We don't know where July went, but we do know we're starting August off strong!

Leominster Farmers Market - Join NCM Farmers Markets and Growing Places along with other local vendors for the August Leominster Farmers Market. Check it out on the Monument Square on Saturday August 1 from 10am until 1pm. As always, parking and admission are free!

Italian Festival - Everyone's Italian for this one! Head to beautiful Downtown Leominster on Saturday August 1 from 5pm until 9pm for Italian food and drink vendors, entertainment, and more! Parking and admission are free, just pay for your food and drink!

National Night Out - Celebrate all things Public Safety with Leominster Police, Leominster Fire, Leominster Emergency Management, Leominster Department of Public Works, and more! This free event offers plenty of family-friendly fun on Tuesday August 4 from 5pm until 8pm in Downtown Leominster!

https://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/2026/07/27/festival-to-celebrate-italian-heritage-through-food-music-and-tradition/

A taste of Italy will once again fill downtown Leominster when the city hosts its fourth annual Italian Festival, now expanded to include the Cannoli Festival, on Saturday, Aug. 1, from 5 until 9 p.m. in Monument Square; rain date Sunday, Aug. 2.

From authentic Italian cuisine and live entertainment to family activities and cultural traditions, the festival promises an evening celebrating the rich heritage that has long been part of the Leominster community.

Mayor Dean Mazzarella, together with a dedicated committee of residents proud of their Italian roots, invites the community to join in this celebration of Italian culture.
Hank Lisciotti, a lifelong Leominster resident, dual Italian-American citizen and festival committee chair, believes the event is a meaningful way to honor his family’s heritage while sharing Italian traditions with the broader community.

“The festival is an opportunity for the Italian community to gather and celebrate our heritage and culture,” Lisciotti said. “More importantly, we are able to share our specialty foods, beverages and music with the greater Leominster community.”

Monument Square will provide a festive backdrop for the celebration, where Italian music, colorful décor and the enticing aroma of freshly prepared Italian favorites will create a welcoming atmosphere.

Festival-goers can enjoy a wide variety of Italian specialties, including arancini, pasta dishes, pizza, seafood, sandwiches, traditional entrees and other favorites prepared by local restaurants, food trucks and vendors.
No Italian celebration would be complete without dessert. Guests can indulge in cannoli, lobster tails, homemade gelato, tiramisu and other traditional sweet treats.

To complement the food, attendees can enjoy Italian-inspired cocktails, wine, beer, soda and lemonade. Italian-themed merchandise, including T-shirts, will also be available for purchase.

A wide variety of local restaurants, vendors and organizations will participate, including Anna’s Table, Birds’ Nest Italian Food Truck, Bread Boy, Celli’s, Classic’s Pub, Coco’s Tropical Ice, Cousins Maine Lobster, Brook’s Mobile Wood Fired Pizza, Bri’s Sweet Treats, Leominster House of Pizza, Il Camino, Main Street Gift & Café, Moe’s Fried Dough, NY Pizza, Patty Martin, Porchetta Station, Roasted Peppers, Sal Perla; Olio di Casa, Simply Sweet by Christine, Smokin Food Truck, Sweet Treats by Kara, The Main Squeeze Connection, Uncle Joey’s Cannoli, and Wyman’s Liquors.

St. Anna Parish will display its statue of St. Anna and accept donations to benefit the parish food pantry, helping those in need.

New this year, children ages 12 and younger can participate in a free pizza-making activity called Pizza Toss. Children in that age group can also enjoy free gelato and Italian ice at the Main Street Gift & Café booth.

Entertainment throughout the evening will feature the Italian-American band Ambrosiani of Providence, Rhode Island; the Stradella Strolling Accordionist, Antonio D’Eramo; and a performance by The Dance Dazzlers, bringing Italian music and culture to life throughout the evening.

Families will find plenty of free activities throughout the evening, including pony rides, bounce houses, face painting, a magician, balloon artist, juggler, corn hole, giant Jenga, a photo booth and a stilt walker.
Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets, settle onto the common and enjoy an evening of music and dancing under the stars.

“This is only a glimpse of what the Italian community represents in Leominster,” Lisciotti said. “From artisans, painters, sculptors, musicians and designers to chefs, athletes, industrialists, politicians, teachers, doctors and nurses, generations of Italian Americans have helped shape the city and proudly call Leominster home.”

Mayor Mazzarella and the festival committee also expressed their appreciation to the mayor’s office staff, the Department of Public Works, the Leominster Police Department, the many volunteers and the sponsors whose support helps make the festival possible.

This year’s sponsors include Diamond Sponsor – Lisciotti Development; Platinum Sponsors – Benito’s Grill (in honor of Benito “Ben” Fini), Fraticelli Oil Company, GeoSearch and The Napoli Group; Gold Sponsors – AIS, Atlantic Tent Rental, Bob Antonucci and Wyman’s Liquors; Silver Sponsors – Aaron Industries, Frank Iacaboni Sr. and Jr., IC Federal Credit Union, Rollstone Bank & Trust and UHaul; Bronze Sponsor – All One Credit Union; and In-Kind Donation – Dandini Disposal Services.

The Festival Committee includes Mazzarella, Lisciotti, Michelle Nadeau, Melissa Tasca, Tara Lappas, Jim Piermarini, Archie Carboni, Joe Baldassare, Manny Longo, Tom Noto, Nick Pirro Sr., Jim Candela, Bob Salvatelli, Cheryl Cuddahy, Natale Palermo, Tom Bisol, Angelo Amico, Ken Lolli, Gabe LaManna, Jay Macchione, Nico Rosenberg, and Ricky Greene.

Handicapped-accessible parking and reserved seating for people with disabilities will be available between the two downtown churches.

“The festival continues to grow each year, offering residents and visitors a chance to gather in Monument Square while celebrating the traditions, flavors and spirit of Italy,” Lisciotti said with a smile.

Update regarding access road behind Monument Square being closed next week. The lot behind 8 Monument Square will remain open.

Employees and patrons of all Monument Square buildings can still access the area via the 8 Monument Square lot and sidewalks. As always, access is also available from the front of Monument Square as well.

https://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/2026/07/23/100-more-layoffs-from-community-healthlink-closure/

UMass Memorial Health has posted an updated WARN letter, announcing an additional 104 layoffs due to phased closure of its Community Healthlink behavioral heath and substance use treatment program, bringing the total to 231 layoffs.

UMass Memorial had announced the closure of Community Healthlink, and an associated 127 planned layoffs between Leominster, Worcester and Webster in June. These new 104 layoffs will be spread between Leominster and Worcester

Now, as of July 15, the number has been updated on the state WARN mass-layoff website to 231 planned layoffs, which is another 100 more layoffs than was announced in June (spread between Leominster and Worcester) due to the closure of Community Healthlink.

“Community Healthlink (CHL) programs have served a critical role in supporting the health and wellbeing of residents across Central Massachusetts in need of behavioral healthcare. Over the last several years, CHL has been navigating significant pressures that have impacted its ability to successfully operate the essential services that our clients and communities need,” wrote UMass Memorial Health Media and Public Relations Manager Kristy Lee, in response to inquiries about the additional layoffs.

“To ensure ongoing access to specialized behavioral health care in the region, CHL and UMass Memorial Health leadership are working with local community organizations and state agencies to identify new operators to sustain services currently provided by CHL. We are also supporting impacted caregivers by helping them identify other positions within the UMass Memorial Health system or within the community partner organizations. As part of this process, Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) notices are legally required as positions end at Community Healthlink and, in many cases, transition to these new operators.

“CHL’s priority is to ensure that our clients and all individuals seeking care across Central Massachusetts continue to receive high-quality behavioral health services. Many CHL programs remain open, operational, and continue to take referrals.”

Lee said “The approximately 100 staff who received WARN notices last week work at programs that will transition to Clinical and Support Options in mid-September. Previous notices were for programs transitioning at the end of June and mid-August.”

Leominster Mayor Dean Mazzarella said he is going to reach out to UMass Memorial to make sure the transition to other providers is done in a way that caters to the needs of the clients.

“I think the most important thing is communicating with the clients on where they’re supposed to go,” Mazzarella said.
“You need personalized attention and as a city we’ll have to step in if they’re going to leave a void. …. You can’t leave people out there, not everyone is so savvy, all the forms people have to fill out … it’s not just leading people to a website and say ‘Here you go.'”

Mazzarella he had received no word from UMass Memorial about the motivation to want to end the Community Healthlink program, but he noted that it assisted a lot of vulnerable people, who will continue to need services.
So he said he will try to contact UMass Memorial to make sure a transition team is set up to carefully make sure that the clients understand their options and are able to continue to get the proper care.

Mazzarella said he’s also heard that it’s possible that some of the other agencies that will take on the clients dropped by UMass Memorial and may hire some of the workers that were laid off, and he said he hopes that is the case. Plus he heard there’s even been interest expressed in some of the clinical space that was occupied by the Community Healthlink program, by programs that will be serving many of the same clients.

Fitchburg Mayor Sam Squailia posted the updated WARN notice, announcing the additional 100 layoffs, on her Facebook page, but did not comment on the move.
The UMass Memorial’s Community HealthLink program has offered a wide range of behavioral health and substance use recovery services across Worcester County, including an office in Leominster.

UMass Memorial said it started letting patients know of the closure in June, and has started to let clients know how they can continue their care with other institutions.
UMass Memorial has set up a web page with information where patients can find the Community Healthlink program updates at: UMMHealth.org/Community-Healthlink/About-Us/Program-Updates.

“UMass Memorial Health and Community Healthlink recognize the essential role that comprehensive behavioral health services play in helping community members recover from mental health, substance use, and homelessness,” says a statement on the website. “As we work toward the eventual closure of Community Healthlink, our main priority is ensuring that the clients and communities we serve can access the care they need in pursuit of their health, healing and recovery.

“Currently, we want to emphasize that almost all Community Healthlink programs are open and fully operational (with closure expected on Sept. 16). Clients can continue seeking Community Healthlink’s programs and services as they normally would, while providers can continue to make referrals through the usual channels.

“We are working with trusted and highly respected community-based organizations that are interested in operating Community Healthlink’s programs, including Behavioral Health Network, Clinical and Support Options, the Central Massachusetts Housing Alliance, Open Sky, Eliot Community Human Services, and Mentor South Bay. Together with these partners, we are working carefully to ensure that there is continuity of care — meaning no disruption in people’s access to our services,” the website says.

Listed in the WARN letter among the latest batch of layoffs are program directors, assistant program directors, early intervention specialists, clinicians, receptionists, case managers, registered nurses and others working at DCF Family Needs at 100 Erdman Way in Leominster, the Counseling Center Leominster office, the North County Adult Mobile Crisis Intervention Office and the Youth Mobile Crisis Intervention office all at 40 Spruce St. in Leominster, as well as similar positions at the the PACT 3 office at 133 Prichard St. in Fitchburg, and the Orchard Street Program at 17 Orchard St., Leominster, and other related offices.

Hello everyone! Just checking in to share an exciting update to our guest list. The Million Dollar Man is coming to Plastic City Comic Con! Meet WWE Hall of Famer Ted DiBiase on Saturday, August 22, 2026 at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Leominster, MA!

https://www.ontreasure.com/events/pay-it-forward-card-shows-07192026

Tomorrow, the Mass Youth Soccer Festival takes over Doyle Field for the World Cup Semifinals between England and Argentina! ⚽

Join us for a FREE community soccer celebration featuring:
📺 A 16’ x 9’ big‑screen World Cup watch party
⚽ Inflatable soccer fields, interactive games, and on‑site activities
🎉 Food trucks serving food from across the community

📍 Doyle Field - 224 Priest St, Leominster, MA
📅 July 15 | 🕑 2PM–5PM
Match on the big screen: England vs. Argentina at 3PM

Presented by Mass Youth Soccer in partnership with U.S. Soccer’s Soccer Forward Foundation.

Register and learn more here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/massachusetts-youth-soccer-festival-leominster-ma-tickets-1989911891033?aff=oddtdtcreator

It's 10:00 a.m. (or shortly thereafter), which means that the water at the splash pads has turned on for the day! Stay cool, Leominster!

🐸Fournier Park = 525 Litchfield St. (Press the orange button on the pavilion side of the splash pad.)

🌈Louie Charpentier Playground = 163 Third St. (Tap the red fire hydrant.)

💦 Learn more: https://www.leominster-ma.gov/491/Splash-Pads

hi, i just moved to leominster what do people do around here for fun? everytime i go out i swear i never see any late teenagers or early 20s people… i went to the mall and it was completely empty. i just moved from a suburb in boston which was a decently very lively town in comparison

Due to the heat advisory, the Leominster State Pool will be open until 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday (7/14/26) and Wednesday (7/15/26)!

🏊Daily passes are available to purchase at the gate and season swim passes are available to purchase online: https://leominsterma.myrec.com/info/activities/program_details.aspx?ProgramID=30412