Around Town

Winners of the Watertown Business Coalition’s Holiday Decorating Contest Announced

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The results are in for the of the first annual Watertown Business Coalition Holiday Decorating Contest. Honors were handed out by a both a panel of WBC judges and by the vote of the public. See more details in the announcement from the Watertown Business Coalition, below. After much festive deliberation (and serious admiration of tinsel, twinkle lights, and creativity), we want to give a HUGE congratulations to our 1st and TIED for 2nd Place Winners & People’s Choice Winner for WBC’s 1st Annual Holiday Decorating Contest! The winners are:

WBC’s Judging Panel Winners

1st Place: Cass School of Floral Design

The “wow factor” of the displays at Cass Flowers blew our judges away!

Around Town

Charles River Watershed Association Hosting Screening of Dam Removal Documentary at Watertown Library

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Charlie BreitroseThe Watertown Dam near Watertown Square slows the flow of the Charles River. A group is advocating removing the dam. The following announcement was provided the Charles River Watershed Association:

Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) will host a free premiere screening on Jan. 8 at the Watertown Free Public Library of its new short documentary, Reconnecting Rivers. 

Produced by CRWA and Turnaround Films, the documentary delves into the challenges posed by defunct dams on the Charles River – with a particular focus on Watertown Dam – and what is being done to address them. 

A panel discussion on the documentary and defunct dams on the Charles will follow the screening. Panelists include Watertown Councilor At-Large John Gannon; Beth Lambert, Director of the Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration; Brad Chase, the Diadromous Fish Project Leader at the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries; and CRWA Indigenous Consultant Hartman Deetz.

Obituaries

OBIT: Louise Nugent, 94, Beloved “Grammy,” Artist, Served in the Navy’s WAVES

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Louise Nugent

Louise M. (Roche) Nugent, of Watertown, Massachusetts, passed away peacefully on December 21, just three days shy of her 95th birthday. Louise was born and raised in Watertown and Newton, Massachusetts. She was drawn to the arts from an early age and after her graduation from Newton High School went on to study and graduate from the Massachusetts College of Art. Louise then began her professional career as a draftswoman, where she was known for her patience, kindness, and strong work ethic. Louise also proudly served in the U.S. Naval Reserve, better known as the WAVES.

Around Town

See the Christmas Week Hours for City Hall, the Library and More

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Watertown’s municipal buildings will have shortened hours during the week of Christmas. See details in the announcement from the City of Watertown, below. Holiday Hours in Observance of Christmas

On December 24, 2025, the Department of Public Works offices will be closed at 11am, the Library will be closed at 12pm, and City Hall, Parker Building, and Senior Center will be closed at 12:30pm (note, the Inspectional Services and Zoning and Code Enforcement offices at the Parker Building will be closed at 11:30am)

On December 25, 2025, City Hall, Parker Annex, Parker Building, Senior Center, Library, and the Department of Public Works office, will be closed. On December 26, 2025, City Hall, Parker Annex, Parker Building, Senior Center, Library, and the Department of Public Works office, will be closed. Library will be open from 1-5 pm.

Around Town

Reserve Now for the 26th Annual Watertown Unity Breakfast

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The 26th annual Watertown Unity Breakfast will be on Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2026, and tickets are now available. See more details provided by the World in Watertown, below. World in Watertown is thrilled to invite you to the 26th annual Watertown Unity Breakfast on January 19, 2026 from 8:30-11 a.m.

Join us in person at the Hellenic Cultural Center, 25 Bigelow Ave, Watertown. Get your ticket at https://watertownunitybreakfast.eventbrite.com

A hot breakfast from Wicked Bagel will be served at 8:30 am followed by music, roundtable conversations, student essays, and the presentation of the Unity Award. Every year, the community in Watertown, Massachusetts, comes together on Martin Luther King Day to honor his life and civil rights legacy by recommitting to foundational principles of racial, social, and economic justice.

Business

Watertown Bids Farewell to China Rainbow, a Dining Destination for More than Half a Century

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China Rainbow, a Watertown dining institution since 1973, closed on Dec. 20, 2025. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

Word spread fast after the announcement that one of Watertown’s dining institutions would be closing. Diners lined up to get a seat at opening time, and good luck finding a seat at dinner time. Fans of China Rainbow wanted to get one last tasty meal and a Mai Tai before owner Tammy Young retired after more than 50 years.

Around Town

Watertown Church Holding Two Christmas Eve Services

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Grace Chapel in Watertown will host a pair of Christmas Eve Services on Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025. See details in the announcement from Grace Chapel, below. Our Christmas Eve candlelight worship services are a beautiful experience for your whole family to enjoy! Celebrate Christmas with us at one of our two services:

Wednesday, December 24 | 3:00 pm

Wednesday, December 24 | 4:30 pm

There will be nursery childcare available for ages 0-3 years available.