Thursday, May 16
Yoga in the Park from 7 to 8 a.m. at Mass Audubon Nature Center at Magazine Beach, 668 Memorial Drive, Cambridgeport. Free, but register, and ages 5-plus. Enjoy the park on a quiet morning. Leave feeling invigorated and relaxed. Information is here.
“Manifest: Thirteen Colonies” exhibition preview and conversation from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Harvard Geological Museum, 24 Oxford St., in the Baldwin neighborhood near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. Photographer Wendel A. White, professor of art at Stockton University and a Harvard fellow, discusses photographing objects, documents and books held in public collections to explore the complexities of U.S. history, slavery, abolition, concepts of race and Black life and culture. The exhibition of his work at the Peabody Museum opens May 18. Haverford professor William E. Williams joins. Information is here.
Ibbetson Street Press poetry reading from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Somerville Public Library East Branch, 115 Broadway. Free, but register. Local poetry lovers are welcome to join Doug Holder and other published writers on behalf of Somerville’s Ibbetson Street Press for a live reading event. Information is here.
Exploring fun and practical artificial intelligence tools from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the community room at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free, but register. Learn about AI tools, including DALL·E and ChatGPT, through fun and engaging exercises. AI technology can be used to plan a garden, help with crosswords, create art, write poetry and more. Information is here.
Nicholas Kristof reads from his memoir “Chasing Hope: A Reporter’s Life” at 7 p.m. at First Parish in Cambridge Meeting House, 3 Church St./1446 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square. $12, or $40 with book. During this Harvard Book Store event, the Pulitzer-winning journalist and New York Times op-ed columnist recounts his event-filled path from a small-town farm in Oregon to every corner of the world, witnessing and writing about century-defining events. Harvard’s Drew Gilpin Faust joins. Information is here.
Wendy Chen reads from “Their Divine Fires” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The University of Nevada, Las Vegas, professor and author of the award-winning poetry collection “Unearthlings” discusses her debut novel about several generations of a family from the early 1900s in southern China to the present day in the United States. Information is here.
How We’ll Live: Sustainable Lifestyles of the Future at 7 p.m. at the blue wing of the Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, Boston, on the Cambridge border. Free, but register. The museum’s Center for the Environment explores sustainable lifestyles now and in the future with panelists from the arts, culture and food industries followed by fashion and upcycled modern quilts exhibits, performances and more! Information is here.
Jennifer Kabat reads from “The Eighth Moon” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. The essayist’s memoir about moving to the Catskills, learning about the history of the land and discovering the many ways the past comes alive in the present. Francesca Wade, author of “Square Haunting: Five Women, Freedom and London between the Wars,” and Grand Journal editor and publisher Aaron Hicklin join. Information is here.
Shit-Faced Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” (continued) from 7 to 8:10 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $30 and 18-plus. Information is here.
Blues Union May Classes and Dances from 7 to 11 p.m. at Dance Union, 16 Bow St., Union Square, Somerville (also May 23 and 30). $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. Wear shoes that allow you to pivot; no need to bring a partner. Masks required. Information is here.
“Mermaid Hour” (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at Arrow Street Arts, 2 Arrow Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge. $45 to $55 and 13-plus. (Masks required.) Information is here.
The Soul Rebels perform at 8 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. $35. The eight-member collective brings a unique blend of funk, soul, hip-hop, jazz and rock with an emphasis on horns (even sousaphone) and drums. Information is here.
Radius Ensemble’s “Epitome” concert at 8 p.m. at the Longy School of Music, 27 Garden St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $15 to $35. The ensemble-in-residence closes out its 25th year with Sonata for violin and viola in B-flat major, Op. Posth (1800), by Chevalier de Saint-Georges; “Vox balaenae (Voice of the Whale)” for amplified flute, cello and piano (1971) by George Crumb; “New York Counterpoint” for clarinet and tape (1985) by Steve Reich; and a new work for the ensemble by Elena Ruehr, inspired by Mondrian’s painting “Broadway Boogie Woogie.” Information is here.
MIT’s Middle Eastern Ensemble performs at 8 p.m. at Killian Hall in the Hayden Library Building at 160 Memorial Drive at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge. Free. The spring concert is directed by Garo Saraydarian. Information is here.
Third Thursdays: CD release concert with Dave Bryant and Friends at 8 p.m. at Harvard-Epworth United Methodist Church, 1555 Massachusetts Ave., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10. Bryant first convened the quartet of Jamaaladeen Tacuma (bass), George Garzone (tenor sax) and Chris Bowman (drums) in 1989 for a weekend at Somerville’s now-defunct Willow Jazz Club. They reunited for a December 2018 recording session which resulted in the new “Wire and Bone.” They are joined on the recording (and at this concert) by guitarists Kenny Wessel and Eric Hofbauer. Information is here.
Friday, May 17
Claire Messud reads from “The Strange Eventful History” at 6 p.m. The Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $12, or $38 with book. During this Harvard Book Store event, the award-winning author of “The Woman Upstairs” discusses her novel spanning 1940 to 2010 in the lives of a family inspired in part by Messud’s own family history. Author Allegra Goodman joins. Information is here.
Animal and Ice Cream Social from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Mass Audubon Nature Center at Magazine Beach, 668 Memorial Drive, Cambridgeport. Free, but register. Meet one of Audubon’s live animal ambassadors, learn about survival adaptations and enjoy free ice cream. Information is here.
CCTV Youth Media Program film screenings from 6 to 8 p.m. at the MIT Welcome Center, 292 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free. Cambridge Community Television shows 11 films made by young filmmakers who attended its School Year Production Program. Information is here.
Robin Bernstein reads from “Freeman’s Challenge: The Murder That Shook America’s Original Prison for Profit” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The Harvard history professor and “Racial Innocence” author discusses the early 19th century village of Auburn, New York, that leased convicted criminals to private companies to be unpaid labor and the Afro-Native teenager who challenged the system. Harvard’s Brandon M. Terry joins. Information is here.
Claire Dickson, Big Fuzzy and Randy Numens perform at 7 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $10. Brooklyn’s Dickson practices “emergent embodied” songwriting. Boston’s Big Fuzzy plays rock songs that “traverse dangerous and unpredictable harmonic terrain.” Numens is a mystery. Information is here.
Temim Fruchter reads from “City of Laughter” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free. A debut novel about a young queer woman stuck in a thicket of half-hidden family secrets spanning four generations of her Eastern European Jewish female ancestors. Author Aube Rey Lescure joins. Information is here.
Shit-Faced Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” (continued) from 7 to 8:10 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $30 and 21-plus. Information is here.
Metropolitan Chorale presents “The Range of Light” at 8 p.m. at First Church in Cambridge, 11 Garden St., Harvard Square. $30 to $45. Music director Lisa Graham’s 20 years with the Chorale and her hometown are celebrated with the world premiere of “Yosemite: Impressions of Light and Shadow” by Ēriks Ešenvalds. Plus, “Naturaleza” by Francisco J. Núñez, “The Peace of Wild Things” and “Come to the Woods” by Jake Runestad, “Until It’s Gone” by The Swingles and “Sunrise” by Ben Parry. Information is here.
Mermaid Hour (continued) at 8 p.m. at Arrow Street Arts, 2 Arrow Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge. $45 to $55 and 13-plus. Information is here.
“Fitzgerald & the Jazz Age” film series at 8 p.m. at The Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $12.50 to $14.50. The A.R.T.’s new “Gatsby” musical is one hot ticket, so while you wait for your turn to see it you can enjoy five days of films that examine F. Scott Fitzgerald as an author and screenwriter or that explore the real world that the characters in his works inhabit. Up first: Charlie Chaplin’s “The Kid” from 1921. Information is here.
Earth performs with special guest Ester Blue at 8 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. $18. Guitarist Dylan Carlson – a trailblazer of drone metal – and drummer Adrienne Davies take their minimalist band on tour with the Canadian singer, songwriter and musician. Information is here.
Buck Meek performs with special guest Jolie Holland at 8 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $20 to $25. The lead guitarist of Big Thief went back to Texas to record his latest solo album “Haunted Mountain” with his five-member band; he co-wrote the title track and four other songs with Holland. Information is here.
Show Me Your Bits stand-up and sketch 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 do stand-up, characters, music and sketch comedy so “silly and thought-provoking” it prompts follow-up questions from the audience. Information is here.
Jack Soref Swingtette performs for Boston Swing Central from 8 to 11:45 p.m. at Q Ballroom, 26 New St., Fresh Pond, Cambridge. $13 to $20. This social partner dance with live music includes a lesson for beginners in the first hour. No partner required. Information is here.
Dante’s Salsa Inferno: Salsa/Bachata Social Dance from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the Dante Alighieri Society Center, 41 Hampshire St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. $5 to $20 and 21-plus. Salsa and bachata tunes from DJ Condori. The evening starts with an hourlong lesson by Boston Casineros, no partner necessary, followed by social dancing. Information is here.
Saturday, May 18
Annual Spring Community Bike Ride meet by 9 a.m. for a 9:30 a.m. ride from Joan Lorentz Park at 457 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge (in front of the Cambridge Main Library). Free. A ride through neighborhoods of the Cambridge African American History Trail on mostly level terrain lasting 2.5 hours and escorted by the Cambridge Police Department Bike Patrol. Information is here.
Asian American and Pacifica Islander Heritage Month special weekend from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, Boston, on the Cambridge border (and continuing May 19). For free museum admission, redeem online code AAPIHM24. Speakers from Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Lab and professors from Northeastern, Boston and Bryant Universities; Suitcase Stories presentations; and dance from Sri Kuchipudi Natyalaya, Gund Kwok Asian Women’s Lion & Dragon troupe and Wah Lum Lion Dance & Martial Arts; and free regularly scheduled Mugar Omni Theater films (May 18 only). Information is here.
Eighth Annual National Flagway Tournament from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at War Memorial Recreation Center, 1640 Cambridge St., Mid-Cambridge. Free and all ages. Students from seven U.S. states and the Republic of Ireland engage in friendly competition, teamwork and math learning, plus a Math Playground for attendees of all ages, music and food trucks at this Young People’s Project event. Information is here.
Port Arts Fest from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. between School and Harvard Streets in front of the Community Art Center, 119 Windsor St., The Port, Cambridge (rain date: May 19). Free. Meet local artist vendors and neighborhood organizations, plus live art-making, mural-making, Haitian folkloric dance class, Gourmet Kreyol food truck, Pipe Dream cupcakes and A Trike Called Funk. Information is here.
Celebrating 20 Years of Marriage Equality from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Cambridge City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square. Free. The first U.S. city to issue same-gender marriage licenses (in May 2004) commemorates with remarks, refreshments and a serenade of the community by the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus directed by Reuben Reynolds. Information is here.
“Empowered Earth” community ceramics event from 1 to 3 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. Free. Young artists from Urbano Project’s “Empowered Earth” program learned clay techniques as well as the questions clay poses for environmental sustainability; they showcase their works and give hands-on demos for making clay creations. Information is here.
Tjovi Ginen and the Power of Vodoun Music from 1 to 3 p.m. at Joan Lorentz Park at 457 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge (in front of the Cambridge Main Library). Free. To celebrate Haitian Flag Day, New England’s preeminent interpreter of vodoun music presents a high-octane fusion of vodoun (characterized by pulsating rhythms and call and response) with reggae, ska, dub and a variety of African traditional sounds. Information is here.
Repair Day from 1 to 4 p.m. at Patagonia, 39 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but RSVP. Free small clothing repairs (rips, small patches, buttons, loose stitching, quick hems, snap replacements), snacks and beverages provided. Co-sponsored by local nonprofit Second Chances and Homme Repair. Information is here.
JoyFest from 1 to 6 p.m. at Prospect Hill Park, 68 Munroe St., Somerville (rain date: May 19). Free. Part block party, part DIY music festival promoting local arts with workshops, DJs, open mic, food and performances by Further Notice, Naomi Westwater, Otis Shanty, Glutty, Fly By Brass Band and more. Information is here.
Poets in the Garden from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Longfellow House and the Washington’s Headquarters National Historic Site, 105 Brattle St., West Cambridge. Free. Local Poet Populist emeritus Toni Bee and poets Justice Brooks, Linda Carney-Goodrich, Charles Coe and Parker-Vincent Alva read poetry outdoors. Step up to the open mic, stroll along the garden walk, take home some seeds. Information is here.
“Mermaid Hour” (continued) at 2 and 8 p.m. at Arrow Street Arts, 2 Arrow Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge. $45 to $55 and 13-plus. (Masks required for the 2 p.m. show.) Information is here.
Fantasy cello concert with Yi-Bing Chu from 2:30 to 3:45 p.m. at First Church in Cambridge, 11 Garden St., Harvard Square. $20 to $30 (children under 10 free). Yi-Bing Chu was principal cellist in Basel Symphony Orchestra, Switzerland, from 1989-2004, guest principal cellist of Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra in Munich and conductor of several symphony orchestras in those countries. He created ensemble China Philharmonic Cellists, made up of 12 Chinese cellists, and gives concerts all over China. Pianist Xiao Dong accompanies. Information is here.
Dancing on the Charles season opener from 3 to 11 p.m. in the parking lot by the American Legion Marsh Post, 5 Greenough Blvd., West Cambridge. $29 to $46 (not including online fees), by reservation only for this 21-plus dance party. Expect five sets by DJs including Fred Everything, Adam Gibbons, Juju, Frantic and Driscoll. Information is here.
New England Hong Kong Festival from 4 to 8 p.m. at 90 Union Square, Somerville (rain date: May 19). Free. This inaugural Hong Kong cultural event features Asian and Hong Kong-inspired art, accessories, toys, snacks, books and crafts provided by local small businesses, plus a lion dance, Cantonese opera and live Cantonese pop by local bands such as Juk Sing, Barry & Friends (who’ll perform theme songs from iconic Hong Kong TV dramas of the ’80s, ’90s and 2000s) and Berklee singer-songwriter Nicole Ng. Information is here.
“Starring Jerry as Himself” screening with filmmakers Q&A at 6 p.m. in the Mugar Omni Theater at the Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, Boston, on the Cambridge border. $15 and 18-plus. A gripping true story of a family who documents how their immigrant father Jerry, a recently retired Florida man, was recruited by the Chinese police to be an undercover agent, only to discover a darker truth. Information is here.
Shit-Faced Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” (continued) from 7 to 8:10 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $30 and 21-plus. Information is here.
Spectrum Singers presents “Time, Space, Peace, Music, God” at 8 p.m. at First Church in Cambridge, 11 Garden St., Harvard Square. $25 to $60. Music director John Ehrlich’s final concert features four vocalists, a chorus and a full orchestra performing a program linking Arnold Schoenberg’s heartfelt plea for peace; Ralph Vaughan Williams’ homages to Walt Whitman and William Shakespeare; and Charles Ives’s cosmic portrait of a powerful, merciful God. Information is here.
Dance Now Boston from 8 to 9:15 p.m. at The Dance Complex, 536 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge (and continuing May 19). $10 to $50. An annual series creatively pairing dance artists from New York and Boston. This weekend, Boston’s Joe Gonzalez and Audrey MacLean and members of the Boston Dance Theater’s Trainee Program in tandem with The Bang Group and Brazilian drag-tap artist Felipe Galganni from New York City. Information is here.
Sunday, May 19
Mystic River Herring Run & Paddle 2024 at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. at Blessing of the Bay Boathouse, 32 Shore Drive, Somerville. $25 to $40. A 5K run/walk race along the Mystic River bike path followed by three paddling races (3, 9 and 12 miles) along the river. Or register for a free, leisurely and largely off-road 15-mile ride along the Mystic and Malden rivers led by Bike to the Sea. Information is here.
Asian American and Pacifica Islander Heritage Month special weekend (continued) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, Boston, on the Cambridge border. For free museum admission, redeem online code AAPIHM24. Information is here.
All She Wrote x Juliet Book Club from 10:30 a.m. to noon at Juliet Social Club, 257 Washington St., Somerville. $5 to $19. An exploration of “Here We Go Again” by Alison Cochrun, a queer rom-com road trip novel. Information is here.
“That’s Communication” Lindy Hopcats Workshop from 10 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. at Cambridge Community Center for the Arts, 41 Second St. (enter from the side-street patio), East Cambridge. $30 per class. Instructors Mike Sonder, Katie Cobalt and Jason Hsu swing in from Amsterdam, Madrid and Taipei to teach classes for motivated dancers, beginners through advanced, focusing on individuality, switches and swivels. No partner required. Information is here.
“The Owls Are Not What They Seem”: The Music of “Twin Peaks” in Two Lodges from noon to 3 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $10. Boston composer, guitarist and educator Joel Roston takes a deep-ish dive into Angelo Badalamenti’s score to the television show “Twin Peaks” describing why it’s so perfectly composed for David Lynch’s story and why musicians and non-musicians alike are so captivated by it. Information is here.
Inman Eats & Crafts from noon to 4 p.m. on Cambridge Street in Inman Square, between Springfield and Prospect streets. $23. The East Cambridge Business Association’s annual celebration of “everything Inman Square” has a long list of restaurants with food stands, a beer garden, live music and a Handmade Marketplace of more than 30 local vendors. Information is here.
“Let’s Go Bugging!” pollinator survey workshop from 1 to 2:30 p.m. meeting on site at the Lusitania Meadow at 615 Concord Ave. in West Cambridge at Fresh Pond, Cambridge. Free. Join participatory scientists from Earthwise Aware and park ranger Tim Puopolo to learn how to help document arthropod activity around Fresh Pond and your neighborhood. No expertise required, but prepare by downloading the Anecdata app and joining the EwA Buggy project. Information is here.
Somerville Bike Kitchen Bike Pageant from 1 to 5 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square, Somerville. Free, but 21-plus unless accompanied by a legal parent or guardian. A celebration of unique, fun, creative, colorful and otherwise one-of-a-kind bikes with a handful of prize categories. Information is here.
Paint Your Pride Family Paint Day with Alex Makes Art from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Somerville Public Library, 79 Highland Ave., Central Hill. Free, but register. Children, tweens and their families can paint, draw, color or sketch in any way that best expresses who they are. Completed artworks can be entered into a Pride Showcase at the library’s Gallery@SPL. Materials provided. Information is here.
Sister City El Salvador: “The Revolutionary Past and the Solidarity Future” presentation at 3 p.m. at Connexion, 149 Broadway, Somerville, Cambridge. Free, but register. University of Massachusetts at Amherst professor Diana Sierra Becerra talks on Salvadoran women’s revolutionary past and effect on today; former New England consul general for El Salvador José Alemán speaks about the election, the recent militarization of the communities and current resistance. Meet delegation members that include CRLS students and graduates, community members and Cambridge city councillor Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler. Sponsored by The Cambridge/Somerville El Salvador Sister City Committee. Information is here.
“Mermaid Hour” (continued) at 3 p.m. at Arrow Street Arts, 2 Arrow Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge. $45 to $55 and 13-plus. Information is here.
Poets Pierre Joris, Christopher Sawyer-Lauçanno and Michael Franco at 4 p.m. at The Press Room at 90 Oxford St., in the Spring Hill neighborhood, Somerville. $5 suggested donation. The season closer for Franco’s Xit the Bear Readings. Information is here.
Cambridge Community Chorus performs Ola Gjeilo’s “Sunrise Mass” at 4 p.m. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Kresge Auditorium, 48 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge. Free to $25. Pamela Mindell directs this 2007 masterwork featuring chamber orchestra with soloists, instrumentalists and percussion and special guests Cambridge Rindge and Latin Traveling Chorus directed by Ivan Stefanov. Information is here.
Andrea Kriz reads from “Learning to Hate Yourself as a Self-Defense Mechanism and Other Stories” at 6:30 p.m. at Pandemonium Books & Games, 4 Pleasant St., Central Square, Cambridge. $14.99 with book. The Harvard molecular biologist and writer’s story collection of fantastical futures (and how we cope in them) includes themes of AI, the interactions between science and science fiction and cultural appropriation. MIT’s Shariann Lewitt joins. Information is here.
Dance Now Boston (continued) from 7 to 8:15 p.m. at The Dance Complex, 536 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $10 to $50. Information is here.
Gates of Justice: A Four-Century Musical March Toward Equality and Understanding concert at 7:30 p.m. at First Parish Cambridge Unitarian Universalist, 3 Church St./1446 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $20 suggested donation. A concert capturing parallels among peoples experiencing and rising out of persecution from 1624 to 2024 featuring Dave Brubeck’s jazz-infused “Gates of Justice,” Salamone Rossi’s prayer of remembrance (Kaddish), Horace Silver’s “Peace,” instrumental works by Joseph Bologne Saint-Georges (Mozart’s Black contemporary) and more. For this performance by Eudaimonia, A Purposeful Period Band, and its new vocal group project, donations will go to the Negro Spirituals Royalties Project. Information is here.
“This Month of May: Guillaume Dufay and His World” concert of Renaissance a cappella vocal music at 7:30 p.m. at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 838 Massachusetts Ave., Riverside near Central Square, Cambridge. Free. Inspired by the 550th anniversary of Dufay’s death, Tactus Ensemble Cambridge’s program features his elegant melodies and piquant harmonies as well as works by his colleagues Dunstable and Ockeghem. Information is here.
Monday, May 20
Central Square Farmers Market opening day from noon to 6 p.m. at 76 Bishop Allen Drive, Central Square, Cambridge. Free. Shop conveniently from more than two dozen Massachusetts farmers and food producers. Information is here.
Cambridge Cooks: Haitian “plantain nachos” from 5 to 6 p.m. in the community room at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free, but register. This series invites culinary experts to the library for cooking demonstrations and classes. This time: “plantain nachos” with Haitian American cookbook author Ayida Solé to commemorate Haitian Flag Day. Information is here.
Chess hour at 6 p.m. at Cambridge Library’s Boudreau Branch, 245 Concord Ave., Observatory Hill in Neighborhood 9, Cambridge (and continuing every other Monday). Free. Players of all skill levels and ages welcome. Chess sets provided, or bring your own. Information is here.
CRLS Spring Piano Recital at 6 p.m. at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School’s Black Box Theater (0601), 459 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free, Solo piano performances from students in spring semester piano classes. Free. Information is here.
Bad History Month and Olivia from Rong perform with a special guest from 6 to 8:45 p.m. in the atrium of the Somerville Public Library West Branch, 40 College Ave., near Davis Square. Free. Indie rock bands signed by New York City record label Exploding in Sound liven up a Monday evening at the library and mark the end of spring semester. Information is here.
Seed Swap from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Cambridge Public Library O’Neill Branch, 70 Rindge Ave., North Cambridge. Free. Bring extra, leftover garden seeds you don’t think you’ll get to this year. Envelopes and pens will be provided to help keep them straight. Or come empty-handed and leave with seeds someone else brought. Information is here.
A/V Comedy Club from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. Free, but not kid-friendly (material runs PG-13 to R). Drop in to watch interactive stand-up bits with PowerPoint slides and (occasionally) music. Information is here.
Creativity Collective art and craft meetup for from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Somerville Public Library, 79 Highland Ave., Central Hill (and the last Monday of every month). Free, but register. No official teachers, just social learning or quiet work for those who draw, paint, sculpt, knit, crochet, sew, make paper crafts or fabric art. Light refreshments served. Information is here.
Lucas Mann reads from “Attachments: Essays on Fatherhood and Other Performances” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The essays of this University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth professor and “Captive Audience” author move through memoir, lyric essay, literary analysis and pop culture criticism to address fatherhood with depth and curiosity. Nina MacLaughlin, award-winning author of “Wake, Siren: Ovid Resung,” joins. We talked with Mann here. Information is here.
“Homecoming!” A Night of Story in Three Parts at 7 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $15 to $20. Dan Dahari, the Natick-raised adopted Mexican/Navajo son of an Israeli falafel entrepreneur and an American Jewish “overbearing mother,” presents an evening featuring special guest storytellers, music performances and a story slam open mic around the “homecoming” theme. Information is here.
Tuesday, May 21
“Imagine Me and You: Dutch and Flemish Encounters with the Islamic World, 1450-1750” exhibition lecture from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at Harvard Art Museums, Menschel Hall (lower level), 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. Curator Talitha Maria G. Schepers and three art scholars discuss the new exhibition, running through Aug. 18 on Level 3, and how the multicultural, multilingual and multifaith societies of the Ottoman, Safavid and Mughal empires affected artists from the Low Countries of the Habsburg Empire. Information is here.
Spring walking tour along the Mystic Greenways from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. meeting at Draw Seven State Park in Somerville (rain date: May 28). Free, but register. Mystic River Watershed Association’s Greenways program manager Karl Alexander leads. Co-sponsored with Bike to the Sea. 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. May’s title: “How to Say Babylon: A Memoir” by Safiya Sinclair. 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.
Death metal bands Incantation, Ringworm and Ascended Dead perform at 6:30 p.m. at Sonia, 10 Brookline St., Central Square, Cambridge. $20 to $25. Pummel, thrash, mayhem … catharsis. Information is here.
Make along for adults: Container gardening from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Cambridge Public Library Valente Branch, 826 Cambridge St., Wellington-Harrington. Free, but register. All supplies are provided for each project in this monthly series for adults, which focuses on creating and socializing. 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.
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. May’s title: “Black Cake” by Charmaine Wilkerson. Information is here.
Zoë Schlanger reads from “The Light Eaters” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free. The staff writer on climate change at The Atlantic describes how epiphanies in botanical research, especially those involving plants and intelligence and communication, has brought excitement but also fierce debate to the field. Her colleague, Atlantic science writer Katherine J. Wu, joins. Information is here.
Shefali Luthra reads from “Undue Burden: Life and Death Decisions in a Post-Roe America” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The award-winning national health policy writer for “The 19th” discusses the unforgettable personal experiences of patients facing abortion bans enforced in many states that are some of the most severe in the entire world. WBUR host and senior correspondent Deborah Becker joins. Information is here.
The Moth story slam at 7:30 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. $15. This monthly open-mic storytelling competition is open to anyone who can share a five-minute tale on the night’s theme – this time, “Backfired,” about “the best laid plans that … weren’t. From bungled diamond heists to busted dinner reservations … foolproof schemes gone bad, a cunning plot that went awry.” Information is here.
Bluesy Tuesy social dance from 7:30 to 10 p.m. at The Democracy Center, 45 Mount Auburn St., Harvard Square (and every Tuesday). $5 to $20. This weekly partner blues dance event includes a lesson for beginners in the first hour. No partner required. Information is here.
Dean Johnson performs at 8 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $18 to $20. A bartender in Seattle for years before releasing his first album at age 50 a year ago, Johnson has a gentle and passionate approach to songwriting and a tender voice. Information is here.
Laugh Giraffe Comedy Show at 8 p.m. at Union Tavern, 345 Somerville Ave., Union Square, Somerville (and every Tuesday). Free, but reserve your space. Standup comedy showcase. Information is here.
Wednesday, May 22
Spring book and plant sale from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Kendall/MIT Open Space at 292 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge (rain date: May 23). Free. Pop-up market from MIT Press Bookstore and MIT Endicott House with select titles in art, business, science, tech and more and plants from Endicott’s greenhouse including succulents, vegetables, herbs and hanging plants. Information is here.
Davis Square Farmers Market opening day from noon to 6 p.m. at 44 Day St., Davis Square, Somerville. Free. Shop for produce, protein, baked goods and more from more than two dozen Massachusetts farmers and food producers. Information is here.
Kickoff to Summer BBQ from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. at University Park Commons at 65 Sidney St. in Cambridgeport near Central Square, Cambridge. Free entry. Blue Ribbon BBQ lunch and dessert for sale, and tunes from DJ Frank. BioMed Realty gives out $15 gift cards to buy plants and pots from the Cityscapes TransPLANTed truck. A portion of final sales will be donated to Tutoring Plus in Cambridge. Information is here.
MIT Solve: Changemakers in Action, Progress in Times of Crisis opening plenary from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Kresge Auditorium, 48 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge. Free, but register. A dozen global leaders share how they use technology toward a more equitable and sustainable future and answer the question “How can we continue making progress amid conflict, pandemics and climate disasters?” Information is here.
Family concert with Kim Moberg from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the Curious George Room of the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free. The singer-songwriter of Alaskan Native Tlingit descent has been working with 65 fourth-graders at the Graham & Parks School on the theme of social justice. She’s accompanied by Maxfield Anderson during this event sponsored by PeaceEducators and Folk New England. Information is here.
Erik Larson reads from “The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War” at 6 p.m. at The Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $43 with book. During this Harvard Book Store event, the bestselling author of “The Devil in the White City” drew on diaries, secret communiques and slave ledgers for his gripping account of the chaotic months between Lincoln’s election and the Confederacy’s shelling of Fort Sumter. NPR’s Emiko Tamagawa joins. Information is here.
Cambridge Cooks: Ghugni-Bengali-style chickpea salad from 6 to 7 p.m. in the community room at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free, but register. This series invites culinary experts to the library for cooking demonstrations and classes. This time Somerville’s Afruza Akther, who launched Bangla Adda Bengali Cuisine, prepares a flavorful chickpea recipe from her native Bangladesh to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month. Information is here.
Venues for Emerging Artists conversation from 6 to 7:45 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. Free, but register. Learn from established area artists Jamaal Eversley and Jennifer Jean Okumura – both with gallery management experience – how to navigate venues and create independent exhibitions. Information is here.
National Prize Show opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. at Cambridge Art Association’s Kathryn Schultz Gallery, 25 Lowell St., West Cambridge, and at CAA@Canal, 650 E. Kendall St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free. Awards presentation for work submitted by artists from around the country and juried by Ben Sloat of Clark University. The galleries will exhibit the works through Aug. 1. Information is here.
Petra Molnar reads from “The Walls Have Eyes: Surviving Migration in the Age of Artificial Intelligence” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free. A chilling exposé of the inhumane and lucrative sharpening of borders around the globe through experimental AI-driven surveillance technology, written by a lawyer and anthropologist who specializes in migration and human rights and is a faculty associate at Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society. Information is here.
Hub Comics “Book Clhub” at 7 p.m. at Hub Comics, 19 Bow St., Union Square, Somerville. Free, but bring a copy of the book with you. May’s title: “Roaming” by Jillian and Mariko Tamaki. Information is here.
Second Annual Louisa Solano Memorial Reading from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Grolier Poetry Book Shop on 6 Plympton St., Harvard Square. $5 to $10, but register. In honor the former owner of the bookshop who died in 2022, poet Lloyd Schwartz teams up with actor Bobbie Steinbach for a hilarious and heartbreaking reading of comic and poignant dramatic monologues and dialogues. George Kalogeris helps introduce. Information is here.
Della Mae all-women string band performs at 7 and 9:30 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $35. The Grammy-nominated roots group, with a mission to mentor and showcase female musicians, is made up of founder and fiddle player Kimber Ludiker, lead vocalist-guitarist Celia Woodsmith, guitarist Avril Smith and bassist Vickie Vaughn. Information is here.
“Beautiful Was the Fight” film screening with filmmaker Dave Habeeb at 7:30 p.m. at the Mugar Omni Theater in the Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, Boston, on the Cambridge border. $15 and 18-plus. The 2023 documentary profiles women musicians from the Boston scene and is bookended with live performances by the Yoko Miwa Trio (7 p.m.) and by singer and musician Jen Kearney (9 p.m.). Information is here.
Alexander Stewart presents “The Bleeding Hearts Tour” at 8 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $20. The Toronto pop singer-songwriter writes heartbreaking anthems that have landed him on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” and “Late Night with Seth Meyers.” Also playing: Emmy Melli. Information is here.
Thursday, May 23
Yoga in the Park from 7 to 8 a.m. at Mass Audubon Nature Center at Magazine Beach, 668 Memorial Drive, Cambridgeport. Free, but register, and ages 5-plus. Enjoy the park on a quiet morning. Leave feeling invigorated and relaxed. Information is here.
“Night Studio” exhibition final day all day at Behind VA Shadows Gallery, 2 Linden St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Last chance to view this solo show by Brett Angell that transforms the narrow window gallery space into a vivid experience of an artist’s solitary working in the studio, filled with deftly crafted, small-scale sculptural assemblages, objects and tools. We wrote about it here. Information is here.
“Storytime” open juried photo show exhibition final day from noon to 4 p.m. at the CAA@Canal Gallery, 650 E. Kendall St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free. Last chance to see the exhibition of work by New England photographers juried by Sherri Littlefield. Information is here.
Kendall Square Farmers Market opening day from noon to 6 p.m. at 1 Broad Canal Way, Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free. Shop from local farmers and food purveyors who focus on Massachusetts agricultural products as well as value-added products that promote local agriculture. Information is here.
Grow Gala from 6 to 9 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. $50. Meet current youth Green Team members, staff and supporters at Groundwork Somerville’s annual fundraiser, with dinner, dancing and dialogue for a greener, more equitable Somerville. Information is here.
Death Cafe from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Somerville Public Library East Branch, 115 Broadway. Free, but register. Not a bereavement or counseling session, but an opportunity to engage in interesting and thought-provoking conversations “to increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their (finite) lives.” Information is here.
“Open Space: Life at Cambridge’s Danehy Park” film screening at 7 p.m. at Patagonia, 39 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free and all ages, but register. One theme from Federico Muchnik’s documentary, which focuses on the varied mix of people and activities that take place in the 50-acre park, is that being in nature helps us become a better version of ourselves. Information is here.
Cambridge Cringe and Laughter improv performance at 7 p.m. at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School’s Black Box Theater (0601), 459 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free. Fast-paced humor by members of the high school’s Improv Club. Information is here.
Hannah Reynolds reads from “Summer Nights and Meteorites” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free. The author of two YA rom-com novels discusses her latest, again set in Nantucket during summer. Author Jenny L. Howe joins. Information is here.
Fiber Arts Circle from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Cambridge Public Library Central Square Branch, 45 Pearl St. Free. Bring your own project and drop in to crochet, sew, embroider, knit, cross stitch, spin, mend and more with other crafters. Information is here.
“Frequency Coherence” dance theater performance from 7 to 8 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. $10. Developed by Mary Teuscher and collaborators, this show features an installation, choreography and improv scores to follow four characters with portals of light, sound and texture. Information is here.
Blues Union May Classes and Dances from 7 to 11 p.m. at Dance Union, 16 Bow St., Union Square, Somerville (also May 30). $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. Wear shoes that allow you to pivot; no need to bring a partner. Masks required. Information is here.
Abbath performs at 7:15 p.m. at The Sinclair, 52 Church St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $30. For almost three decades the Norwegian fronted Immortal, one of the most influential metal bands to emerge from Norway. Also playing: Imperial Triumphant, Black Anvil and Final Gasp. Information is here.
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