Somerville’s annual “Truck O’ Treat” takes place on Thursday, October 29, from 5 to 7 p.m. outside City Hall (93 Highland Avenue). Rain date: Thursday, November 5. Costumes are encouraged at this family-friendly event, which will include safe Trick-or-Treating on the City Hall concourse, a spooktacular visit from a decorated City of Somerville truck, lawn games, light refreshments, and more.

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Community members are invited to join Mayor Jake Wilson, the City Council, and the School Committee during the 2026 Neighborhood Connect meeting series. The series concludes next week on Wednesday, October 21, in Ward 2 in the Argenziano School cafeteria (290 Washington St.). The meeting will run from 6 to 8 p.m. Free pizza and refreshments will be available starting at 6 p.m. Ward 2 includes South Union Square, Perry and Lincoln Park neighborhoods, and more. Meetings will kick off with quick citywide updates and a brief welcome from the Mayor and Ward Councilor before breaking to allow attendees to move about for one-on-one and small group conversations. Unsure about which ward you live in? Find out with the MySomerville address lookup tool at somervillema.gov/mysomerville.

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Join the Somerville Youth Hockey Association and Growing Girls Hockey parent group for a special Girls Only Try Hockey free event. The free, 1-hour girls ice hockey event will take place on Wednesday, October 21, from 6:30 – 7:20 p.m., at Veterans Rink, 570 Somerville Ave. Girls of all ages, including those with experience and those who have never played, are welcome. You just need to know how to skate. Equipment will be available to borrow. Families can register their girls here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe7ZPRBKyYbe1eAm3XSbGbXwBsMP72ubB5mwZY2BL_tC0jaVA/viewform. There will be three professional women ice hockey players helping coach the event, along with Somerville Youth Hockey Association coaches and helpers. Pizza and autographs afterwards.

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Happy birthday this week to several locals: We wish Sal Mingace a very happy belated birthday. We hope he enjoyed his day. Happy birthday to a former alderman and great guy, Dennis Sullivan. We wish him a very happy birthday. Happy birthday to poet and writer Timothy Gager. We hope he has a great day. Happy birthday to another of our own Harry Kane. We appreciate all he does for the paper, and we wish him a great day. Happy birthday to Vicki Potaris. We wish her a great day. We wish all of our Facebook friends, such as George Lally, Charlene Murphy, Jim Douthart, Stephen Bertoncini, David LaCroix, Harry Levasseur, Kip Lyall, and Patricia Capadanno, 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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Want to share feedback with the City Council? Public comments are accepted on a rolling basis via email at publiccomments@somervillema.gov. Find information about the Council or see the full schedule of Council meetings at somervillema.gov/council. Stream meetings at youtube.com/somervillecityTV. The next City Council meeting of the whole is on Thursday, October 22.

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Somerville High School Track Parents & Alumni Club, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, is running its 5th Annual Somerville Monster Dash 5K (3.1 miles) and youth runs (200 meters and 800 meters) on Sunday, October 25, at Riverfront Park/Assembly Row starting at 10:30 a.m. All proceeds benefit the Somerville High Athletics programs, including SHS Cross-Country and Track and Field Teams for Girls and Boys. Registration information can be found by going online to https://www.somervillemonsterdash.org/.

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Bow Market is launching a campaign to bring free rent to Experiential Artists for the full year. The pitch to artists is simple: use space to bring experiential art to Somerville; pay $0 in rent. To make it sustainable, Bow Market is working to attract roughly 300 people to pay $100 to become a 2027 Patron. As patrons, they’ll receive access to artist-led events, exclusive merch, name recognition outside the YEA space, and inclusion in this burgeoning arts community. To learn more and become a Patron, visit www.bowmarketsomerville.com/experientialart. For more information on becoming an artist in residence, visit https://www.bowmarketsomerville.com/yea-artist-faq.

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Somerville’s Mobile Farmer’s Market is selling fresh, local produce at affordable prices through October 31. The market accepts cash, debit cards, SNAP, Fresh Connect, WIC Farmers Market coupons, and Senior Farmers Market coupons. All are welcome. For more information and locations, visit https://www.somervillemobilefarmersmarket.org/.

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On Saturday, October 24, Somerville residents can participate in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day at two city-staffed drop-off locations to safely dispose of expired or unused prescription medication. Staff from Somerville’s Community, Help, Outreach, and Recovery (COHR) unit of the Somerville Police Department and the city’s Prevention Services division will also be on-site to provide prevention information and resources, including free Narcan and fentanyl test strips. Drop off or stop by at two locations from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Public Safety Headquarters at 220 Washington Street and Teele Square Fire Station at 6 Newbury St. For bottled medications, residents should remove or scratch out any personal information while leaving the name of the medication visible before disposing. Please make sure caps on liquid medications are secure.For more information, please contact 311 (617-666-3311).

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Become a Somerville Climate Ambassador. Somerville’s Climate Ambassadors program empowers residents to take action on climate change in their community. Join a cohort to learn about local climate action, engage in meaningful discussion, and complete a small project. No prior knowledge of climate change. Applicants must be age 16+ and a Somerville resident. Apply now through December 1. For more information, visit https://www.somervillema.gov/departments/programs/climate-ambassadors

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The city is offering free COVID-19 and flu vaccine clinics at locations across the city this fall to help community members protect their health. This week’s schedule: Thursday, October 22, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., Tufts Admin Building, 167 Holland St.,18 and older; and 4:15 – 6:45 p.m., City Hall Annex, 50 Evergreen St., 6 months and older. Appointments are strongly encouraged, and walk-up availability is limited. To see the most up-to-date clinic schedule or make an appointment, visit www.somervillema.gov/vaccinations. You can also call 311 (617-666-3311) for information or to make an appointment.

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BOO! Bingo for Kids. Join the East Branch Library for bingo with a spooky theme. Win stickers to create a seasonal scene. Children under 5 years old need adult assistance. The event will take place on Wednesday, October 28, at East Branch Library (115 Broadway) from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.

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This year, the SHS football team will be playing our Thanksgiving Game against Cambridge Rindge & Latin at Fenway Park on Thursday, November 24, at 5 p.m. For tickets, visit: http://www.redsox.com/highschoolfootball.

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On October 12, a devastating fire in East Somerville severely impacted several local businesses. Rei Da Picanha restaurant and DaMata Barbershop were total losses, while Los Toritos is also working to recover from significant losses. These local businesses are part of our community, and their owners and employees now face the difficult road to recovery and rebuilding. Please consider donating to support these businesses. Rei da Picanha: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-somervilles-nonato-family-after-devastating-fire DaMata Barbershop: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-damata-barbershop-rise-again Los Toritos: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-los-toritos-reopen-after-devastating-fire

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The City of Somerville is seeking one new member to join the Somerville Municipal Scholarship Committee as a volunteer member. This vacancy is for a person with a passion and energy to assist high school students (public and private) with pursuing higher education. To apply, please send a letter of interest to ldubu-que@somervillema.gov with “Scholarship Committee” and your name in the subject line by Friday, October 30. Please include your full name, address, and telephone number with your inquiry. For questions, accommodations, or more info, contact the Treasury at (617) 625-6600 ext. 3510 or Linda Dubuque at ldubuque@somervillema.gov.

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Overnight Winter Warming Center info: Meeting for Abutters, October 27. Join city staff for an informational meeting to learn about plans for the 2026-27 Emergency Overnight Warming Center. The warming center will reopen this December in the Cummings Building to provide a safe, warm place to sleep for adult residents experiencing homelessness during the coldest months of the year. The meeting will take place on Tuesday, October 27, at Central Library (79 Highland Ave.) from 7 to 8 p.m.

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Celebrate Halloween in East Somerville with an afternoon of spooky fun for the whole community! The Halloween Block Party & Pet Spooktacular brings neighbors, families, and furry friends together for a festive day filled with activities, local vendors, live music, a pet costume contest, raffles, and much more. Come dressed in your favorite costume, bring your pets, and enjoy a fun-filled Halloween celebration in the heart of East Somerville. Volunteers wanted. They are looking for volunteers to help with activities, event setup, welcoming families, and keeping the celebration running smoothly. October 31, 1 – 4 p.m., Chuckie Harris Park. Sign up to volunteer (https://forms.gle/oAWkUYySYrmNvKBz9).

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Somerville neighbors need your help. On Tuesday, September 8, a fire on Dartmouth Street left four households, including multiple vulnerable residents and their pets, without homes. On September 30, there was a five-alarm fire in Teele Square. The fire impacted 32 homes at 1137-1147 Broadway, displacing 43 residents. Please consider donating whatever you can to the Somerville Homeless Coalition’s Emergency Displacement Fund, developed in partnership with the city. https://secure.qgiv.com/for/emerfun.

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Somerville’s Latin American and Caribbean Heritage Month celebration will take place on Sunday, October 25, inside Somerville High School (81 Highland Ave.) from 2 to 5 p.m. Somerville’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (SOIA), with support from the city’s Division of Equity and Belonging and the Somerville Community Corporation (SCC), invites all community members to the celebration. Enjoy a wide selection of Latin American and Caribbean food and refreshments, from Brazilian cheese bread to Haitian griot, alongside an afternoon of music, movement, and opportunities to join in.

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The Somerville Museum presents Common Ground: Photography, Place, and Community, September 17 – December 5, One Westwood Rd. This exhibition features 15 photographers who have chosen Somerville as their home. The works on view range from documentary to conceptual and are united by the perspective of artists living and working within this evolving urban environment. “Common Ground” explores how artists navigate and contribute to Somerville’s shifting identity, examining the relationship between place, community, and creative practice. Visit https://www.somervillemuseum.org/.

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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 to our website, on the right side, and enter your email address to receive a free, full PDF copy of the paper