Arts & Culture

Acton celebrates the country’s 250th anniversary at NARA Park with games, commemorations, and lasers

July 11, 2026

On Thursday, July 2, hundreds of members of Acton’s community gathered for the decades-old Independence Day Celebration at NARA Park for a day of festivities, history, music, and laser shows. The event took place from 4:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., signaling one of the final celebrations Acton has undertaken in its commemorations for the 250th anniversary of the United States of America. July 4th, 1776 marked the date of formal adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress — the act that formally severed the ties between the 13 American colonies and Great Britain. Independence Day would…

The messy, human story behind “When the Declaration of Independence Was News”

July 11, 2026

by Greg Jarboe

For most of us, the Declaration of Independence exists in two familiar images: the elegant, faded parchment behind glass at the National Archives and John Trumbull’s grand painting of the founders gathered in Independence Hall. Both, it turns out, are a little misleading. And on Thursday, June 25,…

251st Acton Bugles Across America Ceremony Features Declaration of Independence

July 11, 2026

by Katrina Buck

On Sunday, July 5, 2026, the Acton Bugles Across America conducted its 251st consecutive monthly ceremony at the Acton War Memorial. The gathering of 38 attendees coincided with the 250th anniversary of the founding of the republic and was intended to provide an opportunity to honor the veterans…

Acton community gathers to celebrate Juneteenth through history, art, and joy

June 27, 2026

by Diane Randolph Jones

Community members gathered on Friday, June 19, for the Town of Acton’s Juneteenth Celebration, a joyful afternoon centered on history, freedom, cultural preservation, and the power of Black art. The celebration was hosted by the Town of Acton’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Commission (DEIC) in collaboration with Acton…

Acton marks 250th Anniversary with stirring reading of local history play and Declaration of Independence

June 27, 2026

by Stephen Trimble

Eighty residents gathered at the Acton Congregational Church on Sunday, June 14, at 2 p.m. for a dramatic reading commemorating the 250th anniversary of Acton’s pivotal Town Meeting vote for independence from Great Britain — a vote cast on that very date in 1776. The performance, titled “Declaring…

Black and white ink drawing shows of someone's feet, in black shoes, resting on a stuffed-cushion couch, with a crowded counter full of dirty dishes and pots in the rear, under two windows with brushes and little vases of flowers on the window sill.

Acton Exchange Team members kick their feet up

June 27, 2026

by Franny Osman

This coming week, the Acton Exchange Team is taking a break. That doesn’t mean you have to! As you and your family or friends partake in an Independence Day celebration, historic re-enactment, or even a local camp or summer school, please write about it and send a short…

Acton Hosts 2026 Boston International Asian Music Festival

June 20, 2026

by Meghan Li

On June 13, the 2026 Boston International Asian Music Festival brought together performers, community leaders, elected officials, and residents from across Massachusetts for a vibrant celebration of Asian cultures through contemporary and tradition music, dance, and other cultural arts. Held at NARA Park in Acton, the festival highlighted…

My Dearest Friend: A play about letters and revolution

June 20, 2026

by Miriam Lezak

On June 15, the new Time Travel Theatrical Company presented “My Dearest Friend: A Play About John and Abigail Adams” at Great Road Church in Acton. The play, written by Peter Manos, is based on the letters written by John and Abigail over the decades before, during, and…

Theatre III’s The Great Race delivers light-hearted lessons

June 13, 2026

by Dana Lissy

“Everyone needs help now and then.” These are gentle words of wisdom passed on from grandparent to grandchild in The Great Race: The Story of the Chinese Zodiac, the latest performance in Theatre III’s Child’s Play series running June 13–14 and 20–21. (To learn more about how this…

A favorite spring event: The Madrigals Dinner returns

June 6, 2026

Franny OsmanandMiriam Lezak

The annual dinner-theatre evening of the Acton Boxborough Regional High School Madrigals singing group attracted not only parents and friends of present performers and alumni who used to be in the group, but fans of the angelic voices and people who just happened to hear about the dinner.…

Afternoon Tea and lecture at historic Wright Tavern

June 6, 2026

by Joan Milnes

Members of the Theater and Concert interest group from the Acton Woman’s Club attended an afternoon tea and lecture held inside the historic Wright Tavern in Concord on May 24. Local historian Amy Cole spoke about the history of ladies’ afternoon teas and how they helped to advance…

Let your light shine: A review of “Hairspray, the Broadway Musical”

May 30, 2026

by Dana Lissy

In the face of oppression, choosing joy is a radical act. Letting your light shine, even when forces around you conspire to block it out, is an act of resistance. Sharing and spreading that joy is even more powerful still because of its ability to inspire change. This…

Theatre III brings Chinese Zodiac tale to life

May 30, 2026

by Jen Lewy

Theatre III’s Child’s Play series returns June 13 with “The Great Race: The Story of the Chinese Zodiac”, a collaboration with the Acton Chinese Language School (ACLS) that brings together AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) artists, cultural consultants, and local arts practitioners from across the region. The…

Garden Club picks perfect day for Plant Sale

May 23, 2026

Ann Marie TestarmataandMiriam Lezak

It started weeks earlier, as Garden Club members tenderly nurtured plants in their gardens, then potted, labelled, and priced them. The night before, an army of members and volunteers sets up tents and tables and cover them with pink, finishing at sunset in the drizzle. Finally, the big…

The people who were here first: New research illuminates Acton’s Native American past

May 23, 2026

by Greg Jarboe

About 70 people filled the meeting room at Acton Memorial Library on the evening of May 14 for a talk that did something local history rarely does: it revised the record rather than just retelling it. Brent Ranalli, a local historian completing a book titled, “Tahattawan’s World”, spent…

Acton Historical Alliance: Five organizations, one mission

May 23, 2026

by Greg Jarboe

At the back of the meeting room at Acton Memorial Library on May 14, while 70 people settled in for Brent Ranalli’s talk on Tahattawan’s World, a stack of flyers sat quietly on a table near the door. They were from the Acton Historical Alliance, and they described…

Acton film team debuts “Pointing Fingers” at Maynard Fine Arts

May 16, 2026

by Alissa Nicol

Acton family Michael, Meredith and Dan Bergmann, screened their upcoming film, “Pointing Fingers,” at the Maynard Fine Arts Theatre on Saturday, May 9 for an audience of about 150 people. On the film’s website, “Pointing Fingers” is described as “the first-ever fiction feature film about, written by, and…

The Acton Woman’s Club visits Davis Art Museum: A hidden gem

May 16, 2026

by Joan Milnes

The Davis Art Museum at Wellesley College welcomed a group from the Acton Woman’s Club on April 29. Dr. Semente, the museum’s curator of education and public programs, gave an intimate 90-minute talk that included a discussion about the current exhibit of photographs by German photographer Ilse Bing.…

Nice Work, Theatre III

May 16, 2026

by Dana Lissy

Set in New York City and Long Island during 1920s prohibition, “Nice Work If You Can Get It,” is a screwball comedy written by Joe DePietro with songs chosen from the catalog of George and Ira Gershwin. It centers around the romantic entanglements of Jimmy Winter, a rich…

ABRHS Seniors display artistic talent and skill

May 16, 2026

by Alissa Nicol

The Acton Boxborough Regional High School (ABRHS) Seniors’ Art Exhibit is installed in The Gallery at West Acton Villageworks through Tuesday, May 19 at 5:30 p.m., The Gallery is open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. On Thursday, May 7, the opening reception drew a large crowd of students and…

Chopped for Charity competition raises over $200,000 for Open Table

May 16, 2026

by The Acton Exchange Team

Open Table, the MetroWest charity dedicated to fighting hunger and building healthy communities, today announced that Chef Erin Harleman, owner of The Saucy Plate, a Wayland-based personal chef service in Metrowest Boston, was the winner of the cooking competition at its 2026 Chopped for Charity Gala (Chopped), which…

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Arts & Culture

Acton celebrates the country’s 250th anniversary at NARA Park with games, commemorations, and lasers

The messy, human story behind “When the Declaration of Independence Was News”

251st Acton Bugles Across America Ceremony Features Declaration of Independence

Acton community gathers to celebrate Juneteenth through history, art, and joy

Acton marks 250th Anniversary with stirring reading of local history play and Declaration of Independence

Acton Exchange Team members kick their feet up

Acton Hosts 2026 Boston International Asian Music Festival

My Dearest Friend: A play about letters and revolution

Theatre III’s The Great Race delivers light-hearted lessons

A favorite spring event: The Madrigals Dinner returns

Afternoon Tea and lecture at historic Wright Tavern

Let your light shine: A review of “Hairspray, the Broadway Musical”

Theatre III brings Chinese Zodiac tale to life

Garden Club picks perfect day for Plant Sale

The people who were here first: New research illuminates Acton’s Native American past

Acton Historical Alliance: Five organizations, one mission

Acton film team debuts “Pointing Fingers” at Maynard Fine Arts

The Acton Woman’s Club visits Davis Art Museum: A hidden gem

Nice Work, Theatre III

ABRHS Seniors display artistic talent and skill

Chopped for Charity competition raises over $200,000 for Open Table

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