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Events to Celebrate Somerville's 175th Anniversary
The celebrations continue! In honor of Somerville’s 175th Anniversary of our separation from Charlestown, and the beginning of our path to become an independent – and now incredibly vibrant – small city, Somerville has been hosting special events all year long. With event season in full swing, here are a number of ways you can stay involved, and capture some special, one-time 175th Anniversary events!
As a reminder, the 175th Anniversary Committee is collecting stories, photos, and memories from your Somerville past. Share your favorite memory of a long-gone local store or hangout. Got a photo of your family or friends participating in a favorite pastime, event, or at a City park? Send it in! Feel free to share a longer story, or a quick statement. We’ll use all submissions to form a multimedia gallery at the end of the year and will feature photos and stories on our website, www.somervillema.gov/Somerville175 for the rest of the year.
“Foodie Month” in Somerville
As part of this year’s festivities, we want to take time to particularly celebrate our “foodie” culture, and continue to showcase the wonderfully diverse and delicious cuisines found in our city. Throughout the month of June, we invite restaurants to celebrate with us in several ways, including sponsoring prix fixe dinner menus during the last two weeks of June, providing special offers and discounts, and/or offering a special food or drink item on their menu featuring Fluff, in honor of its own 100th anniversary. To get involved:
- Restaurants: Email Somerville175@somervillema.gov to get more information.
- Residents and visitors: Check www.somervillema.gov/Somerville175 throughout the month of June for important updates, schedules, and information about participating venues.
Foodie Month officially kicks off on Wednesday, June 14, with the Taste of Somerville at its new location in Nathan Tufts Park, sponsored by the Somerville Chamber of Commerce. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.tasteofsomerville.org.
Celebrate “Grand Union Flag Day” on June 17
On Saturday, June 17, from 10 a.m. to noon, join the Somerville Historic Preservation Commission, Historic Somerville, and special guest speaker Byron DeLear, at the Prospect Hill Tower to learn about the history of the Grand Union Flag, first flown atop Prospect Hill in January 1776 by General George Washington. DeLear, Editor-in-Chief of the North American Vexillological Association News, will lead a discussion and Q&A about this important part of Somerville – and American – history, and docents will lead tours of the Tower as part of the program now offered thanks to recent renovations with Community Preservation Act Funding. For more information, visit www.somervillema.gov/Somerville175.
Other Ways to Stay Involved
Join us at any or our upcoming summer events, and visit the 175th Anniversary booth to get information, or to share your favorite Somerville memory!
- SomerStreets. Held one Sunday each month, from June through October, in different locations throughout the City. Check www.somervillema.gov for a full list of SomerStreets events. SomerStreets kicks off on June 4, from 2 to 6 p.m. on East Broadway.
- Independence Day Fireworks. Thursday, June 29, 6 p.m., Trum Field. Live music followed by fireworks at 9 p.m.
- What the Fluff? Festival. Saturday, September 23, 3 – 7 p.m., Union Square Plaza. Celebrate Fluff’s 100th birthday!
Questions? Want more information? Visit www.somervillema.gov/Somerville175, or email Somerville175@somervillema.gov.
Individuals with disabilities who need alternative means for experiencing the Tower, auxiliary aids and services for effective communication, written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures, to access the programs and activities of the City of Somerville, or to attend meetings, should contact the City’s ADA Coordinator at 617-625-6600 ext. 2250, or email NBacci@somervillema.gov.
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