Unlaunch’d Voices: an Evening with Walt Whitman
2026-02-04 19:00 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | Memorial Park Field House, 92 Rosemary Street, Needham, MA, 02494, United States
Unlaunch’d Voices: an Evening with Walt Whitman. Conceived and performed by Stephen Collins, Written by Michael Z. Keamy.
Unlaunch’d Voices opens with the elderly Whitman on the evening of his seventieth birthday. The audience is a visitor in his room as he prepares for his birthday celebration. Whitman begins to reminisce and to question his success as a man and a poet. He tells us his work has proved to be “less than a failure….” He remembers a mystical experience he had in his thirty-seventh year that inspired him to write poetry.
During the telling, Whitman transforms into his young vibrant self and we begin to trace back along with him the experiences that led to the creation of Leaves Of Grass, his lifetime work. The first part of the performance explores Whitman’s preoccupation with the self and his resolve to write with “free and brave thought…” We revel with him as he celebrates his body and himself and are confidants as he shares his struggle with his sexual self. In the second part of the performance, Whitman’s life is changed forever by the occurrence of the Civil War. It is here that he finds “… the most important work of my life…” nursing the wounded soldiers in the hospitals. Through poetry and readings of actual letters, we experience Whitman’s movement from selfishness and selflessness and his growth into a mature artist who is at peace about “himself, God and death.”

Envision Needham Center Information Session
2026-02-04 19:00 - 21:00 | Needham Town Hall – Powers Hall, 1471 Highland Avenue, Needham, MA, 02492, United States
ENVISION NEEDHAM CENTER WORKING GROUP
PUBLIC INFORMATION SESSION
TOWN OF NEEDHAM, MASSACHUSETTS

Wednesday, February 4, 2026 • 7:00 PM
Power’s Hall • 1471 Highland Ave, Needham, MA 02492
Or
https://needham-k12-ma-us.zoom.us/j/83639905114
Webinar ID: 836 3990 5114

Call the Meeting to Order
Presentation on Project and 3 Alternative Concept Options
Question and Answer Period
Adjourn

Sunday Salon: Slavery in Massachusetts
2026-02-08 14:00 - 15:30 | Needham Public Library Community Room, 1139 Highland Avenue, Needham, MA, 02494, United States
Friends Program – Public Historian Dr. Kyera Singleton : Slavery in Massachusetts
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8 • 2:00—3:30 PM
Library Community Room • Needham Free Public Library
1139 Highland Avenue, Needham, MA, 02494

Public Historian Dr. Kyera Singleton : Slavery in Massachusetts
In the 19th century, Massachusetts was known as the heart of the abolitionist movement. However, in the 17th and 18th century, slavery was a huge component of Massachusetts society and its growing economy.
Dr. Kyera Singleton, executive director of the Royall House and Slave Quarters in Medford, will discuss how the myth making around the American Revolution has obscured the history of slavery in Massachusetts. The talk will focus on the stories of those enslaved in places such as Boston and outlying areas like Medford and Needham before gradual abolition in Massachusetts due to a court decision in 1783.
A public history scholar, Dr. Singleton holds a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor in the Department of American Culture. She is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow for the Slavery, Colonialism, and their Legacies Project at Tufts University. She has held prestigious academic fellowships at Harvard and Emory Universities, among other institutions. She is a member of the City of Boston’s Commemoration Commission and the Massachusetts Special Commission on the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution.
This Program is sponsored by the Friends of the Needham Public Library. Registration is required.

Needham Garden Club hosts 'Designing With The Seasons'
2026-02-17 09:30 - 11:30 | Needham Public Library Community Room, 1139 Highland Avenue, Needham, MA, 02494, United States
The Needham Garden Club hosts ‘Designing With The Seasons’ by Trevor Smith on Tuesday, February 17, 2026 at 9:30am. Trevor Smith, owner or ReEarth, will show how beauty is in the eye of the beholder. This goes for how we design our gardens as well. Trevor will offer guidelines and tricks to help create a cohesive garden full of seasonal interest that can be applied to any style of garden. This presentation is open to the public free of charge and will take place at the Needham Free Public Library Community Room.

Conversations with Your Middle Schooler: Why You Shouldn't Wait to Talk About Substance Use
2026-02-23 18:30 - 19:45, 2026-03-23 18:30 - 19:45 | Center at the Heights, 300 Hillside Avenue, Needham Heights, MA, 02492, United States
The Needham Public Health Division and the Substance Prevention Alliance of Needham (SPAN), in partnership with the Needham Youth & Family Services Department, are hosting Conversations with Your Middle Schooler: Why You Shouldn’t Wait to Talk About Substance Use. This free series, is designed for parents and caregivers of children in grades 5–8.
This program provides parents with practical information about underage drinking and other substance use, along with guidance and strategies for having age-appropriate, meaningful conversations with their children. Parents will have the opportunity to connect with one another and feel supported in navigating these conversations.
Sessions are scheduled on Monday evenings, 6:30 – 7:45pm on January 26, February 23, & March 23 at The Center at the Heights, 300 Hillside Ave, Needham.
Please see the attached program flyer for registration details and additional information.

Needham Planning Board
2026-02-24 19:00 - 23:00 | Public Services Administration Building, 500 Dedham Avenue, Needham, MA, 02492, United States
The Needham Planning Board meets for its regular session at the Public Service Administration Building at 500 Dedham Avenue. Due to simultaneous sessions as the Needham Select Board and School Committee, this meeting will not be carried live by the Needham Channel, but will be available to stream via the town’s Zoom Meeting platform. The Needham Channel will subsequently air and stream the meeting through the Municipal Channel, HD Channel, at needhamchannel.org, and through its free Roku App.

Needham Parent Survey 2026
2026-03-05 08:00 - 2026-03-31 17:00 | MA
📣 Needham Parents: Your Voice Matters!
2026 Parent Survey on Youth Substance Use
Parents of students in Grades 6–12 — we invite you to participate in a brief, anonymous survey.

The Substance Prevention Alliance of Needham (SPAN), in partnership with the Needham Public Health Division, is gathering parent feedback on underage drinking, youth substance use, and community perceptions.

By taking a few minutes to complete the survey, you will help guide local prevention programs and support healthy choices for Needham’s young people.

✅ Take the survey here: https://bit.ly/4qYd9co

Survey results will be shared with the community later this year.

Questions? Contact Karen Shannon, Substance Use Prevention Coordinator:
kshannon@needhamma.gov

Please consider sharing this survey with other Needham parents of students in Grades 6–12.

The Addiction Inoculation: Raising Healthy Kids in a Culture of Dependence
2026-03-18 18:30 - 20:00 | Powers Hall at Needham Town Hall, 1471 Highland Ave., Needham, MA, 02492, United States
For: Parents, Caregivers & Educators of Kids in Grades 6-12
Presenter: Jessica Lahey: Educator & Best-Selling Author of The Gift of Failure & The Addiction Inoculation, Recovery & Prevention Coach. She recently won the Research Society on Alcohol’s Media Award, “designed to recognize outstanding journalistic efforts of writers who cover empirical research on alcohol.”
Jesscia will offer: Evidence-based, effective learning and prevention resources that works. And scripts adults can use to open up discussions about substance use with the kids in their lives.

Party for the Pantry
2026-03-28 19:00 - 23:00 | Needham Town Hall – Powers Hall, 1471 Highland Avenue, Needham, MA, 02492, United States
The Party of the Year for a Cause That Matters.
Get ready to dance, drink, and make a difference! Join us for Party for the Pantry 2026, a high-energy, casual night out dedicated to supporting our neighbors. With the Needham Community Council food pantry serving record numbers of residents, your presence has never been more vital.
The Details:
When: Saturday, March 28th, 2026 | 7:00 PM
The Vibe: Music, dancing, and a casual atmosphere.
The Goods: Open bar and incredible catering by Forklift.
Tickets:
Early Bird: $100 (Available now!)
Standard: $125 (Price increases Wednesday, March 11th at noon)
Don’t wait—grab your tickets early and help us stock the shelves!

Talking to kids ABOUT HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS
2026-03-31 18:00 - 19:30, 2026-04-02 08:45 - 10:00 | Rosemary Recreation Complex, 178 Rosemary Street, Needham, 02494, United States
For parents, educators, and caregivers: It’s never too early—or too late—to talk to the young people in your life about relationships. This workshop will share strategies to help your child build skills to engage in healthy friendships and articulate and respect boundaries. Parents and caregivers will learn how to foster dialogue and engage young people in thinking critically about healthy and unhealthy relationships. This presentation will provide tools to initiate and continue these conversations and will connect participants with local resources that offer support and prevention services in the Needham community

Needham Garden Club hosts 'Quality Not Quantity - Petite Arrangements’'
2026-04-21 09:30 - 11:00 | Needham Public Library Community Room, 1139 Highland Avenue, Needham, MA, 02494, United States
The Needham Garden Club invites you to learn how to design dramatic and stunning petite flower arrangements at their April meeting in the Community Room at the Needham Public Library. Trần Vũ Thu-Hằng will will apply the principles and elements of design to create 5 to 12 inch high arrangements that are perfect for tables and windowsills. ​
Trần Vũ Thu-Hằng designs flowers at the Museum of Fine Arts. She has published in The New York Times, The Boston Globe, Tulsa World and Pangyrus. Her work has been nominated for the prestigious literary Pushcart Award. Her memoir-in-progress explores her past as a child war refugee with seven younger siblings.

50th Anniversary Concert | Needham Concert Society
2026-05-03 15:00 - 17:00 | Carter Memorial UMC, 800 Highland Avenue, Needham, 02494
BOLD AND TIMELESS | The Needham Concert Society celebrates its fiftieth anniversary with a commissioned work by Pulitzer-nominated composer David Post and two string masterpieces, a classically elegant string quintet by Mozart and Dvořák’s romantic and exuberant string sextet.
These programs are supported in part by a grant from the Needham Council for Arts and Culture, ​a local agency which is supported by the Town of Needham and the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

Notes of Hope: A Benefit for Immigrant Justice
2026-05-03 16:00 - 18:00 | Congregational Church of Needham, 1154 Great Plain Avenue, Needham, 02492
Enjoy a fun afternoon of music trivia, light bites, and refreshments while raising funds for our immigrant neighbors through Metrowest Worker Center – Casa.
Hosted by the Needham Area Immigration Justice Task Force with co-hosts Congregational Church of Needham, UCC; First Parish, UU; and Casa Allies, this event features Music Trivia Through the Ages with a professional DJ. Tables will compete for the grand prize!
Buy single tickets ($50) or a table for eight at a discount. At a time when so much can feel overwhelming, it’s easy to wonder what you can do to make a difference–here’s one meaningful way to make an impact.
The Metrowest Worker Center – Casa is an immigrant worker-led organization which is responding daily to the critical needs of immigrants and their families in these troubled times. All proceeds from this event will go directly to Casa to aid immigrants.
All are welcome!
Location: Congregational Church of Needham, UCC, 1154 Great Plain Ave. (Linden St. entrance). The venue is accessible.
Information, purchase tickets and/or donate: https://givebutter.com/notes-of-hope-qnx4ul
Questions: email info@immigrationneedham.org
Event Flyer: Click here
