Scarecrow Contest & Jack O’ Lanterns
(From NAMI of Central Middlesex)
Vote for your favorite at the “Stand Up to Stigma” Scarecrow Contest at Cucurbit Farm at 32 Parker St. in Acton. Proceeds benefit the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Central Middlesex. The scarecrows will be on display for the month of October. There is still time to build your scarecrow creation or plan to enter a carved Jack O’ Lantern in the Glow By event on the weekend before Halloween. There’s a corn maze too! Our goal is 100 scarecrows along the fence and many conversations about mental health! Additional info at https://www.namicentralmiddlesex.org/newsletter/scarecrow-contest2024vote.
Elementary Budget Community Survey
(From Superintendent of Schools Peter Light)
We are inviting Acton and Boxborough community members to provide us with important feedback. Our district is partnering with New Solutions K12 to review the elementary school budgets and identify opportunities to balance the needs of our students, staff, and taxpayers. This study is a comprehensive review. Part of this review includes a public process to engage community stakeholders in developing recommendations to the school committee. This includes a public survey that will be used to collect community input on the elementary school experience and better understand both the strengths and challenges. This survey will be anonymous and I encourage you to fill it out honestly and with as much detail as you’d like.
The survey will be available until Friday, October 11, 2024. Thank you for taking the time to help ensure the best experience for students, staff, and the community.
You can access the survey at https://tejoin.com/scroll/271779644.
Thrifty Thursdays
(From West Acton Baptist Church)
Thursdays, 3:00-6:00 pm
West Acton Baptist Church Coatroom, 592 Massachusetts Ave., Acton.
Entrance next to Mini Food Pantry.
Pop-up thrift shop featuring vintage clothing and accessories. New items added weekly.
Presented by West Acton Baptist Church.
Questions? Email West Acton Baptist Church
AB Farmers Market
(From AB Farmers Market)
Sundays through October 13, 10:00 am-1:00 pm
Elm Street Playground, Acton.
Stock up on local produce and artisanal goods while you enjoy music, artisan offerings, our community table, friends and neighbors. Free yoga classes. SNAP match for EBT cardholders.
Latest updates available at https://abfarmersmarket.org/
Pay and Play Like it’s 1982 at the Discovery Museum
(From Discovery Museum)
October 1-6, 9:00 am-4:30 pm
Discovery Museum, 177 Main St., Acton.
Advance reservations are recommended through the website.
Discovery Museum is a hands-on museum for families that blends science, nature and play. In recognition of the Museum’s founding in October 1982 and to thank its community for more than four decades of support, the cost of admission will be $2.50 per person during “Pay and Play Like it’s 1982.” Existing discount programs that offer deeper discounts will be honored and include EBT, WIC, ConnectorCare, active-duty military families, teachers, and children under 1.
More information at the website.
Iron Work Farm Open Tap Room Fundraiser
(From Iron Work Farm)
Saturday, October 5, 4:00-8:00 pm
Faulkner Homestead, 5 High Street, Acton.
Tickets are $50.00 and include 3 drink/food tickets. Kids are free.
Family-friendly event. Enjoy lawn games and live music by Babylon, dig into a tasty beef stew, apple crisp, or burrito, take a “colonial” selfie at the photo booth, roast popcorn or marshmallows on our fire pits. Enjoy Acton 250 Committee’s Isaac Davis Brown Ale by Dirigible Brewing.
Presented by Iron Work Farm.
Purchase tickets and get more information at Iron Work Farm website.
Maynard Porchfest
(From Maynard Porchfest)
Sunday, October 6, 12:00-5:00 pm.
Multiple porches throughout Maynard.
Free and open to the public.
Maynard Porchfest is a community gathering of friends and neighbors sharing music and art with the community. Porches throughout town are set up as stages where the community can visit and mingle as they choose. Performances at:
12 Durant Avenue
53 Thompson Street
174 Great Road
100 Acton Street
11 Field Street
86 Powdermill Road
35 Thompson Street
27 O’Moore Avenue
14 Chandler Street
78 Concord Street
7 Lincoln Street
82 Main Street
Produced by Elizabeth Barren. Sponsored by Sanctuary.
You can find a map of Porchfest venues at Maynard Porchfest locations.
More information at Maynard Porchfest.
Open House at Jonathan Hosmer House
(From Acton 250 Committee)
Sunday, October 6, 2:00-5:00 pm
Jonathan Hosmer House, 300 Main Street, Acton.
The Hosmers were an early Acton family, serving the town from its beginning. Jonathan Hosmer (1712-1775) was a selectman and town clerk for many years as well as one of the first deacons of Acton’s church. Jonathan Hosmer (1734-1822), like his father, was a brick mason and farmer. Jonathan married Submit Hunt (1737-1812) in 1760 and built the Hosmer House. Though records are not perfect for the time period, it appears that Jonathan and several of his brothers did military service during the Revolutionary War. His younger brother Abner was killed at the North Bridge in Concord, April 19, 1775. In addition to other roles in Acton, Jonathan served on the town’s Committee of Correspondence in 1777 and a committee to provide for soldiers’ families in 1779 and 1780. Seven children were born to Jonathan and Submit Hosmer. Their eldest Jonathan died in service in Bennington in 1777.
Presented by Acton Historical Society and Acton 250 Committee.
More information at https://www.actonhistoricalsociety.org and https://www.actonma.gov/250
Acton Exchange All-Hands Meeting
(From the Acton Exchange Editorial Team)
Wednesday, Oct 9, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Hybrid: in person at ActonTV (front door) at 16a Craig Road, Acton, OR on zoom at this link. (Meeting ID: 864 3164 4688, Passcode: newspaper).
Want to meet the Acton Exchange team, or volunteer to work on Acton’s local news source? Team members gather on the 2nd Wednesday of each month. Meetings begin with brief updates from Editorial Team, Tech Teams, and Board of Directors. Then we work on some topic related to writing or editing; at the October meeting, we plan to look at and provide input on the under-development calendar feature.
Questions? please write to info@actonexchange.org.
[item added Oct 8, 2024]
Archaeological Discoveries in New England
(From The Friends of Pine Hawk)
Wednesday, October 9, 7-8:30 p.m.
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
Peabody Aaward winning Smithsonian filmmaker Ted Timreck shares documentary footage from two little known discoveries that show the potential of what might be found anywhere in the New England countryside.
Presented by The Friends of Pine Hawk.
Questions? Email The Friends of Pine Hawk.
Acton Center Walking Tour
(from Acton 250 Committee)
Friday, October 11, 12:50-2:30 pm
Acton Memorial Library, 486 Main St., Acton
Event is free but registration is required at this website.
Professional tour leader Amy Cole grew up near Acton Center and has a wide-ranging interest in Acton’s unique history. Walking Acton’s historic civic center, you will learn about the people, places and practices that shaped the town’s history and our nation’s as well. Topics include Native American history, the role of the church, the importance of Captain Isaac Davis and the Acton Minutemen, nearby historic buildings, memorials and more.
Presented by Acton 250 Committee.
More information at the website.
Acton Raas Garba & India Mela
Saturday, October 12, 5:00-11:00 pm
McCarthy-Towne Elementary School, Parker Damon Building, 11 Charter Road, Acton.
Tickets: Kids ages 5-10 years $5; Adults $15. Limited spots available.
Immerse yourself in the vibrant rhythms and colorful traditions of Garba music and dancing, a joyous Indian dance form. Event highlights include live Garba music, Indian fashion clothing/accessories, artifacts and jewelry shopping, Mehndi and face painting, and delicious Indian food. Prizes will be awarded for best dressed and best dancer. The funds raised on this occasion will be used for the Autistic Foundation Center, Boston.
Tickets at this website and this website.
Questions? Contact 774-330-9872.
Protecting What Matters: Estate Planning for Parents of Tweens and Teens
(From Danny’s Place)
Tuesday, October 15, 7:00 pm
Danny’s Place, 543 Massachusetts Ave., Acton.
Event is free. Register here.
David Feakes will lead this insightful workshop and equip you with essential strategies to ensure your children are cared for by the people you choose. Get answers to your questions and gain the confidence to secure your family’s future.
Presented by Danny’s Place and The Parents Estate Planning Law Firm, PC
Information at the website.
Ancient Winters at the Flagg Swamp Rockshelter
(From Friends of Pine Hawk)
Tuesday, October 15, 7-8:30 p.m.
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
Eric Johnson of UMass-Amherst provides a retrospective on the excavation of this remarkable 4,000-year-old site in Marlborough, Massachusetts.
Presented by The Friends of Pine Hawk.
Questions? Email Friends of Pine Hawk.
Friends of the Acton Libraries Used Book Sale
(From Friends of the Acton Libraries)
Preview sale for members Friday, October 18, 7:00-9:00 pm
Sale day for everyone Saturday, October 19, 9:00 am-4:00 pm
Half price day for everyone Sunday, October 20, 1:00-4:00 pm
Acton Memorial Library, 486 Main St., Acton.
The Friends have been collecting and sorting books since the last sale. Now is your chance to come to stock up on good books in good condition to cozy up with this autumn. Cash and credit cards are accepted at the sale. If you aren’t yet a member, you can join on Friday night or at the Friends website. The Friends of the Acton Libraries is a 100% volunteer organization that has a unique remit; they donate funds to Acton’s 8 elementary, middle-school and high-school libraries, as well as the 2 town libraries. The book sales and other activities raise money to distribute to these 10 entities. The funds given to the elementary school libraries represent almost 50% of their book buying budget.
For more information, email the Friends.
Open House with Free Yoga Classes
Saturday, October 19
Alchemy Yoga, 138 Main St. Acton.
Pre-registration is not required.
Come celebrate 11 years of the yoga community at Alchemy Yoga. All attendees receive a raffle ticket. Raffle prizes include 5-class passes and private yoga sessions with one of our seasoned teachers. Drawing will take place at 12:45 pm on 10/19. Winners need not be present to win.
Classes are 60 minutes.
Class schedule:
9:00 am with Rawley
10:15 am with Justina
11:30 am with Janine (this class is suitable for beginners)
Information at the website.
Adult Archaeology Walk
(From The Friends of Pine Hawk)
Saturday, October 19, 10 a.m. to noon
In-person only. Limited to 20, ages 17 and up.
Event is free, but registration is required at tinyurl.com/pinehawk-2024
Bettina Abe, Acton trail volunteer and retired member of Acton’s Conservation division, will lead a brisk hike along the Nashoba Brook Trail, with stops at the stone chamber and Native American ceremonial sites. Trail conditions can be rocky, uneven, and often wet, and thus participation is limited. Registrants will receive a detailed email several days before the walk.
Presented by The Friends of Pine Hawk.
Questions? Email Friends of Pine Hawk
Acton Conservation Trust Fall Community Service Day
Sunday, October 20, 1:00-3:00 pm (Rain date: Sunday, October 27.)
176 Central Street Conservation Restriction, Mount Hope Cemetery, 166 Central St., Acton
Register here.
Acton Conservation Trust (ACT) will be working in one of the conservation restrictions held by ACT. Family groups, scout groups, students and everyone else are welcome. No experience needed; you will be shown what needs to be done.
Presented by Acton Conservation Trust.
Information at the website.
Burying the Trowel: A History of Controversy and Innovation in New England’s Cultural Stone Features Debate
(From The Friends of Pine Hawk)
Tuesday, October 22, 7-8:30 p.m.
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
Unusual stone features dot the woodlands and hillsides of New England and their provenance has been subject to many theories and debate. Cultural anthropologist Caitlin O’Riordan will give an overview of the changing way these features have been understood over time and the friction this has caused between avocational researchers and professional archaeologists.
Presented by The Friends of Pine Hawk.
Questions? Email Friends of Pine Hawk.
Acton’s and Concord’s Roads to Revolution
(From Acton 250 Committee)
Wednesday, October 23, 7:00-8:30 pm
Acton Town Hall, Room 204, 472 Main St., Acton.
Robert Gross, renowned author of The Minutemen and their World, will share the unique conflicts and changes Acton and Concord citizens experienced in their economic and social lives that led up to the dramatic events of 250 years ago.
Presented by Acton 250 Committee.
More information at the website.
Apple Pie Baking Contest
(From Friends of Acton Libraries)
Pies to be delivered on Saturday, October 26 by 2:00 pm.
Limited to 20 entrants. Contestants should pre-register online here.
Prize ceremony on Sunday, October 27, 2:00 pm.
Open to the public to enjoy pies with cheese, cider and more.
Acton Memorial Library, 486 Main St., Acton.
Bakers of all ages are invited to submit an apple pie. Prizes will be awarded for the winner of best under-15 baker and best adult baker. So that the judges can compare apples to apples (so to speak) there are a few guidelines: Pies are to be homemade including crust. Filling is to be just apples and spices (no other fruits). Your recipe should be submitted, including the type of apple(s) used. Pies should be in a 9-inch pie plate/pan. Non-edible materials/decoration are not permitted. Judging will be conducted by library staff, last year’s competition winners, and a volunteer from the Acton Woman’s Club.
Sponsored by the Friends of the Acton Memorial Library.
Questions? Contact Friends of Acton Libraries.
Acton-Boxborough Family Network Spooktacular Halloween Party
(From Acton-Boxborough Family Network)
Saturday, October 26, 10:00 am-12:30 pm
RJ Grey Junior High School Gym, 16 Charter Road, Acton.
Open to the public. Members: Free. Non-members: $10 per family, must pre-register at www.abfamily.org
Halloween Spooktacular event includes a magician and other fun activities provided by local preschools and businesses. The magic show will be from 11:00-11:45 am. There will also be a family costume contest, so come dressed for a chance to take home cool prizes donated by local businesses.
Presented by Acton-Boxborough Family Network.
Questions? Email Acton-Boxborough Family Network.
Green Acton Fixit Clinic
(From Green Acton)
Saturday, October 26, 10:00 am-1:00 pm
Acton Memorial Library, 486 Main St., Acton.
Event is free; you may be asked for a donation to defray supply costs.
If you have a non-functioning item that seems repairable, bring it to the Fixit Clinic where knowledgeable coaches will help you troubleshoot, tinker and maybe fix your item. Coaches will also sharpen dull kitchen knives and garden tools. Items can include small appliances, toys, devices, clothing, electronics, bikes, and anything else you can carry. Future Fix-it Clinics dates are January 11, 2025 and May 24, 2025.
If you want to bring an item and have time to check in before the event, click here.
Presented by Green Acton.
Open Houses at Iron Work Farm
(From Iron Work Farm)
Sunday, October 27
Jones Tavern, 128 Main St., Acton. 1:00-3:00 pm
Jones-Faulkner Homestead, 5 High St., Acton. 3:00-5:00 pm
Event is free.
Both buildings played important roles at the start of the Revolutionary War. Jones Tavern was first built in 1732 and operated by Samuel Jones as a tavern by 1750. At the Jones-Faulkner Homestead, visitors can explore the restored rooms of this 1707 architectural gem, the oldest house in Acton and home of the owners of the longtime fulling and grist mills on Fort Pond Brook. It was from this house that Acton’s West Militia marched to Concord on April 19, 1775, under Capt. Simon Hunt, while Capt. Francis Faulkner assumed the leadership (as Colonel) of the 3rd Middlesex Massachusetts Regiment. Parking is available on-site or nearby.
Presented by Iron Work Farm.
More information at the website.
Changes in the Land: Book Discussion
(From The Friends of Pine Hawk)
Tuesday, October 29, 7:00-8:30 p.m.
In person at the Acton Memorial Library, 486 Main St., Acton.
Event is free, but registration is required at tinyurl.com/pinehawk-2024
Join a group discussion of this landmark environmental history by William Cronon, which offers an original and profound explanation of the effects European colonists’ sense of property and their pursuit of capitalism had upon the ecosystems of New England.
Presented by The Friends of Pine Hawk.
Questions? Email Friends of Pine Hawk.
Self-Defense Workshop
(From Danny’s Place)
Wednesday, October 30, 7:00 pm
Danny’s Place, 543 Massachusetts Ave., Acton.
$50 per person, ages 13+. Register here.
This workshop is perfect for teens and young adults (ages 13+), women, parents, fitness enthusiasts, and high-risk professionals who want to build confidence and learn practical, life-saving techniques. This transformative self-defense workshop will be taught by internationally certified 5th Degree Black Belt instructors from Concord Self-Defense Academy. You’ll walk away with skills that can help you protect yourself in dangerous situations.
Presented by Danny’s Place and Concord Self-Defense Academy.
Information at the website.
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)
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.
“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.
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.
Questions? Email Friends of Pine Hawk.
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.
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.