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.

 

Not that we’re being dramatic, but Natick Report simply cannot survive without your help.

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‘Twin Peaks’ actors taking roadshow to Natick: We chatted up Dana Ashbrook (aka, Bobby Briggs)

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When I got hit up for an actor interview by organizers of the “Twin Peaks: Conversation with the Stars” show coming to TCAN in Natick on Sept. 16 and 17, I had to make a confession.  While interested in doing the interview, I’d somehow never seen the iconic early ’90s TV show from Mark Frost and David Lynch, even though I’m plenty old enough to have remembered its original airing and have seen many of Lynch’s movies.

So I started bingeing “Twin Peaks,” and got partway into the second of the original show’s two seasons. So I got to know Bobby Briggs— the rebellious jock and ex-boyfriend of the late Laura Palmer—by the time I spoke with Dana Ashbrook. He’s the actor who portrayed Briggs in the original series, as well as in the prequel and later revival series. In “Twin Peaks: The Return,” Bobby had become a police deputy… I couldn’t avoid that spoiler in prepping for the interview.

Bobby Briggs (courtesy of Paramount CBS)
Dana Ashbrook as Bobby Briggs in “Twin Peaks” (courtesy of Paramount CBS)

Ashbrook, who has appeared in many other TV shows like “Dawson’s Creek” and “The Outer Limits” as well as theatre productions and movies over the years, will be coming to TCAN alongside Ray Wise (aka, Leland Palmer), Kimmy Robertson (aka, Lucy Moran), and Sabrina S. Sutherland, executive producer of “Twin Peaks: The Return.” They’ll be sharing behind-the-scenes stories, answering questions, taking photos with fans, and signing autographs during the sessions. The events are presented by David Roy Williams Entertainment under license from Paramount Location-Based Experiences, and moderated by Twin Peaks and David Lynch expert Josh Eisenstadt.
 

 

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Ashbrook says he remembers the details of his “Twin Peaks” performances pretty well, sort of like college alums might recall their time at school many years later, though acknowledges super fans have him beat.

“I remember certain things pretty vividly and clearly and then I’ll catch an episode or scene and don’t remember that day,” he says, adding that the show was done “in a quick amount of time, but a very intense amount of time for everyone involved.”

Ashbrook got the gig in part through a connection with the casting director, but then nailed it after meeting with the co-creators in a get-to-know-you session during which he talked about the theatre company he was in. He was wowed by the script for the pilot, dubbed “Northwest Passage.”

The San Diego native comes from a theatrical family—his mom and dad met while taking part in a play. Growing up, Ashbrook said members of his family took part in summer musicals. “It’s just sort of what our family did,” he said. After graduating high school, Ashbrook followed one of his sisters, also an actor, to LA and worked with the same agent.

Dana Ashbrook as Bobby Briggs in "Twin Peaks: The Return"
Dana Ashbrook as Bobby Briggs in “Twin Peaks: The Return” (Photo courtesy of Paramount:CBS)

Perhaps Ashbrook’s most famous “Twin Peaks” scene took place in episode 1 of season 2, when his stoic father, Major Briggs, shared an optimistic vision he’d had about how things would turn out for his son. Up to that point in the show, the two had never seen eye to eye, but many consider the major’s monologue at the Double R Diner to be a turning point for the father and son, and a harbinger of Bobby’s eventual evolution from a troublemaking Lothario character to a respected law enforcement professional.

“That scene had a lot of impact on some people,” says Ashbrook, who continues to act, including in a play about professional wrestling called “Masters of Puppets” performed in Connecticut.

The actor says he really enjoys interacting with “Twin Peaks” fans.

“They’re usually super creative and artistic… lovely, sweet people.” Couples have become lifelong friends or even married after meeting at “Twin Peaks” events, says Ashbrook, who will be making his first visit to Natick (he does have family in Massachusetts).

What’s fun now is seeing the “next gens,” young fans turned onto “Twin Peaks” by their parents or even grandparents, original fans of the show, Ashbrook says “You might think it’d be too slow for them, but they love it,” he says.

Twin Peaks event

 

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Natick Nights postponed to July 23rd

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natick center cultural district logoAn update from the Natick Center Cultural District:

After closely monitoring today’s air quality forecasts and conditions, we’ve made the difficult decision to move tonight’s Natick Nights! to our rain date, Thursday, July 23rd.

While the forecast remains somewhat unpredictable, our biggest concern is the potential for wildfire smoke to affect the health and comfort of our vendors, performers, volunteers, and the many families with young children who attend the event. With several vendors already choosing not to participate because of the air quality, we felt it was best to err on the side of caution.

We know this is disappointing, and we appreciate your patience and understanding. These decisions are never easy, but we believe this is the right one for our community.

We look forward to seeing you on July 23, 2026, and will be in touch with any additional details if needed.

Recreation & Parks is also moving their movie night: Jurassic Park, to July 23, 2026, after Natick Nights!

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July Jubilation Sidewalk Sale & Festival in Wellesley Square—Saturday, July 18th

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July Jubilation, Wellesley

July Jubilation Sidewalk Sale & Festival in Wellesley Square

DATE: Saturday, July 18, 2026
TIME: 10am-4:00pm
SPONSOR: Wellesley Merchants’ Association

July Jubilation is a favorite Wellesley summertime tradition!

For one special day, Central Street becomes the heart of a vibrant summer celebration, with sidewalk tents and tables, incredible once-a-year savings, live entertainment, and plenty of reasons to spend the day in Wellesley Square. Part of Wellesley Square will be closed to traffic especially for July Jubilation to allow dozens of local merchants to show off their incredible deals under tents and on tables outside, and for visitors to stroll freely.

Whether you’re searching for summer fashions, gifts, home décor, delicious food, or simply looking for a fun day with family and friends, July Jubilation is the perfect excuse to explore everything Wellesley Square has to offer.

The July Jubilation atmosphere is always festive and energetic, so come join the fun.

Here’s a taste of what’s in store, 10am-4pm

  •  Amazing savings at scores of local shops and restaurants
  •  Music, entertainment, live demonstrations, and performances
  •  Sweetie’s Candy Bus
  •  Uncle Joey’s Cannoli Truck
  •  Wicked Bubbles Dirty Soda Co.
  • FREE PARKING courtesy of the Select Board, at all 2-hour street meters
  • Exhibits from the Wellesley Fire and Police Departments
  • Family fun for all

Plan Your Visit

Visit the Wellesley Square Merchants’ Association event page for details, participating businesses, and updates during the big countdown to July 18.

The Wellesley Square Merchant’s Association has over 60 members, and many will be turning out to celebrate the big day with sales. See the list of all Wellesley Square Merchant’s Association members here. You don’t want to miss this opportunity to save big in Wellesley Square.

July Jubilation entertainment lineup

*Details and times are subject to change. Last-minute updates available at ShopWellesleySquare.com

  • DJ Voyage from JAM’N 94.5 FM
    10am-4pm
  • Steve DeMasco’s Shaolin Studios demonstrations
    10am-4pm
  • Face Painting
    10am-3pm
  • Stilt Walker
    11am–2pm (roaming Wellesley Square)
  • Live Music provided by Wellesley Rocks
    (Details coming soon.)
  • Fire Truck and Open Police Cruiser
    10am-4pm
  • Dunk Tank
    10am-4pm
  • Balloon Artist
    10am-3pm
  • Bubble Zone Science of Bubbles
    11am-3pm
  • Smokey The Bear & The Smokehouse
    10am-4pm

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