The city’s Health and Human Services Department will kick off Pride Month with the annual Pride Flag Raising ceremony on Thursday, June 4, at 5 p.m. on the City Hall concourse (93 Highland Ave.). Hear remarks from Mayor Wilson, the LGBTQ+ Services Division, and youth representatives from Somerville’s LGBTQ+ community. This year, the city will also welcome former Mayor Dorothy Kelly Gay, who raised City Hall’s first Pride Flag.

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Join Somerville Media Center in honoring former Mayor Joe Curtatone with their 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. Get your tickets in advance for this great event because they will cost more at the door. Advance ticket sales end on June 3.

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Celebrating their birthdays this week: Happy birthday to Carolyn Pedersen. We wish Carolyn a great day. Happy birthday to Suzanne Bremer. We hope she enjoys her day. We wish all of our Facebook friends, such as Mike Connolly, Richard DiPinto, Dell E. Fisher, Paul Harvey, Roz Cummins, Nicole Alves Bairos, Lori DePippo, Charlie McCarthy, Elizabeth Rodrigues Fula, and Chris Argeropoulos 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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Our condolences go out to the family and friends of Steven MacEachern, who passed away on May 30, 2026. Steve worked for years at Somerville’s DPW. He will be missed by many in the city.

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SomerStreets: Carnaval is returning to East Somerville to kick off the 2026 SomerStreets season. The festival will take place on Sunday, June 7, from 2–6 p.m. (rain date: Sunday, June 14) and will once again transform Broadway into a vibrant, walkable celebration of community and culture. The festival will stretch along Broadway, from McGrath Highway to Pennsylvania Avenue, creating a welcoming space for everyone to enjoy. https://www.eastsomervillemainstreets.org/carnaval2026.

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Tie-Dye with Pride, June 6. Shirts available in various sizes are available to be tie-dyed while supplies last, or you can bring your own item. Dye is permanent – please wear clothing you don’t mind getting stained. This event will be held on Saturday, June 6, at Central Library (79 Highland Ave.) from 2 to 4 p.m.

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Somerville’s Elections Department recently sent its second round of census forms to residents. Annual participation in the census is essential for keeping an accurate population count, and it updates or maintains your status as an active voter for upcoming elections. Completed census forms can be returned via the postage-paid return envelope included in the mailing, by scanning the form and emailing it to census@somervillema.gov, or in person at City Hall (93 Highland Ave.). Please call 311 (617-666-3311) with questions.

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Are you an artist, musician or creative in Somerville? Join our Community Arts Forum on Monday, June 15 at Warehouse XI. Talk about what’s working, what you’re concerned about, and more. Community partners include Union Square Neighborhood Council, Community Action Agency of Somerville, Somerville Community Corporation, Somerville Community Land Trust, Mystic Learning Center, and Green & Open Somerville. #ARTSTAYSHERE. Free w/RSVP: https://somervillecommunityartsforum.eventbrite.com.

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Veterans Coffee Hour, June 17. Local veterans, their families, and community members are invited to come together to connect, share stories, and access veteran resources, all over a cup of coffee. This event will take place on Wednesday, June 17, from 9:30 to 10:30 p.m., at Central Library (79 Highland Ave.).

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Somerville’s annual Water System Flushing Program began Monday, May 18, and continues through late October. This program consists of flushing pipes at high velocities to clean water mains and maintain the highest possible water quality. Flushing will take place on Mondays and Thursdays between 6 p.m. and midnight to minimize potential disruptions to water service. Temporary drops in water pressure and/or discolored water can occur. In these cases, though the water may be discolored, it is safe to drink. Until the water runs clear, it is advisable to avoid washing laundry, especially white fabrics. Learn more at: somervillema.gov/hydrantflushing.

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Every year, ArtBeat brings together local organizations, neighbors, artists, activists, educators, and community leaders to celebrate the incredible diversity and creativity of Somerville. If your organization serves, supports, educates, uplifts, or connects our community, ArtBeat 2026. They especially encourage booths with interactive activities, community engagement, or creative experiences for festival attendees. Application deadline: Monday, June 15. Apply here: https://somervilleartscouncil.org/.

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Taste of Somerville, one of the region’s signature community food festivals, returns on Wednesday, June 10, bringing together more than 50 restaurants, breweries, bakeries, beverage makers, and local food businesses for an evening celebrating Somerville’s food scene. Taste of Somerville 2026, featuring 50+ restaurants, breweries, bakeries, beverage makers, and local food businesses. 5 – 8 p.m., Boynton Yards, Somerville. For more information and tickets, visit www.tasteofsomerville.org.

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The Gilman Square Neighborhood Council has announced that Somerville Mayor Jake Wilson will be coming to Gilman Square next month to share his vision for the Homans Site. This is the empty city-owned lot at the T stop, at 352 Medford Street. Come hear about plans for development, bring your questions for the mayor about his vision for the site, and enjoy some early evening refreshments with your neighbors. The GSNC continues to advocate with the city for development of the site, so please feel free to reach out to the board with any feedback you would like included at board@gilmansquarenc.org. Monday, June 8, 5:30 p.m. at the Homans Site, 352 Medford St. Pizza Provided.

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Use your voices to uplift and ignite others! Inspired by this year’s Art Beat Festival theme: REVolution, the Somerville Arts Council is inviting community members to submit short, original quotes or phrases that inspire the spirit of transformation and explore ideas that challenge the status quo. Selected quotes may be shared leading up to and/or during the Art Beat Festival in one or more of the following ways: Highlighted on yard signs along the Community Bike Path leading up to the festival. Featured in an interactive telephone experience during Art Beat on July 18. Read aloud by a real-life Town Crier who will be roaming the Davis Square streets. Submit a written quote or submit a voice recording by June 12. For more information visit:https://somervilleartscouncil.org/artbeat/

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The Council on Aging Cultural Series Event takes place on Thursday, June 4, 11 a.m., 167 Holland St. John Clark and his Great American Music Experience presents State Songs of the USA. Many state songs are barely known by the residents of that state. But most of this program’s state songs will be familiar to everyone in the room. Believe me, you’ll learn a lot about the history of many of our states and of our great country from the back stories of the writing of these tunes. So come on along and celebrate our nation’s 250th birthday. And sing or hum along if the mood strikes you or the spirit moves. $2 per person. Lunch will be served after the performance.

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Nunziato dog park ribbon cutting postponed to June 16. Community members and their furry friends are invited to a ribbon cutting for a dual water fountain for dogs and people on Tuesday, June 16, at Nunziato Field and Dog Park (7 Putnam St.) from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. (noon). Rain date: Thursday, June 18, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Somerville K9 Team dogs Fluff and Missy will join the officials gathering with the community to mark the occasion. Please keep dogs leashed during the ceremony.

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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. The series continues on Wednesday, June 3, in Ward 3 at Prospect Hill Park (68 Munroe St.) from 5 to 7 p.m. Ward 3 includes northern Union Square, Prospect Hill, Spring Hill, Central Hill, and more. For more information, visit www.somervillema.gov/slice. The Ward 2 Slice of the City has been rescheduled to Wednesday, June 24.

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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 – 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 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, 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.