The Dan Kelly Foundation (DK4), an Arlington-based nonprofit providing athletic opportunities for children of all ages and of diverse backgrounds, hosted a Halloween Skate at the Ed Burns Arena and Ice Skating Rink, 422 Summer St., on Oct. 29.

This family-friendly event open to all ages included games, a costume contest, face-painting, music, food and drink and more, a news release said, plus an outdoor beer garden for individuals 21 and over. 

Tickets were priced at $20 per skater or $50 a family. Tickets could be purchased at the door the day of the event, via cash, check or Venmo, according to the foundation's website.

A choral performance with ties to Arlington was held 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 22. The Special Needs Art Program (SNAP) was the host for its annual “Founders’ Fund” concert at Lexington’s Cary Hall, 1605 Mass. Ave., Lexington. 

This year’s program, titled “All You Need is Love," is to feature both SNAP members and the professional musical guest Elevate Vocals. Tickets at $30 per person can be ordered at www.snaparts.org or purchased at the door, organizers said.

According to an email sent to YourArlington by SNAP Treasurer Ron Rosenbaum, an Arlington resident,  SNAP provides chorus and art programs for neurodivergent children and adults living in Arlington, Lexington and surrounding communities. 

Much nonperishable food resulted from the Faith & Blue food drive Oct. 6 between local Catholic churches and the Arlington Police Department, with all donations going to Arlington EATS. / photo courtesy APD
 UPDATED Oct. 9: The Arlington Police Department was the host for a food drive Friday, Oct. 6, at 4:15 p.m. at the St. Agnes Parish, 32 Medford St. in Arlington Center

This food drive was organized as part of Faith & Blue Weekend, a national iniative aimed to promote safer communties by engaging law enforcement officers and residents through faith-based organizations. The drive locally was partnered with members of the Catholic Parishes of Arlington, according to the town website. The town has two Catholic churches: St. Agnes and St. Camillus, 1185 Concord Turnpike.

A list of acceptable food items can be viewed here >> 

All nonperishables are being delivered to Arlington EATS, which among other efforts runs EATS Market, a free-of-cost food pantry whose client base has been steadily growing. Arlington EATS Program Director Susan Dorson told YourArlington she thought that more than 200 pounds of food had been acquired.

The Arlington Democratic Town Committee aka ADTC, is taking part in Food Link’s Ride for Food Fundraiser.

Donations are sought by Sept. 30 and may be made to https://ride.threesquaresne.org/team/508744

Efforts are especially important this year because those whom Food Link's work helps now includes refugee families in the region including in some Arlington, according to ADTC member Paulette Schwartz.

Food Link is Arlington-based community organization that rescues food, helps alleviates hunger and contributes to environmental sustainability. 

Local Democrats plan to walk, bike, run, swim, skateboard and so on to raise money for this well-known local organization. New volunteers can join as active participants by completing a chosen activity by Sept. 30. For details about the process -- registration, fees and more -- email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. before Sept. 23.

Designed by Iryna Chernova 

UPDATED July 10: A craft and jewelry sale called "heARTfelt," to benefit Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund, was held from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, July 8, at 170 Washington St, Arlington, the home of Ellen Eisner.

Complimentary wine and snacks were served.

Available was jewelry, paintings, photography, crocheted items, cards, cookies, coffee and more.

Cash, checks, Venmo, Apple Pay all were accepted for payment, Eisner told YourArlington.

A dance-concert fund-raiser to benefit Robbins Farm Park renovations was held Saturday, June 17, 2023, from 7 to 10 p.m., at the First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church in Arlington Center, 630 Mass. Ave.

Tickets were  available for a donation here >> 

Providing danceable music was an Arlington-based group, Stanley and the Undercovers, covering tunes from the 1950s, '60s and '70s. They range from Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode" to Cream's "Sunshine of Your Love" to Van Morrison's "Domino." Joining them were the Arlington High School Madrigal Singers.

The Friends of Robbins Farm Park is partnering with the Town of Arlington to raise money in support of the renovation of Robbins Farm’s redesigned playground. The goal is to rally the community to support inclusive -- not just accessible -- playgrounds, which are fun, exciting and challenging, not only for children with disabilities, but for all children and their families, group officials said.

UPDATED June 6: One hundred years ago a group of women from the Arlington Women’s Club decided to form a new group: Friends of the Drama.

The first meeting was chaired by Vittoria Colonna Dalin, wife of the famed Arlington sculptor, and the group performed its first play at Arlington Town Hall in 1923. A year later, the group decided to let men join as well as perform onstage.

Since then, Arlington Friends of the Drama, or AFD, as the community theater came to be known, has continued to produce season after season of plays, starting with a two-play season, and at times, performing up to five or six in a single year. The efforts are virtually all volunteer; only directors and musicians get a modest stipend, while performers, costumers, set builders, box office, props people and all the rest do it for the love of theater.

For any given performance, as many as 100 people may participate, if one counts all the ushers, audition aides, refreshment sellers, box-office volunteers and those who put posters up around town in addition to the more obvious folks: performers, lighting, makeup, sound and set designers.

A festive gala to celebrate its centennial is set to take place Saturday, June 17, from 8 to 11 p.m., at Town Hall.

The Arlington Greek Festival returned on the second weekend of June, from Friday, June 9, at 11 a.m. to Sunday, June 11, at 6 p.m., at the St. Athanasius Greek Orthodox Church, 4 Appleton St.

As always, there was no admission fee, and the venue is handicapped-accessible.

Roast lamb, gyros, salads, souvlaki, loukoumades . . . oh my!