The discussion on Monday, May 1 from 7:30–9 p.m. with FPL co-minister Rev. Kit Novotny will be geared towards parents of toddlers and school-aged kids. The topic is “When Kids Ask Tough Questions,” sharing stories about the big questions that kids grapple with from a young age such as “Why do we die, and what happens when we die? What’s the future of our planet? Why is there injustice and racism? Where do babies come from? Is God real?” We’ll reflect on our role as parents in confronting big emotions and navigating our own uncertainties, values, and discomfort.
On Tuesday, May 2 at 7 p.m. at the First Parish Church in Weston (349 Boston Post Rd., Weston) join MetroWest Climate Solutions and special guest Rev. Mariama White-Hammond for “City and Suburbs: Addressing Climate Change and Equity Together,” a discussion on the intersection of climate change and questions of equity. A lifelong resident, pastor, and activist in Boston, Rev. Mariama will explore the question of how residents of the suburbs can most effectively take action to promote greater climate equity. If you prefer to join us online, click here to register.
Rev. White-Hammond was appointed as the City of Boston’s Chief of Environment, Energy, and Open Space in April 2021. She has supported the amendment of the Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance (BERDO) to set carbon targets for existing large buildings and convened a city-led green jobs program. This event is supported by the First Parish in Lincoln, the First Parish in Wayland’s Lydia Maria Child Fund, and the First Parish Church in Weston.
Join Lincoln Conservation Ranger Will Leona to visit different trails in Lincoln on the first Saturday of each month (March 4, April 1, and May 6) from 9:30–11 a.m. Walks are generally two miles long and are appropriate for all ages. Click here for registration, which is required to keep group size under 15 people and to ensure we can contact you in case of cancellation due to weather.
Learn how to promote biodiversity in your yard by using materials you have on hand. When you remove an invasive shrub, replace it with a native shrub that will thrive. Cardboard and mulch one small patch of invasives and encourage rowdy, less loved native plant “party crashers” into your designed native plant gardens to knit together a layered team of plants that keep invasives at bay. Click here for information and registration.
The Lincoln Garden Club will hold its biennial plant sale on Saturday, May 13 from 11 a.m.–2 p.m. at Station Park (corner of Lincoln Road and Ridge Road). Share plant knowledge, see friends, enjoy snacks, and tour the club’s flagship garden. The plants to be sold come from club members’ gardens, parks they maintain, and generous donors around town. If you have plants to donate, please contact Belinda Gingrich at belinda.gingrich@gmail.com. There will also be garden paraphernalia for sale and even a few handmade bluebird nesting boxes which you could set up right away and maybe catch a second laying.
Also on offer will be native plugs ordered through commercial nurseries: Eryngium yuccifolium (rattlesnake master), Polemonium reptans (Jacob’s ladder), Packera aurea (golden ragwort, available after June 19), and Aquilegia canadensis (eastern red columbine, available on or after May 19). These are very small and will need babying in a pot or well tended garden plot.
All are invited to celebrate Asian and Pacific Islander cultures on Friday, May 19 from 4:30–6:30 p.m. in the Lincoln School Learning Commons. Enjoy food, performances, art, karaoke, and fashion. Food ($14) must be ordered in advance; click here to order and pay using Venmo. Sponsored by the Lincoln PTO, the METCO Coordinating Committee, and the Lincoln METCO Parent Board.
Join Hannan Healthy Foods in celebrating Lincoln’s farming heritage with its community-wide kickoff event to the 2023 growing season on Sunday, May 21 from 1–3 p.m. (rain date: Saturday, May 27 at the same time) at Umbrello Field (270 South Great Rd.). This free event is open to all ages and will feature live music, farmland tours, food and drink (including South Asian specialties), raffles, CSA opportunities, farm photo ops, and more.
The event on Monday, May 22 from 7:30–9 p.m. with FPL co-minister Rev. Nate Klug will focus on “Launching Kids and Letting Go” for parents of older kids, teens, and young adults. We’ll dwell together on that tender (sometimes abrupt, sometimes extended) threshold of launching teens and adult children to college and/or next life chapters, and the various challenges and joys that go along with this monumental shift. All are welcome, including parents of current high school seniors, as well as parents of young adults continuing to navigate the push-pull of connection and independence.
On Thursday, May 31, the Lincoln GearTicks will host a STEM Open House from 7-8 p.m. at Hartwell Pod A where you can see some of the robots that students built this year and learn more about joining one of the many teams.
Robotics programs are organized through FIRST and the Lincoln Recreation Department. FLL Explore introduces kids in grades 1-3 to STEM through Lego building and programming activities and runs for six weeks starting in January. In FLL Challenge, students in grades 4-8 build and program Lego robots for specific tasks on a playing field for lasting 12 weeks starting in early September. FTC caters to those in grades 7-12 with a commitment of 9+ hours/week designing robots using 3D-printed and laser-cut materials and programming in Java. Questions? Email hello@gearticks.com.
The Democratic Town Committee will hold a caucus to elect delegates to the 2023 Massachusetts Democratic Party Convention (to be held on September 23 in person in Lowell) on Sunday, June 4 at 2 p.m. at Bemis Hall. Doors open at 1:30 and close at 2:15 sharp, as required by Massachusetts Democratic Committee rules. Five delegate and four alternates will be elected to represent Lincoln at the 2023 Massachusetts Democratic Party Convention. All registered Lincoln Democrats are eligible not only to vote and be a delegate. Democrats who will be 16 by May 23, 2023 may pre-register for the caucus and participate and run as a delegate or alternate to the convention, although they are not eligible to vote in general elections until they are 18. Youth, minorities, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ individuals who are not elected as a delegate or alternate are encouraged to apply to be an add-on delegate to the caucus at the caucus or by visiting or at www.massdems.org/massdems-convention.
Come to eco-gardener Robin Wilkerson’s garden sanctuary where has been gardening for years to create a diverse habitat for birds, bees and butterflies to learn her methods for gardening to support the ecosystem. Click here for information and registration. Sponsored by Lincoln Common Ground.
Lincoln dietician and Happy Jars owner Jodi Gorman will offer a cooking class featuring summer parties and picnics for kids age 10+ on Friday, June 9 at 3:30 p.m. in the Lincoln Public Library. Jodi will go over basic kitchen skills as well as how to create a versatile, tasty salad for all seasons. All materials will be provided. Email sfeather@minlib.net for registration and more information.
Codman Community Farms will mark its 50th birthday with a celebration for all ages on Saturday, June 10 from 11 a.m.–3 p.m. This will be a day of games, food, and music, with special T-shirts available for purchase. Among the activities:
- Live music by the Honey Steelers
- Farm themed games & entertainment for kids
- Strawberry pie-eating contest
- “American Gothic” photo contest
- Birthday cake and ice cream for all (cake-cutting at 1 p.m.)
- Food for purchase including Codman’s own smoked ribs or maple sausage, grilled cheese sandwiches, fresh veggie & hummus basket with pita chips, and beer/wine/nonalcoholic drinks
While the event is free for all and no tickets are required, please click here to “purchase” your free tickets as an RSVP. This will ensure enough fun for all.
The Housing Choice Act Working Group (HCAWG) has scheduled a virtual multi-board meeting and two public forums in June to discuss the town’s path towards compliance with the state housing law.
The goal of the Housing Choice Act is to create more transit-oriented zoning areas (meaning areas surrounding MBTA stops including Lincoln’s train station) where multifamily housing is allowed by right. Under the updated guidelines released last fall, Lincoln would be required to allow either 692 or 563 units in one or more multifamily zones, depending on whether or not the Hanscom housing units are counted. In March, HCAWG met with consultants from Utile Design to review how the state calculates developable land and to walk through an initial analysis of current zoning in Lincoln to begin identifying areas that might be logical places for rezoning.
The meeting co-hosted by the Select Board and the Planning Board will be on Tuesday, June 6 at 7 p.m. Click here for the Zoom link. The public forums will be:
- Friday, June 16 at 8 a.m. in person at the Town Hall
- Tuesday, June 20 at 7 p.m. via Zoom — click here to register.
Codman Community Farms will hold a Chili Cookout and Campout on Saturday, June 17 from 6–9:30 p.m. Vegetarian and pasture-raised beef chili as well as chili dogs made from Codman-grown ingredients will be on offer. Sides include CCF-made potato salad, cornbread, and cookies. Bring a favorite drink, gather around the campfire, stuff yourself with s’mores, and sing with friends. Optionally, pitch your tent, stay overnight, wake up to the sounds of the farm, and enjoy a simple breakfast on Sunday morning. Space is limited; click here to buy tickets in advance.
The Housing Choice Act Working Group (HCAWG) has scheduled a virtual multi-board meeting and two public forums in June to discuss the town’s path towards compliance with the state housing law.
The goal of the Housing Choice Act is to create more transit-oriented zoning areas (meaning areas surrounding MBTA stops including Lincoln’s train station) where multifamily housing is allowed by right. Under the updated guidelines released last fall, Lincoln would be required to allow either 692 or 563 units in one or more multifamily zones, depending on whether or not the Hanscom housing units are counted. In March, HCAWG met with consultants from Utile Design to review how the state calculates developable land and to walk through an initial analysis of current zoning in Lincoln to begin identifying areas that might be logical places for rezoning.
The meeting co-hosted by the Select Board and the Planning Board will be on Tuesday, June 6 at 7 p.m. Click here for the Zoom link. The public forums will be:
- Friday, June 16 at 8 a.m. in person at the Town Hall
- Tuesday, June 20 at 7 p.m. via Zoom — click here to register.
The Splash, Mash and Dash, Lincoln’s triathlon for kids ages 5-14 on Saturday, June 24 from 8–11:30 a.m. is the perfect race for a first-time triathlete. The swim/bike/run event takes place at the Codman Pool; the older you are, the farther you go! Information about the race can be found at www.kidstri.net. There are T-shirts, goody bags and medals for every participant plus awards and raffle prizes. Entry fees are $30 per person (maximum $90 per family) before race day and $40/$120 maximum on race day. For maximum family discount, please contact ldumont@lincnet.org. Packet pickup is Friday, June 23 from 12:30–6 p.m. in Hartwell B Pod. Click here to register.