SPONSORED POST: Have you given Wellesley a really good look lately? If not, take a gander. From one end of town to the other, there’s not only plenty to see right now, but with a roster of upcoming special events there’s plenty to do, too. It’s all part of the brand-new Wonderful Wellesley initiative, a multi-partner collaboration between the Wellesley Square Merchants’ Association; Linden Square Wellesley; Church Square Wellesley; the Town of Wellesley; and the Charles River Regional Chamber.

The kick-off event is Color Wellesley Wonderful. On Saturday, May 7, noon-3pm, stroll along Wellesley’s streets from Central to Church to Lower Washington to Wellesley Hills and over to Linden Square where you’ll discover talented sidewalk chalk artists interpreting the Wonderful Wellesley theme as live bands fill the air with music. Look for designated sidewalk areas for kids to join in the fun and create their own chalk drawings.

In short, Wonderful Wellesley celebrates the fresh breeze that’s blowing through town and opening up doors. One new restaurant already is serving customers (La Toscana in Wellesley Square), and seven more new eateries are under renovation: (Jejes Coffeehouse; Karma; Laughing Monk; Oath Pizza; Lockheart; along with two bakery/cafes— Tatte and Asaro). The few empty storefronts that are left are being snapped up by small businesses eager to take advantage of the town’s commitment to driving traffic to the area through recently eased licensing and permitting processes.

The long story goes deeper. The long story is about renewing a sense of community. It’s no secret that the past couple of years have been hard for everyone. Yes, Wonderful Wellesley is all about celebrations and fun and shopping and live music and eating. But there’s more to it that that. Organizers recognize that it’s not enough to hope that everyone gets out there and supports new businesses. It’s not enough to hope that those long-time, much-loved local businesses that form the very core of what makes Wellesley special will somehow manage to be OK. It can’t be emphasized enough—the long story is about renewing a sense of community through doing.

Come see what’s new, and be part of Wonderful Wellesley. Be sure to keep an eye on Wonderful Wellesley for the inside scoop about upcoming events. There’s going to be a lot going on.

Learn more about the Wonderful Wellesley Sweepstakes…

Enter to win a $100 gift card to your favorite Wellesley store, restaurant or service (i.e. fitness club, salon, etc.). Plus get valuable offers and news from Wonderful Wellesley.