Community members are invited to a neighborhood meeting on Wednesday, October 9, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., to discuss public safety and homelessness in the broader Seven Hills/Davis Square area. Join Mayor Katjana Ballantyne, Police Chief Shumeane Benford, Health and Human Services staff and more for an update and discussion on these issues. All members of the community including individuals and businesses are invited. The meeting will take place at: Somerville Community Baptist Church, 31 College Ave.

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In honor of Italian American Heritage Month, the City of Somerville will raise the Italian Flag at City Hall (93 Highland Ave) on Thursday, October 3, at 5:00 p.m.

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Friends of the Somerville Public Library will be holding a Book Sale at the East Branch Library, 115 Broadway, on October 5. All items are $1. Proceeds from the sale will help fund library programming and cultural passes. The sale will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., any questions can be emailed to friendssomervillepubliclibrary@gmail.com.

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Happy birthday this week to several locals: Happy birthday to Ben Echevarria. We wish him well. We wish Sal Mingace a very happy birthday. We wish him well and hope he enjoys his day. We wish all of our Facebook friends, such as Terri Monsalve, Kevin Driscoll, AnnMarie Carey-Browne, Diane Kerins Conneely, Mike Capuano, Ben Echevarria, Kerri Shannon Schaefer and Michael Buckley 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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The HONK! Festival of Activist Street Bands returns for another year of reclaiming the streets for horns, bikes and feet. This free 3-day festival will take place from October 4 to October 6 in Davis Square. Keep up to date at https://honkfest.org.

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Boston Ave. block party (neighbors are welcome) takes place on Sunday, October 6. It’s low-key and kid friendly. Bring some food to share if you can. On Sunday, October 6, Boston Ave. will be closed to cars from 3:00 to 10:00 p.m. between Prichard and Kidder Ave. Festivities starting at 5:00 p.m. (rain date is October 20).

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The Fall-ing for Plants Market takes place this Sunday, October 6, at the Arts at the Armory, 191 Highlnad Ave, 10:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. If you love plants this is the event for you. Featuring 40 local artists and small businesses who offer unique plants and plant adjacent products. Bring your unwanted, pest free plants for the plant swap table.

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The Somerville Community Growing Center will be holding their Salvage Sale and Markers’ Market on October 19, 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m., 22 Vinal Ave. An innovative yard sale in two parts: the first a curated, seasonally-themed sale featuring salvaged housewares, clothing, jewelry, books and decorative items; the second, a craft/artisan fair offering everything from locally-designed clothing, original artwork and prints, to handmade jewelry and other treasures. More about the event at www.thegrowingcenter.org/yard-sale. To find out more about donating to the “Salvage Sale” portion, visit bit.ly/sss-give-24. To Volunteer, go to bit.ly/scgc-volunteer. To become a craft/art vendor, visit bit.ly/sss-sell-24 to register.

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Are you an emerging artist looking to share your artistic skills with your community? The City of Somerville , through the Somerville Arts Council (SAC), invites emerging artists (or a group of artists working as a team) to submit project concepts to be considered for a commission to create a temporary public artwork. This opportunity is funded in partnership with the New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA), making it public program. $750 for Finalists. $15,000 Selected Project budget,Applications are due on October 31, by 11:59PM. Apply here: www.somervilleartscouncil.org/TemporaryPublicArt

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The 9th Curated Vintage Market at Bow Market will take place Sunday, October 13, 1 Bow Market, 12:00 – 8:00 p.m.. The market will have 80+ vintage vendors from New England and beyond gather to bring the best and baddest vintage finds to the heart of Union Square.

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To celebrate a decade of success, Assembly Row will host their first-ever drone show on Saturday, October 19, 355 Artisan Way. Sponsored by Capital One Café, this public event kicks off at 3:00 p.m. Enjoy a variety of activities, including free play at Club Volo, live music on The Lawn, and drinks from our Downeast Cider pop-up. The festivities will conclude with a 150-drone light show at 7:00 p.m. Family-friendly fun includes a bouncy house obstacle course and a Touch-A-Truck area sponsored by Millennium Companies, along with photo ops, giveaways, special deals, and more.

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Ward-based City Hall Community Meetings are back this fall. Hear from Mayor Katjana Ballantyne and city staff to find out what’s happening in your neighborhood, how to get involved, and ask questions about issues that are important to you. All ward meetings are in-person and will begin at 6:30 p.m.. Ward 5 (Magoun Sq., NE Ball Sq., Cedar and Lowell St. areas, NW Porter Sq., and more) takes place Tuesday, October 1, Kennedy School Cafeteria, 5 Cherry St. A meet-and-greet with refreshments will begin at 6:00 p.m. For additional accommodations,please call 311 (617-666-3311). To learn more, visit somervillema.gov/communitymeetings.

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Somerville SEPAC fall Social, all parents and guardians welcome to attend. Share your thoughts and ideas to help make our schools more Inclusive for all. October 8, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. The Neighborhood Café, 25 Bow St, Somerville.

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RESPOND will celebrate 50 years of impact, resilience, and community at their Golden Gala. Mark your calendars for Thursday, October 24, at 6:00 p.m. at the Royal Sonesta in Cambridge for an unforgettable evening as they commemorate this incredible milestone and the progress they have made in the fight to end domestic violence. Ticket sales close on October 4, to purchase tickets visit https://www.respondinc.org/gala/.

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The Elections Department is looking to hire multiple inspectors for the upcoming November 5 Presidential Election and will be holding a brief information session where you can learn some basic knowledge of the polls. The hours the polls are open to voters are from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 5. Register to attend an information session on Tuesday, October 8, at City Hall (93 Highland Ave.) at 10:00 a.m. or 2:00 p.m. If you can’t make an information session but would like to learn more, please call the Elections Office at 617-625-6600 ext. 4200. https://www.somervillema.gov/departments/elections.

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The Somerville Homeless Coalition is gearing up for its annual Somerville 5K Road Race on October 5, to support the most underprivileged neighbors experiencing homelessness and this year. For 29 years, supporters from across the Greater Boston area have run throughout the streets of Somerville in solidarity to ensure that our clients receive the critical resources and services they need on their journey to securing a forever home. Visit https://somervillehomelesscoalition.org/.

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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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Register to vote for the November 5 election, one of three ways: online at somerville-ma.gov/registertovote, in person at City Hall (93 Highland Ave.), or by calling the Elections Department (617-625-6600 ext. 4200) and requesting a voter registration form. The in-person registration deadline is Saturday, October 26, by 5:00 p.m. or online by midnight. Your registration can also be mailed and will be accepted with a postmark of October 26 or earlier.

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SPS is hiring substitute teachers for all of our PK-12 schools. For more information or to apply visit https://somerville.tedk12.com/hire.

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Central Library, 79 Highland Ave will hold Exploring Images of Protest, Friday, October 4, 2:45 p.m. From the raised fist to the peace sign to the simple word “NO,” symbols of protest have played a big role in protesting injustice and ushering in change. Learn about different images of resistance then choose one to make a t-shirt of your own.This program is intended for all ages. No registration required.

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The 2024-25 Racial and Social Justice Youth League Cohort application is now live through Wednesday, October 16. This is an exciting paid opportunity for Somerville youth to bring youth concerns to the forefront and help shape the future of our city: http://bit.ly/YouthLeague_24

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The Somerville Arts Council is looking for 3-4 passionate community members to join its Board and help shape the city’s vibrant arts scene. As a Board member, you’ll provide guidance, network with artists, and play a role in funding local arts initiatives. We’re especially interested in those with experience in music, literature, or public art. Submit your statement of interest by October 10. Learn more https://www.somervillema.gov/news/join-somerville-arts-council-board

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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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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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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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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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The Council on Aging Flu and COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic Dates at the Holland St. Senior Center, 167 Holland St. Senior Only Clinics, please register by calling the COA directly at 617-625-6600, ext. 2300. October 10, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. Clinics open to the general public, please register via the City of Somerville website. October 21 (ages 19+) noon- 2:00 p.m., November 18 (ages 19+) noon – 2:00 p.m., December 12 (ages 19+) 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.

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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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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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The 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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