Welcoming Our Neighbors

Some 3,000 of the university's neighbors joined in the festivities at Tufts’ sixteenth annual Community Day

Tufts’ sixteenth annual Community Day brought some 3,000 neighbors to the Medford/ Somerville campus on Sunday, September 30, for music, festivities, a barbecue lunch, and information, with an emphasis on activities for children.

The program included thirteen performances—by Jackson Jills, Tufts Ensemble, WuZee, Tufts BEATS, Tufts JumboRass, Tufts sQ, Ladies of Essence, Amalgamates, S-Factor, Public Harmony, and the Beelzebubs.  A highlight was Somerville’s School of HONK, which paraded around the quad playing music.

The musical performances were complemented by activities for the younger set, including face-painting, crafts, story time with Tufts Traveling Treasure Trunk and “Kidditch”—Quidditch for kids. Tufts President Anthony Monaco helped out, too, reading the children’s book Elmer to a group of youngsters.

Kids also enjoyed the Medford Arts Resource Van, pumpkin decorating, visiting a Somerville fire truck, and the Medford Smokehouse, which teaches youngsters what to do in case of a fire. 

There were also more than seventy-five resource tables with groups from Medford, Somerville, and Tufts, including the Medford Arts Council, Medford Girl Scouts, and Zonta Club of Medford, the Somerville Garden Club, Historic Somerville, and Somerville YMCA, as well as Tufts programs such as the School of Dental Medicine’s Smile Squad, Tufts Society of Women Engineers, Tytell Laboratory, and the Resumed Education for Adult Learning (REAL) program.

Medford Mayor Stephanie M. Burke and a number of other elected officials from Medford and Somerville were also in attendance.   

“Community Day is my favorite day of the year here at Tufts University,” said Rocco DiRico, director of government and community relations at Tufts. “We welcome thousands of neighbors to our campus to enjoy music, performances, and a barbecue. It’s a great way to celebrate Medford, Somerville, and our collaborations with both communities.”  

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