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Uncover the radical roots of urban gardening with Kate Brown, author of Tiny Gardens Everywhere (2026). The history of gardening in European and North American cities in the 20th century is a story about ordinary people working with each other—and with plants and microbes—to cultivate life in the unlikeliest of places. Using the deluge of nutrients that flow into cities, working class gardeners regenerated wasteland, built the first garden city communities, and engaged in the most productive agriculture in recorded human history. Following the plants and microbes, urban gardeners also built mutual aid societies that advocated for equity, social welfare, and rights—rights not to liberty and the pursuit of happiness (who can eat that?) but to food, fuel, and shelter; to well-being for all. Kate Brown is the Thomas M. Siebel Distinguished Professor in the History of Science at MIT. Her prize-winning books include Manual for Survival: A Chernobyl Guide to the Future (2019), Plutopia: Nuclear Families in Atomic Cities and the Great Soviet and American Plutonium Disasters (2013), and A Biography of No Place: From Ethnic Borderland to Soviet Heartland (2004). Presented in partnership with City of Cambridge Community Garden Program.

This summer, thousands of Cambridge children, youth, and teens participated in summer camps and programs offered by the Department of Human Service Programs (DHSP).

Programs and Events for Boudreau Branch

The Cambridge Program serves people with intellectual disabilitis who are 11 years old and older. The program offers recreational activities and life skills several times a week that are designed to promote self-esteem, encourage social interaction, and increase physical well-being.

Expect brief road closures and traffic impacts near Central Square and Riverside due to the Winter Classic 5K, which will take place on Sunday, December 3, at 9:30 a.m. The course begins and ends at University Park Commons near Central Square.

Programs and Events for Main Library

The City jointly owns the Bluebikes bike share system with Boston, Brookline, Everett, and Somerville. New communities include Arlington, Chelsea, Newton, Revere and Watertown.

The Ethiopian Elder Group is creating a welcoming space where older adults who immigrated from Ethiopia can build friendships, access resources, and strengthen their independence in Cambridge. Learn how this community-led initiative, led by CEOC's Yemi Kibret and supported by City and nonprofit partners, has grown into a thriving program connecting more than 30 elders through education, wellness, and cultural celebration.

City Manager Yi-An Huang is seeking Cambridge residents, business owners, and local professionals interested in serving on the Recycling Advisory Committee (RAC) beginning in January 2023. The RAC is a volunteer committee which provides advice, recommendations, and assistance to the Department of Public Works (DPW) regarding recycling, composting, reuse, and waste reduction. The RAC does this through research, feedback, public outreach, and event planning. The RAC has helped the city implement the Zero Waste Master Plan, curbside composting, Fix-It Clinics, marketing and education, and other important initiatives that have made Cambridge a national leader in waste reduction.

Take a virtual journey into the Cambridge watershed with this Storymap! Learn about the bodies of water that feed Fresh Pond, see the historical gatehouses and infrastructure, and understand how the water is monitored and treated before arriving at your tap.