Author: Amber Morris

  • Inside the new Arlington High, students and faculty reflect on their school

    Amber Morris and Mila Sandstedt

    • For Arlington High School students and faculty, the transition from the old buildings to the new one was a matter of quality of life and learning.
      “It felt a lot more welcoming,” said Asra Nourollahi, an Arlington High junior. “I was just more excited to go to school.”
      The old buildings were falling apart, said Ed Foley, a longtime language teacher at Arlington High. Plaster was coming off the walls, floors looked dirty, and at times it was an uncomfortable learning environment, he said.
      “The shades didn’t really work, so in the spring the sun would come pouring in in the afternoon, turning the class into a furnace,” Foley said. New air conditioning units in the old building would regularly blow fuses, shutting down power in classrooms, he said.
      Arlington’s new $290 million school and athletic fields officially opened in October after more than five years of phased construction. Students could remain in class while new portions were built and the old school, built in 1914, was gradually demolished.
      State funding covered $84.7 million of the cost, and Arlington voters approved a tax increase in 2019 to help pay for the rest.
      “One year, before December 1, the heating didn’t work,” said Liza Basso, who has been teaching English at Arlington High for seven years. “And after they got it to work the room was constantly 85 degrees. You couldn’t even wear a sweater.”
      The technology in the old building was rapidly becoming outdated, and teachers struggled to incorporate new online learning practices into the classroom.
      “We had to use a yardstick to reach the projector in the ceiling,” Basso said. “Half the time it didn’t even work which got very frustrating,” she said.
      “I had an old projector on a rolling cart which was always overheating,” Foley said. “There were always a hundred cables coming out of it and they were all over the floor getting in your way,” he said.
      The new building features modern technology like electronic boards, making learning more engaging and efficient, said Indigo Blankespoor, a senior and student council president.
      “The ViewBoard is great. I’ve got no cables besides the one to connect to my computer,” Foley said. “There are lots of new ways I can teach lessons, so that is a nice change, and now I don’t have to worry about the technology causing issues.”
      When students returned to school after the pandemic shutdown, the construction of the new building introduced a new set of challenges to teachers and students.
      “One day I had students presenting and they were doing construction right outside the window which was causing the whole room to literally shake,” Basso said. “It made getting through the presentations really difficult.”
      An overcrowded narrow hallway that students called the connector funneled students between the old and new sections during construction. Nourollahi said this would often make her late to class.
      Now that the full building is open, Nourollahi said the positives far outweigh the early challenges.
      As the class vice president since freshman year, Nourollahi noticed that the larger and more flexible spaces made it easier for student government to function.
      The class council now holds its meeting in the open library, intentionally positioning themselves where students naturally pass through.
      “People can overhear us, and that’s kind of our intention,” Nourollahi said. Even if students don’t have time to join the meeting, they still hear what’s being discussed, she said.
      Nourollahi participates in orchestra, and for her, the biggest improvement was the larger rehearsal space, more practice rooms and expanded storage space. “If you enjoy something, now there’s space to do it,” she said.
      “I noticed more people were coming to different clubs,” Nourollahi said. She has seen a surge in participation and enthusiasm.
      For senior Anthony Sciaraffa, a new high school didn’t just improve the facilities, it helped him rekindle his love for drawing and painting. The new art studios are equipped with adequate materials and setup providing students with everything they need, Sciaraffa said.
      But something important was lost, Sciaraffa said. “The art in the new building could never compare to the art that was in the old one,” he said.
      The original high school was filled with student murals and creative pieces over the decades. Now, most of the walls are clean, bright white, with academic wings marked by simple blocks of color — reds and oranges in the humanities wing, blues and purples in the STEAM.
      “I’m surprised when I talk to students about the old building, a lot of them feel sentimental about it. They think it had character,” Foley said.
      “It’s lacking some of the life that the old building had. But I think with time and many more classes, it’ll gain that old building charm again,” Sciaraffa said.
      Despite the modern building lacking in nostalgia, it makes up for it in performance, Foley said. “I’m much happier in this room. It’s clean, I’ve got heat, I’ve got light, the shades work, and I have a great view.”
      All photos are by AHS intern Eli Choi.

    • This story, published Dec. 15, 2025, is part of a partnership between Your Arlington and the Boston University Department of Journalism. Mila Sandstedt, a senior at Arlington High School, is a YourArlington intern.

  • Inside the new Arlington High, students and faculty reflect on their school

    Amber Morris

    For Arlington High School students and faculty, the transition from the old buildings to the new one was a matter of quality of life and learning.


    “It felt a lot more welcoming,” said Asra Nourollahi, an Arlington High junior. “I was just more excited to go to school.”


    The old buildings were falling apart, said Ed Foley, a longtime language teacher at Arlington High. Plaster was coming off the walls, floors looked dirty, and at times it was an uncomfortable learning environment, he said.


    “The shades didn’t really work, so in the spring the sun would come pouring in in the afternoon, turning the class into a furnace,” Foley said. New air conditioning units in the old building would regularly blow fuses, shutting down power in classrooms, he said.


    Arlington’s new $290 million school and athletic fields officially opened in October after more than five years of phased construction. Students could remain in class while new portions were built and the old school, built in 1914, was gradually demolished.


    State funding covered $84.7 million of the cost, and Arlington voters approved a tax increase in 2019 to help pay for the rest.


    “One year, before December 1, the heating didn’t work,” said Liza Basso, who has been teaching English at Arlington High for seven years. “And after they got it to work the room was constantly 85 degrees. You couldn’t even wear a sweater.”


    The technology in the old building was rapidly becoming outdated, and teachers struggled to incorporate new online learning practices into the classroom.


    “We had to use a yardstick to reach the projector in the ceiling,” Basso said. “Half the time it didn’t even work which got very frustrating,” she said.


    “I had an old projector on a rolling cart which was always overheating,” Foley said. “There were always a hundred cables coming out of it and they were all over the floor getting in your way,” he said.


    The new building features modern technology like electronic boards, making learning more engaging and efficient, said Indigo Blankespoor, a senior and student council president.


    “The ViewBoard is great. I’ve got no cables besides the one to connect to my computer,” Foley said. “There are lots of new ways I can teach lessons, so that is a nice change, and now I don’t have to worry about the technology causing issues.”


    When students returned to school after the pandemic shutdown, the construction of the new building introduced a new set of challenges to teachers and students.


    “One day I had students presenting and they were doing construction right outside the window which was causing the whole room to literally shake,” Basso said. “It made getting through the presentations really difficult.”


    An overcrowded narrow hallway that students called the connector funneled students between the old and new sections during construction. Nourollahi said this would often make her late to class.


    Now that the full building is open, Nourollahi said the positives far outweigh the early challenges.


    As the class vice president since freshman year, Nourollahi noticed that the larger and more flexible spaces made it easier for student government to function.


    The class council now holds its meeting in the open library, intentionally positioning themselves where students naturally pass through.


    “People can overhear us, and that’s kind of our intention,” Nourollahi said. Even if students don’t have time to join the meeting, they still hear what’s being discussed, she said.


    Nourollahi participates in orchestra, and for her, the biggest improvement was the larger rehearsal space, more practice rooms and expanded storage space. “If you enjoy something, now there’s space to do it,” she said.


    “I noticed more people were coming to different clubs,” Nourollahi said. She has seen a surge in participation and enthusiasm.


    For senior Anthony Sciaraffa, a new high school didn’t just improve the facilities, it helped him rekindle his love for drawing and painting. The new art studios are equipped with adequate materials and setup providing students with everything they need, Sciaraffa said.


    But something important was lost, Sciaraffa said. “The art in the new building could never compare to the art that was in the old one,” he said.


    The original high school was filled with student murals and creative pieces over the decades. Now, most of the walls are clean, bright white, with academic wings marked by simple blocks of color — reds and oranges in the humanities wing, blues and purples in the STEAM.


    “I’m surprised when I talk to students about the old building, a lot of them feel sentimental about it. They think it had character,” Foley said.


    “It’s lacking some of the life that the old building had. But I think with time and many more classes, it’ll gain that old building charm again,” Sciaraffa said.


    Despite the modern building lacking in nostalgia, it makes up for it in performance, Foley said. “I’m much happier in this room. It’s clean, I’ve got heat, I’ve got light, the shades work, and I have a great view.”

  • Arlington among few districts to exceed pre-pandemic MCAS scores

    Arlington is one of only 13 school districts in Massachusetts where elementary and middle school students’ 2025 MCAS scores matched or exceeded pre-pandemic levels.


    Four Arlington schools — Bishop, Dallin, Peirce and Ottoson — ranked in the top 10 percent statewide. Dallin Elementary was named a Massachusetts School of Recognition by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for its strong academic growth and achievement.


    “We have been really explicit and purposeful about our plan for improving academic outcomes for all of our students,” said Liz Homan, superintendent of Arlington Public Schools.


    Across the state, MCAS proficiency rates have largely plateaued since 2019, according to state data. Across Massachusetts in 2025, 42 percent of students in grades 3 through 8 met or exceeded expectations in English language arts, and 41 percent did so in math.


    Arlington continues to outperform those averages. This year, 71 percent of Arlington students in grades 3 through 8 met or exceeded expectations in English language arts, and 69 percent did so in math — roughly in line with the district’s 2019 performance.


    At the high school level, Arlington’s scores have remained steady as well. In grade 10, 80 percent to 81 percent of students have met or exceeded expectations in English language arts each year from 2019 to 2025. Math proficiency hit 81 percent, an increase of 1 percentage point from 2019.


    Arlington was one of six Greater Boston districts or schools to match or exceed pre-pandemic levels, along with Wakefield, Cohasset, Cambridge’s Benjamin Banneker Charter Public School, Everett’s Pioneer Charter School of Science, and Boston’s Excel Academy.


    Arlington’s progress aligns with its 2024 to 2030 strategic plan, which outlines priorities for student learning, staff development and community engagement.


    The plan was developed with community input and supported by a 2023 Proposition 2½ override, a voter-approved increase in property tax revenue that provides additional funds for schools, municipal services and other priorities.


    This ensures Arlington has equity and excellence for all students, valuing educators, improving school infrastructure and strengthening partnerships that support long-term success, Homan said.


    APS identified four groups whose voices haven’t always been heard — English language learners, students with disabilities, low-income students and high-need students.


    “For those groups we’ve tried to take a holistic approach to identify the challenge impacting achievement and remove the barriers to achievement that exist for those groups,” Homan said.


    This means expanding access to advanced courses and extracurriculars or adding more instructional support and special education resources, she said. “What this year’s MCAS results show is that we are making good on that promise with the resources that taxpayers have allocated to the schools,” Homan said.


    During the 2024-25 academic year, APS implemented a contract that included a 3.7 percent salary increase for teachers.


    “We used those resources to deliver on the promises that were in the strategic plan, and those included improved pay for educators which enables us to hire more competitive teachers,” Homan said. “The single biggest indicator of performance for kids is the quality of the educator in front of them.”


    Since 2020, Arlington Public Schools’ total full-time equivalent staffing — which includes teachers, paraprofessionals, administrators and specialists — has risen from 799 to 953, a 19 percent increase, according to state data. The district’s growth has been driven largely by the hiring of special educators and instructional experts to better meet diverse student needs, Homan said.


    The number of teachers also grew from 439 in 2020 to 484 in 2025, though data for the current year is incomplete.


    Prior to the 2024 pay increase, APS tightened its hiring processes and worked with more professionally licensed candidates, requiring multiple rounds of interviews and a demo lesson. Growth is driven largely by the hiring of specialized educators and instructional experts to better meet diverse student needs.

    The district has improved classrooms with new furniture and updated technology to support learning.


    “We’ve done a big curriculum rollout in literacy at the elementary level, and we’ve dedicated a lot of resources to training our teachers on that,” Homan said.


    In 2024, Massachusetts voters elected to eliminate the MCAS exam as a standard graduation requirement for Massachusetts students. Though it’s no longer a graduation requirement, the MCAS test remains part of the district’s accountability system, measuring student progress, graduation rates and other metrics.


    Arlington has replaced the MCAS graduation requirement with a coursework-based system, where students demonstrate competency through their performance in class rather than a standardized test. This approach evaluates students across assignments, projects and assessments throughout the year.

    School Committee member Paul Schlichtman endorsed voting yes on the MCAS graduation ballot question. “We can remove an outdated testing requirement that blocks students from receiving a diploma they rightfully deserve, and your YES vote can correct that injustice,” Schlichtman, who was then the committee chair, wrote in a 2024 X post.

    This story, published on Nov. 7, 2025, is part of a partnership between Your Arlington and the Boston University Department of Journalism.

  • Residents weigh in on priorities for Arlington’s next comprehensive plan

    Amber Morris and Paige Albright

    About 50 residents gathered Thursday night to offer opinions about housing, economic development and other issues as town leaders shape Arlington’s new comprehensive plan, which will serve as a roadmap for the next decade.

    The workshop, held in the Arlington High School cafeteria, was led by the Department of Planning and Community Development and consultants from Stantec, a global design and planning firm that specializes in sustainable development and community planning.

    The comprehensive plan, called AmpUp!, will inform town budgeting and decision-making while measuring progress over time. “This is a plan for the community, by the community,” said Claire Ricker, the director of town planning and community development.

    Residents weighed in on major focus areas like housing, transportation, open space and economic development. Poster boards lined the walls, and attendees used stickers to rank which topics they felt deserved the most attention. Here are three that stood out as top priorities.

    Housing

    Housing in Arlington topped both the community survey results and poster board activity. With prices continuing to climb, many attendees said affordability must be at the center of the new plan.

    “I have nine people in my office. I only have one person who lives in town, and nobody can afford it,” Ricker said. “It’s just that expensive. Even folks who work here are struggling with affordability.”

    The key question, said Redevelopment Board member Stephen Revilak, is whether the town will increase zoning that allows for more multifamily housing. Currently, 58 percent of Arlington’s land is zoned only for single-family homes, according to Stantec data.

    Arlington hopes to be inclusive and address historic issues affecting the affordability crisis, Revilak said, adding that the comprehensive plan must prioritize the issue.

    “I’m interested in living in a diverse community,” said Gabrielle Bromberg, 36, an Arlington resident and doctor. “There are a lot of suburbs around Boston that are historically redlined to not be diverse. I’m interested in changing that so my kids can grow up in a place where not everybody looks like them.”

    Economic development

    Economic development was another key theme of the night and one that town officials admitted was underemphasized in Arlington’s 2015 master plan.

    “The 2015 plan was weak on economic development,” Ricker said, noting that the community has indicated that it wants the new plan to strengthen local businesses and diversify the town’s commercial base.

    Stantec’s team shared data gathered from their surveys from last spring and summer that had been shared with the community. Response indicated a high demand for increasing, improving and maximizing economic opportunities.

    Stantec principal and urban planner Steve Kearney said community voices are at the core of the team’s planning. Stantec has implemented a different approach than what was seen in 2015 by further connecting within the community.

    Kearney said the team is developing strategies to reach all members of the community by making themselves more accessible by attending local events like farmers’ markets and town day. Stantec is trying to meet people where they are, rather than waiting for the community to come to them, Kearney said.

    Natural resources and open space

    Open space and recreation was ranked the second most important topic by respondents in a Stantec survey. Some residents discussed protecting green areas, improving access to parks and trails, and preparing for the impacts of climate change.

    Ann LeRoyer, the only member from the 2015 master plan implementation committee serving on the new advisory committee, said she reapplied to help ensure continuity in areas beyond the headline issues of housing and economic development.

    “I wanted to be sure that there was some continuity, advocating for those areas, because I knew that housing, business development and transportation would be covered,” LeRoyer said. “I just wanted to be a voice for people who cared about these other topics and to ensure everything is built in a sustainable, thoughtful way.”

    The use of native plants and increased tree canopy to reduce urban heat islands and decrease stormwater runoff will continue to be implemented through the open space and recreation 2022 plan.

    “I am passionate about thinking about how we can work towards climate goals as a town,” said Sarah Gignoux, an Arlington resident and professor at University of Massachusetts Lowell, “even as the federal government is abandoning its work there.”

    This story, originally published Oct. 31, 2025, is part of a partnership between YourArlington and the Boston University Department of Journalism.

  • As Arlington drafts a new comprehensive plan, some 2015 goals remain unfulfilled or ongoing

    By Amber Morris

    In 2015, Arlington released a master plan to serve as a roadmap for the town’s future, outlining where and how it would grow, what it should protect, and what steps would turn community values into policy.

    The plan, “Your Town, Your Future,” listed eight major elements — land use, housing, economic development, natural and cultural resources, open space and recreation, services and facilities, transportation and circulation, and an implementation plan. While several have seen significant progress, some remain incomplete, delayed or ongoing a decade later.

    “There is always more to do, and that is why we have a process every 10 years to get input from the community to refine and prioritize our efforts for the next 10 years,” said Joan Roman, Arlington’s public information officer.

    As the town works on a new comprehensive plan, “AmpUp!,” here are four areas outlined in the 2015 master plan that remain incomplete or ongoing.

    Open space and recreation

    Along with the master plan, the town produced an action plan outlining open space and recreation priorities for 2015 to 2022. That and other public documents listed parcels the town hoped to buy and trails it wanted to build and connect. But many of those projects require funding or land access, so some remain unfinished or not completed.

    Because open space and trail projects depend on timing and available land, unfinished acquisitions and missing links mean some opportunities the master plan envisioned may no  longer be possible.

    “There was an attempt by the town to acquire the Mugar property, and that did not happen,” said Greg Dennis, 45, a town meeting member and software engineer.

    The Mugar property, between the Alewife Brook Reservation and Thorndike Field, was the largest privately owned underdeveloped tract in the town consisting of mostly open, wooded and wetland areas, according to the 2015 master plan.

    The East Arlington property was sold to developers before the town was able to make a solid effort to fund the acquisition. Developers proposed an affordable housing project called Thorndike Place but faced challenges over flooding, traffic and environmental concerns since much of the site lies in the floodplain and wetland area. The property remains vacant.

    Land and economic development

    Arlington’s 2015 master plan recommended recodifying and updating the zoning bylaw to align it with the plan’s goals. Arlington completed a full recodification of the zoning bylaw that was adopted at a town meeting in February 2018 to clean up and reorganize it.

    Since then, the town has continued to pass amendments such as mixed-use development zoning, an accessory dwelling units proposal and MBTA communities multifamily zoning compliance measures, while hosting zoning workshops.

    Arlington has partially implemented the master plan’s mixed-use zoning vision but fell short of the scale and reach originally contemplated. These mixed-use proposals have been debated case by case with pushback around scale, traffic and neighborhood compatibility.

    There has not been broad rezoning to allow mixed uses in new corridors like Broadway Plaza or East Arlington.

    “We fell a little bit short in terms of the amount of mixed use zoning the plan contemplated we’d have,” Dennis said.

    Several action items such as allowing more multifamily housing without special permits, updating industrial zoning and creating affordable housing overlay districts remain active and unresolved.

    “We haven’t zoned for enough multifamily housing,” Dennis said.

    Historic and cultural resources

    Arlington published a Historic Preservation Survey Master Plan in April 2019 that builds on the master plan’s recommendations. The survey itself notes that many recommendations are contingent on resources. Documents show at least one component — a town-owned historic property survey component for Arlington High School — was determined not to be a priority.

    The 2015 master plan called for strengthening the historic resources inventory and demolition review. While the public survey is progress, it shows some tasks remained unfunded or deprioritized.

    “Of course we would love it to all happen, but it’s a vision document, so when opportunities come up, we can move because we know what the community wants,” Roman said.

    Transportation and pedestrian/bicycle improvements

    The 2015 master plan includes pedestrian, bicycle and transit recommendations to improve safety, including a call for more sidewalks and bike paths. While improvements have been steady, there’s ongoing community discussion calling for continued investment in traffic calming and walkability.

    “There’s never quite enough money on hand to do all the things you want,” said Adam Lane, 54, a town meeting member who works as a library assistant.

    The town has upgraded some sidewalks and crossings through its Complete Streets program, but there are still stretches of road without continued sidewalks, and traffic-calming projects mentioned in the plan remain on Arlington’s not-ready-for-construction list.

    “There’s a lot of focus on the Appleton Street intersection with Massachusetts Avenue and the accidents that have happened there,” Dennis said.

    A design review process for that intersection was launched after the 2020 death of a bicyclist who was struck by a driver. The town posted a project update in May 2024 releasing the final design and in October 2024 announced it was awarded a grant, but construction hasn’t begun.

    Larger initiatives such as the Mystic River path connection to the Minuteman Bikeway are still in design and funding stages after years of feasibility work and coordination with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and Department of Conservation & Recreation.

    There is a meeting scheduled for tonight, Thursday, Oct. 30, on the plan. From the town’s website: Arlington’s consultant, Stantec, will lead an interactive community meeting to update residents on the planning process. This is a great opportunity to learn more about the Comprehensive Plan update, ask questions, and let us know your thoughts and ideas. The workshop will be held Oct. 30, 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Arlington High School Cafeteria, 869 Mass. Ave. A virtual option is also available. For more information on Arlington’s Comprehensive Plan Update, please visit ArlingtonMA.gov/CompPlan. 

    This story, originally published Oct. 30, 2025, is part of a partnership between Your Arlington and the Boston University Department of Journalism.

  • Riders back on route as MBTA revives 76 bus

    By Amber Morris

    The 76 bus turned into Alewife Station just after 9:30 a.m.


    The route – from Alewife in Cambridge, through southern Arlington, to Lincoln Laboratory in Lexington – had been shut down for more than five years. It’s been a quiet comeback. Only five riders boarded on this particular morning.


    The MBTA canceled the route during the pandemic, when ridership plummeted, then combined it with route 62. In late August, the 62 and 76 routes became separate buses again. The MBTA Route 76 bus runs on weekdays with service frequency varying throughout the day. During peak hours (7 a.m. to 9 a.m.), the 76 runs every 30 minutes, and during off-peak hours, it runs every 90 minutes, according to the MBTA. The 76 does not run on weekends, but the 62 now does. 


    Some riders said the change gives them more flexibility.


    “I like that I have a lot of options here,” said Andi Vasquez, who lives in Arlington. “I don’t feel confined or stuck.”


    Vasquez had waited for either the 76 or 62 to arrive because both routes stop on Massachusetts Avenue in Lexington.


    “I’m lucky enough to have a backup route and two buses that go to the destination I need,” Vasquez said.

    The 62 bus, which goes to Bedford VA Hospital, overlaps with the 76 bus route through Arlington and Lexington, giving Vasquez two bus options.


    Routes 62 and 76 had a combined total of about 1,150 daily customers in the first week of September, said Maya Bingaman, the MBTA communications manager. This was a 12 percent increase over the same period in 2024, she said.


    During the 9 a.m. commute, the 76 bus left Alewife with five riders scattered across the rows. The 5 p.m. commute was busier, with double that number heading toward Lexington and Arlington.


    “Some passengers liked the combo, and some didn’t, because when it was a combo it missed some people’s stops,” said bus driver Kevin Brandenburg. When the routes were combined, some riders lost direct service or had longer walks and transfers to reach their usual stops.


    “The commute feels shorter with the demerge,” Vasquez said. Riders on the 62 bus who want to go to the hospital now have a more direct route without having to stop at Hanscom Field or MIT Lincoln Laboratory.


    “I can’t say I was hugely impacted,” said Marc Hofner, an Arlington resident who takes the 62 or 76 regularly as a software engineer for Google in Cambridge. It wasn’t a busy route during the 62/76 merge, Hofner said.


    At 5:25 p.m., four Lincoln Lab employees boarded the 76 bus to head inbound toward Alewife.


    “During the merge the bus didn’t go into the Lincoln Lab parking lot, and now it does with the demerge, so I’d say that’s a positive,” said Alex Leven, who boarded the bus after his workday at the lab.


    When the 76 bus stops at Hanscom Field it’s an inconvenience, Leven said. Within two years Leven has seen about two people get on or off at Hanscom Field, he said.


    The separation of routes 62 and 76 is part of the MBTA’s broader Better Bus Project, a long-term plan aimed at simplifying routes, increasing frequency and expanding weekend service.


    “Ahead of every bus change, the team does ample outreach to ensure the public is knowledgeable about the changes and has the opportunity to give feedback,” Bingaman said.

    This story, originally published on Oct. 15, 2025, is part of a partnership between Your Arlington and the Boston University Department of Journalism.

  • Jug band festival brings 1920s music on homemade instruments back to Arlington

    By Amber Morris and Paige Albright

    Hundreds of people of all ages gathered and danced Saturday on the lawn of the Jason Russell House, home to the Arlington Historical Society, as musicians played 1920s, ’30s and modern jug band music on handmade instruments.

    The Great Northeast Jug Band Festival featured regional bands including Miss Maybell & Her Ragtime Romeos and the All New Genetically Altered Jug Band. Event organizers said attendance has increased since the event debuted in 2019, even if many people in the crowd had never listened to jug band music before.

    Jug band music emerged in the 1920s in southern African-American communities as a mixed genre of blues and folk with a unique sound. People used household items, such as washboards, spoons and empty jugs, to create music with a raspy, whizzy, jiggling flair. This enabled listeners to join in, as the only barrier to becoming a musician was the creativity to make your own instrument.

    “Jazzy, bluesy, homemade,” is how Michael Buonaiuto, an organizer of the festival, described jug music. Buonaiuto is part of the Jug Nuts, a local jug band that played. 

    Among the spectators was Jim Kweskin, whose jug band played a significant role in the folk and blues revival of the 1960s.

    “Jug band music is such fun,” Kweskin said. “Even if the band isn’t the greatest, it’s still fun. It’s what it’s all about.”

    Amy Kucharik & Friends With Benefits performed original songs and covers. Kucharik got her first taste of jug music through Kweskin’s work. She said she was initially drawn to blues and swing but gravitated to jug music because of its accessibility and authenticity. Someone doesn’t have to have years of experience on an instrument to have a jug jam, she said.

    “I think it’s cool because it’s such an approachable type of music,” Kucharik said. “The whole idea is that you’re just playing whatever instruments you have available to you. The best thing about it is it just gives people a chance to express what’s in their hearts and minds through music.”

    A makers’ tent at the festival showcased instrument craftsmen. Many of the instruments on display and for sale were made from household items such as a canoe paddle or an old shoe.

    Arlington resident Stanley Wolf makes ukuleles from cigar boxes. While his instruments look and sound professional, he said, they are actually affordable and simple.

    Wolf has played various instruments his entire life. He got his start in instrument making after seeing a blues band at the Regent Theater. He was inspired by the history of these makeshift instruments.

    In retirement, Wolf has taught groups of middle school students how to make cigar box ukuleles as part of an after-school program.

    Jug music is defined by its homemade nature. The sounds are one of a kind, Kweskin said, and when they’re mixed with its roots in blues and swing, many people find the energy contagious.

    “You can’t not smile when you play the bones,” said Stephen Brown, who’s been making bovine bone musical instruments for over 35 years. The instruments are crafted from bones of cattle and can be found across different cultures and eras, Brown said. Brown has lectured about rhythm bone playing and the history of it at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

    Diane Connor of Arlington listened to jug music live Saturday for the first time since the 1960s. Connor’s husband had made his own instrument with a broom and guitar strings.

    “Jug band was a fun thing when I was growing up, and I was looking for any excuse to be outside today,” Connor said.

    Residents from neighboring towns also attended the festival. “I’ve been listening to jug bands for a while now, but this is my first time hearing it in-person,” said Bob Parsons of Boxborough. As a fan of blues, he was introduced to jug music on YouTube.People who want more jug band music can find it in the back room at Arlington’s Donut Villa, which hosts a jug band jam on the second Tuesday of almost every month where the Jug Nuts perform. The event has grown in popularity, with around 60 people at the September jam.

    This article was originally published on September 29, 2025.