The Lincoln Squirrel – News, features and photos from Lincoln, Mass.

Police log for October 11–17, 2019

As a result of the strong nor’easter, Lincoln police handled numerous reports of power failures, downed wires and branches, and road closures in Lincoln on October 16–17 starting at 11:36 p.m. Locations included Concord Rd., 94 Conant Rd., Lincoln Road, South Great Road, Peirce Hill Road, Farrar Road, Tower Road, Old County Road, Trapelo Road, Winter Street, Bedford Road, 48 Mill St., 18 Baker Bridge Rd., and Hillside Road. Due to power disruptions, commercial alarms also went off at the Lincoln School, the Lincoln Public Library, the Pierce House, and Drumlin Farm.

A few of the log entries didn’t get recorded in the Police Department’s until the following day because of an internet outage. “Our records management system is cloud-based, so we had to go to the old pen and paper for a bit and then enter in the items after the fact,” said Lt. Sean Kennedy. 

October 11

125 Winter St. (9:40 a.m.)
A staff member at care Dimensions Hospice House called the station to report feeling threatened by someone during a meeting with a family member at Care Dimensions. The party was upset over a civil matter.

53 Wells Rd. (1:38 p.m.)
Call from Senior Services requested a well-being check on the resident. The resident was fine.

South Great Rd. (8:14 p.m.)
Report of a car driving without headlights on Rte 117. Area checked; nothing found.

October 12

South Great Road (4:47 p.m.)
Dog was running around in an intersection. Owner contacted and responded to get the dog.

October 13

169 Lincoln Rd. (11:34 a.m.)
Three parties who were having a verbal argument inside a vehicle pulled into the station. Officers spoke to the involved parties and it was decided that one party would head back to Boston on the train alone.

Pierce House, 17 Weston Rd. (8:55 p.m.)
A neighbor called reporting loud music at the Pierce House. Officer responded and spoke to the Pierce House staff.

October 14

34 Morningside Lane (1:41 p.m.)
A person was at the house to conduct a survey and the homeowner asked the person to leave. Officers followed up with the person and advised them not to come back to the residence.

Codman Road (2:00 p.m.)
Wallet found at Codman Community Farms.

Mt Misery parking lot, 60 South Great Rd. (1:46 p.m.)
Firearm magazine found in the woods.

155 Weston Rd. (5:52 p.m.)
Moped involved in a crash. No injuries; operator cited for motor vehicle offenses.

44 Page Rd. (9:57 p.m.)
Party knocked on door asking to use phone saying they had run out of gas. Officers responded to assist the party.

October 15

109 Page Rd. (5:08 a.m.)
Caller reports someone walking in the area, seemed out of the ordinary. Officers checked and it was a resident out for a walk.

67 Wells Rd. (7:33 a.m.)
Party called saying they noticed a student had missed the bus to Lincoln-Sudbury. Officer responded and assisted with a ride to the high school.

Hanscom Drive (4:16 p.m.)
Report of a man taking pictures of the Air Force base, which seemed suspicious. Officer checked the area; unable to locate the party.

October 16

Lincoln Road (1:02 a.m.)
Caller reported hearing a loud bang; could possibly be an electrical transformer.

Beaver Pond Road (3:12 a.m.)
Officer checked on a vehicle parked on the side of the road. Operator was checking his directions.

49 Wells Rd. (2:14 p.m.)
Party was having a civil dispute with her neighbor. Complainant was advised of her legal options.

51 Wells Rd. (5:05 p.m.)
Resident was having an ongoing civil dispute with a neighbor. Advised of their legal options.

October 17

220 Sandy Pond Rd. (1:13 a.m.)
Caller reported a burning smell at the residence. An electrical problem was the cause; Eversource was notified.

Lincoln Rental Assistance Program now accepting applications

Applications are now being accepted for the Lincoln Rental Assistance Program, a collaborative program of the Lincoln Housing Commission and the Lincoln Council on Aging (COA).

A sum of $30,000 has been allocated for the first year of the program, which was approved at Annual Town Meeting in 2019 and is funded by the Community Preservation Act. The town’s CPA account is in turn is funded by a surcharge on property taxes (partially matched by the state) and can be spent on historic, recreational, or affordable housing projects.

The program came about because more and more residents have been coming to the COA and town social worker with housing, financial, and food needs. “Other towns in the area are also seeing increasing needs, so it’s not just Lincoln,” COA director Carolyn Bottum said.

The Lincoln Rental Assistance Program (LRAP) provides monthly subsidies to households who are renting or wish to rent qualifying housing units in the town of Lincoln and need financial assistance to pay for rent and certain utilities. The goal of the program is to provide greater housing stability and housing opportunities to cost-burdened renters in Lincoln.

The town will provide rental assistance in an amount sufficient to ensure that each participating household does not pay more than 30% of the household’s income for rent and certain utilities. Households may be in the program for three years with an annual maximum subsidy of $5,000. 

To be eligible for the Lincoln Rental Assistance Program:

  • Households must have an annual household gross income of less than 80% of the Area Median Income for the household size. For a household of one, this is $62,450; for a household of two, $71,400; for a household of three, $80,300; and more for larger households.
  • The household must spend more than 30% of its gross monthly income towards rental housing costs, which means the rent paid by the household to the landlord and the amount paid for heat, hot water, electricity, water and sewer.
  • No household member can own a home or have any other ownership interest in real property.
  • The household must occupy the rental housing unit assisted through the LRAP as its primary residence.
  • The household must agree to work with the Lincoln Council on Aging or town social worker to develop a strategy that supports a sustainable long-term housing situation through at least four meetings each year.
  • The landlord must agree to accept LRAP payments.

If more eligible households apply than can be accommodated, a lottery will be held in a public place to determine who may participate in the program.

Guidelines can be downloaded here. Potential applicants may pick up applications at Lincoln Town Hall, the Lincoln Public Library, the Department of Parks and Recreation, and Bemis Hall; download it from the town website; or contact the Lincoln Council on Aging. Applications are due to the COA by 4:30 p.m. on December 31, 2019. 

For more information, call Carolyn Bottum at the COA at 781-259-8811.

 

Special Town Meeting on Nov. 2; register to vote by Oct. 23

A Special Town Meeting will be held on Saturday, Nov. 2 at 9 a.m. to vote on appropriating, transferring and/or bonding funds to purchase capital items for the Water Department and to supplement its 2020 operating budget.

The amount of money involved and the purpose(s) for which it’s being requested were unavailable as of Monday evening. The department is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, Oct. 22 at 4 p.m, to prepare for the Special Town Meeting.

Voters approved bonding $1.01 million for the department at the 2019 Annual Meeting to pay for deferred maintenance and work required by the state Department of Environmental Protection. A hike in water rates also went into effect earlier this year.

The Water Department is run as an enterprise fund, meaning that revenues are expected to meet or exceed expenditures on a year-to-year basis, and expenses (including bond payments) are paid through user fees and retained revenue.

Wednesday, Oct. 23 is the last day to register in time for the Special Town Meeting. The Secretary of State’s website allows you to check your voter registration status and register online. Residents may also register in person at the Town Clerk’s Office during regular business hours from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., and there will be extended registration on Wednesday from 4:30–8 p.m. at the Lincoln Public Safety Building.

The State of the Town Meeting will follow immediately after the Special Town Meeting.

Letter to the editor: thanks from domestic violence group

To the editor:

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and the Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable wishes to thank all those individuals, faith communities, youth programs, organizations, and businesses who continue to give so generously of their time, talents, and resources. 

For survivors of Domestic Violence, the color purple is meant to be a symbol of courage, survival, honor, and dedication to ending violence. We are particularly grateful for those establishments who have illuminated their buildings with purple lighting during October.

We would also like to thank the over 160 businesses and offices who display our hotline cards on which are printed the names and phone numbers of local service providers to whom anyone experiencing abuse — physical, sexual, emotional, economic, or psychological – can turn for help.

Last year we celebrated our 20th anniversary, and as we move into the next decade, we seek to adapt to the societal shifts that take place around us, to continue and strengthen our efforts to promote safe and healthy relationships  and develop new programs to alert and educate our communities and community leaders about relationship violence in all its forms.

The Roundtable warmly welcomes new members and volunteers and encourages interested people to visit our web site at www.domesticviolenceroundtable.org.

Sincerely,

Sue Rushfirth
President, Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable

Residential tax exemption idea draws criticism at forum

(Updated on 10/30/19 with link to the forum slide presentation)

By Alice Waugh

The idea of a residential property tax exemption that would shift the burden of taxes to owners of more expensive homes was met with opposition at an October 15 public forum.

The event was the second of two public forums hosted by the Property Tax Study Committee, which was formed in the wake of fears that some Lincoln residents would not be able to afford the tax increase resulting from the $93 million school project. At its first forum in June, the group presented two options it was studying: a means-tested “circuit-breaker” program and a residential tax exemption program.

Sudbury, Concord, and Wayland have enacted local versions of the state circuit breaker program for homeowners over 65. If they have lived in their town at least 10 years and meet certain income and asset thresholds, they pay no more than 10% of their income for property taxes. Renters who are paying more than 25% of their income on rent are also eligible under the state program, though the three neighboring towns don’t have this provision.

If Lincoln were to adopt a similar program, it would most likely follow the pattern of the three other towns by basing it on the existing state circuit-breaker program and funding it through a small hike in the local tax rate, capped at a certain amount such as 1%. Such a move would require Town Meeting approval preceded by special legislation, a multiyear process.

Alternatively, passage of a bill now in the state Senate would require only Town Meeting approval for a local plan, but “this would probably prevent us from customizing the law in any way,” and it would not benefit those under 65, said Selectman Jennifer Glass, the committee member who made the October 15 presentation.

The other option under consideration would make property taxes even more progressive than they already are by making a proportion of each property’s value exempt from taxes, with no consideration of the owner’s income or assets. Fourteen cities and towns in Massachusetts offer a program like this, but most have either a large commercial tax base, or many expensive vacation homes, meaning the benefit accrues to year-round residents.

In making their annual recommendation to the Board of Selectmen when setting the tax rate each year, the assessors “were quite adamant this was not meant for us,” said former Selectman Peter Braun.

The Board of Selectmen already has the power to create a residential exemption when it sets the tax rate every year, but has never done so. Ellen Meadors noted that she and other assessors felt such a move shouldn’t take place without input from the town as a whole.

Another possibility is creating a local circuit-breaker program that would also apply to younger homeowners, since special legislation would be required in any case. “We have thought of a few permutations) that we could try out with the state, but the state is very careful when comes to tax policy about setting precedent and not rocking the boat statewide,” Glass said.

“This brings us back to the big question: who are we trying to help, and what are we trying to achieve?” said Glass, adding that the town could choose to adopt either, both or neither of the two options.

Several forum attendees who packed the Donaldson Room in Town Hall objected to the idea of a residential tax exemption. “Every home above the [exemption] break point will have taxes go up, and the property value will go down,” one resident said “The bar will be reset and we’ll be right back where we are today.” The measure would not have the intended effect of promoting economic diversity and could very well benefit property owners who don’t need such tax relief, he added.

As a result of the school bonding, taxes went up this year by an average of 12.3%, Glass said. The tax rate for fiscal 2020 is $15.36 for every $1,000 of assessed home value; $1.95 of that $15.36 is paying for the school project.

“The town just took this vote on new school. Had we known there was another potential [tax hike] provision that gained more momentum… that vote night have turned out differently,” a resident said.

Glass assured the audience that there was “no way we would implement this unless the overwhelming majority of the town wanted it… message heard.”

Regardless of who pays how much, tax revenue has to rise to pay for the school. “It seems like we’re being taxed out of town, and it’s heartbreaking to me because I love this town,” said one resident to a chorus of “hear, hear!”

The property tax proposals will be discussed at the State of the Town meeting on November 2 at 9:30 a.m. Also on the agenda: zoning changes proposed by the South Lincoln Planning and Implementation Committee that would encourage denser housing and mixed-use development in South Lincoln. Such measures could broaden the commercial tax base and benefit middle-income homeowners, “addressing some of the very issues we’ve talked about tonight,” noted SPLIC co-chair Gary Taylor.

Arnold Arboretum begins project to reproduce Lincoln’s catalpa tree

By Cathy Moritz

Sean Halloran, head of woody plant propagation for Arnold Arboretum, takes a cutting of Lincoln’s catalpa tree.

Sean Halloran, head of woody plant propagation at the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, has generously agreed to attempt to reproduce a twisting offspring of the town’s beloved Northern Catalpa tree in front of the Lincoln Public Library. Halloran’s work is at the joint request of the Lincoln Garden Club and the Friends of the Lincoln Library.

The catalpa has graced the grounds of the Lincoln Library and sparked conversations in Lincoln since the early 20th century, but it’s well beyond the typical catalpa lifespan of 60 years and won’t live forever. The hope is to grow a genetically identical twisting “daughter tree” to plant nearby on the library grounds so future generations can enjoy the same beautiful tree we have. 

Arboretum staff are using several reproduction techniques. On July 22, Halloran and an intern took many cuttings of new growth up in the upper branches, and 115 of them are now planted in an Arboretum greenhouse under the best conditions. This fall, they will gather seeds from the tree before they fall to the ground where they can pick up disease.

Halloran has not located another catalpa in the immediate area. He believes that the tree is self-pollinating, so that its seeds are probably genetically identical to the parent tree. Next winter, one or more small limbs will be taken and grafted onto catalpa stumps, employing the same technique used to grow apple cultivars. Root cuttings, which can be dangerous to the tree, are under consideration but will not be used without further discussion and permission from the library trustees.

This project will take several years, and it may not be immediately apparent that any of the tree’s offspring will have the twisting characteristic. Halloran explained that tree genetics are even more complicated than human genetics and their expression is affected by the environment just as human genes are, so that there is no guarantee that any offspring will twist. But he assures us that the Arboretum staff will take whatever time is needed to complete the project. They are using it as a learning experience for their interns. Meanwhile, they’re also advising us on how to preserve the existing tree.

Coordinating the effort is the Lincoln Garden Club, with assistance from the Friends of the Lincoln Library; Barbara Myles, the library’s director; and the library trustees. Myles reported that town residents are very concerned about the tree and contact her frequently in the spring, when the month of May often goes by with nary a leaf appearing. In early June, the catalpa’s bare branches leaf out very rapidly. Halloran noted with interest that for unknown reasons, Lincoln’s catalpa blooms three to four weeks after the catalpas at the arboretum and is, quite literally, a “late bloomer.”

News acorns

Flu shots for seniors next week

Lincoln residents 65 and over are invited to get a free flu shot at to the Board of Health/COA clinic at Bemis Hall on Tuesday, Oct. 22 from 10 a.m.–noon. The clinic will have only the regular, quadrivalent form of the vaccine; the high-dose vaccine is back-ordered from the manufacturer.

The Centers for Disease Control CDC recommends that everyone 6 months of age and older get the vaccine, with no preference expressed for any one vaccine over another. If you would like the high dose, please sign up with the COA by calling 781-259-8811, and if the public health nurse is able to get the high-dose vaccine, she will contact you to arrange for your vaccination, which could be as late as mid to late November.

There is no out-of-pocket charge, but please bring your insurance card and wear a short-sleeved shirt. Services provided by Emerson Hospital Home Care.

Codman’s annual Harvest Feast coming up

The centerpiece of Codman Community Farms’ annual dinner in the barn on Saturday, November 2 from 5–9 p.m. will be (for the first time in a very long time) a pig roast! Codman’s own slow-roasted, pasture-raised pork will be served with with cornbread, potatoes, salad and apple desserts. Dinner will be followed by a raffle and a barn dance for all ages, with bluegrass music from the Splinters. Tickets are limited, click here to buy in advance.

Event features racial justice author

Author and racial justice educator Debby Irving, in conversation with the Lincoln School’s Claudia Fox Tree and Sharon Hobbs, will present “I’m a Good Person, Isn’t That Enough?” on Wednesday, Nov. 13 from 6:30–8:30 p.m. in the Brooks auditorium. The event is free, but registration is required — click here to register.

Irving, author of “Five Years Later: Waking Up White and Finding Myself in the Story of Race,” utilizes stories from her life to explore systemic racism that goes largely unnoticed but feeds long-held racialized belief systems. By sharing her struggle to understand racism and racial tensions, she offers a fresh perspective of bias, stereotypes, manners, and tolerance. As she unpacks her own long-held beliefs about color blindness, being a good person, and wanting to help people of color, she reveals how each of these well-intentioned mindsets actually perpetuated her ill-conceived ideas about race. She also explains why and  how she’s changed the way she talks about racism, works in racially mixed groups, and understands the racial justice movement as a whole. Funded by the Lincoln School Foundation.

Weekend of music, poetry and theater in November

The Delvena Theatre Company presents “The Dickens You Say” on Saturday, Nov. 16 at 1 p.m., and Lincoln residents Evelyn Harris and Mary Crowe present “An Afternoon of Poetry and Music” on Sunday, Nov. 17 at 3 p.m. Both events take place in Bemis Hall and are sponsored by the Lincoln Public Library and the Lincoln Council on Aging.

Through the use of monologues and scenes, the Delvena actors will embody the ridiculous, the romantic and the frightening characters that Charles Dickens created. There’s a bit of scandal and a lot of worship for the writer who loved Boston profoundly. After the show, the cast will lead a lively discussion. Appropriate for patrons 16 and up.

On November 17, Crowe will offer selected readings of poems by Agee, Joyce, Yeats, Dickinson and others, followed by musical settings of these poems by 20th-century computers Copland, Barber, and Hermann played by Harris. The pair will explore how the settings of each piece influence the poetry and vice versa.

Magic Garden open house for infants and toddlers

Magic Garden’s Infant & Toddler Center at 14 Bedford Rd. will host an open house on Tuesday, Nov. 12 from 5–7 p.m. The center has a new playground surrounded in nature for its two groups of children: Little Ducklings (2–15 months) and Little Explorers (15–24 months). The core program hours are Monday through Friday 8 a.m.–3 p.m., with early arrival starting at 7:30 a.m. and latest pick up at 6 p.m. Flexible schedules are available; sign up for two to five days per week.

L-S alumni soccer game

The 27th annual Lincoln-Sudbury Alumni Soccer Game will kick off Saturday, Nov. 30 at noon. Everyone has fun regardless of what shape they’re in – it’s a casual game for alumni from any era. Spread the word and RSVP by posting on this Facebook page and posting there. Questions? Contact Tim Mangini at tim_mangini@wgbh.org.

LSB Players announce 2019-20 season

The LSB Players at at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School has announced its slate of plays for 2019-2020 and are offering season subscriptions. Tickets for all shows are $8 for students and senior citizens, $15 for adults. Benefactors and season ticket holders receive advance notice before tickets are available to the general public so they can reserve for the evening of their choice, and they are named in every program during the year. Season tickets are $40 for adults and $20 for students and senior citizens; benefactor tickets are $60. Click here for details.

“Be More Chill”
November 20–23 at 7:30 p.m.
A contemporary musical based on the young adult novel of the same name by Ned Vizzini tells the story of Jeremy Heere as he decides to find a way to “be more chill” and rule the high school, with unfortunate results. Recommended for ages 13+.

“Beanstalk”
January 17 at 6 p.m.; January 18 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
LSB Players’ fourth annual theatre-for-young audiences production, a silly adaptation of the traditional tale of Jack and the Beanstalk. The production will employ audience participation, arts and craft activities for young children, and a sensory-friendly performance at the Saturday morning show.

Seventh annual student-directed winter one-acts
January 31 at 7:30 p.m.; February 1 at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Two L-S seniors will direct “Waiting for Lefty” and “The Other Room.”

“Peter and the Starcatcher”
April 3–4 at 7:30 p.m.; April 4–5 at 2 p.m.

This fast-paced, highly physical play, considered something of a prequel to the J.M. Barrie stories of Peter Pan, employs storytelling techniques and fantastical humor that will delight all ages. 

9th- and 10th-grade play (title TBD)
May 8 at 6 p.m; free admission.

COLLAGE XXVI
June 1–13 at 7:30 p.m.
A collection of scenes, one-acts and original pieces selected and directed by students. Free admission.

Minuteman High School project marks finish line with ribbon-cutting

Minuteman Superintendent-Director Edward A. Bouquillon holds the ribbon and State Treasurer Deborah Goldberg makes the cut at the new school’s opening ceremony on October 4. With them are Needham Selectman Dan Matthews (far left), State Sen. Cindy Friedman (center), MSBA executive director Jack McCarthy, Minuteman School Building Committee chair Ford Spalding of Dover, and State Rep. Michelle Ciccolo. (Photo by Alice Waugh)

By Alice Waugh

The new Minute Man Regional Vocational Technical High School in Lincoln was officially dedicated last week at a ribbon-cutting attended by hundreds of students, staff, officials, and friends.

The event capped a sometimes rocky road for the project. Several of the original 16 towns in the Minuteman district, including Lincoln, withdrew largely due to the $145 million price tag for the new building ($44 million of which was provided by the Massachusetts School Building Authority). Eight years after submitting its initial statement of interest to the MSBA, the project won approval in a district-wide vote in 2016, and construction got underway in June 2017. Students began using the school this fall after construction was finished a year ahead of schedule and $3 million under budget.

There was debate over the projected enrollment during discussions several years ago; towns and the MSBA settled on 628 students in grades 9-12, several hundred fewer than the former capacity. The new facility has proved to be popular — there’s already a waiting list, “and we have the largest freshman class in over 25 years,” Bouquillon said. Students from Minuteman district towns (Acton, Arlington, Belmont, Bolton, Concord, Dover, Lancaster, Lexington, Needham and Stow) get preference for admission.

Since 2002, Lincoln has sent anywhere from two to 11 students to Minuteman each year, though that figure includes post-graduate and part-time students. As of October 2016, Lincoln accounted for eight of the school’s 618 students.

Minuteman’s property straddles the Lincoln/Lexington town line. The old building was on the Lexington side and the athletic fields were in Lincoln, but they’ve now traded places. Fields and an athletic complex will be built after the old building is demolished starting next month, and they should be ready for use by fall 2021. The school is working on a financial model to develop and rent out athletic facilities when the school is not using them, as well as a public/private partnership for sharing some of the school’s indoor space such as labs.

The entrance to Minuteman High School. (Photo by Alice Waugh)

The new facility reflects a sea change from how vocational education has evolved. In the 1960s when the school opened, the curriculum focused on trades such as carpentry, plumbing, cooking, and auto mechanics. Students can now choose from courses in areas including digital arts and design, biotechnology, environmental science, and robots and automation, as well as academic subjects and the traditional trades.

“We have built a school that lets us dream big and be brave. We have a place that gives us all a chance to answer the two critical questions we want our students to answer: what do I love to do and what do I do well?” said school superintendent/director Edward Bouquillon at the October 4 ceremony, which also featured a video showing the building and happy students and staff. “For those of you who have been with us since the beginning, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.” 

News acorns

Property tax forum on Tuesday

The Property Tax Study Committee will hold its second public forum on Tuesday, Oct. 15 from 7–8:30 p.m. in Town Hall. The group was formed in reaction to concerns about the large tax increase required for the $93 million school project. At its first forum in June, the group presented two possible measures: a means-tested circuit breaker program and a residential exemption for certain properties.

Family fun at Walden Woods Farm

The Lincoln-based Walden Woods Project offers a day of fall-themed family activities at its organic Farm at Walden Woods (1047 Concord Turnpike/Rt. 2 eastbound, Concord) on Saturday, Oct. 19 from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. There will be an interactive full-size model of Thoreau’s Walden Pond house, packets of milkweed seeds to plant at home for monarch butterfly habitat, free apple cider and a ”solitude” selfie station. The event is part of the Concord Festival of Authors.

Scarecrow Classic 5K on Oct. 20

The seventh annual Annual Scarecrow Classic on Sunday, Oct. 20 starts at 9:30 a.m. on Codman Road by the fire station and runs along Lincoln’s scenic roads, fields, and trails. Proceeds from this event support the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust (LLCT). After the race, there will be a raffle with prizes, live music, cider donuts, seasonal soup, and prizes for the top three runners in each age category. Raffle tickets can be purchased in advance at the LLCT offices, from LLCT trustees, or on October 14 before the race. Register online or at the event starting at 8 a.m. Visit scarecrowclassic5k.com for the route map and online registration.

Tales from the Night at Drumlin Farm

Put on your favorite costume, grab a flashlight, and join us for Tales of the Night — the silliest, spookiest, and most family-friendly Halloween tradition on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 25 and 26 at Drumlin Farm, from 6:30–9p.m. Costumes are encouraged. Visitors will have the chance to:

  • Explore the farm at night lit by our display of over 100 jack-o-lanterns
  • Meet some of the nocturnal wildlife of Massachusetts
  • Enjoy spooky treats, spider cider, and witch’s brew at the ghoulish graveyard
  • Step into a story on our Nursery Rhyme Trail to meet your favorite characters
  • Get a festive face painting at the Crossroads Barn
  • Venture out into the fields for a haunted hayride full of spooky surprises for the brave at heart (7–8:30 p.m.)

Tickets are available via advance purchase only — admission cannot be purchased at the gate. Mass Audubon members: $15. Nonmembers: $17. Free for children under age 2. Register early, as this event often sells out.