A Kennedy School Playground public community meeting will be held on February 26, 6:30 p.m. City staff invites you to attend a virtual community meeting for the Kennedy School Playground Renovations project. This session will share a preferred design, solicit the community’s input on the design, and discuss the schedule. A recording of the meeting will be posted afterward so residents who cannot attend can still share their feedback. Visit the Somervoice Posting for information about requesting interpretation and ADA access.

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Open call for event producers. The Somerville Arts Council is looking for creative, arts and culture-focused, engaging public events for the 2026 – 2027 season, bringing vibrancy, connection, and creativity to neighborhoods throughout our city. Applications are due by March 9, at 11:59 p.m. Have questions? Join one of their virtual open office hours to learn more about the opportunity and application process: Thursday, February 26, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. or Tuesday, March 3, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Register to join. Full details: www.somervilleartscouncil.org/2026-event-producers

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Happy birthday this week to the following: Happy birthday to City Councilor Kristen Strezo. We wish her the happiest year to come. Happy birthday to Eddie Nuzzo. We hope he has a great one. Happy birthday to Nancy Trane. We hope she has a great day. Happy birthday to Nick Kondilis. We hope he has a great birthday. We wish all of our Facebook friends, such as David Mangan, Lu Alves, Larry J Travaglione, Bill Roy, Sarah Colestock Berson, and Laureen Chirichiello, a very happy birthday. To all those who are also celebrating this week, we wish a happy birthday.

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Virtually join the Small Business Office Hours, Thursdays from 4:00-5:00 p.m. Join in to talk to city staff from Economic Development, Licensing, and ISD to discuss any questions regarding permits, licenses, or your business. Attendees will be held in a waiting room and admitted to speak with staff in order of when they joined the call. This week’s session will take place on Thursday, February 26. Use this link to join: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86006892005?pwd=U2xsT2JvQmdTMmpoY2dtTk10SXNYZz09

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East Somerville Main Streets is looking for artisans, craftspeople, and small business owners to join them for Carnaval on June 7, 2 – 6 p.m. Rain date: June 14. Interested in being part of one of East Somerville’s most vibrant community events? Find more details and apply now: https://forms.gle/oWgWoh6BNFmy32g57

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Healthy Steps (Council on Aging), Thursday, February 26, 3 p.m., Holland Street Center, 167 Holland Street. Healthy-Steps is a movement program designed to help you thrive. This playful class is for everyBODY and can be done seated or standing. It focuses on improving strength and endurance, range of motion, and provides an opportunity to work on balance. Dance with props to eclectic music and have fun on the way to better health.

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Join Nibble Kitchen’s first-ever Paint Night in partnership with local Haitian Chef Maritza Jules and Haitian artist Marc Elie Mordan. To kick off the evening, Marc will share insights into his personal artistic style and the unique characteristics that define a traditional Haitian landscape. Whether you’re a seasoned artist or picking up a brush for the first time, you’ll be guided through a step-by-step process – starting with broad brushstrokes to build your background before layering on the vibrant details that make your piece pop. No painting experience or equipment is required. As you create, Chef Maritza will keep you inspired with a feast of authentic Haitian flavors, including crispy fried pork belly (griot), savory plantain fritters, and refreshing coconut mocktails. Nibble Kitchen at Bow Market, Sunday, March 1, 4 – 6:30 p.m. Get tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1979368941788?aff=oddtdtcreator

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Start your Sunday morning with neighbors, coffee, bagels, and a behind-the-scenes look at all the ways you can connect with the Somerville Museum community, One Westwood Road. Meet neighbors, volunteers, and museum supporters. Learn about their exhibits and programs. Explore volunteer opportunities, membership, and more. Take the next step to get involved and take home a Your Neighbor is a Museum T-shirt. Join the Good Neighbor Monthly Giving Program and be entered to win a cooking lesson from the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts, @cambridgeculinary. Find out more and RSVP at https://www.somervillemuseum.org

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Liam Mannion and Bob McWatters invite the public to join them on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, at Sally O’Brien’s, 335 Somerville Ave., to celebrate Irish heritage with music, corned beef cabbage, and a pint of Guinness. At Sally O’Brien’s on St Patrick’s Day, there will be plenty of laughter, libations, and many special guests coming by throughout the day to join in the festivities.

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On Friday, April 10, GLOWBALL will transform the Armory Performance Hall into an immersive Rave created by DJ WhySham and visual projectionist Jay Medina, all in support of The Center for Arts at the Armory. GLOWBALL is an “anti-gala”—there will be no speeches, presentations, or auction. There will be pop-up performances by Sean Bjerke and RHOUSE Dancers; The House of Nahdra, AfroFuture Fashion Portal, and Circus 617. This year’s honorees: Ellen Waylonis, Lifetime Achievement Award; Willie Burnley, Community Arts Advocate; and Wendy Jehlen, Outstanding Artist. GLOWBALL tickets include complimentary international bites and glow-in-the-dark styling and face painting. This will surely be Somerville’s most illuminating party of 2026. For tickets and more information, visit: https://artsatthearmory.org/

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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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Are you a musician, artist, or creative? Do you care about art/music space? Go to the free Making Space for Art community meeting on March 2 at Warehouse XI, Somerville. Learn about what Boston, Cambridge, and Somerville have worked on regionally to protect the space we have and potentially create more. Free w/RSVP: https://bit.ly/makingspaceforart.

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Some reminders for the 2025/2026 snow season: Snow emergency parking is on the odd side of the street all winter, unless posted signage says differently. Sign up for alerts or update your information at somervillema.gov/alerts. You can call 311 (617-666-3311) if you need assistance. Flashing blue lights at major intersections indicate a snow emergency. Snow emergencies are announced on the city’s website, social media feeds, City TV, and via information shared with local media. Property owners are responsible for clearing snow from sidewalks within six daylight hours of the end of snowfall. For more information on the city’s snow policies, visit somervillema.gov/snow.

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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. Read more about the Somerville Maple Syrup Project at www.thegrowingcenter.org/maplesyrupproject

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Free Beginner English for U.S. Citizenship Class, Tuesday, March 3, 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Central Library, 79 Highland Ave. This class is for beginner English Learners who would like to apply for U.S. Citizenship. It will help you improve your English and also learn about U.S. civics. Register here: https://tinyurl.com/englishforcitizenspring2026 or on the first day of class.

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For anyone in need of food resources, go to the Somerville Food Coalition’s website: www.https://bit.ly/4ocJ6NB. Free local pantries, community meals, community fridges, and more. Find more information at https://www.somervillema.gov/snap. Here are some locations where you can find free food: Somerville’s Community Fridges can be found at 35 Prospect St., Elizabeth Peabody House, 275-277 Broadway, St. Clements, across from 29 St. Clements Road. Donations are welcome at these locations.

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The Center for Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., will host and manage the 16th Annual Somerville Winter Farmers Market (SWFM) every Saturday through April 11, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. This weekly market offers the best locally grown and regionally produced agricultural items, including vegetable produce, cheese, eggs, meats, fish, breads, pastries, and sweets. In addition to cash, credit, and debit, SNAP / EBT is also accepted at the market. CAA raises funds to be able to provide a $15 match so that SNAP / EBT for every SNAP/EBT customer who spends at least $15 of their SNAP/EBT dollars at the market. The market is also participating in the Healthy Incentives Program (HIP), which allows qualifying customers to receive between $40 – $80 worth of free farm-fresh fruits and vegetables from participating HIP vendors. To learn more and for a complete listing of vendors, weekly specials, and live entertainment, please visit www.somwintermarket.org.

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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 fan-tastic 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. 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. 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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Participate in a Community Forum About the New School Building. The city is planning a new building at 115 Sycamore Street and is looking for input from the community. Don’t miss the Community Forum on March 3 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Somerville High School’s Highlander Forum, 81 Highland Ave. This event will be an opportunity for all community members to learn about the project and provide feedback. Somerville is currently applying for funding from the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) to help finance the project. Find information about the MSBA funding application process, schedule, and project updates on the City of Somerville’s new school page: https://www.somervillema.gov/newschool.

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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 Thursday, March 12, 4:30 – 6:30 p.m., Council on Aging, 167 Holland Street.

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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: www.voice.somervillema.gov/armorymasterplan. 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 th