🔨 Your Guide to November

Let’s support these organizations, have our voices heard about issues, and help grow our community.

Happy November, Framingham. It is double issue week!  

Remember: This Sunday we turn back the clocks as Daylight Savings comes to a sad close.

As always, Framingham is never boring. This guide to November is jam packed with things to do. 

Share this issue with your friends, neighbors, and family. Let’s support these organizations, have our voices heard about issues, and help grow our community. 

With no more further ado, let’s get to it…

Events

• Devin's Dash: 5K held in support of the WhyNotDevin Foundation to End DIPG. Race begins and ends at Jack's Abby on Sunday, November 3. Enjoy pre-event activities such as touch-a-truck, DJ, kids inflatables, raffles, and merch sales. Race start is at 11am. Celebrate finishing 5k and a fabulous cause in the Beer Garden afterwards with live music. Registered runners 21+ get a free Jack's Abby House Lager. Sunday, November 3rd in the Jack's Abby parking lot on the corner of Bishop St and Clinton St. #whynotdevin

• 12th Annual Rotary Pancake Breakfast: Enjoy pancakes, sausage and real maple syrup at this annual breakfast on Saturday, November 2 from 7:30 - 11:00am at Keefe Tech. Donation is $5 with under 5 for free. Proceeds go to the Rotary’s efforts supporting local food pantries, leadership program, and scholarships.

• Framingham History Center Tag Sale: Search for treasurers on Saturday, November 2 from 9:00am - 3:00pm at Village Hall. Items for sale will include: antiques, curiosities, home and wall décor, furniture, pottery, linens, jewelry, toys and games, books, gently-used household objects and more. Cash, checks, and card are all accepted. All items have been donated to the Framingham History Center and are not part of their collection. Proceeds from the sale support our mission to preserve and share Framingham’s history in order to encourage connection to community.

• Come OUT and Celebrate Gay-la!: Thursday, November 7th, from 6:30-9 PM at Jack’s Abby in Framingham for an unforgettable night of community, queer joy, and supporting LGBTQ+ youth! Tickets are $45 and include: delicious buffet dinner from the Jack’s Abby kitchen; 1 drink ticket (alcoholic or non); dancing with DJ Mocha; drag performance by Jayden Jamison; fun, inspiration, and the priceless knowledge that you are building communities where LGBTQ+ youth thrive! For tickets, sponsorship opportunities, and more details: https://givebutter.com/ComeOUT2024

• Access Film Festival: Framingham’s first film festival hits the screens on Saturday. November 16 at Village Hall and Access Framingham. Access Film Fest brings the best films to Metrowest Boston while showcasing and supporting our local talent! An exhibition of inspiring films across all genres, from around the world and right here in our community. Hosted in the heart of Metrowest Boston in partnership with Access Framingham, it is an exhilarating mix of informative workshops, fresh films, and a lively networking event. A festival that is more than a fun time, it’s also an opportunity for filmmakers to expand their network, form new collaborations, and celebrate their work. It’s a chance for the community to experience new films they can’t see anywhere else and learn more about the filmmaking process. Purchase tickets and view the schedule online. And check out the preview reel on YouTube.

• Friends of Framingham Library Monthly Book Sale: Come to the Main Library on Saturday, November 16 from 10:00am - 3:00pm. Great way to support the library while stocking up on some winter reads!

• MetroWest Chamber of Commerce 129th Annual Meeting and Gala: November 20 at the Sheraton Framingham Hotel & Conference Center is a special night of networking, recognition and ceremony, celebrating our members and their contributions to our community. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit the Chamber’s website.

• Plant & Natural History Walk: The Sudbury Valley Trustees invite you to Nobscot Scout Reservation on Thursday, November 21 from 10:00am - 12:30pm. Join Boot Boutwell for an informative nature walk. We’ll focus on winter woody plant ID, but will also look for late blooming flowers and plants still in fruit as well as other plants we may find. The walk will focus on plant ID as well as fun and interesting natural history about the plants we see in these beautiful woods. Check out the Facebook event page.

• Voices of MetroWest Presents: Pop Punk!: Experience the energy and heartfelt rebellion of Pop Punk with songs from popular groups including Blink-182, No Doubt, Green Day and more. These catchy melodies and powerful lyrics resonate with the timeless spirit of resilience. Saturday, November 23 and Sunday, November 24 from 7:00pm - 9:00pm at Fuller Middle School. Purchase tickets online.

• Pictures with Santa: Enjoy the magic of Christmas with a photo with Santa outside St. Bridget’s Church from Friday, November 29 to Sunday, December 1. Donations support the St. Bridget’s Christmas Outreach program, providing toys and gifts for families in need. We will be taking family photos on the front steps of the Church (depending on weather/ temperature we may move inside for pictures). Dogs are welcome too! Sign up for your spot.

Veterans Day Events

• Visit Framingham Veterans Memorials: The Framingham Veterans Council will honor deceased military Veterans by visiting memorials throughout the City on Monday morning, November 11. The schedule is above. All are invited to attend.

• Veterans Day Ceremony: All are invited to attend on Monday, November 11, 2024, at 11:00 am in Nevins Hall in the Memorial Building. The ceremony honors veterans from all branches of the military, and includes a special presentation of the Medals of Liberty and Fidelity. This year, Medals of Liberty will be awarded posthumously to Captain Richard W. Higgins and Staff Sergeant Scott J. Metcalf. The Medal of Fidelity will be awarded in memory of Staff Sergeant Howard MacGlashing, Sergeant George M. Mitchell, Captain Larry A. Morse, and Specialist Four Donald J. Weir.

• Veterans Appreciation Dinner: The people of Edwards Church, UCC, the Plymouth Church in Framingham, Open Spirit and the Framingham Rotary Club invite all area veterans, active duty service members and their families to a dinner in honor of their service. The dinner, which is supported by a generous grant from MutualOne Bank, will be held on Sunday, November 10, from 5-7 pm.

  The meal will feature delicious food from Bella Costa and homemade desserts. Our guest speaker will be Steve Scott from Team Rubicon, a veteran-inspired organization that travels around the world to assist in times of disaster.

  Please RSVP by November 3 to debbie@openspiritcenter.org or by calling Edwards Church at 508-877-2050. Please indicate if you have any dietary restrictions.

• 80th Anniversary of Cushing Memorial Chapel: The chapel, one of the last remaining buildings of Cushing Hospital, marks its 80th anniversary this year. Join the community on Sunday, November 17 at 2:00pm for a ceremony, followed by an Open House at 3:00pm.

Get Rid of Household Junk

• Curbside Leaf Collection: DPW crews are collecting leaves curbside on the following weeks on your trash day: November 4, 11, 18, 25. There will be a final brush collection the week of December 8. Paper leaf bags or reusable containers cannot exceed 40 pounds and 35 gallons. Any yard waste or leaves in a plastic bag will not be collected. Questions can be directed to DPW at 508-532-6001

• Household Hazardous Waste Day: Saturday, November 9 from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. at the DPW Operations Center, 100 Western Avenue. Please see the graphic below for a list of what can and cannot be accepted. If you have any questions, please contact the DPW Sanitation Division at 508-532-532-6001 or visit our website at https://www.framinghamma.gov/168/Sanitation-Division.

  

  Get Involved!

• Join the Girl Scouts: Caregivers and their school-aged children are encouraged to attend this free event to learn about Girl Scouting in their community. This Try Girl Scouts event includes a hands-on activity for kids, an overview of our programs for caregivers, and an opportunity to meet other families who are interested in participating in a local Girl Scout troop. Please RSVP even if you are unable to attend so we can keep you up to date on Girl Scout troop opportunities nearby! www.gsema.org/eventrsvp3

• Neaten Up November!: It is time for Keep Framingham Beautiful 3rd annual Neaten Up November challenge. Our goal is to have 150+ people pick up 750 bags of litter before it all gets covered by the winter snow. Participation is simple:

  • 1) Pick up one bag of litter

  • 2) Email your tally and location to KeepFraminghamBeautiful@gmail.com or post on the KFB Facebook group

• Arlington Street Area Cleanup: Saturday, November 2 from 9:00 am to 10:30am. Park & Meet at Amazing Things Arts Center at 160 Hollis St. Help KFB clean up Arlington St and the surrounding neighborhood as part of our ongoing effort to support the new Arlington St Park. Please bring a grabber if you have one & wear bright colors for safety. We will have loaner grabbers for those that don’t have them.

• Support the Curtis Thanksgiving Dinner: For 35 years, Karen and Mark Curtis have provided a roast turkey dinner to those in need. Last year more than 1200 meals were delivered to elderly in MetroWest. If you are in need of a meal or know someone who is please email Curtisthanksgiving@gmail.com. Help support their efforts through their yearly raffle. Tickets are $10.00 with 100% of proceeds going directly to the event. Please see the flyer below for a list of items and how to purchase.

  

In Closing…

I will update this guide as events or volunteer opportunities arise. Am I missing anything? Email me and let me know. Send me December events, too.

Happy Diwali to all those who celebrate. May the festival of lights fill your home with joy, prosperity, and endless happiness!

Until next time,

Mary Kate