The 44th annual Ashmont Hill Yard Sale takes place on Sat., May 18, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Shoppers will find everything from furniture to potted plants, toys to household items, books to collectables, and more – all at clean-out-the-attic/basement/carriage house prices. Stroll through the neighborhood to enjoy the Victorian architecture and lush gardens that distinguish this pocket of Dorchester. Participating houses will have maps showing all selling locations. Ashmont Hill is located between Peabody Square/Ashmont Station and Codman Square. Info: 617-288-6626 or cadmanjoe@aol.com.

Haitian Heritage month will be celebrated in May with several events, including the annual Unity Parade on Blue Hill Avenue from Mattapan Square to Franklin Field, set for Sun., May 19, at 1 p.m. A flag raising and breakfast, hosted by Council President Ruthzee Louijeune, will be held on City Hall Plaza on May 17 at 10 a.m. And Haitian Americans United, Inc. will host a groundbreaking ceremony on Mon., May 20, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the future home of the Toussaint Louverture Cultural Center at Lovejoy Wharf next to North Station in Boston. See hauinc.org for more info.

The Lower Mills Civic Association will meet in St. Gregory’s auditorium on Tues., May 21, at 7 p.m. Discussion about the Dorchester Park Pathways project and election of officers are on the agenda.

Columbia-Savin Hill Civic plans its annual plant sale on Sat., May 18, 9 a.m.- 1 p.m. at Cristo Rey School, 100 Savin Hill Ave. Annuals, herbs, and baskets for sale, plus a plant swap, bake sale and raffles. Proceeds go to neighborhood improvements. See columbiasavinhillcivic.org for more.

The 118th Dorchester Day Parade is set for Sun., June 2, at 1 p.m. (rain or shine) on Dorchester Avenue between Richmond Street and Columbia Road. See dotdayparade.org for more info.

DorchFest, Dorchester’s version of “porchfest,” returns for the third consecutive year on Sat., June 1, in the Ashmont-Adams neighborhood. See dorchfest.com for schedules and locations.

A pair of public meetings – one virtual, the other in-person – will be held this month to kick off the Fields Corner ‘Streets+Squares” zoning initiative. The virtual meeting was held on Tuesday of this week, May 14. The in-person meeting is this Saturday, May 18, from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at VietAID, 42 Charles St., Dorchester. RSVP at bit.ly/RSVP-FieldsCorner.

The Dorchester Historical Society and DotOUT present David and Stephen St. Russell, the “Renovation Husbands,” at an-person event as part of the society’s annual meeting on Sun., May 19, at 2 p.m. at Boston Collegiate Charter School, 11 Mayhew St., Dorchester.

DotFest, a community carnival to benefit Dot House Health, will be held this Thursday (May 16) from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the DotHouse gymnasium, with honorees Mary Rtuong, Nam Pham, and Jeff Hirsch. Go to DotFest.org to learn more.

Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll will deliver the keynote address at UMass Boston’s 56th commencement ceremony on Thurs., May 23, on the Campus Center Lawn. Degrees will be conferred on approximately 3,757 undergraduates, graduate, and doctoral students in the Class of 2024. For more information, see umb.edu/commencement.

The Alzheimer’s Association will host a free forum to discuss the disproportionate impact of Alzheimer’s and dementia on communities of color on Thurs., May 16, from 10:30 a.m. to noon at the Codman Square Health Center in Dorchester. Speakers participating include Carl Hill, the chief diversity, equity & inclusion officer of the Alzheimer’s Association; Bisola Ojikutu, executive director of the Boston Public Health Commission; Tia Hall, project manager at the Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment; and Rev. Dr. Gregory Groover, Charles Street AME Church.  The forum will include a provided lunch. Please register at tinyurl.com/twicetherisk. 

The City of Boston hosts a Zero Waste Day drop-off for mercury products like thermometers and fluorescent lamps on Sat., May 18, from 8:30 a.m. to noon at DPW facility, 400 Frontage Rd., Boston. Proof of Boston residency required. See boston.gov/hazardous-waste.
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