This Weekend: Kids FunFEST in Newton

There are kiddie amusement rides, kids' activities, sand art and face painting both Saturday and Sunday.

NewtonSERVES Volunteers Help Newton Shine

More than 1,200 volunteers participated in the annual day of service on Sunday, April 28. Add your own NewtonSERVES photos below!

Kicking off the city's first Community Service Month, the 14th annual NewtonSERVES brought community volunteers together on Sunday, April 28. More than 1,200 community volunteers participated in the annual day of service, helping out at 72 projects across the city.  Volunteers spruced up parks, collected clothing/toys, raked leaves and cleaned up areas are schools and municipal buildings, just to name a few. Earlier this month, Warren announced the NewtonSERVES event would extend for an entire community service week. Now, the city has decided to extend that NewtonSERVES volunteer spirit for an entire month, and residents are encouraged to keep volunteering throughout the next four weeks. The NewtonSERVES month will culminate with the …

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'From Russia with Arts and Culture' Festival This Weekend in Newton

A three-day Russian Festival returns to the Newton Cultural Center for a second year from April 19 - 21.

NewtonSERVES 2013: Dates to Remember

Volunteer registration is now open for the 2013 NewtonSERVES, which will be held on Sun., April 28.

Updated 8:05 p.m. Looking to make a difference in the Newton community this spring? Well, your chance is here: volunteer registration for NewtonSERVES is now open. The 2013 NewtonSERVES will be held on Sunday, April 28 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., rain or shine. Sponsored by Newton Community Pride, Cambridge Savings Bank, Mayor's Office for Cultural Affairs and the Newton Parks & Recreation Department, NewtonSERVES brings together volunteers, local non-profits, community groups and city departments to complete projects like planting gardens, building school bookshelves and cleaning up parks.  Project registration opened back in February, and local organizations/non-profits can submit project requests until Friday, April 19.  Here are some …

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'Wonder' Takes Stage in Newton [VIDEO]

"Wonder," a story by R.J. Palacio, deals with bullying and empathy among other themes.

Empathy, kindness and compassion was the theme at the Newton Cultural Center on Saturday, March 16 during a 10-hour staged reading of R.J. Palacio's "Wonder," which tells the story of a fifth grade boy and how he deals with bullying, empathy, kindness and acceptance. Nearly 70 actors participated in the event, taking turns reading segments of the book to an audience.  The show was sponsored by the Newton Mayor’s Office for Cultural Affairs, Understanding Our Differences and Newton Community Pride. Check out a video clip from the performance above.  Do you have photos or videos to share from 'Wonder'? Add them to our story by clicking the "upload photo and video" button above.

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Newton Performers to Present Story of Empathy, Kindness

This weekend, the performers will give a 10-hour, marathon staged reading of R.J. Palacio's "Wonder."

Sometimes kindness takes a back seat in our busy lives. This weekend, a local group hopes to change that.  A cast of Newton residents will present a marathon staged book reading of "Wonder" on Sat., March 16 at the Newton Cultural Center at 225 Nevada St. The performance begins at 9 a.m. and runs until 7:30 p.m., according to a press release about the event. "Wonder," by R.J. Palacio, tells the story of 10-year old boy who enrolls in fifth grade. The story deals with bullying, empathy, kindness and acceptance. “This is a hopeful story about friendship and acceptance,” the press release reads. The Newton Mayor’s Office for Cultural Affairs, Understanding Our Differences and Newton Community Pride are sponsoring the show. The Newton "Wonder…

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PHOTOS: French and Chinese Cultures Shine at Newton Heritage Fetsivals

The city kicked off its new Heritage Festival series this month with French and Chinese cultural events at the Newton Cultural Center. Upcoming Heritage Festivals include a Latin American Festival on March 23 and a Russian Cultural Festival April 19-21.

  Want to learn more about the Newton Heritage Festivals? Check out this story here.

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2013 NewtonSERVES Project Registration Now Open

NewtonSERVES will take place on Sunday, April 28, 2013.

NewtonSERVES, Newton's annual day of city-wide community service, is now accepting applications for projects in need of local volunteers.  The 2013 NewtonSERVES will be held on Sunday, April 28, according to a press release issued earlier this week.  Sponsored by Newton Community Pride, NewtonSERVES brings together volunteers, local non-profits, community groups and city departments to complete projects like planting gardens, building school bookshelves and cleaning up parks.  The full press release from NewtonSERVES is included in the .pdf section to the right. According to the press release, last year's NewtonSERVES consisted of more than 60 projects and involved 1,000 volunteers across the city.  “NewtonSERVES is one of the city’s most …

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Mayor's Office for Cultural Affairs to Kick off Newton Heritage Festivals

Mayor Setti Warren will hold a press conference Friday to announce and promote the heritage festivals.

Newton Mayor Setti Warren will join members of his cultural affairs staff Friday to kick off a series of "heritage festivals" to be held in the city over the next two months.  The new program is part of the city's "13 Villages, One Community" campaign and aims to celebrate cultural diversity in Newton as well as build partnerships with the local business community, Warren's office said in a press release. The Newton Heritage Festivals include a series of events around French, Chinese, Latin American and Russian cultures. To kick off the festivals, Warren will hold a press conference Friday afternoon at Cafe St. Petersburg in Newton Centre. Warren will be joined by Director of Mayor's Office for Cultural Affairs Linda Plaut as well as local…

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PHOTOS: Families Flock to Newton's Annual FunFest

The annual Kids FunFest filled the City Hall lawn with bright colors and smells of fried dough last weekend. The annual event, which is sponsored by Newton Community Pride, features amusement park rides, crafts a number of vendors. Add your photos!

Do you have photos to share from this weekend's FunFest? Click the "add photos" button above to contribute to the gallery!

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