The Acton Exchange

Green Acton monthly meeting
2025-03-11 19:00 - 20:45 (America/New_York) | Zoom
Green Acton works to protect and enhance Acton’s natural environment and resources for present and future generations, and to help resolve the urgent environmental issues that transcend Acton’s boundaries. The group meets monthly (except for August) on the second Tuesday of the month, usually by zoom but occasionally in person. To learn more about Green Acton’s mission, accomplishments, and ongoing work, visit https://greenacton.org/
To get the agenda and zoom link for the upcoming monthly meeting, email info@greenacton.org
In addition to the all-topics monthly meeting, the individual committees hold more specialized meetings; topical committees are Biodiversity, Energy, Materials (e.g plastics, toxics, recycling), Land Use (e.g. zoning), and Water. To find the dates for committee meetings visit the Green Acton Upcoming Events page at: https://greenacton.org/calendar/

Celtic Music and Stories at Acton Woman's Club
2025-03-12 11:30 - 14:00 | Acton Woman’s Club, 504 Main St, Acton, MA, 01720, United States
Jaimee Joroff plays the Celtic harp and tells Irish stories before Stephen Collins’ performs his one-man show: “Irish Voices”.
Light lunch, followed by a short business meeting and the program.
For an invitation, please email awc01720@gmail.com or call 978 263-5275.
The Acton Woman’s Club is open to any woman living or working in Acton or surrounding towns.

Acton Community Supper
2025-03-12 16:30 - 17:45, 2025-03-19 16:30 - 17:45, 2025-03-26 16:30 - 17:45 | Mt Cavalry Lutheran Church, 472 Massachusetts Ave., Acton, MA, 01720
How have you fared with all this cold weather? Please join us each week to keep warm. We look forward to sharing a meal and friendship with you every Wednesday.
March 2025 menu:
Mar 5 — Spaghetti and Meatballs
Sponsored by St John Lutheran Church of Sudbury
Mar 12 — Baked Scrod and Stuffing
Sponsored by Astrid Perko in memory of her husband Gene
Mar 19 — St Patrick’s Day! Corned Beef and Cabbage
Sponsored by Friends of Mt Calvary Community Supper
Mar 26 — Shepherd’s Pie
Sponsored by Friends of Mike Tobia
** Please note that the meals we serve may contain gluten, nuts, seeds, or dairy.
Doors open at 4:15pm. Please, do not enter prior so our volunteers can prepare your Supper.
Parking: Park your car in the back parking lot and enter from the walkway to the church door.

Housing production plan Forum #3
2025-03-12 18:00 - 20:00 | Acton Memorial Library, 486 Main St., Acton, MA, 01720, United States
We need your help to create a plan for housing solutions that contribute toward a healthy, equitable, and prosperous Acton!

Housing Production Plan Open House
Where: Acton Memorial Library
When: Wednesday, March 12th, 6:00 – 8:00 PM
This open house will focus on creating the strategies that will help achieve the draft goals established at the last public forum.

View the Flyer…

For more information, contact planning@actonma.gov or call 978-929-6631.

Acton Exchange All-Hands Meeting
2025-03-12 19:00 - 20:30 | ActonTV offices, 16a Craig Road, Acton, MA, 01720, United States
The Acton Exchange team holds monthly meetings that are open to our active volunteers and anyone who might want to become a volunteer. If you have an Acton connection and want to contribute to independent community journalism in our town, it is likely that the AE has a role for you, whatever your skill sets and interests might be. Each meeting begins with an opportunity to learn what has been going on at the Acton Exchange, followed by an opportunity to improve our journalism skills. Meetings are either hybrid (in-person or zoom) or zoom-only. For this month’s venue and topic, email info@actonexchange.org

Acton COA: Senior property tax primer
2025-03-13 13:00 - 14:00 | Acton Senior Center, 30 Sudbury Road Rear, Acton, MA, 01720
Acton Council on Aging invites you to join staff from the town of Acton Assessor’s Office for an update on how property taxes will be affected by increasing home values. They will also share information on numerous ways a homeowner might qualify for property tax relief if you are: over 65 with income and assets that are low-to-moderate, over 70, a veteran with a disability, or suffering financial hardship in general.
If you are unable to attend and want to learn more, visit the Acton town website, www.actonma.gov, and click on “Government” and select “Assessors,” or contact the Assessor’s Office at 978-929-6621.

Acton 250 Committee's Isaac Davis Brown Ale 2nd Big Release Party
2025-03-13 15:00 - 23:00 | Dirigible Brewing Company, 24 Porter Rd, Littleton, MA, 01460, United States
Have you tried the Acton 250 Committee’s Isaac Davis Brown Ale? If not, join us at Dirigible Brewing Company as they reintroduce our commemorative ale in time for the 250th celebration of the American Revolution. This ale is representative of one beer style available to the colonial patriots.
For all Acton 250 programming information go here.
Previous events can be viewed at Acton TV on https://www.youtube.com/@ActonTV1 or https://actontv.org/on-demand/education

Carlisle Potluck and Contradance
2025-03-14 18:30 - 22:00 | First Religious Society of Carlisle, 27 School Street, Carlisle, 10741
The Carlisle Dance, with its accompanying potluck dinner, is known as the most sociable dance in the area. Arrive at 6:30 for dinner and conversation, and then dance from 8 until 10. Live music by the Carlisle Band, who bring an eclectic collection of instruments. Outstanding local callers call mostly contradances, plus occasional square and circle dances.
Admission is just $6-10 (self-determined sliding scale) for all ages, along with your tasty and creative contribution for the meal.
You’ll find us at the lovely Unitarian Church in Carlisle Center on the Common. Navigate to 27 School St, Carlisle MA and look for a classic New England church with the town clock in the steeple.

Acton DPW polystyrene (styrofoam) collection
2025-03-15 10:00 - 13:00 | DPW, 14 Forest Rd, Acton, MA, 01720, United States
On the third Saturday of every month (except June, which is 2nd Saturday), you can recycle your clean styrofoam containers.
For details about the 2025 schedule, and what you can recycle, see https://actonma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/10278/Polystyrene-collection-days-and-guide-2025.

World Premier of local film at Theatre III
2025-03-15 14:00 - 21:00 | Theatre III, 250 Central St., Acton, 01720
On Saturday March 15th, a locally-produced independent film will be premiering at Theatre III in Acton. The film, titled “The Other Christmas Show,” filmed several major scenes at the theater in the summer of 2023.
In this musical comedy feature, a successful Broadway producer plans to mount an ambitious production of “A Christmas Carol” in a small-town New England theater. This, in turn, inspires a local director to reunite his old troupe and put on a Christmas spectacular of his own, hoping he just might get the Broadway producer’s attention and achieve the fame and success that’s eluded him for years.
“The Other Christmas Show” was written and directed by Adam Griswold, who has been producing independent films in New England for over a decade.
Doors open at 2PM, with refreshments, photo ops, and networking.
The film will start around 3PM and be followed by a director Q&A, and then an afterparty with food and additional socializing.

Porcupines Don’t Shoot Their Quills: ACT Annual Meeting
2025-03-16 13:00 - 14:30 | Acton Town Hall, Room 204, 472 Main Street, Acton, MA, 01720
Please join Acton Conservation Trust for our 2024 Annual Meeting
Presentation by Newhouse Wildlife Rescue “Porcupines Don’t Shoot Their Quills”
Acton Town Hall, 472 Main St, Acton MA, Acton MA, Room 204

1 PM Business Meeting
1:10 PM Presentation of the Carol Holley Conservation Award
1:15-2:30 pm Guest Speaker: Jane Newhouse of Newhouse Wildlife Rescue

Join Jane Newhouse, founder of Newhouse Wildlife Rescue, as she shares interesting facts about our local wildlife. Guest appearances by Nibi the Beaver and Stanley the Groundhog!

Acton Conservation Trust is pleased to present the Carol Holley Conservation Award to Catherine Hatfield this year for her many contributions to the Acton community and its environment.

This program is free for all and perfect for families with children aged 5 and older. Bring your questions! Please register here.
For more information or questions, please contact jharris.actonconservationtrust@gmail.com.

Acton Water District Annual Meeting
2025-03-19 18:00 - 20:30 | Acton Memorial Library, 486 Main St., Acton, MA, 01720, United States
At this meeting, voters can have their say on spending and other concerns of the Acton Water District (AWD), which is a separate municipal entity from the Town of Acton. The format is similar to Acton Town Meeting. The Warrant for the meeting will be posted on the website of the AWD at actonwater.com. To participate and vote, you must be a registered voter in Acton, but you do not have to be a customer of the AWD.

Acton Republican Town Committee Meeting
2025-03-19 18:00 - 21:00 | Faulkner House, 5 High Street, Acton, 01720
Friends of Acton RTC Welcome! please RSVP to Chair or ARTC Officer
acton-repubs@pm.me
Meeting Agenda: 6:00 to ~9
Meet-n-greet time: 6:00-6:30
Call Meeting to Order at 6:30 PM

Minuteman High School: Pansy Extravaganza
2025-03-20 10:00 - 14:00, 2025-03-21 10:00 - 14:00 | Minuteman High School, 758 Marrett Rd, Lexington, MA, 02421
Spring is here, and so are the prettiest pansies! Stop by our Horticulture Flower Shop on March 20-21 between 10 AM – 2 PM to grab gorgeous pansy planters and browse our houseplant collection.

Horticulture Flower Shop at Minuteman High School
March 20-21 | 10 AM – 2 PM

NAMI: Family to Family 8-week course
2025-03-20 18:30 - 21:00 | Provided after registration
Do you have a loved one living with a mental health condition?
A free course from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) could prove helpful. Family to Family, starting March 20th in Boxborough, is an eight-session weekly course for those who love someone living with a mental health condition.
The next session begins on March 20 and continues for 8 Thursday evenings.
Topics include understanding the symptoms of mental illness, learning about treatments and therapies, practicing communication and problem-solving skills, creating a positive team approach, and self-care, plus the invaluable opportunity of open conversation and mutual support.
For details and to register: https://www.namicentralmiddlesex.org/newsletter/f2f-winchesterboxboroughmar2025. Offered by NAMI Central Middlesex.

Acton COA: Java with John
2025-03-21 09:45 - 10:30 | Acton Senior Center, 30 Sudbury Road Rear, Acton, MA, 01720
Town Manager John Mangiaratti will be here to give updates from the Town, answer your questions and listen to your suggestions and concerns. Acton TV will be filming it live.

Open Door Theater is going to The Prom!
2025-03-21 19:00 - 21:30, 2025-03-22 19:00 - 21:30, 2025-03-23 13:00 - 15:30 | Dragonfly Theater (RJ Grey Jr HS), 16 Charter Road, Acton, MA, 01720
Four eccentric Broadway stars are in desperate need of a new stage. So when they hear that trouble is brewing around a small-town prom, they know that it’s time to put a spotlight on the issue…and themselves. The town’s parents want to keep the high school dance on the straight and narrow—but when one student just wants to bring her girlfriend to prom, the entire town has a date with destiny. On a mission to transform lives, Broadway’s brassiest join forces with a courageous girl and the town’s citizens and the result is love that brings them all together. Winner of the Drama Desk Award for Best Musical, The Prom: School Edition expertly captures all the humor and heart of a classic musical comedy with a message that resonates with audiences now more than ever. Presented by arrangement with Theatrical Rights Worldwide.
All performances are ASL, open-captioned, and sensory-friendly.
Performances on Friday Mar 28 through Sun Mar 30 are also audio described.
Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for children 0-12 and seniors. Discounted tickets for EBT, WIC and ConnectorCare Cardholders.
Over its 45-year history, Open Door has provided accessible opportunities for all including underserved audiences and participants to enjoy live theater.
Tickets and information at www.OpenDoorTheater.org.

Game Night and Potluck dinner with Nashoba Valley Neighbors
2025-03-22 17:00 - 21:00 | Nagog Woods Clubhouse, 102 Nonset Path, Acton, MA, 01720, United States
Anyone interested in finding out about the Nashoba Valley Neighbors social group is welcome to join this event!

Library: Winter Concert Series: The New England Irish Harp Orchestra
2025-03-23 14:00 - 15:00 | Acton Memorial Library, 486 Main St., Acton, MA, 01720, United States
Acton Memorial Library (AML) presents the New England Irish Harp Orchestra for an afternoon of Traditional and not-so-Traditional Celtic tunes, songs, poems, and dances. Rollicking reels and jigs, and plaintive songs to delight audiences, young and old.
The New England Irish Harp Orchestra performs Traditional Irish dance tunes, slow airs, and songs. Members come from New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. The Orchestra has been performing for twenty years throughout New England and Ireland. Regina Delaney(Director) is a NH State Council on the Arts artist on the Traditional Arts and Arts in Health Care Roster.
2nd Floor Piano, Acton Memorial Library

ACTON COA Invites You to Our Memory Lane Café
2025-03-25 12:00 - 13:30 | Acton Senior Center, 30 Sudbury Road Rear, Acton, MA, 01720
A Memory Café is a welcoming place for people with memory impairment and their care partners. We ask that attendees bring their care partners. Please let us know at 978-929-6652 or seniorcenter@actoncoa.com if you plan to attend as lunch will be provided.
Sponsored by Acton Council on Aging, Concord Park, and Cooperative Elder Services.

Library: Yarn & Needle Club
2025-03-25 15:00 - 16:00 | Acton Memorial Library Meeting Room (1st floor), 486 Main Street, Acton, MA, 01720, United States
Knitters, crocheters, embroiderers, and sewers, join the library to work on your project and socialize! We meet every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month.

Library: Foreign Affairs: Great Decisions Group Discussion - U.S. -Chinese Relations
2025-03-25 19:00 - 20:00 | Acton Memorial Library, 486 Main St., Acton, MA, 01720, United States
Great Decisions is America’s largest discussion program on world affairs. The program model involves reading the Great Decisions Briefing Book and meeting in a Discussion Group to discuss the most critical global issues facing America today. This months topic will be on U.S. – Chinese Relations.
Washington’s relations with Beijing have reached an ominous low ebb. Both American political parties have identified China as the country’s preeminent geopolitical challenger and, in the eyes of many, a systemic threat. What is driving this deterioration of Sino-American relations, and what are America’s strategic options in the face of Chinese power and ambition?
Location: Meeting Room at the Acton Memorial Library, 486 Main Street, Acton MA 01720

Acton COA: Coping with loneliness & increasing feelings of joy with Julie Norstrand PhD
2025-03-26 11:00 - 12:00 | Acton Senior Center, 30 Sudbury Road Rear, Acton, MA, 01720
Acton Council on Aging (COA) – It took the recent COVID pandemic to make us all aware of how detrimental loneliness can be to our physical and emotional well-being. It may be argued that one good thing to come out of the pandemic is that we are more willing to talk about our feelings of loneliness, giving us a chance to develop ways to reduce it. Julie will address this critical issue head on with specific examples of why we feel lonely and what we can do to reduce it, as well as community resources we can seek out for help. The ultimate goal of this presentation is to help you find a new routine in your life, where you feel not only less loneliness, but also experience increased feelings of joy.

Library: Virtual Author Talk - Kerri Maher Discusses "All You Have to Do is Call"
2025-03-26 19:30 - 20:30 | Acton Memorial Library, 486 Main St., Acton, MA, 01720, United States
Zoom Event

Author of multiple historical fiction novels featuring strong women (including The Kennedy Debutante, The Girl In White Gloves: A Novel of Grace Kelly, The Paris Bookseller, and All You Have to Do is Call, Kerri Maher visits to discuss her latest writing. This is a virtual program. Registration required, click here to sign up: bit.ly/41n9H1o
About the book: Chicago, early 1970s. Who does a woman call when she needs help? Jane. The best-known secret in the city, Jane is an underground health clinic composed entirely of women helping women, empowering them to embrace their futures by offering reproductive counseling and safe, illegal abortions. Veronica, Jane’s founder, prides herself on the services she has provided to thousands of women, yet the price of others’ freedom is that she leads a double life. When she’s not at Jane, Veronica plays the role of a conventional housewife. Several other women in Veronica’s neighborhood are grappling with similar disconnects. In this historic moment, when the personal was nothing if not political, these women risk it all to help mothers, daughters, sisters, and friends. With an awe-inspiring story and appealing characters, All You Have to Do Is Call celebrates the power of women coming together in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.

Library: Basics of Creating a Family Archive
2025-03-27 18:00 - 19:00 | Acton Memorial Library, 486 Main St., Acton, MA, 01720, United States
Location: Meeting Room, Acton Memorial Library | 486 Main Street, Acton MA 01720
Learn how to create your own family archive and the basics of how to leave a digital legacy for future generations. Topics covered include the basics of archival storage, digital preservation, organizing your materials, and storytelling.
About the presenter: Rhonda Chadwick is the author of the book Secrets from the Stacks, which reveals how to store, digitize and preserve documents to create a family archive and leave a personal legacy. As a trained archivist, she has worked at numerous libraries, archives, and museums throughout southern New England, including the Rhode Island Historical Society, the John Hay Library at Brown University, the Sophia Smith Collection at Smith College, the Rhode Island School of Design, and the American Textile History Museum in Lowell. She has a dual MLIS/Archives Management and MA History degree. She is the owner of a personal history business named after her grandmother and great-grandmother called LenaSalina Legacy Preservation. The mission of LenaSalina is to teach people about long-term preservation and archival storage.
