Fourth Annual Watertown Celebrates Indigenous People’s Day on Oct. 12, Free Entry

The following announcement was provided by the Pigsgusset Initiative:

Watertown’s 4th celebration of Indigenous Peoples Day will be held on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, from 12:00 to 3:30 p.m. at the Hosmer Elementary School, 1 Concord Road, Watertown, MA.  The free event will feature Indigenous musicians, artists and vendors. Performers include: Wampanoag Nation Singers and Dancers; Teddy Hendricks, Mashpee Wampanoag & Nipmuc, storyteller; and Maria Hendricks, Assonet & Mashpee Wampanoag, MC.  Artisans Darius Coombs and Eleanor Coombs, Mashpee Wampanoag, will be demonstrating how to create wampum and corn husk dolls. Participants will be able to make their own corn husk dolls. Gianni Hendrix, Mashpee Wampanoag & Nipmuc, will provide face painting. 

Wampwheels, a food truck, will be outside on Concord Road and will be selling delicious Indigenous food that people can bring into the event. Indigenous vendors include: Claudia Fox Tree, Arawak-Taino iukaieke Guainia, Arawak Designs, Linda Coombs, Aquinnah Wampanoag, Leslie Tuplin, First Nation Mik Maq-Lennox Island – PEI, Native Solutions and Cindy Shelley, Up the Creek Traders. Belmont Bookstore will be selling books by and about Indigenous people and the Watertown Free Library Bookmobile will have books about Indigenous people to borrow. A special feature of this year’s celebration will be a preview of “Pigsgusset and Watertown: What You Didn’t Know About the Original Peoples and the Founding of Watertown,” a Storymap.  Presenters include Dr. Mishy Lesser, Upstander Project and Dr. Nathan Braccio, Assistant Professor of History at Clark University. They will be joined by Marilynne K. Roach and Joyce Kelly of the Historical Society of Watertown. Those who attend will be among the first to view the newly created storymap.

Residents Could See & Hear Impacts from City Water Valve Exercising Program

The City of Watertown provided information about the Valve Exercising Program and the Fire Hydrant Flushing Program. Valve Exercising Program

What is Valve Exercising?Valves are crucial components in municipal water systems, controlling water flow in our distribution mains. Valve exercising is the process of opening and closing valves to ensure they continue to function properly. Over time, valves can seize or become stiff due to corrosion, mineral buildup or lack of use. Exercising helps break up any buildup and allows operators to inspect the valve for signs of decay or malfunction.

Flu Vaccine Clinics Being Hosted by Watertown Public Health Department

The Watertown Public Health Department will host two flu vaccine clinics for seniors, and three more for residents age 9 and up. See more information about the clinics provided by the Health Department, below. 2025 SENIOR FLU VACCINE CLINIC

Watertown Public Health Department offers Influenza Vaccine (Standard/High dose) to Watertown Senior Residents at the Watertown Senior Center 31 Marshall St, Watertown, MA 02472

Tuesday Oct. 21, 2025 4 – 6 p.m.Please use the following link to registerhttps://home.color.com/vaccine/register/watertown/startFlow?calendar=2c664615-356c-49c3-a12d-4afb4ecbdafc&site=watertown-senior-center

Tuesday Oct. 14, 2025 4 – 6 p.m.

Please use the following link to registerhttps://home.color.com/vaccine/register/watertown?calendar=91f6ec7d-f825-4c7d-b48c-dca397d45e43&site=watertown-senior-center

Contact 617-972-6446

– Please bring your ID and health insurance card(s) to the clinic.

Weather Forecast: Bright Warm Weekend, Fall Days on the Horizon

Unsettled weather lingers Friday with a few early showers, then a long stretch of much improved conditions takes over. The weekend is bright and comfortable, with highs in the 70s and crisp, clear nights. Early next week turns even warmer, with several days near 80°F under mostly sunny skies. By midweek, a northeast breeze brings a cooler, more autumn-like feel to close out the period. Friday, September 26 – Clouds, a few showers

Lingering showers possible in the morning, then partial clearing with warm and muggy conditions. • High: 78–80°F | Low: 59–61°F | Wind: W 7–9 mph • Sky: Partly sunny, chance of AM showers • Chance of rain: 30% early → 10% afternoon • Dew point: 58–62°F

Saturday, September 27 – Bright and comfortable

Mostly sunny with seasonable warmth and light winds, a pleasant start to the weekend. • High: 76–78°F | Low: 59–61°F | Wind: NW light → E 5–7 mph • Sky: Mostly sunny • Chance of rain: 0% • Dew point: 54–58°F

Sunday, September 28 – Mild, partly sunny

A mix of sun and clouds, warm for late September.

Watertown Hires New Veterans Services Officer, Who Will Also Serve as the ADA Coordinator

Watertown hired a new Veterans Services Officer, who is a Navy and Army National Guard veteran with experience in frontline medical care, and most recently worked in the Massachusetts Executive Office of Veterans Services. See the announcement from the City of Watertown, below. The City of Watertown is excited to introduce Jerome (Jay) Terminiello as the City’s Veterans Services Officer (VSO) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Coordinator. Jay joins the City having served 6 years with the Navy, and 3 years with the Army National Guard. During his time with the Navy, Jay delivered frontline medical care to Marines and Sailors, as well as facilitated access to physical and mental health resources to those serving.

Watertown Library Hosting Teen For Freedom Sign Making

The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Library:

Inspired by the artist-led organization For Freedoms, the Watertown Free Public Library Teen Department is helping to ensure that the voices of Watertown teens are heard this coming local election season. Beginning September 20, young people ages 13-17 are invited to the Library to create signs that express what issues are most important them, as teens living in Watertown. The signs will be installed on the front lawn of the Library in mid-October. Inspired by President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “Four Freedoms” — freedom of speech, freedom to worship, freedom from want, freedom from fear — the For Freedoms project is designed to encourage teens to think deeply about what values are important to them. Each sign represents one young person’s viewpoint.

Watertown Filmmaker’s Documentary Following Women in Recovery Airing on PBS

The following announcement was provided by PBS World:

Watertown filmmaker Lisa Olivieri is thrilled to announce that Recovery City will have its National Broadcast Premiere on PBS WORLD Channel on Sept. 29th at 8 p.m. Filmed over the course of four years in Worcester, Massachusetts, Recovery City is a raw exploration of what it means to be in recovery as seen through the eyes of four women whose lives share a common thread: addiction. An unflinching look at addiction and recovery as seen through the eyes of four women. Christine fights to regain custody of her children. Janis and Rebecca navigate the city’s toughest corners trying to save lives, while Bridget’s daily meetings uplift those still struggling. Recovery City highlights the resilience and camaraderie of a community rallying around the belief that recovery is possible.

Walk N Talk Visits Spots on Arsenal Street That Have Undergone Major Changes, Ends With Eats at Restaurant

Arsenal Park is one of the stops in the September Walk N Talk

The October Watertown Business Coalition Walk N Talk, in conjunction with Live Well Watertown, will visit two areas of town that have undergone major changes in the past several years: Arsenal Park and the Arsenal on the Charles. 

We will meet at the Mosesian Center for the Arts, then visit the historical markers in the Arsenal on the Charles complex. Then we will see the recently renovated Arsenal Park and end at Branch Line restaurant for some small bites. Parking is available in the parking garage near the Mosesian Center/Branch Line. Click here to register. The Walk N Talk, co-sponsored with Live Well Watertown, provides an opportunity to engage with fellow community members, support local Watertown businesses and participate in physical activity.