Lincoln’s Splash, Mash, Dash Kids’ Triathlon is back on Saturday, June 29 for its 20th year. The race starts at 8:30 a.m. at the Codman Pool. Kids ages 5-14 are invited to participate. Race distances are as follows:
- Ages 5-6: 25m swim (1 length), quarter-mile run (no bike portion)
- Ages 7-8: 25m swim (1 length), one-mile bike ride, half-mile run
- Ages 9-10: 50m swim (2 lengths), two-mile bike; half-mile run
- Ages 11-12: 75m swim (3 lengths), two-bike, 3/4-mile run
- Ages 13-14: 150m swim (6 lengths), four-mile bike, 1 mile run
Racers ages 8 and younger are individually accompanied by a guard in the water. Click here to register ($35 includes a t-shirt and a finisher’s medal). Pick up packets on Friday, June 28 from 12:30–6: p.m. in Hartwell Pod B. Volunteers are also needed during the race; email ginger.reiner@gmail.com if you can help.
See the July 2 News Acorns for details.
Come play Dungeons and Dragons in the library with DM Nikolas Metcalf. Registration required; for ages 11+. Register here.
We invite you to spend a day visiting local libraries to find out what’s special about each and what they have to offer you and your family. This is an event for all ages – all you need is a love of libraries and a way to get from place to place. The challenge is to visit as many libraries as you can and take a picture of yourself with a designated item in each library – it’s a 21st-century scavenger hunt! Post your pics and tag the libraries #mlncrawl2024. Each library will have handouts and giveaways – show your pictures to a librarian (or if you don’t have a camera, just tell a librarian you’re on the crawl — we’re pretty trusting) and receive a prize. Download your “passport” with all the relevant information.
In 2023, the world learned the tragic news that actor Bruce Willis was suffering from aphasia, a cognitive disorder, that subsequently worsened to become frontotemporal dementia. Join us as we discuss Bruce’s life, work, and future with Sean O’Connell, author of Bruce Willis: Celebrating the Cinematic Legacy of an Unbreakable Hollywood Icon. We will also be discussing the essential question: is “Die Hard” a Christmas movie or not? Register here.
Join other parents for a cozy evening of warmth and laughter around a crackling bonfire on Friday, Aug. 23 from 8–10 p.m. at 8 Bedford Rd. next to First Parish and across from the library (not in Flint Field or at the farm) — park at the Parish House or library. We’ll have marshmallows ready for roasting as well as beer, wine, and nonalcoholic beverages, good company, and a chance to unwind under the stars. $10 per person payable upon RSVP via Venmo @LincFam or cash at the event. Open to everyone. Click here to RSVP.
Meet Michael Ansara, political organizer, activist, and poet at an election kickoff meeting of the Lincoln Democratic Town Committee on Saturday, Sept. 14 at Bemis Hall (coffee at 9:45 a.m., talk at 10 a.m.). Come and be inspired, hear ways to help elect the Dems, and get your questions answered.
These gently paced walks are all about the journey, not the destination. They take place on first Tuesdays and mid-month Wednesdays from September 18 through December 11. Click here or more details, dates and locations, and registration.
The Tour de Codman on Sunday, Sept. 22 will start at Codman Farm and will take cyclists on a nine-mile loop through Lincoln along roads and paths, featuring stops at three remote pastures where farm staff and volunteers will give a short talk on the farm’s sustainable, pasture-based agriculture before returning to the farm. All ages welcome, but cyclists must be comfortable maintaining a 10-12 mph pace along Lincoln’s roads. The route will spend as much time as possible on bike paths and quiet roads. Any bike in good working order should suffice. Bring your own water and snacks for the route, and don’t forget your helmet (required). The total time for the ride (including stops) should be under two hours. Click here to register.
Author Heather Wolf, author of Birding at the Bridge: In Search of Every Bird on the Brooklyn Waterfront, will discuss via Zoom how to find and identify more birds by picking a “patch,” a place close to home where you can watch birds often. Click for event flier or register here.
Click here for details.
The 12th annual Scarecrow Classic 5K to benefit the LLCT takes place on Sunday, Oct. 20 starting at 9:30 a.m. Participants enjoy a course through Lincoln’s roads and trails, with colorful scarecrows along the route and cider donuts at the finish line. Register by Monday, Oct. 7 to guarantee a Scarecrow Classic Tech Shirt on race day. Pre-registration closes the Friday before the race and limited same-day registrations are available. Learn more and register at scarecrowclassic5k.com. The LLCT is also looking for sponsors and volunteers. Email llct@lincolnconservation.org if you can help.
Vicki Croke, author of Elephant Company: The Inspiring Story of an Unlikely Hero and the Animals Who Helped Him Save Lives in World War II, will make a presentation with archival photos and video on Thursday, Oct. 24 at the Walden Woods Project at 44 Baker Farm Rd. in Lincoln. Doors will open at 6:15 p.m. for a wine and cheese reception, and the presentation will begin at 7 p.m. This event is generously sponsored by The Commons in Lincoln. Part of the Concord Festival of Authors. Click here to learn more and register.
Click here for more information and registration.
For grades 6 and up. Click here for more information and registration.
State climate legislation assumes that forest carbon sequestration (sometimes called “negative emissions”) can be counted to offset up to 15% of the emissions reduction goal. Is this a good idea? Is it even possible? How can we influence forests’ ability to sequester and store carbon? Join Dr. Jonathan Thompson, a senior ecologist and research director at the Harvard Forest, on Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. for “Forests for Our Future: The Role of Massachusetts Forests in Combating Climate Change” at the First Parish in Lincoln (4 Bedford Rd.) and on Zoom. Register here. Sponsored by MetroWest Climate Solutions and CFREE, a working group of the Lincoln Green Energy Committee.
“Community Gathering: Making Sense of the Moment” with Mothers Out Front is an opportunity for everyone to come together on Saturday, Nov. 23 from 3–4 p.m. in the Lincoln Public Library Tarbell Room as we make sense of the moment after the presidential election. We will talk about what we collectively see as important priorities for our democratic nation. We will consider how we can get involved in upholding democratic values that support all peoples. We may not have all the answers, but we will come with curiosity, open-mindedness, and respect as we learn from one another.
Author Margaret Ann Spence will discuss her newest book, Cold War in a Hot Kitchen: A Memoir of Mid-Century Melbourne on Thursday, Dec. 5 from 7–8 p.m. on Zoom. Register here. Presented by the Lincoln Public Library.