2023 has been a remarkable year for events and cultural happenings in Lowell!
From mainstay events like WinterFest and Fourth of July, to new favorites like Lowell Busker Series and the Culinary Celebration, we’re thankful to the community members who showed their support by attending and volunteering. This year, we added a parade to Greater Lowell Pride, and an open air concert to City of Lights. New additions to the event calendar include:
Lowell’s 1st Annual Lunar New Year Festival
Lowell Youth Baseball and Softball League (LYBSL) Opening Day Parade and Earth Day Cleanup
Lowell Busker Series
Culinary Celebration
Series of Health and Wellness Classes at Boarding House Park
The first community Menorah Lighting on the first night of Chanukah
The Bicentennial Committee was formed to begin planning Lowell’s Bicentennial Celebration in 2026. 20-plus community members from different organizations make up the committee.
In order to make planning events more accessible for the public, we partnered with Lowell Telemedia Center to produce a video tutorial on the special event permit application process.
ARPA Cultural Sector Grantees with City Council members and CASE staff
2023 also saw the introduction of the ARPA Cultural Sector Recovery Grants. The program funded a total of nearly $1 million in grant funds to Lowell cultural organizations, festivals, and public art.
The MythMakers installing the Night Watchwoman. Photo by Marte Media.
Upon completing the NEFA Making it Public training program, CASE launched a call for Public Art on the Riverwalk extension by Lowell Memorial Auditorium. The MythMakers were selected to install the Night Watchwoman, a bamboo sculpture of an owl, on the Riverwalk extension. Night Watchwoman was unveiled in April.
In March, DIY Lowell gifted the scuplture Black Joy by Kamil Peters to the City of Lowell. The sculpture came to fruition after a community meeting guided by the artist and DIY Lowell. Black Joy was unveiled in July.
To add to the City’s public art, a call for art in two parking garages was launched in June. Local artists were invited to submit existing work to the call, and the selected pieces were printed on boards. A total of four pieces are in the Roy Garage and Downes Garage.
Throughout the year, art from local galleries and artists were displayed in City Hall in an effort to highlight artists in the community.
Thank you to everyone who participated in an event or program coordinated by CASE this year whether it be by attending an event, volunteering your time, or partnering with us on a program. We are grateful for a vibrant community to serve.