July is Disability Pride Month, a time to celebrate the diversity, strength, and achievements of individuals with disabilities. On Thursday, July 24, 5 p.m., 93 Highland Ave., join Mayor Ballantyne, City Council members, the SPCD, and RSJ to raise the Disability Pride flag above Somerville’s City Hall. Families are encouraged to join in to hoist the flag together. For more information, visit https://www.somervillema.gov/news/honoring-disability-pride-month-somerville.

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Vintage, Vinyl & Art Night Market takes place this Friday, July 25, 5 – 10 p.m., Crystal Ballroom, Davis Square. Join them for a summer night market packed with style, sound, and serious finds. Over 25 vendors will be bringing the best in vintage fashion, original artwork, rare vinyl, and more – plus DJ Studebaker Hawk will be spinning all night. No entry fee, ever. Just good music, good people, and great stuff to discover.

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Happy birthday this week to several locals: Happy birthday to our good friend Jimmy Del Ponte. Many in Somerville and beyond look forward to his column here each week. We wish him a special day. Happy birthday to former Ward 5 Councilor Mark Niedergang, who is also celebrating this week. We hope he has a great birthday. We wish all of our Facebook friends, such as Alice Galvin, Tommy Mcdaid, Frank Tello Jr., Carol Powers, Joan Campo McKenna, Stephanie Ann, Erika Uyterhoeven, Justin Klekota, Peter Mcisaac, Joanne Tibbetts, and Gail Stoico, 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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High heat and humidity are expected during the summer; these weather conditions can cause heat illness if precautions are not taken. Visit www.somervillema.gov/keepcool for heat safety tips, which are also available in multiple languages, and more ways to keep cool in and around Somerville this summer.

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SomerMovie Fest has returned. The movies begin at dusk, and showtimes are approximate. Arrive early to grab a good spot, get comfortable, and enjoy the summer evening with neighbors and friends. This week’s movie is Lion King (2019) on Thursday, July 24, at approximately 8:30 p.m. at the Lincoln Park Softball Field, 290 Washington St. For more information, please visit www.somervillema.gov/moviefest.

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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 you 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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Volunteers Wanted: The Holly Simione Campaign for Somerville City Council At Large is holding neighborhood door knocking on Saturdays and Sundays, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., on July 26, July 27, August 2, and August 3. You can go and be teamed up with a campaign volunteer, or bring a friend and knock on your own neighborhood. Direct and personal contact is the best way to get Holly’s message of change and reform-minded good government directly to the voting electorate. There are also ongoing phone banks during the week. Contact the Simione Campaign at (617) 684- 5672, or hollyforsomerville@gmail.com for more information and to get involved.

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The Somerville Museum will hold Blessing of the Bay, Saturday, July 26, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m., 32 Shore Drive, Somerville. Experience a unique celebration that intertwines the rich histories of three distinct cultures. The Blessing of the Bay honors the legacy of the innovative Blessing of the Bay ship and Massachusetts’s first Governor, John Winthrop, while acknowledging the complex narratives of Indigenous peoples and Black Africans impacted by historical events.

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Somer Fest, the city’s flagship festival celebrating BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) artists, creators, and small businesses, is back for the first time since 2022 on Saturday, August 2, at Seven Hills Park from 3 to 5:30 p.m. The 2025 event features a dynamic lineup of performers, including hip-hop artist Bille, soulful sounds from Mada Silva, and more. Attendees can enjoy a curated artisan market, food from Dos Manos Kitchen, and interactive experiences and activities for all ages. Produced by the Somerville Arts Council in collaboration with Citixen Joy, this open-air festival is designed to uplift local creativity, spark connection, and build an inclusive cultural experience for all.

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Save the Date: What the Fluff? A Tribute to Union Square Innovation is a madcap festival honoring the invention of Marshmallow Fluff. It celebrates Somerville’s long-standing tradition of innovation with live music, fluffalicious feasts, sticky games, and so much more happening Saturday, September 20, from 2 – 6 p.m. in Union Square (severe weather date Sunday, September 21).

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Yart Sale is back. Somerville’s citywide creative yard sale returns this summer, and applications are now open. Whether you’re selling art, vintage finds, art supplies, tools, frames, zines, or handmade crafts, this is your chance to be part of this Yart Sale. Deadline to apply by: August 1 at 11:59 p.m. Event date is Saturday, August 9, 12 – 6 p.m. Visit https://somervilleartscouncil.org/

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Save the date for the second annual Get Ready for School Fair, open to all SPS students and families. August 20, from 4 to 6:00 p.m., followed by a Welcome to High School event from 6–8:00 p.m. Both events take place at Somerville High School.

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On September 13, the Gilman Square Arts & Music Festival will be back to highlight local artists, makers, performers, and food vendors. This event is supported by the Somerville Arts Council and is made possible by an LCC grant, the generous support of local businesses, and volunteers from the Gilman Square Neighborhood Council. Raindate, Sunday 9/14.

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The Somerville Mobile Farmers Market has returned for the 2025 season. The market will be open Thursdays through Saturdays, and will run through November 1. 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. For locations and the full schedule, weekly produce updates, and more information about programs and events, visit the market’s website at www.somervillemobilefarmersmarket.org.

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Amit Shah is reading from his collection Revisiting the Mines: Essays and Excavations, a love letter to the transportative power of memory, on Friday, August 15, at Rooted Cafe, Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., 6 – 8 p.m. The moderator for the Q&A will be Somerville poet and writer, Elizabeth Merrick.

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Medicare Savings Program Enrollment Workshop, Friday, July 18, starting at 10 a.m. at the Holland Street Center, 167 Holland St. Join Minuteman Senior Services SHINE Program for an information session on the Medicare Savings Program. The program is aimed at individuals who earn up to $2824 per month and married couples who earn up to $3833 per month. If you have any questions or to RSVP, contact Molly Pagliuca at 617-625-6600, ext. 2318, or email Molly at mpagliuca@somervillema.gov.

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Ye Olde Comix Con at Somerville Public Library, 79 Highland Ave., July 26, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Join the Somerville Public Library for their fifth annual all-day fan-themed event, with programming from your favorite fandoms, stalls with local artists and vendors, cosplaying, and more. Go here to find out more and register for reminders: https://www.somervillepubliclibrary.org/comix-con.

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Movie Day at the Council on Aging, 167 Holland Street, Wednesday, July 23, 1 p.m. This month’s movie is Nonnas, starring Vince Vaughn and Susan Sarandon. Pizza lunch will be served during the movie.

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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. Next dates will be: The Powder House on Thursday, August 7, 6 p.m., Milk Row Cemetery, Saturday, July 26, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

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The Somerville Museum presents Kaleidoscope: Reflecting the Moment through August 23. Kaleidoscope: Reflecting the Moment is an immersive, multi-sensory exhibition by multidisciplinary artist Flor Delgadillo that invites us to reflect on shifting ideas of home, family, neighbors, and community in a rapidly changing world. Blending opportunities for pause and reflection with moments of interaction and creation, Kaleidoscope explores how light transforms space, how sound carries memory, and how collective experience deepens our sense of belonging, connection, and resilience. For more information, visit: https://www.somervillemuseum.org/.

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National Night Out is back again. Celebrate bringing police and community together with fun activities for the whole family. Join in on Tuesday, August 5, at Dilboy Stadium, 110 Alewife Brook Parkway, from 5 to 8 p.m., for a fun night. Attendees will get to enjoy music, games, pizza, family-friendly activities, including bouncy houses, face painting, and obstacle courses, plus meet local Somerville officers. Additionally, the first 300 attendees to arrive will receive a free backpack and school supplies to help get ready for the upcoming school year.

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The Ginny Smithers Pool, 5 Cherry St., is officially back open. For more information on pool hours for Swim Lessons, Water Exercise, Lap Swim, Family Swim, and Open Swim. Please visit their website, https://somervillema.myrec.com/info/default.aspx, or email aquatics@somervillema.gov.

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Join Union Square Main Streets and 60+ of your favorite local food producers for the 21st Annual Union Square Farmers Market. Shop local Saturdays through October 25, except September 20, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the Union Square Plaza. Thanks to their partnership with the City of Somerville and the Somerville Farmers Market Coalition, they are proud to continue to offer our SNAP match. For more info, visit unionsquaremain.org/2025-season.

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The Davis Square Market is open for the 2025 Season. The market will run every Wednesday from 12 noon to 6 p.m., through November 26, 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, 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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Street sweeping in Somerville resumed on Tuesday, April 1. Somerville’s street cleaning program is an essential public works program that not only keeps our city cleaner but also reduces the risk of flooding and icing due to clogged storm drains. The street sweeping season runs from April 1 until December 31 each year. On designated street sweeping days, vehicles must be moved from the side of the street being swept, as noted on signs posted on each street. The penalty for not complying with street sweeping parking regulations is a $50 fine. Check the signs on the streets where you park and visit www.somervillema.gov/sweeper for more information.

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SCES is teaming up with City Fresh Foods to offer a five-pack of frozen home-delivered meals. This new meal delivery option is ideal for consumers who want the convenience of home-delivered meals but are not able to be at home each weekday to receive deliveries. Meal recipients can choose which weekday they would like to receive the frozen meals, with up to five meals in each bulk delivery. Each meal comes with bread, milk, and a dessert. Current SCES clients who are interested in receiving meals should call their office at 617-628-2601 or contact their case manager for more information.

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Through the generosity of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and under the direction of Mayor Ballantyne, the Council on Aging can provide Durable Medical Equipment at no cost to Somerville residents. Residents with a documented need for medical equipment must be over the age of 60 or have a permanent disability, and must be otherwise unable to afford or access needed medical equipment. They currently have available: Commodes, Bath Benches, Rollator Walkers, Incontinence Supplies, and Transport Wheelchairs. For additional information or for an application, please contact Debby Higgins at 617-625-6600, ext. 2321.

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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.