Join us at The Foundry in East Cambridge from Saturday, February 15 to Saturday, February 22 for our third annual Foundry Festival! Immerse yourself in a week of free public programming and create connections with diverse communities.

All ages and skill levels are welcome to participate in as many activities as you are excited about. This is a great chance to engage the family over the February school break!

This year's festival theme is Resilience. Resilience to us is celebrating how our stories, cultures, and communities continue to thrive. It is not just the act of survival, but creating strong communities that take care of each other. Many of our communities have been consistently forced to practice resilience due to systemic oppression. This year we want to take the time to uplift the ways in which we band together to not only survive but to create moments together where we can truly live. We invite you to our weeklong festival that celebrates who we are, who we want to be, and a vision for a future where resiliency can be a word that is not only a response to hardship but the way we interact with the world around us. This year we welcome you to cook with us, create with us, dance with us, and continue to grow together.

Schedule of Events:

-Session 1
9:00 am - 9:30 am: Intro to Eco-Friendly Sewing: Reusable Wipes - Elodie

-‍Session 2
9:30 am - 10:00 am: Intro to Eco-Friendly Sewing: Reusable Wipes - Elodie

-Session 3
10:00 am - 10:30 am: Intro to Eco-Friendly Sewing: Reusable Wipes - Elodie

-Session 4
10:30 am - 11:00 am: Intro to Eco-Friendly Sewing: Reusable Wipes - Elodie

Discover in a 30-minute workshop how sewing everyday accessories can have an impact on reducing our waste. Each participant will be able to sew their own reusable wipes (up to three). Accepting a future in which environmental issues will be a real challenge is also a form of resilience. We'll be using second-hand fabric!

10:00 am - 11:00 am: Yoga for Resilience: How to Bend, Not Break - Rae Estapa

More to Love Yoga is a one-of-a-kind movement experience. This session is a restorative yet empowering yoga class designed to release stress in body and mind. With a focus on building resilience, we'll practice gentle stretches and mindful breath work to help you develop the flexibility to adapt to life's challenges. Whether you're looking to recover from stress or simply recharge, this session provides a supportive environment for self-care. All bodies and experiences are welcome. Join us for a rejuvenating practice that encourages resilience, balance, and a deeper connection to yourself.

12:00 pm - 4:00 pm: Showcasing Resilience: Our 2025 Foundry Festival Celebration - The Foundry Consortium

Join us in our performance space to learn from Foundry partners about the programs they ran during our Festival, what resilience means to them, and how their larger work centers resilience. There will be time after to connect with each other and help us celebrate the last day of this big week!

4:00 pm - 5:00 pm: Unmasking Resilience- How We Survive Turbulent Times - Trinette McDowell

This workshop discusses the many facets of resilience and how it manifests in the personal, daily lives of the members of society. The participants will be making a mask or self-portrait with upcycled and recycled materials.

5:00 pm - 7:00 pm: Climate Storytelling - Our Climate - Drop-in program

We aim to use our narratives to effectively communicate the complexities of climate change in ways that resonate both emotionally and intellectually. This approach will also create a welcoming space for others to join the conversation, share their personal experiences, and express their thoughts on climate change.

5:00 pm - 7:00 pm: Weave with Us! - Sarah Wharton and Jesse Chang - Drop-in program

Calling all crafters! Join us to experience weaving on a variety of looms. Participants will also receive a mini loom to play with and take home. Great for absolute beginners and fiber fiends. Kids and adults are all welcome!

6:00 pm - 8:00 pm: Movement, Rhythm and Voice - Sophie and Matt

Come as you are, and let the rhythm move you! With live drumming, we'll tap into the healing energy of rhythm and allow our bodies and voices to flow freely, releasing tension and building resilience. This workshop is a space for you to connect with yourself and others in a supportive, creative environment. Everyone is welcome. Let's build resilience together, one beat at a time.