National Disability Employment Awareness Month: Expect. Employ. Empower. Don’t miss this event at the State House on October 15th! Sposored by the Bureau of the State House and coordinated by Easter Seals Massachusetts, this occasion is open to all first-time job seekers, transition-age youth, and other individuals with disabilities. You’ll get the chance to chat with service providers, company reps recruiting for new employees, and speakers on current legislative issues. To learn more, please contact Joe Bellil at 507-751-6340 or jbellil@eastersealsma.org. For information on accessibility and accommodations, please contact Carl Richardson at Carl.Richardson@state.ma.us or 857-400-5502.
Street Performer Fall Festival. Come see this annual spectacle from 11:00am-7:00pm on October 11th-13th! It’ll include a street performers’ parade around the Faneuil Hall Marketplace, along with magic, juggling, acrobatic acts, and more astonishing feats. Don’t forget to check out the local entertainers, such as mother/daughter string trio Tatu Mianzi and 11-year old piano prodigy Bradley Bartlett-Roche! The event is free and open to the public.
Fall Fairy Tale Festival. Check out the Fall Fairy Tale Festival at Brookline’s Puppet Showplace Theater, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary! The Festival presents Sleeping Beauty from October 11th to October 13th, and Little Red Rosie and the Dragon of Dümm from October 18th to October 19th.
Para-rowing Fundraiser at the Charles Regatta. Community Rowing, Inc., Resolute Racing Shells, and Endless Abilities/Windy Films invite you to join them in Brighton on October 15th for a fundraiser promoting…you guessed it, para-rowing! But that’s not all. There’ll be tours of the Community Rowing facility, food and drink from Bakers Best, and speeches from para-athlete Moran Samuel, filmmaker Zach Bastion and innovator Misha Joukowsky. You also won’t want to miss the screening of “Endless Abilities,” a film about four best friends traveling around the country to seek out all kinds of para-athletes! RSVP to Tracy@communityrowing.org.
Parents Have the Power to Make Special Education Work. Judith and Carson Graves, authors of Parents Have the Power to Make Special Education Work: An Insider Guide, will discuss their experiences successfully advocating for their own child through the U.S. special education system. Robert K. Crabtree, Esq. will make an introduction. The talk will take place on October 16th at 55 Chapel Street in Newton, and is free and open to the public. Find more information here or call 617-658-9800 to register.
Trick or Treating at Franklin Park Zoo. Franklin Park Zoo is getting in on the Halloween fun this season! You can go trick or treating among the animals at Boo at the Zoo on October 18th and October 19th or at Zoo Howl on October 25th and October 26th! The Zoo also promises creepy crafts, ghoulish games, costume contests and a haunted maze!
Mayor’s Fall Pumpkin Fest. Mayor Martin J. Walsh invites you to a free Fall Pumpkin Fest at the Boston Common Frog Pond on October 19th from 4:30-6:30pm! Bring an 8-inch or smaller carved pumpkin, which will be lit and floated on the Frog Pond. Everyone is encouraged to come in costume, score some great giveaways by Magic 106.7, and enjoy yummy snacks and refreshments! You also won’t want to miss the many fun family activities, such as spooky science experiments, magic tricks, and a giant bubble show. For more information, call the Boston Parks and Recreation Department at 617-635-4505, visit https://www.facebook.com/bostonparksdepartment or http://www.cityofboston.gov/parks/.
Boston Book Festival. If you love books, reading, or writing, check out this free annual festival at Copley Square on October 23rd-25th! The festival will include independent publishers, literary magazines, performance companies, arts organizations, media outlets, and a Passport to Imagination scavenger hunt for kids!
Classical Cartoon Festival. Love cartoons? Love music? 99.5 WCRB presents the 16th annual Classical Cartoon Festival at Boston’s Symphony Hall on November 1st. Enjoy your favorite Warner Bros. cartoons set to classical music on a giant screen, live performances, and more!
Friday Night Club with MIT Best Buddies. MIT Best Buddies is co-hosting the Friday Night Club with similar student groups from Harvard and BU. The idea of FNC is to bring youth with disabilities on campus to do fun activities with students. Their kick-off event of the year included an indoor carnival with activities such as bowling, hand paint, boardgames, marshmallow and spaghetti tower building! They hope to be able to reach out to more families and youth this year. If interested, email MIT Best Buddies at bbexec@mit.edu or check out their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MitBestBuddies!
Boston Ballet Adaptive Dance. Boston Ballet offers an adaptive dance program in which students explore concepts related to dance and movement. Fall classes are offered until November 22nd. For more information or to sign up for a trial class, visit their website!
Boston Museum of Science Disability Prototype Testers. The Boston Museum of Science is looking for visitors of all disabilities to help test and provide feedback on the accessibility of new exhibits and museum navigation. If you volunteer, you get free admission to exhibit halls all day and free parking in the Museum’s garage! Interested? You can either fill out the Boston Museum of Science online form, call 617-589-4438 or email siacovelli@mos.org.