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Farmers Market Opens This Weekend
We're super excited about the opening of the Union Square Farmers Market this Saturday.
The weather this spring has been just perfect for growing. Steve Parker from Parker Farms reports he's had his best spring season ever, that the crops are high and he'll have a bumper load to bring with him this weekend.
We're welcoming a couple new vendors this year with organic produce from Hutchins Farm, less common crops from Flats Mentor Farm in Fitchburg, and a big selection of breads from Iggy's Bakery.  Groundwork Somerville is going to be a regular participant in the market, with youth selling seedlings and other plants for your home and garden.
The Grown in Somerville booth will have a rotating selection of guest vendors. June 12 will be seedlings from the Healey School.
We've very excited to welcome the Urban Homesteaders League to the market this season. Starting June 19 and on select dates through the season, the Urban Homesteaders' League Market Stand will be an experiential learning space at where visitors can learn skills for sustainable urban living and creative domesticating. Members of the UHL will lead skillshares on a wide variety of subjects, and visitors will also be able to take home free informational broadsides; swap items they've made or grown at the UHL Swap Table; browse the traveling UHL library; and meet other people interested in urban homesteading. Lisa Gross and her team are looking for folks to assist in a variety of ways. Follow the project and get more info on the UHL blog. |
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Tour Union Square Markets
Discover the hidden treasures of Union Square's markets on these free walking tours presented by the Somerville Arts Council's ArtsUnion.
Each tour lasts 1.5 hours and visits three different ethnic markets. You'll never buy McCormick spices again! Dates/times are:
Thur, June 17, 6-7:30pm
Thur, July 8, 6-7:30pm
Sat., Aug. 14, 2-3:30pm
Wed., Sept. 1, 6-7:30pm
The tours fill up fast so be sure to reserve your space!
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 First Festival of the Season Presented by Somerville Local First. the event promotes the building of a strong, sustainable local economy in Somerville.
The happening follows the farmers market and includes live dance and music from community youth groups, including a kickoff from the Somerville High School Marching Band. Vendors including favorite locally owned and independent businesses and community nonprofits will have a variety of goods. They'll be lots of fun with a neighborhood wide scavenger hunt, games and activities for all ages, and more.
A large scale, interactive art installation, sponsored by The Independent and local Artists Autumn Ahn and Chorus Collective will be on display in front of SCAT.
Area businesses will offer special dishes and drinks and outdoor beer gardens including The Independent, Precinct, Ronnarong Thai Tapas, El Potro, and Cantina La Mexicana. |
What Does Union Square Think
That's the question as two big community planning efforts come together on June 12.
The City of Somerville is in the process of preparing a Citywide Comprehensive Plan that will guide the future of the city over the next 20 years. At the same time, MassDOT is completing the environmental review of the future Green Line stations and maintenance facility. Once the environmental review is complete, the project will move into engineering design.
To hear from Union Square stakeholders, the City of Somerville and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation are hosting an Open House on Saturday June 12 from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the Argenziano School, 290 Washington Street.
Attending the Open House will give you an opportunity to review and give your thoughts and insights on:
* Draft Vision Statement produced from the Visioning sessions held in December and January.
* Draft Goal Statements prepared for Neighborhoods; Transportation & Infrastructure; Housing; Commercial Corridors, Squares and Growth Districts; and Educational, Environmental, and Cultural Resources.
* Orange Line Station planned for Assembly Square
* Station design and land use around future Green Line Stations
At different times during the day, there will be a presentation and focused discussion on different Green Line Stations and the maintenance facility. You will have an opportunity to review MassDOT's proposed design, learn a bit about the surrounding neighborhood and give your ideas on the station design and environs. The schedule for the discussion is:
10:30am - 11:15am - - Union Square
11:15am - 11:45pm - - Gilman Square
11:45am - 12:15pm - - Lowell Street
12:15pm - 12:45pm - - Ball Square
12:45pm - 1:30pm - - Washington Street / Brickbottom
1:30pm - 2:00pm - - Route 16
2:00pm - 2:45pm - - Maintenance Facility
2:45pm - 3:00pm - - Wrap-Up
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Proposal for Lincoln Park
Alderman Maryann Heuston reports that she's heard resident requests about the possibility of opening the Lincoln Park soccer fields to the public, at least for certain hours each week. In response to these requests the Director of Recreation with the Chief of Police and the Commissioner of Public Works, the Recreation Director developed a proposal to balance the need for residents' access to open space with the need to preserve the field's condition for use by the Argenziano School and for permitted youth soccer use.
The proposed rules for the soccer field at Lincoln Park are for the following: - open to the public from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays and all day on Sunday. - Absolutely no dogs. Tickets will be issued for violations -Unless permitted, no adult organized sports (for example, five or more adults playing soccer, baseball, ultimate frisbee, kickball, football,etc) -No golf -Unless permitted, no cleats -Field will be closed in wet weather Please contact Aldermen Heuston with your comments. |
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Multi-Media Class for Tweens
If you're aged between 11 and 14 and interested in multi-media, SCAT's offering a four week program just for you.
Learn a whole range of multi-media tools including animation, photography and video. The class takes place Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10am-12pm from July 7-July 28. The cost of all eight classes is $100.
For more information and to receive an application, contact Jessica Barnthouse at
membership@access-scat.org
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American Gypsy
Over at Third Life Studio this Friday and Saturday, June 4 and 5 at 8 pm there's an intriguing performance by the ishmaelLites. The ishmaeLites are a band that includes descendants of people who travelled in an annual route in the American Midwest in the 19th century. Going by the Indiana hamlets of Mecca and Morocco, passing the Illinois village of Mahomet, the so-called "Tribe of Ishmael" was among the first to settle Indianapolis--which was also their winter home. Due to their fondness for music and dance and the fact that they travelled in caravans, they were called "gypsies" by main stream society. The real-life model for the character "Little Orphan Annie" was such a "gypsy" girl. In the 20th century, the caravans were stopped and the "tribe" disappeared.
"Comin' Home To Indiana" is a theatrical cycle of 22 songs that tell the story of these nomads. James Fenimore Cooper and Booth Tarkington both put them into novels, but this isn't a work of fiction. Immediately after the Saturday show, the ishmaeLites will board a golden bus and travel to Indiana for a homecoming tour that has been a century in the making.
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Community Growing Center
There's such a huge calendar of happenings over at the Community Growing Center that there's absolutely no way we can choose what to highlight. Special events, weekly happenings, all sorts of ways everyone can get out in the garden. Check out their calendar for all the details. |
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Save these Dates for ArtsUnion Festivals and Markets
 A Zoe Dance
Fri. & Sat, June 18 & 19, 8pm
rain dates: June 20 & 21
Zoe Dance will perform "High Rise," which explores the masquerade one lives in daily life, addressing the relationship of public space and domestic space (see photo above). The main characters live in adjoining apartments, but don't know each other. One has an animal fetish; one has a partner that is seemingly missing; another is helpless without hers; and the last keeps receiving 'gifts' from a secret admirer that is a borderline stalker. Lighting by Paul Marr. Free!  Sew What?!? Market
Sat, June 26, 3-7pm
rain date: Sun, June 27 "Sew What?!? is a fashion, art shopping event featuring a community clothing swap. Curated by Suzanne Piubeni of Fusion Ethos Fashions, the marketplace will include local vendors selling hand-made jewelry, accessories, clothing and home goods and an art interactive area where artists will be performing live. The swap-o-rama-rama is a community clothing swap with do-it-yourself sewing stations where attendees explore creative reuse through the recycling of used clothing. Free to participate. Please bring unwanted clothing; this is a great chance to recycle! Boston Handmade Marketplace
Sat, July 10, 3-7pm
rain date: Sun, July 11This outdoor arts market features work by New England artists, artisans and craftspeople associated with the juried artist group, Boston Handmade. Curated by Boston artist Jessica Burko, the Marketplace promotes local, independent businesses producing handmade works in small studio environments. More than 25 exhibitors will be on hand, along with live music by The Grownup Noise and One Happy Island. Somerville Rock & Roll Yard Sale
Sat, August 7, 3-7pm
rain date: Sun, August 8
Chris and Jennifer Daltry of What Cheer Antiques + Vintage curate the widely popular Rock & Roll Yard Sale featuring sellers of the bizarre and exotic from across New England. This flea market of treasures includes vinyl records and music memorabilia, vintage eyewear and apparel, homemade crafts, and, of course, vegan cupcakes.
The Paper Party
Sat., August 14, 3-7pm
rain date: Sun, Aug. 15
Union Square Main Streets will host "The Paper Party" -- a specialty market that showcases paper in its many forms -- you'll find letterpress printers, binders, framers, publishers, origami. Vendors are wanted. For more information contact Endre at Union Square Main Streets
Bazaar Bizarre
Fri, August 21, 3-7pm
rain date: Sat, August 22
Bazaar Bizarre began in 2001 as a hodge-podge of friends and acquaintances cobbling together their handcrafted DIY wares to sell, staging an offbeat entertainment extravaganza. The Bazaar Bizarre joins the SAC to present their first summer fair, curated from 10 years of amazing local art and craft vendors. The fair will feature handmade housewares, jewelry, fine art, toys and ceramics for sale, while visitors to the neighborhood can try their hand at several do-it-yourself workshops and hear local bands perform.
Bloom: Interactive Art by Hannah Verlin
Sat, August 21 & 22, all day
rain dates: August 28 & 29
Location: Prospect Hill Park
Bloom will be set in Prospect Hill Park and will feature 4,500 white paper flowers in a 40-foot circle on the hillside. Each flower will be pierced with a wooden skewer, staked to the ground. The petals will be alternately labeled with "He loves me, "He loves me not," "She loves me," and "She loves me not." A sign will encourage viewers to take the flowers with them, so that the enormous field of flowers will eventually vanish.
Fandango: Celebrating Mexican Son Jarocho Music
Saturday, August 28, 5-9 pm
rain date: Sunday, August 29
Fandangos are community celebrations that feature Son Jarocho music and dance, a genre from Veracruz, Mexico, which combines Afro-Caribbean, Spanish and indigenous traditions. Local band La Tuza will kick off Somerville's first Fandango; next up will be Brooklyn-basedRadio Jarocho (above). There will also be dance lessons and performances, Mexican food, art activities and a short film about the Son Jarocho tradition. The Fandango will end as both bands play together and other local musicians join in. Olé, we say. Produced by SAC.
Utsav! A Festival of Sikh Culture
Friday, September 10, 6-9pm
raindate: Saturday, September 11
Utsav is the Indian word for festival. This event, co-produced by SAC and Somerville Community Access Television (SCAT), will be a celebration of Sikh culture in and around the community. We encourage people to enjoy Indian food from many of the Sikh-owned restaurants in Union Square. Then join us for kitan music, information about the Sikhs in Somerville and a film chosen in collaboration with the Somerville Gurdwara and SCAT. It's dinner and a movie, Sikh style.
Urban Country Fair
Saturday, September 18, 3-7pm
rain date: Sunday, Sept. 19
All things "country" collide with urban space when the Urban Country Fair 2010 hits Union Square and revives the 'ole time country fair with exhibitors, arts and crafts vendors, Boston SkillShare workshops, and countri?ed music and dancing. The spirit of community, sharing with neighbors, and showing off homemade creations will be alive and well at this festive market produced by Aliza Shapiro of Truth Serum Productions.  What the Fluff? A Celebration of Union Square Invention presents "It's the Fifth Fluff Fest: Whoopie (Pie)!"
Saturday, September 25, 3-7pm rain date: Sunday, Sept. 26
Produced by Union Square Main Streets, "What the Fluff" celebrates the genius of Archibald Query who invented Fluff here in Union Sq. in 1917. This fifth annual event calls upon artist, musical and theatrical performers, inventors, humorists and the general public to celebrate the great American creation. This year we explore the whoopee pie, wondrous in any flavor, extraordinary in classic chocolate with lots of fluffy filling. For more info check out Union Square Main Streets. |
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