Good morning, Waltham,
Welcome to Issue 9. We are officially heading into Mother's Day weekend and the single weirdest, most wonderful Saturday of the year. We also just crossed 200 subscribers this morning. Thank you to everyone who keeps reading, sharing, and supporting local writing.
This week we are covering the massive downtown takeover, a family owned deli that means spring is here, and a quiet riverside escape.
Let's get into it.
🚧 THE BIG NEWS
The Watch City Steampunk Festival Takes Over
The wait is officially over. This Saturday May 9 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, the largest outdoor Steampunk festival in the country is taking over the Waltham Common. Expect thousands of people filling the downtown area in Victorian era clothing, brass goggles, and elaborate top hats. There will be live music, food vendors, acrobatics, and over sixty artisan tents. It is a completely free, family friendly spectacle. The Moody Street and Main Street areas will be packed, so walk if you can or use the municipal parking lots.
🍽️ THIS WEEK'S EAT
Pizzi Farm, 549 Lincoln Street
Now that the warm weather is holding steady, the ice cream windows at Pizzi Farm are officially open for the season. This is a true Waltham institution. Beyond the incredible homemade ice cream, their indoor deli counter serves up massive Italian cold cut sandwiches, fresh salads, and great coffee. It is the perfect family owned spot to grab lunch and sit outside at the picnic tables.
📍 549 Lincoln St | Open daily
📅 3 THINGS TO DO THIS WEEKEND
The Steampunk Festival on the Common
Saturday May 9. As mentioned above, this is the main event of the weekend. Even if you do not own a top hat or a corset, you need to walk through the Common just to people watch and check out the incredible artisan vendors.
Mother's Day at the Lyman Estate Greenhouses
185 Lyman Street. If you need a last minute gift for Mom or just want to see some incredible spring blooms, these historic 19th century greenhouses are a hidden treasure. They are packed with rare orchids, exotic plants, and beautiful pottery. They are open Tuesday through Saturday from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm.
Catch an Independent Film at the Embassy Theater
16 Pine Street. If you want to escape the festival crowds on Saturday or need a relaxed Sunday afternoon plan, head down to the Embassy Theater. This beloved downtown cinema is fully operational and showing fantastic independent films right near the river.
🛍️ LOCAL FIND
Mount Feake Cemetery
Suggesting a cemetery sounds strange, but Mount Feake is actually a stunning 1846 Victorian garden cemetery designed specifically for nature walks. Located at 203 Prospect Street, it features beautifully paved paths winding through giant oak trees directly along the banks of the Charles River. It is peaceful, meticulously maintained, and arguably one of the most scenic walking spots in the entire city.
💬 ONE GOOD THING
Everyone knows Waltham built watches, but we also sparked the entire American Industrial Revolution. In 1814, Francis Cabot Lowell built the Boston Manufacturing Company right on the Charles River in downtown Waltham. Before this, factories only did one step of the process. This was the very first factory in America that could take raw cotton and turn it into finished cloth all under one single roof. That single brick building changed the global economy forever.
See you next Thursday,
Pankhi
The Waltham Insider
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