James Brown and The Blues Dogs at Payson Park

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James Brown Jr. will be joining The Blues Dogs at the penultimate concert of the 2014 Payson Park Music Festival tonight, Wednesday, Aug. 20 beginning around 6:30 p.m.

The Blues Dogs, which is a perennial visitor to the Festival, “is a collection of Boston mutts that all love to play the blues,” according to its website.

“That stuff that gets you to tapping your foot, nodding your head, and then just to shaking all over. Feeling good music.”

The quarter-century Payson Park Music Festival is held at Payson Park Playground at the corner of Payson Road and Elm Street.

The concert is sponsored by the Alper Family.

What’s Coming This Week: Ice Cream and a Mad Scientist at the Beech, Chef Gerry Returns Again

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• Another sign that summer is nearly over: the return of the Belmont Board of Selectmen! It is meeting on Monday, August 18 in Town Hall at a special early time of 6 p.m. On the agenda: an update on the storm water regs and a presentation for a Belmont Veterans Memorial project.

• Meet Belmont’s new school super as John Phelan holds a open house coffee for all residents at the School Administration building in the Town Hall Complex in Belmont Center on Monday, August 18 from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. 

• Come to one of the final Summer Pre-School Story Time at the Benton Library – at the corner of Oakley and Old Middlesex – on Tuesday, August 19, at 10:30 a.m. Story time will be hosted by summer intern Lenora Ellison or Denise Patnod for children ages 3 to 5. Parents or caregivers must be present. Siblings may attend with adults. Registration is not required.

• Chef Gerry is back! After making sushi, California rolls and other great food at Belmont Public Library, Belmont resident Gerry Connolly – a Cambridge School of Culinary Arts Professional Chef Program graduate with 20 years of experience as a personal chef and event caterer – is coming to make flat breads and dressings on Tuesday, August 19 at 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. This event is free thanks to the generosity of Chef Gerry and the Friends of the Belmont Public Library. Space is limited, so please sign up online or sign up by phone at 617-993-2870.

• The Belmont Public Library is providing one-on-one Digital Library Help on Tuesday, August 19, from 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and on Wednesday, August 20 at 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the Reference Room. Learn how to download eBooks from the library and set up a device. Get started with Zinio to read free digital magazines. E-mail and Internet basics, social media, or basic computer skills. Registration is required; register online or call 617-993-2870 to register by phone. Some services require downloading an app. Please come prepared with your Apple ID, Adobe ID, Amazon Account information, or other password and log in information for your device.

• Duplicate Bridge Club meets from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. every Wednesday at the Beech Street Center at 266 Beech St. The club holds American Contact Bridge League-sanctioned games. All are welcome to play. Cost is $7. Phone: 339-223-6484 for more information.

• A genre party for the Belmont Public Library’s Children’s Summer Reading Program will take place in the Assembly Room on Wednesday, August 20 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

• It’s an Ice Cream Social and Mad Science Extravaganza for all Belmont residents as the Beech Street Center welcomes back the Mad Scientist on Friday, August 22 beginning at 1:30 p.m. Children will be dazzled and entertained as they interact with the Mad Scientist, whose show includes foggy dry ice and demonstrations of floating beach balls in the air. He will unlock the mystery of how to get “Egg-bert” back into his house using suggestions from the audience. Ice cream will be served at 1:30 p.m. and the entertainment will begin at 2:30 p.m. Suggested donation: $1. Tickets are available for 160 people. reserve by calling 617-993-2970 or come by in person.

 

Day Late, 4 Guys in Tuxes to Perform Thursday Evening at Payson Park

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More a rain delay than a rainout, the concert by 4 Guys in Tuxes at the Payson Park Music Festival only had to be held back 24 hours wait as the lads will hold their performance this evening, Thursday, Aug. 14 at 6:30 p.m.

The concert will take place at the Payson Park Playground at the corner of Payson Road and Elm Street.

Residents should know that dressing in their own tuxedos is strictly optional.

 

Solomon and Salmon Highlight Market Day in Belmont

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A Belmont musician from Zimbabwe and a new vendor are in the spotlight this week on Market Day in Belmont on Thursday, Aug. 14.

Belmont Farmers Market is held each Thursday, 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. through October. It’s located in the Belmont Center municipal parking lot at the corner of Channing Road and Cross Street.

Belmont’s own Solomon Murungu (Babawapepukai) will bring to life the culture, folklore and wisdom of the Shona people of Zimbabwe using the mbira, a musical instrument from southern Africa made of wood with staggered metal keys. Visitors are encouraged to join in and try the various mbira instruments on display.

On the shopping front, Farmers Market shoppers will get a chance to meet new vendor; Matt’s Amazing Smokehouse from Sudbury. Mike Baumann started his company last year in which he smokes fish “with a touch of class” using only local ingredients to offer a fresher, healthier, and tastier smoked fish. There is plenty of salmon (cajun, teriyaki, lemon dill and even salmon bacon!)  on his menu as well as smoked bluefish pate.

In season today is basil, beets, blueberries, broccoli, carrots, chard, cilantro, collards, cucumbers, garlic, kale, leeks, lettuce, mint, mizuna, parsley, peaches, peppers, scallions, summer squash, tomatoes, turnips, yu choi and zucchini.

Along with the regular vendors and Matt, occasional vendors this week are Bedford Blueberry Goat Farm, Sara Ran Away with the Spoon, Soluna Garden Farm and Turtle Creek Winery

The food truck will be Benny’s Crepe Cafe. Expect them around 3 p.m.

In the events tent:

  • 2 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.: Classical music by violinists Jocelyn Milton and Coleen Bennett.
  • 4 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.: Storytime with Denise Shaver of the Belmont Public Library.
  • 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.: Solomon Murungu.
  • 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The Mystic String Quartet which consists of four local musicians; Karen Allendoerfer and Marianne Brown, violins; Ben Miller, viola; and Sandy Reismann, cello.

Learn More About the Town at Meet Belmont

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The 12th edition of the annual Meet Belmont is just around the corner.  This year’s event will be held in two weeks, on Tuesday, Aug. 26 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the cafeteria at Chenery Middle School, at the corner of Washington Street and Oakley Road.

Meet Belmont is an opportunity for all residents – newcomers to those who have lived here for decades – to come together to discover what the town has to offer:

• Learn about town departments, local government, schoolsŸ

• Get information about recreation and arts programsŸ

• Find community organizations and activities that interest youŸ

• Register to vote.

Meet Belmont is sponsored by the Vision 21 Implementation Committee and co-sponsored by the Belmont Public Schools with support from Belmont Car Wash and Belmont Light.

For more information, email: meetbelmont@gmail.com

What’s Up this Week: Cryogenics for Kids, Dragons & Dreams

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Less than a month before the beginning of the school year but it still feels like summer as there is a limited amount of activities around Belmont this week. But next week will see the beginning of fall sports practice.

• Join the Belmont Public Library for the following movies for children on Tuesday, August 12 at noon Assembly Room

  •    Rosie’s Walk
  •    The Little Red Hen
  •    Petunia
  •    The Pigs’ Wedding
  •    Trouble in the Barkers’ Class
  •    Beverly Billingsly Borrows a Book

• Belmont resident Arnie Rosen has played guitar for more than 50 years and isn’t bad on several other instruments as well. The wonderful song leader is back to the Beech Street Center, 266 Beech St., by popular demand for a sing-along on Tuesday, Aug. 12, at 1:15 p.m. The concert is free.

• Can you freeze a balloon? What does liquid nitrogen look like? How cold is “cold”? Learn which items freeze or defrost fastest and why cryogenics is such a hot field at the Einstein’s Workshop program for Young Adults about Cryogenics on Tuesday, Aug. 12 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Belmont Public Library’s Assembly Room. Registration is required either online or by calling 617-993-2870. For ages 10 and up.

• The Belmont Public Library is providing one-on-one Digital Library Help on Wednesday, August 6, from 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. in the Reference Room. Learn how to download eBooks from the library and set up a device. Get started with Zinio to read free digital magazines. E-mail and Internet basics, social media, or basic computer skills. Registration is required; register online or call 617-993-2870 to register by phone. Some services require downloading an app. Please come prepared with your Apple ID, Adobe ID, Amazon Account information, or other password and log in information for your device.

• Duplicate Bridge Club meets from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. every Wednesday at the Beech Street Center at 266 Beech St. The club holds American Contact Bridge League-sanctioned games. All are welcome to play. Cost is $7. Phone: 339-223-6484 for more information.

• The group Sciencetellers presents Dragons & Dreams, stories and science come to life through visually exciting experiments, will occur on Wednesday, Aug. 13 starting at 2 p.m. in the Belmont Public Library’s Assembly Room. If you’re in the room, you’re part of the story.

• Move, dance and sing along with acclaimed Brazilian musician Sulinha Boucher on Thursday, Aug. 14, from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the library’s Assembly Room

• State Sen. Will Brownsberger will be holding office hours on Friday, Aug. 15, at 10 a.m. at the Beech Street Center.

Celebrate National Farmers Market Week at Belmont’s

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Celebrate National Farmers’ Market Week in Belmont on Market Day on Thursday, Aug. 7, one of the 8,268 markets in the US.

Still River Winery, Sugar + Grain, Rhythm ‘n Wraps and Seasoned and Spiced joins the market’s weekly vendors from 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

This week’s food truck is Rhythm ‘n Wraps, from 3 p.m. until Market closing.

The market is located in the municipal parking lot in Belmont Center, at the intersection of Cross Street and Channing Road.

In the Events Tent:

Tasting: Savinos Grill, the Cushing Square restaurant featuring foods of Italy and the surrounding Mediterranean regions, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Storytime: The Belmont Public Library sponsors storytime for preschool and older children. Deborah Borsuk from the Children’s Department will read from 4 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Music: Karen Allendoerfer and Eric Wetzel return to play classical duets and solo pieces on the violin from 5 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Musicians from the Arlington Philharmonic at 5:30 p.m. Allendoerfer (viola), Chandreyee Das (violin), Pamela Ross (oboe), and Sandy Reismann (cello) will play classical and popular music at 5:30 p.m.

Bring non-perishable items each week for the Belmont Food Pantry. Find out about the Belmont Food Pantry and see how the Market supports them.

 

The Week Ahead in Belmont: Chef Gerry Making Flat Bread and Tea at the Beech

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If there is a non-holiday week in which Belmont becomes the preverbal ghost town, it is the first week in August. You can bring your antique cannon to Leonard Street, fire it and miss just about any living creature known to man before watching  the ball roll into the Wellington Brook. Here IS what’s happening in Belmont this week:

• Chef Gerry is back! After making sushi, California rolls and other great food at Belmont Public Library, Belmont resident Gerry Connolly – a Cambridge School of Culinary Arts Professional Chef Program graduate with 20 years of experience as a personal chef and event caterer – is coming to make flat breads and dressings on Tuesday, August 5 at 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. This event is free thanks to the generosity of Chef Gerry and the Friends of the Belmont Public Library.  Space is limited, so please sign up online or sign up by phone at 617-993-2870.

• It’s game day this Friday at the Beech Street Center as it holds “Tea and Games on the Patio” on Tuesday, August 5 at 1 p.m. There will be Scrabble, checkers, cribbage and Trivial Pursuit along with iced tea and cookies.

• Noon Movies for children on Tuesday, August 5 in the Assembly Room of the Belmont Public Library. Come join us for the following movies for children:

  • Yo! Yes?
  • Here Comes the Cat
  • Island of the Skog
  • The Nutshell Kids
  • Where the Wild Things Are.
• Mime Robert Rivest presents “Laughter is the Best Medicine,” a unique program of comedy and movement on Wednesday, August 6 from 2 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Belmont Public Library’s Assembly Room.

• Receive a free hearing test at the Beech Street Center on Wednesday, August 6 from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Your hearing aid batteries can be replaced. Mass Audiology offers this service free of charge to Center participants. Make your appointment by stopping by the front desk or by calling 617-993-2970.

• The Belmont Public Library is providing one-on-one Digital Library Help on Wednesday, August 6, from 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Reference Room. Learn how to download eBooks from the library and set up a device. Get started with Zinio to read free digital magazines. E-mail and Internet basics, social media, or basic computer skills. Registration is required; register online or call 617-993-2870 to register by phone. Some services require downloading an app. Please come prepared with your Apple ID, Adobe ID, Amazon Account information, or other password and log in information for your device.

• Duplicate Bridge Club meets from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. every Wednesday at the Beech Street Center at 266 Beech St. The club holds American Contact Bridge League-sanctioned games. All are welcome to play. Cost is $7. Phone: 339-223-6484 for more information.

• Local musician Rubi performs original songs and traditional favorites on Thursday, Aug. 7, 9:30 a.m. or 10:30 p.m. in the Belmont Public Library’s Assembly Room.