YUM 2026: A Taste of Immigrant City, Wednesday, April 29, 6 p.m., Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave. Celebrate the unique flavors of Somerville’s immigrant-owned restaurants. Since 2010, The Welcome Project has brought together food, community, and advocacy at YUM: A Taste of Immigrant City – an annual night of fun and fundraising for programs that benefit immigrants in Somerville and Greater Boston. https://www.welcomeproject.org/yum2026.

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The City of Somerville’s Office of Emergency Management and Health and Human Services Department invite warming center neighbors, clients, and community members to attend a community listening session on Thursday, April 30, at Somerville High School (81 Highland Ave.) from 6 to 7 p.m. Attendees will get a recap of the 2025-26 season, hear uplifting stories, and have the opportunity to give feedback.

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To those celebrating their birthdays this week: Happy birthday to Aida Sousa-Braga, who celebrates this week. Happy birthday this week to Linda Beebe, who is celebrating this week. We hope she has a great day. Happy birthday to Beverly Childers this week. We hope she has a great celebration. Happy birthday to Dennis Sullivan. We wish him a great birthday. We wish all of our Facebook friends, such as Dom Panzino, Chris Lavelli, Joseph DeSousa, Rose Lister, Mike Morrison, Holly Simione, George Sharpe, Charlotte Scanzillo Perkins, Ginny Atwater, Linda Beebe, Barb Balkwill, G.P. Redmond, and Claire D’Anna 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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This year’s SOS fashion show will once again be held at the Crystal Ballroom in Davis Square on Thursday, April 30. The Crystal Ballroom is directly above the Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Sq. Doors open at 6 p.m. for cocktail hour, with the show beginning at 7 p.m. Seating is first-come, first-served. The venue will have a full bar and runway seating. The event is free for the public to view original textile art by Somerville artists.

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The 27th Annual Somerville Open Studios takes place this weekend, May 2 – 3. Explore artists’ studios and meet more than 430 visual artists living and working in Somerville during our annual open studio weekend and other events. For a full schedule, visit https://www.somervilleopenstudios.org/.

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Do less this spring, and do more for your pollinator neighbors. Wait to clean up your yard until May 1. Many insects are still dormant in early spring and may have taken up winter residence in fallen leaves and the hollow stems of plants. Let flowers bloom in your lawn by waiting to mow until June. In early spring, flowers with nectar are still hard to find. To learn more about Somerville pollinators, why they matter to us, and how to help them, check out our Somerville Pollinator Action Plan at https://bit.ly/SPAPlan.

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SustainaVille Week takes place, May 2-8. Participate in Somerville’s annual week-long series of free events and workshops showcasing the city’s climate progress, creativity, and goals, and sharing useful tips and information. Events kick off with a community block party on Mossland St. on Saturday, May 2, from 1 to 4 p.m. Interested in seeing energy efficiency retrofits in Somerville? Visit several open houses, speak to homeowners and professionals to learn from your neighbors. In collaboration with Mothers Out Front.Sunday, May 3, 1 – 4 p.m. For locations and more  information, visit www.somervillema.gov/sustainavilleweek

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Please join Somerville Media Center in honoring former Mayor Joe Curtatone with our Public Service Award on Thursday, June 4, from 7 to 9 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 119 Highland Ave, in Somerville. The celebratory evening will feature cheeses and specialty bites provided by Formaggio Kitchen and more, tasty drinks from Arts at the Armory, live music by Revolutionary Snake Ensemble, raffles, and a special presentation honoring Joe Curtatone’s longstanding advocacy for community media and Somerville Media Center. Proceeds from the event will directly support SMC programs. Tickets are available online: https://tinyurl.com/joecurtatone

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Become a PorchFest Ambassador. If you’re familiar with Somerville, passionate about music and the arts, or have experience with events and festivals, the Somerville Arts Council would love to have you join the team. There are two roles available: Zone Managers and Ambassadors. Time commitments vary by role, and all volunteers receive a PorchFest t-shirt. Sign up today: https://somervilleartscouncil.org/porchfest/porchfest-ambassadors/

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Somerville High School is currently accepting prom donations on behalf of our senior class. We welcome attire to help make this special night accessible for all students. Monetary gifts are appreciated; however, we ask that cash donations not be given. Thank you for being so supportive in making prom a memorable experience for our seniors. All donations can be dropped off at the Somerville Police Station.

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Vendors are wanted for a Flea Market to be held at the Somerville Community Baptist Church, 31 College Avenue near Davis Square, on Saturday, May 9, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Seeking vendors of items, either useful or fun, such as vintage finds, household items, toys, knick-knacks, handmade crafts, etc. It costs $20 to rent a table. For more information or to reserve your table, contact Heather Roderick, hroderick32@gmail.com.

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PorchFest in Somerville is back on Saturday, May 9. Rain or shine. West Zone 12 – 2 p.m.(West of Willow Ave), Central Zone, 2 – 4 p.m. (Willow Ave to Central St), East Zone 4 – 6 p.m. (East of Central St). Check out the map ahead of time to plan out which locations you want to visit. Somerville PorchFest is a community-powered music event where neighbors host musicians on porches across the city. Each year, thousands of residents and visitors walk, bike, and attend performances throughout the city. Severe weather and other emergencies can happen. PorchFest attendees can sign up for day-of emergency text alerts for this year’s event: text SOMPORCHES26 to 888777. Check out the website for updated information: www.somervilleartscouncil.org/porchfest/.

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Somerville community members are invited to the “Slice of the City” spring meet-up series. This new series of family-friendly pizza parties in the park offers attendees a new way to connect and engage with city leaders and staff, local elected officials, as well as neighbors, all while enjoying Somerville’s parks. Events in each of the city’s seven wards will occur throughout the month of May from 5 to 7 p.m. First up is in Ward 5 on Tuesday, May 5, at Trum Field Playground (1 Franey Road). Somerville Recreation will host kids’ activities, and refreshments and pizza will be provided. For more information and to find all event locations, visit www.somervillema.gov/slice.

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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 from May 9 to 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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Want to sell your goods? Applications for 2026 are now open for the Somerville Flea. Join them in Davis Square from August to October. Apply now and be a part of the action. https://www.thesomervilleflea.com/sell.

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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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Regular street sweeping schedules resumed on Wednesday, April 1, and will continue through December 31. Community members should check street signs to know when parking is prohibited due to sweeping. 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. Vehicles that do not move may be ticketed and towed. For more information on street sweeping, visit somervillema.gov/sweeping or call 311 (617-666-3311).

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Sign up for the city’s Planning, Preservation, and Zoning (PPZ) Newsletter. Stay informed on the updates shaping your neighborhood and city. Curated by PPZ staff, get quick updates on planning initiatives, efforts, and zoning updates. Sign up now and explore other cities and department newsletters at www.somervillema.gov/subscribe.

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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.