of one of East Somerville’s most beloved community events. Don’t miss the opportunity to have your art featured and celebrated across the neighborhood. The deadline to apply is February 20. Apply now visit:eastsomervillemainstreets.org/carnaval2026.

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Registration for Somerville Open Studios 2026 is open through February 15. If you want to apply for financial aid, the deadline is Sunday, January 18. The event is Saturday and Sunday, May 2 – 3. Visit their website for registration details https://www.somervilleopenstudios.org/web/join.

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Low-income households may be eligible to receive help with winter heating costs through the Home Energy Assistance Program. This program serves residents of Somerville and Cambridge. Participants receive assistance with their heating costs between November 1 and April 30. Learn more about the program, check if you qualify, and apply for assistance today at somervillema.gov/heatingassistance.

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Take steps to protect yourself and loved ones against COVID-19, the flu, and other illnesses this winter. Somerville’s Health and Human Services Department is hosting free vaccine clinics at locations across the city. For more information, visit: https://www.somervillema.gov/vaccinations. Next clinic will be February 12,  4:30pm –  6:30pm, Somerville Office of Immigrant Affairs, 42 Cross St

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The Community Gospel Choir will present a free Gospel Concert in honor of Black History Month on Sunday, February 22, 3 to 5 p.m., at the Somerville Community Baptist Church, 31 College Avenue near Davis Square. This is a family-friendly event, and all are welcome. For more information, see www.ILoveSCBC.org.

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Apply today for Creative Space at Somerville’s Armory. All creative disciplines are encouraged to apply for open spaces now through March 11. The city is now accepting Requests for Proposals (RFPs) from arts and creative enterprises interested in leasing space at the city-owned Armory at 191 Highland Ave. Full details on eligibility, available spaces, lease terms, evaluation criteria, and how to submit a proposal are available on the Armory Master Plan SomerVoice page, which will serve as the primary hub for this process: Armory Master Plan | SomerVoice. Upcoming dates to learn more about the Armory lease RFP, connect with others, and receive hands-on support as you prepare your proposal.

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We would like to take this opportunity to thank our Arts Editor, Doug Holder, for setting up a GoFundMe campaign for The Somerville Times. With the cost of printing going up and a lack of businesses having the resources to advertise, free papers feel the effect. We sincerely thank all who have already contributed and thank any future contributors. If you are interested in helping, please visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-the-somerville-times. Or if anyone is interested in advertising, please contact Bobbietoner@aol.com. We offer great discounts to help our advertisers be able to advertise. Thank you all so much for your support!

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Don’t forget, if you would like to subscribe to receive a digital edition of our paper, go directly online to our website, over to the right side, and fill out your email address to receive a free, full PDF copy of the paper.