WECA Meeting Set for April 13 at Amy Lowell Apartments
The West End Civic Association (WECA) will hold its next meeting in person on Thursday, April 13, at 6 p.m. in the Community Room at Amy Lowell Apartments at 65 Martha Road.
Speakers will include Rep. Jay Livingstone and representatives from ABCD (Action for Boston Community Development).
Masks are encouraged.
Free Lessons in American Mahjong Offered at West End Branch Library
The Friends of the West End Library will be offering lessons in American Mahjong to new and experienced players at no cost.
The group meets on Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m., once every two weeks in the Community Room of the West End Branch Library, 151 Cambridge St.
To sign up or for more information, email Audrey Tedeman ([email protected]) or Julia Forbes ([email protected]).
Upcoming Concerts at The Vilna Shul
Join The Vilna Shul for “Falling Out of Time: A Conversation” – an exclusive opportunity to hear from composer Osvaldo Golijov and lead musicians Yoni Rechter and Nora Fischer, with a sneak peek of their upcoming performance – on Sunday, April 23, from 3 to 5 p.m. at 18 Phillips St. This concert is presented in partnership with the BSO and Celebrity Series of Boston.
Tickets are $18 each and can be purchased at https://vilnashul.org/events/event/falling-out-of-time-a-conversation.
Also, The Vilna presents the fifth annual “Voices of Humanity” concert – an interfaith performance featuring extraordinary local choral groups with national recognition – on Sunday, May 7, from 3 to 5 p.m. at 18 Phillips St. This concert is co-sponsored by the Old North Church.
Tickets are $25 each general admission, or $18 each for students, and can be purchased at https://vilnashul.org/events/event/voices-of-humanity2.
Visit https://vilnashul.org/events/upcoming to learn about more upcoming programming at The Vilna.
Project Bread’s Walk for Hunger Returns May 7
After going virtual for the past three years due to the pandemic, Project Bread’s annual Walk for Hunger returns on Sunday, May 7, from 9-11 a.m., as a three-mile walk around Boston Common, with proceeds benefitting the fight again food insecurity in the Commonwealth.
The fundraising event, which dates back to 1969 and traditionally takes place on the first Sunday in May, has set a target of $1 million this year.
Visit http://support.projectbread.org to register and for more information on the event.
Duckling Day Event Set to Return Sunday, May 14
The Friends of the Public Garden will again partner with the Boston Parks Department for the annual Duckling Day event on Sunday, May 14, from 10 a.m. to noon.
Every year, hundreds of participating children, dressed as their favorite characters from Robert McCloskey’s classic children’s book, “Make Way for Ducklings,” join the parade led by the Harvard Marching Band. The parade route begins on the Boston Common at the Parkman Bandstand and ends in the Public Garden near the Make Way for Ducklings sculpture.
Playtime on the Common will takes place ahead of the parade and include Interactive Circus Games with Esh Circus Arts; Jenny the Juggler; Peter O’Malley, magician; Jump, climb, and play with Knucklebones; a chance to meet the giant Duck; a visit with the Harvard University Band; a “Make Way for Ducklings” reading station; and a goody bag for every kid filled with Duckling Day-themed items.
The registration fee is $35 per family in advance (before May 12) and $40 per family the day of the event. Each child who registers will receive a special goody bag. Register at https://friendsofthepublicgarden.org/2022/12/01/ducklingday2023/.
For more information on Duckling Day, visit https://friendsofthepublicgarden.org/events/ducklingday/.
Free Family Fun: Dudley Farm Day at Shirley Place
Looking for a family-friendly way to kick-off Spring Recess? On Saturday, April 15 from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm, the Shirley-Eustis House, 33 Shirley Street in Roxbury, will host its first Dudley Farm Day. This festival celebrates the arrival of spring and the history of Roxbury’s rural past with an assortment of free activities including a farm animal petting zoo, butter-making, wool spinning, seed sales and giveaways. We’ll also have beekeeping demonstrations, snacks, and resources from community organizations on how we can stay connected to nature and each other through gardening and exploring our history.
In the eighteenth century, Roxbury was a suburb of Boston – home to more farm animals than people! Rolling hills, groves of fruit trees, and fields full of many different varieties of crops composed the landscape. While Roxbury has undergone major changes over the past three hundred years, some important aspects of life remain the same. Dudley Street was still a main thoroughfare for the town, much like it is today. Gardens were common near the grand homes, like the community gardens tended by neighbors and friends now. And the arrival of spring meant more opportunities to gather as a community and enjoy nature, just as we do today. The Shirley-Eustis House is easily accessible on the 41 and 15 busses and has plenty of on-street parking.
This event is free for all to attend. For questions, please call 617-442-2275 or email [email protected].
The Shirley-Eustis House is a National Historic Landmark located at 33 Shirley St. in Roxbury, Massachusetts. The 1747 house, preserved at Shirley Place, is one of only four colonial governors’ mansions remaining in the United States. It was also owned by a Massachusetts governor of the early Federal era, whose lasting aesthetic marks on the house reflect its nineteenth century story. The Shirley-Eustis House Association preserves the site to explore the early history of our nation and the community of Roxbury. More information about guided tours, events and programs can be found on our website: www.shirleyeustishouse.org.
Fairy House Building Workshop Returns to Franklin Park
The Boston Parks and Recreation Department and the Mayor’s Mural Crew will welcome the local elf and fairy population back to their summer homes with the annual Fairy House Building Workshop at Franklin Park’s Schoolmaster Hill on Thursday, April 20, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The workshop welcomes families to a magical day of fairy house building. Children are encouraged to connect with their natural surroundings by creating their own personalized, eco-friendly homes for the woodland fairies of Franklin Park. Spring is the best time to build fairy houses, providing the magical creatures with shelter for the coming summer months and the flitting season that begins in late May.
The event will feature facepainting and a story time. Children are encouraged to wear their favorite fairy and elf costumes.. Natural materials will be provided, and children are encouraged to explore their surroundings to find natural elements such as sticks, stones, and leaves to adorn their fairy houses. Visit boston.gov/fairy-houses to learn more.
Located in Franklin Park’s historic 220-acre forest among oak and pine trees overlooking the William Devine Golf Course, Schoolmaster Hill provides the perfect location for fairy and elf habitat that recognizes their connection to the earth by utilizing building materials from the woods around them.
Schoolmaster Hill is located on Circuit Drive between the William Devine Golf Course Clubhouse and Shattuck Hospital. This event is weather permitting. For more information and to stay up to date with news, events, and improvements in Boston parks, call (617) 635-4505, visit Boston.gov/Parks, join our email list at bit.ly/Get-Parks-Emails, and follow our social channels @bostonparksdept on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.