The Natick Center Cultural District

Virtual: Who REALLY Wrote Shakespeare? with Author and Historian David Kruh
2025-09-29 19:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Bacon Free Library – 58 Eliot Street Natick, MA 01760 United States
Who Really penned all the works attributed to Shakespeare? The doubts have been around for over 300 years. How could William Shakespeare — a man who never sailed — have written with such accuracy about sailing in The Tempest? Or how — without studying law — could he have written with such insight about lawyers, courts, and legal issues, in plays such as Henry IV? Or — without ever serving in the military — written so splendidly of the rigors and technical aspects of war as he did in Hamlet? That he couldn’t and didn’t is a fascinating concept that has amused many, tantalized others, and consumed the lives of a few, including a Boston man who, in 1916, went to court to prove that someone other than Shakespeare wrote all those great works. Before you laugh… he won the case.
Hear the story of one man’s search for the “real” author of the works attributed to William Shakespeare and how — in a stunning piece of historical irony — that search played a role in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
This program is offered by the Bacon Free Library in collaboration with a multitude of MA Libraries; it is sponsored by the Friends of the Ashland Public Library.

Please register here for the Zoom link.

About the Author
David Kruh is a former New Yorker and a 1978 graduate of the University of Maryland. While earning his Masters in Computer Engineering at Boston University, David worked as an engineer at WRKO Radio. He has also worked full time as a copywriter, computer programmer, radio producer, radio engineer, and, for a few years in the mid-1990s, as a spokesman and web master for the Big Dig. He retired a few years ago from a semiconductor manufacturer, where he was the direct marketing manager. He is also the author of several other books, notably two on Boston’s Scollay Square and Building Route 128. David’s most recent book is Inseparable, based on the audacious 1962 escape by three inmates from Alcatraz.

RECORDING NOTE: This program will be recorded. All registrants will receive the recording via email within 48 hours of the program.

Virtual: The Politics of Chocolate with Cocoa Beantown
2025-09-30 19:00 - 20:00 | Bacon Free Library – 58 Eliot Street Natick, MA 01760 United States
It’s hard not to smile when there’s chocolate around, but behind the deep, rich taste, there’s a whole world of serious –and fascinating– issues. Dive into the world of chocolate, exploring its entanglements with child labor; its aspirations with women-owned cooperatives and the Fair Trade movement; and its intrigues, including corporate espionage. The experts at Cocoa Beantown will tell us all about it.
This virtual program is presented by the Bacon Free Library in collaboration with the Groton Public Library.
Please register HERE for the Zoom link.

Robin Baratz Oil Paintings
2025-10-02 09:30 - 17:30 | Bacon Free Library – 58 Eliot Street Natick, MA 01760 United States
Robin Baratz creates oil paintings that depict her instinctive connection to natural land and water and to the people. She motors and sails to reach and capture countrysides, harbors, and cityscapes of the United States, Ireland, Scotland, Europe, and Canada on her canvas. But, no matter what the actual locales, the scenes have broad appeal, reminding us of people and places we remember fondly.
Come to the Bacon Free Library to view her work, which will be on display from August 28th through October 9th. You can also enjoy this collection of oil paintings at The Center for Arts in Natick (TCAN) during the month of November.

Jammin with You
2025-10-03 10:30 - 11:00, 2025-10-17 10:30 - 11:00 | Bacon Free Library – 58 Eliot Street Natick, MA 01760 United States
Be prepared to laugh, dance, sing, and jam your way through 30 minutes of non-stop family fun at the Bacon Free Library! This performance is geared toward kids ages 1 – 7, but fun for the whole family. With modern takes on children’s classics and classic original tunes, you’ll be humming and bopping all the way home.
This program will be held outdoors on the BFL lawn, so bring a blanket or chairs. In case of rainy or cold weather (under 45 degrees), it will be rescheduled.

No Safety for Us: The internment of Native Americans on Deer Island
2025-10-04 11:00 - 12:00 | Natick Historical Society Museum
This year marks the 350th anniversary of King Philip’s War. This 14-month rebellion, which was led by the Wampanoag chief Metacom (later known as King Philip), was the Native Americans’ last-ditch effort to resist English authority and stop English settlement on their lands (history.com).

Soon after the war began, colonists set up an internment camp on Deer Island to relocate “Christianized” Indigenous people whom they believed could turn against the English and join the rebellion. In the winter of 1675-76, approximately 500 Native Americans were imprisoned on the island, many of whom perished without adequate food or shelter in the harsh New England temperatures (National Park Service).

The Natick Historical Society and the BFL will host Shawn Quigley from the National Park Service to discuss this tragedy on Deer Island. Shawn’s program will explore the historic use of the Boston Harbor Islands, their role as an internment camp for Native Americans from praying towns, and stories of survival and reliance from those imprisoned on Deer Island.

This program will take place at the Natick Historical Society, located downstairs from the BFL.

Registration is required.

VIRTUAL: The Allure of Vampires with Bill Thierfelder
2025-10-07 19:00 - 20:00 | Bacon Free Library
Vampire stories have captivated people for centuries. Books, games, TV, and film have drawn audiences in with a mix of horror, sensuality, and the appeal of eternal life. The first mention of vampires was over a thousand years ago and since then their legend has become a part of our culture, with Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Bela Lugosi’s interpretation of the character, and Anne Rice’s beguiling series of novels living long in the memory.
But why have the tales of the undead endured? What makes them so appealing in the modern day? This program, presented by retired arts & humanities professor Dr. Bill Thierfelder, explores the ongoing allure of these powerful creatures.
This virtual program is held in collaboration with the Groton Public Library and a variety of other local libraries; it is sponsored by the Groton Public Library Endowment Trust.
PLEASE REGISTER HERE FOR THE ZOOM LINK.

About the Speaker
Bill Thierfelder, PhD, MA, is a retired professor of arts and humanities, with a PhD in English literature, an MA in theology, and a BA in English with additional concentrations in music history and art. After a stint teaching 2nd graders and then high schoolers, Bill spent the next 32 years teaching a variety of courses at several New York universities and colleges. He is currently docent emeritus at the American Museum of Natural History where he continues to give both Zoom and in-person presentations, work on special editing projects, and give tours. He also lectures regularly for libraries and educational organizations nationwide via Zoom. Learn more about Bill on his website: Making Wings.

RECORDING NOTE: This program will be recorded. All registrants will receive the recording via email within 48 hours of the program.

VIRTUAL: The Poetic and Musical Genius of Taylor Swift
2025-10-16 19:00 - 20:00 | Bacon Free Library – 58 Eliot Street Natick, MA 01760 United States
Harvard professor Stephanie Burt will deliver a fascinating presentation based on her brand new book, Taylor’s Version: The Poetic and Musical Genius of Taylor Swift. Burt, who is a poet and literary scholar, will offer an insightful and heartfelt critical appreciation of Taylor Swift, her body of work, and the community that her art has fostered. Drawing from her 2024 Harvard course, Taylor Swift and Her World, as well as from her years as a Swiftie, Burt will examine Swift’s particular form of genius — not the destructive genius of tortured poets, but the collaborative and joyful genius of an artist who has mastered her craft.
This virtual program is presented in collaboration with the Bacon Free Library and the Tewksbury Public Library.

Please register here to receive the Zoom link.

About the Author
Stephanie Burt is the Donald P. and Katherine B. Loker Professor of English at Harvard University. Her work appears in the New York Times Book Review, the New Yorker, and the London Review of Books, among others. Her other books of poetry and literary criticism — 14 in all — include We Are Mermaids, Advice from the Lights, and Don’t Read Poetry: A Book About How to Read Poems.

RECORDING NOTE: This program will be recorded. All registrants will receive the recording via email within 48 hours of the program.

Virtual: Taylor Swift Style – Fashion through the Eras
2025-10-20 19:00 - 20:00 | Bacon Free Library – 58 Eliot Street Natick, MA 01760 United States
For Taylor Swift, fashion and music go hand-in-hand — each playing a powerful role in shaping the narrative of this generation’s most prolific storyteller. From cowboy boots to teetering heels, fairytale dresses to bleach-tinged tresses, and the many memorable moments in between, learn the fashion story behind every single Taylor Swift album, tracing Swift’s musical evolution along with her ever-changing personal style. Author Sarah Chapelle will deliver a fascinating presentation based on her recent bestselling book, Taylor Swift Style: Fashion Through the Eras.
This virtual program is presented in collaboration with the Bacon Free Library and the Tewksbury Public Library.
Please register her to receive the Zoom link.

About the Author
Sarah Chapelle, creator of the successful Instagram and blog Taylor Swift Style, has spent more than a decade documenting Swift’s fashion choices and the intention behind each ensemble.

RECORDING NOTE: This program will be recorded. All registrants will receive the recording via email within 48 hours of the program.

Virtual: Jane Austen’s Sanditon: From Unfinished Swan Song to British Costume Drama
2025-10-22 18:00 - 19:00 | Bacon Free Library
Join author, former UK resident, and Anglophile Claire Evans for a look at Austen’s final, unfinished manuscript and its path from family heirloom to a fully imagined costume drama, airing on PBS. Learn about the real-life people and locations that informed Austen’s last work before her untimely death at age 41, as well as how the seeds of her ideas came to life on the small screen.
About the Speaker
Claire Evans is an author, former journalist, attorney, and college lecturer who started her love of most things British as she and her mother watched countless Britcoms on PBS. She studied abroad in London and, against the odds, she married a Brit she met in Peoria, Illinois. They lived in England for a number of years. Her business, Tea with Claire, grew from friends asking for travel advice. Her memoir, High Tea and the Low Down, is the true story of what it’s really like to marry a witty Englishman and move to Britain.

This program is hosted by the Bacon Free Library; it will be held on Zoom. Please register to receive the Zoom link via email.

VIRTUAL: Human-ish with Author Justin Gregg
2025-10-28 19:00 - 20:00 | Bacon Free Library
Why do we apologize to our cats, feel guilty throwing away childhood toys, or find ourselves bonding with our robot vacuum? Scientist and bestselling author Justin Gregg (If Nietzsche Were a Narwhal) reveals how one of humanity’s oldest psychological quirks secretly influences nearly every decision we make. Drawing on cutting-edge research from his new book Human-ish (Little, Brown, 2025), Justin explores our universal tendency to see human-like qualities in everything around us—and shows how understanding this bias can transform our relationships with animals, technology, and each other.

This program is hosted by the Bacon Free Library in collaboration with Groton Public Library.

PLEASE REGISTER HERE FOR THE ZOOM LINK.

Virtual: Taylor Swift By the Book – The Literature Behind the Lyrics
2025-10-30 19:00 - 20:00 | Bacon Free Library
Taylor Swift’s lyrics are filled with literary connections. And who better to enlighten us than the two women who literally wrote the book on it! Join Rachel Feder and Tiffany Tatreau, authors of the recently published Taylor Swift by the Book: The Literature Behind the Lyrics, from Fairy Tales to Tortured Poets, as they highlight the many novels, poems, and plays that influence Taylor’s songwriting. Let a literature professor and a musical theater artist guide you through the Taylor Swift canon—from Shakespeare to the Brontë sisters to Daphne du Maurier.

This virtual program is presented in collaboration with the Tewksbury Public Library.
Please register to receive the Zoom link.

About the Authors
Rachel Feder, the author of five books, is an associate professor of English and literary arts at the University of Denver.
Tiffany Tatreau is an actor, singer, and teaching artist who has starred in various musicals across the country and is best known for her portrayal of Ocean O’Connell Rosenberg in the musical and original cast album Ride the Cyclone.

RECORDING NOTE: This program will be recorded. All registrants will receive the recording via email within 48 hours of the program.

VIRTUAL: The History of the Flying Santa of the Lighthouses 1929-2025
2025-11-03 19:00 - 20:00 | Bacon Free Library
Since 1929, Flying Santa has visited the men, women, and families of the Coast Guard who keep watch over our coastal waters at USCG stations and lighthouses. The pioneering Maine pilot Bill Wincapaw inaugurated this program and, along with his son Bill, flew for two decades. They recruited Edward Rowe Snow, the popular New England historian and storyteller, to join them; Snow kept the flights going through 1980.
Today, the nonprofit organization Friends of Flying Santa donates thousands of hours each year to ensure the success of the flights that visit the children of Coast Guard families from Maine to New York.
Join Jeremy D’Entremont, historian of the U.S. Lighthouse Society and vice president of Friends of Flying Santa, to learn about the colorful history of the Flying Santa program from 1929 to the present day.
This virtual program is presented in collaboration with the Bacon Free Library and Ashland Public Library.
PLEASE REGISTER HERE FOR THE ZOOM LINK.

NOTE: This program will be recorded and available to view on the Ashland Library’s YouTube Channel.

VIRTUAL: Wild Turkeys in Massachusetts with Mass Audubon
2025-11-05 19:00 - 20:00 | Bacon Free Library
The wild turkey, synonymous with Thanksgiving and iconic within our region, has not always held such a stable place in Massachusetts. There was a time when turkeys were overhunted nearly to the point of extinction. Thanks to a reintroduction program begun in the 1970s, turkeys can now be found throughout the state in urban, rural, and suburban areas.
In this program, Patti Steinman, the education coordinator for Mass Audubon’s Connecticut River Valley Sanctuaries, will talk turkey about the nature, history, and conservation needs of these native birds.

This program is offered in collaboration with the Bacon Free Library and the Tewksbury Public Library.
PLEASE REGISTER HERE FOR THE ZOOM LINK.

RECORDING NOTE: This program will be recorded. All registrants will receive the recording via email within 48 hours of the program.

Virtual: The Life and Career of Meryl Streep
2025-11-12 19:00 - 20:00 | Bacon Free Library
Acting careers rarely reach the trajectory of Meryl Streep, a 21-time Academy Award nominee and 3-time winner. From frothy musicals like Mamma Mia! to sober dramas like Sophie’s Choice and Doubt, enjoy a look at the life and career of this “screen queen” who shows no signs of slowing down.
This program will be led by Frank Mandosa, a film historian and Massachusetts high school film and English teacher. Frank is also the host of Reels of Cinema podcast and co-host of the Movies Across The Pod podcast.
This program is offered in collaboration between the Bacon Free Library and the Tewksbury Public Library.
REGISTER HERE FOR ZOOM LINK.

RECORDING NOTE: This program will be recorded. All registrants will receive the recording via email within 48 hours of the program.

ACCESSIBILITY NOTE: The Tewksbury Public Library does not discriminate on the basis of disability and is committed to providing a reasonable modification to participate in our events, services or documentation. Contact Director Diane Giarrusso at 978-640-4490 or dgiarrusso@tewksbury-ma.gov at least two weeks before an event to arrange for modification, or at any time you need accessible documents.

Virtual: History Book Club
2025-11-13 11:00 - 12:00 | Natick Historical Society Museum
If you enjoy reading and talking about history, check out the history book club hosted by the Bacon Free Library and the Natick Historical Society. Each discussion, led by the director of the Natick Historical Society, is held over Zoom, so you can join from the comfort of your home. Copies of each book (regular print, large print, & audio) are available to check out from the Bacon Free Library. Or you may order your own copy if you prefer to pick up at another library.

This month, join us for a virtual discussion of The Name of War: King Philip’s War and the origins of American identity by Jill Lepore.
King Philip’s War, the excruciating racial war—colonists against Indigenous peoples—that erupted in New England in 1675, was, in proportion to population, the bloodiest in American history… Telling the story of what may have been the bitterest of American conflicts, and its reverberations over the centuries, Lepore has enabled us to see how the ways in which we remember past events are as important in their effect on our history as were the events themselves. – Penguin Random House

For details on how to attend this virtual meeting via Zoom, please contact director@natickhistoricalsociety.org
The Zoom link to the discussion will be sent at a later date.

Eyes on Owls: an Interactive Wildlife Program
2025-11-15 13:00 - 14:00 | First Congregational Church
Marcia and Mark Wilson have thrilled audiences of all ages with their live owl presentations for the past 30 years. It’s New England’s favorite wildlife program! This lively couple introduces you to 6 live owls up close and personal. Marcia brings the owls out one by one. Each bird is safely perched on her glove as she walks close to everyone, providing intimate views of these secretive birds of prey. And, everyone gets to practice the owls’ calls during the hooting lessons. The Wilsons highlight the owls’ unique adaptations, habitats and behaviors in the wild, while sharing tips on how you can look for owls yourself. Questions are welcomed. Recommended for ages 6+. Mark Wilson is the author of award-winning children’s books: Owling and The Snowy Owl Scientist.”Tickets:Tickets $7 from Eventbrite advance ticket sales only, fees applyFollow this link for ticket purchase.

Singing Back the Buffalo – a streaming documentary film
2025-11-17 09:30 - 17:00 | Bacon Free Library – 58 Eliot Street Natick, MA 01760 United States
Indigenous visionaries, scientists and communities are rematriating the buffalo to the heart of the North American plains they once defined, signaling a turning point for Indigenous nations, the ecosystem, and our collective survival.
This film is brought to you in collaboration with the Bacon Free Library and the Natick Historical Society.
Please register on the BFL website to view the film. You will receive the link to screen the film on November 17th. The link will be good through December 1st.

Virtual: Fact & Fiction: The Art of British Spycraft
2025-11-19 18:00 - 19:00 | Bacon Free Library – 58 Eliot Street Natick, MA 01760 United States
Delve into modern British spy novels and the real-life characters and circumstances that inspired countless plot twists with author, former UK resident, and Anglophile Claire Evans. In this program, Claire will recount her visit to Bletchley Park, the once top-secret hub of codebreakers vital to Allied intelligence during WWII.
This program will be held on Zoom. Please register on the Bacon Free Library website to receive the Zoom link via email.

VIRTUAL: Discussing “The Gilded Age Christmas Cookbook” with author Becky Libourel Diamond
2025-11-24 19:00 - 20:00 | Bacon Free Library
Have you ever tasted a sugar plum? You’ve likely heard of them–thanks to the famous holiday poem A Visit from St. Nicholas by Clement Clarke Moore–but do you know what a sugar plum is? You may be surprised to find out that they are not sugar-dusted plums (they are small, oval hard candies). This Gilded Age holiday sweet was pushed to the back of the pantry as America moved into the 20th century.
Join author Becky Libourel Diamond as she discusses her new book, The Gilded Age Christmas Cookbook: Cookies and Treats from America’s Golden Era, with all of the details that will go straight to your foodie heart. The Gilded Age Christmas Cookbook bridges the past and present, bringing back sugar plums and other confections not typically found in modern cookbooks, while revisiting some beloved favorites.
Please note that this is a discussion and NOT a cooking demo.
PLEASE REGISTER HERE FOR THE ZOOM LINK.

About the Book
With origins that date back to the 19th century and even earlier, the recipes in The Gilded Age Christmas Cookbook have been adapted for today’s ingredients and appliances, allowing cooks to recreate them in their own modern kitchens. Each recipe provides a colorful glimpse into the era, featuring the fascinating history behind each cookie, its ingredients, and its baking methods. There are also sidebars throughout, offering tidbits of Christmas lore of the era.
About the Author
A food writer, librarian, and historian, Becky Libourel Diamond has had a varied career combining writing and research. In The Thousand Dollar Dinner, Becky tells the unique story of a 19th century “Top Chef”-style competition between Philadelphia restauranteur James Parkinson and the Delmonico family of New York. In Mrs. Goodfellow: The Story of America’s First Cooking School, Becky offers a delicious profile of a successful 19th century pastry chef who also ran an innovative cooking school for young women.

VIRTUAL: The Impact of 500 Years of Colonialism on the Abenaki and Wabanki Tribes with Anne Jennison
2025-11-25 19:00 - 20:00 | Bacon Free Library
The “People of the Dawnland” (Abenaki/Wabanaki) of New Hampshire and the Northeast are the first Indigenous peoples in North America to have had contact with Europeans. In this presentation, Anne Jennison examines how European colonization of North America impacted generations of Abenaki/Wabanaki people and highlights the ways in which the Abenaki/Wabanaki peoples have acted as agents of their own change through education, self-advocacy, and efforts to revitalize their languages and traditional arts, as well as by working with archeologists, anthropologists, and scientists to recover and reveal more about their history and traditional knowledge.
This program is offered in collaboration with the Bacon Free Library, the Groton Public Library, and the Natick Historical Society.
PLEASE REGISTER HERE FOR THE ZOOM LINK.

About the Speaker
Anne Jennison is a traditional Native American storyteller and historian of European and Abenaki heritage. While Anne’s storytelling skills have been polished by more than 30 years of experience sharing Indigenous lesson stories with audiences of all kinds, she also believes that her growth and development as a human being has been deeply influenced by internalizing the content of the Northeastern lesson stories that she tells. With Master Degrees in both storytelling and history, Anne also brings a wealth of cultural and historical knowledge to enrich her retelling of timeless Northeast Woodlands Native American stories. Anne is listed on the New Hampshire Traditional Artists Roster as a traditional Native American storyteller & craftsperson and now also has two presentation programs available through the Humanities To Go, a program offered by NH Humanities.
Additionally, Anne is the current Vice Chair of the NH Commission on Native American Affairs and is also a member of the the Indigenous NH Collaborative Collective, an Affiliate Faculty member for the University of New Hampshire Native American and Indigenous Studies (NAIS) Minor, and a co-creator of the “People of the Dawnland” interpretive exhibit about the Abenaki/Wabanaki peoples at Strawbery Banke Museum in Portsmouth, NH. Anne continues to act as a consultant for the museum’s ongoing Abenaki Heritage Initiative — a plan to develop and sustain exhibits and events at Strawbery Banke Museum that focus on the history and culture of the Abenaki, Indigenous peoples of New Hampshire and the Northeast, both past and present.

RECORDING NOTE: This program will be recorded. All registrants will receive the recording via email within 48 hours of the program.

VIRTUAL: A Charles Dickens Christmas with Bill Thierfelder
2025-12-02 19:00 - 20:00 | Bacon Free Library
Charles Dickens has famously been called “The Man Who Invented Christmas.” Inspired by the writings of Washington Irving earlier in the 19th century, Dickens wrote five Christmas novellas between 1843 and 1848 and over a dozen short stories between 1852 and 1866. Each of these–including the perennial favorite A Christmas Carrol–helped to shape how the holiday season is celebrated in Britain and America. This program explores these wonderful flights of holiday fantasy and their lasting influence.
This program is offered in collaboration with the Bacon Free Library, the Groton Public Library, and the Natick Historical Society.
PLEASE REGISTER HERE FOR THE ZOOM LINK.

About the Speaker
Dr. Bill Thierfelder is a retired professor of arts and humanities, with a PhD in English literature, an MA in theology, and a BA in English with additional concentrations in music history and art. After teaching second grade for four years and high school seniors for six months as a replacement substitute, Bill spent the next 32 years teaching a variety of arts and humanities courses at several New York and Long Island universities and colleges, including St. John’s University, Hofstra University, and Dowling College.
Bill is currently docent emeritus at the American Museum of Natural History where he continues to give both Zoom and in-person presentations, work on special editing projects, and give tours. He also lectures regularly for libraries and educational organizations nationwide via Zoom. Bill’s classroom, library, and museum vocations have taught him that life is all about “making wings,” hence, the name of his website: Making Wings. Indeed, Bill’s philosophy–rooted in years of practical study and life experience–is simple: “The most important thing you can do is to make wings for yourself and fly to places that fulfill your potential, that allow you to develop your unique gifts, and that open you up to a world of possibilities.”

RECORDING NOTE: This program will be recorded. All registrants will receive the recording via email within 48 hours of the program.

VIRTUAL: Healthier Holidays with Empty Nest Kitchen
2025-12-09 19:00 - 20:00 | Bacon Free Library
Let’s explore delicious holiday dishes with a Mediterranean flair to incorporate into your celebrations. The Mediterranean diet, which has been linked to a multitude of health benefits, is rich in plant-based foods and oils, with a moderate amount of fish, poultry, and dairy foods.
This program is offered in collaboration with the Bacon Free Library and the Groton Public Library.
PLEASE REGISTER HERE FOR THE ZOOM LINK.

About the Presenter
Christine Van Bloem of Empty Nest Kitchen has been teaching cooking for a long, long time, and she is still excited to cook, teach, and share with you. After surviving a heart attack in 2020 and the loss of her brick & mortar cooking school business, Christine found new purpose cooking for her own empty nest.
Post heart attack, Christine has reformed her butter-loving, heavy cream worshipping ways by making changes to how she cooks–taking things in a healthier direction, without doing a complete 180 and still keeping things flavorful and delightful. The key here is healthier. Christine is not afraid of butter, but she now uses a touch instead of stick; a tablespoon or two of cream or half-and-half, not a cup; and so on. And now that her kids are grown and living on their own, Christine is re-learning how to cook for two and sharing that process along the way.
Christine is currently training in culinary nutrition with The American College of Culinary Medicine and has researched The Mediterranean Diet & Menopause for her capstone project.
RECORDING NOTE: This program will be recorded. All registrants will receive the recording via email within 48 hours of the program.

VIRTUAL: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – “The Man Behind the Music”
2025-12-15 19:00 - 20:00 | Bacon Free Library
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was the reigning god of classical music in Vienna during the mid-to-late 1700s. His life has been analyzed in books and even films, but little is known of the circumstances surrounding his untimely death. Take a glimpse into the world of one of music’s biggest heroes as we appreciate his genius and attempt to untangle the mystery.
Dan Lupo, creator of FiveMinuteMozart.com, a music education platform with over 2 million views and 20k+ subscribers, will present an incredible music education program chronicling the life and achievement of one of music history’s greatest composers. Dan’s program will consist of a spoken lecture as well as live piano performances.
This program is presented in collaboration with the Bacon Free Library and the Tewksbury Public Library.
Register directly on Zoom HERE.
RECORDING NOTE: This program will be recorded. All registrants will receive the recording via email within 48 hours of the program.

Virtual: Great American Unsung Heroes — Nikola Tesla
2025-12-17 19:00 - 20:00 | Bacon Free Library
Retired Massachusetts Superior Court Justice Dennis Curran is excited to continue his “Great American Unsung Heroes Who Changed The Course Of History” series.

This month, learn about Nikola Tesla. Called a genius by some, a madman by others, and an enigma by nearly everyone, Tesla was probably the greatest inventor the world has ever known. He was, without a doubt, a trail blazer who created astonishing, life-transforming devices. But he never received the credit he richly deserved.
It was Tesla, not Edison, who harnessed the alternating electric current (AC) we rely upon today. It was arguably Tesla – not Marconi – who invented the radio. And it was Tesla who introduced the fundamentals of computers, robotry, and missile science, which helped pave the way for satellites, microwaves, and lasers. Tesla remains one of the least recognized scientific pioneers and never earned the household name recognition of an Edison, Westinghouse, Marconi, or Einstein. He will get his proper due in this enlightening talk.
About the Speaker
Dennis J. Curran served as a Massachusetts judge for 16 years, including in the Superior Court from 2006 to 2018. Prior to his time on the bench, Curran worked as an Assistant District Attorney and First Assistant Legal Counsel to the Governor, in addition to private practice. A graduate of Boston Latin School, the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of Virginia School of Law, Curran has taught law at Tufts University, Roger Williams University School of Law, and Brown University.
This program is held in collaboration with the Bacon Free Library and the Tewksbury Public Library.
Register directly on Zoom HERE.
RECORDING NOTE: This program will be recorded. All registrants will receive the recording via email within 48 hours of the program.

Art Exhibit: Tom Doran: Ease Your Eyes
2025-12-18 08:00 - 17:00 | Bacon Free Library – 58 Eliot Street Natick, MA 01760 United States
Tom Doran creates his unique digital compositions by layering photography and previous artworks. Informed by years of jazz improvisation and the tactile nature of paper collage, his process embraces spontaneity and a pursuit of balance between order and disorder.
Come to the BFL to view his exhibit titled Ease Your Eyes, which will be on display from November 4th through January 28th. The same exhibit will be on display at TCAN in the Spring of 2026.

Virtual: Gorgeous Gardens of New England, part V
2026-01-07 18:00 - 19:00 | Bacon Free Library
Among the 10 gardens we’ll visit in this virtual tour are three on Mount Desert Island, Maine, each very different from each other, but all associated with the notable landscape architect Beatrix Farrand. Heading south, we’ll tour Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens and then make a quick stop at a flower-filled field in Brunswick, Maine. We’ll visit Weir Farm in Connecticut, a National Historic Site, and Buttrick Gardens in Concord, Massachusetts, which is part of the Minuteman National Historic Park. Adding to the roster of gardens in this presentation is Enders Island in Mystic, Connecticut. We’ll visit the John Hay Estate in Newbury, New Hampshire, and make the 15-minute drive to see the small but beautiful garden at the Tracy Memorial Library in New London.
A handout with a map and list of the featured gardens will be provided to attendees.
Register to receive the Zoom link

VIRTUAL: Love and Loss After Wounded Knee: A Biography of an Extraordinary Interracial Marriage
2026-01-07 19:00 - 20:00 | Bacon Free Library
In this program, author Julie Dobrow will discuss her new book, Love and Loss After Wounded Knee: A Biography of an Extraordinary Interracial Marriage. Like most star-crossed lovers, they came from vastly different worlds. Elaine Goodale, a white woman who grew up on a farm in the remotest part of the Berkshires, was a poet, writer and teacher who’d come to the Dakota Territory in 1884 to teach Native American children. Ohíye S’a, or Charles Alexander Eastman, was a Santee Sioux, born in Minnesota and one of the only Native Americans educated at Dartmouth College and Boston University Medical School. He’d come to Pine Ridge as a reservation physician. Elaine and Charles improbably met in December 1890, and more surprisingly, fell in love. And then the Wounded Knee Massacre happened, and changed everything.
This program is offered in collaboration with the Bacon Free Library and the Tewksbury Public Library.
Register to receive the Zoom link

History Book Club
2026-01-08 11:00 - 12:00 | Bacon Free Library
If you enjoy reading and talking about history, check out the history book club hosted by the Bacon Free Library and the Natick Historical Society. Each discussion, led by the director of the Natick Historical Society, is held over Zoom, so you can join from the comfort of your home.
Copies of each book (regular print, large print, & audio) are available to check out from the Bacon Free Library. Or you may order your own copy if you prefer to pick up at another library.

This month, join us for a virtual discussion of Into Siberia: George Kennan’s Epic Journey through the Brutal, Frozen Heart of Russia by Gregory Wallance.
According to The History Reader, “Into Siberia… is a thrilling work of history about George Kennan’s harrowing journey into Russia and the light it shone on some of history’s most heinous human rights abuses.”

For details on how to attend this virtual meeting via Zoom, please contact director@natickhistoricalsociety.org
The Zoom link to the discussion will be sent at a later date.

Virtual: In Conversation with Heather B. Moore, Author of “Julia”
2026-01-12 19:00 - 20:00 | Bacon Free Library
Join us for a conversation with author Heather B. Moore about her recent release, Julia: a novel inspired by the extraordinary life of Julia Child. We’ll chat with Heather about the book, her writing and research process, and if she found any surprises when researching the iconic Julia Child.
This program is offered in collaboration with the Bacon Free Library and the Ashland Public Library, and is sponsored by the Friends of the Ashland Public Library.
Registration to receive the Zoom link.
