Around Town

Sept. at the Library: Bollywood Dance Class, Movie Nights Return & Get Ready for Zine Fest

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Watertown LibraryThe Watertown Library is hosting Zine Fest. Find out what’s going on at the Watertown Free Public Library in September in the announcement from the Library below:

On Saturday, 10/2, the Watertown Free Public Library is hosting WFPL Zine Fest — a day-long celebration of zine culture and DIY publishing. Whether you are a prolific zinester, or just want to learn what zines are and why they matter, we invite you to explore the marketplace, attend talks, and browse the Library’s brand-new circulating zine collection. Check out the festival schedule and RSVP on our Zine Fest page. Coming up this month, join a Bollywood dance class, explore Catholic Mount Auburn, and get an intro to coding with JavaScript.

Transportation

Labor Day Weekend Travel Tips from MassDOT

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The following information was provided by MassDOT:

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is advising the public to plan ahead for Labor Day Weekend travel, drive in off peak hours if possible, utilize available technology tools for trips including www.mass511.com, consider public transportation if possible to reach destinations and bring a face-covering as some municipalities have a mask mandate for indoor venues. “We expect traffic levels to be high this Labor Day Weekend especially during the afternoon hours on Thursday and Friday,” said Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver. “Anyone driving should plan ahead, anticipate that trips will take longer than expected, and if possible use public transportation to reach destinations.”

Due to the anticipated higher than normal daily traffic volumes for several days leading up to and including Monday, Labor Day, MassDOT is taking several steps to ease congestion:

Shutting down scheduled non-emergency construction effective at 5 a.m., Friday, September 3. Scheduled road work will then resume at the start of normal business hours on Tuesday, September 7. Deploying the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane on I-93 between Boston and Quincy earlier than usual in the afternoon by opening at 2:00 p.m., on Thursday, September 2 and at 1:00 p.m., on Friday, September 3. The HOV lane will be closed on Monday, September 6.

Around Town

Team New Day Wins Game 1 of Watertown Summer Basketball Finals in OT

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Watertown RecreationHBC and Team New Day faced off in the Papas Elite League summer basketball league final Monday night. Game 2 is Tuesday. Game 1 of Watertown’s summer basketball league finals was an overtime thriller, with Team New Day prevailing over HBC. The finals continue Tuesday night at Saltonstall Park beginning at 7 p.m.

The Watertown Recreation Department provided the following report on the first game of the final. GAME 1: NEW DAY 62, HBC 55

The first game of the 2021 Papas Elite League best of three championship lived up to to its billing with an overtime thriller.

Around Town

See What’s Coming to the Watertown Farmer’s Market This Week

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Fall is around the, corner but the Watertown Farmers Market still has plenty of summer fruits and vegetables, along with baked goods, fresh meat and fish and more. The Watertown Farmers Market provided the following information:

September 1st Vendor Line-up

Farm Produce

Dick’s Market Gardens (HIP Vendor)Farmer Tim’s VegetablesStillman’s Farm (HIP Vendor)

Meat/Poultry/Fish

Hooked Fish Shop (Red’s Best & Boston Smoked Fish)Lilac Hedge Farm

Baked Goods

Clear Flour BakeryFournos Authentic Greek PastriesOMG Bagels Biweekly

Specialty Vendors

Chef Cyrille BiweeklyFlores de Café MonthlyHabibi Gourmet Foods

Reminder: Vendor Preorder Information

Placing a preorder is efficient and ensures the vendor has what you want when you arrive.  Placing a preorder does not allow you to skip the line. Click here to access all of the 2021 Preorder Information on our website. Habibi Gourmet Foods and Farmer Tim’s are currently still open for preorders to pickup at September 1st’s market. Preorder deadlines differ with each vendor depending on how much time they need to prepare the order. Culinary Corner

Written by Community Chef Dylan

Welcome to Culinary Corner! Each week, community chefs and volunteers will offer recipes and cooking tips that make the best use of the bounty of our market, including veggies from our three vendors, along with goodies from our meat and fish vendors, as well as our baked goods and specialties. Click the link below to view further information on this week’s Culinary Corner.

Around Town

Watertown Teen Inspiration for Jimmy Fund Walk Participants, Including 7 from Town

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Watertown’s Kate Morris, 13, is a Walk Hero and will help inspire participants in this year’s virtual Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk. The following piece was provided by the Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk:

Seven residents from Watertown will choose their own route on October 3 for the annual Boston Marathon® Jimmy Fund Walk: Your Way presented by Hyundai. Participants are encouraged to “Walk Your Way” from wherever they are most comfortable whether that be from their neighborhood, local park, favorite trail, or even a treadmill in their own home.    

Martha Krache, David Morris, Garry Nolan, Thomas Opar, Cheryl Ramhorst, Michelle Sloan, and Alexis Tice, along with thousands of other walkers, will participate in virtual programming during the Walk that aims to recreate the most inspiring elements of Walk day. While the event will not physically bring walkers together along the famed Boston Marathon® course, it will unite the community to raise funds to support all forms of adult and pediatric care and cancer research at the nation’s premier cancer center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. The event has raised more than $150 million for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in its 30+ year history. 

Walk Heroes are matched with Jimmy Fund Walk teams to give participants an opportunity to connect with patients.

Entertainment

Kids Can Join Free Dance Classes Offered by Watertown Studio

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Free dance classes for kids are available in Watertown. The following announcement was provided by Move & Groove Watertown and Ballroom in Boston:

Move & Groove Watertown and Ballroom in Boston are so excited to be offering kids dance classes this fall! Thanks to a generous grant from the Watertown Cultural Council and in conjunction with our nonprofit, Dancing Feet, we are able to offer two free dance classes for kiddos: Dance With Me, and Princess Ballet! These classes are a great way for kids to give dance a try in a safe and positive environment! If your kid loves to twirl around the house, these classes are for you! 

We are offering two free dance classes on September 18th: Dance with Me and Princess Ballet. 

Dance With Me: September 18th at 10 a.m., ages 2-3 years, 30 minutes

Our Dance with Me class is an introductory creative movement toddler dance class where a parent or guardian joins them during their dance class.

Board of Health

LETTER: Resident Wants Board of Health to Rescind Indoor Mask Mandate

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Hello Friends and Neighbors,

On August 23, 2021, a Watertown non-elected local governmental body decided that 36,000 Watertown residents must, as of August 25, 2021, wear masks while indoors stating, ‘The Watertown Board of Health has issued an Order mandating the wearing of face coverings indoors throughout Watertown.”

In so doing, a small group of appointed individuals with varying levels of medical and public health credentialing mandated that we, the residents of Watertown, MA, cannot decide for ourselves when and where to wear a mask to manage our own health. The Watertown Board of Health’s (Board) mask mandate is troubling. The Board has decided that 36,000 people are incapable of discerning their own private health needs and risk tolerance. In forcing a mask mandate, the Board effectively treats Watertown’s population like children who lack judgment. The Board’s insistence on a mask mandate in light of the data should give us pause.