Thursday, Sept. 26

Godwin Lewis performs Thursday at MIT. (Photo via the artist’s website)

Cambridge Science Festival, all day every day through Sunday mainly in The MIT Museum, 314 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge; The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge; and museums and other select locations around town. All festival zone activities are free. There are more than 275 events all told, with special curated themes including the 23 categorized under “Frontiers: the new era of space exploration” (Sept. 27-28) and the 28 events under “Electric Skin: the future of fashion” (Sept. 28). The culminating Science Festival Carnival at the Kendall/MIT Open Space is an adventure playground with more than 100 activities (Sept. 29). Among the many other events are talks on cyborgs, heat pumps, brain science research, cool roofs, online security, encouraging participation in the AI economy and how AI can increase participation in democratic processes; workshops on the science of beaded artwork, the prehistory of clothing, teaching biology with art and how to set up a telescope; film screenings of “Switch On” about energy access in developing countries, “Pathways to Invention” about young inventors and “Moons: Worlds of Mystery” free at the Hayden Planetarium; performances of the MIT Laptop Ensemble, a science comedy fashion show, a neuroscience magic show and a theatrical portrayal of nuclear physicist Lise Meitner; kids activities that involve creating 3D insects, crafting space aliens, drawing Chinese dragons and using OctoStudio for animation or making a game; tours of the Broad Institute, the MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center, MIT’s AeroAstro, MIT’s Space Robotics Lab, Harvard’s Center for Astrophysics and The Thorlabs Mobile Photonics Lab. As for art installations and exhibits, there’s the Steam Habits of Mind listening gallery, an Ancient Assyria exhibit experienced through augmented reality and illuminated mathematical art. You can roll up your sleeves and team-solve biotech challenges, make balanced sculptures, kayak to the Charles River floating wetland and design robots in simulation using AI. Teen events include a science story slam, a game-design workshop, a talk with YA author Karen Jialu Bao, an outer-space-themed “After Dark” event at the MIT Museum and a session on how photonics and lasers improve our lives. Just for fun there’s s science trivia night at Lamplighter Brewing, a “Discovery After Dark” party at the Broad Institute, game playing at the MIT Museum, an astronaut talk at Aeronaut Brewery and a fashion show with DJs, digital art and a cash bar (but no catwalk). Information is .

Grow Native Massachusetts plant pop-up market from noon to 6 p.m. at the Kendall Square Farmers Market at 1 Broad Canal Way, Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free. Native plants brought in for purchase from Bluestem Natives (Norwell), Checkerspot Farm (Colrain), Butterfly Effect Farm (Westport) and Hilltop Natives (Norwood). Information is .

Signe Nielsen on “Parks and Monuments: A Cultural Evolution” from 12:30 to 2 p.m. at Gund Hall, 42 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The landscape architect discusses strategies to address controversial monuments. She focuses on New York’s Little Island park, which embodies recent trends in design around art, nature and culture. Information is here.

Brazilian theater artist Geo Britto on “Augusto Boal and a Theater of Political Activism” from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s W97 Theater, 345 Vassar St., Area II, Cambridge. Free. Talk about theater as a force for social change and political revolution from the author of 2023’s “The Making of The Theater of The Oppressed: Augusto Boal and the Marxist Tradition.” Local theater artists and educators Pati Hernández and Nikita Pesswani join. Information is here.

“Wetlands to Waste” multimedia documentary screening and reception from 4 to 6:30 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. Those interested in Jerry’s Pond may want to see this new documentary from the Southeast Chicago Archive and Storytelling Project. The film chronicles activism against industrial pollution. Information is here.

“Scooter LaForge: Enchanted Anarchies and Other Realities” exhibition reception with artist from 5 to 7 p.m. at Lesley University’s Lunder Arts Center, 1801 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free. The 18 paintings and 20 sculptural pieces in this show, on view through Dec. 1, span nearly three decades and reflect how LaForge blends pop culture and cartoon imagery with his signature Neo-Expressionist aesthetic. LaForge will work with Lesley Art + Design students this semester. Information is here.

Rollerama DJ Nights from 5 to 8 p.m. at Rollerama at Kendall Common, Broadway and Third Street, Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free. Dance or skate for free to DJ sets from DJ Collective Spin The Bottle; this final DJ Night features Stealth Mode and Rad Joy. Information is here.

Saxophonist Godwin Lewis from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Building W18, also known as the Music Building, Room 4305, 201 Amherst St., Cambridge. Free. A masterclass with a Grammy-nominated alto saxophonist, composer, arranger, educator, philanthropist, humanitarian and entrepreneur who was born in Harlem, New York, and raised in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and Port Au Prince, Haiti. Information is here.

Mapping Feminist Cambridge: Central Square Walking Tour from 6 to 7:30 p.m. meeting in Central Square. Free; registration provides meeting location. The activist past of Central Square from the 1970s to 1990s revealed. Sponsored by the Cambridge Commission on the Status of Women. Information is here.

“Manifest: Thirteen Colonies” book launch and conversation from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the lecture hall at the Harvard Geological Museum, 24 Oxford St., in the Baldwin neighborhood near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. Artist Wendel A. White’s photographs of objects, documents and books in public collections form a book on the complexities of U.S. history, slavery, abolition and more. Part of an activities night related to the book and exhibition. Information is here.

Opera on Tap Boston presents “Latinísimo” concert from 6 to 8 p.m.at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free. To celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, a showcase of the musical contributions of Hispanic and Latino composers to opera, art song, folk music and more, including a rare opportunity to experience contributions of Latin American composers to classical music. Information is here.

Carol Bove on “Fragments of a Faith Forgotten: The Art of Harry Smith” exhibition with reception from 6 to 9 p.m. at The Carpenter Center, 24 Quincy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The sculptor whose assemblages and installations engage with traditions of modernist abstraction, 20th century popular media and commercialism discusses her practice and her longstanding engagement with Smith’s work. Information is here.

Climapalooza from 6 to 9 p.m. at Warehouse XI, 11 Sanborn Court, Union Square, Somerville. $25. The seventh climate action fundraiser by the Cambridge nonprofit Climable, which works with environmental justice communities, includes live music by Dutch Tulips and local food and drinks from breweries Lamplighter, Portico and Remnant, plus chances to win prizes from Patagonia, Lush, Chipotle, Coolidge Corner Theatre and others. Information is here.

Karen Kirsten reads from “Irena’s Gift” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free. The Australian American author and Holocaust educator discusses her memoir of discovering the story behind her mother being smuggled out of German-occupied Warsaw in 1942 when she was a baby, and that the couple who raised her were actually her aunt and uncle. Harvard Review editor Christina Thompson joins. Information is here.

Noah Whiteman reads from “Most Delicious Poison: The Story of Nature’s Toxins – From Spices to Vices” at 7 p.m. at Jefferson Laboratory Room 250, 17 Oxford St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, or $31.88 with book. The University of California at Berkeley professor of genetics, genomics and evolution discusses the strange chemicals lurking on the surfaces of plant foods, their origins and how animals including humans evolved to overcome them. Harvard’s Ryan Nett joins. Information is here.

“Disrupt the Narrative,” an experiential conversation series at 7 p.m. in the blue wing at the Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, Boston, on the Cambridge border. Free with preregistration and 18-plus. The premiere of this series centered on radical narrative change features creator Catherine Nakato in conversation with rapper, activist, business owner, Harvard fellow and Tufts professor Dee-1. Information is here.

Comedian Myq Kaplan at 7 and 9 p.m. at The Comedy Studio in the basement at 5 John F. Kennedy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $22 to $30. This star of Amazon’s “Small, Dork and Handsome” standup special who’s appeared on every late-night talk show speed-jokes for an hour, twice, in a long-awaiting (and frequently rescheduled) show celebrating the club’s reopening. With Bethany van Delft. 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 $95. 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. This performance is followed (at 9:30 p.m.) by a conversation with the cast and creative team of the play. 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. This performance is followed (at 10 p.m.) by a talk with Boston Globe “Love Letters” advice columnist and podcast host Meredith Goldstein and “Love Letters” podcast producer and independent film producer Christine Ahanotu about why young love can seem to matter more than anything. Information is here.

Radius Ensemble’s “Emerge” concert at 8 p.m. at the Longy School of Music, 27 Garden St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $15 to $35. The ensemble-in-residence opens its 26th season with “Rêverie” and “Arabesque” by Claude Debussy for oboe and harp; “Creation du Monde” by Darius Milhaud for piano quintet; “Submerged” by Miguel del Aguila for flute, viola and harp; and “Tzigane” by Valerie Coleman for wind quintet. Information is here.


Friday, Sept. 27

Wang Dongling performs his “chaotic script”) calligraphy Friday in Cambridge. (Photo: Harvard Art Museums)

Cambridge Science Festival, all day every day through Sunday mainly in The MIT Museum, 314 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge; The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge; and museums and other select locations around town. All festival zone activities are free. Information is here.

Flying Flowers and Scattered Snow: A Performance of Calligraphy by Wang Dongling from 3 to 4 p.m. in the Calderwood Courtyard at Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. One of China’s heralded contemporary ink painters demonstrates his luan shu (“chaotic script”) calligraphy, which draws upon ancient texts and brush-painting traditions as he creates a large new work. Information is here.

“Southeast: A City within a City” documentary screening from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at MIT’s Bartos Theater, 20 Ames St., Building E-15, atrium level, Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free. This new documentary from the Southeast Chicago Archive and Storytelling Project explores what it felt like to live in a neighborhood that once produced more steel than anywhere else in the world. Features live music performances by filmmaker Steve Walsh and his grandfather Roger “Coco” Gomez, a former steelworker, musician and “gangster philosopher.” Information is here.

Fall Into Dance from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at The Dance Complex, 536 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. Free, but registration required. The Boston Dance Alliance and Dance Complex co-host a celebration previewing area performances. Includes giveaways of tickets and merch and special discounts on upcoming shows. Information is here.

Pianist Derek Chiu and violinist Liubomyr Senyshyn from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Somerville Music Spaces, 1060 Broadway, Suite C101B, Somerville. Free. An evening of Mozart, Beethoven, Ukrainian music and more presented by Attacca School of Music. Information is here.

“In Love & War” presented by EK Duo, Tom Burnett and Two from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. $10 to $20. Chamber and improvised music and spoken word “exploring conflict and the human condition in the post-futurist now.” The EK Duo includes Rachael Elliott (bassoon) and Thomas Kozumplik (percussion and composer). Composer Tom Burnett performs spoken word and on keyboards. Two includes Liza Knight (bassoon) and Elise Hill (saxophone). 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 $95. Information is here.

Comedian Dustin Nickerson at 7:30 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $34. The author of “How to be Married (to Melissa)” jokes about the struggles of parenting, marriage and being generally annoyed by most people. 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.

Comedian Beth Stelling at 7:30 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. Information is here. $32. The writer for “Rick and Morty” and “Another Period,” actor and the stand-up behind “If You Didn’t Want Me Then” on Netflix last year and “Girl Daddy” on Max arrives with her fatally dry delivery. Information is here.

“Junebug: An Improvised Space Western” from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at the café at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. Free, but RSVP to save your seat. Inspired by the short-lived mid-2000’s series “Firefly” as well as “Cowboy Bebop,” “The Expanse,” “Battlestar Galactica” and other on-screen sci-fi, this show follows the crew of a Junebug class ship as they try to make a living on the outskirts of inhabited space. Information is here.

“Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” musical at 8 p.m. at Arrow Street Arts, 2 Arrow Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge (and continuing through Oct. 20). $55 to $65. Moonbox Productions presents the music-filled farce based on the 1988 film of the same name that follows two con artists in the French Riviera who compete for the heart – and wallet – of a beautiful yet gullible heiress. We wrote about it here. Information is here.


Saturday, Sept. 28

Somerville’s Ignite festival, seen in 2013, returns Saturday. (Photo: next_story via Flickr)

Cambridge Science Festival, all day every day through Sunday mainly in The MIT Museum, 314 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge; The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge; and museums and other select locations around town. All festival zone activities are free. Information is here.

“An Introduction to the Work that Reconnects: Workshop for activists and all concerned people” from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at First Parish Cambridge Unitarian Universalist, 3 Church St./1446 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but donations accepted. Learn to process feelings about climate change, wars, mass violence, racial oppression and more. Co-sponsored by the First Parish Social Justice Council, Massachusetts Peace Action and 350 Mass. Snacks provided; bring a water bottle, pen and paper/notebook. Information is here.

MIT Great Glass Pumpkin Patch annual sale from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Kresge Auditorium oval, 48 Massachusetts Ave., Area II. Free. Check out more than 2,000 handblown glass pumpkins from the MIT Glass Lab on sale for $35 to more than $350 (with the proceeds going back to the lab). Information is here.

The Climate Conundrum: A public discussion on the role of carbon dioxide removal from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, Boston, on the Cambridge border. Free and 18-plus (those chosen to participate are paid). Learn about and discuss two emerging carbon dioxide removal technologies: ocean alkalinity enhancement and direct air capture with carbon storage. Information is here.

Rockin’ with Raptors from noon to 3 p.m. at the Mass Audubon Nature Center at Magazine Beach, 668 Memorial Drive, Cambridgeport. Free, but register. Get up close with live raptors, learn about bees and watch charming puppet shows. Includes programs for children and adults, entertainment, food (cookout, popcorn and cake!), arts, crafts, face painting and resource information from cultural, community and green organizations. Information is here.

Arts in the Park from 1 to 5 p.m. at Clement Morgan Park, 60 Columbia St., The Port, Cambridge (rain date: Sept. 29). Free. Learn about The Port Infrastructure Improvements Project from the Public Works Department or simply enjoy live music by DJ Vyper, food by Everybody Gotta Eat’s curated chefs, artist booths, interactive activities, children’s activities, live painting exhibits and discovering more about local creative institutions and co-sponsor the Adius Arts Initiative. Information is here.

“The Hound of the Baskervilles” (continued) at 2 and 7:30 p.m. at Central Square Theater, Cambridge, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $27 to $103. Information is here.

“Romeo and Juliet” (continued) at 2 and 7:30 p.m. at Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $70 to $150. Information is here.

“Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” musical (continued) at 2 and 8 p.m. at Arrow Street Arts, 2 Arrow Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge. $55 to $65. Audience members are required to wear masks for all Saturday matinee performances. Information is here.

Ignite: A Global Street Food, Fire and Light Festival from 6 to 10 p.m. Union Square Plaza, Somerville (rain date: Sept. 29). Free. Union Square restaurants and many Nibble program chefs will be out on the street vending cuisines from across the globe. Expect also food demos, an incendiary curry-eating contest, fire throwers, light and art installations, Boston Circus Guild acts, roving entertainment and performers representing cultures from near and far. Presented by ArtsUnion Information is here.

Palaver Strings presents “Dancing Home” at 7 p.m. at the Longy School of Music, 27 Garden St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10 to $20. The Portland, Maine, string ensemble-in-residence explores themes of heritage, belonging, displacement and resilience through social dance and the world premiere of “awāsh” by Kareem Roustom, plus Palaver’s arrangement of Bartok’s Romanian Dances, original fiddle tunes by Palaver violinist Maya French and Kinan Azmeh’s “Syrian Dances.” Information is here.

The Sarasa Ensemble presents “The Silver Swan” from 7 to 9 p.m. at Friends Meeting House, 5 Longfellow Park, near Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10 to $30. This first concert of the season focuses on the brilliance and strangeness of the very distinct English school of composition from the late 17th century, plus works by composers who revisited it in the 20th century. Includes pieces by John Blow, Henry Purcell, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Robert Merfeld and Gerald Finzi. Information is here.

Niki Luparelli presents White Lines and Witchcraft at 8 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $24 to $50. Niki Luparelli’s tributes often sell out (she’s done them for Bowie, Blondie and Pink Floyd, among others). This time it’s for cocaine-fueled mystic Stevie Nicks, performing the Fleetwood Mack star’s hits with a burlesque performers from across the region. Information is here.

The Basement Project: The First Revival rave from 8:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. at 288 Green St., Central Square, Cambridge. $40. Mixes from Geo From Hell, resident DJ at the Cocoricò discoteca Riccione – winner of the title of Italy’s Top DJ and founder of Hell Records. Information is here.

“It’s a Date” unscripted comedy dating show at 10 p.m. at The Comedy Studio, 5 John F. Kennedy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $27. Four singles who’ve applied ahead of time take the stage blindfolded – it’s an actual blind date – with the audience supping the conversational topics and choosing who will wind up with who at the end of the night. Hosted by Jaylene Tran. Information is here.


Sunday, Sept. 29

The “Smoke This” Rib Fest is back in East Cambridge on Sunday. (Photo: East Cambridge Business Association)

Annual Bow Tie Community Bicycle Ride at 9:30 a.m. meeting at Joan Lorentz Park at 457 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge (in front of the Cambridge Main Library). Free. Wear a bow tie (it’s kind of like the shape of Cambridge, after all) or come as you are to this approximately 2.5-hour relaxed-pace ride escorted by the Cambridge Police Department’s bike patrol. Information is here.

Tufts Community Day from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Tufts University’s Academic Quad, 419 Boston Ave., Medford. Free. This Somerville-Medford school offers live performances, children’s activities, a raffle and free refreshments, as well as a peek at research projects by faculty and resource information from Medford and Somerville community groups. Information is here.

Cambridge Science Carnival from noon to 4 p.m. at the Kendall/MIT Open Space at 292 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free and all ages. A family-friendly science extravaganza, Carnival is a beloved regular fixture of the Cambridge Science Festival and features more than 100 activity booths, demonstrations, live music and events, including the popular Robot Petting Zoo. Information is here.

“Smoke This” Rib Fest from noon to 4 p.m. on Cambridge Street between Fulkerson and Fifth streets, East Cambridge. Free, but 10-rib Taste Tickets are $34 (ribs are also available individually). This 15th annual rib culinary showdown of pit master vs. pit master for the title of best ribs around includes live music and is presented by the East Cambridge Business Association and developer DivcoWest. Information is here.

“The Hound of the Baskervilles” (continued) at 2 p.m. at Central Square Theater, Cambridge, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $27 to $103. Information is here.

“Romeo and Juliet” (continued) at 2 p.m. at Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $60 to $150. Information is here.

Music Speaks: Take Flight, on Wing of Song from 2 to 3 p.m. in Wellington Hall in the Somerville Public Library, 79 Highland Ave., Central Hill. Free, but register. Violinist Joshua Peckins plays classics and contemporary pieces, introducing the composers and their music with spoken word. Information is here.

“Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” musical (continued) at 3 p.m. at Arrow Street Arts, 2 Arrow Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge. $55 to $65. Information is here.

Poets Sarah Audsley and George Kalogeris read from 3 to 4 p.m. on the east lawn at Longfellow House and the Washington’s Headquarters National Historic Site, 105 Brattle St., West Cambridge. Free. Part of the Longfellow Summer Arts Festival. (This event was originally scheduled for July 14.) Information is here.

Beethoven, Liebermann and Fauré from 3 to 5 p.m. at Sanders Theatre, 45 Quincy St., near Harvard Square. $9 to $68. Nine musicians from the Boston Chamber Music Society perform Ludwig van Beethoven’s Piano Trio No. 3 in C minor, Op. 1, No. 3 (1795); Lowell Liebermann’s Sonata for Clarinet and Piano (2021 BCMS co-commission); and Gabriel Fauré’s Piano Quartet No. 1 in C minor, Op. 15 (1876-1879; rev. 1883). Information is here.

Kathy Greeley reads from “Testing Education” in conversation with Cambridge educator Karen Engels from 3 to 5 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free, but RSVP. The longtime teacher in the Cambridge and Boston public school systems discusses her memoir, a firsthand account to the impacts of the standardized testing and curricula trend proliferating in the past 20 years in our nation, with Engels, a 25-year educator now at the Graham & Parks school. We wrote about the book here. As part of the bookstore’s “Be the Change” event, 20 percent of sales throughout the store during the two-hour talk benefits Citizens for Public Schools. Information is here.

“Figuring Our World: Sally B. Moore and C.A. Stigliano” exhibition closing reception from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Brickbottom Artists Building, 1 Fitchburg St., Inner Belt, Somerville. Free. A sculpture show of works from two old friends and artists who talk to each other about the world’s dramatic (and changing) political, cultural and social landscape. Information is here.

St. Augustine’s Celebration from 3 to 6 p.m. at St. Augustine’s African Orthodox Church, 137 Allston St., Cambridgeport. Free, but RSVP. A party to honor how the community pulled together to safeguard the historic, living landmark that is St. Augustine’s church, with food, music, games, a special exhibition and a presentation on the future of the restoration effort. Sponsored by Black History in Action. Information is here.

Learn all about mint from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at The Growing Center, 22 Vinal Ave., near Union Square, Somerville. Free, but donations accepted. Clinical herbalist Mo Katz-Christy uses storytelling and science, drawing and tasting to provide in-depth exploration of one herb each month. Bring a journal for sketching and note taking. Information is here.

Black Biz Ball at 5 p.m. (awards at 6 p.m.) at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. $50 to $100. Dress to impress during this fourth annual celebration of Boston-area Black-owned businesses, with 14 local businesses from a variety of industries honored. Within the whole Foundry space enjoy music (live and from DJs), networking, food and dancing. Sponsored by the Boston-based Black Biz Development Group. Information is here.

Yesterday’s Magazine live stand-up from 7 to 8:15 p.m. at the café at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. $15. Six Boston comedians take the stage, and you get to take a free copy of the third issue of Boston’s newest comedy magazine, published by Asylum Media. Information is here.


Monday, Sept. 30

Giorgia Caporuscio with one of her pizzas. (Photo via the artist’s social media)

Fluff Museum pop-up final day at Bow Market, 1 Bow Market Way, Union Square, Somerville. Free. Sarah Dudek’s Marshmallow Fluff Micro-Museum is in its last day with its four unique exhibits, View-Master tour of little-known Fluff facts, incredibly small gallery of Fluff fan art, screen print-your-own-souvenir station and museum gift shop. Information is here.

Lamnth violin and cimbalom duo from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Distler Performance Hall, Tufts University, 20 Talbot Ave., Medford. Free. Lilit Hartunian and Nicholas Tolle kick off their second full season with newly commissioned works by Tufts composers John McDonald, Sid Richardson and Yixiao Wang as well as a piece from their existing repertory and a performance of the rarely heard Sonatine (1984) by Peter Maxwell Davies. Information is here.

“Building the Foundation for Youth Well-Being” panel discussion from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at King Open School, 850 Cambridge St., Wellington-Harrington, Cambridge. Free, but register. Learn how to support positive development throughout childhood for your child and explore resources in Cambridge during this discussion sponsored by the Cambridge Public Health Department. Free food and childcare provided. Information is here.

Creativity Collective art and craft meetup 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. 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.

“Pizza is My Yoga” with Giorgia Caporuscio 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 master pizzaiola who took over New York City’s renowned Don Antonio in 2023 and elevated its legacy with her innovative approach to Neapolitan pizza, earning accolades such as the prestigious Caputo Cup and “Pizza Maker of the Year” in 2024. 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. Free. The fourth of four discussions during August and September on “The Last Fire Season” by Manjula Martin. Information is here.

“Politics as Unusual” with Molly Jong-Fast and Rick Wilson at 7:30 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. $29. MSNBC contributor and host of “Fast Politics” Molly Jong-Fast teams up with Rick Wilson, founder of The Lincoln Project and host of “The Enemies List” for a show they’re taking on the road. It features their takes on the election season, as well as wild games and guests. Information is here.

Juniper Honey performs at 7:30 p.m. at Rockwell. $10 to $15 and all ages. The indie-rock band out of California that formed during the Covid pandemic has recently recorded a full length album soon to be released. Information is here.


Tuesday, Oct. 1

Author Sabaa Tahir reads Tuesday in Somerville. (Photo via the author’s website)

Deconstructing Disability exhibition opening reception from noon to 2 p.m. at the Raizes Gallery at Lesley University’s Lunder Arts Center, 801 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free. Features work by members of the Lesley community – students, staff and faculty – who identify as disabled. Information is here.

Good Neighbor Day from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free. A collaborative art project, intergenerational conversations for older children and adults and story time for younger children designed to strengthen community bonds by bringing together people of all ages to share experiences, learn from each other and build connections. Information is here.

Anjali Adukia on “Separation of Church and State Curricula? Examining Public and Religious Private School Textbooks” from 4:30 to 5:45 p.m. at Larsen Hall, 14 Appian Way, Room 106, Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard Square. Free. Recent research shared by the University of Chicago educator and director of the Messages, Identity and Inclusion in Education Lab. Information is here.

Title Boxing Club outdoor workshop at 6 p.m. at Assembly Row, 355 Artisan Way, Assembly Square, Somerville. 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.

Devika Rege reads from “Quarterlife”  at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The author discusses her debut novel, which Biblio called “a groundbreaking portrait of a nation on the cusp of a new age,” with Harvard professor and New Yorker magazine staff writer James Wood joins. Information is here.

Double book releases with authors Sacha Lamb for “The Forbidden Book” and Nghi Vo for “The City in Glass” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free. Lamb discusses her exploration of identity set against a backdrop of literary censorship and growing Jewish political consciousness. Vo introduces her stand-alone novel about a beguiling fantasy city in the tradition of Calvino, Mieville and Le Guin. Information is here.

Sabaa Tahir reads from “Heir” from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. $10 or $34 with the book. At this All She Wrote Books–sponsored event, the National Book Award winner and bestselling author discusses her fantasy novel with Booktok’s Azanta Thakur. Information is here.

“Romeo and Juliet” (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $75 to $104. Information is here.

Smut Slam from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville (and the first Tuesday of every month). $10 suggested donation. An open mic invites participants to tell five-minute, real-life dirty stories. The top three slammers win sexy swag from Good Vibrations. Kat Sistare hosts. Information is here.

Sinton & Bishop Duo from 7:30 to 10 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $15 to $18. The Creative Music Series welcomes back internationally renowned improvisers Josh Sinton (baritone and tenor saxophones) from New York and Jeb Bishop (trombone) from Chicago. Information is here.


Wednesday, Oct. 2

Chris Gethard performs with fellow comedian Eddie Pepitone on Wednesday in Somerville. (Photo the artist’s social media)

“The Complexities of Community-Led Climate Solutions From an Outsider” 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. Andrea Savage from the Union of Concerned Scientists discusses what happens when different communities want different solutions to the same environmental problem and what happens when a solution in one part of the world risks harming communities in another part. Also via Zoom. Information is here.

Veronica Robles’ All Women Mariachi Band from 12:15 to 1 p.m. at Kendall/MIT Open Space at 292 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free. The professional mariachi singer, musician, Latin American folkloric dancer and choreographer started her mariachi career when she was 14 and learned the respected tradition from elder mariachis in Mexico City. Information is here.

Starr Forum: “The 2024 U.S. presidential election: The world is watching” from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the Bartos Theater, 20 Ames St., Building E-15, atrium level, Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free, but registration is required. Experts weigh in on how citizens and leaders from other world regions are viewing the Nov. 5 U.S. election. What do they believe is at stake for their countries and regions? Is America still seen as a model for democracy? How do they view the candidates? Information is here.

Indian Ridge Habitat Restoration Walk from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m. meeting at Story Chapel at Mount Auburn Cemetery, 580 Mount Auburn St., West Cambridge. $15. Learn about this multiyear project designed to promote wildlife habitat and biological diversity while enhancing the site’s natural beauty. Information is here.

Dog Days of Summer 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 fancy treats and fun 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.

Audition to share your story about your greatest fear from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Somerville Public Library West Branch, 40 College Ave., near Davis Square. Free. Karin Anell plans an exhibit with a a digital wall of fear and an event with interviews, storytelling and music. Your panic or phobia could be part of it; 350 people have already been interviewed, but Anell aims for 1,000. Information is here.

Queer Craft Night: Shrinky Dinks from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Somerville Public Library, 79 Highland Ave., Central Hill. Free, but register. If you self-identify as queer or LGBTQ in any way, come make connections while experimenting with these cute and fun creations (choose from premade designs or create your own). Materials provided. Information is here.

Poets Dennis Daly, Dianne Silvestri and Ann Taylor  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 Tom Daley. 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 $95. Information is here.

“Romeo and Juliet” (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $104 to $150. Information is here.

Jason Anick and Jason Yeager collaborative album release at 7:30 p.m. at Regattabar, 1 Bennett St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $20 to $30. Hear compositions by the jazz violinist and pianist from their new “Sanctuary” album. Information is here.

Under the Rug performs at 7:30 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $20. The Austin-based indie folk outfit is touring on the release of its 30-track double album “Happiness is Easy,” which includes the lead single “Mad Girl’s Love Song,” an homage to Sylvia Plath’s poem of the same name. Also playing: Basic Printer. Information is here.

Comedians Chris Gethard and Eddie Pepitone at 8 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $26 to $30. Compare and contrast punchlines by veteran comics who host, respectively, the podcasts “Beautiful/Anonymous” and “Apocalypse Soon.” Information is here.

Alash ensemble from Tuva at 8 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $28 to $30. This trio of master throat singers from Tuva, a tiny republic in the heart of Central Asia, are inspired by the music of their grandparents, great-grandparents and the great musicians of their homeland – and by such western artists as Sun Ra and Jimi Hendrix. Information is here.


Thursday, Oct. 3

“The Hound of the Baskervilles” continues Sunday at the Central Square Theater in Cambridge. (Photo: Maggie Hall )

“Rewrite, Organize, Remix: Visions of Feminist Organizing” curator-led tour from 3 to 4 p.m. at the Poorvu Gallery in the Schlesinger Library in Radcliffe Yard, 3 James St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. A tour led by librarian Mimosa Shaw. Information is here.

Tour the Old Powder House from 5 to 7 p.m. at Nathan Tufts/Powderhouse Park, College Avenue and Broadway, Somerville (and various dates through October). Free. A docent opens and gives tours of the old stone building from which the British removed gunpowder 250 years ago this year, resulting in the Powder Alarm. Information is here.

Sy Montgomery and Matt Patterson discuss “Of Time and Turtles: Mending the World, Shell by Shattered Shell” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The acclaimed naturalist (and author of “The Soul of an Octopus”) and the wildlife artist discuss their portrait of injured turtles and the Turtle Rescue League members who help them recover. 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.

“The Hound of the Baskervilles” (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at Central Square Theater, Cambridge, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $27 to $95. 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.

Big Boston Baritone Benefit at 7:30 p.m. at Regattabar, 1 Bennett St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $20 to $30. A set of compositions by some of the master baritone saxophonists of Boston as well as a jam session with invited baritone guests, all to help crowdfund for baritone saxophonist Claire Daly, who’s been battling cancer. Information is here.

Mamadou Ensemble at 7:30 p.m. at The Burren, 247 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $20 to $25 and all ages. Boston Music Award winner Mamadou Diop is a Senegalese rhythm guitarist. Information is here.

“Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” musical (continued) at 8 p.m. at Arrow Street Arts, 2 Arrow Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge. $55 to $65. Audience members are required to wear masks for all Thursday performances. Information is here.

The Lemon Twigs perform at 8 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $25 to $28. A New York City rock band fronted by brothers Brian and Michael D’Addario, who combine elements of the Merseybeat sound, the California Beach Boy harmony sound and bubblegum. Information is here.

Candlelight: Best of the Beatles at 9 p.m. at First Church in Cambridge, 11 Garden St., Harvard Square. $33 to $59 and 8-plus. The Rasa String Quartet, illuminated by glowing candles, plays 16 songs by the Fab Four with “Here Comes the Sun” first, “Hey Jude” last and “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” at the midpoint. Information is here.

A stronger

Please consider making a financial contribution to maintain, expand and improve Cambridge Day.

We are now a 501(c)3 nonprofit and all donations are tax deductible.

Please consider a recurring contribution.

Leave a comment