May Day Rally on the Common
2026-05-01 17:00 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | Waltham Common, 610 Main St, Waltham, MA, 02452, United States
May Day Rally on the Common and at Main and Moody in support of May Day, the Labor Movement and the general strike called for May 1.
Workers Over Billionaires! May 1 is International Workers’ Day worldwide. This year, May 1 will be a powerful, nationwide show of force—with marches, walkouts, rallies, and a refusal of business as usual—as thousands of us move together to demonstrate what it looks like when the many act in unison and demand that this country work for us, not the ultra-rich.

Single mothers retreat — Retiro para madres solteras
2026-05-02 09:00 - 15:30 | Saint Mary Parish, 133 School Street, Waltham, MA
Organized by the Lazarus Center for Healing in Wakefield, this gathering is specially designed for single mothers seeking peace, strength, and a deeper faith alongside a community of women who truly understand this journey.
Organizado por el Lazarus Center for Healing Shrine, en Wakefield, MA, este encuentro está especialmente diseñado para madres solteras que buscan paz, fortaleza y una fe más profunda junto a una comunidad de mujeres que realmente comprenden este camino.
Free of charge / Gratis
Lunch & snacks provided / Almuerzo y refrigerios incluidos
Coffee & donuts / Café y donas
Childcare available / Cuidado de niños disponible
Come with or without your children / Ven con o sin tus hijos
Registration required/Registro aqui
For more information: Call Claudia at 617-798-5795 or email.

Lyman Estate Landscape Tour
2026-05-02 09:30 - 11:00 | Lyman Estate, 185 Lyman Street, Waltham
Join Historic New England for a walk through the rolling wooded paths and garden trails of the Lyman Estate. This site was home to pleasure grounds, formal gardens, a pond system, woodlands, and a working farm for more than four generations of the Lyman family. Peek into the land’s former uses with stories of flora, fauna, and the individuals who cared for them.
Rain or shine. Please call (617) 994-5912 for more information.
The Lyman Estate Landscape Tour will also run on July 18 and October 17.

Spring bird walk
2026-05-02 10:00 - 12:00 | Shaw’s, 130 River St, Waltham, MA
Join Waltham Land Trust expert birder Emily Szczypek for a spring bird walk along the Charles River.
Migration will be taking place so we could see Baltimore Orioles, Warbling Vireos, Warblers, Tree and or Rough-winged Swallows, and Osprey, as well as our resident Great Blue Herons, Red-tailed Hawks, and various song birds. Families are encouraged to attend!
Dogs often scare away birds, so they are not allowed. Bring binoculars.
Rain cancels.

Waltham Public Library Bookmobile
2026-05-02 10:00 - 13:00 | Waltham Public Library, 735 Main St, Waltham, MA, 02451, United States
You are invited to celebrate the arrival of the Waltham Public Library Bookmobile. The newest way to visit your Library!
Ribbon cutting – Refreshments – Tours – Family activities.
For more information, email or call 781-314-3425.

Working-class History Tour of the Lyman Estate
2026-05-02 11:30 - 13:00 | Lyman Estate, 185 Lyman Street, Waltham
From cooking meals to operating factory looms, laborers made the Lyman family’s life on a grand estate possible.
Hundreds of workers were employed as gardeners, maids, and farm hands during the Lyman Estate’s 150+ years of operation. Thousands more held positions in industries that helped the family prosper financially, like the textile mills in Waltham and Holyoke in which the Lymans invested. Explore the working-class history of the Lyman Estate and visit areas of the house not usually on view during this new specialty tour.
Member $15; Nonmember $20.
Please call (617) 994-5912 for more information.

'Join or Die' screening and community Joining Fair
2026-05-02 14:30 - 17:30 | West Newton Cinema, 1296 Washington Street, Newton, 02904
Join us for a screening of “Join or Die,” a documentary inspired by social scientist Robert Putnam’s research on social connection and the importance of civic engagement in our lives.
Following the screening, we’ll gather for a community Joining Fair, where local clubs and organizations will be present to connect with attendees and share ways to get involved.
The Joining Fair will take place in a relaxed, social setting, with a bar available where guests can purchase snacks and beverages. There will also be some fun activities planned to learn more about the clubs.
This event is co-hosted by The Boston Club and West Newton Cinema and is a great opportunity to learn about local communities, meet new people, and explore ways to get more connected.
Buy tickets or find out more about the film here.

Waltham Fields — Walk for Hunger
2026-05-03 09:00 - 17:00 | Waltham Fields Community Farm, 240 Beaver St, Waltham, MA, 02452, United States
Join Team Waltham Fields for the Walk for Hunger!
Our Walk for Hunger team registration is open—another sign that spring is just around the corner. Join our team to help raise funds for Waltham Fields Community Farm and for food access programs throughout Massachusetts.
Could you be our next team captain? Do you love to get your community moving and inspiring others? We are seeking a volunteer to be our team captain to help recruit team members and donations. If you are interested, email Amanda.

Annual Heroes brunch
2026-05-03 11:00 - 13:00 | American Legion Joseph F. Hill Post, 215 Waverley Oaks Road, Waltham, MA
Please join us for the 17th annual Heroes Awards celebration.
This year’s honorees are (for 2025):

Clarence Darrow Richardson, Jr.
Dr. Nadene B. Stein
Waltham Educators Association
The Waltham Times

Tickets can be purchased here.
As Waltham’s official branch of the Democratic Party, the Waltham Democratic City Committee is the local voice for the party’s values of economic opportunity, environmental protection, a fair and strong safety net, and equal rights for all.

Waltham Education and Beyond Foundation 5k road race
2026-05-03 12:00 - 14:00 | Moody Street Bridge, 139 Moody Street, Waltham, MA
The Strides for Education 5K & Kids Fun Run is an annual event that brings the Waltham community together for a fun, healthy, family-oriented activity in the heart of Waltham on historic Moody Street. All funds raised from the event benefit programs in Waltham Public Schools.
Register here.

Mother’s Day Mosaic Gift Making
2026-05-03 13:00 - 16:30 | Amy Marks’ Mosaic Studio, 111 Riverview Avenue, Waltham
Imagine her surprise when your mom gets a unique handmade gift from you! When you register, you’ll have the choice of making jewelry, a picture frame, a small mirror (7″ diameter) or an 8″ heart. I have all the glass, beads, costume jewelry, shells and bling you’ll need to create a one-of-a-kind mosaic. No experience is necessary.
May 3, 2026
Heart or Mirror: $80, 1-4:30 pm
Jewelry or Frames: $45, 2-4:30 pm
Register at:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0C4EABA623A7FC1-63391902-make#/

Steampunk Show & Tell II
2026-05-03 14:00 - 15:30 | The Waltham Museum, 25 Lexington Street, Waltham, MA
Tired of all the snow and shoveling? Come join us as we continue our Social Series with “Steampunk Show & Tell II.”
Curious about what steampunk IS? Wondering WHY all the top hats and goggles? Interested in HOW this genre is historical?
This event, back by popular demand, features steampunk models who will walk the runway with their steampunk garb and accessories, followed by a panel talk about the history and creativity that goes into planning a steampunk look, and different personas or cosplay that can be found among steampunks.
Seats are limited, so signup by calling 781-893-9020 or emailing with name, phone number, and number of participants.

Art Show Fundraiser
2026-05-03 15:00 - 17:00 | Temple Beth Israel, 25 Harvard Street, Waltham, MA
“Come Buy Your Mother Something Nice”

Join us the week before Mother’s Day to pick up a piece of superb art at a great price, and it supports our community! Snacks will be served. Silent art auction and live auction of fun prizes will occur at 4 p.m.

Contact Temple Beth Israel at 781-894-5146 or office@tbiwaltham.org to RSVP, for more info, or to donate a piece of art (by April 27).

Waltham Philharmonic Orchestra - 'The Darkness and the Light'
2026-05-03 15:00 - 17:00 | Waltham Government Center, 119 School Street, Waltham, MA, 02452, United States
“The Darkness and the Light”
An exciting concert of music that reflects the various shades of experience and mood throughout history and the present.
Tchaikovsky: Ave Verum
Say: Never Give Up, with soloist Emmanuel Feldman, cello
Sibelius: Symphony No.3
Michael Korn, Music Director
Tickets sold online only.

Waltham Little League parade
2026-05-03 15:30 - 17:30 | MacArthur Elementary School, 494 Lincoln St, Waltham, 02452
Waltham Fire Department’s Engine 7 will take part in the Waltham Little League Baseball Parade on Sunday May 3rd starting at 4:00 pm at MacArthur Elementary School and proceeding down Lake Street to the baseball field and entering on Princeton Avenue. Photo by Peter Lobo.
Celebration for opening day for Waltham Youth Baseball – Waltham Youth Softball – Nothing’s Impossible Baseball.
Starting location: MacArthur Elementary School
Drop off time: 3:15
The parade will begin at MacArthur School at 4:00 and end at Lake 1 Field.
After the parade, we will gather at the field for a brief ceremony.
Stick around for games starting at 5:30 p.m. on Lake 1 and Lake 2!

'Hold Onto Me' East Coast premiere
2026-05-04 19:00 - 21:30 | West Newton Cinema, 1296 Washington Street, Newton, 02904
It’s summer, and 11-year-old Iris is running wild through the streets with her older friend Danae when she learns her estranged father, Aris (“Dogtooth” star Christos Passalis), is back in town for his own father’s funeral. Determined to know him, Iris tracks him down to a dilapidated shipyard, where he’s been keeping to himself. What begins as a stubborn attempt to reconnect slowly unfolds into a fragile bond. Winner of the Audience Award at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival.
“Hold Onto Me” will screen as part of Belmont World Film’s 24th International Film Series, “Thicker than water,” exploring the ties that bind—and sometimes limit us—through an intimate and far-reaching collection of stories about families in all their complexity. Across cultures and continents, these films ask what we inherit, what we carry, and what we owe one another.
The series unfolds over eight consecutive Mondays at the West Newton Cinema. After a two-week break, the series returns in June with three additional remarkable films in recognition of World Refugee Awareness Month and Pride Month.
For complete details on the films in this series, visit our web site.

Waltham City Council committee meetings
2026-05-04 19:00 - 22:00 | Waltham City Hall, 610 Main St., Waltham, MA, United States
The Licenses and Franchises Committee meets at 7:00 p.m. The Veterans Services Committee, the Public Works and Public Safety Committee, the Economic and Community Development Committee, and the Long Term Debt and Capital Planning Committee meet upon the call of the Chairperson of each committee.
The remaining committees meet in the following order, beginning at 8:00 p.m.: Committee of the Whole, Committee on Finance, Committee on Ordinances and Rules.
Meetings are moved if they would occur on a holiday. Refer here for the full 2026 committee meeting schedule.

Waltham Clothing Exchange now open on Tuesdays
2026-05-05 10:00 - 16:30 | First Parish Church, 50 Church St, Waltham, MA
The Waltham Clothing Exchange (WCE) is now open for its spring season on Tuesdays only from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through May 12.
WCE is a friendly thrift shop and consignment store serving the community for 67 years. It’s a lot more than clothing. We offer affordable clothing for all ages, shoes, dozens of handbags, a variety of household goods, glassware, dinnerware, small appliances, countless books, CDs, DVDs, toys, games, puzzles, stuffed critters, craft materials, art pictures and picture frames, and jewelry. It’s like a huge garage sale!

Half-price time at the Waltham Clothing Exchange Thrift Shop
2026-05-05 10:00 - 16:30 | First Parish Church, 50 Church St, Waltham, MA
The Spring Season Half-Price Sale is here! We will take half-off the tagged price at check-out. Great bargains on a lot of neat stuff at the lower level of the classic white church (First Parish).
We have had a good selling season but the shelves and clothing racks still have plenty of goods at terrific prices. Did you know that the minimum sale price for our consignors is $2.00? There are lots of items priced that low and many not much higher. And now everything is half-price! There is a wide variety of items including collectible dishes, videos, books, games, stuffed animals, toys, shoes, purses, glittery jewelry and clothing, and more. Plenty of adult’s and children’s clothing on 19 racks. If you wait for the final clearance sale on May 12 (10 a.m. to 1 p.m. only), the best stuff will be gone.

Zoning Board of Appeals meeting
2026-05-05 19:00 - 20:00 | City of Waltham Government Center, 119 School Street, Waltham, MA
The Zoning Board of Appeals generally meets on Tuesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. in the Public Meeting Room located on the ground level, or in the auditorium on the first floor, of the Arthur Clark Government Center at 119 School Street.
The meeting schedule is determined by the volume of applications filed with the ZBA. Meetings are occasionally moved or cancelled due to holidays or for other reasons. Visit the ZBA web page to view the calendar and confirm that a meeting is scheduled for this week.
The location of the hearings will be posted outside the City Clerk’s office located at City Hall and on the bulletin board outside of Government Center (rear entrance). On the day of the hearing signs will be posted on the meeting room doors.

Waltham Lions Club carnival
2026-05-06 - 2026-05-11 | 300 Fifth Avenue, 300 Fifth Avenue, Waltham, MA
The Waltham Lions Club carnival returns for 2026!
Join us for rides, games, food and family fun to benefit the Waltham Lions.
Wednesday May 6 to Sunday May 10.
Additional information.

Parks-Recreation Board meeting
2026-05-06 17:30 - 18:30 | Waltham Community and Cultural Center, 510 Moody Street, Waltham, MA
The Parks-Recreation Board meets monthly, excluding July and August.
Public agenda and additional information can be found here.

Mill Talk: The Legacy of 1812—How a little war shaped the transatlantic world
2026-05-06 18:15 - 20:00 | Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation, 154 Moody Street, Waltham, 02453, United States
In this engaging dialogue, noted historians Don Hickey and Bob Allison explore the enduring legacy of the War of 1812—how a seemingly small conflict reshaped the relationships among the United States, Britain, and Canada. They’ll discuss the war’s political and economic reverberations in New England, its impact on transatlantic trade and diplomacy, and the ways it continues to influence North American identity and memory today. This topic has particular resonance here at the Charles River Museum, the site of Francis Cabot Lowell’s Boston Manufacturing Company, whose prosperity was only possible due to trade disruptions caused by the War of 1812.
Co-sponsored by The Society of the War of 1812 in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Pre-talk ceremony at 6:15. The Mill Talk itself will begin at 7 p.m.
The talk is free, but seating is limited and registration is recommended.

Ask Edie—Your aging questions answered
2026-05-06 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Are you worried about a parent’s safety? Feeling stretched thin as a caregiver? Or navigating aging, health changes, or loneliness yourself?
In honor of Older Americans Month this May, JF&CS presents “Ask Edie”—a new community conversation about aging, caregiving, and later life transitions. Each conversation opens with a “Dear Edie” letter drawn from real questions that people pose to JF&CS every day. From there, JF&CS aging experts will offer insight, perspective, and practical next steps. The program will include live Q&A, giving you a chance to ask what’s on your mind.
Join us via Zoom webinar. Register for one or both sessions.
Session I: Caring for Aging Parents. May 6.
Session II: Aging with Connection. May 20.

Free outdoor Zumba class
2026-05-06 19:00 - 20:00 | Waltham Common, 610 Main St, Waltham, MA, 02452, United States
Join us on the Waltham Common for a free outdoor Zumba class!
All ages and abilities are welcome.
Every Wednesday, May 6 to August 12 unless otherwise posted.
Instructor: Jen Williams and friends.
Presented by Healthy Waltham in Partnership with House of Glōw Studios.

We Are Waltham: Spring Wee-WaW
2026-05-06 19:00 - 21:00 | Common Good Co., 419 Moody Street, Waltham, MA, 02453, United States
A mini We are Waltham show at the Common Good Co. Cafe on Moody Street.

Tickets are $12-$15 (before tax). There are only 50 seats and past shows have sold out, so reserve yours early.

Some complimentary tickets are available on request

School Committee meeting
2026-05-06 19:00 - 22:00 | 617 Lexington St, 617 Lexington St, Waltham, MA
The School Committee typically meets twice per month (once each in July and August) on Wednesday evenings. Check the School Committee web site to confirm meeting dates and times.
Unless specifically noted, all regular meetings of the Waltham School Committee begin at 7 p.m. and are held in the Cannon Lecture Hall at 617 Lexington Street.

The Community Chorus of Weston presents 'Tapestry of Spring'
2026-05-06 19:30 - 21:00 | Mugar Center, 45 Georgian Road, Weston, MA
Directed by Dr. Thérèse Provenzano.
The Mugar Center at The Cambridge School of Weston.
Tickets: $20 adults, $10 children, The Cambridge School of Weston Students free. In advance or at the door.

Let the games begin!
2026-05-07 18:30 - 20:00 | Waltham Public Library, 735 Main St, Waltham, MA, 02451, United States
Join us for a game night! We’ll have plenty of fantastic games to select from our new game collection and we invite you to bring your favorites, too. Come have a fun night with your friends and neighbors.
In the lecture hall.

Waltham Cultural Council meeting
2026-05-07 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
The Waltham Cultural Council is a part of the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s local council program. It allocates funds for arts, sciences and humanities projects and events which focus on Waltham’s cultural diversity and local history. The council meets approximately once per month. It accepts grant applications from September 1 to October 15 for the 18-month period beginning July 1 of the current year and running to December 31 of the following year.
