Friday, Feb. 16

Forest Futures: Will the Forest Save Us All? conference from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Gund Hall, 42 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. A two-day exploration of planetary survival through stewardship of forests worldwide. Harvard’s Graduate School of Design’s new exhibition “Forest Futures” runs concurrently in the same building through March. Information is here.

Cambridge Art Association’s “Level Up” student showcase from noon to 4 p.m. at the CAA@Canal Gallery, 650 E. Kendall St., Kendall Square, Cambridge (and continuing through March 14). Free. Launching today, this juried exhibit includes work in a range of media by CAA student (or recently graduated) members. Curated by MassArt’s Chenoa Baker. Information is here.

The 49th Boston Science Fiction Film Festival and Marathon from noon to midnight at the Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square (and through Feb. 19). $16 to $20 per film, or $100 for a Feb. 18-19 marathon pass, or $200 for an all-access festival pass. This multiday feast, which organizers say is the longest-running genre film festival in the country, includes features, some premieres, programs of shorts, panels, director appearances, parties and more. The 24-hour marathon has film ranging from great, good, no-so-great to downright laughable. Information is here.

Sour Power Party with Climable from 5 to 9 p.m. at Lamplighter Brewing, 284 Broadway, The Port, Cambridge. Free and 21-plus. Enjoy the brewery’s new Sour Power beer brewed with pineapple and passionfruit, play cornhole and water pong and learn about local nonprofit Climable, whose mission is to make climate science and clean energy understandable and actionable for all. Information is here.

Cuban Dance with Boston Rueda from 6 to 8 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge (and continuing every Friday). $15. No partner or experience necessary to learn this group dance to Cuban and other salsa music involving the changing of partners. Information is here.

A Trike Called Funk presents “Juxtaposed Flows: Bhangra and Waacking” from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at The Dance Complex, 536 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $5. Part of a mini series designed to bring together the local street/club dance scene and internationally rooted heritage dance scene. This time, its Bhangra with Kit Tempest and Waacking with Yyoyo Devi Green Escada. Information is here.

Writers-in-Residence Welcome Reading at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free. Michelle Ajodah’s writing centers on ritual and myth in Guyanese families like her own. Mia Tong’s YA pan-Asian mythology-inspired fantasy adventure involves a deity who must battle fantastical foes for an antidote to her caretaker’s malady. Both read selections from their works in progress as the store’s writers in residence for the year. Information is here.

Sumac performs at 7 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. $19.50. American/Canadian post-metal. Also playing: Scarcity and Forbes Graham. Information is here.

Benjamin E. Park reads from “American Zion: A New History of Mormonism” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The historian drew on sources that have become available only in the past two decades to write his fresh and character-driven history of American’s most significant homegrown religion and its internal conflicts, including around sexuality and gender. Megan Kate Nelson joins the conversation. Information is here.

“Faat Kiné” screening at 7 p.m. at Harvard Film Archive at The Carpenter Center, 24 Quincy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10. Described as “an endlessly charming meditation on African women’s independence” and the first in a trilogy of films the Senegalese novelist and filmmaker Ousmane Sembène dedicated to the heroism of everyday life. Information is here.

Shit-Faced Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew” from 7 to 8 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville (and continuing tomorrow and next weekend). $30 and 21-plus. A one-hour version of the bard with one actor randomly selected to drink before and during the performance, leaving sober castmates to incorporate, rectify, justify and generally improvise around the drunkenness. Information is here.

Celebrating Blues and Swing from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at the Multicultural Arts Center, 41 Second St., East Cambridge. $35. Soulful melodies and infectious beats from The Cambridge Jazz Foundation and Bobby Broom on guitar, Greg Groove, Jr., on sax, vocals by Farayi Malek and accompaniment by The Ron Savage Trio with Ron Savage on drums, Ron Mahdi on bass and Consuelo Candelaria-Barry on piano. Information is here.

“Becoming a Man” world premiere at 7:30 p.m. at Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $35 to $55 (and continuing through Mar. 10). A play about one man’s gender transition amid a pivotal political moment in America. From memoirist P. Carl and Tony Award-winning director Diane Paulus. Information is here.

“Machine Learning” at 8 p.m. at Central Square Theater, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge (through Feb. 25). $24 to $78. A play by Francisco Mendoza about an AI nursing application that increases its learning as the health of the man it cares for deteriorates. The application’s creator must confront his responsibility; he’s also the man’s son. Produced in partnership with Teatro Chelsea. Information is here.

Session Americana with Eleanor Buckland present “The Rattle and Clatter: 20 Years (So Far)” at 8 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge (and also Feb. 17). $25 and $28. You’ve got just a handful of chances to see the band that had their first jam at the back of Toad in Cambridge, then progressed to a residency, launched a touring collective and made nine albums – inspiring many other musicians along the way. Information is here.

“The Manic Monologues” at 8 p.m. at Arrow Street Arts, 2 Arrow St., Harvard Square, Cambridge (and continuing through Feb. 25). $45. A play by Zachary Burton and Elisa Hofmeister showcasing true stories of mental illness to disrupt stigma. Directed by Brad Reinking. Information is here.

Hole Queer Event: Television Theme at 8 p.m. at Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square, Somerville. $25 and 21-plus. Bear witness to freaky and fantastical drag acts at this queer art party while moving your own super cool body to the music. Includes vendors, interactive art stations and friends you haven’t met yet. Information is here.

Show Me Your Bits improv show from 8 to 9:30 p.m. at the Café at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. $10. Jonathan Anderson and friends from Union Comedy and Boston’s Improv Asylum do stand-up, characters, music and sketch comedy so “silly and thought-provoking” it prompts follow-up questions from the audience. Information is here.

Bold Forbes (trio) and Cricket Blues (duo) perform from 8 to 10:30 p.m. at Gallery 263, 263 Pearl St., Cambridgeport. $10. The New York City and Cambridge trio blend the structures of folk and country songwriting with imagistic lyrics and creative arrangements for strings and voice; the Vermont duo build sound from intricate, layered guitars and haunting harmonies. Information is here.

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Saturday, Feb. 17

Winter Bird Walk: Bird Away the Winter Blues from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at Mass Audubon Nature Center at Magazine Beach, 668 Memorial Drive, Cambridgeport. Free, but register, and age 14-plus. The group will visit our winter resident songbirds and ducks and be on the lookout for peregrine falcons, hawks and occasional eagles during this mate-finding month for raptors. Information is here.

“Psychedelic Intersections: Cross-cultural Manifestations of the Sacred” conference from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Swartz Hall, 45 Francis Ave., Harvard Divinity School, in the Baldwin neighborhood near the Somerville border, Cambridge. Free, but register. The second-annual event looks at issues around psychedelics. Information is here.

Foundry Festival from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge (and continuing through Feb. 24). Free, with some activities just for kids, some just for adults and many for all ages. There’s a vendor fair and makerspace tours as well as workshops, labs, studio spaces and conference rooms abuzz with events scheduled for specific times during one or more days, including crafts activities involving card making and Chinese paper cutting; fun with textiles such as visible mending/embroidery workshops, denim upcycling, textile engraving, fabric painting and screen-printing and a sustainable clothing swap; kid-specific activities for ages zero to 3 (a winter wonderland sensory exploration), grade-school age (creative dance, maple sugaring, Lego robotics, printmaking, stand-up comedy, cooking science, playground and board game design and drumming of the African diaspora) and teens (stand-up “traumedy” workshop, Japanese water marbling art, protest printmaking, bike repair how-to and a solutions-focused panel discussion); movement classes in Qigong, Argentine tango, Cuban dance, Yiddish dance, game-playing dance, Kathak Indian dance and parkour; and hands-on cooking of dumplings and Mexican cuisine. You can learn about professional-level lighting for videography, local street art of all types, generative artificial intelligence, the Wherehouse for young people and how artists can participate in ecological fieldwork. Or you can roll up your sleeves and create handmade books (or devise children’s storybooks) and build a raised garden bed. Feel free to sit back and watch performances of CircusUp, hip-hop from Bridgeside Cypher, a dark humor “traumedy” show, an Oxford-style debate by The Black Response Cambridge, two hours of open mic inspired by the Foundry’s sculpture exhibit and screenings of works-in-progress films. Enjoy socializing during a musical night market and art exhibit opening with an artist talk. Or delve into self-reflection with audiovisual meditation, writing and movement meditation, drama therapy, identity-focused art making, intuitive drawing from multicultural prompts and a contemplation of “nature constellations.” Information is here.

Museum of Modern Renaissance guided tour from 11 a.m. to noon at the Museum of Modern Renaissance, 115 College Ave., between Davis and Powder House squares, Somerville. Free. Learn about the museum’s history and the “legends and fairytales” within its walls. Photos allowed. We wrote about the museum here. Information is here.

Community ice skating party from noon to 3 p.m. at Skate@Canal District Kendall, 300 Athenaeum St., Cambridge. Free. Enjoy free pizza from Kendall Kitchen and hot cocoa. Rentals are first-come, first-served, so bring your own ice skates if you have them. Information is here.

The 49th Boston Science Fiction Film Festival and Marathon (continued) from noon to midnight at the Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square. $16 to $20 per film, or $100 for a Feb. 18-19 marathon pass, or $200 for an all-access festival pass. Information is here.

“Zumbathon” fundraiser for the Cambridge Program from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at the Russell Youth Center, 680 Huron Ave., in the Strawberry Hill neighborhood, Cambridge, $15. Enjoy an upbeat dance workout that helps pay for activities and programming for individuals with special needs. Information is here.

Center for Arab Culture Film Screening: “Alam” from 1 to 3 p.m. at Somerville Public Library, 79 Highland Ave., Central Hill. Free. Set in a Palestinian village, the 2022 film follows Tamer and his friends, who lead typical teens lives until the arrival of a bold new student, Maysaa’. To impress her, Tamer agrees to take part in a political demonstration on the eve of Israel’s Independence Day. Information is here.

Saggy Jams Local Music and Arts Showcase from 2 to 5 p.m. at CultureHouse, 64 Union Square, Somerville. Free. Discover the whimsical painted clothing by Nora of Constellation Denim and the metaphysical mixed medium art by Orun. Plus, Camberville Community Music’s Saggy Jams video podcast brings you a debut performance by Vinícius followed by tunes from German native and Cambridge resident DJ Lukas Heinrich. Information is here.

Introduction to Tango from 3 to 5:30 p.m. at Dance Union, 16 Bow St., Union Square, Somerville. $45 to $50. An intensive tango bootcamp ideal for absolute beginners, people who need to review fundamentals or dancers from another genre who want to learn tango quickly. No partner needed; all genders are welcome to lead or follow. Information is here.

“Machine Learning” (continued) at 3 p.m and 8 p.m. at Central Square Theater, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $24 to $78. Information is here.

“The Manic Monologues” (continued) at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. at Arrow Street Arts, 2 Arrow Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge. $45. Information is here.

“The Hagiography: A Musical Pilgrimage through the Lives of the Saints” from 4 to 6 p.m. at Christ Church, Cambridge, Zero Garden St., Harvard Square. $10 to $20. Illuminates the arcane and mythologized but very human lives of 15 ancient Christian saints through original songs influenced by folk, pop, baroque and medieval music. Presented by Tiny Glass Tavern ensemble, The Chivalrous Crickets Celtic folk band and New York–based composer, poet and bassist Doug Balliett. Information is here.

Gospel Explosion Night from 5 to 7 p.m. at Harvard Memorial Church, 1 Harvard Yard, Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. An evening of gospel music with Southern University Gospel Choir of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Co-sponsored with the Love United Black Fellowship. Information is here.

Session Americana with Eleanor Buckland present “The Rattle and Clatter: 20 Years (So Far)” (continued) at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $25 and $28. Information is here.

Orchestra Flex presents “Modify” at 6 p.m. at the Longy School of Music, 27 Garden St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free to $20. Longy’s “re-imagined” orchestra for large ensemble projects that aren’t limited by instrumentation presents a program of works for chamber orchestra by Giovanni Gabrieli, Niloufar Nourbakhsh, Josef Haydn and Igor Stravinsky. Information is here.

Annual Community Gospel Concert “How Great Thou Art” at 6:30 p.m. at Somerville Community Baptist Church, 31 College Ave., Somerville, near Davis Square. Free. Music led by the Community Gospel Choir and the SCBC Gospel-Jazz Band with special guest Ballet Africa Teranga. Information is here.

Analog By Choice presents “Higdon, Harper and Haydn” at 7 p.m. at New School of Music, 25 Lowell St., West Cambridge. Free, but donations suggested. Experts in lighting alongside a Boston collective of chamber musicians perform pieces that have a unique relationship to how light is perceived. The concert series features music well known and loved alongside new or overlooked composers whose music deserves recognition – paired by the letters that start their names. Information is here.

Shit-Faced Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew” (continued) from 7 to 8 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $30 and 21-plus. Information is here.

Fun Dodgeball from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at the gymnasium of the Peabody School, 70 Rindge Ave., North Cambridge. $10 to $15 and middle school age-plus. This all-levels monthly dodgeball event says it’s not the same game you may have played growing up (or the movie) and has nine rules subject to amendments and additions. What, no blindfolds? No sudden-death match? Settle any scores at Joe Sent Me, where players often congregate afterward. Information is here.

“God’s Ear” play performance from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Multicultural Arts Center, 41 Second St., East Cambridge (also on Feb. 18). $13 to $35. An honest look into one family’s journey after the loss of their 10-year-old son, written by Jenny Schwartz and produced by Those Assembled Theatre Company, a brand-new theater arts collective in Boston. Information is here.

“Becoming a Man” (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $35 to $60. Information is here.

Puerto Rican singer and composer iLe performs at 8 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $35 to $42. From boleros and folk-inspired retro-pop songs to Afro-Caribbean and traditional Puerto Rican root sounds, the Latin Grammy winner sings of her culture, machismo, patriarchy, love and heartbreak. Information is here.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo performs at 8 p.m. at Sanders Theatre, 45 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. $20 to $52. The multi-Grammy-winning group performs their powerful South African a cappella singing featuring proud melodies harmonized in layers of call and response. Information is here.

Lilith Vocal Ensemble presents “Love & Lust” at 8 p.m. at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 838 Massachusetts Ave., Riverside near Central Square, Cambridge. $20 suggested donation. The treble ensemble of women and gender non-conforming vocalists performs works by Libby Larsen, Sarah Quartel, Saunder Choi, artistic director Laura Nevitt and a world premiere by Brittney Benton. Information is here.

Salsa and Bachata Red Dress Affair at 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the Dante Alighieri Society Center, 41 Hampshire St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. $20 and 21-plus. This third-annual social dance includes a half-hour dance performance and will crown the wearer of the best red dress of the night. The evening starts with a beginner-friendly salsa and bachata lesson, no partner necessary. Information is here.

Fruitstand presents “DraftQueens” from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. at The Turing Tavern, 1281 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $10 to $15 and 21-plus. A football-themed queer dance party with Shakaren performing at half time and a reminder to “Come cheer on our hungry guys! They can’t win the big gayme without your support, and that tight end isn’t going to sack itself.” Information is here.

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Sunday, Feb. 18

Somerville Bike Kitchen Winter Workshop: Wheels from 10 a.m. to noon at The Dojo at Somernova, 15 Properzi Way, in Ward Two, Somerville, between Porter and Union squares. Free, but email to RSVP. These Sunday workshops help you learn about all the parts that make up your bike and how to take care of them. Information is here.

Adele Drag Brunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Summer Shack, 149 Alewife Brook Parkway, Alewife, Cambridge. $20. Have a meal and sing along to all Adele’s hits about heartbreak and love. Hosted by Neon Calypso. Information is here.

Foundry Festival (continued) from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. All activities during this weeklong festival are free, with some just for kids, some just for adults and many for all ages. Information is here.

Winter Foraging from noon to 2 p.m. at The Growing Center, 22 Vinal Ave., near Union Square, Somerville. Free. Learn how to identify some edible and medicinal plants on a winter walk with Sage McTaggart, and bring along a mug to be able to enjoy some tasty teas. Information is here.

Game Day at the New England Science Fiction Association from noon to 10 p.m. at the group’s clubhouse at 504 Medford St., Magoun Square, Somerville. Free, but you must request a seat by email to attend. A variety of board, card and role-playing games for all tastes and abilities are available for nonmembers twice a month. Or bring your own game and teach others how to play. Masks are required for the first game day a month; the rest are masks optional. Information is here.

The 49th Boston Science Fiction Film Festival and Marathon (continued) 24 hours straight from noon (Feb. 18) to noon (Feb. 19) at the Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square. $16 to $20 per film, or $100 for a Feb. 18-19 marathon pass, or $200 for an all-access festival pass. Information is here.

“Machine Learning” (continued) at 2 p.m at Central Square Theater, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $24 to $78. Information is here.

A Far Cry presents “Stonehenge” at 3 p.m. at the Longy School of Music, 27 Garden St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $25. The ensemble-in-residence performs Paul Wiancko’s “Vox Petra,” which ends with the sounds of chiseling and sweeping, Anna Thorvaldsdottir’s “Illumine,” which invokes the sunrise and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68 “Pastoral” – all conjuring up the sense of wonder inspired by a place such as Stonehenge. Information is here.

Bach’s St. Matthew Passion from 3 to 6:15 p.m. at Sanders Theatre, 45 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10 to $70. Soloists Tenor William Hite, as St. Matthew the Evangelist, and baritone Dana Whiteside, as Jesus, join the Handel and Haydn Society Youth Choruses Concert Choir, led by conductor Michele Adams. Information is here.

Cheap Chocolate Day Live Music Show at 5 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $15 to $18 and all ages. Indulge in the best deals on chocolate while listening to four bands play: The New Limits, Lady Pills, Trash Rabbit and Indoor Friends. Information is here.

Zwouk Night (Brazilian Zouk + West Coast Swing) from 6 to 9 p.m. on the third floor of Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. $10. Two mini beginner lessons begin an evening of music and dancing. Sponsored by Boston Zouk on the Docks. Information is here.

“God’s Ear” play performance (continued) from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Multicultural Arts Center, 41 Second St., East Cambridge. $13 to $35. Information is here.

“Becoming a Man” (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $35 to $55. Information is here.

Mamadou Ensemble performs at 7:30 p.m. at The Burren, 247 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $15 to $20 and all ages. Boston Music Award winner Mamadou Diop is a Senegalese rhythm guitarist. Information is here.

Deap Vally farewell tour with Sloppy Jane at 8 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $23 to $25. Live for the last time, performing “Sistrionix” plus other favorites, Julie Edwards and Lindsey Troy wrap up 10 years of recording and touring. Information is here.

Joe Hunt Group performs from 8:30 to 10 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge (and the third Sunday of every month). $15. Some of Boston’s best musicians play live modern jazz, paying tribute to a special composer or performer at most shows. Information is here.

54 I Feel Love from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. at ManRay, 40 Prospect St., Central Square, Cambridge. $12 to $15. All disco, all night, with DJ Brian Halligan and DJ Chris Ewen. Creative ’70s Studio 54 attire is extremely encouraged. Information is here.

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Monday, Feb. 19

Foundry Festival (continued) from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. All activities during this weeklong festival are free, with some just for kids, some just for adults and many for all ages. Information is here.

MIT Museum February School Vacation Week from 11 a.m. to 4:40 p.m. at The MIT Museum, 314 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge (and continuing through Feb. 25). Most activities are free with museum admission. Activities for the week include extended Maker Hub and Learning Lab hours, tours, gallery cart demos and family workshops ($10 to $18). Information is here.

Frank Hurricane, Battlemode and Double Star perform at 6 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $15 to $20 and all ages. Folk/blues artist Frank Hurricane hikes down from the misty mountains to share songs, new and classic, about nature, humanity and spirit. Also playing: Battlemode and Double Star. Information is here.

Kelly Link reads from “The Book of Love” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The novelist, whose “Get in Trouble” was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in fiction, spins a tale set in a Massachusetts seaside town about three teenagers who disappeared and return a year later as ghosts, with the chance to reclaim their lives with the help of their high school music teacher. Paul Tremblay, award-winning author of “The Cabin at the End of the World,” joins the conversation. Information is here.

YA (for Adult Readers) Book Club at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Porter Square, Cambridge (and continuing monthly). Free, but register. This month’s selection is “How Much of These Hills is Gold” by C. Pam Zhang. Information is here.

Poet Tatiana Johnson-Boria reads from “Nocturne in Joy” from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Connexion, 149 Broadway, Somerville. Free to $21. Sponsored by All She Wrote Books, the debut poet joins author Melissa Lozada-Oliva in conversation. Information is here.

Boston Indies Demo Night from 7 to 10 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square, Somerville. Free and 21-plus. Come show off the game you’re working on, or just come and see what folks in the community are up to, offering feedback and encouragement. Bring a laptop/tablet if you have something to show. Information is here.

Boogarins performs at 8 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $18 to $20. The four-member Brazilian rock band has charmed audiences around the world with intense performances immersed in musical textures and guided by improvisations that transcend the language barrier. Information is here.

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Tuesday, Feb. 20

Foundry Festival (continued) from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. All activities during this weeklong festival are free, with some just for kids, some just for adults and many for all ages. Information is here.

MIT Museum February School Vacation Week (continued) from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at The MIT Museum, 314 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Most activities are free with museum admission (family workshops are $10 to $18). Information is here.

Sit ’n’ Knit from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge (and continuing every Tuesday). Free. Bring a project and enjoy the company of other crafters. Refreshments provided. Information is here.

“Meet the Orchestra” presented by Boston Music Project from 3 to 4 p.m. in the community room of the Cambridge Public Library Valente Branch, 826 Cambridge St., Wellington-Harrington, Cambridge. Free. A youth chamber orchestra performs, followed by a chance for children to try playing a string instrument and to learn about different orchestral instruments. Information is here.

Norton Lecture with Viet Thanh Nguyen: “On Crossing Borders” at 6 p.m. at Sanders Theatre, Sanders Theatre, 45 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge (and two more times through April 16). Free, but register. Harvard’s preeminent lecture series in the arts and humanities presents Pulitzer-winning author and USC professor Viet Thanh Nguyen, who’s titled his series “To Save and to Destroy: On Writing as an Other.” Information is here.

Contemporary Book Group from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Rossi Room of the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free, but register. February’s title: “A Living Remedy: A Memoir” by Nicole Chung. Information is here.

Outdoor Pub Sing from 6 to 8 p.m. at The Growing Center, 22 Vinal Ave., near Union Square, Somerville. Free. A pub-style singalong in which anyone is welcome to lead – drinking songs, sea chanteys and any song with a singable chorus is appreciated. There will be a propane fire pit and marshmallows to toast; other snacks are welcome. Information is here.

O’Connell Branch Adult Book Group from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Cambridge Public Library O’Connell Branch, 48 Sixth St., East Cambridge. Free. February’s title: “An Immense World” by Ed Yong. Information is here.

Knitting Group from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Cambridge Public Library’s Boudreau Branch, 245 Concord Ave. Observatory Hill in Neighborhood 9. Free. Bring yarn and needles and find out what fellow knitters are up to. Information is here.

Raymond Arsenault reads from “John Lewis: In Search of the Beloved Community” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The author of “Arthur Ashe: A Life” discusses his new biography of the civil rights activist and progressive congressman from his upbringing in rural Alabama through his decades of service as the “conscience of Congress.” Historian and former Harvard president Drew Faust joins the conversation. Information is here.

Sarah Tomlinson reads from “The Last Days of the Midnight Ramblers” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. The Los Angeles–based writer, editor and ghostwriter’s debut novel is about the complicated legacy of a legendary rock band and the ghostwriter telling their story, which involves a murder mystery. Writer and reviewer Erin Almond, author of “Witches’ Dance,” joins the conversation. Information is here.

Songwriters in the Round at 7:30 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. Free and all ages. Local talent performs, hosted by Boston resident folk punk musician Brian Walker of A Day Without Love. Three rounds, and performers must sign up in advance. Information is here.

“Becoming a Man” (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $35 to $65. Information is here.

Makaya McCraven performs at 8 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $20 to $25. The drummer and prolific jazz composer called by The New York Times, “one of the best arguments for jazz’s vitality.” Information is here.

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Wednesday, Feb. 21

Foundry Festival (continued) from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. All activities during this weeklong festival are free, with some just for kids, some just for adults and many for all ages. Information is here.

MIT Museum February School Vacation Week (continued) from 11 a.m. to 4:40 p.m. at The MIT Museum, 314 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Most activities are free with museum admission (family workshops are $10 to $18). Information is here.

Leslie Jamison reads from “Splinters: Another Kind of Love Story” at 6 p.m. The Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $12, or $35 with book. Author of the New York Times bestsellers “The Recovering” and “The Empathy Exams” discusses her tour de force memoir that looks at finding joy when haunted by loss and “harm we’ve caused.” Novelist and Harvard creative writing professor Claire Messud joins the conversation in this Harvard Book Store event. Information is here.

Artist Yu-Wen Wu in conversation from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Harvard Art Museums, Menschel Hall (lower level), 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. Wu discusses with curator Sarah Laursen how her experiences as an immigrant have shaped her work, which ranges from large-scale drawings to site-specific video installations and community-engaged practices. Wu’s handscroll “Walking to Taipei” is on view in the “Journeys” installation on Level 2. Information is here.

Laurence Ralph reads from “Sito: An American Teenager and the City that Failed Him” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The author and Princeton anthropology professor discusses his book about a teen shot to death in 2019. Ralph has studied gang-affiliated youth and is the stepfather of the slain teen’s half brother. National Book Award winner Ibram X. Kendi joins the conversation. Information is here.

Poets Ian Dreiblatt, Jennifer Nelson and Jon Woodward read from 7 to 8 p.m. at Grolier Poetry Book Shop on 6 Plympton St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10, but register. With an introduction by Esther Kondo Heller. Information is here.

Seven Times Salt performs 16th and 17th century music from 7 to 9 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $25. English consort repertory music sponsored by the Revels Fringe initiative, which promotes artists who create genre-bending music. Information is here.

“Becoming a Man” (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $35 to $115. Information is here.

Baritone Justin Austin performs at 7:30 p.m. at the Longy School of Music, 27 Garden St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but RSVP. With a voice described as “beautifully burnished” in The New York Times and “mellifluous” in The Wall Street Journal, Austin is making a name for himself on opera, oratorio, musical theater and concert stages here and in Europe. With Howard Watkins on piano. Information is here.

“Machine Learning” (continued) at 7:30 p.m at Central Square Theater, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $24 to $78. Information is here.

Dead Tooth performs at 8 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $15 to $18 and all ages. Rebuilt by drummer/guitarist Zach James after it dissolved during the pandemic, this post-punk band now has James as frontman, a sax player and three additional members. It won Owl Winter Madness in Brooklyn and was a breakout act at Spin Magazine’s SXSW. Also playing: Ski Club and Talk Chalk. Information is here.

Dancing Fools West Coast Swing with special guest Jen DeLuca from 8:15 p.m. to midnight at George Dilboy VFW Post 529, 351 Summer St., Somerville. $12 to $15. Beginners are welcome for the 101 class; former champion Jen DeLuca’s 102 class is reserved for those who can already dance the genre basics. Information is here.

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Thursday, Feb. 22

Foundry Festival (continued) from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. All activities during this weeklong festival are free, with some just for kids, some just for adults and many for all ages. Information is here.

Thursday Morning Talks: “Muppets, Mayhem and Murders – Bringing Sesame Street to Russia: A Battle to Create an Open Society in Russia” from 10:15 a.m. to noon at Holy Trinity Armenian Church, 145 Brattle St., West Cambridge. $20 or $125 (suggested donations for individual talk or series subscription), and registration is required. The television producer Natasha Rogoff recounts her challenges in bringing the children’s show to Russian audiences. The January and February lecture series is a fundraiser for Mount Auburn Hospital in its 87th year. Information is here.

MIT Museum February School Vacation Week (continued) from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at The MIT Museum, 314 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Most activities are free with museum admission (family workshops are $10 to $18). Information is here.

Winter Haiku Workshop from 2 to 4 p.m. at CultureHouse, 64 Union Square, Somerville. Free and all ages. Blow your breath onto the gray embers of a winter afternoon by writing a radiant haiku. Local poet and writing coach Heather Nelson will describe the basic structure of this short and simple traditional Japanese poetry form; then you’ll capture the sights, sounds, smells and feelings of winter in writing and transfer the haikus to paper snowflakes to create a storm of poetry. Information is here.

Vocal Brilliance: Elevating Your Voice for Impactful Presentations from 5 to 6 p.m. at Venture Café, CIC Cambridge, One Broadway, fifth floor, Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. Veteran voice actor Claire Fry gives simple yet powerful techniques to project unwavering authority and credibility in your own relaxed voice, so you not only sound good but also connect deeply with your audience. Information is here.

Cookbook Book Group from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Cambridge Public Library Collins Branch, 64 Aberdeen Ave., West Cambridge. Free, but register. All cooking levels are welcome at this potluck; bring a dish (or your thoughts) to share and discuss with other cooks. This month choose any recipe from “Vegetable Kingdom” by Bryant Terry. Information is here.

Lotería Fun Night for Families (Bilingual Bingo Party!) from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Somerville Public Library East Branch, 115 Broadway. Free, but register and ages 4-plus. Learn and practice Spanish vocabulary while playing bilingual bingo, then enjoy salsa and chips and sing and dance to Latin music. Information is here.

Pashtana Durrani reads from “Last to Eat, Last to Learn: My Life in Afghanistan Fighting to Educate Women” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The founder of the nonprofit Learn Afghanistan had to retreat to the United States when the Taliban returned to power. Layli Maparyan, executive director of the Wellesley Centers for Women, joins the conversation. Information is here.

PSB Book Club at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Porter Square, Cambridge (and held monthly). Free, but RSVP. This month’s selection: “How Much of These Hills is Gold” by C. Pam Zhang. Information is here.

Shit-Faced Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew” (continued) from 7 to 8 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $30 and all ages. Information is here.

Sofar Sounds Concert from 7 to 10:30 p.m. at Lamplighter CX, 110 N. First St., North Point, Cambridge. $26 and 21-plus. You buy the tickets but won’t know who’s playing until they take the mic. Promised are two to three short sets from “incredible performers from all musical genres and sometimes even spoken word, comedy or dance.” Information is here.

“Becoming a Man” opening night (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $75 to $104. Information is here.

“Machine Learning” (continued) at 7:30 p.m at Central Square Theater, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $24 to $78. Includes a half-hour talk after the performance by Marzyeh Ghassemi about the biggest question on the public’s mind and the challenges it poses: What if AI use goes too far? Information is here.

“The Manic Monologues” (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at Arrow Street Arts, 2 Arrow Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge. $45. Information is here.

The Blue Ribbons with special guests Tyler and the Names perform at 8 p.m. at The Lizard Lounge, 1667 Massachusetts Ave., in the Baldwin neighborhood between Harvard and Porter squares, Cambridge. $15. The Boston Music Award winners of soul-soaked folk rock perform their latest batch of recorded songs. Information is here.

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Friday, Feb. 23

Foundry Festival (continued) from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. All activities during this weeklong festival are free, with some just for kids, some just for adults and many for all ages. Information is here.

MIT Museum February School Vacation Week (continued) from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at The MIT Museum, 314 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Most activities are free with museum admission (family workshops are $10 to $18). Information is here.

“The True Cost of Coal” mural presentation from 4 to 6 p.m. at CultureHouse, 64 Union Square, Somerville. Free. The word-to-image translators of The Beehive Collective travel extensively to compile stories from person-to-person interactions. Here, they present their massive, intricately detailed winding timeline of Appalachian history weaving together histories of colonialism, worker rebellion, community organizing and the fight for a sustainable future. Information is here.

Women Take the Reel Film Festival: “At Your Cervix” screening at 6 p.m. at the Bartos Theater, 20 Ames St., Building E-15, atrium level, Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. Director A’magine answers questions after showing her film that breaks the silence about how medical students learn to perform pelvic exams (often on unconscious patients without their knowledge or consent). Information is here.

Cuban Dance with Boston Rueda (continued) from 6 to 8 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. $15. Information is here.

John Oakes reads from “The Fast: The History, Science, Philosophy and Promise of Doing Without” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The publisher of “The Evergreen Review” discusses interviews with doctors, spiritual leaders, activists and others who guided him through the practice of fasting, and how he discovered it was about much more than food. Luke O’Neil, author of “Welcome to Hell World: Dispatches from the American Dystopia,” joins the conversation. Information is here.

Shit-Faced Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew” (continued) from 7 to 8 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $30 and 21-plus. Information is here.

“Becoming a Man” (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $65 to $109. Information is here.

“Machine Learning” (continued) at 8 p.m at Central Square Theater, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $24 to $78. Information is here.

“Unplayed/Unheard” concert at 8 p.m. at the Longy School of Music, 27 Garden St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free to $20. Students from Longy’s jazz and contemporary music department perform music they composed. Information is here.

“The Manic Monologues” (continued) at 8 p.m. at Arrow Street Arts, 2 Arrow Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge. $45. Information is here.

Boston Early Music Festival: Le Consort performs at 9 p.m. at First Church in Cambridge, 11 Garden St., Harvard Square. $20 to $90. An entrancing tour through Europe of the Baroque era with four young musicians playing Bach, Vivaldi, Corelli, Purcell, Rameau and others. Information is here.

Automatique Brit and Indie Dance Party from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. at ManRay, 40 Prospect St., Central Square, Cambridge. $12 to $15 and 19-plus. Britpop favorites, international indie jams, floor-shaking dance rock and heart-pumping electro at a monthly dance party’s first anniversary. Information is here.

Jam session with trumpeter Phil Grenadier from 10 p.m. to midnight at The Mad Monkfish, 524 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. Free. The innovative jazz musician has collaborated with a broad range of notable performers and played on more than 50 albums. He joins the house band after their set for a late-night jam session. Information is here.