WEEKEND FUN: Art Inspired by Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Children’s Play, Creative Coffee Hour, Ethiopian Food

I have a diverse group of entertainments for you this weekend, with an emphasis on international culture, and including with a restaurant recommendation. Have you heard that a wonderful Ethiopian restaurant opened in Watertown Square last year? Start out your Friday exploring that delicious cuisine at Lalibela on Spring Street. On Saturday evening there is a music performance at Restaurant Chulo with Nepali singer Ram Krishna Dakhal. Sunday there is a play at the Mosesian called “The Miraculous Journey of Edward the Rabbit.”

WEEKEND FUN: Guitarist Performs, Inauguration, Tour of Mt. Auburn Cemetery, New Movie

It is the first weekend of the new year; many of us may be thinking about simply relaxing at home, reading a book, doing a puzzle or catching up on our laundry. But there are some events of note that could get you to put on your coat and step outside. On Friday evening, there is an inauguration party for all our newly elected town representatives. Let’s go celebrate with them! Saturday afternoon, you could go stretch your legs at Mount Auburn Cemetery’s introductory tour. Even if you have walked there before, the tour can be informative.

WEEKEND FUN: Watercolors, Craft Drop In, SOLSTICE & Ceramics Demonstration

The New England Watercolor Society’s show at The Mosesian Center for the Arts includes “Boatyard at Sunset” by Rick Osann. Let’s make this a weekend dedicated to arts and crafts! A few days ago I went to the reception of the watercolor show at the Mosesian, and it is truly worth a visit. The art has been collected from around New England and it’s fantastic. On Friday evening there is an LGBTQ+ drop in at the Hatch Maker Space.

See and Hear Highlights of SOLSTICE Light & Audio Show at Mount Auburn Cemetery

A new light show is featured on Bigelow Chapel for SOLSTICE in 2025. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

SOLSTICE returns to Mount Auburn Cemetery beginning Friday, Dec. 5 with some new features and a different theme in 2025. Watertown News got an early peak at SOLSTICE during Wednesday’s Friends and Family night, while Matt Hanna, host of Little Local Conversations, spoke with two of the people behind SOLSTICE 2025. Trees at Mount Auburn Cemetery alight along the lantern-lit pathway during SOLSTICE.

Mount Auburn Cemetery Invites Community to Celebrate Opening of New Gates on Grove Street

Mount Auburn Cemetery will celebrate the opening of new pedestrian gates on Grove Street. Last year gates opened on Mt. Auburn Street. The following announcement was provided by Mount Auburn Cemetery:

Mount Auburn Cemetery will celebrate the opening of two new walk-in entrances along Grove Street in Watertown, marking the next phase of an ongoing effort to make the nation’s first rural  cemetery more welcoming and accessible to the public, including nearby Watertown and Cambridge communities. Following last year’s milestone installation of Mount Auburn’s first pedestrian entrances in its nearly 200-year history along Mount Auburn Street—opposite Belmont Street, Aberdeen Avenue, Brattle Street, and Coolidge Avenue—the Cemetery now features seven total pedestrian entrances for visitors to experience its historic 175-acre landscape.

SOLSTICE Returns to Mount Auburn Cemetery with New Light and Sound Installations for 2025

The chapel at Mount Auburn Cemetery was lit up for Solstice 2024. Tickets are on sale now for the 2025 edition. (Photo by Aram Boghosian)

The following announcement was provided by Mount Auburn Cemetery:

Mount Auburn Cemetery will host the fifth annual Solstice: Reflections on Winter Light from December 5–21, 2025, presented by the Friends of Mount Auburn Cemetery and created by Boston-based artist collective MASARY Studios. The outdoor evening event has become one of Greater Boston’s most distinctive seasonal experiences, featuring immersive, large-scale light and sound artworks that transform Mount Auburn’s historic landscape into a living canvas of reflection and renewal. Now in its fifth year, Solstice continues to evolve as a world-class gathering for meaning—distinct from traditional holiday events—where large-scale contemporary artworks, including four new installations for 2025, invite reflection, connection, and renewal within one of Boston’s most historic landscapes.

Take a Walk Through Mt. Auburn Cemetery With in the October WBC Walk N Talk

The final Watertown Business Coalition Walk N Talk of 2025 will take place in the Mount Auburn Cemetery. Check out the fall foliage in the historic cemetery. The walk will take place on Thursday, Oct. 23 at 1 p.m. Arrive via the Mount Auburn Street Entrance (580 Mount Auburn Street, Cambridge). Parking is on any road without a Green line painted on it, but there are also signs that point people towards visitor parking. 

Meeting spot: Asa Gray Garden, the ornamental garden area just inside the M.A.C. Entrance. 

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. Whether you’re looking to relax, network, or enjoy the outdoors, these walks offer a perfect blend of recreation and community engagement.

WEEKEND FUN: Armenian Bazaar, Zine Fest, Comedy, Deep Listening Experience, Audio-Visual Exhibit

Mount Auburn Cemetery’s Artist-in-Residence Lia Pikus

This weekend’s fun starts on Friday with the St. James Armenian Church’s 78th annual bazaar. Go grab some shish, losh or chicken kabobs while your kids get face painted and you pick up your raffle winnings. On Saturday starting at 11 the library is putting on their impressive Zine Fest. You can participate as a writer, reader or just if you are zine curious.