NOTE: Community bulletin board-type items are welcome for inclusion in the Happenings! section of the Xpress newspapers. Please allow enough lead time for publication. Email your calendar or event notice to [email protected]. 

SATURDAY, APRIL 20

• Home Baked Ham & Bean Supper, April 20, 2024 at 5:00 pm in the Community House, 8 Court St, Uxbridge located behind the Uxbridge Town Common. Sponsored by the Uxbridge Congregational Church. Menu includes baked ham, home baked beans, potato salad, coleslaw, brown bread, beverages & dessert. Donation of $13.00 per adult, children under 6 free. Raffles will also be available. For reservations call 508.244.7849 Limited tickets will be sold at door. Come enjoy great food and fellowship.

SATURDAY, MAY 4

• The Millbury Nature Trails Committee will host an Arbor Day Tree Planting Event at 9 a.m. at the Brierly Conservation Area. Help plant trees and mark a new trail. Rain date is May 11. To register, visit the Nature Trails Facebook page.

• 9th Annual Family Fun Fishing Day  - Open Sky Community Services and the Blackstone River Watershed Association are excited to co-host the 9th Annual Family Fun Fishing Day at Riverbend Farm in Uxbridge along with our partner organizations, the Blackstone River National Heritage Corridor Volunteers-in-Parks Program, Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation, Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife. This year’s event will be held on Saturday May 4 from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. with a rain date of Sunday, May 5. Prizes offered in four different age groups will be awarded at 1:15 p.m. There will be activities for the whole family, as well as food and ice cream for purchase, free face painting and raffles. All ages and ability levels are welcome.  Fishing poles, bait and instruction will be available with pre-registration and participants are welcome to bring their own. This is a catch and release event for everyone from first time fishers to experienced anglers. Adults must accompany children under 12. Volunteer opportunities are available at openskycs.org/fishingvolunteers. Pre-registration will open starting April 5 at thebrwa.org/familyfishing2024. This is a FREE event, but pre-registration is required. Please contact Joanne Holahan at 508-278-5200 with any questions.

• At 7 pm at Vaillancourt Folk Art, 9 Main Street, Manchaug Village, Sutton. Christine Watkins, Sutton Historical Society, will tell the story of the devastating 1924 Manchaug Village fire on its 100th anniversary which burned over 10 acres, left 25 percent of the Village population homeless, destroyed the retail section of the village, and made national news.  This presentation will include photos, newspaper summaries, and eyewitness accounts.  Come hear how a small community, with the help of generous neighbors, persevered over a tragedy. 

• Sutton Historical Society’s first speaker presentation at 7 pm at Vaillancourt Folk Art, 9 Main Street, Manchaug Village, Sutton. Christine Watkins, Sutton Historical Society, will tell the story of the devastating 1924 Manchaug Village fire on its 100th anniversary which burned over 10 acres, left 25percent of the Village population homeless, destroyed the retail section of the village, and made national news.  This presentation will include photos, newspaper summaries, and eyewitness accounts.  Come hear how a small community, with the help of generous neighbors, persevered over a tragedy. 

• Chicken Parm Dinner: St. Peter Parish in Northbridge is having a Chicken Parm Dinner on Saturday, May 4th starting at

5:30 pm in the Parish Hall. Bring you family and friends for a wonderful meal and meet some new friends. Tickets are $17 per dinner and include salad and dessert. To go meals will be available for pick up at 5:00pm and all orders must be purchased in advance. Please call the parish office at 508-234-2156 or email [email protected] to purchase tickets or

if you have any questions.

• Grass Roots Coffeehouse Concert featuring Blackstone Valley Bluegrass! The band plays a mixture of traditional, contemporary, and original Bluegrass music and always puts on an entertaining show. The Grass Roots Coffeehouse is located at the Rockdale Congregational Church, 42 Fowler Road Northbridge. Admission to the concert is $15.  Hot foods, beverages and desserts are available prior to the concert and during intermission. Doors open at 6:45, concert begins at 7:30 and usually wraps up by 9:30. Proceeds support the artists and the church. The Coffeehouse is run by volunteers.  For more info: www.rockdalechurchonline.org or call Bob at 617-429-0347.

• Charlton City United Methodist Church is excited to announce a new quarterly series: Dynamic Collectibles, Cards, and Craft Show.  The first show will be May 4 from 10-4 at 74 Stafford Street, Charlton.  Watch for dates for future shows every quarter.  Each show will be jam-packed with vendors and will feature baked goods and drinks.  Any interested vendors of collectibles, cards, or crafts can contact Joe Dupont at [email protected] for this or future shows. The May 4 show will feature rare Pokemon cards from Dynamic Card Collectors; comics and toys from Remember that Collectibles; a variety of trading card game cards from Wicked East Coasters and Toyland Treasures; Epicure products for food service from Barbara’s Epic Eats; Bee Jewelry and Scarves; Essential Oils and natural wellness products and tips; handmade greeting cards; fly fishing ties; Sweet Leilani Crafts & SassiePastries; anime/gaming/kawaii merchandise from Tokkishi; and many, many more.  Hope to see you there!

• Annual Fishing Festival Geared to All Ages. The Oxford Conservation Commission has teamed up with the Department of Fish & Game again this year to introduce fishing to those new to the sport. Fishing instructors will teach how to set up your rod, tie knots, cast and identify fish on Saturday, May 4 from 10 a.m. -1 p.m. at Carbuncle Pond in Oxford. This family-friendly event is open to all levels of experience and ages, and no fishing license is needed. Participants can bring their own gear or borrow it from the instructors; bait will also be provided. In addition to the fishing fun, Rangers from The Last Green Valley will be on hand to discuss the multitude of outdoor opportunities in the area from hiking and canoeing to upcoming cultural events. Attendees can also learn about wildlife and nature activities available at the nearby Hodges Village Dam and Buffumville Dam from Army

Corps of Engineers Rangers. The first Family Fishing Festival at Carbuncle Pond took place in 2016 and due to its success, has been scheduled every year since then!

SATURDAY, MAY 11

• Rough Seas, Safe Harbor: Wings of Song

Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish Church 16 East Main Street, Webster, 7:30 p.m.

Admission to concerts is free, with a freewill offering collected at intermission.

“Rough Seas, Safe Harbor” will take audiences on a huge sea voyage, much of it aboard a whaling ship that might have left New Bedford, Mass. in, say, the 1850s, and sailed practically around the world, separating crew members from their families for as long as four years.

These concerts are sponsored in part by the Monson and Sturbridge Cultural Councils, local agencies supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. Wings of Song is grateful for this support—and for the continued support of their many faithful audience regulars, supplemented by first-timers whom we’re always glad to see!

Anyone needing more information is encouraged to email Music Director Cooke at [email protected] or Wings of Song President Carol Curtin at [email protected].

Saturday, MAY 18

• 4:00pm Bethel Lutheran Church/Grace Ministries of Auburn will be performing music concert "Peace & Praise" as they

continue to celebrate their Centennial Anniversary.  The program will include present as well as many past organists/music directors, choir members & musicians including hymns/anthems/contemporary music by choir embers, bell choir and children's performances.  A reception will follow. All are welcome to either attend or participate in this festive, free-will offering event. For more information contact Adam Hanks at [email protected].

• Save the date! Sutton Garden Club is pleased to announce that our Annual Plant Sale will be held on Sutton Common on Saturday, May 18th, 10am - 12Noon. SGC members will be dividing and potting up a variety of perennial plants from our gardens in preparation for the sale. Proceeds from the Plant Sale fund our community efforts, including our Scholarship Fund, plantings and maintenance at the Bandstand and Manchaug Square during the summer, decorations and wreaths for the Bandstand and Commons at Christmastime and also helps fund our Gardening programs during the year. Updates regarding the Plant Sale, including any in case of severe weather, will be posted on our Facebook page, https://facebook.com/SuttonGardenClub

SUNDAY, MAY 19

• The Blackstone Valley Community Chorus will present their concert, American Rhythms & Roots, on Sunday, May 19th, 2024 at 3:00pm. The concert will take place at Valley Chapel at 14 Hunter Road in

Uxbridge. American Rhythms & Roots includes a blend of American folk music and jazz standards and celebrates American songwriters from George and Ira Gershwin to John Denver. Admission is free, though

donations are accepted and appreciated!

The Blackstone Valley Community Chorus is composed of singers from towns throughout Central Massachusetts. Singing under the direction of Diane Pollard of Douglas, the BVCC has been committed to bringing varied musical performance opportunities to the Blackstone Valley for almost twenty years. Visit the BVCC on Facebook or at www.bvcchorus.com for more information.

saturday, june 1

• Saint Peter’s Parish in Northbridge will be holding a Yard Sale on Saturday, June 1st , 7:30am to 3:00pm in the parish hall. If you are moving, spring cleaning or just have too much clutter, bring us your gently used items for our yard sale. You may drop-off your donations every Saturday from 10:00-1:00pm April through May, starting on Saturday, April 6th at the parish garage. We are accepting kitchen items, home goods, toys, sporting goods, books, small furniture

items, clothing for donation and much more. Please see our website for a complete list of what we are accepting. You may also call or email the parish office, if you have any questions: 508-234-2156 or email: [email protected].

Saturday, June 8

• Please join us for our Annual Community Yard And Plant Sale! As we’ve done in the past, we will rent spaces and tables, plus we’ll do all the advertising and remember, our prime location can’t be beat! Spaces Are $25 For Non-Members. Tables Are Available To Rent For $5 Each. Last year our Community Yard Sale and Plant Sale was so successful that we had to implement a wait list! We anticipate the same level of interest again this year, so don’t delay in reserving your spot. We are very excited at the thought of gathering, again, with our church family and our neighbors on the church’s front lawn. Call the church office, 508-832-2845, to reserve your spot! All are welcome! First Congregational Church of Auburn, 128 Central Street, Auburn.

HIKES WITH BLACKSTONE VALLEY HERITAGE CORRIDER HIKES

The following is a list of hikes in Massachusetts being led by volunteer Trail Ambassador Phil. Phil’s hikes begin at 10 a.m. 

Saturday, May 4: Mendon Town Forest Hike, Mendon

Saturday, May 18: Wallis Pond Loop Hike, Douglas

Saturday, June 15: Douglas State Forest Hike, Douglas