The 2026 Maple Boil Down takes place this Saturday, March 7, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Weather date: Saturday, March 14), at the 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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Don’t forget to set your clocks forward this weekend. On Sunday, March 8, Daylight Saving Time starts. Sunday, March 8, 2026, 2 a.m. clocks are turned forward 1 hour to Sunday, March 8, 2026, 3 a.m. local daylight time instead. There will be more light in the evening.

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Happy birthday this week to the following: At the very top of the list of birthdays this week, we wish a very happy birthday to our own Editor, Jim Clark. We wish him a very happy year ahead, and we hope he enjoys his special day. He deserves it. Happy birthday to real estate agent and former Somerville resident John Pratti. We hope John has a great birthday. Happy Birthday to Donald Coutoumas. We wish him the best. We wish all of our Facebook friends, Matt Smith, Barbara Ni Neac, Susan Mangherini Griffin, Betsy Bragg, Scott Naugler, David Rudolph, Bob Schofield, Karen Mancini, George Wood, and Shu Tai, a very happy birthday. To all those who are also celebrating this week, we wish a happy birthday.

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A Public Hearing for Out of the Blue Gallery is happening at 93 Highland Ave., Somerville, this Wednesday, March 4, at 6 p.m. in person in the City Council chamber or by Zoom. Join and share your thoughts in person or through Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_rj1zBvbbT6-hojI7a7YR_w. The City Council will hold a public hearing on the petition submitted by 52 registered voters regarding Out of the Blue Community Arts Space at Arts at the Armory. The Out of the Blue Community Arts is a 501c3 Non-Profit that has existed for nearly 6 years as a living workspace and a Gallery space in the Armory. In addition to providing a low-cost, fully serviced performance space and building-wide art gallery, Out of the Blue Community Arts strives to create an inclusive environment for artists of all demographics, mediums, and experience. The non-profit art gallery has received many awards throughout Camberville for its inclusionary practices and for cre-ating platforms for youngsters, seniors, the disabled, and BIPOC participants. Its existence throughout Boston spans over 30 years.

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The Somerville Recreation Adaptive Sports Clinic is a welcoming, inclusive program designed for participants of all abilities to explore hockey, basketball, baseball, soccer, and football in a supportive and fun environment. With an emphasis on skill-building, teamwork, and confidence, this free clinic creates opportunities for athletes to move, play, and shine at their own pace. Saturdays, March 14 – April 11. Register online at www.somervillerec.com.

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Somerville Media Center is hosting a special 3-part workshop series, Women in Film, on March 8, 15, and 22. Sign up here: https://app.amilia.com/store/en/smc/shop/activities/6682997. Celebrate Women’s History Month and learn about women’s and nonbinary filmmaking history, get hands-on production and camera training, and create your own film project. All three classes are free for members and $30 for non-members. Sign up at the link or email frontdesk@somervillemedia.org.

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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, March 5. 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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Due to the recent snow days, the school year has been extended, and the last day of school will be Thursday, June 18.

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Uprooted / Transplanted – Stories of Displacement Call for Entry, Deadline: March 30. The Nave Gallery, in partnership with the Clarendon Hill Presbyterian Church (CHPC), invites artists to contribute to the curated exhibition. This exhibition will present images and stories of displacement, the forced movement of people from their homes due to conflict, violence, or natural disaster. Learn more at https://navegallery.org/wp/uprooted-transplanted-call-for-art/.

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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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Join the SomerPromise Department, the Somerville Family Learning Collaborative (SFLC), and representatives from regional summer camps and organizations for an evening of free pizza and information sharing. All families are welcome, and language interpretation will be available. East Somerville Community School, 50 Cross Street. March 5, 5 – 7 p.m.

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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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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 somerville-ma.gov/alerts. You can call 311 (617-666-3311) if you need assistance. For more information on the city’s snow policies, visit somervillema.gov/snow.

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The Irish Film Festival Boston tickets are now on sale for their March Screening Series with the Consulate General of Ireland, Boston, on March 20 and 21 at the Somerville Theatre. Visit their website for tickets and film details: https://www.irishfilmfestival.com.

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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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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 mcon-lan@shcinc.org.

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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. Last chance to see the Armory spaces before proposals are due. There will be a final walkthrough on Thursday, March 5, at 5 p.m. This is your final opportunity to visit the spaces to prepare for your submission. Final questions are due March 6, and proposals are due March 18. More information, full RFP details, and updates are available on Somervoice: https://voice.somervillema.gov/armory-master-plan

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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.