Category Archives: Events

What’s Happening at the West Suburban YMCA

Early Spring Registration Has Started!
Early Spring Session runs February 24th – April 19th. Sign up for swimming lessons, small fitness training classes, sports, or creative arts! There’s still availability in some of the classes. Register and find out more information here.

Try the Y for Free on Mondays in March
Mondays are free in March!  Stop by the Welcome Center with a valid ID and your guest fee will be waived.

Kids Night Out
Parents, drop off your kids for a fun Friday night with qualified staff members for a Kids Night Out. They’ll order pizza for dinner and keep the children entertained with games, swimming, movies and sports. $25.00 per child for Y members and $30.00 for the community. A 20% discount is offered per child for those with two or more children. Go out for the night and take advantage of this low-cost alternative to hiring a babysitter. Everyone wins!
March 6th, 6:00 – 10:00 pm

Family Fun Night
Bring the whole family to the Y for some family fun time. Featuring arts & crafts, bouncy house, gym games and more! Free and open to all. Family Fun Nights occur on the second Tuesday of every month.
March 10th, 6:00 – 7:00 pm

Camp Registration is Now Open!
Send your child to day camp at Camp Pikati or Camp Chickami, or try the overnight experience at Camp Frank A. Day.  Learn more and register at https://www.wsymca.org/camps

Camp Info Session
Want to learn more about summer camp offerings?  Stop by the Y for one of the camp info sessions on March 10th,  3:00 – 5:00 pm.

Work at the Y: The West Suburban YMCA is hiring for a variety of full-time and part-time positions in member services, childcare and youth development, aquatics, fitness and more. The Y offers generous benefits, free membership and professional development opportunities. Please contact Laura Snow at lauras@wsymca.org or visit wsymca.org/careers.

Financial Assistance is always available for Y Memberships and Programs
The West Suburban YMCA is a non-profit charitable organization and it is their mission to never turn anyone away due to their inability to pay. Please contact our Membership Department at 617-244-6050 ext. 3653 for financial assistance with membership or program participation.

March events from Historic Newton

FREE WEEKEND AT HISTORIC NEWTON
Everyone is invited to enjoy free admission to the museums.
March 7th and March 8th, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Jackson Homestead and Museum, 527 Washington Street, and the Durant-Kenrick House and Grounds, 286 Waverley Avenue

STORYTIME AT THE MUSEUMS
The free, bi-weekly Storytime program engages kids 0 months to 3 years old by focusing on literacy, Newton’s history, play, and lessons from our museums. Families are welcome to bring older siblings. This week’s theme is “Books.”
March 7th, 9:30 am
Jackson Homestead and Museum, 527 Washington Street

STORYTIME AT THE MUSEUMS
The free, bi-weekly Storytime program engages kids 0 months to 3 years old by focusing on literacy, Newton’s history, play, and lessons from our museums. Families are welcome to bring older siblings. This week’s theme is “Books.”
March 11th, 10:30 am
Durant-Kenrick House and Grounds, 286 Waverley Avenue

STORYTIME AT THE MUSEUMS
The free, bi-weekly Storytime program engages kids 0 months to 3 years old by focusing on literacy, Newton’s history, play, and lessons from our museums. Families are welcome to bring older siblings. This week’s theme is “Rainbow.”
March 21st, 9:30 am
Jackson Homestead and Museum, 527 Washington Street

LOOK CLOSER: HIDDEN HISTORY GALLERY TALK
How does art tell a story? What can a painting tell us about Newton and America in 1852? With a Historic Newton educator, examine the newly acquired landscape painting, The Great Curve, in a 30-minute gallery talk and activity. Admission included in museum admission. Information: 617-796-1450
March 21st, 11:00 am and 1:00 pm
Jackson Homestead and Museum, 527 Washington Street

STORYTIME AT THE MUSEUMS
The free, bi-weekly Storytime program engages kids 0 months to 3 years old by focusing on literacy, Newton’s history, play, and lessons from our museums. Families are welcome to bring older siblings. This week’s theme is “Rainbow.”
March 25th, 10:30 am
Durant-Kenrick House and Grounds, 286 Waverley Avenue

Female Zionist Series

Please join Hadassah Boston for the Female Zionist Series featuring Professor Tamar Frankel in conversation with Professor Lisa Fishbayn Joffe, Director of the Hadassah-Brandeis Institute  Please complete the information below to register.

A donation of $18 or more to support Hadassah Medical Organization is greatly appreciated. Register at
https://secure2.convio.net/wzoa/site/Ticketing?view=Tickets&id=104481

April 30th, 7:30 pm
Brandeis University, Waltham

Camp Fair in Dedham

This camp fair is hosted by the Avery School PTO and gives families from all over the region the opportunity to connect with representatives from 60+ overnight camps, day camps, and other summer programs for children and teens. Many of the participating day camps/activities are held in locations convenient to Newton, and the attending overnight camps come from all over New England.

There are options for children aged 3-17. All are welcome to attend the Discover Summer! Camps & Activities Fair.

March 7th, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm
336 High Street, Dedham

Attention 5th Grade Parents – Open Houses for afterschool program

The Newton Highlands After-School Program, just for middle school children is hosting Open House events for interested families. This is a great opportunity for parents of 5th graders to learn more about the program as they plan for the next school year. Please join  and see the wonderful space that is the home base of this terrific program. For more information please contact Rochelle Acker at 617-999-4617 or highlandsafterschool@gmail.com or visit highlandsafter-schoolprogram.org

Open Houses:

March 1st, March 9th, and  March 24th, 5:30-6:30 pm
Brigham House, 20 Hartford Street, Newton Highlands

Families for Depression Awareness is presenting a free webinar

Families for Depression Awareness is presenting a free Teen Self-Injury: Working Toward Healthy Coping Skills webinar. In this webinar, Jason Washburn, PhD, ABPP, will discuss the connection between self-injury and depression, how caring adults can identify signs of self-injury, and respond in an effective manner.

This program is designed for parents, guardians, caregivers, youth workers, and any adults interested in teen mental health. Register to join for a live webinar discussion or watch on demand after it airs.

If you are new to the topic of teen depression or in need of a refresher, please watch  Understanding Teen Depression as a foundation to this upcoming webinar.

After the webinar, complete the online evaluation and you’ll be entered for a chance to win a free copy of the book Self-Injury: Simple Answers to Complex Questions. Can’t attend the live webinar? Register today to submit your questions and watch the recorded webinar after it airs.

March 24th, 7:00 – 8:15 pm

Click here to see the Teen Depression Webinar Flyer 
Click here to see the Teen Depression Fact Sheet in English or Spanish

Newton FORJ Book Group (Families Organizing for Racial Justice)

Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria
by Beverly Daniel Tatum
February 25th, 6:30-8:30 pm
Newton Free Public Library, Room B
Adult discussion

White Fragility
by Robin Diangelo
April 29th, 6:30-8:30 pm
Newton Free Public Library, Room B
Adult discussion

There is no childcare at these events.
Contact Jennifer Dirga at jenniferdirga@gmail.com with any questions

Spring Programs at Newton Community Farm

Kid focused:
Farm Tuesdays for ages 7-11. Meets Tuesdays, 1:30 – 3:00 pm, March 31st – May 26th (no class April 21st). An after school program on NPS early release days: meet the new chicks, get the learning garden started, play games and make snacks.

Budding Chefs for ages 7-13. April vacation week, Tuesday – Thursday, 2:00 – 5:00 pm, April 21st – 23rd. Cook up delicious treats in the historic barn and spend time outdoors in the learning garden and with new flock of chicks!

Farm Sprouts for ages 2.5 – 5 with an adult and Farm Babies for ages under 2.5 with an adult.  Sing songs, read books and learn about the farm in spring. Meet the new chicks and search for signs of spring as the farm comes to life!

For adults and families:
Master Your Gut, Sunday, March 15th, 11:00 am – 12:30 pm. Meet Jay Vilar, a Nutritional Therapist Practitioner, and learn about the importance of your gut health in this brand new workshop. Enjoy samples of probiotic, prebiotic, and fermented foods and drink while you learn.

Spring Has Sprung Cookbook Potluck Dinner, April 1st, 6:30 – 8:30 pm. Join members of the farm community to celebrate food and farming. Spring’s potluck dinner will feature Alison Roman, author of Dining In and Nothing Fancy. In addition to these two fabulous cookbooks, many of her fresh recipes can be found in full on her website.

Family Baking,  April 5th, 10:30 am -12:00 pm. Get ready for spring holidays with this fun day of baking in our historic barn. Use spring ingredients like rhubarb and chamomile to make baked goods the whole family will enjoy.

Seasonal Pasta Making, April 30th, 7:00 – 9:00 pm. Make fresh pasta with farm ingredients to enjoy with others in this adult cooking workshop.

Farm Photography,  May 30th, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm. Join award-winning photographer, Karyn Novakowski, to tell the story of your food from seed to plate and beyond through photographs.

For more information on any of these programs, email education@newtoncommunityfarm.org or call the office at 617-916 9655.

Civics Challenge

Join the LWVN Civics Challenge! This is meant to be a true community builder for anyone in Grade 8 or older. There will be snacks and prizes, including a MA State House tour for the winning team.

Anyone who registers as an individual will be placed on a team OR groups of 3 or 4 may register as a team. The registration deadline is February 28th.

For more information visit https://lwvnewton.org/civics-challenge/

Registration at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfcwgcU6SArR79FLjjlPyqPCG1fUcVSaQEJD02tbnBd-BtgQA/viewform

See a flyer at https://lwvnewton.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/2020-Civics-Challenge-flyer.pdf

March 1st,  3:30 – 5:30 pm
Cabot School

Newton Theatre Company production of Pinocchio

This winter, Newton Theatre Company is thrilled to partner with Pazzi Lazzi Troupe, a local performance group, to create a lively adaptation of the classic Pinocchio. In his quest to become a real boy, the wooden puppet Pinocchio must overcome temptation and danger with the help of his loved ones. Told in the style of commedia dell’arte, a classical Italian style of physical comedy, this energetic production is sure to be fun for the whole family!

Appropriate for all ages! Tickets available online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pinocchio-a-commedia-adventure-tickets-90251702271?ref=weblink

Pinocchio: A Commedia Adventure, created with Pazzi Lazzi Troupe
February 29th, 10:00 am and 3:00 pm and March 1st,  3:00 pm
The Union Church in Waban