The Reading Post

Folk Dancing on Fridays
2026-02-20 12:30 - 14:15 (America/New_York) | Unitarian Universalist Church of Reading, 239 Woburn St, Reading, MA, 01867, United States
Music, movement, and community come together every Friday at International Folk Dancing in the Unitarian Universalist Church of Reading

Reading, MA — Led by Folk Arts Center of New England director Marcie Van Cleave, these welcoming sessions feature easy-to-learn dances from around the world — including Israel, France, Romania, Bolivia, England, Ukraine, Sweden, and the United States. No experience or partner is needed, and every dance is taught, making it perfect for beginners and longtime dancers alike.
Join the fun on Fridays from 12:30–2:15 pm through March 27, 2026, indoors in Fellowship Hall. Come solo or bring friends — if you can get yourself in the door, the rest is easy!
A suggested donation of $10–$15 per day helps support the series. This program is funded in part by the Reading Cultural Council, supported by the Mass Cultural Council.
Fellowship Hall at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 239 Woburn Street, Reading (use the Summer Avenue entrance)
Fully accessible
More info: Moore944@gmail.com

Whitelam Books to Host Book Launch with Children’s Author Cynthia Platt
2026-02-21 15:00 | Whitelam Books, 610 Main Street, Reading, MA, 01867, United States
Reading, MA – Whitelam Books is delighted to welcome back Children’s Book Author Cynthia Platt as she celebrates her new book Bunny in Disguise, Saturday, February 21, @ 3:00 PM. Books will be available for purchase and signing. Join us for this family-friendly event for readers of all ages. Whitelam Books is located in downtown Reading at 610 Main Street, near the intersection of Haven Street and Main Street.
This event is free and open to the public – all are welcome!
About the Event:
Join us as we welcome back Cynthia Platt to celebrate her new book, Bunny in Disguise. The Easter Bunny is late! Can a group of creative kids help this iconic rabbit get to the town’s egg hunt in time all while keeping the famous bunny incognito and out of sight? The kids need to work together and hop to it if they’re going to pull this off and save the holiday.
This is a perfectly funny and sweet read-aloud tale to share in every Easter basket!

Senator Lewis to Host MA State Budget 101 Community Conversation
2026-02-24 18:30 - 20:00 | MA
BOSTON—State Senator Jason Lewis is pleased to announce that he will be convening a Community Conversation to discuss how the $60 billion+ Massachusetts state budget is drafted each year, how funding decisions are made, and how your voice can be heard.
He will be joined by Christopher Marino, the Assistant Secretary for Budget at the Executive Office for Administration and Finance and Dr. Viviana M. Abreu-Hernández, the President of MassBudget, a public policy research and advocacy organization.
Community Conversation: Massachusetts Budget 101 will take place virtually on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, from 6:30-8:00 p.m. The event will be live-streamed on the Senator’s YouTube channel, where viewers will be able to participate in the live chat. A recording will also be available after the event.
The event can be streamed at: https://bit.ly/MassBudget101
The panel’s discussion will include the budget drafting schedule, impacts of federal funding cuts, and how Fair Share revenue is being used by the state to support education and transportation. There will be ample opportunity during the event for attendees to provide feedback and ask questions of Senator Lewis and the panelists.
If you have any questions about this event or need further details, please contact the Office of Senator Lewis at Jason.Lewis@masenate.gov or (617) 722-1206. All are welcome to attend.
Previous Community Conversations hosted by Senator Lewis have addressed a wide range of timely topics including housing affordability, public education, racial justice, public transportation, mental health and addiction, and challenges facing senior citizens and veterans.

Wakefield Arts & Crafts Monthly Meeting
2026-03-03 10:00 - 13:30 | Wakefield-Lynnfield United Methodist Church, 273 Vernon St, Wakefield, MA, 01880, United States
Wakefield, MA — “Creating for Good” was the theme of our February 3rd meeting of the Wakefield Arts & Crafts Society. We made cuddly teddy bears and soft fleece heart pillows for charity.
Our March 3rd meeting will feature Robin Gorfine and Nancy Smethurst leading us in the making of Tamari Balls.
Our annual exhibit and craft sale is approaching. Save the date: April 25 from 9-2.
New members are welcome at any time of the year; no crafting experience necessary. The $10 guest fee will be deducted from your dues if you decide to join. You can visit us online at facebook.com/WakefieldArtsandCraftsSociety. Please contact us at WakefieldArtsCraftsSociety@gmail.com for more information.
Members of the group can participate in making a new craft every month for free. We always have discounted craft supplies available at our meetings and members share their crafting expertise. Our season includes “free guest day” and a field trip in October, a holiday party in December, charity work in winter, and our Annual Exhibit in April. We meet on the first Tuesday of the month from 10AM to approximately 1:30PM.

🍔 Fuddruckers’ 3-LB Burger Challenge Returns to Reading
2026-03-03 11:00 - 18:00 | Fuddruckers, 50 Walkers Brook Drive, Reading, MA, 01867, United States
Take on a massive burger, a pound of fries, and the clock at Fuddruckers on March 3 — finish in 45 minutes to win prizes and bragging rights

Reading, MA — Think you’ve got what it takes to conquer the legendary 3-lb burger at Fuddruckers? Now’s your chance to prove it.
For $39.99, challengers get:
A massive 3-lb burger
1 lb of our famous wedge-cut fries
Bottomless fountain drink
Finish it all in 45 minutes or less and YOU WIN.
Post the fastest time of the day and take home the Grand Prize!

March 3, 2026
Every hour, on the hour, 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Last year, three competitors beat the clock — and two crushed it in under 24 minutes. Can you top that?
Register here: https://forms.gle/AVG8j9BDVTdsw8hj6
Find us inside Jordan’s Furniture at 50 Walkers Brook Drive in Reading
Bring your appetite (and your friends to cheer you on)!

Winterfest
2026-03-05 17:00 - 20:00 | Reading Town Common, 16 Lowell Street, Reading, MA, 01867, United States
Reading-North Reading Chamber of Commerce hosts free, family-friendly outdoor celebration in Reading Square from 5 to 8 PM

Reading, MA — The Reading-North Reading Chamber of Commerce has announced the return of Winterfest, the annual outdoor celebration of downtown Reading, on Thursday, March 5, from 5 to 8 PM.
Winterfest, established in 2022, was created by the Chamber to bring the community together in a festive, family-friendly environment. The event is free and open to the public, with activities and attractions made possible through the generous support of local sponsors.
Attendees can enjoy fire tables and s’mores, live music, local food and beer vendors, illuminated ice sculptures, and more. Visitors are encouraged to stroll through downtown, explore local shops and restaurants, and celebrate the season with friends and neighbors.
The Reading-North Reading Chamber is a nonprofit, member-supported organization dedicated to promoting and strengthening the local businesses and communities of Reading and North Reading, Massachusetts.
For more information about Winterfest, please visit the Chamber’s website or follow its social media channels.

Colonial Chorus Players presents The Mousetrap by Agatha Christie
2026-03-07 19:30, 2026-03-08 14:00, 2026-03-13 19:30, 2026-03-14 19:30, 2026-03-15 14:00 | Colonial Chorus Players, 1249 Main Street, Reading, MA, 01867, United States
March 6–15 at the Old Hose House Theater—where secrets abound and a killer may be hiding in plain sight
Reading, MA — Welcome to Monkswell Manor, where some guests check in while others check out—permanently. Colonial Chorus Players proudly presents the longest-running theatrical production in the world, The Mousetrap by Agatha Christie, March 6–15 at the Old Hose House Theater in Reading.
The Mousetrap is a mystery set at a remote guest house in the English countryside run by newlyweds Mollie and Giles, where six strangers find themselves stranded during a snowstorm. When the guests learn that a woman was murdered in London the day before, they soon begin to suspect that the killer is among them.
Performances of The Mousetrap are March 6, 7, 13 & 14 at 7:30 PM and March 8 & 15 at 2 PM at the Old Hose House Theater, 1249 Main Street, Reading. Advance tickets are $30 for adults and $25 for seniors and students at ccp1961.org. Remaining tickets will be sold at the door 30 minutes before showtime with cash, Venmo, or PayPal only. All seats are reserved seating.
The ensemble cast features Paul D’Onofrio, Andrew Haber, Madeleine Herrick of Reading, Colin Lamusta, Saeed Maseeh, Sorchae McMeel, Jackson Ploof, Michaelyn St. Pierre, and Sharyn Taitz under the direction of Shay Wainwright.

Living Holocaust Witness 96-Year-Old Tibor Spitz to Speak in Reading
2026-03-09 19:00 | RMHS Performing Arts Center, 62 Oakland Road, Reading, MA, 01867, United States
Chabad of Wakefield hosts a rare in-person testimony at RMHS as the 96-year-old survivor shares his story of survival, resilience, and remembrance

READING, MA — Chabad of Wakefield will host a rare and historic evening on Monday, March 9 at 7:00 p.m. as Holocaust survivor Tibor Spitz shares his testimony in person at Reading Memorial High School’s William Endslow Performing Arts Center, together with community and corporate sponsors.
Tibor Spitz was 10 years old in Slovakia when he was expelled from public school under Nazi rule, and his family’s property was confiscated. As deportations to Auschwitz began, his family fled and spent several years in hiding, including months buried beneath snow and ice in the Slovak mountains while SS troops actively searched the area for Jews.
Most of Tibor’s extended family was murdered in the Holocaust. Against all odds, he survived.
After the war, Tibor rebuilt his life, becoming a scientist, inventor, and PhD whose work contributed to technologies that helped shape the digital age. Alongside his scientific career, he emerged as a powerful artist and lecturer, using both science and art to communicate the realities of the Holocaust and its lasting impact.
Now 96 years old and residing in upstate New York, Tibor Spitz continues to share his testimony so that future generations can hear the truth directly from a living witness.
“This is one of those evenings that defines a community,” said Rabbi Sruly Brook of Chabad of Wakefield. “We are living in a time when antisemitism is rising, and Holocaust survivors are becoming fewer and fewer each year. Hearing directly from someone who lived through it is powerful and life-changing.”
Tickets are $20, with $10 student tickets available. VIP reception tickets are also available and include the opportunity to meet Tibor Spitz personally before the event. Tickets are required, and seating is limited.
Tickets can be purchased at Jewishwakefield.com/tickets or by calling 781-205-9593.
This is not an event to read about afterward. This is the moment to be present.

Reading Garden Club Fundraiser
2026-03-13 | Mandarin Reading, 296 Salem Street, Reading, MA, 01867, United States
Reading, MA — Come dine with us at the Mandarin Reading Restaurant at 296 Salem Street, Reading, to help raise funds for the Reading Garden Club, a non-profit 501(C)(3) organization. This fundraising event will be held on Friday, March 13, 2026. The restaurant will contribute 20% of your bill to the club. This event will take place all day and is valid for dine-in or takeout.
Please go to our website, readinggardenclub.org, to print a coupon.
Coupons will also be available at the RGC table inside the front door of the Mandarin.

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Laughter’s the Mane Attraction at the Reading Lions Comedy Night
2026-03-28 19:00 | Wakefield Elks Lodge, 63 Bay State Road, Wakefield, MA, 01880, United States
Reading, MA — Have a great time out with friends and family on March 28 at the annual Reading Lions Comedy Night.
The Reading Lions Comedy Night returns to The Wakefield Elks, doors open at 7:00 pm for an 8:00 pm show on Saturday, March 28.
This year’s outstanding lineup includes local funny man Paul D’ Angelo. Also appearing, the master of observational humor, Steve Bjork, and hilarious Sam Pelletier. Hosted by Dave Rattigan, you’ll enjoy a night of big laughs, fun raffles, BYOF, and a cash bar. Gather up your family, neighbors, and friends and get your tickets today.
The evening’s proceeds will fund charities supporting our community: the Reading Food Pantry, scholarships, wellness exams, vision care, and more.
Tickets are $25 each and available from your friendly Reading Lions Club member or email mclough410@gmail.com. Tables seating 8 or 10 are available. Mark your calendar and we’ll see you there!
The Reading Lions Club proudly serves the community of Reading and other surrounding towns. Our fundraisers support charities in our towns and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts including Mass Lions Eye Research, Reading Food Pantry, and many others. If you are interested in joining a fun, dedicated club with a mission to serve, please contact Marla Clough at mclough410@gmail.com.
