REACH To Host Fall Festival To Honor Domestic Violence Awareness Month

WALTHAM, MA — Waltham residents will be able to honor Domestival Violence Awareness Month in October at the REACH Fall Festival this weekend.

This year's theme is "Community. Connection. Together.", with the purpose of the event to "share information about local resources in an atmosphere of family-friendly fun."

The event is scheduled for Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. on the Waltham Common.

“After three years of isolation and loss,” REACH Director of Prevention Programs Shanice Douglas said, “our communities need space to rebuild connections and trust among each other again. The REACH Fall Festival is a place where neighbors and families can access resources, cultivate connection, celebrate our community, and honor that we are here to support each other.”

The event will include local organizations that provide tools and services to give independence and power back to community members, officials said.

Some of these will include voter registration by WATCH CDC, free bike helmets donated by Boston Children’s Hospital, free bike tune-ups, first aid information and self-care kits.

There will also be performances, free ice cream provided by Super Star Ice Cream, face-painting, a bounce house, Zumba by Jen Williams Zumbera, the More Than Words mobile bookstore, community art projects and therapy dogs from Caring Canines.

The music for the event is being provided by MAKBEATZ, a local DJ who is graduating from Waltham High School next Spring.

There will be prizes including a $75 gift card to Christine’s Day Spa, a $100 gift card to Brookline Booksmith, a $50 gift card to Uncle Joey's Cannoli, a $50 gift certificate to The Tea Leaf, a $25 gift card to BISTRO 781 and another to Blue Ribbon BBQ.

Opportunities for Inclusion has donated a gift basket to give away and two additional gift baskets have been donated anonymously.

Currently, there are more than 20 organizations with tables at the festival representing domestic and sexual violence support services, LGBTQ+ services, health services, family services and City of Waltham services.

For a complete list of performers and participants, please visit the REACH Fall Festival section of the REACH Special Events page.

"The idea for the Fall Festival began with a group of community members who identified the need to get to know our neighbors, because simple connections to one another can be a powerful resource for those experiencing domestic violence," officials said in a news release.

"Since then, the festival has been community-driven and continues to be community-led with an even greater desire for involvement this year, especially after the long isolation of the pandemic."

Throughout Domestic Violence Awareness Month, REACH will be sharing survivor stories, statistics and resources for survivors and diverse communities in blogs, social media and the “It’s All Within Reach” newsletter.

Additional events include REACH’s annual fundraiser Day of Unity Giving Day on Oct. 2, a complimentary Corporate Breakfast on Oct. 19 and REACH’s virtual Annual Meeting on Oct. 26, all open to the public.