THANK YOU, Worcester, from the bottom of my heart, for re-electing me to another term as YOUR Mayor and City Councilor At-Large! I look forward to another productive term, working TOGETHER to make Worcester a city where all residents can thrive. #MayorJoePetty

Happy Groundhog Day! I had a great time at today's Groundhog Day Celebration at the EcoTarium, where Cornelia - the City's designated prognosticator - saw her shadow, meaning that winter will last for another 6 weeks. Thank you to all who came to visit Cornelia and enjoy our proclamation.

There is a new, incredible exhibit at the Worcester Center for Crafts, "I've Known Rivers: African Americans and Labor." It was a pleasure to have seen the incredible talents of local artists and to have been part of the opening reception.

Chrissi Bates has been a steadfast advocate for victims of sex trafficking, youth facing homelessness, and those battling substance abuse and mental health challenges. She was originally awarded the Key to the City in 2022 in recognition of her incredible dedication to these causes. In 2024, Chrissi began working with our office to reissue the key with her affirmed name and pronouns. This past Friday, I was honored to re-award the Key to the City to Chrissi, reaffirming our respect for her identity and the immense contributions she continues to make in our community. I was also proud to recognize January as Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation Awareness Month. Thank you, Chrissi, for your courage, compassion, and tireless commitment to those in need.

This past Thursday, we celebrated two incredible institutions in Worcester for their milestone anniversaries. In a previous post, we recognized the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce. Now we're highlighting the Museum of Worcester, formerly known as the Worcester Historical Museum, which is marking its 150th anniversary. Preserving our history is so crucial, and we’re incredibly grateful for the leadership of Bill Wallace and his team. Congratulations to the museum, and here's to another 150 years of success! And just a heads-up: the Museum of Worcester is offering free admission through January 23, 2026. Be sure to check out their newly revamped exhibits and all the exciting changes!

This past week, I truly enjoyed attending the MASSCALL3 event for the Worcester Department of Public Health. It was great to be a part of a community conversation around creating positive childhood experiences in order to promote better health outcomes in the community. Thursday night was the 150th Anniversary Celebration Kickoff for the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce. President and CEO @TimMurray_MA shared information on the organization’s history and discussed their ongoing vision. It was great to see @MassLtGov, as well as many other advocates for our community.

I had a wonderful time at the 40th Annual Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. breakfast this morning. We saw incredible performances by talented youth and celebrated incredible leaders. We remember today how far we've come, and how much more needs to be done.

RT @TweetWorcester: Due to frigid temperatures, the City of Worcester is activating warming centers Tuesday, Jan. 21 and Wednesday, Jan. 22…

Thank you for including me in this special celebration!

I would like to congratulate John Westerling on his appointment as the next Commissioner of the Department of Public Works and Parks for the City of Worcester. John brings over 30 years of leadership experience, most recently serving as the Director of Public Works in Natick. His extensive background in civil engineering, combined with his dedication to public service, makes him an exceptional choice to lead Worcester's DPW. A proud graduate of UMass Amherst with a degree in Civil Engineering, John also earned a Master's in Public Administration from Clark University, right here in Worcester. His ties to our community and deep expertise will help us continue building a safe, sustainable, and thriving city for all residents. We look forward to the impact of his leadership as we tackle the challenges ahead and advance our city’s infrastructure, parks, and public works initiatives. Welcome, John! 🚛 ⚙️👷🏻‍♀️

WORCESTER – Mayor Joseph M. Petty issued a statement today regarding a social media post from Councilor Nguyen. I want to take a moment to address concerns raised by Councilor Nguyen, the first nonbinary City Councilor in our community’s history. During my 13 years as Mayor, I have always tried to treat every councilor with the dignity and respect they deserve. I would never knowingly say anything harmful, and I firmly believe everyone deserves the dignity of having their identity honored and respected. The Councilor today is referencing a moment from a 2022 City Council meeting where I momentarily addressed the Councilor by an incorrect pronoun. Once brought to my attention, I quickly corrected the mistake and apologized. I am committed to ensuring my language reflects that respect at all times. I have always taken pride in leading a city that values diversity and inclusion. I remain steadfast in my commitment to creating a city where everyone feels safe, valued, and respected. It is important to acknowledge that these concerns arose from the decision to mandate in-person attendance for City Council and subcommittee meetings. I must address the importance of our obligations as public officials. The citizens of this city elected this body to do the city's business. That means showing up to City Council meetings, subcommittee meetings, and meetings with the administration to help explain the rationale and understanding behind policy votes. Councilor Nguyen has missed half of the Traffic and Parking subcommittee meetings and has not held a meeting for the Public Service and Transportation subcommittee that they chair. Failing to participate in these essential responsibilities is unacceptable. I will not apologize for holding myself and my colleagues accountable to the responsibilities entrusted to us by the people we serve. Being available, accessible, and engaged is a fundamental expectation of our roles, and it is critical to the success of the city. Our city has been working to take measures to ensure the safety of all councilors during public meetings, and I will fully comply with any requested processes to support these efforts. I remain committed to fostering an inclusive and secure environment for all members of our Council. I do share Councilor Nguyen’s concern about the need for a safe environment. I will continue to work with the City Administration and WPD to ensure the safety of all councilors during public meetings. We are in a time of uncertainty, where members of the LGBTQIA+ community face real fears and challenges in simply being their authentic selves. I hear these concerns, and I remain committed to being an ally and advocate for every member of our community. Together, we will continue to work toward making our city a place where diversity is celebrated and equality is not just an aspiration, but a reality.

Final post of 2024! I had a great time at the Noon Year's Eve Celebration at the EcoTarium - it was wonderful to ring in the new year with hundreds of families. Happy New Year to you and your families - I look forward to another year of service to the city I love.

I had a great time at last night's Main South Business Association End of Year Gala! It was great to see the beautiful space decorated by local, small businesses, and I was proud to recognize Vaske Gjino for his work in ensuring that small businesses get the support they deserve. Congratulations!

Always remembered. This past Sunday and Monday, we gathered to remember the lives of Worcester Firefighters Jon Davies and Christopher Roy, who died in the line of duty on December 8, 2011 and December 9, 2018, respectively.

RT @TweetWorcester: The City’s annual Festival of Lights celebration returns to the Worcester Common Friday, Dec. 6. The free, family-frien…

RT @TweetWorcester: To gear up for tonight's Festival of Lights, we asked @CM_Batista and @MayorJoePetty for their favorite holiday tunes.…

It was a beautiful day at the Veterans Inc. 5K last weekend. Congratulations to all the organizers and runners on a successful event. A special shoutout to my wife Gayle on a 1st place finish in her division! 🥇 🏃‍♀️

This past weekend, I was delighted to celebrate Temple Linh Son's 30th Anniversary and Reverend Thich Nu Tri-Hoa's 80th birthday. Thank you so much for the hospitality, and for the gift!

🎉Yesterday, we celebrated an extraordinary milestone for our city—the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the new Doherty High School! When I ran for Mayor, one of my key promises was to deliver four new high schools, providing our students with the facilities they need to thrive. With Doherty completed, three of those schools are now a reality, and the fourth is on the horizon. These schools aren’t just buildings—they are the future of education. They’ve been designed with cutting-edge technology, inclusivity, and adaptability at their core, ensuring every student has access to the high-quality education they deserve and the tools they need to succeed. This achievement wouldn’t have been possible without the strong partnership and collaboration we have built with our state partners. A special thank you to Treasurer Deb Goldberg, State Rep. John Mahoney, our State Delegation, the City Council and School Committee, the MSBA, WPS staff, Lamoureux Pagano Associates Architects and Fontaine Brothers Construction for turning this vision into a reality! 🏫 #BuildingTheFuture #EducationForAll #Teamwork #AllMeansAll

It was another “Wonderful Worcester Weekend” this past weekend. We were able to stop by many of the events going on throughout the City. In honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we attended the domestic violence rally at City Hall. Thank you to the organizers of the event who help to continue to bring awareness around this important topic. 💜 Congratulations to Caitlyn Lubelczyk and team for putting together a fabulous Irish Festival where people were exposed to all different components of Irish Culture, including a lively hurling match. ☘️ 🇮🇪 We made it over to the Holy Cross Homecoming coin toss, where Holy Cross was able to pull off a win in a very close game against Fordham. 🏈 There was plenty of tasty food and drink over at the Worcester Pizza Fest at Greater Good. 🍕🍺 A very well attended 5k event put on by New England Donor Services at Polar Park to help raise funds and bring awareness around the importance of organ donation. 🫁 Last, but not least, the Inaugural Jack Barry Little League Field Day. ⚾️ 🥎 It’s always wonderful to be able to attend events throughout the City and see residents and visitors enjoying all that Worcester has to offer.

The sun is trying to peek through and there’s plenty to do in the city today. Head on down to the inaugural Harvest Festival on Exchange Street.