The community is invited to see the creativity and holiday spirit of their neighbors by embarking on either a self-guided or SAC-led Illuminations Tour, December 12, 2024 – January 2025. The Illuminations map is available to take a self guided tour: https://somervilleartscouncil.org/illuminationstour. Join the Somerville Arts Council and Somerville Bicycle Advisory Committee for a bicycle tour of our city’s festive holiday lights. Meet at Somerville High School at 5:45 pm on Saturday, December 14, rolling out at 6 pm. (In case of rain, heavy snow, or icy conditions, they’ll postpone to Sunday, same time and location.) This will be a short, family-friendly ride, visiting some (not all) of the locations on the Somerville Arts Council’s Illuminations map. Light yourself and your bicycle up as much as possible, both for safety and to contribute to the festive atmosphere. Dress warmly.

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Community Meeting: Davis Square. Join in and engage in a discussion regarding 231 – 249 Elm Street and 6 – 8 & 12 Grove Street, tonight, December 11, 6 – 8 p.m., Somerville Community Baptist Church, 31 College Ave, Somerville.

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Happy birthday this week to several locals: Happy birthday to a great photographer and a great person, Iaritza Menjivar. We wish her a very special day. We wish all of our Facebook friends, such as Sandy Piccolomini Ryle, Barbara Jewers, Barbara J Pinnelle Vivian, Heather Balchunas, Kimberly Pedersen, Erin Madden Capasso, Olivia Huang and Maria C. Curtatonea 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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Donate to Local Holiday Gift Drives. In the giving spirit of the season, the city is collecting toy and gift donations at city buildings, libraries, and firehouses through Wednesday, December 18. If you are able and wish to donate, please bring new, unwrapped toys and gifts for children of all ages and age-appropriate gifts, clothes, and winter boots for teens. All gifts will be distributed to families by two local efforts: Toys for Local Children and the Somerville Toy Drive, an initiative organized by community members, including the organizers of last year’s MAMAS (Mutual Aid Medford and Somerville) annual gift drive, as well as other residents. Learn more and find a donation box near you. https://www.somervillema.gov/news/donate-local-holiday-gift-drives-city-buildings-through-wednesday-dec-18-2024.

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On Thursday, December 26, the Menorah Lighting takes place on the City Hall Concourse (93 Highland Ave.) at 6 p.m. Traditional songs and sing-alongs will be sung. Special gifts will be available for children. Light refreshments will be served.

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This upcoming weekend will be the last weekend for the Somerville Police Department’s “Fill The Cruiser” Toy Drive benefitting families of the Mystic Learning Center. Officers will be at Target on Friday, (4 – 8 p.m.), Saturday (12 – 8 p.m.), and Sunday (12 – 8 p.m.). Donate new and unopened items for youth ages 0-16 that will benefit families of the Mystic Learning Center this holiday season. SPD and MLC friends will be at the Target located at 180 Somerville Ave.

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Low-income households may be eligible to receive help with winter heating costs through the Fuel Assistance Program. This program is part of the Home Energy Assistance program (HEAP) and serves residents of Somerville and Cambridge. Participants receive assistance with their heating costs between November 1 and April 30. Learn more about the program, check if you qualify, and apply for assistance today at somerville-ma.gov/heatingassistance.

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The Somerville Arts Council and the Inside-Out Gallery present Vernon Street Studios 50th Anniversary Retrospective Exhibit, curated by Steven Cabral. This showcase was a part of Steven’s community benefit project as a Somerville Arts Council LCC 2024 Visual Arts Fellowship Awardee. 1 Davis Square, Somerville. Learn more about the participating artists here: https://somervilleartscouncil.org/insideout/vernonstreet50.

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Enjoy a festive evening filled with the classic tale of A Christmas Carol brought to life through music, dance, and holiday cheer. December 14 at the Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave, 1 – 5 p.m. Callisto Stage Co. is putting on their first production. This theatre company aims to make participating in theatre accessible to working people and all who have a passion. This is a one act adaptation of A Christmas Carol. For tickets and more information visit https://artsatthearmory.org/.

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Mayor Katjana Ballantyne, the Council on Aging and SomerViva invite you to participate in their last gathering of 2024. Join in and celebrate another successful and joyful year as a community on December 16, 1:30 – 3 p.m. Ralph and Jenny Center, 9 New Washington St. For more information and to sign up call Juilana Bertold 978-291-8277.The Senior Coffee Social is a monthly event designed to provide a welcoming space where the Portuguese-speaking senior community can socialize while learning about city programming and services provided by community organizations. Please note that this event will take place in Portuguese.

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This month, the Somerville Public Library, 79 Highland Ave., is pleased to display the artwork of local artist John Ruymann in the Gallery @ SPL with their exhibition: Narrative Spaces. Join them for a reception celebrating the exhibit.To learn more about the gallery https://www.somervillepubliclibrary.org/adults/gallery-spl.

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Arts at the Armory will host Wicked Good Aht Mahket on Monday, December 16, 4 – 10:00 p.m., 191 Highland Ave. The Aht Dept. began as a backyard art show in 2022 put on by a passionate group of local artists trying to showcase their own aht. It has since grown to put on larger events and festivals that connect artists to each other and the greater community as a whole. They strive to make AHT accessible and provide opportunities for local artists to showcase and sell their creations. Visit ahtdept.com.

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Vernon Street Studios 50th Anniversary retrospective exhibit has opened at the Nave Gallery. This exhibit features over 50 artists. Celebrate artist both past and present. Exhibit open Saturday and Sunday, 1 – 5 p.m. Closes January 9, 6 – 8 p.m. Nave Gallery, 155 Powerhouse Blvd, Somerville.

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The Somerville Theatre is hosting their annual performance of The Slutcracker through January 5, 2025. Based on Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s famed 1890s ballet The Nutcracker, it combines high culture with burlesque tradition and gathers together local ballet dancers, strippers, belly dancers, pole performers, hula-hoopers, acrobats, plus other eccentric and exotic dancers. For more information and tickets visit www.somervilletheatre.com.

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Free COVID-19 and flu vaccine clinics are happening soon: Thursday, December 12, at the Council on Aging (167 Holland St.) from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. and Tuesday, December 17, at Central Branch Library (79 Highland Ave.) from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Learn more and register for a vaccine clinic. https://www.somervillema.gov/vaccinations.

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With the days growing shorter and temperatures dipping colder, the Somerville Homeless Coalition is in critical need of new or lightly used jackets for their clients currently living outside. If you have any adult sized coats hanging in your closet that you don’t wear, please consider dropping them off at the Somerville Homeless Coalition admin office located at 255 Elm Street, Suite 204 during the hours listed below. Drop Off Hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., 2 – 5 p.m. Each coat donated provides warmth, dignity, and safety for our neighbors having to face the harsh New England winter conditions.

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The Somerville Flea Holiday Market is back. Find that unique gift for that unique person. They will have a jampacked floors of gift buying goodness featuring curated vintage wares and artisan creations. 12th annual Holiday Market at the Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave, Somerville. Sip ‘n shop starts at noon on December 15.

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Creative Mending: Hand Embroidery, Thursday, December 12, 6 p.m. at the East Branch Library, 115 Broadway. The class will cover several basic embroidery stitches that can be used to embellish your clothing and hide (or highlight) holes and stains. Suitable for beginners with little or no embroidery experience, or those who want a refresher on the basics. This program is intended for adults. Registration required: visit https://tinyurl.com/yc8btuw4. Questions? Contact Liam: lokeefe@somervillema.gov.

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Are you a Somerville business or property owner interested in brightening up your building’s exterior? The Somerville Arts Council is looking for partners who would like to host a vibrant mural on their property. This is a unique opportunity to collaborate with local artists and enhance the character of our community through stunning public art. If you’re interested in learning more about how they can work together to make your building a canvas for creativity, please reach out directly to discuss potential partnerships and project possibilities. https://somervilleartscouncil.org/resources/calls.

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The holidays are just around the corner which means the Somerville Homeless Coalation’s Holiday Gift Drive is now in full swing. This time of year can be especially difficult for their clients and their families which is why they host this drive each year to help spread the joy of the holidays to our less fortunate neighbors. At the moment, they still have 114 clients without a matched sponsor which is why they are asking for your help to make sure that everyone gets to be a part of this year’s festivities. If you are interested in providing a gift for a client(s) contact 617-623-6111.

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Central Somerville Avenue Wrap-Up and Presentation of Drafts will take place on Monday, December 16, 6 – 8 p.m., at Somernova, 8 Tyler Street, Somerville. Join in for a meeting to discuss the Central Somerville Avenue Area Planning. This meeting will be held both in person and remotely. Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAkde2spzMjHNQpl5U4L1N6bOOixhtj0SIm. For more information: https://voice.somervillema.gov/cen-som-ave.

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The Somerville Winter Farmers Market is back at the Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave. on Saturdays, 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. from November 2 to April 12, (except November 30 and December 28). The Center for the Arts at the Armory is proud to offer a weekly winter market with 71+ local food vendors with the best locally grown and regionally produced foods, including fresh produce, cheese, eggs, meats, fish, breads, tamales, pastries, chocolate, skincare products, and more. The market accepts SNAP/EBT and HIP benefits. They also offer a $15 SNAP match to customers each week. More info available on their website: https://www.somwintermarket.org/.

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Is your teen looking to make some extra money? The city’s Snow Shoveling Program is hiring youth to assist shoveling seniors and homeowners with disabilities out after snowstorms this winter. Teens and homeowners are paired for the season. After each storm, the homeowner will contact their assigned youth to request shoveling services. Somerville teens ages 14 to 19 are welcome to apply.Looking for snow shoveling services? Apply online or contact Debby Higgins at dhiggins@somervillema.gov.

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Through the generosity of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), and from the direction of Mayor Ballantyne, the Council on Aging can provide Durable Medical Equipment at no cost to Somerville residents. Residents with a documented need for medical equipment must be over the age of 60, or have a permanent disability, and must be otherwise unable to afford or access needed medical equipment. We currently have available: Commodes, Bath Benches, Rollator Walkers, Incontinence Supplies and Transport Wheelchairs (wheelchairs are intended for transport and are not self-propelling or self-breaking.) For additional information, or for an application, please contact Debby Higgins at 617-625-6600, ext. 2321.

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