Around Town

Resistance and Inspiration — Watertown Citizens’ Annual Meeting and Potluck Dinner

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The following announcement was provided by Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice and the Environment:

Resistance and Inspiration is the theme of Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice and the Environment’s 47 th Annual Meeting and Potluck Dinner that will take place on Sunday, May 31 at the First Parish of Watertown at 35 Church St. in Watertown. The potluck will begin at 5 p.m. and our program will begin at 6:15 p.m.

Watertown Citizens members and supporters came together last year to build community and support each other in difficult times. The challenges we faced then have only grown – increasing attacks on our civil liberties and on immigrant and marginalized communities; continuing cuts in funding for basic needs – affordable housing, healthcare, and education; destruction of environmental protections and the expansion of fossil fuels; and unabetted illegal military actions causing death and injury to hundreds of thousands. Fortunately, the past year has also been marked by larger and larger mass demonstrations throughout the country, at state houses, and in local communities.

Around Town

Community Food Drive Aims to Help Restock Watertown’s Food Pantries for Summertime Need

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The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Community Foundation:

The Watertown Community Foundation will host their annual city-wide food drive during Watertown Helps Out from May 26 – June 9, in collaboration with the City of Watertown. This year’s food drive is sponsored by ButcherBox, the Watertown based direct-to-consumer meat and seafood brand. “The rising cost of food and changes to federal benefit eligibility have made local food access programs, especially Watertown’s food pantries, more important than ever for many residents. Food donations tend to slow down over the summer compared to the holiday season, so extra community support is especially meaningful during this time,” said Jenna Bancroft, the City of Watertown’s Human Services Director. This summer food drive will collect kid-friendly foods and snacks, in addition to important non- perishables and hygiene supplies to keep kids and families healthy all summer-long.

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See Who Will March in Watertown’s Memorial Day Parade, the Parade Route

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Watertown veterans marched in the 2024 Memorial Day Parade. (Photo by Natalie Nigito Photography)

The 2026 Memorial Day Parade, featuring Watertown veterans, youth sports, and other community groups, will be held on Monday, May 25, beginning at noon. A ceremony with Watertown’s veterans group will take place at the end of the parade. Each year, Watertown pays tribute to current and past veterans during the Memorial Day Parade. The procession begins at noon.

Around Town

Fire Department Looking to Hire Paramedics to Run 2 Ambulances; Keep Hydrants Snow Free

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The Watertown Fire Department received funding this year to run two ambulances, and now the challenge is to hire enough paramedics to run both. Watertown Fire Chief Ryan Nicholson also discussed a fire during the winter when a hydrant had to be shoveled out so that multiple hoses could be used to fight the fire. In 2025, the City Council approved funding for eight more paramedics so that a second ambulance could be run by the Watertown Fire Department 24/7. City Manager George Proakis said he has been working with Nicholson, the Human Resources Office to try to get enough staff on board, and opened an alternative pathway for hiring under Civil Service. Nicholson said the Fire Department has made some hires, but still have a couple of openings, and more are expected over the summer.

Around Town

Celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the Revolution With Historical Tour of Watertown

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Edmund Fowle House, home of the Historical Society of Watertown. The Historical Society of Watertown will host a walking tour focused on Watertown During the Revolution on May 24 and June 7. See more details in the announcement from the Historical Society, below. The Historical Society of Watertown invites you to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the fight forAmerican Independence by taking a walking tour of “Watertown During the Revolution.”

Join Historical Society of Watertown walking tour leaders Lynne O’Connell and Beth Houston for a 90-minute walking tour to learn about the important role that the town played during the American Revolution. After the battles of Lexington and Concord in 1775, the Provincial Congress assembled in the town’s Meeting House, making Watertown the seat of the Massachusetts government for 18 months.

Around Town

Mount Auburn Cemetery Becomes First Cemetery in the U.S. to Earn AGZA Green Zone Certification

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The following announcement was provided by Mount Auburn Cemetery:

Mount Auburn Cemetery, the American Green Zone Alliance (AGZA), and Quiet Communities announced that Mount Auburn has become the first cemetery in the United States to earn AGZA Green Zone® Certification, cutting carbon emissions by 16 tons annually. The designation marks a shift from gas-powered handheld landscaping equipment to battery-powered tools, creating a cleaner, quieter, and healthier environment for people and wildlife alike and offering a model for how cemeteries and other large landscapes can operate more sustainably. The AGZA Certified Green Zone program is a four-level program designed to transition landscape maintenance operations away from fossil fuel-powered equipment to battery electric-powered equipment and other low impact alternatives. AGZA and Quiet Communities implement the program for parks, municipalities, institutions, and businesses across the country, providing education, training, support, and metrics that demonstrate reductions in emissions, noise, and other impacts over time. “As the first garden cemetery in the United States, we have a responsibility to continue leading in how landscapes like ours are cared for,” said Matthew Stephens, President & CEO, Mount Auburn Cemetery.

Around Town

Creating Community, One Micro-Forest at a Time

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The following announcement was provided by Trees for Watertown:

Come to a FREE Workshop on Saturday May 23 at the Watertown Free Public Library, 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

What is a micro-forest? A micro-forest is a multi-layered plant community of native species — a special kind of “mini pocket park” that can provide urban cooling and natural habitat, and eventually can sustain itself without significant human care, even in a space as small as the corner of a Watertown Yard. Much like the larger Miyawaki forest at Watertown’s Lowell Middle School (Stop by to visit! The forest is beautiful in its second Spring!), a well-designed micro-forest creates a resilient urban oasis of shade and beauty for humans, and food and shelter for native birds and animals. Miyawaki forests, public shade trees, private shade trees, pollinator gardens, bioswales — especially when native plant species are used, all these forms of natural green infrastructure support the urban ecosphere that supports us, and all temper the punishing effects of climate change.