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Outdoor watering restrictions now in effect

As of May 1, the Water Department has imposed mandatory Stage 2 restrictions on residential and commercial outdoor watering as required by the Mass Department of Environmental Protection. Agricultural water use is considered “essential” — customers who meet the definition of “farmer” according to Lincoln’s Right to Farm bylaw and Mass. General Laws c.40A § 3 are exempt from water use restrictions.)

	Stage 1	Stage 2	Stage 3	Stage 4
Hand-held watering	Allowed 6pm–9am	Allowed 6pm–9am	Allowed 6pm–9am	Allowed 6pm–9am
Above-ground/ in-ground sprinklers	Allowed 7pm–7am	Allowed 2 days a week, 6pm–9am by street address: • Even house #s: Tues & Sat • Odd house #s Wed & Sun	Allowed once a week, 6pm–9am by street address: • Even house #s: Sat only • Odd house #s: Sun only	Not allowed
Soaker hoses	Allowed any time	Allowed twice a week, 6pm–9am on specified days (see row #2)	Allowed once a week, 6pm–9am on specified day (see row #2)	Not allowed
Drip irrigation	Allowed any time	Allowed twice a week, 6pm–9am on specified days (see row #2)	Allowed once a week, 6pm–9am on specified day (see row #2)	Allowed once a week, 6pm–9am on specified day (see row #2)
New lawns	Allowed any time	June & Sept. only: 20 days of daily watering, then 2 days a week, 7pm–7am on specified days	June & Sept. only: once a week, 7pm–7am on specified day	Not allowed
Washing vehicles	Allowed any time	Commercial services only	Commercial services only	Commercial services only
Washing buildings, pavement	Allowed any time	Not allowed	Not allowed	Not allowed
Swimming pools, hot tubs, spas, Jacuzzis	Allowed any time	One fill per season for new or repaired equipment	Topping off only (3" per month)	Topping off or refill not allowed
Car wash fundraisers	Allowed any time	Allowed any time	Not allowed	Not allowed
Games or toys with continuous water	Allowed any time	Allowed 30 mins/day twice a week on specified days (see row #12)	Allowed 30 mins/day once a week on specified day (see row #12)	Not allowed

Summer reading challenge gets under way

The library will host a Summer Reading Program kickoff party on Wednesday, June 15 from 3:30–5:30 p.m. There will be ice cream, crafts, tattoos, balloon sculpting, Ed the magician, and more. Summer Reading Challenges and book lists will be available. The event will take place on the library lawn (we will move indoors if the weather is uncooperative). All ages welcome! Call the library at 781-259-8465 ext. 4 for more information.

Juneteenth celebrations

On June 19, 1865, Major General Gordon Granger landed at Galveston, Texas, with news that the war was over and the enslaved were finally free. The news was delivered almost three years after the Emancipation Proclamation and the passing of the 13th Amendment.

• On Thursday, June 16 at 7 p.m. via Zoom, Dr. Kellie Carter Jackson, Associate Professor of Africana Studies at Wellesley College, will offer an overview of the history of the holiday and an exploration of the various ways Black communities have created traditions and cultivated the joy of emancipation and freedom. The program is free and open to all but advance registration is required. Sponsored by Belmont Public Library, Belmont Against Racism, Belmont Council on Aging, and the public libraries of Chelmsford, Lexington, Lincoln, Maynard, Newton, Sherborn, and Wayland. The Lincoln Public Library’s portion of the program is sponsored by the Friends of the Lincoln Public Library.
• The Lincoln METCO Parent Board will host Lincoln’s first annual Juneteenth celebration on Sunday, June 12 from 1-3 p.m. at Codman Field behind the Lincoln School grade 5-8 building. The event, whose theme is “Freedom, Resistance, Power, Strength,” will feature a live DJ and dancing, a bouncy house, face painting, poetry reading, lawn games, face painting, food trucks, vendor tables, and a performance by the Lincoln Public Schools step team. For more information, email lincolnmetcoparentboard@gmail.com.

5K run to benefit Lovelane

Sign up for the annual Susan McDaniel 5K Run for Love sponsored by the Lovelane Special Needs Horseback Riding program in Lincoln on Sunday, June 12 at 11 a.m. at Weston Town Hall. There will be a “diaper dash” and a kids’ run as well. There will be horses, balloons, games and items for sale.

LGBTQ+ Pride Month events

The Lincoln Public Library will host a virtual LGBTQ+ author panel on Wednesday, June 1 at 7 p.m. via Zoom with Emery Lee, Timothy Janovsky, Katee Robert, and Olivia Waite. Join us for an inside look into the writing process and how the authors connect with the LGBTQ+ community with their  words and stories. Free and open to all but advance registration is required. There will be a second Zoom conversation on “The Impact of Local Authors Writing for the LGBTQ+ Community” with Bren Bataclan, Anna Burke, Federico Erebia, and Jane C. Esther on Thursday, June 30 at 7 p.m. via Zoom. Free and open to all but advance registration is required.

See also the community-wide Pride celebration on Wednesday, June 8 from 1:30–4 p.m. in Pierce Park.