Last night’s reception at the Lowell National Park kicked off Doors Open Lowell weekend. This is a great opportunity to visit some of our city’s most unique buildings and tour them in a “behind the scenes” way that is unavailable at most times. Here’s the schedule:

Friday, May 17, 2013 from 6 to 9 pm
Whistler House Museum of Art, 243 Worthen St
Gates Block, 307 Market St
City Hall, 375 Merrimack St (guided tours at 630 and 730)
Masonic Temple, 79 Dutton St
Lowell Gas Light Co Building, 22 Shattuck St
Trio, 30 Market St

Saturday, May 18, 2013 from 10am to 1pm
Centralville United Methodist Church, 800 Bridge St
Lowell Gallery, 14 Jackson St
Loft 27, 27 Jackson St
Lowell Community Health Center, 161 Jackson St
Appleton Mills, 219 Jackson St
Saco-Lowell Building 14, 110 Canal St
Western Avenue Studios, 122 Western Ave
St Patrick Church, 282 Suffolk St
Pollard Memorial Library, 401 Merrimack St

Saturday, May 18, 2013 from 2 to 5 pm
Apartments at Boott Mills, 141 John St
Boott Mills West, 130 John St
Tremont Yard, 1 Tremont Place
Residences at Perkins Park, 39 Perkins St
St Jean Baptiste Church, 741 Merrimack St
Franco-American School, 357 Pawtucket St
Spalding House, 383 Pawtucket St
Pawtucket Gatehouse, School St at Northern Canal
Pawtucket Congregational Church, 15 Mammoth Road

On top of all of that, I’ll be leading tours of Lowell Cemetery today at 1 pm and tomorrow at 10 am. Both tours leave from inside the Lawrence Street gate and take about 90 minutes.

Finally, thanks to everyone who attended last night’s award ceremony. Being recognized for promoting Lowell’s history and preserving the city’s cultural heritage was very gratifying. Congratulations also to my fellow award recipients, Al Lorenzo, the late Dr. Patrick Mogan, Lowell Community Health Center and Southeast Asian Water Festival.