All city offices are closed for the Independence Day holiday on Friday, July 3. Trash and recycling pickup will be delayed by one day. All Somerville Public Library locations will be closed on Saturday, July 4, for Independence Day. Regular hours will resume on Sunday, July 5. We wish everyone a safe, Happy 4th!

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The city’s annual SomerMovie Fest is set to return, bringing you exciting evenings of family-friendly films to be shown in parks around Somerville this summer. The first free movie screening (Minecraft Movie) will be held on Thursday, July 9, at the Lincoln Park softball field (290 Washington St.). The approximate start time is 8:30 p.m. Get the full schedule. For more information, please visit https://www.somervillema.gov/moviefest. Persons with disabilities who need ADA accommodations to access this program, please contact ada@somervillema.gov or call 311 (617-666-3311).

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Happy birthday this week to several locals: Happy birthday to our own Doug Holder. A good friend, poet, and a great guy. We hope he enjoys his day and spends it with great friends. Happy birthday to local realtor Len Ferrari. We wish him a great day. We wish all of our Facebook friends, such as Devon Moss, Richard Johnstin, Suzan Baltozer, Carlton Soohoo, Rose Nash, Joseph Amaral, Sr., Christine Dischino Leavitt, Tamara McAllister, Holly Dow, John Hughes, and Maureen Pirone, a very happy birthday. We hope everyone has a great day. 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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Looking for children’s summer activities? Summer Spot still has spaces available! Presented by Somerville Parks and Recreation in collaboration with SomerPromise, Summer Spot offers a five-week adventure packed with excitement, exploration, and endless opportunities for fun and learning. Learn more and sign up today by visiting bit.ly/44utXil.

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Somerville Media Center’s out-of-school time programs provide young people with the opportunity to build important technical, media literacy, communication, cultural competency, teamwork, and collaboration skills. There are still spots for both summer vacation and fall after school. Browse programs for your aspiring young media maker and enroll here: https://app.amilia.com/store/en/smc/shop/programs/116306.

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The World Cup is here. Celebrate with fellow fans in Somerville. Visit www.somervillema.gov/worldcup throughout the tournament to find upcoming matches and where to watch locally.

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Somerville is hosting the SomerCup 2026 community soccer tournament for kids and adults, and all are invited to participate. Games will take place in July at Dilboy Stadium (110 Alewife Brook Parkway). Sign up for yourself or build a team of neighbors, colleagues, and friends. Schedule is as follows: Sunday, July 12, 12 to 5 p.m.: Kindergarten to Grade 4. Monday, July 13, 5 to 10 p.m.: Adults (ages 18 and up). Friday, July 17, 1:30 to 5 p.m.: Grades 5 to 8 and 9 to 12. Players of all skill levels are welcome to participate. Register individually or as a team (8 to 10 players) now through Friday, June 26, at www.somervillema.gov/worldcup.

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Friends of District Attorney Marian Ryan will be holding a meet-and-greet and a fundraiser on July 20 at Sally O’Brien’s, 335 Somerville Ave., from 5 – 7 p.m. Seniors can attend for free. Suggested donations: $100, $250, and $500. All are welcome to attend to meet the District Attorney.

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Save the date for the 21st Annual What the Fluff? Festival, Saturday, September 19, 1 – 5 p.m. in Union Square. Are you interested in being a vendor at this year’s Festival? Go here to find out more: unionsquaremain.org/fluffvendors.

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Dilboy Pool and Stadium are now open to the public. Dilboy Pool has a swimming and wading pool for all ages, open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., with Lap Swim hours from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Admission is free. Dilboy Stadium is open Monday – Friday from 7 a.m.to 8:30 a.m. and 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. Only walking and running are permitted on the track. Admission is free. More information can be found at www.somervillerec.com

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Applications for Yart Sale are live. On Saturday, August 8, porches, driveways, and yards across Somerville will transform into pop-up markets featuring artwork, crafts, collectibles, and more. Join in on the fun and apply to participate by 11:59 p.m. Monday, July 20. Rain date: August 9. For full event guidelines, visit: https://somervilleartscouncil.org/yart-sale/.

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Save the date: National Night Out! 2026 will take place on Tuesday, Aug 4, 5 – 8 p.m. Rain date: Wednesday, August 5. Dilboy Stadium, 110 Alewife Brook Parkway. Celebrate bringing police and community together.

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Get ready for ArtBeat 2026 on Saturday, July 18, 12 – 9 p.m. in Davis Sq. This year’s festival will feature approximately 60 vendors and community groups, a full lineup of performances across two stages, and a dance showcase. They’ll have two stages of music and a dance showcase at the Somerville Theater. This year’s ArtBeat theme is “REVolution.” The streets will be vibrant with vendors and music from 12 noon to 7 p.m., and then music will continue in Seven Hills Park until 9 p.m.

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The Powder House, Milk Row Cemetery and Prospect Hill Tower will be open to the public on select dates and times through October, as part of History on the Line, a series of exhibitions and programs organized by the Somerville Museum and funded by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism’s MA250 initiative and the City of Somerville. History unlocked: Drop-in chat on select Thursdays, 6 – 8 p.m., and select Saturdays, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. For dates and more information, visit https://www.somervillemuseum.org/.

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Be an ARTivist! Hands-on Art-making Advocacy Workshops, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m., Somerville Museum. One Westwood Rd. For all ages, families too. Make your own advocacy postcards and campaign signs promoting the value of arts in Somerville. Work with artists from Humphreys Street Studios and Central Street Studios to express your creative ideas and support artists and artist workspaces. All materials supplied. No registration necessary, just drop in.

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Join the Arts at the Armory to celebrate the work of long-term collaborative partners Samuel D. Bondi and Holly Megan Sverdrup Hoyer. They will be displaying solo works as well as pieces from their ongoing collaborative project “OWÄG.” July 18, 3 – 5 p.m., 191 Highland Ave, Somerville (in The ROOTED Cafe @ Arts at the Armory).

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The Somerville Community Baptist Church, 31 College Avenue near Davis Square, will present a free Vacation Bible School from Monday, August 10, through Friday, August 14, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. All children, from age 4 up to the 5th grade, are welcome to attend. This rainforest-themed program includes Bible stories, music, creative activities, games, and free snacks each day. For more information or to register your child, see www.ILoveSCBC.org/events.

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Connexion needs your support for a new projector. If you’ve been to an event at Connexion recently, you’ve probably noticed the projectors aren’t doing well. They’re dim, spotty, and there’s a broken chip leaving a permanent blemish right in the middle of every image. After 12 years of faithful service, it’s time for an upgrade. Connexion has received a $7,500 Together For Tomorrow grant, and they need your help to match it. Every dollar you give is doubled. Whether you’ve celebrated a birthday there, grabbed a meal at Come to the Table, or attended a community meeting – help them make Connexion shine for everyone who walks through the doors. https://app.easytithe.com/app/giving/connexion.

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Join Union Square Main Streets and 60+ of your favorite local food producers for the 22nd Annual Union Square Farmers Market. Shop local Saturdays through October 31, except July 4 and September 19, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the Union Square Plaza. They continue to offer our SNAP matches. Check the market webpage for the latest info and to see which vendors accept SNAP. To get the latest updates about the Union Square Farmers Market, visit www.unionsquaremain.org/2026-season.

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Friendly Caller Program. The Somerville Council on Aging has many wonderful volunteers who are waiting to give you a call. Whether you are looking to make a new friend or would just like a friendly chat to look forward to every week, this program has you covered. Call Natasha Naim at 617-625-6600, ext. 2317, to learn more about the program and to sign up.

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Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services Meal Program. All are welcome. Registration is required. You will need to register on a weekly basis. Each week, on Monday or Tuesday, call the COA Reservation line at 617-625-6600 ext. 2323 to reserve your spot for the following week.

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The Somerville Mobile Farmers Market returns on Thursday, July 9, for the 2026 season. The market brings fresh, affordable, local produce to four city locations Thursdays through Saturdays and runs through October 31. All produce is sourced from local farms and priced affordably to make healthy, fresh food accessible to all. The mobile market accepts cash, debit and credit cards, SNAP, Fresh Connect, WIC Farmers Market Coupons, and Senior Farmers Market Coupons. All are welcome. For the full schedule, weekly produce updates, and more information about programs and events, visit the market’s website at somervillemobilefarmersmarket.org.

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Assembly Row Farmers Market is being held at 375 Assembly Row, Somerville, on Fridays, 3-7 p.m. The market will run from June 12 to October 9 (No market on July 3). Each week, you’ll be able to find goods from nearly 30 New England-based farmers and producers. Expect a great mix of seasonal produce, baked goods, dairy and eggs, meats and seafood, honey, jams, specialty foods, and more. It’s the perfect place to stock up for the weekend, discover local favorites, or simply enjoy a fresh Friday visit to Assembly Row. https://marketspread.com/market/37299/assembly-row-farmers-market/.

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The Davis Square Market has opened for the 2026 Season. The market will run every Wednesday from 12 noon to 6 p.m., through November 25, at 44 Day St., Somerville. This long-running market features over two dozen Massachusetts farmers and food producers offering a vibrant selection of delicious produce, protein, baked goods, and ready-to-eat meals, alongside a host of other locally made products. The market accepts cash, credit/debit cards, WIC/Senior coupons, and EBT cards and offers a weekly $15 SNAP Match. Visit https://www.massfarmersmarkets.org/davis.

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A reminder that yard waste pickup began the week of April 13. Yard waste should be put out with your trash and recycling on your normal pickup day and be in either a paper bag or a trash barrel with a “Yard Waste Only” sticker. Get stickers free of charge at the DPW building (1 Franey Rd.), at the entrance desk at City Hall (93 Highland Ave.), or by emailing 311requests@somervillema.gov.

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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.