Somerville's 175th Birthday: Summer Events Preview

SOMERVILLE, MA – Somerville's birthday celebration continues this month, marking its historic secession from Charlestown 175 years ago. The city has been hosting events throughout the year to celebrate the landmark year, and the festivities ramp up in June with "Foodie Month" and the SomerStreets series kickoff. Here's a preview of what's to come this summer.

“Foodie Month” in Somerville

As part of this year’s festivities, Somerville will celebrate its “foodie” culture, and continue to showcase the wonderfully diverse and delicious cuisines found around the city. Throughout the month of June, restaurants are invited to celebrate 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.

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 kicked off June 4, from 2 to 6 p.m. on East Broadway.

Sunday, June 4: SomerStreets Carnaval, Lower Broadway, East Somerville (McGrath Hwy to Pennsylvania Ave)

Sunday, August 6: SomerStreets Seize the Summer, Holland St. (Davis Sq. to Teele Sq.)

Sunday, Sept 17: SomerStreets, Strike Up the Bands, Highland Ave. (School St. to Lowell St.)

Sunday, October 22: SomerStreets, Monster Mashed-up, Somerville Ave. (Hawkins St. to Spring St.)

The call for vendors for the above festivals is HERE. Craft vendors are being curated by the Somerville Flea.

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!

The 175th Anniversary Committee is also 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. The city will 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.

For more information, visit www.somervillema.gov/Somerville175, or email Somerville175@somervillema.gov.

Patch File Photo