The Overdose Awareness Flag Planting takes place on Thursday, September 5, 10:00 a.m., at City Hall Lawn, 93 Highland Ave. This event is one of many to observe International Overdose Awareness Day on August 31 and Recovery Month in September. Purple lights will also light up City Hall in recognition of Recovery Month. The flag and light displays will remain for the entire month of September. Somerville Prevention staff will host Narcan Distribution Events and trainings to distribute free overdose prevention information and harm reduction materials. These include the overdose-reversing nasal spray naloxone (often referred to as Narcan), Fentanyl test strips, CPR face shields, and syringe disposal boxes. For more information and a list of events visit https://www.somervillema.gov/, For more information, please contact Han Hogan-Rigg at hhoganrigg@somervillema.gov and be sure to follow Somerville Prevention on Instagram: @somervilleprevention.

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As of Tuesday, September 3, the Central Library (79 Highland Ave.) temporarily implemented a modified afternoon schedule during weekdays. Weekend hours will remain unchanged: Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays: Closed from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., Wednesdays: Closed from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. For questions about events and pick-up schedules impacted by the temporary schedule change, you can contact them at 617-623-5000 or by calling 311. Learn more at: somervillepubliclibrary.org.

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Happy birthday this week to several locals: Happy birthday to local realtor Stephen Bremis. We wish a great birthday. Happy birthday to Jodi Gallo. We wish her the very best of birthdays. Happy birthday to Juscelia LoRusso of Juscelia’s Cakes. She makes the best cakes around. Happy Birthday to Nancy Gaudet-Bacci, who is celebrating this week. We wish her a great birthday. We wish all of our Facebook friends, such as Patty Oppedisano, Nick Stavre, Guillermo Hamlin, Billy Harrison, Paul Mercier, Judith Medeiros, Joe Fothergill, Sabrina Faria Caprigno and David Roberts 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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Somerville Public Schools are now in session for the 2024/2025 school year. Visit SPS district website calendar for more information: https://somerville.k12.ma.us/events/calendar. Visit the 2024–2025 School Year Calendar page for an English, Spanish, Portuguese, or Haitian Creole calendar to print: https://somerville.k12.ma.us/schoolyearcalendar. Visit the Food and Nutrition Services Department page for school meal menus. Breakfast and lunch are free for all students: https://somerville.k12.ma.us/fnsd.

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Somerville’s DPW, through the Procurement Department, is seeking contractors to provide snow plowing services for the city from October 15, 2024 to June 30, 2026. Interested vendors may obtain a Request for Application (RFA) packet from the Procurement Department web page, or by emailing a request to procurement@somervillema.gov. Vendors must return their completed RFA packet by Thursday, September 19, 2024, at 2:00 pm for early contract offers.

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On Monday, September 9, the West Branch Library, 40 College Ave., will host Bad Art Night. Let your enthusiasm run wild and create with no expectations. They’ll provide a variety of materials and then you can go wild creating your masterpiece. This month’s theme is “Back to School.” This program is intended for adults. Learn more and register at https://tinyurl.com/bddznau9.

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School is back in session and this year the Somerville Homeless Coalition is asking for crucial donations of school supplies for their young student clients and their families. Right now they are in urgent need of essential supplies such as backpacks, binders, notebooks, highlighters and more. Please check out their current needs list here: https://bit.ly/School4SHC For any donation inquiries please reach out at info@shcinc.org.

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The Somerville Community Baptist Church at 31 College Avenue (two blocks from Davis Square) will hold a Flea Market on Saturday, September 7, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., both outdoors and indoors, rain or shine. They will also be selling refreshments and lunch. If you would like to rent a table to sell your wares, please call the church at 617-625-6523.

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The 10th Annual Evolution of Hip Hop Festival takes place on Saturday, September 7, from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m., rain date Saturday, September 14, at Union Square Plaza in Somerville. This Arts Union event will feature rappers, singers, spoken word poets, dancers, and visual artists from the Somerville community and surrounding cities. This showcase of hip hop music, dance and culture displays immense creativity throughout the region. There will also be live art, interactive activities, craft vendors and local community groups.

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The Somerville Dog Festival will take place on Sunday, September 8, 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., at Trum Field. Grab your leashes, pack the treats, and bring your furry friends for a fun time. The Somerville Dog Festival is back, and it’s all about your pups. Organized by the Somerville Foundation for Animals, the festival supports their incredible mission of making sure no one has to choose between caring for themselves or their pets. For more information visit https://everypetcounts.org/somerville-dog-festival/

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Somerville Animal Food Pantry is requesting donations. Help support your neighbors by making a donation today. Particular need for dry cat and dry dog food. One note on dry food donations: while they appreciate anything they receive, they are better off with multiple smaller bags (instead of one really big bag) of food since they cannot give open bags to distribute food to multiple families. For wish lists and more information visit https://www.communities.rescueallies.com/somerville

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The SPL and Green City Growers are partnering to offer organic gardening workshops for all ages at the Central Library Demonstration Garden. A Green City Growers farmer will leaf hands-on workshops designed to teach you when and what to plant, and how to maintain, fertilize, and harvest successful crops. The next session is on September 7 at 10:30 a.m. 79 Highland Ave. Learn more and register https://www.somervillepubliclibrary.org/.

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The Somerville Council on Aging will hold their next Memory Café on Tuesday, September 10, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Holland St. Senior Center. A Memory Café is a safe space for those with cognitive decline and their caregivers. It’s a place to gather and socialize without stigma or judgement. For the September 10 Café, they will be doing creative writing. RSVP by contacting Molly at 617-625-6600 ext. 2318 or at mpagliuca@somervillema.gov.

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The Intercambio Language and Culture Exchange Program is starting up again in Somerville. Visit somervilleartscouncil.org/intercambio to learn more about this exciting opportunity to practice a language and connect with others in your community.

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Riverfest 2024 will take place Saturday, September 14, starting at 11:00 a.m., at Assembly Row, 355 Artisan Way. Join in for Riverfest, the annual block party that takes place each September. The event includes live, local music, free family-friendly activities, and concludes with fireworks over the Mystic River. It’s the perfect opportunity to visit your favorite stores and restaurants, make new friends and meet with old ones, and enjoy activations all across Assembly Row. For a lineup of events visit https://assemblyrow.com/event/riverfest/.

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Join the Gilman Square Arts & Music Festival party on Saturday, September 14, from 12:00 to 5:00 p.m. (Rain date 9/15) on Pearl St. from Marshall to James. Enjoy live music, meet the local artists of this neighborhood, try some delicious food by various vendors, and enjoy activities for all ages. This community celebration is free and open for all.

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On September 6, the Somerville Foundation food festival is celebrating, creating and supporting community nonprofits in partnership with Davis Square restaurants. If you know anyone who loves music, food, and don’t have anything else happening. Please encourage them to purchase a ticket today: https://www.somerville-foundation.org/food-nation-celebration. All proceeds go to hiring a community nonprofit grant writer.

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This year, the 29th Brazilian Independence Day Festival will be held September 3 – 8, and there will be plenty of activity. Massachusetts is home to one of the largest and most organized Brazilian communities in the United States. They will raise the Brazilian flag at Somerville City Hall on Thursday, September 5, at noon, and at Boston City Hall on Friday, September 6, at 10:00 a.m. The center point of the week is the outdoor Festival in Herter Park in Brighton on Sunday, September 8, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Alongside food and craft vendors, the afternoon will feature face painting, pony rides, children’s storytelling, and live performances. The Science Museum will be donating tickets and exhibiting special attractions from its collection, the raffle includes two round-trip tickets Brazil. For just $10, these prizes may be yours.

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The Somerville Flea is back at 52 Holland St. Join in as they celebrate their 12th year smack dab in the middle of Davis Square. Vintage vendors, artisan makers, farm stand and DJ. Find that treasure you never knew you even existed. 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Sundays, August through October.

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East Somerville Main Streets is looking for vendors for their Halloween Block Party on Saturday, October 26, from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. at Chuckie Harris Park. Please sign up through the form (https://forms.gle/BvSwZX8YYUeg3rGB7) for more information. Don’t miss this opportunity to have fun and meet the community.

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The next monthly Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off Day is Saturday, September 7, at the DPW, 1 Franey Rd., 9:00 a.m. – noon.

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The Gilman Pop-Up Park is an outdoor public space and is accessible between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. every day. Through September 8, 350 Medford St., Somerville. Use it like you would any other public park. During select hours, they have events, entertainment, and games. For a list of events visit https://culturehouse.cc/projects/gilman-park/.

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Docent tours take place from May through October at three historic sites in Somerville: Milk Row Cemetery (Somerville Avenue), Prospect Hill Tower (above Union Square), and Old Powder House (Nathan Tufts Park). They are open to the public on certain days and evenings. Inclement weather cancels any event. For full schedule and more information on the Docent Program: https://www.somervillemuseum.org/docentprogram.

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Foodie Crawl 2024 is back and better than ever. On Tuesday, September 17, East Somerville Main Streets invites you to Broadway to embark on a culinary journey around the world. They will highlight tastes from El Salvador, Brazil, Italy, France, Mexico, Portugal and more. For tickets and more information visit https://www.eastsomervillemainstreets.org/event-details/foodie-crawl-2024.

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The 2024 Somerville Rock + Roll Yard Sale is happening on Sunday, September 8, at Union Square Plaza. with a rain date of Sunday, September 15. They have 40 of the best locally sourced record / vintage / handmade sellers on board to bring you the awesome and eclectic mix of goodies you can always expect at the Rock + Roll Yard Sale, 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Union Sq Plaza.

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Save the date for the Somerville Chamber of Commerce Golf Outing on October 1. The Somerville Chamber of Commerce presents the 2024 GOLF CLASSIC, sponsored by the Winter Hill Bank. The event will take place at the Sandy Burr Country Club, 103 Cochituate Rd., Wayland MA 01778, 7:30 a.m. Registration, 8:30 a.m. Shotgun Start (note early time). Lunch and awards to follow: 12:30 – 2:00 p.m. For golf (individuals, twosomes, threesomes, foursome welcome); and/or to sponsor – opportunities from $175 to $1,500. For more information or to help, email Joanne Haley: Joanne@somervillechamber.org.

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All Wednesdays during the school year are now early release days. You may talk to your child’s teacher or school administrators if you have any questions about drop-off and pickup. Prekindergarten: 12:00 p.m., Grades K–8 (except Next Wave): 1:00 p.m., Next Wave/Full Circle: 12:10 p.m., Somerville High School: 1:33 p.m.

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Somerville Public Schools has lots of openings for educators, classroom paraprofessionals, administrative staff, and an opening for their next Chief Financial Officer. Find a list of open positions and apply here: https://somerville.tedk12.com/hire/index.aspx.

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Visit the Somerville Bike Kitchen, a volunteer-run bicycle repair cooperative, hosting open-shop nights at The Dojo (15 Properzi Way, Somerville). Come maintain your bike or learn more about cycling. Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Every Thursday from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. join Parkour Generations Boston for Teen Jams at The Dojo. This is a flexible time for teen community members to use the pop-up training space at The Dojo @ Somernova and connect with fellow community members in the process.

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Save the date for the 19th annual “What the Fluff Fest” A Tribute to Union Square Innovation, a madcap festival honoring the invention of Marshmallow Fluff. It celebrates Somerville’s proud tradition of innovation with live music, fluffalicious feasts, sticky games, zany happenings, and much more. The festival is located in Union Square, Saturday, September 21, from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. For more info on the events and offerings at the festival, visit www.flufffestival.com.

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Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with a Public Art Walk in East Somerville. Explore sculptures, murals and more as you discover our community’s rich cultural heritage. September 24, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m., Meeting Point: Symphony Park. Register at: https://beta.somervilleartscouncil.org.

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Visit the Somerville Greekfest 2024 and indulge in mouthwatering, authentic Greek cuisine and heavenly pastries that’ll make your taste buds dance. Groove under the big tent to live music that’ll get your feet tapping and your heart singing. Sip on cold beers and fine wines as you soak in the electric atmosphere of the biggest Greek food festival in town. September 6 and 7 from 12:00 to 11:00 p.m., and Sunday, September 8, from 12:00 to 9:00 p.m. Dormition of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church, 29 Central St.

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Join the Somerville Central Library on September 24 at 6:30 p.m. for Death Café. Death Cafés are a group-directed discussion of death with no agenda, objectives or themes, with the objective of increasing awareness of death and helping people make the most of their (finite) lives. Join us in this café led by End-of-Life Guide & Death Doula, Sarah Gladstone. You can learn more and register at https://tinyurl.com/29r6cnew.

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The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) recently detected West Nile virus (WNV) in mosquito samples from Cambridge. While no human or animal cases of WNV or Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) have been reported, it is important to take steps to protect yourself from mosquitoes and mosquito-borne illnesses. For tips and information, visit: mass.gov/dph/mosquito.

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Mayor Katjana Ballantyne and the Council on Aging invite you to the annual Senior Picnic on Thursday, September 12, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Trum Field, 541 Broadway in Somerville. Please call Connie Lorenti at the Council on Aging, 617-625-6600 ext. 2319 for your free ticket. There is limited transportation available – please request transportation prior to September 5.

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Join Union Square Main Streets and 50+ of your favorite local food producers for the 20th Annual Union Square Farmers Market, 6670 Union Square. Shop local on Saturdays through October 26, except September 21, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on the Union Square Plaza. The market provides visitors and residents with top-quality, fresh, and local produce at fair prices; encourages active lifestyle values; educates consumers about farming and locally sourced foods; and gives customers opportunities to interact directly with farmers. For more information about the Union Square Farmers Market, visit unionsquaremain.org/2024fmseason. SNAP customers get $1 for $1 match up to $15. See the Market Manager tent for more info.

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Davis Square Farmers Market is now open. Every Wednesday through November 22, 12:00 – 6:00 p.m. visit the Davis Square Farmers Market, across from American Flatbread at 44 Day St. Visit: www.massfarmersmarkets.org/davis. 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.

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