Thursday, Sept. 12
Percussionist Maria Finkelmeier from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in the studio at Arrow Street Arts, 2 Arrow Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The percussionist, composer, professor and performer in multisensory performances and public art installations performs in association with Celebrity Series of Boston and as part of ArrowFest, Arrow Street Arts’ 11-day grand opening. Information is here.
“Thinking with Plants and Fungi” reading group from 3 to 5 p.m. in the conference room at the Center for the Study of World Religions, 42 Francis Ave., in the Baldwin neighborhood near the Somerville border, Cambridge (and biweekly through Nov. 21). Free, but register. Read and discuss recent scholarship that raise questions about how plants and fungi trouble our understanding of “thinking,” perhaps cause us to reconsider what it means to be human and compel us to rethink how we ethically work with them. Information is here.
Askwith Education Forum: “How AI Is Shaping the Future of Education” from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Longfellow Hall, 13 Appian Way, near Harvard Square. Free, but register. Dean Martin West moderates a panel focusing on how education policymakers, technology developers and researchers are responding to the emergence of generative artificial intelligence and its impacts on the future of education. Information is here.
Rollerama DJ Nights from 5 to 8 p.m. at Rollerama at Kendall Common, Broadway and Third Street, Kendall Square, Cambridge (continues on select Thursdays and Fridays through September). Free. Dance or skate for free to weekly DJ sets from DJ Collective Spin The Bottle; tonight features Patchwork and Radjoy. Information is here.
Ukulele Jam from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Cambridge Center for Adult Education, 56 Brattle St., Harvard Square. Free, but register. Traveling teacher and performer Amy Kucharik and a passel of past class masters crank out the hits from 1920 to 2023 and offer instruction to all skill levels at this outdoor jam. Bring a uke or borrow one on site. Information is here.
Discover Here Concert Series: Annie Brobst outdoor concert from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Henri A. Termeer Square, 675 W. Kendall St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free. Country music from the New England Music Awards’ 2023 Female Performer of the Year. Information is here.
“Made in Germany? Art and Identity in a Global Nation” exhibition opening celebration from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Harvard Art Museums, Menschel Hall (lower level), 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. Curator Lynette Roth introduces the exhibition, running through Jan. 5 on Level 3, followed by a lecture-performance by Berlin-based artist Henrike Naumann, who’s created works, including “Ostalgie” in this show, involving the arrangement of furniture and objects to reflect sociological problems. Information is here.
Food and the Future: A Climate Conversation from 6 to 8 p.m. at Winthrop Park in Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. David Havelick, of Harvard’s Office for Sustainability and a Boston Vegetarian Society board member, talks with Harvard’s Sparsha Saha, who lectures on meat politics and animal rights. Bring a blanket to sit in the park; at 7 p.m. the group walks to co-sponsor Veggie Grill for a plant-based buffet and drawings for giveaways. Information is here.
After Dark Series: 3D from 6 to 9 p.m. at The MIT Museum, 314 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. $10 to $20 and 21-plus. Catch a talk on holograms, check out 3D printed wonders, dive into brand-new VR experiences and create a unique 3D illusion at the Maker Hub. Treats from Lola’s Pinoy Pastry and craft beers from Arlington Brewing are available for purchase. Information is here.
Birding and Board Games from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Mass Audubon Nature Center at Magazine Beach, 668 Memorial Drive, Cambridgeport. $15 to $18 and adults only. Look for herons, migrating birds and waterfowl as the quiet dusk settles over the Charles River (Quinobequin). Then as the sun sets, head into the Nature Center to play birding board game favorites like Wingspan! Information is here.
Joy Neumeyer reads from “A Survivor’s Education: Women, Violence and the Stories We Don’t Tell” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free. The historian and journalist’s poignant debut memoir explores carefully researched stories of interpersonal violence against women and weaves them with historical abuses of power on a global scale. Michelle Bowdler, author of “Is Rape a Crime? A Memoir, an Investigation and a Manifesto,” joins. Information is here.
Kenny Goes to Sleep: a character comedy show at 7 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $15 to $20 and all ages. Comedian Kenny Gray’s solo show sold out at The Hollywood Fringe and spent a month at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, so the fringy Rockwell is next for this surreal multicharacter cavalcade of high-energy comedy pieces and musical numbers woven together as one single dreamscape. Information is here.
Lawrence Ingrassia reads from “A Fatal Inheritance: How a Family Misfortune Revealed a Deadly Medical Mystery” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The former New York Times deputy managing editor’s personal chronicle of tragedy captures the pain of families riddled with cancers and describes ground-breaking cancer research. Northeastern University professor and former New York Times executive editor Jill Abramson joins. Information is here.
“Manifest Destiny’s Child” at 7:30 p.m. in the studio at Arrow Street Arts, 2 Arrow Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge. $20. Premiering at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2023, Dennis Trainor Jr.’s show takes a pickaxe to the toxic myth of American Exceptionalism and explores how America found itself in the nightmarish hellscape of Trumplandia. Presented as part of ArrowFest, Arrow Street Arts’ 11-day grand opening. Information is here.
“Romeo and Juliet” at 7:30 p.m. at Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge (and continuing through Oct. 6). $85 to $150. American Repertory Theatre’s reimagined staging of Shakespeare’s classic tale of star-crossed love reunites “Jagged Little Pill” collaborators artistic director Diane Paulus and choreographer Sidi Larbi. Information is here.
A.A. Williams performs at 8 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. $21.50. “The U.K.’s bleakest singer-songwriter” (says WhyNow) is a classically trained musician with a taste for all things heavy. Information is here.
Violet Nox’s “In the Heart of the Sun” at 8:30 p.m. in the theater at Arrow Street Arts, 2 Arrow Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge. $20 to $40. The electronic music project’s theatrical sound and dance experience featuring Miami dance artist Wisty Heart explores the awakening, destruction and resurrection of the human heart. Presented as part of ArrowFest, Arrow Street Arts’ 11-day grand opening. Information is here.
Friday, Sept. 13
Neil Lawrence reads from “The Atomic Human: What Makes Us Unique in the Age of AI” from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at The MIT Museum, 314 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. $5. The computer scientist talks about qualities that cannot be replaced by a machine with MIT’s David Mindell. Information is here.
Live Music Fridays from 6 to 8 p.m. at Assembly Row, 355 Artisan Way, Assembly Square, Somerville (and continuing every other Friday through Oct. 11). Free. The Ethan Robbins Bluegrass Hour performs. Information is here.
Paint the Square Pink block party for breast cancer survivors from 6 to 9 p.m. on Brattle Street between Eliot and Church streets. Free. Pink wines, specialty gift vendors and dancing to live music, with a portion of sales donated to the American Cancer Society’s Breast Cancer Movement, Boston Strides. (This event was originally scheduled for June 14.) Information is here.
“That Jenny C’est Quoi” with comedian Jenny Gorelick at 7 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $15 to $20 and 21-plus. Stand-up, crowd work and even PowerPoints from the writer, actor and two-time Emmy-nominated producer who’s been featured in the “Netflix is a Joke” festival and in sketches for Late Night with Seth Meyers and Comedy Central. Information is here.
Olivia Ames Hoblitzelle reads from “Ley Lines of Love: Adventures Along the Spiritual Path” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free. The author, who brought meditation, yoga and cognitive behavioral therapy into the medical domain, shares wisdom. Information is here.
Bandits on the Run with special guest John Gallagher Jr. at 7 p.m. at The Burren, 247 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $25 to $30. The indie-folk-pop-Americana outfit of Adrian Enscoe, Sydney Shepherd and Regina Strayhorn offer some stage space so the Broadway and “Newsroom” actor can play songs off his new album. Information is here.
Rebecca Nagle reads from “By the Fire We Carry: The Generations-Long Fight for Justice on Native Land” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The reporter, writer and citizen of Cherokee Nation describes the Supreme Court case – which originated with a small-town murder two decades earlier – that resulted in the largest restoration of tribal land in U.S. history and affirmed the reservation of Muscogee Nation. Face masks required (and provided). Information is here.
Boston Tee Hee Party stand-up show from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at The Cambridge Center for Adult Education, 56 Brattle St., Harvard Square. $10. Boston comedian and tarot reader Antonio Morales headlines and hosts this showcase of local up-and-coming comedians including Connor Doherty, Steph Dalwin, Vasundhra Sangar and Kristina Feliciano. Information is here.
Ash Benn performs from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at Lamplighter CX, 110 North First St., North Point, Cambridge. Free. The vocalist, songwriter and poet combines emotive storytelling with elements from rock, R&B, jazz and pop. Featuring Yoony Baek on keys. Information is here.
Jedediah Parish and Mike Gent perform from 7 to 10 p.m. at Q Division Recording Studios, 171 Rindge Ave., North Cambridge. $20 to $25. The Gravel Pit vocalist and keyboardist and The Figgs’ vocalist and guitarist play solo and together during this Needle Drop Records 25th anniversary rerelease of Parish’s first album, “Bloodsuck Blues.” Information is here.
Tatsuya Nakatani performs with Rachel Devorah and Forbes Graham from 7 to 11 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. $20. The master percussionist performs solo and in a trio with musicians on electronics and brass. Diamond Machine, who makes music using a Game Boy, opens. Presented by Mobius. Information is here.
“Romeo and Juliet” (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $70 to $150. Information is here.
Federico Aubele performs from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at Regattabar, 1 Bennett St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $25 to $35. The guitarist and unusual singer’s style drips with influences from his hometown of Buenos Aires and waystations of Berlin, Barcelona and, now, Brooklyn. Information is here.
The Blues Runs Through It: Shelley Neill in Concert at 8 p.m. at the Multicultural Arts Center, 41 Second St., East Cambridge. $25. The Boston singer brings a contemporary spin to jazz and blues music from the 1920s with songs by Alberta Hunter and Bessie Smith, to later music by Billie Holiday, Holland-Dozier-Holland and Abbey Lincoln. Features Laszlo Gardony (piano), Ron Mahdi (bass) and Yoron Israel (drums). Information is here.
An Evening with the Wondertwins at 8:30 p.m. in the theater at Arrow Street Arts, 2 Arrow Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge. $25. Boston dance legends and identical twins Billy and Bobby McClain performed on tours with Bobby Brown, Apollonia, Public Enemy and Queen Latifah, among others. Presented as part of ArrowFest, Arrow Street Arts’ 11-day grand opening. Information is here.
Saturday, Sept. 14
Commonwealth Pen Show from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (and continuing Sunday) at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. $10, or $15 for a two-day pass. Vintage and new pens for sale as well inks and paper and a pen-repair station.Information is here.
Oktoberfest at noon at Remnant Brewing, 2 Bow Market Way, Union Square, Somerville. Free entry. There’s plenty of beer, a stein-holding competition, an abundance of pretzels, live music and German-themed specials throughout the market. An 8 p.m. afterparty has DJ’d Euro techno beats and Underberg. Information is here.
Mary Schein Fall Salon opening reception from noon to 2 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. An awards presentation for work by current members of the CAA on exhibit through Oct. 17. Information is here.
SomerStreets: Gilman Square Arts and Music Festival from noon to 5 p.m. on Pearl Street between Marshall and James streets, Somerville (rain date: Sept. 15). Free. Busy streets close to cars for live music, an acrobatic performer, artists, makers, vendors and seven food stands. Activities for kids and adult kids. Information is here.
Retromania Back to School Market from noon to 7 p.m. at Rollerama at Kendall Common, Broadway and Third Street, Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free. Shop from more than 60 dealers selling vintage clothing, homewares, collectibles, comics, books, vinyl records, posters and more plus art, crafts and artisanal products inspired by vintage styles. Information is here.
Assembly Row Riverfest from noon to 9 p.m. at Assembly Row, 340 Canal St., Assembly Square, Somerville. Free, but registration is required for courts and games. The day starts with more than 30 vendors from the Boston Women’s Market and free use of pickleball and sand volleyball courts, plus boccie and cornhole games. There’s chalk art, face painting and giveaways for kids, then music from bands on two stages starting at 1 p.m. Fireworks start at around 8:30 p.m. Information is here.
SerbFest from noon to 10 p.m. at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church of Boston, 41 Alewife Brook Parkway, Cambridge (and continuing Sept. 15). Free. There’s live music, ethnic homemade foods, folk dancing troupes, activities for children and stands with souvenirs, books and arts and crafts for sale – and a large dancing party. Information is here.
Ig Nobel: Face to Face at 12:30, 2 and 3 p.m. at The MIT Museum, 314 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free with museum admission. This companion event to the sold out Sept. 12 awards ceremony celebrating surprising scientific achievement brings together Ig Nobel Prize winners so they can ask each other questions about their work and take questions from the audience. Improbable Research founder Marc Abrahams hosts. Information is here.
Arrowfest performances of magic, big band, blues, Afro-Cuban rhythms, musical circus theater and drag storytelling and dance from 12:30 p.m. to midnight at Arrow Street Arts, 2 Arrow Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge. $5 to $40. Day 10 of the arts venue’s 11-day grand opening includes a full day of programming with Tyler Twombly Magic and Illusion (12:30 p.m.), the NEJC 18-piece Jazz Orchestra (2 p.m.), Clave & Blues (5 p.m.), The Mr. Fox Circus Cabaret (7 p.m.) and “Fabula: Gods and Goddesses Among Us” drag show (9 p.m.). Information is here.
History Cambridge’s Open Archives 2024: Archives Road Trip from 1 to 3 p.m. at Joan Lorentz Park at 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge (in front of the Cambridge Main Library). Free. Explore the rich history of Cambridge with the help of archivists from multiple repositories, and enjoy scavenger hunts with prizes, unique crafting opportunities and engaging exhibits for all ages. Information is here.
“Romeo and Juliet” (continued) at 2 and 7:30 p.m. at Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $75 to $150. Information is here.
Eugene Mirman and His Pretty Good Friends at 7:30 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $25. The comedian and voice actor imports Canadian comedian and show host Ophira Eisenberg and others for a pretty good time. Information is here.
“Magic Late at Night” with Jonathan Vale from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $20. Inspired by 1970s and ’80s late-night TV and its obsession with psychics, ESP and telekinesis, Vale’s new retro show blends his signature humor with mind-bending experiments, eerie encounters and supernatural spectacles. Information is here.
The Folk Collective: Lilith Fair Reimagined at 8 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $20. Singer-songwriter Naomi Westwater produces and curates this tribute to the feminist music scene of the 1990s with an intersectional lens. Performances by Westwater, Heather Scott and Rosa Joe Jacobs are followed by a talk moderated by Porsha Olayiwola. Information is here.
Studio to Stage: Highlights from the Juventas Recording Catalog at 8 p.m. at the Multicultural Arts Center, 41 Second St., East Cambridge. $1 to $36. The Boston ensemble performs classical works by composers that live in today’s world and respond to our time. Information is here.
Comedian Zach Zimmerman at 9:30 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $15 and all ages. The stand-up also writes funny stuff, such as New Yorker “Shouts & Murmurs” columns and a Barnes & Noble Best Book of 2023 called “Is It Hot in Here? (Or Am I Suffering for All Eternity for the Sins I Committed on Earth?).” Information is here.
Sunday, Sept. 15
Cambridge Meet Your Neighbor Day whenever you see them around Cambridge. Free. If your ’hood’s not already throwing a block party (now partially subsidized by the City of Cambridge), make a point today to smile and introduce yourself to neighbors when you see them. (“Saying Hi” isn’t just for nextdoor.com, ya know.) Information is here.
Commonwealth Pen Show from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. $10. Vintage and new pens for sale as well inks and paper and a pen-repair station.Information is here.
The MIT Swapfest from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Albany Street Garage between Massachusetts Avenue and Main Street near Central Square (and also Oct. 20). $6. At this high-tech, computer, electronics and ham radio flea market you can “buy, sell or swap all things nerdly.” Information is here.
Arrowfest performances for kids and a hip hop showcase finale from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Arrow Street Arts, 2 Arrow Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge. $5 to $20. The arts venue concludes its 11-day grand opening celebration with “Whipped Up” at 10 a.m., an interactive performance for babies; “Yellow Bird Chase” at 1 p.m., a madcap romp for kids that’s fully accessible to the deaf and hard-of-hearing; and the Women of Boston Hip Hop Showcase at 6 p.m. featuring six female hip-hop artists performing their own sets. 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 $24.16. An exploration of “Love & Other Wild Things” by Alyson Root, a thrilling tale of survival in the Amazon rainforest Information is here.
Belong Circle Boston from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. Free, but register. Belong Circles aim to end loneliness and social isolation, and are facilitated by trained “community architects” offering respite from screens and technology. Information is here.
“Bridgerton” drag brunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Summer Shack, 149 Alewife Brook Parkway, Alewife, Cambridge. $20. Enjoy a meal and step into the fictionland of 1800s Bridgerton where Neon Calypso and other performers serve royal looks. Dress up too, if desired. Information is here.
SerbFest (continued) from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church of Boston, 41 Alewife Brook Parkway, Cambridge. Free. Information is here.
Black-owned businesses pop-up market from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Palmer Street between Brattle and Church streets, Harvard Square, Cambridge (and every Sunday through Oct. 27). Free. Support local Black entrepreneurs by shopping for fashion, vegan treats, fine art, bags, jewelry, artisan soaps, sauces, dog treats and accessories. Information is here.
Hassle Flea from 12:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Cambridge Community Center, 5 Callender St., Riverside. $2. A flea market featuring handmade artwork, prints, patches, records, tees, pins, ceramics, jewelry, zines, body care, tea, fiber art, vintage clothing, accessories and books as well as tarot readings. Music is from PV, The Croaks, Witchfucker, Cadaverette, Drug Deal Gone Rad and others. Information is here.
“Romeo and Juliet” (continued) at 2 p.m. at Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $70 to $150. Information is here.
Full staged reading of Anthony Goss’ play “Castling” from 2 to 4 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. $25. “Castling,” about workers at a local tire shop in Newark who play chess as part of their daily morning ritual, was a 2024 finalist of the Premiere Play Festival at Kean University and of the Capital Rep Theatre’s New Play Summit. The Boston-born Goss is an actor and first-year resident writer with the National Black Theatre’s “I Am Soul” Playwriting residency. Directed by Jonathan Kitt. Information is here.
Live D&D with comedians at 3 p.m. at The Comedy Studio in the basement at 5 John F. Kennedy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $6 to $15. Gamemaster Trevor Dion guides four comedians through a one-shot taking place in Boston that’s home to a hidden realm of magic, and where the extraordinary coexists with the ordinary. Features Gabriella Arevalo, Mark-Anthony Lewis, Cannon Eccleston and Morgan Raianne. Information is here.
The Femmes concert and pop-up market from 3 to 7 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $15 to $25. Explore a vibrant marketplace featuring local LGBTQ+ vendors while listening and dancing to Boston’s favorite women and nonbinary party band. Information is here.
Elektrik Market performs from 3:45 to 6 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $20. “Harmonious arrangements full of soaring dynamic textures and colors all laid upon a foundation of funk and groove” by keyboardist Steve Hunt, bassist Ervin Dhimo and drummer Jovol Bell. Information is here.
Gotta Bal! balboa dance event from 4 to 8 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. Free. This monthly DJ’d event celebrates a dance that originated in Southern California in the 1930s and is danced to faster tempos than Lindy Hop. Soft, flexible, thin-leather or suede soles only. Information is here.
Mexican Independence Day Celebration from 4 to 9 p.m. at the lower courtyard of The Charles Hotel, 1 Bennett St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free entry. Traditional food from Taqueria El Barrio, El Jefe’s Taqueria, Felipe’s Taqueria, Ruta del Sabor, Con Sabor a Mexico; drinks from One Reason Garden Bar and Noir Bar; games such as lotería, piñatas, dominos and “ponle la cola al burro”; a performance by Veronica Robles’ all-female Mariachi Quintet (4 to 6 p.m.) and music by DJ D. Martinez (6 to 9 p.m.). The Consul General proclaims “el Grito de Independencia” at 8 p.m. Information is here.
Uncommon Concerts: Josh & The Jamtones perform at 5 p.m. at Rollerama at Kendall Common, Broadway and Third Street, Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free. This Boston band tours the country with its high-energy, happy hipster kid music and has the Life is Good seal of approval. Information is here.
Monday, Sept. 16
CPL Nature Club: Elder Walk from 3 to 4 p.m. meeting outside the Mass Audubon Nature Center at Magazine Beach, 668 Memorial Drive, Cambridgeport. Free, but register. Psychotherapist Stefanie Haug guides a celebration of nature and “elderhood” with a look at nonhuman elders who continue to grow, connect and contribute to the world around us. Information is here.
Thomas Hodge on Ivan Turgenev’s “Fathers and Children” from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at Harvard University’s Center for Government and International Studies, South Concourse, S250, 1730 Cambridge St., Harvard Square. Free. The Wellesley University professor uncovers details of Turgenev’s drafting process, describing how the most familiar of all Russian classic novels evolved from musings in 1860 into the book published in 1862. Information is here.
Sarah Lewis reads from “The Unseen Truth: When Race Changed Sight in America” at 6 p.m. in the lecture hall at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free, or $37.19 with book. During this event co-sponsored with the Harvard Book Store, the author of “The Rise” discusses the origin of the word “Caucasian” for whiteness and falsity at the core of racial order. Imani Perry, National Book Award winner and professor at the Harvard Radcliffe Institute, joins. Information is here.
Queer Book Club from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. in the auditorium of the Somerville Public Library, 79 Highland Ave., Central Hill (and the third Monday of every month). Free, but register. A book discussion intended for people in the LGBTQIA+ community. This month’s title: “Florida Woman” by Deb Rogers. Information is here.
MIT Tango Club from 6:45 to 8 p.m. (beginner) and 7:45 to 9 p.m. (intermediate) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Stratton Student Center, Room 401, 84 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge (and every Monday through Dec. 16). $12 to $25. First day of Argentine tango classes with outstanding instructors. No partner required, but wear comfortable clothes and shoes with leather or suede soles that allow you to pivot and walk backward. Information is here.
Amanda Becker reads from “You Must Stand Up: The Fight for Abortion Rights in Post-Dobbs America” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The Nieman fellow and Washington correspondent for The 19th provides a real-time portrait of the creative resistance and on-the-ground activism that unfolded in America’s first year without the protections of Roe v. Wade. Claire Luchette, author of the novel “Agatha of Little Neon,” joins. Information is here.
Sci-fi/Fantasy Book Club at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Porter Square, Cambridge (and held monthly through December). Free, but register. This month’s selection: “The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet” by Becky Chambers. Information is here.
“The Science of Tradition: Nixtamalization and Cultural Heritage” with Daniela Soto-Innes at 7 p.m. in Hall C at the Harvard Science Center, 1 Oxford St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The Science and Cooking Public Lecture Series brings in the Mexican-born chef behind Cosme and Atla in New York City who is launching Rubra in Mexico. Information is here.
Growing Center Book Group from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Somerville Community Growing Center, 22 Vinal Ave., near Union Square, Somerville (and continuing Sept. 30). Free. The third of four discussions during August and September on “The Last Fire Season” by Manjula Martin. Information is here.
Diane Paulus talks “Romeo and Juliet” with Stephen Greenblatt and Ramie Targoff from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but RSVP. The American Repertory Theater’s artistic director digs into Shakespeare with renowned professors from Harvard and Brandeis universities. Information is here.
Premiere of cable talk show “Rawville, U.S.A.” about disability and inclusivity from 7 to 8 p.m. at Somerville Public Library West Branch, 40 College Ave., near Davis Square. Free. A former school counselor on Somerville’s Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Michael Shaps, debuts a half-hour show profiling people with unique perspectives and challenges, “folks with disabilities who are tougher than a $2 steak.” A short discussion and light refreshments follow. Information is here.
Music Speaks: Take Flight, on Wing of Song from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Somerville Public Library East Branch, 115 Broadway. Free, but register. Violinist Joshua Peckins plays classics and contemporary pieces, introducing the composers and their music with spoken word. Information is here.
Capoeira class from 7 to 8 p.m. at Dance Union, 16 Bow St., Union Square, Somerville (and every Monday). First class free, $15 thereafter. Learn a new workout based on the dynamic Afro-Brazilian art form that combines dance, music and martial arts. Information is here.
Ananda: Boston adavu showcase from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. Free. An informal showcase of 11 regular attendees of the Boston adavu meetup group that meets weekly to practice the basics of Bharatanatyam, a type of South Indian classical dance. Information is here.
Tuesday, Sept. 17
Summer Concert Series: Olivia Sisay performs at noon at Harvard’s Science Center Plaza between Harvard Yard at Kirkland and Oxford streets, near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Melancholy melodies rooted in heartbreak, brutal honesty and suburban nostalgia from a singer-songwriter. Co-sponsored with Club Passim. (This event was originally scheduled for July 16.) Information is here.
Cara Giaimo and Joshua Foer discuss their book “Atlas Obscura: Wild Life: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Living Wonders” at 6 p.m. at The Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10, or $45 with book. At this Harvard Book Store event, the authors of the bestselling “Atlas Obscura” and “Gastro Obscura” discuss their “mind-blowing guide to nature’s most enchanting and unexpected characters” (says “An Immense World” author Ed Yong). Information is here.
Title Boxing Club outdoor workshop at 6 p.m. at Assembly Row, 355 Artisan Way, Assembly Square, Somerville (and continuing every other Tuesday through Oct. 1). Free, but register and ages 13-plus. An authentic shadow boxing class for all levels followed by a post-workout cold plunge from SweatHouz. Bring a mat, water and wear workout clothes. 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. September’s title: “Bad Cree” by Jessica Johns. Information is here.
Board game night for adults from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Cambridge Public Library Valente Branch, 826 Cambridge St., Wellington-Harrington, Cambridge. Free, but register. Play Ticket to Ride, Settlers of Catan, Scrabble, chess, checkers, Boggle, Bananagrams and more, or bring a board game to play with others. Pizza and beverages provided. Information is here.
Handmade hashi (chopsticks) masterclass from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. $30 and ages 13-plus. Learn to make your own hashi (chopsticks) using traditional methods from experts from Hashitou in Japan and using wood hand planers and other tools. Information is here.
Movement, Rhythm and Voice from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge (also Oct. 15 and Nov. 19). $17 to $20. Sophie Leurent shows how to dance joyfully and expressively to live drumming while connecting mind, body and spirit with easy movements and repetitions inspired by Haitian choreographer Herns Duplan and 20th-century American choreographer-anthropologist Katherine Dunham. Information is here.
Foodie Crawl from 6 to 8:30 p.m. with check-in at Mudflat Pottery School, 81 Broadway, or Project Soup at 165 Broadway, both in East Somerville. $20 to $40 advance tickets only ($10 for kids). Purchase a ticket in advance and pick up a wristband and brochure that leads you along a live-music-filled Broadway to restaurants offering food samplings from El Salvador, Brazil, Italy, France, Mexico, Portugal and more. Sponsored by East Somerville Main Streets. 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. September’s title: “Homegoing” by Yaa Gyasi. Information is here.
Daniel Ziblatt reads from “Tyranny of the Minority: Why American Democracy Reached the Breaking Point” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The director of the Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies at Harvard discusses the 2023 book he co-wrote with Steven Levitsky, just out in paperback. Information is here.
Boston Indies game mixer from 7 to 9 p.m. at Kendall/MIT Open Space at 292 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free. “It’s like speed dating for games … We pair up games with willing ears. Devs make their pitch, folks give them feedback, rotate, rinse, repeat!” Information is here.
“Romeo and Juliet” (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $90 to $150. Information is here.
Bluesy Tuesy Social Dance from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. at the New England Science Fiction Association clubhouse at 504 Medford St., Magoun Square, Somerville (and every Tuesday). $5 to $25. This weekly partner blues dance event that includes a lesson for beginners in the first hour has found a home (for now) amid the books and games at the NESFA. No partner required. Information is here.
Drag Tribute to Weird Al Yankovich (Legend Edition) at 8 p.m. at Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square, Somerville. $22 to $39 and 18-plus. Full Spin salutes Weird Al, his whole career, with 12 drag performers taking on many of his greatest hits. Hosted by Just JP. Information is here.
Tyrone Cotton at 8 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $18 to $20. A music-scene fixture in Louisville, Kentucky, for the past 30 years and touring his debut album “Man Like Me,” Cotton taps the vast landscape of soul, folk, blues, jazz and rock ’n’ roll for his deeply personal songs. Information is here.
Wednesday, Sept. 18
Authors talk: “Going for Broke: Living on the Edge in the World’s Richest Country” from 1 to 2:30 p.m. in room 120 at Swartz Hall, 45 Francis Ave., Harvard Divinity School, in the Baldwin neighborhood near the Somerville border, Cambridge. Free, but register. Contributors to the Economic Hardship Reporting Project discuss their book and ways to get the mainstream media to report better on economic insecurity in America. Information is here.
Meet Jibo from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at the Cambridge Public Library’s Central Square Branch, 45 Pearl St. Free (and repeating Thursday). Probably less creepy than the Boston Dynamics dogs, “the first social robot for the home” will talk, jokes and dance with kids ages 5-plus. This device comes from the Personal Robots Group at the MIT Media Lab. Information is here.
Fluff Festival Night Market from 4 to 9 p.m. at Bow Market, 1 Bow Market Way, Union Square, Somerville. Free entry. See the unveiling of the official 2024 Fluff Festival merch before the Fluff Festival on Sept. 21, plus new art by local artists and Fluffy food and drink specials throughout Bow. Information is here.
Uncommon Concerts: The Dapper Gents perform at 5 p.m. at Rollerama at Kendall Common, Broadway and Third Street, Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free. A folk-rock band from Portland, Maine, known for their eclectic mix of popular hits and deeper cuts, all enriched with vibrant cello solos. Information is here.
Walking Tour of Harvard’s Psychedelic History from 5 to 7 p.m. meeting in front of the Center for the Study of World Religions, 42 Francis Ave., in the Baldwin neighborhood near the Somerville border, Cambridge. Free, but register. A 2-mile traipse through sites related to the interest in psychoactive drugs at Harvard from the 1940s through the 1960s noting heroes, felons, fugitives and academics. Led by Jeffrey Breau and Paul Gillis-Smith of the Psychedelics and Spirituality program at the Center. Information is here.
Yappy Hour from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the lower courtyard of The Charles Hotel, 1 Bennett St., Harvard Square, Cambridge (and every Wednesday through Oct. 16). Free, but register. Your furry friends enjoy extra-fancy treats and fun activities while you enjoy wines, local beers, frozen drinks and food from Taqueria El Barrio for purchase. Plus, free giveaway drawings with rotating prizes. 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 features Walk Massachusetts’ co-executive directors Brendan Kearney and Althea Wong-Achorn. Information is here.
“Uncovering Stars in an Egyptian Temple: The New Sky over Esna” lecture from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Harvard Geological Museum, 24 Oxford St., in the Baldwin neighborhood near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. Egyptologist Christian Leitz of the University of Tübingen, Germany, details the magnificent astronomical ceiling, colorful columns and close to 200 ink inscriptions recently revealed by a restoration of the front vestibule of the temple of Esna. Information is here.
Central Square Book Club book talk from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Cambridge Public Library Central Square Branch, 45 Pearl St. Free, but register. This month’s title is “The Old Woman with the Knife” by Gu Byeong-Mo. Copies are available for pickup at the branch. 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. September’s title: “Anonymous: How a Mysterious Hacker Collective Transformed the World” by David Kushner and Koren Shadmi. Information is here.
PSB New Location Open House at 7 p.m. meeting at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. Walk over with the group to 1815 Massachusetts Ave. or meet the group at the security desk in University Hall at 7:10PM to get a quick tour of the new Porter Square Books location. A Q&A session follows. We wrote about the move here. Information is here.
Alice Hoffman reads from “When We Flew Away: A Novel of Anne Frank Before the Diary” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The highly acclaimed author of “Practical Magic” and “The Dovekeepers” discusses her new middle-grade novel covering the period when the Nazis invaded the Netherlands until the Franks are forced into hiding – written from research and with cooperation of the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. Jewish Women’s Archive chief executive Judith Rosenbaum joins. Information is here.
Boston Lindy Hop presents “Somerville Stomp” from 7 to 11 p.m. at Samba Bar & Grill, 608 Somerville Ave., near Union Square, Somerville. $5 (cash or Venmo). An hourlong community hour followed by three hours of DJ music with lots of space for dancing and good company. Food and drinks for sale all night. Information is here.
“Romeo and Juliet” (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $80 to $150. Information is here.
“The Hound of the Baskervilles” at 7:30 p.m. at Central Square Theater, Cambridge, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge (and continuing through Oct. 6). $27 to $103. Tickets are selling apace for this gender-bending and pun-filled farcical spin on the classic Arthur Conan Doyle mystery tale. A cast of three actors led by award-winning Aimee Doherty inhabit comical caricatures of more than a dozen characters, absurd accents and all. Lee Mikeska Gardner directs. Information is here.
Kyle Prue reads from “How to Piss Off Men” at 7:30 p.m. at Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square. $30 and book required. During this Belmont Books event, the comedian, TikTok personality and author of the young adult trilogy “Feud” discusses his new book about the fragility of the male ego that offers up 109 lines most likely to turn one’s BFF, boyfriend, husband or that annoying guy at the bar into a whimpering pile of ashes. Information is here.
Staged reading of Ken Urban’s play “Danger and Opportunity” from 8 to 9:30 p.m. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s W97 Theater, 345 Vassar St., Area II, Cambridge. Free. Part of the 2024-2025 Playwrights Lab at MIT, Urban’s play tells the story of Christian and Edwin, a married gay couple in a rut, who discover the limits of their relationship tested when Christian’s unconventional ex-girlfriend gets in touch after 20 years. Directed by Jack Serio. Information is here.
Thursday, Sept. 19
“Mounting Risks to Wetlands: A Journalist’s Perspective” lecture from noon to 1 p.m. in the multipurpose room at Curtis Hall, Tufts University, 474 Boston Ave., Medford, near the Medford/Tufts MBTA station. Free. Reporter Miranda Willson discusses how U.S. wetlands are filled in for development, how a recent ruling by the Supreme Court could accelerate wetlands loss and how she covers water issues for an audience of lawmakers, scientists, oil industry executives and others in E&E News. Also via Zoom. Information is here.
Belarusian art historian and fiction writer Victor Martinovich on “How to Let Paintings Talk” from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at Harvard University’s Center for Government and International Studies, South Concourse, S354, 1730 Cambridge St., Harvard Square. Free. In light of how the news media can so easily create emotional distance about recent traumatic developments in Belarus, Martinovich ponders new ways of talking about Belarus’ traumas that employ oral histories, creative nonfiction, paintings – or all three at once. Information is here.
Meet Jibo from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at the Cambridge Public Library’s Central Square Branch, 45 Pearl St. Free. Kids 5-plus can meet a device from the Personal Robots Group at the MIT Media Lab. Information is here.
Catherine D’Ignazio’s “Counting Feminicide” book launch and signing party from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Building 9, also known as the Samuel Tak Lee Building, at 105 Massachusetts Ave., Room 255, Cambridge. Free, but RSVP. D’Ignazio documents the creative, intellectual and emotional labor of feminicide data activists across the Americas. Information is here.
Rollerama DJ Nights (continued) from 5 to 8 p.m. at Rollerama at Kendall Common, Broadway and Third Street, Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free. Information is here.
Adrie Kusserow reads from “The Trauma Mantras” from 6 to 7 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. A look at a memoir from a medical anthropologist who’s worked with refugees and humanitarian projects in Bhutan, Nepal, India, Uganda, South Sudan and the United States. Poets Yena Sharma Purmasir and Zia Polis join. Information is here.
Riverside Naturalists: Fungus and Lichen from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Mass Audubon Nature Center at Magazine Beach, 668 Memorial Drive, Cambridgeport (also Sept. 26). Free, but register and adults only. Explore flora, fauna and fungi and the connections between them and us during two guided walks per month: one on the seasonal changes and the other on nature journaling (documenting observations – no art experience required). Information is here.
The Poetry Porch reading at 6:30 p.m. at First Church in Cambridge, 11 Garden St., Harvard Square. Free. Poetry and prose read by 16 contributors to the 2024 edition of The Poetry Porch online literary magazine edited by Joyce Wilson. Mike Steffen hosts. Information is here.
“Perfect Days” (2023) film screening from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Gund Hall, 42 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. In this Wim Wenders film, a Japanese man who spends each day cleaning the artfully designed public toilets in that country discovers ways to find beauty in the world. So you don’t forget you’re at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, there’s a pre-screening introduction by GSD instructors Chris Reed and Laila Seewang, who teach the course “Flush: Waste and Intimacy in Berlin’s Civic Realm.” Information is here.
“The Mental Load of Meal Prep” workshop from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the Mosaic room at the Cambridge Innovation Center, 245 Main St., Kendall Square. Free with a suggested donation of $25 to the Women’s Lunch Place in Boston. Experts offer tips around parental support, food and nutrition for parents who want to lessen decision fatigue and stress when feeding their families. Co-sponsored by Feast & Fettle. Information is here.
Andrius Zlabys presents “Echoes of Light” at 7 p.m. at the Longy School of Music, 27 Garden St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free to $20. Zlabys says the core of his faculty debut recital piece is a texture he stumbled upon during an improvisation, with two fragments from Mozart’s “Requiem” at the center and a paragraph of Carl Sagan’s writings as an influence. Information is here.
John Hanson Mitchell reads from “The Sweet Revenge of Marcus Aurelius” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free. The award-winning writer and founder/editor of the Massachusetts Audubon Society magazine Sanctuary discusses the amazing account – based on a true story – of a talented and ingenious runaway plantation slave in the late 19th century who sold his master. Information is here.
“Romeo and Juliet” (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $75 to $150. Information is here.
“The Hound of the Baskervilles” (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at Central Square Theater, Cambridge, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $27 to $103. This performance is followed (at 9:30 p.m.) by a talk by Victorian literature and culture scholar Laura Green of Northeastern University, who compares the “categorization” of women in Doyle’s works with female characters in detective fiction today. Information is here.
Bria Skonberg performs at 7:30 p.m. at Regattabar, 1 Bennett St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $35 to $45. The New York–based and Canadian-born singer, trumpeter and songwriter is a Juno Award winner who “has stormed onto the jazz scene with her smoky vocals, blistering trumpet and compelling compositions and arrangements.” Information is here.
Atomic Comedy Indie Improv Night from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at the café at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. Free, but register. An independently produced monthly improv show featuring new and veteran local talent. 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. This month, the keyboardist and composer presents improvised music with avant-garde slide guitarist David Tronzo, saxophonist Neil Leonard, bassist Max Ridley and Bryant’s past colleague in Ornette Coleman’s Prime Time band, drummer James Kamal Jones. Information is here.
A Long-Expected Party (Second Breakfast!) burlesque, drag and musical tribute to the world of J.R.R. Tolkien at 8 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $25 to $50 and 18-plus. Join Gollum, Frodo, Gandalf and other beloved “Lord of the Rings” characters during this celebration of Frodo and Bilbo’s birthday. Presented by Mx Macabre and Belladonna Bienvenue. Information is here.
Indie Bohemia: Artists of Berklee from 8 to 11 p.m. at Massasoit Elks Lodge, 55 Bishop Allen Drive, Central Square, Cambridge. $5 to $10 and 18-plus. Four cutting-edge indie acts from the Berklee College community (Saul Paul, Yurrn, Cecilia Reyes and One Mann Band) are showcased. Information is here.
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