Natick Report

Since 2020: More than you really want to know about Natick, Mass.

Natick arts roundup , October 2026 edition

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Natick is fortunate to have a lively arts scene, with various opportunities to engage with or make art at any given time. Check out a concert, theater performance, art gallery opening this month. Here are just a few events happening soon.

Don’t see your free or low-cost Natick cultural event listed? Contact natickreport@gmail.com for inclusion.

Wellesley Symphony Orchestra, season opener, “Musical Tales”

Wellesley Symphony OrchestraDATE/TIME: Sunday, Sept. 27, 2pm
LOCATION: MassBay Community College Auditorium, 50 Oakland St, Wellesley, MA
TICKET INFO here
DESCRIPTION: The concert begins with Elisabetta Brusa’s symphonic poem, Merlin, for orchestra, Op.20. Written in 2004, this describes one of history’s best loved legendary figures. Giovanni Bottesini’s Gran Duo Concertante, is dedicated to long-time WSO cellist and WSO board vice president Jan Schwaner, who passed away on July 22. Jan joined the WSO in 1994, and joined our board in 2006. A joyful presence in the orchestra, Jan was an important part of our outreach program as part of the WSO String quartet. You’ll find more about Jan here.

Saturdays at 4 Series: Children’s Concert: Peter & the Wolf!

Peter and the Wolf, WellesleyDATE/TIME: October 10, 4pm-5:30pm
LOCATION: Wellesley Hills Congregational Church, 207 Washington St.
DESCRIPTION: Join us for this free Children’s Concert featuring Prokofiev’s beloved Peter & the Wolf! With the professional Puppeteering Group, “Really Inventive Stuff” and Woodwind Quintet, this promises to be fun for the whole family.
REGISTRATION here

Natick Open Studios

Natick Artists Open StudiosDATES/TIME: Saturday, Oct. 17 & Sunday, Oct.  18, 11am-5pm
LOCATION: All Around Natick—participants and locations coming soon here.
DESCRIPTION: Meet and visit in informal settings with over 100 artists living or working in Natick to learn about their art and to purchase unique creations. Painters, printmakers, sculptors, potters, mosaic artists, jewelers, fiber artists, photographers, and mixed media artists. Some artists will offer live demonstrations during the open studio weekend which also include refreshments and live bands.

Wellesley Theatre Project presents “Peter and the Starcatcher”

Wellesley Theatre Project, Peter

Art exhibit at Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary

Broadmoor, Natasha Broude, artistARTIST: Natasha Broude
ON DISPLAY: through Oct. 31
LOCATION: Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary, 280 Eliot St., Natick, MA
DESCRIPTION: Natasha’s work includes watercolor paintings, as well as graphite and charcoal drawings. Natasha’s preferred subject is landscape. She expresses all the variations of light and shadow using the unique palette, texture, and transparency of the watercolor medium.

Wellesley Symphony Orchestra, presents “The British Have Come!”

DATE/TIME: Sunday, November 8, 2026 @2pm
LOCATION: MassBay Community College Auditorium, 50 Oakland St, Wellesley, MA
TICKET INFO here
DESCRIPTION: William Boyce, Symphony No. 4; Benjamin Britten,Four Sea Interludes; Ralph Vaughan Williams, Symphony No. 5. Please join the WSO for a reception after the concert. MassBay is minutes from Rt 95, easy to get to with free parking. Great dining and shopping is minutes away in nearby Wellesley Square. Tickets are pay-what-you-can.

Thoughtful Animals by David Parish

 

Broadmoor, Natick, photography exhibit
Yak, Bhutan, by David Parish

ON DISPLAY: through Oct. 21
LOCATION: Bacon Free Library through Oct. 21
DESCRIPTION: David Parish is a photographer and a long-term resident of Natick. He has been involved with several organizations in the town, including as Chair of the Broadmoor Advisory Board and, most recently, as Chair of the Bacon Free Library. David began his travels as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Turkey and, when possible, has continued to travel with his wife, Shirley, hoping to observe animals in their natural settings.  His wish is that the photos on display will appeal to children, and perhaps even some adults.

Will cross street for art—Page Waterman Gallery

While you’re at the Bacon Free Library South Natick, checking out the David Parish exhibit, stop by Page Waterman Gallery, just across the street. The South Natick dam may be gone, but the gallery has an excellent inventory of dam paintings, and art is forever.

Flamenco Performance

DATE/TIME: Thursday, October, 7pm-8:15pm
LOCATION: Morse Institute Library, 14 E Central St, Natick
REGISTRATION for this event is suggested, but not required. Patrons who register will receive an event reminder and any updates about the event. Registration also helps us know how many chairs we need.
DESCRIPTION: Combining dynamic footwork, intricate guitar playing, and powerful emotional singing, flamenco brings together music, dance, and storytelling in a uniquely captivating way.
SPONSOR: This program is possible due to a grant from the Natick Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency and the Friends of the Library.

Gallery 01760—”Local Clouds”, miniature watercolors

 

Natick Gallery 01760, Nathalie Garfinkle
Nathalie Garfinkle

ON DISPLAY: through September
LOCATION: Gallery 01760, Adams St., Natick Center
DESCRIPTION: Nathalie Garfinkle’s miniature watercolor paintings of cloudscapes. Nathalie says, “Local Clouds is a collection of watercolor cloudscapes focusing on the magic of our everyday places.” The Gallery is devoted entirely to presenting small and beautiful gallery quality miniature art. The art space typically hosts shows lasting one month each. For all submission and show inquiries, email executivedirector@natickcenter.org

Beyond Wellesley

 

Boston Lyric Opera, outdoors

EVENT: Street Stage at Titus Sparrow Park
DATE/TIME: Saturday, October 3, 4pm-5pm
LOCATION: Titus Sparrow Park, 75 West Rutland Square Boston, MA 02118
COST: Free
DESCRIPTION: BLO’s Street Stage rolls into Boston’s South End. This delightful concert program showcases everything from opera classics to musical theatre, all performed by extraordinary professional musicians. Enjoy gorgeous views of Boston from the scenic amphitheater lawn, explore the newly renovated playgrounds and basketball courts, and admire the historic architecture and gardens surrounding this treasured urban green space. In partnership with The Friends of Titus Sparrow Park and The Southwest Corridor Park Conservancy

Danforth Art Museum and School at Framingham State University

EVENT: Drop Into Art
DATE/TIME: Sunday, Oct. 11, 1pm-4pm
LOCATION: 14 Vernon Place on the Framingham Town Common
COST: Free
DESCRIPTION: This popular, ongoing event encourages creativity for adults and kids alike. A variety of materials are provided. It’s free and no pre-registration is required. Just drop in!

Boston Book Festival

DATE/TIME: Saturday, Oct. 17, 10am-5pm
LOCATION: Copley Square, Boylston St. @ Dartmouth St. in Boston’s Back Bay
COST: Free
DESCRIPTION: New England’s largest literary event brings 25,000 people from across the region to Copley Square for an outdoor marketplace of ideas, great stories, author visits and much more. This annual event culminates a year-round celebration of writers and the written word.

Vivo Performing Arts presents “Gravity & Other Myths”

DATES/TIMES: Friday, Oct. 23, 8pm; Saturday, Oct. 24, 2pm & 8pm
LOCATION: Boston Arts Academy, 174 Ipswich St., in Boston’s Fenway neighborhood
COST: $44-$98 including fees
DESCRIPTION: The old saw that one must spend 10,000 hours to achieve greatness in a particular gets put to the test when Australian contemporary circus group GRAVITY & OTHER MYTHS brings its jaw-dropping human agility into a tale of impassioned dedication. Eight acrobats and one musician investigate physical skill—how it’s obtained and perfected, and how it transforms lives. Set to a driving musical score using live percussion/drums, Ten Thousand Hours is a love letter to human bodies and the amazing things they do.

 

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Natick student-led L.E.A.P. event addresses high schoolers’ anxieties over what comes next

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LEAP
L.E.A.P. organizers and speakers (Courtesy photo)

 
Before Natick High School senior Shresta Chakilam and her teammates at GrowWithGuidance hosted their first L.E.A.P (Listen, Explore, Aspire, and Pursue) event this past weekend, they surveyed classmates about their top anxieties about their futures. Organizers then designed the event, held at the Natick Center Spiritual Center, to address students’ top concerns.

GrowWithGuidance, a student-led initiative, was “created to ease the stress and uncertainty many high school students feel while preparing for college and future careers.”

As you can see from the recording, the L.E.A.P. event was a success. The event featured a handful of speakers and breakout sessions so that students could interact with the guests and one another.


 
Keynote speaker Ashley Olafsen spoke of the rewards of being just plain nice to people, as she recounted her career path, which has taken her to Harvard Innovation Labs and currently vibe coding company Lovable. She also shared an anecdote about what can happen when you aren’t nice to people…

GrowWithGuidance’s Chakilam said afterward: “Something impactful for me was when I heard a student say, ‘I really am just confused about what to do’ and to see everyone’s hand raised when the question ‘Have you felt anxious about your future?’ was asked.”

Chakilam, who co-founded GrowWithGuidance with fellow Natick High student Ellie Olugemo, said she felt that students and parents received “tangible advice, reassurance, and actionable insights on navigating post-high school life” at L.E.A.P.

LEAP
From the L.E.A.P. stage

 
In addition to Olafsen, speakers included:

  • Kathleen Kehrer, a former college admissions officer at Boston College who is now a college advisor. She spoke in part about the importance of getting hands-on experience in the careers you might pursue.
  • Juan Flechas-Beltran, a Tufts Provost Fellow who studies biomedical engineering and an Army officer. He spoke about comparing your past and future selves, and not comparing yourself to those around you.
  • Carolina Miranda, an entrepreneur, spoke about the importance of mentors.
  • Professor Juan Gnecco talked about his “non-traditional trajectory” from community college to MIT. This involved taking risks and not fearing failure. “The things that I still lose sleep over till this day… is that I didn’t apply to jobs, because I thought, ‘Why would I get that job?'”
LEAP at Natick Days
We caught up with the GrowWithGuidance team at Natick Days, ahead of L.E.A.P.

 

 

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Expected stormy weekend weather starting to mess with Natick activities

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The expected stormy weather this weekend has started to interfere with Natick’s fun.

For the second weekend in a row, there will be no Natick Farmers Market on the Common. Last Saturday, Natick Days ruled. This Saturday, Mother Nature is expected to pay a visit.

Deb Sayre wrote on social media: “For the second week in a row you will have to miss your fresh foods and produce at the market because…I don’t want you dodging tents on Saturday! The weather will be challenging and for the first time in 25 years, I am cancelling the market. We are all disappointed but safety always comes first. The good news is that the following week is October 3rd and we are on Common Street. We will be there every Saturday until October 31st. For all of you who love the European feel of the street fair/market…we are glad to bring you joy. Take care to stay dry and safe this weekend and we will see you in October.”

Porchfest, the annual event featuring performers making music on area porches, driveways, etc., has also been canceled. The rain date was to be Sunday, but the weather doesn’t look great for then either, so the event’s not happening.

Separately, the Powwow that had been scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 26 at Cochituate State Park has been postponed by the Massachusett Natick Praying Indian Tribe. Check back for information on a rescheduled event.

Indoor events, including the bake, book, and music sale at Morse Institute Library, should carry on as planned.

Please send news tips, photos, ideas to natickreport@gmail.com

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Natick business buzz: Guild Hall Learning opening; Operation Playhouse held at MathWorks

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The latest Natick, Mass., business news:
 

Guild Hall Learning opening

 
guild hallGuild Hall Learning, which markets itself as an innovation and learning hub, is opening in Natick at 19 Willow St. It has other locations in Cambridge and Woburn.

It’s got an open house slated for Sept. 26, noon-4pm. You can try drone and combat robot workshops for free that day, along with many other activities, including a family talk about AI.

Ryan Galloway, director of Guild Hall Learning, emphasizes that the business is much more than a coding school. “We focus on hands-on STEM, engineering, robotics, game development, 3D printing, digital technology, and creative problem-solving. Our goal is to give kids a place where they can build, experiment, try things, make mistakes, and figure things out for themselves,” he writes.

Natick is attractive because of its accessibility from other communities, and what Guild Hall Learning sees as an opportunity to bring something different to town.

The business, which is located alongside Global Children School, includes a digital interactive presentation studio that will host performances, talks, training, and more. Guild Hall offers memberships for kids ages 12+ and ages 8-11 years old.
 

Expand your reach (and support local news) by advertising on Natick Report

 

Operation Playhouse held at MathWorks

 
MathWorks earlier this month took part in Operation Playhouse, with employees building four themed playhouses for the children of New England military veterans and military families.

The project, held at the Apple Hill Campus in Natick, was done in partnership with Habitat for Humanity MetroWest/Greater Worcester.

Operation Playhouse has been going since 2014.

Operation Playhouse at MathWorks
Courtesy photos

Operation Playhouse at MathWorks

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Natick scores $50k grant focused on Atlantic White Cedar trees

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The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) has awarded Natick $50,000 for an Atlantic White Cedar Study and Restoration Plan. The town partnered with No Loose Braids, a Nipmuc-led organization, on the application for grant money focused on advancing resilience to climate change, according to the MAPC.

The Nipmuc community harvests Atlantic White Cedar, including at Pickerel Pond, to use in part to build domed huts called wetus.

Natick was one of eight recipients of awards totaling $300,000. Some 45 applicants sought the grants, according to MAPC Director of Environmental Planning Van Du, who spoke with us by phone. She said they requested a total of $2m, far more than the MAPC had in its coffers for the Accelerating Climate Resilience Grant Program.

Du said the Natick project is unique, and that the MAPC looks forward to seeing tangible outcomes from it with hopes of replicating best practi in other communities across the region. “It’s a way of engaging a diverse community of voices in the climate conversation,” Du said of Natick’s plan.

 More: Town builds floating boardwalk at Pickerel Pond

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