Thursday, April 11

Andrew Kemp on “Sea-Level Change in Boston: A Story in 3 Acts” from noon to 1 p.m. at Curtis Hall’s multipurpose room, Tufts University, 474 Boston Ave., Medford. Free. The Tufts earth and climate science professor describes how using salt-marsh sediment as a geological archive extends our knowledge of sea level change in Boston going back 4,000 years, and sheds light on the causes of long- and short-term sea-level change. Also via Zoom. Information is here.

Somerville Open Studios “First Look Exhibit” from 2 to 7 p.m. at Somerville Museum, 1 Westwood Road, in the Spring Hill neighborhood (and every Thursday, Friday and Saturday through May 11). Free. Artists participating in Open Studios May 4-5 submit one work each to this showcase opening today. Information is here.

Hahrie Han on “Stories of Democracy Realized” at 4 p.m. at Harvard’s John Knowles Paine Concert Hall, 3 Oxford St., just north of Harvard Square, Cambridge, and Harvard Yard. Free. The director of the Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University lectures on the ways people and communities do (and do not) practice democracy, with a particular focus on the relationship of faith, race and politics. Information is here.

Akshat Rathi reads from “Climate Capitalism: Winning the Race to Zero Emissions and Solving the Crisis of Our Age” from 4 to 5 p.m. in the Belfer Center, 79 John F. Kennedy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. The Bloomberg reporter’s book describes the Green Revolution sweeping across five continents that’s creating unlikely heroes driving the fight against climate change. Salata Institute adviser Peter Tufano joins. Information is here.

Susan Neiman on “Is it Left? Is it Woke?” from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the Starr Auditorium of the John F. Kennedy School of Government, 79 JFK St., Harvard Square. Free. The director of Berlin’s Einstein Forum and author of “Left is not Woke” argues that the liberal left is fueled by traditionally liberal emotions, but is undermined by some very reactionary ideas, with the confusion hampering them from opposing far-right radicalism effectively. Information is here.

Jason De Léon reads from “Soldiers and Kings: Survival and Hope in the World of Human Smuggling” at 5 p.m. at Harvard’s William James Hall, Room 105, 33 Kirkland St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The UCLA professor discusses his in-depth study on the smugglers who transport migrants through Mexico and the relationship between transnational gangs and the clandestine migration industry. Information is here.

21st Annual Summer Urban Program Auction by Phillips Brooks House at 5 p.m. at Gutman Conference Center at Harvard Graduate School of Education, 6 Appian Way, Harvard Square, Cambridge. $25 to $50. Fundraiser to support the student-run summer camps that serve more than 700 youth and teens in Boston and Cambridge. Heavy appetizers, open bar and live music plus silent and live auctions for exclusive items and experiences. Information is here.

Starr Forum with Yasheng Huang, author of “China: The Rise and Fall of the EAST” from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Building 66, also known as The Landau Building, Room 110, 25 Ames St., Cambridge. Free. The subtitle explains those all-caps: “How Exams, Autocracy, Stability and Technology Brought China Success, and Why They Might Lead to Its Decline.” Huang is a professor of global economics at MIT’s Sloan School of Management and directs the MIT-China Program. Wired magazine senior writer Will Knight joins. Information is here.

John Urschel and Louisa Thomas discuss the memoir “Mind and Matter: A Life in Math and Football” from 5 to 7:30 p.m. in The Nexus community space on the first floor of the Hayden Library Building at 160 Memorial Drive at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge. Free, but RSVP. Co-authors and a couple, Urschel is a former offensive lineman for the Baltimore Ravens and an assistant math professor at MIT; Thomas writes nonfiction books of history and contributes to The New Yorker. Information is here.

“Spoken Words: Speech, Character and Social Worlds in 19th Century British Novels” lecture and Q&A at 6 p.m. in the Thompson Room of Harvard University’s Barker Center, 12 Quincy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. For her book-in-progress, Tara K. Menon describes using computational tools and close literary analysis to reveal how direct speech shapes our understanding of literary characters in novels by Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte and George Eliot. Information is here.

Marc W. Pollina reads from “The Boston Marathon Handbook” from 6 to 7 p.m. at The Harvard Coop, 1400 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The entrepreneur and completer of 26 marathons discusses his definitive field guide to the Boston Marathon for participants, aspirants on the cusp of participating and athletes who dream of participating. Information is here.

North Cambridge History Center opening party from 6 to 8 p.m. at 2322 Massachusetts Ave. next to Frank’s Steakhouse, North Cambridge. Free. Check out this two-month pop-up designed for learning some hyperlocal history. Bring your curiosity, knowledge and photos of you and friends playing in the ’hood as kids. Part of the Center’s yearlong focus on North Cambridge. Light refreshments served. Information is here.

Malia C. Lazu reads from “From Intention to Impact: A Practical Guide to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion” from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free, but register. The MIT Sloan School lecturer, DEI strategist and entrepreneur discusses the hurdles to systemic change and provides a map for creating inclusive environments. My Brother’s Keeper Cambridge founder Tony Clark joins the conversation. The first 100 guests will get a free copy of Lazu’s book courtesy of MBK and the Central Square Business Improvement District. (This event was originally scheduled for March 18.) Information is here.

After Dark Series: Grow from 6 to 9 p.m. at The MIT Museum, 314 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. $10 to $20 and 21-plus. Learn about fungi, local foraging techniques, musical mushroom modulation and meet an MIT-trained architect trying to answer the question “Can we grow buildings?” Hand rolls from Pagu and craft beers from Arlington Brewing Company are available for purchase. Information is here.

Timothy Archambault on “The Silent Echo: Architectures of the Void” from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Gund Hall, 42 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The Miami-based architect and Indigenous flutist and composer discusses the relationship between the void, Indigenous and modern architecture, music archaeology and the process of revitalizing traditions within Indigenous flute music. He summarizes with a flute performance. Information is here.

Ismar Volić reads from “Making Democracy Count: How Mathematics Improves Voting, Electoral Maps and Representation” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The director of the Institute for Mathematics and Democracy at Wellesley College argues that democracy is mathematical to its very foundations, and mathematical thinking as an objective, nonpartisan framework can create civic infrastructure that works for everyone. Wellesley math professor Andrew Schultz joins. Information is here.

Pub Sing from 7 to 10 p.m. at the café at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville (and the second Thursday of each month). Free. A pub-style singalong where anyone is welcome to lead – drinking songs, sea chanteys and any song with a singable chorus will be appreciated! Information is here.

Blues Union classes and dances from 7 to 11 p.m. at Dance Union, 16 Bow St., Union Square, Somerville. $10 to $25. Includes a lesson in the first hour followed by an hour to socialize, rest or practice with a partner before two hours of social dancing. This time, Dan Repsch teaches and DJs. Wear shoes that allow you to pivot; no need to bring a partner. Information is here.

“Beyond Words” at 7:30 p.m. at Central Square Theater, Cambridge, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge (and continuing through Apr. 14). $24 to $78. Inspired by the life story of Harvard researcher Irene Pepperberg, who taught her African Grey parrot Alex to meaningfully communicate and solve problems at the level of a five-year-old child, playwright Laura Maria Censabella tracks the 30-year research experiment turned love story in this offbeat new play. Information is here.

First Year Musical: “The Kids Are All Right” at 7:30 p.m. at Agassiz Theatre, 5 James St., Harvard Square, Cambridge (and continuing through Monday). $10 to $15. A musical comedy with genres from folk and soul to disco about two friends in the 1970s trying to save the cabins where they first met at a musical retreat. Produced by Harvard’s Class of 2027. Information is here.

Improbable Beasts Clarinet Ensemble from 7:30 to 10 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $5 to $40. This ensemble of more than a dozen of the most sought-after bass clarinetists in Boston brings the deeply expressive power of multiple bass clarinets to the people, playing anything from Renaissance choral music to brand-new compositions to klezmer tunes and holiday songs. Information is here.

Revive retro music experience from 9 to 1 a.m. at ZuZu, 474 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge (and the second Thursday of every month). Free and 21-plus. Distortions of electro-swing from DJ Dekichan followed by pop remixes from DJ Catalyst. Information is here.

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Friday, April 12

Harvard Jazz Combo from noon to 1:30 p.m. at Jill Brown-Rhone Park, near Central Square, Cambridge. Free. Saxophonist Don Braden directs flutist Mai Nguyen, drummer Jack Meyer, pianist Hyuntae Choi, pianist Will Kissinger, violinist Noah Kassis, vocalist Carolyn Hao and bassist Leo Weisskoff. Information is here.

Earth Day spring cleaning and art sale from noon to 8 p.m. at Lesley University’s Lunder Arts Center, 1801 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free. Reduce, reuse and recycle by buying and trading unwanted items or art. Information is here.

“Endless, Excessive and Inhumane: Solitary Confinement in U.S. Immigration Detention” symposium from 1 to 5 p.m. at Gutman Conference Center at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, 6 Appian Way, Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. A recent report finds the use of solitary confinement has been expanding, and the report’s authors, local immigrant-rights experts and health advocates discuss that fact and efforts underway to reduce and eliminate this treatment. Information is here.

William Belden Nobel Lecture Series: Ruth Ozeki from 6 to 8 p.m. at Harvard Memorial Church, 1 Harvard Yard, Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Smith College’s Ozeki is novelist, filmmaker and Zen Buddhist priest. Her latest, “The Book of Form and Emptiness,” won several awards including the 2022 Women’s Prize for Fiction. Information is here.

Movie Night: “Spirited Away” from 6 to 8 p.m. at Kendall/MIT Open Space at 292 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. Free popcorn under the stars at this family-friendly outdoor screening of Hayao Miyazaki’s lyrical animated feature film from 2001. Information is here.

Artists Talk: Lucie March, Martha Schnee and Lena Warnke at 6:30 p.m. at Gallery 263, 263 Pearl St., Cambridgeport. Free, but RSVP. The Somerville artists contributing to the group photography exhibition “I wake up in your bed,” running through April 20, are longtime friends who say, “The camera is involved in our intimacy and our community; making photographs is a part of our relationships.” Information is here.

Ben Miller’s Multiphonic Guitarscapes at 6:30 p.m. at the café at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. Free. Miller has deconstructed a Gibson Kalamazoo and put it back together with found objects (binder clips and silverware!) to provoke texture and shape, and has added FX pedals, 8-bit sampling, a transistor radio, a Bigsby tailpiece and other items with the mixed output running stereo through two big guitar amps. “Trust the unknown” he suggests. Information is here.

“The Blue Caftan” film at 6:30 p.m. in Building 4, Room 237, at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 182 Memorial Drive (rear), near Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. This screening of Maryam Touzani’s work about a couple who run a caftan store in one of Morocco’s oldest medinas is the first in a series in a collaboration with The Aga Khan Documentation Center and Center for Arabic Culture Boston. In Arabic with English subtitles. Information is here.

A Trike Called Funk’s “Juxtaposed Flows: West African and Krump” from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at The Dance Complex, 536 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $5. Part of a mini series with live music and drumming that brings together the local street/club dance scene and internationally rooted heritage dance scene. This time, learn West African with Joh Camara and Krump with Russell “Gutta” Ferguson, followed by a dance party and freestyle dance battle. Information is here.

A cappella with Harvard’s Callbacks and Fallen Angels at 7 p.m. at Sanders Theatre, 45 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10 to $15. The two a cappella groups sing in a variety of genres and styles (the evening’s subtitled “Fall Back: A Strategic Withdrawal Jam”). Information is here.

Minibeast, Major Stars, Rope Trick and The Endorphins at 7 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $12 to $15 and 21-plus. A stack of bands playing experimental rock (Providence, Rhode Island), psyche rock (Boston), experimental heavy psyche rock (Philadelphia) and a combination of shoegaze, punk and grunge… and everything in between (Boston). Information is here.

“Being in a Place”: Rediscovering the Films of Margaret Tait at 7 p.m. at the Harvard Film Archive at The Carpenter Center, 24 Quincy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge (and continuing Saturday). $15. Screenings of Tait’s short, poetic films, from 1952’s “A Portrait of Ga” to 1998’s “Garden Pieces.” Also showing: shorts about Tait by Berlin-based curator Ute Aurand (Friday) and “Being in a Place” by Luke Fowler (Saturday), with those two filmmakers in person. Information is here.

Myriam J.A. Chancy reads from “Village Weavers” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The award-winning author of “What Storm, What Thunder” discusses her new novel about Haitian girls from the 1940s – friends at opposite ends of the economic ladder – and follows the worlds they enter as they grow up. Boston’s poet laureate from 2014–2019, Danielle Legros Georges, joins. Information is here.

Susanna Kaysen discusses the 30th Anniversary of “Girl Interrupted” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free. The Cambridge novelist has written a new introduction to the anniversary edition of her influential and bestselling memoir about her time spent at McLean psychiatric hospital in the late ’60s. Porter Square Books’ Hannah Robinson and Olivia Redd join in conversation. Information is here.

Body Butter Workshop: Practical Magic Series from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Dark Mode, second floor, Bow Market, 1 Bow Market Way, Union Square, Somerville (and every Friday through April). $25. Be ready to add a magical ritual (and incantations?) to your life as owner Ramsey Noel helps you make body butter at her new shop filled with counter-culture clothing and accessories. Information is here.

First Year Musical: “The Kids Are All Right” (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at Agassiz Theatre, 5 James St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10 to $15. Information is here.

Blue Heron vocal ensemble’s “Okeghem Weekend” at 7:30 p.m. at First Church in Cambridge, 11 Garden St., Harvard Square (and continuing through Sunday). Free to $100, with five-event passes available. A weekend of concerts, talks and master classes celebrating the music of Johannes Okeghem and his colleagues and contemporaries. Held at Arts at the Armory on Sunday. Information is here.

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

“The Little Prince” opera at 8 p.m. at Arrow Street Arts, 2 Arrow Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge (and continuing Saturday). Free, but reserve your seat. Longy School of Music performs this melodic version of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s classic “Le petit Prince” scored by Academy Award winning composer Rachel Portman. Information is here.

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

The Horszowski Trio’s “The Journey and Legacy of Miecio’s Clavichord” at 8 p.m. at the Longy School of Music, 27 Garden St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free to $20. Jesse Mills (violin), Reiko Aizawa (piano) and Ole Akahoshi (cello) perform works by Enrique Granados and Camille Sant-Saëns, contemporaries of Mieczyslaw Horszowski, followed by Aizawa performing a Bach piece and a new composition on a clavichord inherited from teacher Peter Serkin, who inherited it from Horszowski. Information is here.

Gordon Webster Band performs for Boston Swing Central from 8 to 11:45 p.m. at Q Ballroom, 26 New St., Fresh Pond, Cambridge (and continuing Saturday). $22 to $35. Jazz pianist Gordon Webster – a favorite with swing dancers around the country – returns for two nights in a row to this social partner dance, which includes a lesson for beginners in the first hour. No partner required. Information is here.

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Saturday, April 13

Earth Day celebration from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Joan Lorentz Park at 457 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge, in front of the Cambridge Main Library (rain date: Sunday). Free. Though Earth Day is April 22, the City wants to give away 20 tons of compost in time for gardening, plus describe the Forest Friends initiative and the Storm Stewards Volunteer Program. Also, learn about efficient light bulbs and native plants and attend a fix-it clinic inside the library. Information is here.

Blue Heron vocal ensemble’s “Okeghem Weekend” (continued) at 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at First Church in Cambridge, 11 Garden St., Harvard Square. Free to $100, with five-event passes available. Information is here.

Dr. Who meetup from noon to 10 p.m. at at the New England Science Fiction Association 504 Medford St., Magoun Square, Somerville. Free. View classic and new Who, and socialize with fellow fans. Masks optional. Information is here.

Rebirth Vol. 3 Arts Festival Celebrating 50 Years of Hip Hop from 1 to 10 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge (and continuing Sunday). $20, $35 for a two-day pass. An afrodiasporic cultural experience bringing people together under the vast ecosystem of club, street and party social dance. Day 1 is a summit with workshops, a film screening and spoken word performances, plus an after-party cypher from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m.; Day 2 has a Rebirth Jam with cyphers, prizes, cultural awards, hip-hop performances, a street art installation and vendor fair. Information is here.

Biodanza movement session from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. $25 to $40 and 18-plus. Simple “Opening into Spring” exercises with music from around the world. No experience necessary; bare feet or indoor shoes only. Information is here.

Introduction to plant and wildlife monitoring for conservation from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at The Growing Center, 22 Vinal Ave., near Union Square, Somerville. Free, but register. Earthwise Aware co-founder Claire O’Neill teaches how to observe and record the plants, insects and animals of the center. No expertise required, but prepare for the event by creating a free account on the iNaturalist app. Information is here.

“Dear Friend, Let’s Meet”: A Roaming Poetry Reading from 2 to 4 p.m. at Bigelow Chapel, Mount Auburn Cemetery, 580 Mount Auburn St., West Cambridge. $15 to $20. Join poet and artist-in-residence Carolyn Oliver for a celebratory outdoor reading of her poems composed in the cemetery locations that inspired them. Information is here.

Voices of Poetry from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free. Doug Anderson, January Gill O’Neil, Shanta Lee and Lloyd Schwartz read, with music by singer-songwriter Gabriella Simpkins. Information is here.

Saggy Jams Music and Arts Showcase from 2 to 5 p.m. at CultureHouse, 64 Union Square, Somerville. Free. Discover pottery from Arvind, paintings by Moniker and glass by Catwizard Glass. Camberville Community Music’s Saggy Jams video podcast brings you live music from Megazoyd and DJ tunes from Mauro. Information is here.

First Year Musical: “The Kids Are All Right” (continued) at 2 and 7:30 p.m. at Agassiz Theatre, 5 James St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10 to $15. Information is here.

Down Home Up Here Bluegrass Festival from 2:30 to 10 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square (and continuing through April 15). $20 for a day pass. The 12th annual festival features three days of bluegrass and old-time acts, with some workshops mixed in among the concerts and jams. Information is here.

Citizen Science naturalist training: fungi and lichens from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at Story Chapel at Mount Auburn Cemetery, 580 Mount Auburn St., West Cambridge. Free. Coordinated by the cemetery’s director of urban ecology and sustainability Paul Kwiatkowski and taught by local experts, the trainings (some in person, some via Zoom) create a community of volunteers to help with data collection at the cemetery for research projects. Information is here.

“Beyond Words” (continued) at 3 and 8 p.m. at Central Square Theater, Cambridge, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $24 to $93. Information is here.

Flat Top Johnny’s grand reopening party to Benefit Best Buddies from 5 to 8 p.m. at Flat Top Johnny’s, 238 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. $35. The pool hall has been quietly open since January but invites people now to celebrate a cause (a nonprofit that boosts people with intellectual and developmental disabilities) and play pool or pinball, enter a raffle, sample delicious food and enjoy a beverage and some surprises. Information is here.

Srisley and Friends perform from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $15 to $20. The composer (given name Yae Seul Kim) won a Berklee World Tour Full Scholarship for jazz piano in 2022 and has led various ensembles. With seven musicians and a vocalist she performs dynamic original compositions inspired by Michel Camilo and covers of his songs. Information is here.

Florinda Freda art reception from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Somerville Public Library, 79 Highland Ave., on Central Hill. Free. The artist uses paint and collage for her exhibit “Mother Earth’s Call: A Reflection on Climate Change,” amplifying voices affected by unsustainable actions. Information is here.

Chick Singer Night Boston 20th Anniversary: A Celebration of Women in Music at 7 p.m. at The Burren, 247 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $22 to $27. Jennifer Truesdale hosts the event with the CSN Boston House Band performing, as well as featured artists Crowded Mind, Vykki Vox, Marcia J. Macres, Gay Sheldon and Nikki Rao. Information is here.

Esh Circus Arts Spring Student Show at 7 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. $12 to $22. Adults and children students show off their circus skills. Information is here.

“Being in a Place”: Rediscovering the Films of Margaret Tait (continued) at 7 p.m. at the Harvard Film Archive at The Carpenter Center, 24 Quincy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $15. Information is here.

West Coast Swing with Saya Suzaki and Roberto Corporan from 7 to midnight at George Dilboy VFW Post 529, 351 Summer St., Davis Square, Somerville. $10 to $30. Two intermediate workshops, one beginner workshop and social dancing with DJ Max. Sponsored by Dirty Water West Coast Swing. Information is here.

The Womps perform at 7:30 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square, Somerville. Free. A New England fusion jam band. Information is here.

A cappella with Harvard’s Din & Tonics at 8 p.m. at Sanders Theatre, 45 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10 to $20. The group celebrates its 45th anniversary traveling through decades of jazz a cappella. (The evening’s subtitled “Dins Turn 45: A Mid-Lime Crisis”). Information is here.

“The Little Prince” opera (continued) at 8 p.m. at Arrow Street Arts, 2 Arrow Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but reserve your seat. Information is here.

The River Charles Ensemble spring concert at 8 p.m. at Harvard’s John Knowles Paine Concert Hall, 3 Oxford St., just north of Harvard Square, Cambridge, and Harvard Yard. Free. Harvard’s conductorless orchestra performs selections from Puccini, Debussy and Dvorak. Information is here.

Harvard Pops Orchestra’s “PopsGPT: It’s Alive!” at 8 p.m. at Harvard’s Lowell Lecture Hall, 17 Kirkland St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10 to $15. The student-run symphonic orchestra’s repertoire ranges from popular music to film and show tunes and classical. Each show has a plot and features student singers and actors – this one a zany tale of a student desperate to rewrite a thesis due in two days and reaching for her roommate’s experimental generative AI program. Information is here.

Poet Amanda Shea’s “Infinite Spells and Coded Language” from 8 to 9:30 p.m. at the Multicultural Arts Center, 41 Second St., East Cambridge. $35. The two-time Boston Music Award-winning Spoken Word Artist blends personal reflection, social commentary and healing through art. Information is here.

This: Meditation on Love, Loss, Lunacy and Laughter in the early 21st century from 8 to 9:30 p.m. at The Dance Complex, 536 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge (and also tomorrow). $15 to $30. Engage with the radical, the serendipitous and the quirky through vignettes, the live original music of bassist and percussionist Ron Reid and the dance, prose, song making and soundscapes of Carol Marie Webster. Information is here.

Gordon Webster Band performs for Boston Swing Central (continued) from 8 to 11:45 p.m. at Q Ballroom, 26 New St., Fresh Pond, Cambridge. $22 to $35. Information is here.

Muddy Ruckus and Fancy Trash perform from 9 to midnight at The Lizard Lounge, 1667 Massachusetts Ave., in the Baldwin neighborhood between Harvard and Porter squares, Cambridge. $15 to $20 and 21-plus. The Portland, Maine, duo plays a grungy style of railroad indie punk blues, and the electrifying Northampton indie folk band promotes its 2023 album: a collection of 15 songs recorded live in the studio in 2007 and lost in a storage bin for 16 years. With special guest Barry Rothman on turntables. Information is here.

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Sunday, April 14

All She Wrote x Juliet Book Club from 10:30 a.m. to noon at Juliet Social Club, 257 Washington St., Somerville. $5 to $20. An exploration of “Hijab Butch Blues” by Lamya H., a poignant memoir on coming of age as a queer hijabi Muslim immigrant. Information is here.

Down Home Up Here Bluegrass Festival (continued) from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square. $20 for a day pass. Information is here.

Spring market from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at New Alliance Gallery in Milk Row Studios (in the alleyway next to Market Basket) at 438r Somerville Ave., Somerville. Free. Local makers and vendors of vintage clothing, handmade jewelry, bike bags, accessories and more. Hosted by Lexi’s Tree Fort and Gigi’s General. Free snacks. Information is here.

School of Rock Watertown adult students perform from noon to 4 p.m. at The Burren, 247 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $10 to $15 and all ages. An adult band midseason showcase featuring classic rock, metal, pop, Motown and soul by five bands who spent four months preparing for the footlights. Information is here.

Screen printing workshop from 1 to 4 p.m. at Gallery 263, 263 Pearl St., Cambridgeport. $35. Artist Hannah Jacoby-Brooks helps you prepare your own drawing for a one-layer screen print, prep an embroidery hoop screen and print. All craft materials supplied, including tote bag, but bring other items to print on if you wish. Information is here.

“Beyond Words” (continued) at 2 p.m. at Central Square Theater, Cambridge, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $24 to $93. Information is here.

First Year Musical: “The Kids Are All Right” (continued) at 2 p.m. at Agassiz Theatre, 5 James St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10 to $15. Information is here.

Sunday Concert Series: Tufts choruses from 3 to 5 p.m. at Distler Performance Hall, Tufts University, 20 Talbot Ave., Medford. Free. Choral director Jamie Kirsch leads the Tufts Concert Choir and Chamber Singers in their spring concert. Information is here.

Hillbilly Holiday performs from 3 to 6 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square, Somerville. Free. This “punky country cowboy outfit led by a Taiwanese singer” has indie rockers countrifying any tune that tells a good tale (“sad, glad or strange,” they say). Hence their twangy cover of “Tomorrow Never Knows.” Information is here.

Poets Jim Behrle, Sean Cole and John Mulrooney at 4 p.m. at The Press Room at 90 Oxford St., in the Spring Hill neighborhood, Somerville. $5 suggested donation. This time for his Xit the Bear Readings, Michael Franco brings together those he calls “the great gang of three” and hangs The Press Room walls with selected pieces by local artist Lucy Watkins titled “Letters to the World.” Information is here.

Blue Heron vocal ensemble’s “Okeghem Weekend” (continued) at 4 and 6 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. Free to $100, with five-event passes available. Information is here.

The Dwarves, The Raging Nathans, the F.U.’s and Street Trash at 6:30 p.m. at Sonia, 10 Brookline St., Central Square, Cambridge. $20 to $25 and all ages. It’s punk night, and bands from San Francisco; Dayton, Ohio; Boston; and New Hampshire represent. Information is here.

Eureka Ensemble instrument playground and performance from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Cambridge Community Center for the Arts at the Multicultural Arts Center, 41 Second St., East Cambridge. $10 to $25. Musicians from Eureka guide participants young and old through a hands-on exploration of string and wind instruments, followed by performances of quartet and quintet repertoire by Mozart and Beethoven. Information is here.

This: Meditation on Love, Loss, Lunacy and Laughter in the early 21st century (continued) from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at The Dance Complex, 536 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $15 to $30. Information is here.

[Working Title] and Bug World present “A Greater-est Boston Reading” from 7 to 9 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $5 to $10 and all ages. [Working Title], a queer reading and open mic series of emerging writers, hosts Lucas Restivo, Kenn Crestwell, Zofia Provizer, L. Scully and author Graham Irvin from Philadelphia, who’s promoting his new book “I Have a Gun.” Information is here.

Mingle at Momma’s: Queer Night from 8 to 10 p.m. at Momma’s Grocery + Wine, 2304 Massachusetts Ave., North Cambridge. $10 and 21-plus. A casual hang with neighbors and new friends with a wine tasting and a light snack. Information is here.

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Monday, April 15

Patriots Day colonial fair from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Foss Park on Broadway, 49 Fellsway West in the Ten Hills neighborhood, Somerville. Free. Learn about Somerville history, play colonial games, win small prizes and enjoy refreshments and music. Information is here.

Draper Museum reopens with a space exploration exhibit for Massachusetts Space Week from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 555 Technology Square, The Port neighborhood, Cambridge (daily through April 20, then only on Fridays after). Free. Adding to the recently unveiled and illuminated giant planet Mars in the company’s atrium, Draper has a new exhibit on space exploration. Information is here.

MIT Museum 2024 April School Vacation Week from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The MIT Museum, 314 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge (and continuing through April 21). Free with museum admission, but family workshops on laser cutting and biomaterial testing are $10 to $20 extra. Seven days of activities on topics such as microscopy, Crispr DNA editing and automata with science experiments, fruit music and an entire day on outer space. Information is here.

“Let’s Talk About It” dance performance about mental health from 5 to 6 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. $10. Collective Moments Dance and Tess Saoirse Dance create a show addressing themes of mental health, neurodiversity, negative self-talk and suicide. (The show is part of the POP Series, reducing the venue’s rental rate, with the Series in part funded by an American Rescue Plan Act grant.) Information is here.

“Redefining Three Moments of ‘Necessary Trouble’ in the Philippines” lecture series from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Harvard University’s Center for Government and International Studies, South Concourse, S020, 1730 Cambridge St., Harvard Square (and continuing through April 19). Free. Professor and peace advocate Ed Garcia, a framer of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, lectures over three days on “The Struggle Against Dictatorship,” “Waging Peace Requires a Marathon Mentality” and “Reinventing Resistance.” Information is here.

Oral History Initiative on the Grolier Poetry Book Shop inaugural event from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Forum Room at Lamont Library, Room 335, 11 Quincy St., Harvard Square. Free. Archival recordings, photographs from the bookstore’s history and tales from its past from poets Fanny Howe, Gail Mazur, Carol Menkiti, Robert Pinsky and John Yau, moderated by Lloyd Schwartz and guest curated by James Fraser. A reception amid a pop-up photo installation takes place in the Woodberry Poetry Room afterward. Information is here.

“Hum Sab Ek (We Are One)” multimedia exhibition opening with panel discussion from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at in the Tsai Auditorium at the Center for Government and International Studies, South Concourse, 1730 Cambridge St., Harvard Square. Free, but register. An exhibition based on Satchit Balsari’s research on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the 2.9 million-strong Self Employed Women’s Association. Information is here.

Massachusetts Space Film Festival kickoff with “2001: A Space Odyssey” at 6:30 p.m. at The Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $12.50 to $14.50. One of the greatest science fiction films of all time begins a week of science, movies, expert discussions and post-screening stargazing at the Brattle as part of the sixth edition of Massachusetts Space Week through April 22 presented by The Space Consortium. 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 “Crier’s War” by Nina Varela. Information is here.

Down Home Up Here Bluegrass Festival (continued) from 7 to 10 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square. $15. Information is here.

Berhana performs at 8:30 p.m. at The Sinclair, 52 Church St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $22. Born near Atlanta, Berhana composes songs that are a subdued amalgamation of R&B, funk and jazz and that increasingly reflect on his Ethiopian ancestry. Information is here.

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Tuesday, April 16

MIT Museum 2024 April School Vacation Week (continued) from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The MIT Museum, 314 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Most activities are free with museum admission (family workshops are $10 to $20). Information is here.

Javier Lafuente on “Journalism in Latin America: Reporting in Minefields” from noon to 1:20 p.m. at Harvard University’s Center for Government and International Studies, South Concourse, S216, 1730 Cambridge St., Harvard Square. Free. The Nieman Fellow and deputy managing editor at El País discusses the threats to journalists in Latin America from criminal organizations, politicians and power structures. Harvard’s Steven Levitsky moderates. Also via Zoom. Information is here.

Mitri Raheb reads from “Decolonizing Palestine: The Land, The People, The Bible” from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Study of World Religions, 42 Francis Ave., in the Baldwin neighborhood near the Somerville border, Cambridge. Free, but register. In his book, the founder of Dar al-Kalima University in Bethlehem challenges the weaponization of biblical texts to support the current settler-colonial state of Israel. Harvard’s Diane L. Moore moderates. Information is here.

Community Megaphone Recording Sessions about the Grolier from 2 to 7 p.m. at Grolier Poetry Book Shop on 6 Plympton St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. An opportunity to record your favorite stories about the Grolier, adding your voice and perspectives to the Woodberry Poetry Room’s archive. This is the second half of the Woodberry’s oral history initiative project. Information is here.

“Reimagining Germany after WWII: Art, History and Politics” panel discussion and exhibit opening from 4 to 5:15 p.m. at Adolphus Busch Hall, 27 Kirkland St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Rutgers and Boston University professors discuss the artistic and political movements that envisioned Germany’s path toward democratization. A reception for the new exhibit “Parallel Beginnings: New German Expressionists and Ida Kerkovius” follows. Information is here.

Spring birdwatching from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at Cambridge Public Library O’Neill Branch, 70 Rindge Ave., North Cambridge. Free, but register. Participants will walk as a group to Danehy Park and search for birds. Tips and a limited supply of binoculars will be shared. Information is here.

“Delikado” film screening from 5 to 7 p.m. at Harvard University’s Center for Government and International Studies, South Concourse, S020, 1730 Cambridge St., Harvard Square. Free. A 2022 investigative documentary about three environmental crusaders who confront betrayal and murder as they battle to save an island paradise famed as the Philippine’s “last ecological frontier.” Information is here.

“Bioethics, Legal Ethics and Ethics of Care: An introduction to psychedelics and ethics” panel discussion from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the Sperry Room at Swartz Hall, 45 Francis Ave., Harvard Divinity School, in the Baldwin neighborhood near the Somerville border, Cambridge. Free, but register. The Center for the Study of World Religion’s “Psychedelics & Ethics” initiative brings in experts who represent legal, philosophical and spiritual care approaches to psychedelic ethics. A one-hour mixer follows. Information is here.

Julia Alvarez reads from “The Cemetery of Untold Stories” at 6 p.m. in the lecture hall at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free, or $29.75 with book. During this event co-sponsored with the Harvard Book Store, the acclaimed author of “How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents” discusses her novel about a writer whose characters from unfinished novels won’t die, even when she literally buries them with her manuscript drafts in the ground. “Candelaria” author Melissa Lozada-Oliva joins. Information is here.

Poets Sherwin Bitsui (Diné) and Rowan Ricardo Phillips at 6 p.m. in the Thompson Room of Harvard University’s Barker Center, 12 Quincy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. With an introduction by Harvard’s Christopher Pexa and Tracy K. Smith. Also livestreamed. Information is here.

Norton Lecture with Viet Thanh Nguyen: “On the Joy of Otherness” at 6 p.m. at Sanders Theatre, Sanders Theatre, 45 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. The sixth of six lectures by 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.

Feldenkrais Drop-in Class from 6 to 7 p.m. at Vivid Oblivion, 288 Norfolk St., 2A, Cambridge near Inman Square. $20. Gentle guided movement lessons with Eve Boltax designed to enhance self-awareness and improve movement patterns so that participants develop a deeper understanding of their habitual patterns and inefficient habits. Information is here.

Fabric Mending: Darning from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free, but register. Somerville textile artist Jessamy Shay shows you how to mend holes and weak areas in sweaters, socks and other knit fabrics using seed stitch and square darning techniques. Information is here.

Outdoor Pub Sing from 6 to 8 p.m. at The Growing Center, 22 Vinal Ave., near Union Square, Somerville. Free. Anyone is welcome to lead in drinking songs, sea chanteys and anything with a singable chorus. There will be a propane fire pit and marshmallows to toast; other snacks are welcome. Information is here.

“Book Moot” discusses “Starter Villain” by John Scalzi at 6:30 p.m. at Pandemonium Books & Games, 4 Pleasant St., Central Square, Cambridge. $29 with the book and registration required. This time, a sci-fi caper set on present-day Earth, in which the protagonist inherits his uncle’s supervillain business, which is managed by hyper-intelligent talking spy cats. Information is here.

Garnette Cadogan on walking with a lecture, “The Ground is All Memoranda” from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Gund Hall, 42 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The Jamaican-born New Yorker taught courses on writing and transportation this year at MIT and is at work expanding his essay “Walking While Black” into a book (which may or may not take its title from the Emerson quote he plucks for this lecture). Information is here.

Cartoonist Cara Bean reads from “Here I Am, I Am Me: An Illustrated Guide to Mental Health” at 7 p.m. at Hub Comics, 19 Bow St., Union Square, Somerville. $19.11 with the book and registration required. The author-llustrator and high school art teacher explores in each of nine chapters a different aspect of mental health, from the brain and the mind to feelings and emotions. Information is here.

Ieva Jusionyte reads from “Exit Wounds: How America’s Guns Fuel Violence Across the Border” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The anthropologist and award-winning author of “Threshold: Emergency Responders on the US-Mexico Border” on firearms trafficking, following guns from dealers in Arizona and Texas to crime scenes in Mexico and relaying the gripping stories of all those involved. Journalist Oscar Lopez joins. Information is here.

Anthology launch for “Belonging: Short Stories from Pangyrus” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. Editors Virginia Pye and Anne Bernays moderate this event which includes readings of work by some of the contributors to the literary magazine. Information is here.

A Showcase of Local Poets from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the lecture hall at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free, but register. The library celebrates National Poetry Month with readings from Sam Cha, Imani Davis, Shangyang Fang, Julia Story and Raisa Tolchinsky. Information is here.

Drag Tribute to “Jagged Little Pill” at 8 p.m. at Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square, Somerville. $19 to $35 and 18-plus. Full Spin does a reverse take of the Broadway show by bringing a drag tribute to Alanis Morissette’s album “Jagged Little Pill” to the stage. Featuring eight drag stars plus the event host, Just JP. Information is here.

“Paperback Release Wrestling Show” at 8 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. $10. With the event “No Gods, No Ringmasters,” New York Times bestselling author Abraham Josephine “Josie” Riesman throws a [paperback]book release party with a reading from her “Ringmaster: Vince McMahon and the Unmaking of America” and invites a diverse roster of indie wrestling heroes (and heels) to wrestle. Information is here.

Ordinary Elephant performs at 8 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $18 to $20. Married folk duo and collaborators Crystal and Pete Damore won Artist of the Year at the International Folk Music Awards for their breakout album in 2017; their latest, a stripped down, self-titled collection, spotlights their harmonies and fretwork. Information is here.

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Wednesday, April 17

MIT Museum 2024 April School Vacation Week (continued) from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The MIT Museum, 314 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Most activities are free with museum admission (family workshops are $10 to $20). Information is here.

Poet Jane Miller from 4 to 5 p.m. at the Center for the Study of World Religions, 42 Francis Ave., in the Baldwin neighborhood near the Somerville border, Cambridge. Free, but register. The author reads from her latest, “Paper Banners,” followed by a Q&A on poetry and poetics. Information is here.

“Redefining Three Moments of ‘Necessary Trouble’ in the Philippines” lecture series (continued) from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Harvard University’s Center for Government and International Studies, South Concourse, S020, 1730 Cambridge St., Harvard Square. Free. Information is here.

Andrew Arsan discusses his upcoming book “Unfinished Revolutions: Journeys through the Arab Twentieth Century” from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Harvard’s Center for Middle Eastern Studies, 38 Kirkland St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The University of Cambridge, England, professor discusses his book to be published in 2025 on the political and intellectual history of the Arab world, centering on changing ideas of freedom. Information is here.

Creative Colorful Creations fabric painting workshop from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. $15 to $30 and all ages. Design and paint a piece you can take with you, materials provided. (Wear clothes that can get dirty.) Information is here.

Jean-Pierre Bekelo on “The Transformative Power of Afrofuturist Cinema” from 5:15 to 6 p.m. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Building E14, Room 304, 160 Memorial Drive, Cambridge. Free. The filmmaker presents his book “Cinema as a Transformative Tool for the Therapeutic Intellectual: Putting Postcolonial Theories in Motion” and asks how afrofuturist cinema contributes to the evolution of cinema and postcolonial narratives. Information is here.

Writers Speak: Rachel Cohen in conversation at 6 p.m. in the Fong Auditorium of Boylston Hall, Harvard Yard, Cambridge. Free. Cohen’s “A Chance Meeting: American Encounters” was reissued in March 2024 for its 20th anniversary. She’s also the author of the critically acclaimed “Austen Years: A Memoir in Five Novels.” Harvard’s Claire Messud joins. Information is here.

Leslie Valiant reads from “The Importance of Being Educable: A New Theory of Human Uniqueness” at 6 p.m. in Hall C at the Harvard Science Center, 1 Oxford St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, or $31.82 with book. Humans can process information in a way AI can’t, the Harvard professor argues. Melissa Franklin, also of Harvard, joins. Information is here.

Streetwise speaker series at 6 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square, Somerville (and every third Wednesday). Free. Co-sponsored by the Somerville Bicycle Advisory Committee and Somerville Alliance for Safe Streets. This month, Hudson Doyle tells his tale of bicycling from Lisbon to Istanbul. Information is here.

Sri Lankan cookbook author event with spice-blending from 6 to 7 p.m. at Curio Spice Lab, 2265 Massachusetts Ave., North Cambridge. Free, or $35 with book. Author Ruwanmali Samarakoon-Amunugama discusses her cookbook “Milk, Spice and Curry Leaves” and the intricacies of flavors from the central region of Sri Lanka while participants create a spice blend. Free refreshments and decaf coffee served. Information is here.

Artist and architect Mohamad Hafez on preserving memory and loss from 6 to 7:15 p.m. at Harvard Art Museums, Menschel Hall, 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Hafez discusses his profession and artistic career in light of changing political conditions, both in the United States and in the Middle East, over the past two decades. Information is here.

Shinya Yamanaka, Nobel-winning stem cell researcher at 7 p.m. in the Mugar Omni Theater at the Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, Boston, on the Cambridge border. Free, but register and 18-plus. Yamanaka discusses current work at the Center for iPS Cell Research and Application at Kyoto University as well as his groundbreaking discovery that mature cells can be converted to stem cells. Information is here.

Ann Zhao reads from “Dear Wendy” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free. The Wellesley grad’s debut is a dual point-of-view YA contemporary novel about two aromantic and asexual college students who engage in an online feud while unknowingly becoming friends in real life. Award-winning YA novelist and Lesley University’s Sara Farizan joins. Information is here.

Cloud Nine stand-up comedy at 7 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $15 to $18 and 18-plus. Leave feeling better than when you arrived with the help of five comics who do silly humor bits focused on their passions, interests or strongly held apolitical opinions. Information is here.

Rachel Gordon reads from “Postwar Stories: How Books Made Judaism American” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The University of Florida professor used archives, magazine articles and nearly forgotten bestsellers to examine how Jewish middlebrow literature helped shape post-Holocaust American Jewish identity. Jewish Women’s Archive CEO Judith Rosenbaum joins. Information is here.

“Lyd” screening and discussion with the filmmakers from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Harvard Science Center, 1 Oxford St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. The award-winning documentary about the 5,000-year-old Palestinian city uses vivid animations and the language of speculative fiction to envision an alternate reality for the documentary’s characters in which they’re free from traumas of the past and the violence of the present. In Arabic with English subtitles. Directors Rami Younis and Sarah Ema Friedland discuss their film with Harvard Divinity School’s Hilary Rantisi. Information is here.

Earthless and special guest Minami Deutsch perform at 8 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. $22. A San Diego psychedelic rock band pairs up with a Krautrock band from Tokyo. Information is here.

Metz performs at 8 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square, Somerville. $25 to $28. The Ontario band says “We’ve never been heavy enough for metal or hardcore purists, but we’re way too heavy for indie rock.” Also playing: Gouge Away and Mulva. Information is here.

MIT Music and Theater Arts Playwright’s Lab reading at 8 p.m. at MIT Music and Theater Arts, 345 Vassar St., in the MIT/Area II neighborhood, Cambridge. Free, but RSVP to save your spot. A five-week festival of staged readings featuring the work of the writers in the Playwrights Lab. Tonight: “Nina, Nina” by Alice Trang Le, a story about a woman giving up on long-term relationships after a failed first love, and her friend, waiting in the wings. Information is here.

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Thursday, April 18

Fresh “Ponding” from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the boardwalk of Black’s Nook at 250 Fresh Pond Parkway, in West Cambridge at Fresh Pond, Cambridge. Free, all ages. Drop in and join ranger Tim Puopolo to look through scoops of “pond muck” to find all the beautiful things living in it, from tadpoles to turtles and nymphs. Buckets, bins, nets, microscopes, magnifying glasses and nature guides are provided. Information is here.

MIT Museum 2024 April School Vacation Week (continued) from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The MIT Museum, 314 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Most activities are free with museum admission (family workshops are $10 to $20). Information is here.

Earth Day Celebration from noon to 2 p.m. at Harvard’s Science Center Plaza between Harvard Yard at Kirkland and Oxford streets, near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Bring everyday items you no longer need and pick up stuff for free at a Freecycle, recycle electronics, get a check-up on your bike and more. Information is here.

Sicangu Lakota hip-hop artist Frank Waln premieres a song from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Harvard Divinity School, 45 Francis Ave., in the Baldwin neighborhood near the Somerville border, Cambridge. Free, but register. As part of “We Gather in the Spring to Help in our Healing / Waná Wétu Owíčhota Owášt,” Frank Waln or Oyate Teca Obmani (“Walks with Young People”), an award-winning hip-hop artist and music producer from the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, concludes his residency at the Harvard ArtLab with a participatory gathering of music and storytelling inspired by elements of Lakota culture. Information is here.

Massachusetts Space Week at the brewery from 5:30 to 11 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square, Somerville. Free. The Space Consortium’s Massachusetts Space Week features these Aeronaut events: Space Hackathon (5:30 p.m.), Space Trivia Night (8 p.m.) and Space Board Game Night (9 p.m.). Information is here.

Eddie S. Glaude Jr., reads from “We Are the Leaders We Have Been Looking For” at 6 p.m. The Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $34 with book. During this Harvard Book Store event, the Princeton professor and bestselling author of “Begin Again: James Baldwin’s America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own” argues that the hard work of becoming a better person – even heroes – should be a critical feature of Black politics. National Book Award winning author of “South to America” Imani Perry joins in conversation. Information is here.

MIT Spring 2024 Architecture Lecture Series: Teddy Cruz and Fonna Forman at 6 p.m. in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Long Lounge (Building 7-429), 77 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge. Free, but register. The University of California, San Diego, professors discuss work on “citizenship culture” at the U.S.-Mexico border and the network of civic spaces and social housing projects they’ve co-developed with migrant communities. Also livestreamed. Information is here.

Riverside Naturalists: History of Magazine Beach Park from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Mass Audubon Nature Center at Magazine Beach, 668 Memorial Drive, Cambridgeport (also April 25). Free, but register and adults only. Explore flora, fauna and fungi and observe the connections between them and us during two guided walks per month: one focuses on the seasonal changes and the other on nature journaling (documenting observations – no art experience required). Information is here.

Margot Anne Kelley reads from “A Gardener at the End of the World” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free. In her new book, the writer and photographer explores some of the complex relationships connecting people, seeds and viruses, and traces strands of our collective co-evolution. Information is here.

The Bread and Puppet Theater: The Hope Principle Show at 7 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. $20. Subtitled “Citizens’ Shame and Hope in the Time of Genocide,” director Peter Schumann’s brand-new play for the political theater company’s 61st year includes “citizen despair gymnastics,” “a flock of disaster ravens,” a “hope principle caribou” and “exorcism rites for the genociders,” all served up with the troupe’s famous sourdough bread. Information is here.

Poet Raisa Tolchinsky on boxing at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The poet’s debut poetry collection “Glass Jaw” is based on her time training as a fighter in New York City and explores a quest that’s spiritual as well as physical. Annette Yoshiko Reed, a Muay Thai fighter and Stendahl chair of divinity at Harvard, joins. Information is here.

Poets Tongo Eisen-Martin and Jackie Wang from 7 to 8 p.m. at Grolier Poetry Book Shop on 6 Plympton St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $5 to $10, but register. With an introduction by Keith Jones. Information is here.

Poetry Reading and open mic from 7 to 8 p.m. at Harvard Art Museums, Menschel Hall, 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Scheduled readers for the first hour followed by an open floor for others to read (three minutes each). Scheduled poets include Imani Davis, Mia Word, Myles Taylor, Imani Fonfield and Porsha Olayiwola. Information is here.

Blues Union April Classes and Dances from 7 to 11 p.m. at Dance Union, 16 Bow St., Union Square, Somerville. $10 to $25. Includes a lesson in the first hour followed by an hour to socialize, rest or practice with a partner before two hours of social dancing. This time, Dan Repsch teaches and DJs. Wear shoes that allow you to pivot; no need to bring a partner. Information is here.

Guitarist Kyran Daniel performs from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at Regattabar, 1 Bennett St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $20 to $25. The musician, composer, producer and musical director worked with a cohort of Australian artists and, after touring Europe, is finishing a solo album filled with global influences and cinematic soundscapes. Information is here.

Popcorn Comedy with Dan Boulger from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square. $20. The winner of 2006’s Boston Comedy Festival with appearances on Comedy Central, The Late Late Show on CBS, the HBO Aspen Comedy Festival and more headlines a night of freshly popped stand-up in the historic theater’s intimate microcinema. Information is here.

Third Thursdays jazz with Dave Bryant and Friends at 8 p.m. at Harvard-Epworth United Methodist Church, 1555 Massachusetts Ave., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10. Keyboardist and composer Bryant host a festival of keyboardists including Steve Lantner, Tatiana Castro Mejia, Eric Zinman and Pandelis Karayorgis. Information is here.