Wellesley’s Wonderful Weekend, organized and funded by the Wellesley Celebrations Committee, is ready to bring the excitement during the town’s largest community gathering of the year. This two-day event takes place on May 20 and 21, and includes events and activities for all ages.
Don’t skip breakfast on Sat., May 20
Remember to start everything out with the most important meal of the weekend—the Pancake Breakfast, on Sat., May 20, 8am-1pm, at Wellesley High School, 50 Rice St.
Gluten free, waffles and pancakes are available as an option and there will be bountiful chocolate chips for toppings at this all-you-can-eat family fun event with the prices that haven’t gone up in years. $10 if you’re 14 or older, and five dollars if you’re 13 and under.
Have a cool car? Help out
This year, the Annual Wellesley Veterans Parade theme is “Birth of Our Nation: Celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party.”
Wellesley’s Wonderful Weekend—what’s new in 2023
Encampment location change: The encampment is usually on the grounds in front of Wellesley Town Hall. That’s not happening due to construction of the historic building. Instead the 18th century military encampment will take place at Morton Park Field. There will be tours all day on Saturday and a cannon firing hourly 11am-4pm near the Wellsley PD, 485 Washington St.
Catch Connect: This year, free transportation on Saturday, May 20 will be provided by the MWRTA Catch Connect from 10:00 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. to the many Wellesley Wonderful Weekend venues (e.g. Touch a Truck event, Wellesley Police and Fire Department open houses, Art in the Park and other events). Riders over 12 years of age can ride unaccompanied.
If you would like to use this service on Saturday, please email info@sustainableWellesley.com. In your email, make sure to share that you/family/friends would like to try Catch Connect so we can accommodate your travel plans.
Climate Action Passport:
- Grab a passport at the Library, Free Eye Exam/Eyeglass donation event at Wellesley High School, Touch a Truck, or the Wellesley Police Department or Municipal Light Plant open houses.
- Get your passport stamped at Wellesley’s Wonderful Weekend climate action events.
- Show your passport at the Climate Action table at the WWW picnic (Hunnewell Field) on Sunday, May 21 from 4:30 p.m. to dusk. All stamped passports will be entered into a drawing to win a $200 bike shop gift certificate.
Wellesley’s Wonderful Weekend schedule, Sat., May 20
Saturday, May 20: 18th century military encampment at Morton Park Field—The Royal Irish Artillery Division and 26th Yankee Division. Tours all day on Saturday. Canon firing Saturday, 11am-4pm, on the hour, nearby Wellesley Police Station, 485 Washington St.
8am-1pm: Pancake Festival at Wellesley High School, 50 Rice St., Wellesley Kiwanis Club. Wellesley Key Club (slight cost)
8am-1pm: Free Eye Exams at the Wellesley High School, 50 Rice Street, Wellesley Lions Club
9am-10am: Morses Pond Trail Guided Walk, Wellesley Trails Committee, Meet at town beach access road gate, end of Turner Rd.
9am-10:30am: Walking Tour of Wellesley Hills Square with Wellesley Historical Society. Meet at the Tollhouse, 229 Washington St.
10am-noon: Bike Safety Rodeo, for children under twelve. With Wellesley Police and Wellesley Kiwanis, Tailby Parking Lot, Linden and Crest Roads.
9am-noon: Touch a Truck Open House at Wellesley Department of Public Works, 20 Municipal Way (off Rt 9)
11am-3pm–Open House at Wellesley Municipal Light Plant, 4 Municipal Way (off Rt. 9)
11am-3pm: Open House at Wellesley Police Station, 485 Washington Street
11am-to 3pm–Open House at Wellesley Main Fire Station #2
Noon-3pm: Open House at Tolles Parsons Center, 500 Washington Street
11am-3pm–Open House at Wellesley Historical Society, Stanwood House, 323 Washington Street
(Rescheduled until fall due to expected rain) Noon-2:30pm: Art in the Park, Wellesley Community Art Project & Wellesley Women Artisans – Simons Park (corner of Washington and Brook Streets, left of Main Library)
1pm-3pm: Pups in the Park, Rotary Club of Wellesley, Friends of Wellesley Veterans, Inc., and Wellesley Celebrations Committee, Hunnewell Field
1pm-3pm: Build Your Own Nancy’s Troll and Fairy House event (for elementary school kids), in memory of Nancy Bagdasarian. At Pickle Point on Morses Pond. Wellesley Conservation Land Trust, Crosstown Trail. Parking area opposite 49 Russell Rd.
(Canceled due to expected rain: limited showing of the artwork will happen during Sunday’s picnic instead) 10am-4pm: The Wellesley Society of Artists is pleased to present “Celebrating 90 Years of Art and the Next Generation of Artists”, featuring the artwork of 30 WSA member artists on display at Simons Park (corner of Washington & Brook Street, left of Main Library).
4pm–dusk: Paint the Town–Plein Air Painting event, Wellesley Society of Artists and Page Waterman Gallery, Town Hall grounds, corner of Washington and Grove Streets, Wellesley Square.
4pm: Veterans Ecumenical Memorial Mass at Saint Paul Church, 502 Washington Street, Wellesley Veterans Council
Wellesley’s Wonderful Weekend schedule, Sun., May 21
8am-10am: Guided Bird Walk at Morses Pond, Wellesley Conservation Land Trust. Park on wooded side of Turner Rd. Meet at Turner Road Gate.
8am: Wonder Run 5K Race* (small fee charged) 9am: Kids Fun Run* (small fee charged), Wellesley Hills Junior Women’s Club, Wellesley High School, 50 Rice Street. Register here.
A Lexington Minuteman re-enactor will fire a musket shot to start the race of the 9th annual Wonder Run 5K & Kids Fun Run
9:30am-2pm: Antique Car Show, Wheels of Wellesley X, on Central Street, from Juniper Restaurant to Fire Station 1. Organized by the Modifiers Car Club and the Wellesley Celebrations Committee
1pm-3pm: 55th Annual Wellesley Veterans Parade. 2023 Theme: Birth of Our Nation: Celebrating the 25oth Anniversary of the Boston Tea Party—1773-2023. Route along Washington St. (Route 16) through to Central St. in Wellesley Square. Reviewing Stand in front of Wellesley Village Church. Wellesley Celebrations Committee
4:30pm-dusk: Picnic in the Park at Hunnewell Field. Food, drinks, kids’ rides, crafts, games, ponies, & other fun. (small charge for food, drinks, and some activities.
6pm: Concert for Wellesley at Hunnewell Field. Featuring music by The Reminisants, and a musical theatrical performance by Wellesley Theatre Project Wellesley Theatre Project
Dusk: Fireworks – The Biggest and the Best! At Hunnewell Field. Sponsors: Roche Bros./Sudbury Farms and Needham Bank
Please support the Celebrations Committee with a donation. Those fireworks (and so much more) are free to all revelers, but not to the organizers!
Donations can be sent by check made payable to Friends of Wellesley Veterans, Inc. and sent to Friends of Wellesley Veterans, Inc. P.O. Box 812202, Wellesley, MA 02482-0015 or by visiting wellesleywonderfulweekend.com/
Why would you hold this on the same weekend as Wellesley College graduation??
Great question, Candi. Wellesley’s Wonderful Weekend, barring weather events or pandemic, has been held for the past 25 years on the 3rd weekend in May. Wellesley College’s graduation is more of a moving target. Sometimes the College schedules graduation for the last Friday in May. Sometimes the first Friday in June. This is the first time in at least a decade that the two events have coincided. The better question may be why did Wellesley College schedule graduation the same weekend as Wellesley’s Wonderful Weekend?