School of Rock Boston, an after-school young musicians’ collaborative whose enrollment is comprised of 42% Newton residents, is hosting their first annual Best of Season Bash on Sunday, June 2nd from 10 AM to 2 PM, at the Hard Rock Cafe in downtown Boston (22-24 Clinton Street).
Enjoy bands, vendors, brunch, prizes in a family-friendly yet edgy rock ‘n roll atmosphere. Tickets are $15 per person. More event info is available online.
Give your child an incredible experience at Zoo Camp this summer. Campers learn about a new theme every day through hands-on-activities designed to engage youth and get them excited about the natural world. At Zoo Camp, located nearby in the Franklin Park Zoo, your child will meet animals up close, tour behind the scenes, make new friends, and grow — all under the leadership of our diverse, enthusiastic, caring staff.
Ages 6-13.
Junior ZooKeeper for ages 12-13 with even more behind the scenes.
Monday-Friday 9-3, extended care available
Sessions:
July 1-12
July 15-26
July 29-August 9
August 12-16
Flexible pricing structure as low as $220 per week.
Register online or call 617-745-4150 for more information.
Walnut Hill School for the Arts and the New Art Center in Newton—two of the region’s most respected arts institutions—have created a new Summer Visual Art Program for artists in grades 7–12 who are interested in refining their skills in visual art, while exploring new disciplines and techniques.
The three-week program, July 20 – August 16, allows students to experience Ceramics, 2-D Mixed Media or 3-D Mixed Media, Drawing and Painting, Visual Art Career Exploration, and Portfolio Preparation. Each week, students will select one class for the entire morning and two different classes for the afternoon.
The program takes place on Walnut Hill’s scenic 30-acre campus in Natick, utilizing the School’s wide range of visual art studios. Classes are taught by a diverse group of talented faculty from both organizations. Lunch is provided each day, and there will be opportunities for a daily swim in Walnut Hill’s outdoor pool (weather permitting). At the close of the three weeks, students will exhibit their artwork in a formal gallery exhibition and reception for family and friends.
More information, including registration, is on the Walnut Hill website.
Ferns creeping out of bounds? Hostas growing like weeds? Lily of the Valley taking over your yard? Now is the time to thin your garden. Don’t put those Iris divisions into the compost bin. Trade them in!
Bring a plant – Take a plant at the 4th Annual Plant Swap on Saturday, May 18, from 11am – 2pm at 27 George Street (near Centre and Cabot intersection).
Use flower pots, milk cartons, coffee cans, yogurt tubs, even plastic bags to pot up your cast-offs. Labels would be nice. Early drop-offs are fine.
Exchanges are free, but please consider the donation box marked “Newton METCO Scholarship Fund.” An annual project started by a Bigelow Middle School student, now at NNHS, to benefit his METCO classmates through the best of ‘recycling’. Questions? Email Barbara Howard.
Spring Cleaning + Used Books = Newton South Book Sale. We want all your gently used books!
The 5th Annual Newton South High School Used Book Sale will be held again this year from May 21-23 in Wheeler Commons at Newton South. If you are doing a little spring cleaning, please consider donating your gently used books to the NSHS Book Sale. Proceeds will benefit literacy initiatives in the NSHS English Department. Please note that this year we are not accepting children’s books, travel guides, textbooks, parenting/pregnancy/health books, and material inappropriate for high school students. No book dealers at the sale, please.
Drop off hours:
Monday and Thursday mornings, April 29 thru May 16, from 7:15 – 8:15 am and 2:30 – 3:30 pm at the POD in NSHS parking lot (next to Goldrick House).
For more information about book drop off, please contact Suzanne Freudberg via email.
Come one, come all to the 9th annual Waban Village Day taking place in Waban Square on Sunday, May 19.
The festivities begin at 10am with the 5K Family Fun Run.
From 11am to 3pm, you can take in our exciting entertainment lineup, sample food selections, and view enticing vendor wares.
This year’s entertainment line-up will include the Newton North Jazz Ensemble, NNHS’s Rich Labedz’s professional group, and the Newton Family Singers.
More information and registration for the Family Fun Run is available on the Waban Village Day website.
Calling all Vendors. Do you have something to sell; jewelry, crafts, specialty items, artisan breads or foods, cosmetics, clothes, to name a few. Come share your creations with a booth at Waban Village Day, Sunday, May 19 th 11am-3pm.
This is the 9th Waban Village Day, it takes place in Waban Square on Woodward Street, right off of Beacon Street. This is a very popular event, fun for the whole family, with over 2000 people participating in rides, food and crafts. If you are interested in a booth at Waban Village Day, please contact Liz by email. For more information check out the Waban Village Day website.
Girl Scouts in Oak Hill Troop 73004 are working on a community service project to assist the Cat Connection, a non-profit organization that rescues and finds homes for stray and abandoned cats in Newton, Waltham, Belmont, Watertown., Brighton and Allston.
They are seeking donations of cat supplies (food, toys, kitty litter, etc.) and searching for foster and adoption homes for these cats.
Donations can be delivered to drop-off boxes located at Newtonville Pets and the lobby of Oak Hill Middle School until June 3.
Anyone interested in fostering or adopting a cat can learn more by visiting the Cat Connection website.
All Newton school students, faculty, staff, and parents are invited to join the Annual Memorial Day Parade on Sunday, May 19. Honor all veterans by marching in the parade (all are welcome) or cheering us on from the sidewalk!
The parade begins at 2pm at Our Lady Help of Christians Church at the corner of Washington St. and Adams St in Newtonville. The parade follows this route:
Starting at Our Lady, the parade proceeds west on Washington to Walnut St.
Turn right onto Walnut St. and proceeds to Watertown St.
Turn right onto Watertown St. and ending at Colette – Magni Park. (at Adams St., next to Dunkin Donuts).
Refreshment will be served at the end of the parade for all participants.
Should you have any questions or concerns, please call Tom Shoemaker at the VFW Post 440 at 617.244.0440.
Teen Summer Reading Poster Making, Wednesdays, May 15 and 22, 3:30 pm Help prepare for this year’s teen Summer Reading Program, “Beneath the Surface.” We’ll be making a huge poster to hang in the teen area to publicize this summer’s festivities. Be ready to get messy as we paint, collage and more! Join us on either or both Wednesdays, May 15 and May 22 at the Newton Free Library in Druker Auditorium at 3:30 pm. Grades 6-12.
Teen Author Panel with Erin Dionne, Jo Knowles, and Gina Rosati, Wednesday, May 15, 7:00 pm
Join us for a special program with Erin Dionne author of Notes from an Accidental Band Geek, Jo Knowles, author of See You at Harry’s, and Gina Rosati, author of Auracle. Once each author has read a short excerpt from their book, participants will have the opportunity to ask questions. Wondering what the publishing process is like, how to find an agent or how long it takes to write a book? Here’s your chance to learn about the publishing and writing process. The program will take place at the Newton Free Library on Wednesday, May 15 at 7:00 pm in Druker Auditorium. A book signing will follow with books provided by New England Mobile Book Fair. Refreshments will be served.
Roxbury Repertory Theatre reads The Diary of Anne Frank, Saturday, May 18, 2:00 pm
Join us for a 90-minute staged reading adapted from Wendy Kessleman’s Tony Award nominated Broadway production of The Diary of Anne Frank. The reading will take place at the Newton Free Library on Saturday, May 18 at 2:00 pm in Druker Auditorium and will be given by members of the Roxbury Repertory Theatre under the direction of Marshall Hughes. Anne Frank’s candid writings have had an impact on communities worldwide and remind us of the cruelty, devastation and inhumanity of genocide. A question and answer period with the actors.
Questions about these or other offerings for teens at the library? Email the Teen Librarian or call the Newton Free Library at 617-796-1380. All programs are free and open to the public. The Newton Free Library is handicap accessible.