See the Merry Mingle Activities List and Map, This Weekend at the Commander’s Mansion

See what’s in store for this year’s Merry Mingle, formerly the Whoville Jubilee, at Watertown’s historic Commander’s Mansion. See the list of activities provided by the City of Watertown, below. There are many activities planned for “The Merry Mingle” hosted at the Commander’s Mansion, located at 440 Talcott Avenue, on December 1, 2024, from 4-8pm! Free guest parking is available in the East Garage on Kingsbury Ave and a shuttle will be provided by Flett Co.  Handicap parking, ramp entry, and elevator access is available on site.

Wicked Watertown: Pumpkin Carving, Stories by Flashlight & a Corn Maze & More Fun

The Watertown Events staff announced Wicked Watertown at the Commander’s Mansion in October. See more details below:

Wicked Watertown is scheduled for Saturday, October 26, 2024 from 5-8 p.m. The event will take place outdoors and indoors on the Commander’s Mansion property. 

The outdoor guest experiences will all be free and open to the public, including:

games with Watertown Recreation staff

an inflatable corn maze

photo station with Natalie Nigito Photography

stories by flashlights with Watertown Free Public Library

pumpkin carving content – more details coming soon! There will also be indoor guided tours of the “Haunted Mansion” with an entry cost of $5 per person. Cash only and children under 3 years old enter for free. The first 45 minutes of tours will be aimed for younger children without a “scare” factor and more lighting. Beginning at 5:45pm, the Haunted Mansion will feature scarier elements, such as darker rooms, spooky music, jump scares, and other surprises. Enter if you dare! 

City Will Host the Merry Mingle at the Commander’s Mansion

The following announcement was provided by the City of Watertown:

The Merry Mingle is being held on Sunday, December 1, 2024 from 4-8 p.m. at the Commander’s Mansion (440 Talcott Avenue). Formerly the Whoville Jubilee, this event will feature many of the same beloved traditions while also being expanded to celebrate the diversity of our community! Live entertainment

Holiday Bazaar (vendor application coming soon)

Indoor and outdoor activities for kids

Showcase of Winter Holidays Around the World grant funded by Mass Cultural Council

Toy drive

Holiday light displays

More to be announced! 

Stay up to date by visiting www.commandersmansion.com/upcoming-events for more event details.  

Tour the Historic Commander’s Mansion in August

Charlie BreitroseThe Commander’s Mansion in Watertown. The following information was provided by the Commander’s Mansion:

Watertown’s Commander’s Mansion will be holding free public guided tours in August. Receive a complete tour of the property that was part of the U.S. Army Arsenal, led by the Mansion’s summer intern. The tour includes all all rooms on the first and second floors, plus the grounds, including the lawns, grape arbor, and veranda. Friday, Aug.

Watertown High School Students Learning on the Job at Local Non-Profits

The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Community Foundation:

Since 2015 the Watertown Community Foundation has made it possible for high school students in Watertown to gain valuable professional experience by funding summer internships. Nearly 70 high-schoolers have received stipends from the Watertown Community Foundation High School Internship Program since it began. This year, four students from Watertown High School will receive internship stipends from the Watertown Community Foundation to learn more about working in one of Watertown’s non-profits. Selected from a competitive field of applicants, we congratulate Evelyn Rodriguez, Kostas Jerome, Arthur Venturim, and Sherri Wu on being chosen to participate in this year’s Watertown Community Foundation High School Internship Program. These students will have internships at the City of Watertown’s Commander’s Mansion, the Watertown Free Public Library and Watertown Cable Access TV.

Square to be Dedicated to Veteran Killed in WWII as Part of Watertown’s Memorial Day Week

Along with the traditional Memorial Day Parade, Watertown will have some special events in 2024, including the dedication of a Hero Square and the celebration of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1105’s 100th anniversary. Hero Square

On Monday, May 20 at 2 p.m., the intersection of Bigelow and Nichols avenues will be dedicated to Vincent Ranucci, who was Killed in Action during World War II. Ranucci attended the Watertown schools and joined the U.S. Army in June of 1942. He was deployed in the European Theatre. On February 2, 1944 he was awarded the Purple Heart for the wounds received in action resulting in his death.

2024 Watertown Pride Events Include Parade & Tipsy Tea Party

The following information was provided by the City of Watertown:

Plans are underway for Pride Month in Watertown! Please visit the city’s official Pride website at WatertownPride.com for upcoming event details and sponsorship opportunities. More community events will be added as they are announced.  

Watertown Pride 2024: Loud, Proud, Island-Bound will be held on Sunday, June 2 from 12 to 5 p.m. It is an inclusive, all-ages event that celebrates our LGBTQIA+ communities. The event will kick off with a parade at noon beginning at the Moxley parking lot leading to a festival at Saltonstall Park. 

Watertown Pride 2024: A Tipsy Tea Party is scheduled for Sunday, June 23 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Commander’s Mansion (440 Talcott Avenue). This is a ticketed event for guests ages 21 and up. Head to the Watertown Pride website to purchase your ticket today!  Tickets must be purchased in advance and will be capped at 200 guests. We are also seeking local eateries to provide “brunch bites” during this event.  

More information on both events can be found on the Watertown Pride website. Contact info@watertownpride.com if you have details to share on this website about Pride community events in Watertown.

Poppy Social Returns to Commander’s Mansion, Bricks in Freedom Garden Available

The following announcement is provided by the Watertown Veterans’ Services Department and the Commander’s Mansion:

Watertown Veterans’ Services and the Commander’s Mansion are excited to announce the details for this year’s Poppy Social! This event is open to the public and features an Open House at the Commander’s Mansion on Friday, May 24 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be served and a guided tour of the mansion will take place at 11:00 a.m.   

Engraved bricks to honor your military loved ones are available for purchase prior to the event.  The memorialized bricks will be showcased in the Freedom Garden located on the Commander’s Mansion grounds. 

The botanical garden, where flowers and plants consistently bloom throughout the seasons and serves as a habitat for butterflies and bees, features an honorarium wall of bricks to pay tribute to the stories of our Veterans, many with ties to the Watertown community. Please visit www.commandersmansion.com/bricks for the order form and more information. All brick orders are due by March 1st. 

We look forward to seeing you on Friday, May 24th for the Poppy Social!