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September 2026

Last month's CSCA-hosted presentation of Cotuit Memorial Park plan. Photo by Philip Odence

September always feels like a shift. The kids head back to school, and the crowds thin. Things may quiet down, but the Civic Association is busy with several projects, welcoming new board members, and looking ahead to Christmas in Cotuit!

We’d like to thank three CSCA board members who left the board in recent months. Karen Teeley served on the Membership Committee, overseeing renewals and new members and ensuring all were thanked for their dues and donations. Karen also helped write and build out the history and governance sections of our website. Bob Dee was an integral part of our Events Committee, overseeing the lineup of cars and floats for the parade, and making sure the tree lights went on at Christmas in Cotuit! John Havel deployed his creative and technical skills assisting with the redesign and development of our website and creating beautiful posters for our events. Thank you Karen, Bob, and John for your service. You will be missed on the board!

We’re also grateful to the Cotuit Professional Fire Fighters IAFF Local 3642 for their donation to the Civic Association to help defray the costs of our Parade. This support helps us make the parade a safe and enjoyable day for everyone.

At our Annual Meeting in August, we welcomed three new board members: Sharon Kiernan, Karen Hanesian, and Brian Townsend, and re-elected Phil Odence to another three-year term. We look forward to working together to keep the residents of Cotuit up to date about matters that affect our village and sponsor fun and informational community events. And speaking of community events...

I hope to see you there and around the village enjoying the best time of the year on Cape Cod!

Lisa Vasiloff, President

csca@cotuitcivicassociation.org

COTUIT FIRE DISTRICT NEWS

💧 Board of Water Commissioners

The Cotuit Water Department remains committed to providing safe, high-quality drinking water. We were among the first public water suppliers on Cape Cod to begin testing for PFAS and continue to monitor our water twice each year—more frequently than required by Massachusetts regulations. Our most recent test results remain well below both Massachusetts and federal drinking water standards. PFAS sampling results are published annually in our Water Quality Report, and are also available by contacting the Water Department.

While our water continues to meet all applicable standards, some residents may choose to install a home drinking water filter for added peace of mind. Information about certified carbon filtration systems and other treatment options is available from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at EPA Home Water Treatment Information.

If you have questions about PFAS or your drinking water, please contact the Cotuit Water Department.

🔥 Board of Fire Commissioners

The Cotuit Fire Department wishes to thank the residents and visitors of Cotuit for another great and safe summer. As the crowds thin and our off-Cape families return home, now is a great time to consider enrolling in our Reassurance Program. This life-saving program can add another layer of comfort and security for residents and their families.

When you enroll in the program, Fire Department personnel will conduct a home fire and life safety visit, install a lockbox, and register you for the daily well-being call-in list. If a registered participant does not call in, Fire Department personnel will check to make sure they are okay. For more information or to enroll, contact us at 508-428-2210.

🏛️ Prudential Committee

• Where are your tax dollars going? Find out on Monday, September 21, 6 p.m. at Freedom Hall. The Prudential Committee is working on long-term financial planning for the district and has invited the Fire and the Water departments to give presentations on their projected long-term capital needs. The Committee encourages villagers to attend this meeting.

• The replanting of the former Cotuit School property is nearing completion! All the trees and shrubs have been planted, and we expect the meadow areas to be hydro-seeded shortly. It will take a few weeks for the grass to become established--please continue to avoid the property until that time. We look forward to enjoying the property for years to come.

COMMUNITY BULLETIN

Cape Cod Pottery Trail

Did you get a jump on your holiday shopping last month at CraftFest? Keep it going this month on the Cape Cod Pottery Trail, a self-guided tour of pottery studios on the Upper Cape, including Cotuit. This open-studios event runs September 25-27 and showcases the work of 39 ceramic artists. Opening reception at Brick Kiln Farm, Friday, September 25, 5-7 p.m. Visit the website for more information, tickets to the reception, and an interactive map of studio locations.

Cotuit Library

See full calendar →

Here’s a sample of what’s happening at the library this month. Registration is required for all listed programs.

For adults:

• Walk and Talk, Wednesdays, September 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30. Bring a water bottle and friendly vibes to the library parking lot for some light stretches and then a relaxed stroll around the village.
• Making Faces: Learning how to Sketch Photorealistic Portraits, Wednesday, September 9, 2-3:30 p.m. Send the photo you would like to sketch to aclemons.ct@clamsnet.org prior to the event so it can be printed for you. Photos must be taken by your own camera to ensure there are no copyright infringements.
• Canva: What it is and how to use it, Wednesday, September 23, 10-11 a.m. Discover this free design tool you can use to create anything from social media posts to resumés to party invitations—no design experience required!
• The Winterpoor: an author Talk with George Foy, Saturday, September 26, 10-11 a.m. Local author George Foy discusses his novel, which gives voice to the silent residents of Cape Cod. 

For kids:

• Fun Friday Storytime with Miss Julie, September 4, 11, 18, and 25, 10-10:45 a.m. Registration opens one week prior to the program.
• Music and Movement, Mondays, September 14, 21, and 28, 10-11 a.m.

Friends of the Cotuit Library

• The Friends' membership drive is in full swing. If you are already a member, thank you for your support. If not, we hope you will consider joining us ($30 single; $40 family). Learn more about the Friends and the benefits of membership.
• This month, the Friends' Virtual Author Talks series includes the following:

The Democracy We Must Keep: Why the Ideas that Built America Still Matter with David O. Stewart, Tuesday, September 1, 2-3 p.m.

Writing the Nightmare: A Ship Called Sickness and One Unforgettable Space Crew with Daniel Kraus, Tuesday, September 8, 7-8 p.m.

The Art of Fighting: Building Better, Stronger Relationships with Priya Parker, Tuesday, September 15, 7-8 p.m.

Where the Paletero Man Goes: A Journey of Neighborhood, Music, and Art with Lucky Diaz, Thursday, September 24, 7-8 p.m.

Registration is required for these events.

• Knitters at all levels are invited to join the Friends’ Made With Love knitting fundraiser, a six-session series blending creativity, community, and giving back. The first of the Thursday sessions begin September 24, 1-3:30 p.m. and finish up on Thursday, December 3, in time for Christmas in Cotuit!

Historical Society of Santuit & Cotuit

Visit website →

• On Thursday, September 3, the Historical Book Club discusses 1929: Inside the Greatest Crash in Wall Street History – and How it Shattered a Nation, by Andrew Ross Sorkin. 6 p.m. at the Cotuit Library.
• On Saturday September 12, follow Tommy Burgess down Main Street while he spills the tea on Cotuit Village’s hub. The 90-minute Historical Walking Tour meets at Freedom Hall parking lot at 10 a.m. $15/ $10 members. Reservations required; email info@cotuithistoricalsociety.org.
• On Thursday, September 17, Cotuit Chronicles presents speaker and historic preservationist Jeanne Pelletier, who brings a 200-year-old family to life in her story of researching and restoring her house, barn, and farm in West Barnstable, originally attributed to Moody Crocker and his wife, Mercy Nye, who married around 1795.
• The Museums and Gift Shop are open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday-Sunday.

Cotuit Federated Church

See full calendar →

• Our country is more divided than ever, with too many of us isolated from those who hold different views. CFC is hosting three Braver Angels workshops that aim to help heal these divisions by teaching skills for having respectful conversations that clarify differences, search for common ground, and affirm the importance of the relationship. Please RSVP.

Session 1: Skills for Disagreeing Better, September 3, 6-7:30 p.m.

Session 2: Depolarizing Within, September 17, 6-8:30 p.m.

Session 3: Families & Politics, October 1, 6-8:30 p.m.

• On Sunday, September 13, the Blessing of the Backpacks will take place at 10 a.m. Children are invited to bring their backpack to worship and receive a return-to-school blessing. Grownups can receive a blessing over timekeepers/calendars. This day also marks the beginning of Sunday School, which takes place during worship.
• On the third Wednesday of each month (September 16 this month), a team from CFC volunteers at the Faith Family Kitchen in Hyannis, from 4:30-7 p.m., managing check-in, serving meals, or cleaning up. There is now an online sign-up sheet with dates and time slots for the next quarter. Non-CFC members welcome!
• On Sunday, September 20, bring a dish to share for a community picnic and block party beginning at 11:15 a.m., following 10 a.m. worship.
• Make a joyful noise! CFC choir is looking for new members in all voice parts to join us in Sunday morning worship. Practice is at 8:30 a.m. in the sanctuary, beginning September 20. For more information, contact Megan Anthony at music@cotuitfederatedchurch.org.
• Can We Talk… gatherings start up again on Sunday, September 20, from 5-7 p.m. in Hamilton Hall. This community-based, spiritually informed program was created for the purpose of healing pain, grief, and trauma by holding space for people who need to be heard and received in a loving, non-judgmental community. People are welcomed but not required to speak.

St. Michael the Archangel Orthodox Church

See full calendar →

• Community shred event on Saturday, September 12, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Safely destroy your unneeded confidential files and documents and support the church at the same time! $15 per banker’s box (limit 10 boxes).
• Regular schedule resumes after labor day: Saturday Vespers, 5 p.m.; Sunday Orthros, 9 a.m.; Sunday Liturgy, 10 a.m., followed by potluck coffee hour.

Cahoon Museum of American Art

See full calendar →

• Paint Night: Seaside Harvest, Friday, September 18, 4:30-6:30 p.m. Get inspired at this whimsical celebration of maritime folklore and storytelling through paint, inspired by Ralph Cahoon’s Seaside Harvest. $60/$50 members.
• Wild Journals Workshop with Artist Susan Porter, Saturday, September 19, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Stimulate your creativity, unleash your colorful inner self, and launch your journals onto a new path. $120/$95 members.
• On Thursday, September 24, 10 a.m., join the Cahoon Museum’s Executive Director for a Member’s Preview walkthrough of the museum’s new exhibitions: Julia Cumes: Invisible Threads: Portraits and Stories of Our Global Neighbors and Ralph Cahoon: Fashioning a Fantasy World. Free for members.
• Guided Tour of the Cahoon Museum of American Art every Thursday at 11 a.m. Included with general admission.

Barnstable Land Trust

See full calendar →

Fall into September with Barnstable Land Trust! Join us for a magical music concert at Fuller Farm barn on Route 149, be inspired by an acclaimed group of panelists for Words From a Warming World, and check out the Bog Restoration Walk, Sandy Neck Terrapin Hatchling Hike, volunteer events like beach clean-ups, and more. Program details are always being updated, so check the calendar or sign up for BLT’s bimonthly enewsletter.

Cotuit Bird and Garden Club

The Cotuit Bird and Garden Club meets on September 16 at 10 a.m. for a day of golf, mini-golf, and cornhole at the Cotuit Highground Golf Club. Lunch will be at the Clubhouse. For more information, call Joanne Miller, 508-524-1817.

Cotuit Nursery School

Cotuit Nursery School is accepting registrations for the 2026-2027 school year, offering a half-day program Monday through Thursday for students aged 2.9 to 5. Two- three, and four-day options are available. Call 508-428-1470 or email cotuitnurseryschool@yahoo.com for more information or to schedule a tour.

BARNSTABLE AND BEYOND

Are you ready for a hurricane? Atlantic hurricane season generally runs from June through November, with tropical activity peaking in September. We may catch a break this hurricane season, according to weather scientists, as this year’s super El Niño is likely to create stronger wind shear over the Atlantic, which makes it harder for storms to intensify. Nonetheless, it’s always worth reviewing your emergency preparedness. The Town of Barnstable can help: check out the wealth of information and resources available on the Town website’s Hurricane Preparedness page.

This month's Town Council meetings are on Thursdays, September 3 and 17, at 6 p.m. in the Hearing Room at Barnstable Town Hall or via Zoom.

Seth Burdick

Town Councilor for Precinct 7

Office hours on the second Wednesday of the month (September 9) from 4-5 p.m. at the Cotuit Library. Seth can be reached at 774-228-0308 or by email:

seth.burdick@town.barnstable.ma.us

Kip Diggs

State Representative

Office hours on Monday, September 28, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Cotuit Library. Kip can be reached at 617-722-2380 or by email:

kip.diggs@mahouse.gov