Due to the weather forecast last weekend, SomerStreets: Carnaval was moved to the June 14 rain date. The festival will take place on Sunday, June 14, from 2–6 p.m. 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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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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Celebrating their birthdays this week: Happy birthday to Steve Mirabella. We wish him many more. Happy birthday to Linda Spinosa, who celebrates this week. We hope she enjoys her day. Happy birthday to former Somerville resident Gail Chambers, who is celebrating this week as well. We hope she has a great day. Happy birthday to one of our former writers, Jack Nicas. We hope he is doing well, and we wish him the best birthday. We wish all of our Facebook friends, such as Betty Casazza, Gavin House, Len Tower, Rand Wilson, Al Sharpe, Stephanie Hirsch, Donna Amenta, Amanda Esteves, Donna M. Quinn, Rebekah Gewirtz, and Shawn M. Lynch, 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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Festa Junina/ Brazilian Harvest Festival will take place on Saturday, June 13, 1:00 – 4:30 p.m., 22 Vinal Ave. (Rain Date: Saturday, June 20) Festa Junina is a traditional harvest celebration in Brazil. This annual Growing Center event will include craft stations (root printing, lantern making, and making dance accessories), participatory Quadrilha dancing, traditional treats, and music. Bumba Meu Boi, combines music, dance, puppets, and costumes to symbolically resist social oppression and celebrate the cycle of life. This year, the festival will also feature corn as a key element of the Americas’ indigenous agricultural tradition of the Three Sisters, in partnership with Padres Latinos.

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Save the date for the 21st Annual What the Fluff? Festival, Saturday, September 19, 1 – 5 p.m. in Union Square. Are you interested in being a vendor at this year’s Festival? Go here to find out more: unionsquaremain.org/fluffvendors.

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Join the Somerville Garden Club on Saturday, June 13, 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. on the Somerville Community Path at Highland Road, across from Lexington Playground, to celebrate ten years of the bike path pollinator garden. Tours, native plant swap, Info on why they started planting natives, and their ten-year journey, partner organization info tables.

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The Somerville Museum will host Patterns from the Collection, a mini bowl painting workshop. June 18, 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. 1 Westwood Rd. Inspired by patterns found in the Somerville Museum’s collection, participants will paint their own miniature ceramic bowl to hold tiny treasures, keepsakes, or everyday small objects. You’ll look closely at historic designs, decorative borders, floral motifs, and color combinations, then use them as inspiration to create something personal and new. No painting experience is needed. This workshop is a relaxed, hands-on way to explore museum objects, pattern-making, and the joy of creating a small, beautiful object to take home. For more information, visit http://somervillemuseum.org.

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Mayor Jake Wilson, Ward 1 Councilor Matthew McLaughlin, and city staff invite you to a virtual community meeting on Wednesday, June 17, from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. to discuss the quick-build safety improvements project on Washington Street between Tufts Street and the city line. Hear an overview of the project, learn more about the opportunities in quick-build projects, and share your questions and feedback. Following the community meeting, they will launch an online survey to gather community input and host pop-ups along Washington Street. Please find more information about the event and other opportunities for engagement at voice.somervillema.gov/eastwashington.

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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 cen-sus@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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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: Mon-day, June 15. Apply here: https://somervilleartscouncil.org/.

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The Somerville Community Baptist Church, 31 College Avenue near Davis Square, will present a free Vacation Bible School from Monday, August 10, through Friday, August 14, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. All children, from age 4 up to 5th grade, are welcome to attend. This Rainforest-themed program includes Bible stories, music, creative activities, games, and free snacks each day. For more information or to register your child, see www.ILoveSCBC.org/events.

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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 Big Gay Dance Party takes place on June 27. Dance the night away in celebration of LGBTQ+ Pride. The theme: Gender Euphoria. Enjoy live music, drag performances, and more. All LGBTQ+ individuals and allies are wel-come. This event will be held on Sunday, June 27, from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. (rain date: June 28), at Union Square Plaza (90 Union Square). https://somervilleartscouncil.org/.

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The Nunziato dog park ribbon cutting will take place on 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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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. The 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.