Hello, Dedham.

Fall is closing in. Here’s hoping you get out and enjoy the last long weekend of the summer. Read on for the latest town news, school updates, and upcoming fall events.

In this week's Drop:

This is Issue #36 of The Dedham Drop. As always, I’m glad you’re here. If you’re loving the Drop, I’d love for you to share it with a friend. Thanks!

— KB

If you have’t yet… we’re still looking to learn more about who's reading and what you care about. Let us know right here. Please & thanks!

🗳️ Unofficial State Primary results are in. On the Democratic ballot, Ed Markey held off Seth Moulton for U.S. Senate (2,831 to 1,800 in Dedham). Stephen Lynch edged Patrick Roath for Congress (2,434–2,166), and Djuna Perkins led a crowded Norfolk DA field with 2,266 votes. Maura Healey, Kim Driscoll, and Paul McMurtry all ran essentially unopposed on the Dem side. On the Republican ballot, John Deaton, Michael Minogue, and Robert Burke led their respective fields. Full unofficial results.

✨ Meteor shower alert: the September Epsilon Perseids peak the night of Sept 9–10, with the moon only 2% illuminated — dark skies mean good viewing if you're up late (radiant rises in Perseus). Not a big shower (about 8/hour), but a nice one to catch with minimal light interference!

🎧 Motherbrook Disco Dance Party — Fri, Sept 18, 7–10PM. DJ Dayglow, immersive digital art, cash bar, benefits Event Space improvements. $25 advance/$30 door, 21+, doors at 6:30PM.

🎨 Motherbrook Winter Market vendor applications are open through Sept 25 for the Dec 5 Winter Market.

🕵️ Dedham 1776 Scavenger Hunt is still on. Part of Dedham Reads Together 2026’s semiquincentennial send-off, this town-wide hunt runs now through September 26 — a fun way to close out summer before the weather turns.

📘 Back-to-school reads? Get 20% off with our Bookshop.org link* and select Blue Bunny at your bookshop to support Dedham’s favorite indie book store!

✳️ Got a local announcement? Hit reply and let us know. Your Business Here.

Thursday, September 3

🎶 Music with Friends — Main Library, 10:30–11AM. Family-friendly sing-along with Friend of the Library Dick Pierce.

🎬 Afternoon at the Movies — Ames Senior Center, 2–4:30PM. Classic movie screening.

📱 Lift Off with Launchpads — Main Library, 3:30–4PM and 4–4:30PM. New Launchpad tablets for elementary schoolers.

Friday, September 4

🎮 Minecraft Tournament — Main Library, 1–4PM. Build battle tournament with One Up Games, for middle/elementary schoolers.

Monday, September 7

🚫 Labor Day — Town offices and Dedham Public Library closed.

Tuesday, September 8

🧘 Introductory Yoga for Bookworms — Main Library, 6:30–7:30PM. 3-part slow flow series with Alisa's In Shape Incentive, all levels.

📚 Between the Lines Book Group — Endicott Branch, 6:30–7:30PM. Fiction and nonfiction discussion, second Tuesday

💪 Stroller + Barre on The Green — Legacy Place, 11AM–12PM. Free 50-minute outdoor Pure Barre class; bring the stroller. Reserve in the Pure Barre app.

Wednesday, September 9

🌽 Dedham Summer Farmers Market — 2PM.

🐶 Pawtrait Pup-Up at Polkadog — Legacy Place, 6–8PM. $25 pro pet photo sessions, walk-ins welcome.

💻 Virtual Author Talk: Daniel Kraus — 7–8PM. Celebrating the release of The Sixth Nik.

Thursday, September 10

❤️ Memory Café — Main Library, 1–3PM. Welcoming space for individuals and families living with memory changes.

A third-generation LA roaster ships 50+ coffees — single origins, flavored favorites, decafs, even teas — days after roasting. Mix and match Keurig®-compatible boxes for tiered savings up to 34% off. First order? Take an extra 15% off, automatically.

Taste It Fresh

🏈 Dedham Youth Flag Football (K-2) — Co-ed registration open, spots limited. First games Sat, Sept 26; practices begin week of Sept 21. Games Saturdays 12–1PM at Memorial Field. Coaches needed — contact [email protected]. Register.

💃 September Zumba with Adriana Lopez — Tuesdays, 6:30–7:30PM, Sept 8/15/22/29, DCH gym (671 High Street). 4 classes for $80, all levels welcome.

🥍 Free Back to School Lacrosse Clinic. Dedham Youth Lacrosse offers a free clinic for all Dedham boys & girls grades 1–8 to kick off Fall Ball Skills & Drills Sundays. No experience necessary, sticks provided if needed. Sunday, September 13, 4–5:30PM, Gonzalez Field. Sign up at dedhamlax.com.

ℹ️ The Parks & Rec Fall & Winter program guide is live! Dance, gymnastics, karate & more. Most programs are already registering and space is limited.

🏫 Fall high school sports are back!

Dedham High School

⚽ Varsity Girls Soccer vs. Noble and Greenough — Fri, Sept 4, 5PM

🏑 Varsity Girls Field Hockey vs. Dover-Sherborn — Tue, Sept 8, 4:15PM

⚽ Varsity Boys Soccer vs. Dover-Sherborn — Wed, Sept 9, 4:15PM /

⛳ Varsity Boys Golf vs. Dover-Sherborn — Thu, Sept 10, 3:45PM

🏐 Varsity Girls Volleyball vs. New Mission — Thu, Sept 10, 4:30PM

Noble and Greenough School

🏑 Varsity Girls Field Hockey (Home) — Wed, Sept 9, 3:30PM

Ursuline Academy

🏑 Varsity Girls Field Hockey vs. Montrose School — Thu, Sept 3, 4PM

🏐 Varsity Girls Volleyball vs. New Mission — Sat, Sept 5, 1PM

⚽ Varsity Girls Soccer vs. Boston Latin Academy — Wed, Sept 9, 4PM

🏐 Varsity Girls Volleyball vs. Madison Park Vocational — Wed, Sept 9, 6:15PM

Full schedules (all levels, home & away) at: Dedham High | Noble and Greenough | Ursuline Academy.

📋 School Committee Recap (Sept 1 meeting)

🏫 Educational Model & facilities: the money question. The Rennie Center's presented 10 possible school facility/configuration options (3 of which it recommends). Keeping the current setup (Options 1–2) saves little; the other eight — involving consolidation and/or grade reconfiguration — are estimated to generate $1.4M–$4.4M in annual operating efficiencies, with Rennie's three picks landing at $2.4M–$3.8M and the single biggest option (Option 7) at $3.6M–$4.4M. What's next: Sept 15 School Committee meeting covers Teaching & Learning impacts; Sept 29 the Committee votes on three options to send to the Town's Facilities Master Plan process. See all 10 proposed options.

📚 Start-of-year staffing & wins. DPS is nearly fully staffed — one Special Education position and 9 ESP positions still open. Summer programming was a hit: the DMS Summer Institute served 280+ students, and Camp SPARK ran a 4-week character-development/filmmaking program. Two anonymous donors gave $500 gift cards each to Dedham Middle School and Riverdale School.

📆 Full agendas and the complete town calendar are here.

📺 Missed a meeting or event? Catch replays at DedhamTV.com.

🎺 The Hot Tamale Brass Band — Sat, Sept 19, 2PM, Milton Public Library. Free all-ages concert — New Orleans jazz, second line, Dixieland. Sponsored by Friends of the Milton Public Library.

🌸 Pick-Your-Own at Ward's Berry Farm. The Sharon farm's fields are open for picking. Dahlias, potatoes, peppers & more. Open daily, weather permitting. 614 S Main St, Sharon. Availability & pricing here.

📚 Indie Children's Bookfest. Peter H. Reynolds and independently published children's authors celebrate International Dot Day with book sales, a free signed print, storytime, a creativity raffle, and a dot-art craft. Bonus: $5 Blue Bunny coupon with any indie book purchase. Sunday, Sept 13, 11AM–1PM. TLC Studios, Dedham Square.

🎉 Dedham Day 2026. Save the date — Sunday, September 27!

🎒 Dedham Public Schools — Save the Dates. District Curriculum Night Sept 10 (6PM); Elementary Open Houses Sept 24 (6PM); ECEC Kindergarten Open House Oct 1 (5PM); DMS Open House Oct 8 (6PM); ECEC Preschool Open House Oct 15 (5PM); DHS Open House Oct 22 (6PM).

🚴 Ride & Stride for Food — Sun, Sept 27, Nobles & Greenough. Bike ride or 5K walk benefiting Dedham Food Pantry. When registering, join Team DFP, (search for Dedham) and use code Dedham2026 for $50 off. Questions: [email protected].

🏃 DEF Dash 5K — Sun, Oct 4. Dedham Education Foundation's annual fun run/walk, all levels welcome. Register.

📖 Did you know… when Dedham was incorporated in 1636, residents actually petitioned to name the town "Contentment" — the Massachusetts General Court overruled them and named it after Dedham, Essex, England instead.

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