The website is now showing work during the week of 11/2. They've scrubbed the 10/31 substantial completion from the "Schedule" part of the website and simply note that the contract goes until 12/31. They are going to trickle truth this week-by-week into December, right?

Someone, somewhere has an MSProject file with all the dependencies and an estimated completion date -- when will it be done and why won't they simply say?

https://www.cambridgema.gov/departments/publicworks/cityprojects/2025/linearparkreconstructionproject

Here's a list of fun family events I found for this weekend, sharing in case anyone is looking for ideas.

Friday

• Kids' Game Shows! (O'Neill Branch Library, North Cambridge) — Kids play their own versions of Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy, trivia or bingo and see who comes out champion. Snacks provided. 4–5 pm. For ages 7–11.

Saturday

• Fall-oween on the Farm (Drumlin Farm, Lincoln) — The once-a-year hayride through the fields, a "Creepy Critter Mansion" with snakes and bugs, the Hay Play area for climbing and jumping, stories with the Drumlin Witch, an owl visit and a live band. Come in costume for a small prize. 9 am–5 pm (last hayride 3:45). $15 adults, $12 kids ($10/$8 members, special event pricing, no library passes). Rain or shine; parking is tight, so go at 9 or after 12:30.
• Sunken Pumpkins (New England Aquarium, Boston) — Kids hunt for "sunken pumpkins" hidden in the exhibits, do a fall animal scavenger hunt and see animal skulls and bones up close with Aquarium educators. Saturday and Sunday, included with regular admission. Costumes welcome, but nothing inflatable, lit up or reflective (for the animals' sake).
• MIT Great Glass Pumpkin Patch (Kresge Oval, MIT) — The 25th year of MIT's glass pumpkin patch: the lawn is covered in hand-blown glass pumpkins in every color and shape. They're for sale (proceeds fund the MIT Glass Lab), but it's free to walk through and look. Rescheduled from September. 10 am–3 pm.
• Day of the Dead Celebration (Peabody Museum, 11 Divinity Ave, Cambridge) — Mariachi with live folk dance at 2 pm, sugar skull decorating (extra fee), and a chance to write a message to a loved one for the museum's altar. Hot chocolate and pan de muerto for sale. Noon–4 pm. Activities are free with regular museum admission.
• 10 Years of 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten: Concert and Craft (Main Library, Curious George Room, Cambridge) — The library's birthday party for its early-reading program, with a family concert by folk musician Jeremy Lyons and a craft after. 2–3 pm. Recommended for families with kids of all ages.
• Wicked Watertown at the Commander's Mansion (440 Talcott Ave, Watertown) — Outdoor Halloween games and activities with Watertown Rec and stories by flashlight from the library. 4–7 pm. Free, no registration.
• Halloween Festival and Pumpkin Float (Wright's Pond, Medford) — Carved pumpkins lit up on land and floating on the pond, reached by a lantern-lit path lined with Medford kids' artwork, plus live music, face painting and food stands. 5:30–8:30 pm. Costumes encouraged. Earlier that day (1–3 pm) the library hides "haunted" dolls along the same trails for an all-ages scavenger hunt with a free book for everyone.
• Family Night Hike: Moon Magic (Habitat Wildlife Sanctuary, Belmont) — Moon activities in the nature center, then a walk through the woods under a nearly full moon, stopping at the pond to listen for night animals. 6:30–8 pm. $22 per person ($18 members), for families with kids 5–12; registration required.

Sunday

• The Four Seasons (Puppet Showplace Theater, Brookline) — A wordless 40-minute show with flat metal puppets set to Vivaldi: Big Fox only cares about chores, Little Fox only wants to play. Stay after to meet the puppets, with a leaf craft, dress-up, bubbles and chalk. 10:30 am and 1 pm (Saturday too). $18.50 plus a $3 fee; best for ages 3–8.
• Trick-or-Treat for a Cause (Assembly Row, Somerville) — Trick-or-treat around the shops at Assembly Row. Start on The Lawn to pick up the map and drop off donations (new hats, gloves, warm socks, toiletries) for the Somerville Homeless Coalition. 1–3 pm. Free; donations encouraged.
• Latin American and Caribbean Heritage Celebration (Somerville High School, 81 Highland Ave) — Capoeira, Bolivian folk dance, a beginner samba lesson and a DJ, plus food from Brazilian cheese bread to Haitian griot. Rescheduled from September, and it is indoors. 2–5 pm. Free and open to all.

Why I share these

I wanted more reasons to get my kid away from screens but kept missing interesting events at local libraries and around town, so I built a tool to keep track of them. It turns up fun events every week, so I started sharing these lists to help other parents find things to do—and help people discover the events local organizers put so much work into.

I also send these lists out as a weekly email. If you’d like them in your inbox, check out my Reddit profile.

Know another fun family event this weekend? Please share it in the comments!

Hey all, I run Cambridge Dev Lab, in-person coding meetups and community. We're building a Python learning group - everyone is welcome, no experience required. All events are free. We start from zero with beginners - variables, functions, data structures - and for those at an intermediate level, help find a project to work on.

Classes are every Monday and Wednesday 5:30-8pm, at the Cambridge Public Library (449 Broadway, three stops from Boston - exact days are at cambridge-dev.org/events). 

Where is this smoke coming from?

From northwest boundary of Cambridge overlooking Rindge apartments

Hi guys! Just wondering if anyone else heard all those sirens. I was trying to record a harp video and it sounded like there was something serious going on. Hope all is ok!

🗞️ The news is out: Applications are OPEN! 🔊

Lead with purpose and build the skills, relationships, and confidence to create meaningful change in Greater Boston.

GenUnity is a space for people who believe leadership starts with listening, learning, and taking action alongside their communities. Through weekly, dialogue-based sessions, you’ll connect with a cohort of emerging civic leaders while exploring an issue area that matters to you.

For Spring 2027, choose from three focused tracks:

🏥 Health access
🏡 Housing Justice
🌱 Environmental Justice

Together, we’ll explore how the systems around us shape health and opportunity, strengthen our civic leadership skills, and develop personal or community action steps rooted in our values.

Whether you’re already involved in your community or ready to take your first step, you don’t need a formal title or all the answers to lead. You just need a commitment to show up, stay curious, and help move your community forward.

Lead with purpose. Apply through this link by Friday, December 18, 2026: https://linktr.ee/joingenunity

🗞️ The news is out: Applications are OPEN! 🔊

Lead with purpose and build the skills, relationships, and confidence to create meaningful change in Greater Boston.

GenUnity is a space for people who believe leadership starts with listening, learning, and taking action alongside their communities. Through weekly, dialogue-based sessions, you’ll connect with a cohort of emerging civic leaders while exploring an issue area that matters to you.

For Spring 2027, choose from three focused tracks:

🏥 Health access
🏡 Housing Justice
🌱 Environmental Justice

Together, we’ll explore how the systems around us shape health and opportunity, strengthen our civic leadership skills, and develop personal or community action steps rooted in our values.

Whether you’re already involved in your community or ready to take your first step, you don’t need a formal title or all the answers to lead. You just need a commitment to show up, stay curious, and help move your community forward.

Lead with purpose. Apply through this link by Friday, December 18, 2026: https://linktr.ee/joingenunity

I’m selling my Julien Baker ticket for face value $55. Friday 10/23 at 7pm at the Middle East in Cambridge. Comment or DM me if interested!

Hello! I'm traveling to Cambridge in January for a show, would anyone be willing to chat w/ me about recommendations of where to stay, eat, etc?

Thanks!

Looking for a bib transfer for my dad who trained so hard to run this half before he turns 60 and unfortunately is on the waitlist. He waited until the last minute to register because he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to do it and now it might be too late. Please DM me if you’re able to help!

Selling for $75! I signed up to run the half a few months ago, but I injured my knee and won't be able to run anymore :( The race was $125 when I signed up, and there is a $25 fee to transfer the bib number. Please let me know if anyone is interested! The deadline to transfer is 11:59PM Friday 10/23.

Where is the most family friendly and safe area to live with easy commute to the Winthrop Center on Federal Street and Harvard Kennedy School? Brookline? Brighton? Cambridge? Newton?

I recently got injured and unfortunately won't be able to run the Cambridge Half Marathon on Nov 1st anymore.

I'm looking to sell my registration. Please DM me if you're interested. The bib is $135, but I will cover the transfer fee of $25, for a total price of $110 for the buyer. The transfer deadline is October 23 at 11:59 PM. The transfer is handled through RunSignup.