Art & Cultural Events List

These events are FREE and open to the public. Children are welcome in the company of an adult. NESTING BIRD WALK Saturday, June 2 7:30 to 9:30 am Street end of Neville Place driveway 650 Concord Avenue Woods, tangled underbrush, open meadows, and easy access to water make Fresh Pond Reservation a desirable place for birds to raise their young. Our best shot for seeing their nests is now, before the leaves are fully open. We may also have the opportunity to see birds building their nests. We have binoculars to lend and will how you how to use them. Beginners are welcome. A TOUR OF THE WATER PURIFICATION FACILITY Monday, June 4 6 to 7:30 pm Water Purification Facility front door 250 Fresh Pond Parkway Come learn where your tap water originates, how it is purified to make it safe and tasty for drinking and cooking, and the role Fresh Pond plays in the process. Members of the Cambridge Water Department staff will describe the process, answer your questions, and give a tour of the building. DRAWING FROM NATURE Saturday, June 9 2 to 4 pm Maynard Ecology Center Neville Place lower level, 650 Concord Avenue Cambridge artist and teacher Janet Hobbs offers a pencil-drawing class for those who would like to develop their drawing and observational skills. Adults and children ages 10 and older of all experience levels are welcome. We will provide soft lead pencils and paper—bring your own folding stool or chair and your own colored pencils if you have a set. We'll stay indoors if it rains. Limited to 12 participants; registration is required. A FRESH POND RESERVATION WALKABOUT Monday, June 18 6 to 7:30 pm Water Purification Facility front door 250 Fresh Pond Parkway Chip Norton, Watershed Manager for the Cambridge Water Department, will give a walking tour of recently restored areas plus ongoing and future restoration areas at Fresh Pond Reservation. He will answer your questions about watershed management at Fresh Pond using maps and diagrams to help illustrate the goals of major projects. To register, call 617-349-6489 or send an email to fpr@cambridgema.gov. SUMMER SOLSTICE CELEBRATION Monday, June 18 6:30 to 8:30 pm Maynard Ecology Center Neville Place lower level, 650 Concord Avenue Join Boot Boutwell and The Friends of Fresh Pond Reservation in celebrating the summer solstice, the day when the midday sun reaches its highest point in the sky. The summer solstice, which occurs this year on June 20th, marks the longest day (and shortest night) of the year. We will celebrate the season with solstice history and lore, poetry, songs, a solstice story, and a short ceremony to welcome in the solstice. We will also take a walk outdoors to enjoy the beauty of nature and, weather permitting, to watch the sun set. The program will end with refreshments. Registration required – enrollment is limited. SUMMER SOLSTICE BIRD WALK Wednesday, June 20 6:30 to 8:30 pm Street end of Neville Place driveway 650 Concord Avenue If you can’t bear to get up at dawn to look at birds, this walk is for you. Just as people take advantage of the longest days of the year to continue their outdoor activities, so do birds. They need the extra hours of daylight to forage for food for their hungry babies. Beginning birders are welcome. We have binoculars to lend and will show you how to use them. PLANT IDENTIFICATION WORKSHOP Monday, June 25 6 to 7:30 pm Water Purification Facility front door 250 Fresh Pond Parkway Join Ted Elliman, Vegetation Management Coordinator at New England Wild Flower Society, for a walk in the Reservation to learn about the plants commonly found at Fresh Pond. In addition to identifying specific plants, find out about their natural history, traditional uses, and ecology. Registration required: call 617-349-6489 or send an email to fpr@cambridgema.gov. Ted will lead another walk on August 20. Please register for each event that you plan to attend. Important information on parking will be given to you when you register. E-mail Elizabeth Wylde at friendsoffreshpond@yahoo.com or call 617-349-6489 and leave your name and phone number.