Watertown Walks
Watertown Walks weekly programs will include movement, conversation, and opportunities to connect, interact, and explore the greater community. The walking portion of these programs will be approximately 30 - 40 minutes, and we encourage attendees to walk at a comfortable pace.
Each month will feature city happenings, health and wellness, arts & culture, and community/business assets (some walks will be in collaboration with the Watertown Public Arts & Culture Committee and Watertown Business Coalition).
Sign up HERE for a weekly email reminder.
Fall walks will begin at 1:00 pm. Note location of meet-up which varies.
Walks will not take place if it's raining or if there is a heat advisory.
OCTOBER 2024
City Walk with Ernie Thebado, Director of Recreation
Oct. 3, 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Meetup at Saltonstall Park's red brick plaza, next to City Hall, 149 Main Street
Join Ernie Thebado, Watertown's new Director of Recreation, for a walk to two of Watertown's Parks to learn about updates, new construction and future plans. Ernie will also share updates about current programs, facilities and initiatives happening in Watertown Recreation.
Walk with a Doc/Just Walk
October 10, 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Meetup at Saltonstall Park's red brick plaza, next to City Hall, 149 Main Street
Join Linda Corinne, Nurse Practitioner, and Live Well members for a walk and conversation about Question 4 on the Massachusetts Ballot. Hear and discuss the pros and cons about the proposal to legalize some psychedelics for medical purposes.
Public Arts and Culture Walk
Oct 17, 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Meetup at Saltonstall Park's red brick plaza, next to City Hall, 149 Main Street
Join us for a walk with a member of the Public Arts and Culture Committee and local artists to visit the murals around Watertown Square. Hear from Ruth Henry, Niloufar Keyhani, and Amir Tabatabaei, who will talk about the murals they created in Watertown Square.
Watertown Business Coalition Walk -n- Talk
Mount Auburn Cemetery
Oct 24, 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Meet at Mount Auburn Cemetery, 580 Mount Auburn Street
Join us and the WBC for an informative walk at Mount Auburn Cemetery. Hear interesting facts about the property, learn about well-known people buried there, gain insight into the fora and fauna and enjoy a beautiful walk around the grounds.
~ in collaboration with the Watertown Business Coalition
SEPTEMBER 2024
City Walk with Erin Rathe, Senior Planner
Sept. 5, 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Meetup at Saltonstall Park's red brick plaza, next to City Hall, 149 Main Street
Join Erin Rathe, Senior Planner for Economic Development, for a walk around Watertown Square! Starting from City Hall, we'll stop at several places along the way to look around and imagine what changes the newly-adopted Watertown Square Plan could bring. The goal is to collect feedback about what you think would make the Square a friendlier, safer, more welcoming place to shop and linger. Bring your thinking caps and your imagination!
Walk with a Doc/Just Walk
Sept. 12, 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Meetup at Saltonstall Park's red brick plaza, next to City Hall, 149 Main Street
Join Linda Corinne, Nurse Practitioner, and Live Well members for a walk and conversation about prediabetes. Learn the facts and how to know if you might be at risk.
Public Arts and Culture Walk
Sept. 19, 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Meetup at Saltonstall Park's red brick plaza, next to City Hall, 149 Main Street
Join us for a walk with a member of the Public Arts and Culture Committee to visit two art galleries on Spring St, Storefront Art Projects and Drive-by Projects. Discover the art on display and learn about the galleries from the people who run them.
~ in collaboration with the Public Arts & Culture Committee
Watertown Business Coalition Walk -n- Talk CANCELLED this month
Sept. 26, 1:00 p.m.
~ in collaboration with the Watertown Business Coalition
AUGUST 2024
City/Health Walk
August 8, 10:00 - 11:00am
Meetup at Casey Park, 124 Watertown Street, next to the City Hall Annex (free street and lot parking)
Walk with Sam Gatchell, Animal Control Officer, to learn everything from Animal Control’s public outreach and education to the handling of sick, injured, and orphaned wildlife.
Public Arts and Culture Walk
August 15, 10:00 - 11:00am
Meetup at Saltonstall Park's red brick plaza, next to City Hall
Join city staff for a walk featuring the Watertown Public Library's Hatch Makerspace.
~in collaboration with the Public Arts & Culture Committee
*No walk on August 22, 2024
STEM Walk
August 29, 10:00 - 11:00am
Meetup outside the LINX building, 490 Arsenal Street, at the ADDGENE Headquarters.
This event will feature STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). Hear from our host location, Addgene: a non-profit plasmid repository whose motto is “a better way to share science.” Enjoy a walk around the bicycle and pedestrian paths nearby to see where some of the other life science companies have moved in (and where more lab space is planned).
Register here (optional):
https://watertownbusinesscoalition.com/#!event-list
~ in collaboration with the Watertown Business Coalition
JULY 2024
Health Walk
July 11, 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Meetup in Saltonstall Park's red brick plaza, next to City Hall, 149 Main Street
Walk with Marie McCune, BSN, RN, SCRN, CCM; Stroke Nurse Coordinator with Mount Auburn Hospital, and learn about the signs, symptoms, prevention and treatment of strokes.
Public Arts and Culture Walk
July 18, 10:00 am - 11:00am
Meetup at Victory Field, 40 Orchard Street
Join Matt Hanna from the Public Arts and Culture Committee on a walk to professional artist Julie Fei-Fan Balzer's home studio. Come see the inner workings of the printmaker, painter, and collage artist's space, learn about how she makes her art, and how she teaches for locals and a large online following.
~in collaboration with the Public Arts & Culture Committee
East End Business Walk
July 25th 10:00 am - 11:00am
Meetup at the Armenian Cultural and Educational Center; 47 Nichols Avenue
Walk N Talk with city staff and members of the Watertown Business Coalition, including Jan Taylor, owner of Get Lively Health and Fitness, and explore a variety of East End Businesses.
~ in collaboration with the Watertown Business Coalition
JUNE 2024
Sustainability Walk with Laurel Schwab and Katie Swan
June 6, 2024, 1:00 - 2:00pm
Meetup in Saltonstall Park's red brick plaza, next to City Hall, 149 Main Street
Take a walk with Watertown’s sustainability staff! Laurel Schwab, Senior Environmental Planner, and Katie Swan, Environmental Planner/Conservation Agent, are focused on programs that help us mitigate and adapt to climate change. Bring your ideas and questions about sustainability projects and how to get involved to make Watertown more a more sustainable community.
Walk with a Doc/Just Walk
June 13, 1:00 - 2:00pm
Meetup in Saltonstall Park's red brick plaza, next to City Hall, 149 Main Street
Walk with Linda Corrine, NP and members of the Live Well staff to discuss new findings about the most impactful types of exercise for overall health.
Walk along Linnear Path
June 20, 1:00 - 2:00pm
Meetup at Saltonstall Park's red brick plaza, next to City Hall, 149 Main Street
Walk with a member of the Public Arts & Culture Committee member along Linnear Path and learn about the new sculptures in the Sculpture Park
~in collaboration with the Public Arts & Culture Committee
Cultural District Walk
June 27 1:00 - 2:00pm
Meetup at Saltonstall Park's red brick plaza, next to City Hall, 149 Main Street
Walk and talk with Liz Helfer, Public Arts & Culture Planner, and Doug Orifice, co-founder of the Watertown Business Coalition and learn about plans for a Cultural District designation.
~ in collaboration with the Watertown Business Coalition
MAY 2024
Walk with Kim Hewitt, Watertown Library Director
May 2, 2024, 1:00 - 2:00pm
Meetup in Saltonstall Park's red brick plaza, next to City Hall, 149 Main Street
Hear about new initiatives and everything that is happening at the library while watching and listening for migrating birds. Kim is a birder, but you don't have to be! Bring your ideas, questions, and binoculars if you have them!
Walk with a Doc/Just Walk
May 9, 1:00 - 2:00pm
Meetup at Brahma Kumaris Meditation Center 75 Common Street
Take a mindful walk with members of the Brahma Kumaris Meditation Center Staff and learn about the
Center's history, events and free meditation programs.
Walk to the NEW Watertown Cable Access TV Studio
May 16, 1:00 - 2:00pm
Meetup at Victory Field, 40 Orchard Street
Walk with a member of the Public Arts & Culture Committee member and visit WCATV's new studio space to learn about the public access media center that is dedicated to empowering the residents of Watertown to tell their own stories.
Walk along the Charles River East
May 23 1:00 - 2:00pm - cancelled due to rain
Meetup at the dock in Watertown Square at the corner of Galen Street and Charles River Road
Walk and talk with Gideon Schreiber, Director of Planning and Zoning, and Watertown Business Coalition members as we tour the upgraded and newly opened Charles River East pathway. ~ in collaboration with the Watertown Business Coalition
Walk with Laura Murray, Watertown's new 311 Service Director
May 30 1:00 - 2:00pm
Meetup in Saltonstall Park's red brick plaza, next to City Hall, 149 Main Street
Walk with the Constituent Services Director and learn about the launch of the 311 Service Center. Laura will discuss how and when to reach out to 311, and how you would like to receive return communications in the future.
APRIL 2024
April 4, 2024, 1:00 - 2:00pm - Cancelled due to rain
Sustainability Walk with Laurel Schwab and Katie Swan
Meetup in Saltonstall Park's red brick plaza, next to City Hall, 149 Main Street
Take a walk with Watertown’s sustainability staff! Laurel Schwab, Senior Environmental Planner, and Katie Swan, Environmental Planner/Conservation Agent, are focused on programs that help us mitigate and adapt to climate change. Bring your ideas and questions about sustainability projects and how to get involved to make Watertown more a more sustainable community.
April 11, 1:00 - 2:00pm
Walk with a Doc/Just Walk
Meetup in Saltonstall Park's red brick plaza, next to City Hall, 149 Main Street
Walk with Linda Corinne, NP, and Live Well members and learn about the numerous health benefits of spending time in nature.
April 18, 1:00 - 2:00pm
Yard Art Walk/tour with Liz Helfer, Public Arts & Culture Planner
Meetup at Victory Field, in the front parking lot area, Orchard Street
YardArt is a community-wide celebration of creativity and fun in front yards, porches and windows all over Watertown. All residents, families, organizations, clubs, classes, artists, and businesses are invited to create something to be viewed from the street or sidewalk. This walk will visit some of this year's creations around town.
April 25 1:00 - 2:00pm
Pollinator Walk with Pam Phillips, Head of Friends of Bees
Meetup in Saltonstall Park's red brick plaza, next to City Hall, 149 Main Street
Join Pam from Friends of Bees and the Watertown Pollinator Pathways group to
learn about our native pollinators, what they look like, and where you might find them.
Upcoming walks will feature East End Businesses, exploring the Cultural District, the Watertown-Cambridge Greenway, Mount Auburn Cemetery and more.
MARCH 2024
March 7, 2024, 1:00 - 2:00pm
Kick off Walk with Tyler Cote, City's Community Engagement Specialist
Meet at Saltonstall Park; 149 Main Street, next to City Hall
March 14, 2024, 1:00 - 2:00pm
Walk with Linda Corrine, Nurse Practitioner, and learn some strategies for health enhancement.
Meet at Saltonstall Park; 149 Main Street, next to City Hall
March 21, 2024, 1:00 - 2:00pm
Walk with Matt Hanna, Member of the Public Arts and Culture Committee and visit the Till Wave Art Gallery
Meet at Filippello Park; 191 Grove Street parking lot past the courts and dog park.
March 28, 2024, 1:00 - 2:00pm - cancelled due to rain
Walk with James McDermott, City Transportation Planning Intern and explore the newly improved Charles River Greenway Path
Meet at the Charles River Dock, Corner of Galen and Arsenal Street.
Did you know that Watertown is a member community of Walk with a Doc (WWAD) & Just Walk (JW)? Walk with a Doc / Just Walk is an international organization whose mission is to inspire communities through movement and conversation. We are excited to offer this fantastic program, featuring a variety of Watertown's health professionals who give a short health talk then lead participants for a walk. Find scheduled programs in our Watertown Walks listing each month.
Visit the Watertown Walk with a Doc page
