Hello, Dedham. A bit of a break from the cold this week, but still plenty of indoors and outdoors fun to be had. Did you know… the First Church and Parish in Dedham was the fourteenth church gathered in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, established in 1638? Read on to see what the First Church has in store this weekend.

In this week’s Drop:

I’m so glad you’re here. Let’s go!

— KB

🦠 It’s flu season. You can still get a flu shot through the Town. Sign up here. Additionally, the Board of Health has a limited supply of combo flu/covid tests available to residents. Residents can stop by the Health Department on the 3rd floor of the Town Hall to pick up test kits.

🍕Dedham-based pizza chain Papa Gino’s has teamed up with Patriots QB Drake Maye. To celebrate New England’s #10, they’re serving up a $10 large cheese pizza when you buy a large cheese pizza.

🍎 Resolve to Give Back: The Dedham Food Pantry is looking for volunteers of all ages. From stocking shelves, to food pick-up, to shopping assistants, you can sign up here.

🍽️ Last week, we shared about some great new restaurants coming to Dedham soon. This week, we’re sad to share news that two restaurants (UNO & Blue Ribbon) have left Dedham. January can be a tough time for restaurants. Please support your local faves & their staff this month so they can continue to stick around!

🌎 Go green, save green. (offer ends TODAY 1/15) Be a Food Waste Composter in Dedham! For a LIMITED TIME, Dedham residents get 20% OFF their first invoice when they sign up for the food waste compost collection program with service by the Town's preferred vendor, Black Earth Compost. Plus, you also get a FREE Starter Kit! Use code NEWYEAR2026 at checkout (Offer ends Jan 15, 2026)

⭐️ Building Communities of Hope, Mon 1/19, 5-7PM
Monday is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The Dedham Human Rights Commission is hosting the 9th annual celebration at the Middle School at 5PM. The event features Peter & Paul Reynolds reading from their new book, Our Treasures Within, along with performance featuring The Dance Center, Barb Pierre, and more. Food, refreshments, and children’s activities round out this celebration funded by a grant from the Dedham Cultural Council.

Coming up this week:

Today! Thursday 1/15:
🎶 Music with friends at the Main Library. Baby/toddler/pre-school. Come sing family-friendly animal songs. Free. 10:30-11AM.

📸 Lemme take a selfie. At the Sr Center. Learn to take photos on your phone. Led by Kevin Figueroa. How to adjust settings, organize into albums and favorites, and more. Space limited. RSVP @  781-751-9495  11AM

⛸️ Family friendly skating at Trillium. 45-minute sessions with skate rental available. This isn’t your typical ice rink, so check all the details before heading out. Thursday-Sunday.

🏀 DHS Basketball vs Holliston. JV Boys @ 4:15PM, JV girls @ 5:30PM. Dedham High.

📚 LGBTQ+ Book Group. Each month we will read a title featuring characters/people, themes, or subjects that fall under the broader LGBTQ+ umbrella. FREE. Registration Required. 7-7:45PM

🔭Stargazing at Endicott library. Peek through our telescope to spot distant stars. All ages. Free. 7:15-7:45PM.

🥣 Chowda, anyone? Celebrate Chowda Day at Legal in Legacy with $1 cups & $2 bowls, dine-in or in-person takeout order only. (Like soup? Scroll to vote in January’s poll.)

Friday 1/16:
🎶 Groove & Move at the Main Library. Ages 3-5. Registration required. 11AM

Saturday 1/17:
🛒 Family food shopping at Dedham Food Pantry. 8AM

📦 (Not your average) Cardboard Recycling Day at DPW parking lot (55 River St). Not only for cardboard, you can also bring: Mercury items (fluorescent lamps, CFLs, thermostats), Automotive waste (tires, lead acid batteries, motor oil), Household batteries (all non-alkaline types), Fire extinguishers, 20-lb propane tanks, String lights and, at this event only, styrofoam too. (but no packing peanuts, foam urethane, foam wrapping, or pluck foam.) 9AM-NOON.

🏒DHS Varsity Boys Hockey vs Norwood. Nobles & Greenough School Flood Rink. 11:30AM

♟️ No Stress Chess for Kids. Discover a new way of learning the world’s greatest board game. No Stress Chess is a chess teacher unlike any other. FREE. 10:30-11:30AM.

Sunday 1/18:
🏈 heard there’s a big football game today. Great chance to support your local Dedham restaurants by going out or ordering in!

Monday 1/19:
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR DAY: TOWN OFFICES & LIBRARY CLOSED

⭐️ Building Communities of Hope, Mon 1/19, 5-7PM DMS (see above for details)

Tuesday 1/20:
📕Virtual Author Talk: Featuring author & journalist Julia Hotz and her book The Connection Cure: The Prescriptive Power of Movement, Nature, Art, Service, and Belonging. ONLINE. 2PM.

🎸 Ukulele 101: Learn the instrument, practice chords & strumming. Ages: Elementary/Middle. FREE. 5-5:45PM.

🏀 DHS Girls Basketball vs Dover-Sherborn. JV @ 4PM, Varsity @ 5:30PM. Dedham High.

🤼 DHS Boys Wrestling vs Bellingham. @ 6PM, Dedham High.

Wednesday 1/21:
🧑‍💻 50+ Job Seekers Networking: a professional forum for networking in a safe, comfortable environment. Come develop new relationships, skills and strategies to help in your career. ONLINE. FREE. 9:30-11:30AM.

🦮 Read to a Therapy Dog @ Endicott Library; Children, all ages.

🎨 Acrylic Paint Pouring for Teens. Create abstract art by (carefully!) spilling paint. This might get messy. Main library. Ages: Middle/High School. 5:30-6:30PM.

❓ Trivia night @ Trillium. Geeks who Drink host a weekly audio/visual/live hosted trivia. Teams of 6. Free to play. Prizes available. 7PM

Thursday 1/22:
🔭 Stargazing at Endicott library. Peek through our telescope to spot distant stars. All ages. Free. 7:15-7:45PM.

*Looking ahead: A prior version of this post incorrectly listed the date of the Winter Farmers’ Market. It will take place on 1/24. 👩‍🌾 Winter Farmers Market. Stock up at the indoor market! Same location as the summer market: 670 High Street, Dedham. Live music, local produce, artisan bread, unique goods, and more. 10AM-1PM

FRI 1/16
⚘ Mitch Leaman at Trillium. 6-9PM.

🍻 Tunes on Tap at Roundhead (Hyde Park) featuring Nicole Dobberpuhl & Dom the Composer. Tickets: $10.50 includes 1 local brew. 7-9PM.

⚠️ Singer-songwriter Hayley Reardon at the Fallout Shelter (Norwood). 7PM

🪕 Friday folk coffeehouse with the Savin Hillbillies @ First Church. 7:30PM

SAT 1/17
⚠️ Rock and soul with The Memphis Soul Orchestra at the Fallout Shelter (Norwood). 7PM

For kids, and some adult activities too. Cardio tennis, anyone?

🏇 Giddy up! The Friends of Dedham Athletics are hosting a Derby night fundraiser at the legion on 1/30. All proceeds support DHS athletes. $25/$30/$250 tickets available. 7PM.

🥎 Dedham Girls Spring Softball registration is live. More info on evaluations and season schedule to come.

⚽️ Dedham Youth Soccer Spring Town & Travel Registration Now Open: New & returning players grades K-8 sign up now

⚽️ Dedham Youth Soccer Winter clinic registration open: Sundays 2/15 - 3/22, Dedham Country Day: 4th–6th Grade Training: Girls: 3-4 PM / Boys: 4-5 PM High School Boys Training: 6-9 PM. Learn more & register

🏑 Dedham Youth Field Hockey Registration: Grade 1-8. Register from 1/6-15, for $50 late fee per child. No registrations accepted after 1/15. Learn more & register

⚾️ Dedham Youth Baseball Winter Clinics 2026: Sundays, 2/22- 4/5 @ Five Tool Performance, Westwood, MA. Group A: Ages 6-8, 2-3:30pm. Group B: Ages 9-11, 3:30-5pm. Registration open

🏒 Dedham Youth Hockey learn to skate, Session 2: Saturdays 9-10am & Sundays 12:15-1:15pm; 1/17-3/8 @ Nobles Greenough School "Bliss Flood Omni Rink". Registration open

🛝 Parks & Rec Winter Activities registration continues: Sign up for karate, gymnastics, dance, indoor cardio tennis, or the Pathfinders indoor track program. Space limited: Learn more & register

JAN. 19: MARTIN LUTHER KING JR DAY: TOWN OFFICES & LIBRARY CLOSED

📆 Upcoming town meetings:

🚌 Upcoming School Board Meeting: 1/20 6PM - Town Hall - Agenda here. Featuring the review of the 2027 Fiscal Year Budget.

📺 As always, check DedhamTV to view replays of past town and school board meetings.

🗣️ Community input needed: Save the date. The town is hosting its second Community Budget Forums as part of the Deficit Reduction Plan. 6PM, 1/28, Endicott Estate. Children’s activities available. Learn more.

🗑️ Trash day? A printed trash/recycling calendar for 2026 should hit your mailbox soon. For now, follow along with the digital version at the link.

⛰️ Take a Hike. Find various programs for all ages and adventure levels in the Blue Hills. Like Nature time for ages 2-6 (1/15, various times), a starlight hike (1/16, 6PM), and a winter hike on the hill (1/17, 10AM). Find these and more great activities from Mass Audubon. Prices vary. Multiple locations.

🕺Get down! Sat, 1/17, 7-10:30PM. Norwood Irish Music Club hosts a night of Irish-American Country Social Dancing. $10 at the door. Complimentary coffee, tea & baked goods. Knights of Columbus Hall, 572 Nichols St., Norwood.

Behind every successful year is honest reflection. This workbook, written by Shane Parrish and reMarkable, helps you find clarity so patterns become visible.

Traditional annual reviews add goals, tasks, and pressure. This is different. It helps you strip everything back to see what to change in your the ahead.

Ready to identify what matters?

Start your annual review

As always, check the links before you head out as events, times, and availability are always subject to change. The Dedham Drop is a local effort to curate all things Dedham, your kind and constructive input is welcome.