Community members are invited to join Mayor Jake Wilson, the City Council, and the School Committee during the 2026 Neighborhood Connect meeting series. The next meetings will be Ward 3 (N. Union Sq., Prospect Hill, Spring Hill, Central Hill) on Wednesday, October 7, at the Somerville High School Cafeteria, 81 Highland Ave., and Ward 1 (East Somerville, Assembly Sq.) on Tuesday, October 13, at the East Somerville Community School Cafeteria, 50 Cross St. Meetings will kick off with quick citywide updates and a brief welcome from the Mayor and Ward Councilor before breaking to allow attendees to move about for one-on-one and small-group conversations. Unsure about which ward you live in? Find out with the MySomerville address lookup tool at somervillema.gov/mysomerville.

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Somerville’s Community Collections exhibit series continues this October with Looking Back at 20 Years of HONK! Festival of Activist Street Bands, a photo and poster retrospective celebrating the homegrown festival and the worldwide movement it helped inspire. All are invited to an opening reception on Thursday, October 8, from 5 to 7 p.m. on the second floor of Somerville City Hall (93 Highland Ave). The reception is free, and light refreshments will be served.

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Happy birthday greetings this week to several locals: Happy birthday to Valerie Spinale. We hope she has a great day. Happy birthday to Naomi Harrison, daughter of Kaitlin Denk. We wish all of our Facebook friends, such as Kerri Shannon Schaefer, Michael Buckley, Ben Echevarria, Lusann Wishart, Sue Casazza Smith, Alan Ball Blydenburgh, Phyllis D’Anna, George Bevans, and Mary Marshall, a 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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East Somerville Lantern Parade with HONK! Join East Somerville Main Streets for an evening of music, lights, crafts, and community. Go early to make your own lantern, enjoy a snack, and then walk with us as we light up the neighborhood together. Friday, October 9, 5 p.m. Lantern Making, 6 p.m. Snack Break, 6:30 p.m. Line up for the parade. Connexion, 149 Broadway. Bring your family and friends and join the fun.

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HONK! Festival 21st Annual Festival of Activist Street Bands will take place October 9–11, throughout Somerville and Cambridge. This year’s on-site U.S. bands total 35, plus on-site video livestream participation from several international bands; w/plenty of ways for audience participation. Rain or shine. Free and open to all; if interested in volunteering, contact volunteer@honkfest.org. If interested in hosting visiting musicians in your home, please contact housing@honkfest.org. For HONK! updates:honkfest.org, facebook.com/honkfestival, instagram.com/honkfest/.Contact info: honkfest.org/contact/, info@honkfest.org, (617) 702-2977.

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Free Vaccine Clinic (Seniors Only) Thursday, October 8, 3 – 5:30 p.m., at the Council on Aging, 167 Holland Street. The City of Somerville holds regular vaccine clinics. This clinic is for seniors only. Pre-registration is highly encouraged. Limited walk-in availability. Register for this clinic. Visit https://www.somervillema.gov/vaccinations for more information and additional clinics.

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The Somerville Office of Immigrant Affairs (SOIA), in collaboration with the Somerville Council on Aging and Housing Department, warmly invites you to our Detant Kreyòl gathering on Thursday, October 8, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at 20 Stephenson Aman Street, Somerville. Relax, meet new friends, and enjoy snacks while learning “How to Manage Your Health” with a special guest health professional. You will also have an opportunity to connect with SOIA staff and other community members. The theme for this session is “Manage Your Health: Hypertension.”

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Wish Benefit Tour 2026 with Oteil Burbridge & LaMP, Friday, October 9, 7 – 10 p.m., at the Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square. For the first time ever, Grammy Award-winning bassist Oteil Burbridge takes the stage with Vermont-based groove trio LaMP for a night of jam-rooted, improvisational rock, a one-night-only pairing you won’t see anywhere else, presented by Fiddlehead Brewing Company. Tickets available at www.wishbenefit.org.

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All city offices are closed Monday, October 12, for Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Trash and recycling pickup will be delayed by one day.

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Visit the Holiday Craft Fair, Saturday, October 17, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Somerville Community Baptist Church, 31 College Ave. in Davis Square. In addition to a variety of craft tables offering Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas gifts and other items, the Fair will also feature raffles, food gift baskets, and a Meatball Contest.

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The city will hold a lottery for the income-restricted homeownership unit at 143 Cedar Street. Only those who submitted complete applications and were found eligible prior to the application deadline at 12 p.m. on October 9, 2026, will be included in the lottery selection process. Income-Restricted Condominium Unit at 143 Cedar St Lottery, Thursday, October 15, 2026 at 10 a.m.View the lottery here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87160682052. For more information about this opportunity, visit https://www.somervillema.gov/news.

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Celebrate Halloween in East Somerville with an afternoon of spooky fun for the whole community! The Halloween Block Party & Pet Spooktacular brings neighbors, families, and furry friends together for a festive day filled with activities, local vendors, live music, a pet costume contest, raffles, and much more. Come dressed in your favorite costume, bring your pets, and enjoy a fun-filled Halloween celebration in the heart of East Somerville! Volunteers Wanted. They are looking for volunteers to help with activities, event setup, welcoming families, and keeping the celebration running smoothly. October 31, 1 – 4 p.m., Chuckie Harris Park. Sign up to volunteer! (https://forms.gle/oAWkUYySYrmNvKBz9)

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The City of Somerville is inviting all community members to celebrate Italian American Heritage Month with an Italian flag raising on Thursday, October 15 at 5 p.m. on the City Hall concourse (93 Highland Ave.). The event will honor the history, culture, and contributions of Italian Americans in Somerville and beyond. All are welcome.

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Join the Somerville Council on Aging as they celebrate fall with music from DJ Hank and a catered lunch of stuffed chicken and vegetables. Thursday, October 15, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Dilboy Post, 351 Summer Street, Davis Square. $10 per person. Please call Debby to RSVP at 617-625-6600 ext. 2321

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Somerville neighbors need your help. On Tuesday, September 8, a fire on Dartmouth Street left four households, including multiple vulnerable residents and their pets, without homes. On September 30, there was a five-alarm fire in Teele Square. The fire impacted 32 homes at 1137-1147 Broadway, displacing 43 residents. Please consider donating whatever you can to the Somerville Homeless Coalition’s Emergency Displacement Fund developed in partnership with the city. https://secure.qgiv.com/for/emerfun.

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On Tuesday, November 3, 2026, Massachusetts will hold its State Election. Somerville voters can vote early in person or by mail or on Election Day. The state election is open to all registered voters in Somerville. Register to vote by Saturday, October 24. Learn more and get all election information at www.somervillema.gov/elections.

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A new Somerville ordinance taking effect October 14, 2026, will require rental property owners to notify tenants in writing within 48 hours of putting their residence on the market. Somerville’s Notice of Building Sale Ordinance establishes clear notification requirements, so renters know when their home is being offered for sale and where to turn for housing support. The required form and additional information will be available on the OHS website in October at somervillema.gov/OHS. Questions about the ordinance can be sent to buildingsale@somervillema.gov. Tenants who learn their building is for sale but have not received a notice should contact OHS. Residents can request housing assistance online, calling OHS directly at 617-625-6600, ext. 2581, or dialing 311 and asking for OHS.

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The Center for Arabic Culture (CAC) and Somerville’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (SOIA) invite all community members to the CAC’s 12th annual festival and book fair on Saturday, October 10, from 3 to 8 p.m. at Somerville High School (81 Highland Ave.). Explore a book fair, shop local vendors, and hear readings from Arabic authors while enjoying Arabic food, music, and art. Local advocacy organizations and community groups will also be on hand to share resources and connect with residents.

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SomerStreets: Monster Mash transforms Somerville Avenue into a festive Halloween celebration for all ages on Sunday, October 18, from 1 to 5 p.m. (severe weather date: Sunday, October 25). Enjoy live music, interactive art activities, family fun, local food vendors, and more. If you are interested in volunteering at Monster Mash, please sign up here: https://somervilleartscouncil.org/somerstreets/monster-mash-volunteer/.

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Somerville’s Latin American and Caribbean Heritage Month celebration will take place Sunday, October 25, inside Somerville High School (81 Highland Ave.) from 2 to 5 p.m. Somerville’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (SOIA), with support from the city’s Division of Equity and Belonging and the Somerville Community Corporation (SCC), invites all community members to the celebration. Enjoy a wide selection of Latin American and Caribbean food and refreshments, from Brazilian cheese bread to Haitian griot, alongside an afternoon of music, movement, and opportunities to join in.

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Calling all local musicians! The interest form for the Somerville Winter Farmer’s Market 2026-27 season is now live on the website. Share your talents with the community this winter by filling out the form and getting on stage at the Winter Market. You can find the sign-up form at: https://www.somwintermarket.org/musicians. The market will open on November 7, 2026, Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave.

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Somerville PorchFest feedback is sought via a community survey. As planning for 2027 gets underway, community members are invited to complete the PorchFest survey to give input on what’s working and identify areas for improvement as the event continues to evolve. Take the survey now through Sunday, October 25, at bit.ly/somporchsurvey.

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The Somerville Museum presents Common Ground: Photography, Place, and Community, September 17 – December 5, One Westwood Rd. This exhibition features 15 photographers who have chosen Somerville as their home. The works on view range from documentary to conceptual and are united by the perspective of artists living and working within this evolving urban environment. “Common Ground” explores how artists navigate and contribute to Somerville’s shifting identity, examining the relationship between place, community, and creative practice. Visit https://www.somervillemuseum.org/.

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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, on the right side, and enter your email address to receive a free, full PDF copy of the paper.