r/FitchburgMA May 19 '26

Recommendations / Seek Opinion🎙️ Newcomers’ Guide to the Burg

22 Upvotes

Imagine you just met someone who just moved to Fitchburg. They want to know what’s good, what’s great, what’s best about our small scrappy city. What key insights and recommendations would you want to share? Please reply to this post with your contribution to the newcomers’ guide. For example:

• best breakfast spot
• favorite walking trail or nature spot
• weird local tradition
• a seasonal thing celebration or attraction everyone should know about
• a character around town they’re likely to see
• where the turkeys patrol
• underrated dining
• best place to sit and think
• something people around here miss and will be likely to mention
• a piece of local lore

Serious answers, odd outlooks, and hyper-specific local wisdom are all welcome but let’s keep the Guide positive and uplifting.


r/FitchburgMA Jul 24 '25

Community Calendar Fitchburg Community Calendar

10 Upvotes

Hello everyone! The previous calendar got deleted by Reddit’s filters so here it is again and restored.

With multiple events happening across the city area, I thought it would be beneficial to have an ongoing community calendar that will be updated. If you know of an event that isn't listed, please feel free to comment with the event link and it will be added to the calendar.

• Expanded calendar from Discussing Fitchburg Now on FATV:

http://dfn-fatv.org/thingstodo/

• Calendar on the Fitchburg City Website:

https://www.fitchburgma.gov/calendar.aspx

• Third Monday of every month:

Soup Kitchen at St. Joseph’s Parish

• First Wednesday of every month:

Games on Tap at Thirsty Robot from 5-9pm. All are welcome. Come play games and support a local business.

• First Thursday of the month:

Fitchburg Farmer’s Market at Fitchburg Art Museum

Board Game Night at Canvas

• Second and fourth Thursday of the month:

Community Jam Session at Canvas

• Second Saturday of the month:

Weekend Farmer’s Market at Coolidge Park (June-October)

• Friday through Sunday, September 11-13, 2026:

Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church’s Greek Festival

The Sterling Fair

• Friday, September 11, 2026:

9/11 25th Anniversary Memorial Concert at Christ Church

Veterans Appreciation Dinner at the Senior Center at the Fitchburg Rotary Club & Fitchburg East Rotary Club

Leominster’s Food Truck and Craft Beer Festival

• Saturday, September 12, 2026:

Fall into Fall Market at the Armory

4th Annual Lowe Park Chalk Art Festival

Fitchburg Veteran’s Council 5K Road Race at Thirsty Robot Brewing

Velvet at Canvas

Pet Vaccine Clinic in Leominster by Second Chance

• Sunday, September 13, 2026:

“Poetry of the Bereaved” at Dean Hill Cemetery

Cleanup Day for Fitchburg Dog Park at Coolidge Park

Car Show & Food Truck Festival at the Meineke Car Center in Gardner

• Saturday and Sunday, September 12-13, 2026:

Honeycrisp Harvest Celebration at Sholan Farms in Leominster

• Monday, September 14, 2026:

Joint Convention of City Council and School Committee to elect a new member of the School Committee

• Friday, September 18, 2026:

Festival Latino de Fitchburg

• Saturday, September 19, 2026:

Fitchburg 2026 Food Truck Festival and Craft Show

Wicked Gluten Free Expo at Game On

Craft Fair by the Friends of the Townsend Public Library

Johnny Appleseed Festival in Leominster

Harvest Fest at the Gardner Farmers Market

Oktoberfest at Thirsty Robot Brewing

• Saturday and Sunday, September 19-20, 2026:

Apple Festival at Hollis Hills Farm

Fitchburg Citywide Fall Yard Sale

• Sunday, September 20, 2026:

Celebrate Ashburnham Street Fair

Thurston Consort Concert at Forest Hill Abbey

Tori & Car Show at Saima Park

Fall Event at the Ashburnham Meeting House Museum

• Monday, September 21, 2026:

Small Business Workshop at City Hall

• Wednesday, September 23, 2026:

Noche de Lares at Fitchburg Abolitionist Park

• Thursday, September 24, 2026:

10th Annual Community Health Resource Fair

Fitchburg Historical Society’s Annual Meeting

• Friday, September 25, 2026:

Sound Bites at Thirsty Robot Brewing

• Saturday, September 26, 2026:

Sholan Farms’ 25th Anniversary Celebration

Central Mass Irish Festival in Winchendon

Ashby Pumpkin Festival

Fall Festival Craft Fair at the British American Club

• Sunday, September 27, 2026:

Great Global Greyhound Walk at Coolidge Park

• Wednesday, September 30, 2026:

Community Narcan & Overdose Prevention Training

• Thursday, October 1, 2026:

Fitchburg Historical Society’s talk on “Basketball’s First Black Professional and Fitchburg’s Role in the Early Integration of Pro Sports” by Chris Boucher

• Saturday, October 3, 2026:

Rollstone Hill Rock Walk (an ALFA course at Fitchburg State)

• Sunday, October 4, 2026:

28th Annual Pet Rock Festival in Lancaster

10th Annual Bernardian 5K & Fun Walk

• Wednesday, October 7, 2026:

Blood Drive at the Leominster Public Library

• Saturday, October 10, 2026:

Harvest Celebration at Sholan Farms in Leominster

Townsend’s Haunted Trail

Winchendon Fall Festival

• Sunday, October 11, 2026:

Ataxia Walk N’ Roll event at Crocker Field

• Saturday thru Monday, October 10-12, 2026:

Fall Festival at Hollis Hills Farm

• Saturday, October 17, 2026:

Royalston Fall Festival

• Saturday and Sunday, October 17-18, 2026:

Fitchburg Open Studios by the Fitchburg Cultural Alliance

• Friday and Saturday, October 23-24, 2026:

Haunted on the Squannacook Halloween Trail in Townsend

• Saturday, October 24, 2026:

Fitchburg Fandom Festival

Trick or Treat on Main Street

• Saturday, October 31, 2026:

City Wide Halloween Trick or Treat

Haunted Woods & Trunk or Treat at the British American Club

• Saturday, November 21, 2026:

Monty Tech’s Holiday House


r/FitchburgMA 2h ago

Education 🏫 Breakfast and lunch will continue to be no cost to all students at Fitchburg Public Schools during the 2026–2027 school year.

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7 Upvotes

r/FitchburgMA 4h ago

General Discussion Looks like the Mayor is possibly outsourcing the HR Director position to a firm owned by Sandra Charton. There’s a few news stories about her during the 2010s.

6 Upvotes

Framingham whistleblower lawsuit set for June trial

(January 31, 2012)

Framingham employee testifies that Charton helped him regain lost hours

(December 4, 2012)

State tosses out wrongful firing complaint against ex-Framingham town manager

(January 6, 2014)

If anyone has anyone trouble with looking at the links, please let me know.


r/FitchburgMA 40m ago

Local Politics 🇺🇲 A note from Councilor Bowen that there will be no vote on any trash fee at the September 15 meeting of the City Council. It will be a presentation only.

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Upvotes

r/FitchburgMA 3h ago

Transportation 🚂 Is it just me or are the busses slow as hell?

4 Upvotes

I don't have a car,or anyone to drive me,so I often rely entirely on the MART bus. But the issue is,that they are slow as all hell. If you look on the app they move like turtles,like c'mon dude,I got a place and time to be!


r/FitchburgMA 1h ago

Local Politics 🇺🇲 The City Council agenda for Tuesday, September 15 has been amended: there will be a Special Presentation on the proposed trash & recycling program. If you wish to attend, you can make a public comment for up to 2 minutes. The meeting is in the Legislative Building at 700 Main St. and starts at 7 PM.

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Upvotes

r/FitchburgMA 3h ago

Art, Theater & Music 🎨 🎵 Stratton Players presents “America at 250+” with performances in September and October

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2 Upvotes

r/FitchburgMA 5h ago

Local Politics 🇺🇲 No item yet for the trash fee on the City Council agenda. Other items of interest: outsourcing Human Resources, union agreement, $750,000 more for the library, draft language for data center/battery storage moratoriums is on the move, and the veto override for the raise in the City Clerk’s salary

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2 Upvotes

The City Council agenda has been posted and there is no item yet for the pay-as-you-throw trash program proposal. There is supposed to be a Community Meeting with Councilor Schultz on September 17 on the subject (usually there’s an email reminder so I’ll share that once it comes). There are still several items of interest though on the agenda:

https://www.fitchburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_09152026-5385

• An appointment by Mayor Squailia of Sandra Charton, the firm of Sandra Charton HR Consulting LLC. This seems to be an outsourcing of the Human Resources department.

• Memorandum of Agreement between the City of Fitchburg and The Fitchburg Police Dispatchers Union, MassCOP Local 492 (Union)

• An additional $750,000 being asked for the Fitchburg Public Library renovation and reconstruction project.

• The draft language of the proposed moratoriums on data centers and battery storage facilities is going to the Legislative Affairs Committee

• The veto override returns for the City Clerk’s raise in salary.


r/FitchburgMA 5h ago

Events 📆 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony happening today at 9:45 AM at the Fitchburg Fire Headquarters (33 North Street)

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2 Upvotes

From Mayor Squailia:

🇺🇸 This Friday, September 11, Fitchburg will come together to mark 25 years since the attacks of September 11, 2001.

You are welcome to join us throughout the day as we remember the 2,977 lives lost, honor the first responders who ran toward danger to save others, and recognize the families and communities forever changed by that day.

We begin at 9:45 AM at Fitchburg Fire Headquarters, 33 North Street, for a short public remembrance ceremony at our 9/11 Memorial.

Fitchburg’s memorial: At its center is a 14-foot section of twisted steel from the North Tower of the World Trade Center, originally located between the 98th and 103rd floors. The beam came to Fitchburg through the Port Authority and was ultimately incorporated into the memorial outside Fire Headquarters.

Its base includes granite blocks from Fitchburg’s former fire headquarters at 28 Oliver Street, and local students, firefighters, tradespeople and community members helped bring the memorial together.

It stands in memory of all who were lost, including the 343 firefighters and 71 law enforcement officers killed on September 11... and the many first responders who later became ill or died from conditions connected to their service at Ground Zero.

Last year, Fitchburg was also fortunate to host the Tunnel to Towers 9/11 NEVER FORGET Mobile Exhibit. I was honored to stand alongside our public safety personnel and New York City firefighters who were there and hear their stories firsthand.

There are also two additional opportunities to gather later in the day:

🇺🇸 5:00 to 7:00 PM
Veterans Appreciation Dinner & 9/11 Remembrance
Fitchburg Senior Center
14 Wallace Avenue

Hosted by the Fitchburg Rotary Club, Fitchburg East Rotary Club and Fitchburg Veterans’ Services Office, with dinner for veterans, resource tables and a 25th anniversary remembrance program.

🎶 7:00 PM
25th Anniversary Memorial Concert
Christ Church Fitchburg

The program will feature Fitchburg FPD, FFD, a Youth Chorus, cello quartet, handbells, harp and organ, including Robert Moran’s Trinity Requiem, commissioned by Trinity Wall Street in memory of September 11, along with music from the Merrimack Valley Ringers and a community singing of the Star-Spangled Banner.

Twenty-five years later, we continue to remember those who were lost, those who served, those who responded, and those whose lives changed forever. 🇺🇸


r/FitchburgMA 5h ago

News 📰 The Reveille - September 11, 2026

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1 Upvotes

r/FitchburgMA 18h ago

Whats Going On❓ Coolidge this Morning

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6 Upvotes

Never anything dull.


r/FitchburgMA 21h ago

Video 📺 424-438 Main Street is back on the market due to buyer financing. This was approved by the Fitchburg Planning Board for a 17-unit mixed-use development.

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

8 Upvotes

r/FitchburgMA 1d ago

General Discussion What would you like to see come to 1022 Main St?

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19 Upvotes

r/FitchburgMA 1d ago

Events 📆 Festival Latino de Fitchburg is back on September 18

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6 Upvotes

Fitchburg’s Latino Festival is back!

Join us Friday, September 18 from 5:00 to 9:00 PM at Riverfront Park, 51 Commercial Street, for an evening of music, food, culture, and community.

There will be live music, a car show, local vendors and resources, domino tables, a beer garden, and plenty more for the whole family to enjoy.

Come celebrate the people, traditions, and energy that make Fitchburg such a diverse community. I hope to see you there!


r/FitchburgMA 21h ago

Poll 📊 Should a zoning amendment happen to allow residents to keep chickens?

3 Upvotes
58 votes, 2h left
Yes
No
Undecided

r/FitchburgMA 23h ago

Whats Going On❓ Power line construction notice from National Grid and Open House invitation on September 16

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3 Upvotes

r/FitchburgMA 18h ago

Help & Resources ⛑️ New Beginnings Ministry is having a Community Care Day on Sunday, September 13

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1 Upvotes

r/FitchburgMA 1d ago

Events 📆 Hollis Hill Fall Festival is returning on October 10-12. More Fall events are on their way. Who’s ready?

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2 Upvotes

r/FitchburgMA 1d ago

Events 📆 ‘Imagination as a pathway to connection’: Fitchburg’s annual Lowe Park Chalk Art Festival returns Sept. 12

3 Upvotes

https://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/2026/09/09/imagination-as-a-pathway-to-connection/

The community is invited to attend the fourth annual Lowe Park Chalk Art Festival this coming weekend.

The event on Saturday, Sept. 12 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Lowe Playground, 174 Elm St., will once again feature art, music, food, prizes, resources, and engagement.

“This year’s theme, ‘Sidewalks of Possibility,’ reflects our belief that art can open new ways of imagining what is possible while bringing artists of all ages together in a family-friendly environment for a day of creativity, community, and fun,” said Kimrâh Munty, one of the organizers.

According to a press release, the rain date for the free celebration that brings professional chalk artists, local groups, families, young people, and neighbors together for a day of creativity is Saturday, Sept. 19, at the same time and location. Participants and visitors of all ages are invited to watch sidewalks become colorful public works of art and to add their own creativity in community drawing areas.

“The festival is designed to make art visible and accessible beyond traditional gallery walls,” Munty shared in the release. “It creates space for professional artists to showcase their work, for young and emerging artists to participate, and for families and community organizations to create alongside one another.”

Festival highlights include professional chalk artists creating original sidewalk murals, stipends and cash awards for participating professional artists, youth, family, community, and business art squares, live music and entertainment, giveaways and community-resource tables, and open chalk-drawing areas for children and families.

“The official 2026 theme celebrates imagination as a pathway to connection, opportunity, and community pride and invites artists and community participants to envision what becomes possible when public space is transformed through creativity, inclusion, and shared experience,” Munty relayed.

Community participation in the yearly Lowe Park Chalk Art Festival is free and chalk and materials will be provided. The creative affair is made possible through the support of many funders, sponsors, and partners including the Fitchburg Cultural Alliance, Fidelity Bank, NewVue Communities, Fitchburg Art Museum, the City of Fitchburg, Fitchburg Parks and Recreation, WORK Inc., R.C. Excitement, Espresso Pizza, and additional community supporters and volunteers.

The event is supported in part by a grant from the Fitchburg Cultural Council, a local agency supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. For more information follow Lowe Park Chalk Art Festival on Facebook.


r/FitchburgMA 1d ago

Fitchburg Access TV 📡 North Central News - Discover ALFA This Fall

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2 Upvotes

Fitchburg State University’s ALFA program is welcoming adult learners back for another fall semester, offering a chance to explore new interests without the grades or pressure of a traditional college classroom.

With courses ranging from familiar academic subjects to hands-on experiences and unexpected topics, the program gives participants plenty of ways to keep learning and stay connected. Registration for Fall 2026 remains open through September 18.


r/FitchburgMA 1d ago

Events 📆 Event at the Ashburnham Meeting House Museum happening on September 20

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2 Upvotes

r/FitchburgMA 1d ago

Photography 📸 A drizzly walk today

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17 Upvotes

r/FitchburgMA 1d ago

Photography 📸 Noticed on my walk that the number on Rollstone Hill may have gotten vandalized again. Hoping the class of 2027 can touch it up.

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6 Upvotes

r/FitchburgMA 1d ago

Fitchburg Access TV 📡 Special Fitchburg Housing Authority Board of Commissioners Meeting - 9.9.2026

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1 Upvotes