Discovery Museum To Host “Bessie’s Closet,” a Free Pop-up Clothing Shop, November 1 – 3
ACTON, MA – Discovery Museum will host a free-of-charge pop-up clothing shop, called “Bessie’s Closet,” November 1 through 3, 2024. Donations are being collected through October 27 in the Museum’s lobby.
Bessie’s Closet is open to all. Organized in partnership with the Acton-Boxborough United Way and supported by donations from the community, Bessie’s Closet offers new or gently-used clothing and shoes for both children and adults. Anyone who may benefit is welcome to visit Bessie’s Closet. All items will be available free of charge.
Bessie’s Closet will be open to all on Friday, November 1, 3:30pm – 7:30pm and Saturday and Sunday, November 2 and 3, 10:00am – 3:00pm. Museum admission is not required to shop.
Bessie’s Closet began as a staff-led initiative in 2022. Since then more than 6,000 pounds of clothing have been distributed.
Jimmy Buffet’s Escape to Margaritaville
Sat, Nov 2 – Opening Night!
Theater III, 250 Central St., West Acton
This musical comedy features the most-loved Jimmy
Buffett classics including “Cheeseburger in Paradise”, “Margaritaville”, “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere”, and many more. This hilarious, heartwarming musical is the party you’ve been waiting for! Shows are: Nov 2, 8, 9, 15, and 16 at 8pm. Nov 3 and 10 at 2pm. For tickets and more info go here.
Dress for Margaritaville and win prizes!
Calling all Parrotheads and anyone who loves to dress for the tropics! At our shows on Sat, Nov 2 and Fri, Nov 8, audience members can win tickets to a future
Theatre III show by dressing for Margaritaville, using our selfie spot, and tagging us in the photo on Facebook or Instagram within 24 hours!
Financial Literacy for HS Students
Wednesdays, 5:30 – 6:30 PM from now until Dec 11.
Cost: FREE
This course offered by Northern Bank and Danny’s Place teaches students crucial money management skills, including budgeting, saving, and using credit responsibly. Grades: 9-12
Meets: Wednesdays, 5:30 – 6:30 PM from now until Dec 11. Cost: FREE
Sign Up: https://www.hisawyer.com/dannys-place/schedules/activity-set/963253
Build your financial future. Register today!
Check out the other great opportunities at Danny’s Place.
Pumpkin Smash
Wednesday, November 6 – 12 – 2pm
Acton Transfer Station, 14 Forest Road entrance (no sticker required)
The Sustainability Office and Sustainability Staff Subcommittee, in collaboration with the Department of Public Works, are hosting a Pumpkin Smash event on Wednesday, November 6th, from 12 to 2pm at the Transfer Station! This event encourages community members to bring leftover pumpkins and smash them to bits—a fun way to turn waste into compost and help reduce methane emissions! There will be snacks, activities, and community resources!
The event is free for all community members and Transfer Station stickers are not required, just use the 14 Forest Rd. entrance. Stop by and smash some pumpkins or just enjoy the event! If you would like to volunteer or host an outreach table for an initiative in your organization, email sustainability@actonma.gov or visit actonma.gov/sustainability for more information.
Please help us spread
Astronomy in the Park
November 6, 2024 – 6:00-9:00 pm (Weather date: November 8)
Amateur Telescope Makers of Boston will be on the fields of NARA with some incredible telescopes for a family star party. The moon will be at its first quarter phase and Jupiter will be rising in the early evening skies with Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune already up for viewing! Click HERE to register.
Co-sponsored by AB STEAM and Acton Conservation Trust. For more information or questions, please contact Jody Harris at jharris.actonconservationtrust@gmail.com.
Plant-Based Harvest Gathering
Sponsored by EnergizeActon.org
Sat., November 9th, noon-2pm
Address sent upon registration.
Are you trying to incorporate more plant-based meals into your diet? Please join EnergizeActon.org for this informal “tailgate” potluck, with an emphasis on vegetarian/vegan appetizers. Instead of coming together for a sporting event, we are coming together to celebrate our plant world, share recipes, and affirm the importance of plant-based meals for our health and for our environment. This is being hosted at a private home in Acton. The address will be sent when you register. Drop by for delicious food and great conversation! Info/registration HERE.
The Acton Food Pantry
Ongoing – Volunteers Needed!
Current needs include:
- Adults who have flexibility to volunteer for day time shifts, particularly on Wednesday.
- People who might be interested in helping with the Saturday morning pickups at Stop & Shop or Trader Joe’s.
- Fluent Portuguese speakers to help us better serve our large Brazilian client population.
Although these are specific needs, we welcome any interested potential volunteer as we always need a large roster of potential subs and have a variety of opportunities. If you know of anyone who might be interested in volunteering, please have them complete a preliminary application (link on the Pantry website here or email Cathy at Cathy@actonfoodpantry.org.
The Acton Food Pantry has been providing food for residents in need in Acton, Boxborough and surrounding towns since 1984. They typically serve 350 families per week and rely heavily on volunteers
Fall Used Book Sale
Fri, Nov 1 – 3
Sargent Memorial Library, 427 Mass Ave. Boxborough
Due to popular demand, the Friends of the Boxborough Library used book sale will continue as a three day event. The weekend will start with a Preview Sale for members on Friday, Nov 1 from 5 to 7 p.m. (Memberships will be available at the door). The main public sale will take place on Saturday, Nov 2 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Everything Must Go sale will be held on Sunday Nov 3 from 2 to 4 p.m. Standard size bags will be provided; pay $3 to fill each bag however you like. Proceeds will go toward additional library programs and museum passes.
Please support this sale by donating your gently used hard covers, paperbacks, and audiovisual items and attending this sale. Books will be accepted from Monday Oct 28 – Thursday Oct 31 at the library during regular library hours. Please do not donate VCR tapes, magazines, or any material in really poor condition.
Encore Dance Ensemble Concert Celebrates Women Over 40
Performances are Saturday, November 2 at 8:00 PM and Sunday, November 3 at 7:00 PM.
Dance Complex in Cambridge
Encore Dance Ensemble, a company of women ages 40+ founded in Acton presents “Undercurrents” at the Dance Complex in Cambridge. The evening-length program presents modern, jazz, and improvisational choreography exploring love, loss, nature, memories, and the powerful ways relationships sustain us. Encore members draw on their life experience as inspiration for their work. They share a passion for the art of dance and the fulfillment that comes with building community through outreach and performance.
Performances are Saturday, November 2 at 8:00 PM and Sunday, November 3 at 7:00 PM.
Tickets are $30, general admission. To buy tickets, visit www.dancecomplex.org/events.
For more information about Encore, visit www.encoredanceensemble.com
The Dance Complex is located at 536 Mass Ave in Central Square, Cambridge. The theater is
located on the second floor. The building does not have an elevator, but a motorized lift is
available.
Election Day
Tuesday, November 5
7 am to 8 pm
RJ Grey Jr High School, 16 Charter Road
If you did not vote by mail or early in-person, you can go to the polls on election day, November 5. To find your precinct, information about the ballot questions, sample ballots, and more, go to the Town of Acton Elections & Voting page.
Eco Friendly Floral Design
with Maureen Christmas, AIFD, CFD, EMC, Owner of Floral Notes
Nov 5 – 10:30 am
Acton Town Hall
Open to the Public
Maureen Christmas, avid gardener and Acton Garden Club member, will demonstrate design techniques that are beautiful and easy on the environment. Maureen has been the recipient of numerous awards for both design and interpretation in flower shows and has been published in various publications, including the cover of the NGC Vision of Beauty Calendar. She also received the Wedding Wire Couples Choice Award for many years, based on reviews from couples for her extraordinary work.Maureen is a certified floral designer, a member of the American Institute of Floral Designers, holds a European Masters certificate, and is a Master level National Garden Club Flower Show Judge. She has a discerning eye for floral design. Come see what she can do while keeping with sustainability in mind.
For more info, see the Acton Garden Club site
Hidden History of Black Boston
(From Acton 250 Committee)
Wednesday, November 6, 6:00 pm
Acton Memorial Library, 486 Main St., Acton.
Discover Boston’s rich 400-year African American history with Joel Mackall. Many vibrant Black communities flourished in Boston stretching back to early colonial times.
Presented by Acton 250 Committee.
More information at the website.
Community Service Day at Trail Through Time
(From The Friends of Pine Hawk)
Sunday, November 10, 1-3 p.m.
In person. Limited to 25, ages 13 and up.
Event is free, but registration is required at tinyurl.com/pinehawk-2024
Assist with trail and site maintenance on the Nashoba Brook Conservation Land’s Trail Through Time, a multicultural heritage trail in North Acton. The focus of this annual effort will be trail and site maintenance as well as cleaning trail kiosks. Rain date is Sunday, November 17.
Presented by The Friends of Pine Hawk.
Questions? Email Friends of Pine Hawk.
NAMI Mental Health Course, in Person in Boxborough
(From National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Central Middlesex)
Mondays, November 11 to January 13 6:30 – 9:30 pm (excluding holiday weeks)
Boxborough
Family to Family is a free, evidence-based, eight-session, weekly course from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) for those who love someone living with a mental health condition. Topics include understanding the symptoms of mental health conditions, learning about treatments & therapies, practicing communication & problem-solving skills, creating a positive team approach, and self-care. Importantly, the course offers family members the invaluable opportunity of open conversation and mutual support in a stigma-free environment.
The course will meet in person in Boxborough Mondays, November 11 to January 13, excluding holiday weeks, 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm. Additional information and registration: namicentralmiddlesex.org/newsletter/family-to-family-fall2024-boxborough.
WR Grace Superfund Site Open House
Tuesday, November 12, evening, more information to come.
Acton Town Hall.
EPA, along with MassDEP and W.R. Grace, will be holding an Open House for the WR Grace Superfund Site on the evening of Tuesday November 12th at Acton Town Hall, Acton, MA. More information to come.
“One for the Revolutionary Road: Taverns and the American Revolution”
(From Acton 250 Committee)
Tuesday, November 12, 7:00 pm
Acton Memorial Library, 486 Main St., Acton.
Malcolm Purinton will show there were few places more important in Colonial and Revolutionary America than local taverns. Taverns were the gathering spot to discuss the news and politics of the day.
Presented by Acton 250 Committee.
More information at the website.
Citizens’ Library Governance Public Forum
Acton Town Hall, Room 204
Wednesday, November 13 at 7:00 PM
We would like your feedback!
The Citizens’ Library Governance Advisory Committee was created at the beginning of the year to help resolve certain structural issues in the way the Citizens’ Library Trustees govern within the Acton library system. The goal is to enhance the library patron and staff experience and maintain a close and collaborative relationship between the two Acton libraries.
Learn about the committee’s work and the recommendation that will be brought to the Select Board before the end of the year, and share your thoughts, concerns and questions.
If you are unable to attend in person, please send questions and feedback to the committee at clgac@actonma.gov.
Popular Music and Veterans program at Acton Senior Center
(From Jon Waterman)
Acton Senior Center
Thursday, November 14 – 1 pm
On Thursday, November 14, Jon and Li Waterman will perform “Popular Music and Veterans” at the Acton Senior Center on 30 Sudbury Rd. Rear in Acton at 1:00pm. The program consists of original and traditional songs about the history of veterans in America and some related music history.
Jon and Li have performed their music and history programs in venues throughout New England as part of a series called Live Music Making History Live. The series was designed to encourage the celebration and exploration of history through music. Jon and Li perform regularly as the duo Sultana. Jon is a lifetime musician and songwriter and licensed history teacher in MA. Li is also a lifetime musician and a visual artist.
Acton Arboretum Walk
(From The Friends of Pine Hawk)
Saturday, November 16, 9:30-11:00 am
Acton Arboretum, 2 Taylor Rd., Acton. Limited to 12, adults only.
Event is free, but registration is required at tinyurl.com/pinehawk-2024
Join Friends of the Nashobah Indians members Kevin Gallant and Bettina Abe for a walk through the Acton Arboretum to observe what may be Native American Ceremonial Stone Landscapes (CSLs). Many cultural structures have been destroyed by development but some may still exist. The walk will be on and off the trail over uneven ground.
Presented by The Friends of Pine Hawk.
Jewish Book Month with Joan Leegant
Sunday, November 17, 2024
7:00 PM – 9:00 p.m.
Congregation Beth Elohim
With the Sisterhood, Adult Ed will host author Joan Leegant for the Jewish Book month Author event. The book is called Displaced Persons, and it was selected by Hadassah as its “One Book, One Hadassah” choice for August.
To RSVP https://www.bethelohim.org/event/jewish-book-month-with-joan-legant.html
You can get your books from the Congregation Beth Elohim office. Please make checks out to the CBE Adult Education Fund. Cost is $18.
Acton-Boxborough United Way’s Casino Royale Fundraiser
Saturday evening, November 16
Wedgewood Pines Country Club, Stow
Casino Royale, the biggest fundraiser of the year for the Acton-Boxborough United Way (ABUW), will be held on Saturday evening on November 16 at the beautiful Wedgewood Pines Country Club, Stow.
Last year’s Casino Royale fundraiser and silent auction raised over $40,000, which helped to underwrite the vital community support A-B United Way and its grantees provide to residents throughout the A/B community. Organizers anticipate this year’s event will be even bigger and better. For more information and tickets, go to abuw.org/casino.
Business leaders: ABUW’s Casino Royale is a great way to spotlight area businesses while making a meaningful contribution to people in our community who need it most. For more information, Contact ABUW Executive Director Katie Neville at 978-254-2806 or abuw.org/sponsor.
“Does Parenting Have to Be This Hard? What Can Babies Teach Us”
(from Discovery Museum)
Tuesday, November 19
7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. EST
Live, via Zoom webinar
“Does Parenting Have to Be This Hard? What Can Babies Teach Us,” a free Discovery Museum 2024 Speaker Series event: Dr. J. Kevin Nugent, Founder and Director Emeritus of the Brazelton Institute in the Division of Developmental Medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital
Free with advance registration, which is required, at http://bit.ly/DMSpeakerSeries.
Community Documentary Viewing- Who We Are, a Chronicle of Racism in America
Tuesday, November 19, 2024
6:00-9:30 p.m.
Maynard Fine Arts Theatre, 19 Summer St., Maynard, MA
The Town of Acton in collaboration with Community Teamwork, Inc. and other local community organizations are hosting a Community Documentary screening of Who We Are, a Chronicle of Racism in America, at Maynard Fine Arts Theatre, 19 Summer St., Maynard, MA. Facilitated discussion to follow the screening. Co-sponsored by several organizations, including Saint Matthews Methodist Church, Indivisible Acton, Out Metrowest, Congregation Beth Elohim, and UCC Boxborough. Register at link.
A Day in the Life of a Local Archaeologist
(From The Friends of Pine Hawk)
Wednesday, November 20, 7:00 pm
In person at the Acton Memorial Library, 486 Main St., Acton and via Zoom.
Event is free, but registration is required at tinyurl.com/pinehawk-2024
David Gutbrod, professional archaeologist and chair of Westford’s Historical Commission, conducted research in North Acton, the first application of Acton’s new Archaeological Protection bylaw. He will share significant highlights from the Acton project as well as remote sensing projects conducted in Tampa Bay’s lost cemetery and the hidden remains of Ethel, Florida.
Presented by The Friends of Pine Hawk.
Questions? Email Friends of Pine Hawk.
Sip ‘n’ Shop – Pink Friday
Friday, November 22
10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Location: West Acton
Details: Multiple Small Businesses in West Acton participating!! HOME, Wish, Silver Unicorn, E. Drumm Designs, Smudge Ink, Bees Knees, Eve and Murray’s.
Pink Friday is the Friday BEFORE Black Friday, and the idea is to get people to #shopsmallfirst. Before shopping at all the big retailers, don’t forget your small local retailers for your holiday shopping!
Special Town Meeting – Purchase of 19 and 35 Wetherbee Street
Monday, November 25, 2024
More details to come in future issues of the Acton Exchange.
This purchase of 19 and 35 Wetherbee Street has been the topic of Select Board Executive Session discussions for several years. According to Town Manager Mangiaratti, state grant funding is now available, but to use it, a Special Town Meeting vote must be taken before the end of this calendar year. See related article about land grant in today’s issue of the Acton Exchange.
Native Americans and the Revolution: The Times are Exceedingly Altered
(From The Friends of Pine Hawk)
Thursday, December 5, 7:00-8:30 pm
In person at the Acton Town Hall, Room 204, 472 Main St., Acton and via Zoom.
Event is free, but registration is required at tinyurl.com/pinehawk-2024
At the end of the 1780s, a group of Mohegans bemoaned that “[t]he times are exceedingly altered, yea the Times have turned everything topside down.” That was true for indigenous peoples in southern New England who survived the devastations of King Philip’s War a century earlier, as well as those between the Appalachians and the Great Lakes who were subject to a half-century of displacement and wars between European powers. Daniel Mandell, Professor of History Emeritus, Truman State University, and author of Tribe, Race, History: Native Americans in Southern New England, 1780-1880, will present information on how thousands of Native people were involved in and impacted by the Revolution, and how they sought to secure their rights in different ways.
Presented by The Friends of Pine Hawk. Funded by Freedom’s Way and cosponsored with Acton 250.
Questions? Email Friends of Pine Hawk.