See this Parks and Recreation page for details.
Always wanted to learn how to solve a Rubik’s cube? Now’s your chance! Learn about “speed cubing” and how to solve a 3×3 cube at workshops hosted by the Lincoln Public Library on Mondays, July 10, 17, and 24 from 6–8 p.m. Best for ages 8+. Participants are encouraged to sign up for all three sessions. Registration required as space is limited; email dshaver@minlib.net to register. Made possible by the Friends of the Lincoln Library.
The Tour de Codman will start at Codman Farm on Sunday, Sept. 10 and will take cyclists on a nearly 12-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 for coffee, cider and donuts. We welcome all ages 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 ride leader will have basic tools but riders should plan to be self-sufficient. The total time for the ride, with stops, should be under two hours. Click here for more information and registration.
The service at the First Parish in Lincoln on “Rally Sunday” on Sunday, Sept. 17 at 10 a.m. will include a blessing of the backpacks for our children and joyful music from the choir. With a bit of history during the service, and cake afterwards on the lawn, we’ll also be celebrating the 275th anniversary of the church.
On Friday, Sept. 22 from 1–3 p.m., meet at the famous “twisted tree” in front of Lincoln Public Library for a special Quiet Walks and Poetry for Seekers collaboration. We’ll walk for a mile or two in the neighborhood, stopping four or five times beneath particular trees. Beneath the shade of each tree, we will hear a poem that in some way honors or features that tree species. In between each poem, we will walk in silence. At the end, we will gather in a circle and reflect on what we saw and heard. If the weather looks questionable, email Rev. Nate Klug (nate@fplincoln.org) for the latest updates.
The 11th annual Scarecrow Classic 5K kicks off on Sunday, Oct. 15 at 9:30 a.m. at Lincoln Station. This community road and trail run, which supports LLCT’s conservation mission, wind through scenic fields and forests, ending the morning with a cider donut. This year, LLCT is hosting magician Cedric Purcell to entertain guests before the awards ceremony. LLCT strongly encourages pre-registration by October 1 to guarantee participants get their desired shirt size. Click here for more information and registration. Same-day registration opens at 8:00 a.m. on race day.
LincFam welcomes new and expecting parents to a meetup for families with children under 2 or expecting a child (both parents and children are welcome) on Sunday, Sept. 24 at 3:30 p.m. Meet at the commuter parking lot next to Donelan’s to walk the Codman trails. No RSVP required. If you’d like to join the list for information on future events and meetups, click here.
Practice your pumpkin poses and skeleton stretches. This kid-friendly yoga class weaves a rich balance between the imaginative world of the child with the distinct aspects of yoga practice that support mindfulness, self-regulation, and joy. The instructor comes from the teaching team at On The Mat Yoga in Concord. For ages 3-12 with a caregiver; meet on the third floor of the museum and bring a water bottle and mat. Click here for details and registration.
Don’t put your costume away just yet! deCordova is celebrating Halloween with a wild, quirky, outrageous Gay Christmas Dance Party inside the museum for both the LGBTQ+ community and enthusiastic allies. Featuring music by DJ Dayglow, a costume contest with prizes, a cash bar, and spotlight performances by a circus and drag artists. Open to all 21+. Creative and fabulous costumes encouraged, but not required. Click here for details and registration.
Learn about commonly encountered wildlife such as deer, coyote, and raccoons, and their intersection with wild and developed spaces. Find out best practices for maintaining bird feeders and attracting visitors and learn about amazing pollinators and problematic mosquitoes and ticks. Led by Tia Pinney, lead naturalist and educator at Mass Audubon’s Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary.
Go into the woods with Farrington Nature Linc Educator and Program Manager Meg Ito to look for “Signs of Animals” on Saturday, Nov. 11 from 2–3:30 p.m. Expect to see some real animal bones, skins, and other signs as part of this workshop (including an introduction to local wildlife and a 45-minute walk around the site) featuring animal track cards and a small piece of snake skin home. Click here to purchase tickets ($25–$45).
Insight Seminars is sponsoring a dance party for adults and older teens on Saturday, Jan. 20 from 6–10 p.m. in Bemis Hall. Insight is a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing the wellness and life satisfaction of all people through the processes of learning, uplift, and growth that sponsors seminars in Boston and other locations. Please bring a snack-type finger food (no dishes or silverware needed) or beverage to share if you like (no alcohol please). Questions? Contact Stephanie Kramp at 978-460-4891 or stephkramp@yahoo.com.
Join us on a guided hike around the trails of Mt. Misery as we look for tracks and other signs of life to understand how our local wildlife survives New England winters. We look for the presence of a variety of animals, including beaver activity, to learn how they spend stretches of winter under the ice. This family-friendly hike will be guided by the Lincoln Conservation Department. Click here to register. Part of Winter Carnival 2024.
Help our farmer take care of the animals! In this hands-on activity, you’ll get to meet and feed the animals their dinner, help keep the barns clean, and make sure everyone is tucked in for the night. Adult & child members: $14. Adult & child nonmembers: $17. Click here to register. Part of Winter Carnival 2024.
Come in out of the cold and learn some easy yoga stretches and poses as well as meditation techniques at First Parish in Lincoln’s Stone Church auditorium. Kids and adults welcome! Part of Winter Carnival 2024.
1:15–1:45 p.m. OR 2–2:45 p.m.
Winter is cold in New England, but not everywhere. Learn how animals survive freezing temperatures, floods, and other winter challenges in different parts of the world. Who is active and outside? Who is sleeping or hiding? Joys of Nature will share information on how local animals and others around the world survive their winter seasons. Attendees will also meet live reptiles! We are offering two half-hour sessions for families with children ages 4+. For more information, email dleopold@minlib.net. Part of Winter Carnival 2024.
Explore the world of natural color with an introduction to dyeing fabric with plants. You’ll create your own set of four dyed cotton napkins using plants, including some foraged at Nature Linc over the summer. Different surface techniques will be explored, including creating resists on fabric with natural materials. Adults only. Pre-registration required.
The “On Belonging in Outdoor Spaces” free speaker series continues via Zoom on Wednesday, March 13 at 7 p.m. with Erika Rumbley, co-founder and director of the New Garden Society and Director of Horticulture at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. She will speak about her work training incarcerated students in the art and science of plants. On Wednesday, March 27at 7 p.m., Doug Sutherland, a summer camp professional, will share his experiences as a Black person in rural New Hampshire, where “belonging” is an assumption for some and unattainable for others.
Click here to register for either talk. The series is hosted by Farrington Nature Linc, Lincoln Land Conservation Trust, the Walden Woods Project, Mass Audubon, deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, and Codman Community Farms. Spring 2024 Sponsorship is generously provided by the Ogden Codman Trust and Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area.
The Youth Programs Committee at the First Parish in Lincoln is hosting an interfaith candlelight vigil on Wednesday, March 20 from 6–7 p.m. at the white church for all children lost in both the Palestinian and Israeli communities. Children can bring a bird they’ve made for a specific child (see Birds of Gaza for ideas) or for children more broadly. Craft kits with various art supplies to create birds are still available outside the side door of the Stone Church. Birds can be fashioned out of any medium you choose (clay, paper, your own materials, etc.). A short prayer will be offered at the vigil that is appropriate for all ages.