Halloween in Cushing Square, Fill UNICEF Boxes, Skeleton Army on HELLcrest

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It’s Halloween and tonight, Friday, Oct. 31, little ones will be coming up to your door with the call of “Trick or treat!” Unlike many towns, there are no restrictions on when and where “tricks or treats” can occur as town officials and Belmont Police continue to rely on the good common sense of residents to restrain hijinks around the “Town of Homes.”

• The treats start early as some of the youngest kids will get the chance to practice as the Cushing Square Business Association holds its annual Cushing Square Halloween on Friday, Oct. 31 with the trick or treating begins at 3 p.m.

• Along with your bowl of candy at the front door, set aside some spare change as the Chenery Middle School is giving 6th graders a community service hour if they collect for UNICEF tonight. 

• If you have the chance tonight, head over to Hillcrest Road – which runs from Goden to Common streets midway between the Wellington and Chenery Middle schools – to see the skeleton army that has overrun the street. They are riding bikes, hanging onto trees, wearing interesting costumes, all under the control of the LARGEST BLACK CAT EVER SEEN!

Belmont resident and commercial photographer Clytie Sadler has done an outstanding photo essay of the undead on HELLcrest Road which can be seen on her web site: http://clytiesadlerphotography.com/blog/

Be safe tonight.

This Week: Spooky Things at the High School; Is That a Spelling Bee?

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“The Journey to College” featuring Belmont Savings President and CEO Bob Mahoney will be held on Monday, Oct. 27 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Chenery Middle School. Joining Mahoney will be Dr. Laurie Nash, an Independent Educational Consultant, to discuss the college admissions process, including choosing a school and how to increase a child’s chances of getting accepted. The talk is part of a series of lectures between the Belmont Savings Bank Foundation and the Belmont After School Enrichment Collaborative (BASEC) that will offer parents information on topics such as college, conflicts and anxiety.

Geoffrey Brahmer, an accomplished researcher and popular lecturer, will present “The Diary of Herman Kruk: A Librarian in the Vilna Ghetto” at the Beech Street Center on Tuesday, Oct. 28 at 1:15 p.m. In 1944, while detained in Vilna in now Lithuania, Kruk, a socialist librarian , was asked by fellow prisoners, “Why write a diary? We are all going to be killed anyway.” Kruk responded, “Drunk on the pen trembling in my hand, I record everything for future generations.”

Belmont resident Gerry Connolly – a graduate of the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts Professional Chef Program – will be conjuring up some great easy-to-make “tailgate” delicacies such as Spinach and Artichoke Dip, Vegetable Chili, Hummus, Tabouli and Mock Boursin on Tuesday, Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. in the Library’s Assembly Room. Connolly’s events are always well attended and space is limited, so please sign up online or by phone by calling 617-993-2870.

Justin Martin will speak on his book Rebel Souls: Walt Whitman and America’s First Bohemians at the Friends of the Belmont Public Library’s Author Series on Wednesday, Oct. 29 at 7 p.m. in the Library’s Assembly Room. Martin shows how this first bohemian culture – imported from Paris to a dingy Broadway saloon – nurtured an American tradition of rebel art that thrives to this day. All are welcome to attend this free program. Books will be available for purchase and signing.

Teens in 7th to 12th grade can start their Halloween early by attending Fright Feston Thursday, Oct. 30 from 
1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the Belmont Public Library’s Assembly Room. Come enjoy games, snacks and festivities.

Two big events at Belmont High School this Thursday, Oct. 30 to get the family into a Halloween state of mind.

The fourth annual “Masquerade Concert” with the Belmont High Wind Ensemble and Concert Orchestra will begin at 7 p.m. in the school’s auditorium. The two ensembles will perform a family-friendly variety of seasonal selections, including creepy classics like the Tocatta and Fugue in D minor by Bach, selections from The Dark Knight Rises and FROZEN! Audience members should arrive in costume to maximize the fun. As always, the concert is free.

There will be a Halloween Haunted House at Belmont High School from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. All profits made from this event will go to the Make a Wish Foundation. There will be a range of spooky activities for people of all ages. For younger guests there will a face painting station and a pumpkin painting station.

Get the little ones ready for the Halloween festivities with a Musical Spooktacular with Philip Alexander on Friday, Oct. 31 at 10:30 a.m. in the Belmont Public Library’s Assembly Room. Philip promises not to be too scary.

The Cushing Square Business Association will be holding its annual Cushing Square Halloween on Friday, Oct. 31 with the trick or treating begins at 3 p.m.

After filling up on sugar and chocolate the previous night, more than 500 Belmont students from kindergarten to 6th grade will participate in the 14th annual Foundation for Belmont Education Youth Spelling Bee on Saturday, Nov. 1. beginning at 3 p.m. The six-hour long event, which takes place in the Belmont High School auditorium, will see the students – many in team costumes – show off their spelling skills with words such as “frog” for the kindergarteners to “escargot” which won the bee in 2012.

The Beech Street Center is holding its annual Diwali Festival on Saturday, Nov. 1, from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Center, 266 Beech St. Sponsored by the Belmont Council on Aging and Friends of the Indian Senior Citizens’ Organization, enjoy a fun-filled evening of cultural programming and three course vegetarian dinner.

Cost in advance: $7 per person, non FISCO members: $10, Children ages 6-12 $5 each. Cost at the door: FISCO members  and immediate family, $14 per person. Nonmembers $20 per person, Children ages 6-12, $10 each

To purchase tickets in advance call Nava at 617-993-2975.

Scary Businesses at Belmont’s Second Halloween Window Painting Contest

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Leonard Street businesses will have their windows transformed into pumpkin patches, witch covens and scenes of specters and ghouls as the second annual Belmont Center Halloween Window Painting Contest will be held on Saturday, Oct. 25 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The contest is open to artists in second to eighth grades.

Sponsored by the Belmont Center Business Association, the event’s proceeds are being donated to the Foundation for Belmont Education.

Rain date Sunday, Oct. 26, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Register at: A Chocolate Dream, 68 Leonard St., 617-484-4119.

Register before 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17, the fee is $10 per child per window After the deadline, the fee is $15 per child per window. Checks can be made payable to: BCBA or cash

Window Painting Contest Rules:page1image10232 page1image10392

  • Each artist will be assigned a 20″ x 36″ space on the outside of a merchants window in Belmont Center.
  • Sill, wall, and sidewalk areas below window MUST be covered and taped with newspaper.
  • Each artist supplies his or her own tempera (NOT ACRYLIC) paints, brushes, newspaper, rags, and masking tape. All work needs to be done freehand and have a “Halloween” theme.
  • Official rules and regulations will be given out when you register and must be followed closely to avoid disqualification.
  • Windows will be painted on Saturday, October 25th, any time between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm. all work must be finished by 3 p.m.
  • The rain date for painting will be Sunday, October 26, 9am – 3pm. You will receive an email by 8am on Saturday, Oct. 25 if the event will be postponed because of weather-related conditions.
  • Windows are assigned on a first come, first served basis. One window will be assigned to each participant. Due to the popularity of this event, we cannot honor requests for specific windows.
  • Prizes will be awarded for each grade.
  • Winners will be notified by e-mail.

Members of the Belmont Center Business Association: Alchemy, A Chocolate Dream, Bells and Whistles, Belmont Citizens Forum, Belmont Dramatic Club, Belmont Farmer’s Market, Belmont Historical Society, Belmont Orthodontics, Belmont Savings Bank, Bessie Blue, Brugger’s Bagels, Cambridge Savings Bank, Champions, Coldwell Banker, East Boston Savings Bank, Hammond Real Estate, Henry Frost Children’s Program, Ingram, Rettig & Beaty, Inc., Irresistibles, Kashish, Lawndale Realty, Leon & Company, Nicks, Paprika Kids, Patou Thai, Pilates, Ponte & Chau Consulting, Inc., Rancatore’s Ice Cream, Refresh Therapeutic Massage, Revolve, Robert’s Salon, Rotary Club of Belmont, Subway, Thirty Petals,The Toy Shop of Belmont.