Join Us for Our 2022 Events - Free and Open to All! 
 
NOTE: Many of our programs have Facebook events. Check out our Facebook page to look them up! 
 
View the fliers for our 2022 Children's Events, Budding Artist Cafe, Garden Workshop Series and Kadanz Jazz!
 
Armory Pub Sings
First & Third Tuesdays of every month
6:00-8:00/7:00-9:00 pm
A pub-style sing along. Drinking songs, sea chanteys, anything with a good, singable chorus!

Earth Day / Arbor Day: Celebrating the Earth and Our Community
Sunday, April 24, 2:00-4:00 pm 
Come to the Growing Center and celebrate Earth Day and Arbor Day with members of your community! The event will include an opening ceremony, and an acknowledgement of the history of this land and the people who have been connected to it over time. Alive Dance Collective, local artist Jane Sherrill and Mothers Out Front will lead nature-based art and movement activities for all ages. Learn about opportunities to take action to engage directly with and/or steward the natural world, through the Growing Center and other organizations including Green & Open Somerville, the Climate Coalition of Somerville and the Mystic River Watershed Association.
Rain Date Saturday, April 30, 1-3 pm
 
The Fascinating Bugs of the Growing Center
Tuesday, April 26, 6:00 pm (ONLINE)
Event Registration: https://fb.me/e/2pEBdXGpp
 
Alive Dance Collective Participatory Sessions: Yoga and Storybook or Poems Movement
Saturday, April 30, 3:00-5:00 pm 
Rain Date: Saturday, May 7, 3:00-5:00 pm
Hour-long nature yoga for all ages & abilities 3-4 pm. From 4-5 pm, two options: (1) Children/caregivers can bring a story to life in Storybook Movement; or (2) Read/ write poems inspired by nature, and create movement inspired by our poems in Poems and Movement.
 
Spring Garden Day 2022
Sunday, May 8, 2:00-4:00 pm 
Rain Date: Sunday, May 15, 2:00-4:00 pm
Tour the Pollinator Gardens, learn about native plants’ partnerships with pollinators, hear about and take home native seeds or seedlings. SCGC Chorus, Red Herring & Branbury Cross Morris Dance. Native pollinator watercolor art for sale by Green Blossom Painting.
 
Introduction to Plant and Wildlife Monitoring For Conservation with Earthwise Aware
Saturdays, May 14, June 11, July 9, Aug 13, Sept. 10, Oct. 8, Nov. 12, 2:00-3:30 pm
Learn to observe/record the plants, insects, & animals of SCGC. Contribute to biodiversity science while enjoying the outdoors together in this beautiful little garden. 
 
Our Ancestors Did Not Breath This Air: In-person Poetry Anthology Book Launch
Friday, May 27, 4:00-5:00 pm
Six Muslim women who met as undergraduates at MIT, one poetry collection exploring family, identity, homeland. Meet the authors for the launch of their poetry anthology!
 
Excavate: Site on Scene
Tuesday, June 7, 6:00-7:00 pm
This performing arts collective plays in music, dance and theater improvisationally with awareness and respect for the site where they are performing.
 
Kadanz Jazz: Standards with Caribbean & Latin Flavors *
Thursday, June 9, 7:00-8:30 pm
Repeats July 7; Aug 4; (Sun) Sept. 18 (3-4:30 pm) 
Enjoy music in the garden with professional musicians sharing American Jazz standards, with new twists integrating rhythms from Caribbean and Latin traditions. GC volunteer Mark Torgerson on guitar will be joined by a range of keyboard, bass and percussion artists.
 
Budding Artist Cafe
Saturday, June 11, 3:00-5:00 pm
Repeats July 9 & August 13 
An informal cafe-style gathering for adults interested in doing art in the garden. An “ice-breaker” art activity will be provided as well as basic drawing materials. Guests can also attend EwA’s Introduction to Plant and Wildlife Monitoring before the cafe. 
 
Tiny Victory Gardens: A Small Container Planting Workshop
Sunday, June 12, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Learn the basics of growing a garden in containers. This workshop is for people who don’t have a yard but still want to garden. This hands-on workshop will take the class through making potting soil to planting seedlings in your own take-home containers. Taught by the Friends.
 
Family Program with Cozy Arts Puppetry *
Sunday, June 12, 1:30-3:30 pm
Puppetry and art activities for children. 
 
We Are Here Too: Somerville Film Premiere and Women of Color Artists Panel *
Thursday, June 16, 7:00-9:30 pm 
Rain Date: Sunday, June 17, 7:00-9:30 pm
Filmed during the COVID-19 pandemic, four women of color reflect on how the global health crisis and simultaneous social justice uprisings impacted their trajectory as Somerville artists. A panel discussion with filmmakers will feature the artists talking about their work. 
 
Yoga in the Garden: Asana Practice
Sundays, June 19 & 26, July 17 & 24, August 14
9:00-10:00 am
Sundays, September 25; October 16 & 30; November 20
10:00-11:00 am (note later time for fall!)
Bring your mat and practice yoga with local instructor, Jenn Falk.
 
Pollinator Safari
Sunday, June 26, 10:30 am - 12:00 pm
In celebration of Pollinator Week, join Nick Dorian and/or members of the Tufts Pollinator Initiative for exploration in the garden to learn about local biodiversity and relationships between native plants and insects and other pollinators. For all ages!
 
Teddy Bears’ Picnic
Thursday, June 30, 6:30-8:30 pm
Rain Date: Friday, July 1, 6:30-8:30 pm
Bring a picnic and your teddy bears (or other cuddly toys) and join with local families and friends of all ages.

MOTS: Modular On the Spot
Sunday, July 17, 3:00-6:00 pm, Rain date July 24
Sunday, August 21, Rain Date August 28
Sunday, September 11, Rain Date September 18
Modular on the Spot is an inclusive music community focused on offering a home for modular synth enthusiasts to share their performances with the public.
 
Composting Workshop
Saturday, July 23, 12:00-1:00 pm
Learn about the composting system at the Center: why it is a key element of regenerative design, how it works, and the role of volunteers.
 
Ivan Korn Trio*
Sunday, July 31, 2:30-4:00 pm
Ivan Korn Trio is a live instrument ensemble inspired by Latin and Blues traditions with an improvisational edge. The bands play jazz standards, afro Caribbean, blues tunes, and Latin rhythm inspired by West African traditions.
 
Pajama Storytime
Three Sundays, 6:00-7:30 pm:
July 31, Aug 14 (part of Stuffed Animal Campout), Aug 28
Pack a picnic, put on your coziest PJ’s, bring your bug spray and your favorite loveys or stuffies to snuggle up and hear some stories!  

Contact: Betsy, betsy@thegrowingcenter.org
 
Somerville Art Council’s Yart Sale @ the Growing Center!
Saturday, August 13, 4:00-6:00 pm
Rain Date Sunday, August 14, 4:00-6:00 pm
For the second year in a row, the Growing Center is participating in the Somerville Arts Council’s Yart Sale, a city-wide opportunity for artists of all mediums and ages to showcase artwork in the comfort of their yards and porches. Think of it as a Yard Sale but for art! We’ll be selling Fairy Garden Nature Kits to benefit our Children in Nature Initiative.

Contact: Betsy, betsy@thegrowingcenter.org
 
Stuffed Animal Campout!
Sunday, August 14, 6:00 pm
Drop off your stuffies for their first overnight camping experience! We’ll have a camping-themed Pajama Storytime for the kids prior to saying their good-byes, and then it’s party time for just the animals, with garden exploration time, hide-and-seek, (pretend) s’mores making, singalongs, and more! Follow along in the fun on social media! Additional drop-off times and pick-up opportunities to be announced.

Contact: Betsy, betsy@thegrowingcenter.org
 
Fermentation: Simple Preservation Techniques You Can Do at Home
Saturday, August 20, 12:00-1:00 pm
Flora Spivak will discuss and demonstrate simple techniques for making sauerkraut and pickles at home. Sample recipes provided. Come learn and/or share your own experience and knowledge of these traditional methods of preserving food.

Lady Ray Sings
Thursday, August 25, 7:00-8:30 pm, Rain Date September 1
Lady Ray, a.k.a. Somerville artist Raynel Shepard, was recently featured in the film premiere of “We Are Here Too”, highlighting four Somerville women artists of color. Come enjoy an evening of vocal jazz standards crossing many styles and languages. More information here.

Contact: Raynel at raynel.shepard@comcast.net
 
Pajama Storytime
Sunday, August 28, 6:00-7:30 pm
Children’s events flyer
Pack a picnic supper, wear your PJs and bring a bedtime friend along to the garden for some nature-themed stories! The storytime theme will change each session.

Contact: Betsy at blarkin@thegrowingcenter.org 
 
Pub Sing
Tuesdays, September 6 and 20, 7:00-9:00 pm
A pub-style sing along. Anyone can lead a song, but no-one is obliged to. Drinking songs and sea chanteys always go over well, but anything with a good, singable chorus will be appreciated!
 
Contact: Jeff Keller at jeff.keller@gmail.com

Somerville as Muse Poetry Reading
Friday, September 9, 4:30 pm
Poetry will bloom with the fauna and flora at the Somerville Growing Center as Somerville Poet Laureate Lloyd Schwartz, and Co-Presidents of the New England Poetry Club Denise Provost and Doug Holder read from their work. All three poets have lived in Somerville for many years, and their poetry has taken root, grown and flourished in this soil.

Contact: Denise at denise.provost@verizon.net 
 
Author Read Aloud with Story Starters
Saturday, September 11, 11:00 am - 12:00 pm, Rain date September 18
We are pleased to welcome Amitha Knight, author of Usha and the Big Digger (available in English and Spanish). The goal of this event is to introduce families with young children (ages 3-10) to a variety of diverse stories and storytellers. Families will be able to learn about upcoming Story Starters programs, in addition to the Children in Nature Initiative (CINI), which is designed to increase opportunities for children of all backgrounds to have direct learning experiences in nature. This event is sponsored by Tufts University and the CINI committee.
Register here!
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Contact: Sasha at sasha@thegrowingcenter.org 
 
Seed Saving Workshop
Saturday, September 17, 12:00-1:00 pm, Rain Date September 24
Hands on learning related to saving seeds from your garden, with a focus on native plants. Take home some seeds to plant for next year! Instructor TBD.
 
Gathering of the Fairies
Saturday, September 24, 2:00-5:00 pm, Rain Date September 25 
A garden celebration for fairies and their friends: build a fairy house, create a fairy wand, listen to a fairy story, and search the garden for signs of fairies. Everyone is invited to come dressed up as their favorite magical being.  Donations are encouraged to support the Growing Center and future Gatherings of Fairies. A limited supply of fairy garden building materials will be available at the event - and in fact, we’re looking for assistance gathering nature materials (feathers, stones, shells, twigs, bark, pods, pinecones and other plant material) for making Fairy Houses! Materials Gathering Flyer here

Contact: Liza at lpkitchell@gmail.com, Betsy at blarkin@thegrowingcenter.org
 
The Growing Center at HONK! Fest Weekend
HONK! Festival of Activist Street Bands, Somerville
Saturday & Sunday, October 8 & 9
Watch for us tabling  in Davis Square on Saturday and/or in the parade on Sunday! If interested in participating, contact info@thegrowingcenter.org.  
 
Snow Money: Film Screening and Panel Discussion 
Saturday, October 15, 7-9pm
An intimate short film by Kristen Chin on how everyday people are impacted by climate change, with panel and discussion to follow. Co-sponsored with filmmaker and Climate Coalition of Somerville.
 
Harvest Festival 
Sunday, October 16, 2:00-4:00 pm 
Fall family friendly harvest activities. Live music with the Growing Center Chorus and neighborhood band, Chicken Scratch. If you are interested in singing with the chorus, contact Liza Kitchell at liza@thegrowigncenter.org. 

Fall Garden Tasks Workshop
Saturday, Oct. 22, 10:00-11:00 am 
What fall garden tasks are most important? And maybe just as important, for biodiversity, which should you ditch? Come discuss and learn through hands-on experience how to rethink our roles and responsibilities as engaged stewards. Offered by Growing Center staff and volunteers.
 
The Somerville Community Growing Center’s Seasonal Salvage Sale & Makers’ Market 
Saturday, October 22, 2:00-5:00 pm
The Growing Center Yard Sale was an annual event pre-pandemic that raised funds for our Annual Fund. It’s back this year as a two-part shopping experience: a curated, seasonally-themed secondhand sale; and a new "Makers' Market" filled with local craft vendors! To volunteer, donate or participate as a vendor, email Betsy at blarkin@thegrowingcenter.org. 

The Growing Center’s Annual Wreath Project
November Assembly/Decorating:
   Sunday, Nov. 27, time and location, TBD
    Monday, Nov. 28, 10:00 am-1:00 pm at Growing Center
December Preorder Pick-up: 
   Friday, Dec. 2, 2:00-4:00 pm at Growing Center
   Saturday, Dec. 3, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm at Growing Center
This long-running project is the Growing Center’s largest fundraiser of the year. Volunteers work behind-the-scenes starting as far back as the summer - growing, picking and drying flowers, and gathering nature materials from farms and woodlands. The results: Hand- decorated evergreen wreaths, each featuring a homemade bow, adorned with locally sourced pinecones, delicate dried flowers, and ornamental peppers and berries. You Can Join Us! We are seeking volunteers for various wreath decorating tasks - from making bows and tags, prepping dried flowers and wiring pinecones, to onsite assembly, decorating and home deliveries.
 
Contact volunteer@thegrowingcenter.org. 
 
 
An * after an event title indicates that the event is supported in part by a grant from the Somerville Arts Council, a local commission supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council & the City of Somerville.