For this month's Second Wednesday block party it's an Urban Hoedown. Hee Haw!!!

Dust off the old cowboy boots and dig out that dirty bandanna and join us for an evening of dancing in the square! Join us on Union Square Plaza on Wednesday, August 13 from 5 to 8 pm as Caller Dennis McCormack provides instruction in traditional and modern American Square Dancing and then leads us through the moves to music. We'll re- start with a fresh lesson and more dancing a couple times through the night so show up whenever you can.

There's a bunch of folks already lining up to attend over at Yelp. All ages welcome and no experience necessary.

There are lots of other Second Wednesdays events to look forward to. September will feature a comic book sale and the unveiling of the "Fluff Boy Comic" in anticipation of the "What the Fluff?" Festival on September 27. October will be tango themed in celebration of DanceUnion, the new home of the Boston Tango Society on Bow Street. While November will be an all-ages rock-paper-scissor tournament.

You can keep up to date on all Second Wednesday happenings on our website.

Be a sponsor!
Be a vendor!
Be a volunteer!
There's lots of ways to be a part of this year's festival.

What the Fluff? A Tribute to Union Square Invention is coming on September 27 from 4 to 7 pm. We're making this even even bigger this year so we're pulling out the stops.

More details in a special All-Fluff newsletter soon but for now we've got two timely things to tell you about.

If you're interested in selling crafts or food at the festival the call for vendors is now available. Deadline is August 22 to submit your fluff themed idea.

We're also looking for sponsors at a number of levels.

There's a bunch of different recognition benefits for sponsors but one of the coolest is being included in the Fluff Boy Comic Book.

You all remember the fabulous Fluff Boy from the last two festivals. With his white shirt, blue shorts and red cape, that yellow pompadour -- he was a beloved attendee at the event. This year five talented Somervillians are telling the story of Fluff Boy through words and pictures in a 32-page comic book.

Matt Reidsma is the artist telling the main orgin story while Liz Prince, Maris Hicks, and Joe Quinones are telling complementary tales. George Pfromm II did the fabulous color cover.

Fluff Boy, like Fluff, came of age with the invention of Fluff in 1917 so the ads in the comic book will be of the era too. All sponsors of this year's festival appear the comic book in an original ad created by one of the fabulous artists.

More volunteers are welcomed and there's lots of ways to help out big and small. Contact kate@unionsquaremain.org to learn more!

The Great Thai Chef isn't Union Square's only Thai restaurant anymore as Sweet Ginger opened this past week at 22 Bow Street.

This is the second restaurant venture for owner Patchara Thavornkasen. Her kitchen offers a full dinner and lunch menu for eating in their stylish dining room or for delivery. Sweet Ginger is also available to cater your event.

Among the plates are plenty of favorites including Pad Thai and a rainbow of curries, house specialties like Sweet Ginger Salmon and Drunken Chicken. Lunch prices average about $7.50 and dinner entries are all under $15.

On other business news, the City of Somerville recently changed its regulations so that businesses serving alcohol may apply for a permit to do so outside. Precinct - formerly known as Toast Lounge - took them up on the opportunity and received permission to create a patio on Union Square plaza. You can now gather outside on these summer evenings at one of the café tables to enjoy one of their tasty flatbread pizzas, sandwiches or salads with the beverage of your choice, whether it be iced tea, soda, beer or a cocktail.

Riverside Motorsports is the first dealer in Massachusetts to sell the hot new Vectrix electric scooter. This is a serious machine capable of driving at highway speeds -- you can take it out there on the open road -- but unlike those roaring Harley Davidsons this bike is electric powered and silent.

Vectrix is being marketed as a "commuting" motorbike since its built for greater distance and speed, not just for little jaunts around town. It costs just pennies to charge - there's an plug and cord under the seat -- so it's no sweat at the gas pump. And with the lowest carbon footprint of any auto or motorcycle according to Greenpeace you'll be speedy and environmentally friendly at the same time.

Coming up at the Farmers Market this weekend Rob May and Stephen Houdlette, planners from the City of Somerville, will be on hand to share information about the proposed zoning changes for Union Square and to hear your feedback.

They share the Grown in Somerville booth gig with the Green Team from Groundwork Somerville and the Community Growing Center selling plants for your home garden. Performance is by Josh Noone and band.

August 16 will be Alternative Health Day at the market as local practitioners of acupuncture and chiropractic, martial arts and herbal healing will share information. If you're interested in participating and aren't yet scheduled, contact Community Facilitator Tara Vance at tara@unionsquaremain.org. Music at the market that day is by Damian Shiner. Kids in Motion is the theme on August 23 as the young gymnasts of Gina & Dance Company show off their skills.

The gallery opening on Saturday August 9, 6:00- 9:00 PM features a new series of photographs by Lee Kilpatrick called "Meet Me In The Dark." The pieces capture how much of our waking time, especially in cities, is spent in the dark. Whether walking alone on a street or sitting in a bar, a good deal of social and private interaction takes place at night. Alleys, backyards, back porches, parking lots, parties, concert halls, and bedrooms are all settings for our nocturnal activities. Lee Kilpatrick captures those moments when we are together in the dark, and sometimes very alone.

The show is at Gallery 321 at the Washington Street Art Center, appropriately enough at 321 Washington Street.

The exhibit continues August 30 and gallery hours are Saturdays 12:00-4:00 (stop by while going to or from the farmers market) or by appointment and Wednesday August 13, 5-8 PM.

Experience summer magic right here in the neighborhood. Lay on the grass, listen, look up at the stars and be transported. Over at the Community Growing Center among their really cool line-up of activities are four highlights not to be missed.

The Lonesome Coyote Theater presents a free outdoor production of Romeo and Juliet. No set or costumes--just a simple, powerful staging of Shakespeare's masterpiece. Come see the mixture of romance and rivalry, poetry and passion, low humor and high tragedy that has for four centuries remained one of the most popular plays of all time. Taking place on Thursday August 14, Friday August 15, Saturday August 16 at 7 pm and Sunday August 17 at 4pm.

For your star gazing get a little help on Tuesday August 26 from 8-10 pm. (rain date August 27). For Astronomy in the Garden, Darin Murphy brings his telescope to the Growing Center for the night and John Sheff, from the Amateur Telescope Makers of Boston, helps visitors use telescopes and make sense of what they see.

Fans of the Union Square Farmers Market are sure to love Food, Farms and Films on Wednesday August 20 from 7-9pm. This month is a screening of the film "Farmer John," a poignant, funny, moving portrayal of one family farmer's efforts to keep the farm alive.

Finally, Saturday August 30 from 6-7 pm (rain date August 31) stop by for Sri Lankan Drumming. 'Pancha Thuriya' Sri Lankan Fusion Troupe is a group of 25-30 young traditional drummers. They share their unique musical tradition and build cultural bridges in this event coordinated by the Sri Lanka Association of New England.

All events and programs are free, open to the public, and take place at The Community Growing Center, 22 Vinal Ave. between Summer St and Highland Ave on the edge of Union Square.

With all the construction going on here in Union Square businesses are really struggling. Between the deep ditch digging last fall, the rash of power outages in the mid winter, and now a double whammy as NStar digs up Bow Street and the reconstruction of Somerville Avenue continues, these hard working merchants and restauranteurs have taken hit after hit.

The big construction signs encourage traffic to divert from the neighborhood as they proclaim "Road Work Ahead." Yes, we know it all too well.

As someone who cares about the present and future of Union Square the businesses here depend on you more than ever.

Please make a special effort to shop in Union Square while less hardy customers are staying away. If you're gonna eat out, choose a local restaurant. Need a present for someone, check out the options at our retailers. Thirsty or need groceries, we've got lots to choose from.

If you can, pledge each week to buy at least one thing in Union Square during these tough construction days.

We all love Union Square for its ecclectic mix of shops, its friendly shop keepers, their commitment to this community. If these businesses are to remain in Union Square please lend them your support.

Union Square Main Streets Executive Director Mimi Graney was one of nine people named A Good Bostonian by the Weekly Dig this past month. She was highlighted among a diverse group that included Representative Byron Rushing, Food Project Director Margaret Williams and Iraq Veteran Against the War Gabriel Payan.

The Weekly Dig said, these are "nine extraordinary human beings who make this city a better place. These activists, environmentalists, truth-seekers and fun-lovers are jovial, hopeful. They are leaders in their fields, innovators who draw connections between different issues and institutions, like youth programming and the arts, education and the peace movement, unemployment and environmentalism. They're already working actively to change the communities they live in, and they still have huge potential to completely change this city!"

Those ethnic food market tours run by the Somerville Arts Council as part of ArtsUnion have been super- popular. So popular in fact that they've scheduled more through the summer.

Typically the tour will visit three of the many markets in Union Square while pointing out the others along the way. The delicious variety of shops include Capone's Foods (Italian/Argentinian), Casa de Carne (Brazilain), WellFoods Plus (Bengali), La Internacional Foods (Guatemalan/Haitian), Little India, Bombay Markeet, Pao de Acucar & Brazilian Buffet, Reliable Market (Korean/Japanese).

Tours are scheduled for between 6 and 7:30 pm on the following dates: August 7, August 14, September 4 and September 11. The spaces fill up fast so reserve your space by sending an email to artsunionsomerville@yahoo.com