Thursday, Oct. 10
“Radical Honesty: Life Writing, Academic Writing and Living Dangerously” lecture from 4:15 to 5:30 p.m. in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Building 14S-130 at 160 Memorial Drive, Cambridge. Free, but RSVP. Sarah Tarlow, author of more than 10 academic books and the 2023 memoir “The Archaeology of Loss,” discusses how academic writing can be made more transformative with elements of memoir. Also via Zoom. Information is here.
Nina Guilbeault reads from “The Good Eater: A Vegan’s Search for the Future of Food” at 6 p.m. in the lecture hall at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free, or $29.74 with book. The sociologist, author, educator and cofounder of the nonprofit Plant Futures discusses ways to transition to a more plant-based world. Michael Pollan, Harvard professor and author of nine books, joins this event co-sponsored with the Harvard Book Store. Information is here.
Oksana Lutsyshyna reads from “Love Life” from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the library at Harvard’s Ukrainian Research Institute, 34 Kirkland St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. The writer, poet and associate professor at the University of Texas, Austin, discusses her second novel, which follows a Ukrainian immigrant to the United States. The institute’s Oleh Kotsyuba joins. Information is here.
Other Influences: A Feminist Avant-Garde Poetry Reading from 6 to 7:45 p.m. at the Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts, lower level, 24 Quincy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The Woodberry Poetry Room presents readings by Carla Harryman, Erica Hunt, Tracie Morris, Hoa Nguyen, Prageeta Sharma and Anne Tardos to celebrate the forthcoming anthology “Other Influences: An Untold History of Feminist Avant-Garde Poetry” with editors Marcella Durand and Jennifer Firestone attending. Information is here.
“Patterns in Nature” art opening from 6 to 8 p.m. at CAA@Canal, 650 E. Kendall St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free. Artists from around New England are part of this Cambridge Art Association show about the patterns that appear everywhere in nature. The exhibit is up until Jan. 8. Information is here.
After Dark Series: Vision from 6 to 9 p.m. at The MIT Museum, 314 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. $10 to $20 and 21-plus. Explore the mysteries of vision: best your friends in a blindfolded Lego build-off, catch a talk with visual neuroscientist Pawan Sinha and challenge your perceptions with a camera lucida. Barbecue from Scott Brothers and local beer from Winter Hill Brewing are available for purchase. Information is here.
Natural dye workshop from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Mass Audubon Nature Center at Magazine Beach, 668 Memorial Drive, Cambridgeport. $12 and adults only. Learn about the use and a brief history of natural pigments and create some of your own out of natural materials such as black walnut husks, onion skins, birch bark and invasive weeds. Information is here.
An Environmentalist’s Guide to the Supreme Court at 7 p.m. at Patagonia, 39 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. Students from the Harvard’s Emmett Environmental Law and Policy Clinic unpack the potential environmental impacts of the upcoming session and explain how past Courts have influenced, or neglected, environmental law, with a special focus on the “good neighbor” provision in the Clean Air Act being challenged in the court. Early comers can be first at the snack table and enter a raffle for gear. Information is here.
Poet Matthew Zapruder reads from “I Love Hearing Your Dreams” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The editor at large at Wave Books and author of six collections of poetry discusses his “startlingly beautiful and deeply vulnerable book where lives journey into a mystifying place and emerge transformed.” Steve Almond, author of 10 books of fiction and non-fiction, joins. Information is here.
Poets Linda Norton and Fanny Howe 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 Chloe Garcia Roberts. Information is here.
Evening yoga at the CPL from 7 to 8 p.m. in the community room at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free, but register. With Shayla Tate of M.U.D.D. Flower Yoga. Bring a mat and whatever items your practice requires. Information is here.
Researching Your Family History: Genealogy 101 from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Somerville Public Library, 79 Highland Ave., Central Hill. Free. History librarian Kevin O’Kelly presents basic strategies and principles in researching historical materials and teaches about resources available from the library and the federal government as well other Internet resources. Information is here.
Candlelight Tribute to Taylor Swift at 7 p.m. at First Church in Cambridge, 11 Garden St., Harvard Square. $33 to $59. A Taylored song experience in the gentle glow of candlelight. Information is here.
Eastern Mass Abortion Fund’s Community Concert from 7 to 10 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $10 to $30 suggested donation. Support abortion access while listening to bands Layzi, Stella Starfox, High Tea and special guest Hunter Paris Cartier. Free masks and ear plugs provided. Information is here.
“Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” musical at 7:30 p.m. at Arrow Street Arts, 2 Arrow Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge (and continuing through Oct. 20). $55. 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. Audience members are required to wear masks for all Thursday performances. We wrote about it here. Information is here.
Vibraphonist Joel Ross at 7:30 p.m. at Regattabar, 1 Bennett St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $25 to $35. The Brooklyn, New York, vibes player and composer performs with pianist Jeremy Corren, bassist Kanoa Mendenhall, drummer Jeremy Dutton and tenor saxophonist Maria Grand. Information is here.
Harvard Baroque Chamber Orchestra “Prelude” program from 8 to 10 p.m. at Memorial Church, 1 Harvard Yard, Cambridge. Free. Winner of the prestigious Erwin Bodky Award for excellence in early music, this small chamber orchestra performs its fall concert featuring the work of Sebastian, including Canta No. 82 genug Information is here.
Mariposa After Hours Concert from 8 to 10 p.m. at Mariposa Bakery, 424 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square. $5 to $10 suggested donation. The return of the After Hours series hosted by favorite Cambridge baristas ushers in the spooky season with all new acts, plus pastries and drinks. Tonight’s line-up: Wayside Sounds, Silly Band (a barista explosion) and Superpink. Information is here.
Friday, Oct. 11
Deep Dive Tour: Poetry Experience from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at Longfellow House and the Washington’s Headquarters National Historic Site, 105 Brattle St., West Cambridge. Free. Park rangers explore some of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s best works in the home that inspired him. Information is here.
Shahla Ujayli on “War, Women, Exile and Translation” from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at Harvard University’s Barker Center, Room 113, 12 Quincy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The Syrian author of “A Sky So Close to Us” and “Summer with the Enemy” talks about her novels and the challenges of translating Arabic literature. With McGill University’s Michelle Hartman. Information is here.
Ndaje Festival of African Drum and Dance from 3 to 9 p.m. at The Dance Complex, 536 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge (and continuing Oct. 12-13). $20, or $90 for a five-class pass. Performer, instructor and choreographer Alioune “Pape” N’Diaye, from Dakar, Senegal, founded this three-day immersion into the arts culture of West Africa with 18 workshops presented by master dancers and drummers from Senegal, Mali and Guinea. All levels are welcomed to join. Information is here.
Oktoberfest from 5 to 11:30 p.m. at Lamplighter Brewing, 284 Broadway, The Port, Cambridge (and continuing Oct. 12). $10 and 21-plus. Craft beers, stein-holding competitions, music, giant pretzels, bratwurst and other German-inspired dishes and free beers throughout the day for those wearing the finest lederhosen and dirndls. Information is here.
Live Music Fridays from 6 to 8 p.m. at Assembly Row, 355 Artisan Way, Assembly Square, Somerville. Free. Today Junior – brothers Mike and Harry O’Toole and bass player Hannah Blauner – performs indie rock at this outdoor concert. Information is here.
Nico Lang reads from “American Teenager” from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at All She Wrote Books, 75 Washington St., Prospect Hill, Somerville. Pay-what-you-can, or $31.88 with the book. The journalist discusses their debut book that documents the lives of eight transgender, nonbinary and genderfluid teens and their families. “Calvin” authors Vanessa and JR Ford join. Information is here.
Circus Twerkus: a drag cabaret from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. $20 to $40 and 18-plus. During this “very pretty” pageant-themed edition, performers “grapple with the pressures of beauty, vanity and pageantry” during a show filled with “mesmerizing acts, dazzling costumes and incredible talent.” Information is here.
Jake Xerxes Fussell performs at 8 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $20 to $25. The American singer and guitarist plays folk and blues, with a focus on traditional Southern folk. David Moore opens. Information is here.
“Bala-Bila” West African and East African musical conversation at 8 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. $30. Balafon and timbila – two world heritage instruments – inspired the title of this living room-style concert featuring African master musicians Balla Kouyate, from the West African country of Mali, on balafon, calabash, bass guitar and voice; and Matchume Zango, from the East African country of Mozambique, on timbila, mbira, percussion and voice. Information is here.
MIT Symphony Orchestra at 8 p.m. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Kresge Auditorium, 48 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge. Free to $10. Adam K. Boyles directs works about how music creates the feeling of being in a place (Lili Boulanger’s “Of a Spring Morning”), our place in the realm of nature (MIT student Holden Mui’s “Landscapes” and Sibelius’ “Night Ride and Sunrise” and the mythic American “Wild West” (Copland’s “Billy the Kid” suite). Information is here.
Kim Richey at 8 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $33 to $35. “Richey’s music continues to loiter at the Americana intersection of country, folk, pop and rock, conjuring everything from Lucinda’s humanity, the Beatles shimmer, Tom Petty’s effervescent stomp and Joni Mitchell’s laser-sharp lyrical craft.” Information is here.
“Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” musical (continued) at 8 p.m. at Arrow Street Arts, 2 Arrow Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge. $55. Information is here.
Nova Comedy Collective presents “Nebula Night” from 8 to 10 p.m. at the Café at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. $10. A Halloween-themed show from independent comedy teams, with an opportunity to get up on stage. Also features “You Did This,” an improvised movement-based show. Bring a costume for the Costume Jam. Information is here.
Autumn DJ Jam at Boston Swing Central from 8 to 11:45 p.m. at Q Ballroom, 26 New St., Fresh Pond, Cambridge. $8 to $13. DJs spin tunes for this social partner dance that includes a lesson for beginners in the first hour. No partner required. Information is here.
Saturday, Oct. 12
Family Dance Workshop: Grooving with Grief from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. in Hazel Dell (off Central Avenue) at Mount Auburn Cemetery, 580 Mount Auburn St., West Cambridge. Free to $15. Artist-in-residence dancer-choreographer Lonnie Stanton leads an family workshop rooted in movement and play. Information is here.
Pumpkin Festival from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at First Street Market, 57 First St., East Cambridge. Free entry. Autumnal beverages, face painting, a pumpkin and hay bale photo op, plenty of pumpkins for purchase and pumpkin painting. Food and drink available from Amba and Market Bar. Information is here.
Boston Women’s Market from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. between Tatte and Shake Shack at 375 Assembly Row, Assembly Square, Somerville. Free. Nearly 30 women small-business owners, makers and artists sell works and wares outdoors. Information is here.
Ndaje Festival of African Drum and Dance (continued) from noon to midnight at The Dance Complex, 536 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $20 or $90 for a five-class pass. Information is here.
Introduction to plant and wildlife monitoring for conservation from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at The Growing Center, 22 Vinal Ave., near Union Square, Somerville. Free, but register. Earthwise Aware co-founder Claire O’Neill teaches how to observe and record the plants, insects and animals of the center. No expertise required, but prepare for the event by creating a free account on the iNaturalist app. Information is here.
“Archives of Migration” film screenings in conjunction with the “Made in Germany?” exhibition from 2 to 4 p.m. at Harvard Art Museums, Menschel Hall (lower level). Free, but register. Two films archive the lives of migrants and reveal their experiences of exploitation, neglect and erasure: Angelika Nguyen’s “Brotherland Has Burned Down” (1991) and Pınar Öğrenci’s “Good Luck in Germany” (2024). An in-person conversation with Nguyen follows. 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. Audience members are required to wear masks for all Saturday matinee performances. Information is here.
Oktoberfest (continued) from 2 to 11:30 p.m. at Lamplighter Brewing, 284 Broadway, The Port, Cambridge. $10 and 21-plus. Information is here.
“Dreams, Queens and Everything in Between” at 6 p.m. at Harvard-Epworth United Methodist Church, 1555 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge (also Oct. 13). Free to $20. Four brand-new micro-operas inspired by the tales and poetry of Edgar Allan Poe through a feminist lens, with “eerie melodies and spellbinding vocals” from performers in the Boston area and the Gaia Quartet (conducted by Kyle Wendling). Ted & Togo Productions will donate a third of all ticket sales to the Women’s Lunch Place of Boston. Information is here.
Carnatic vocal concert at 6 p.m. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Wong Auditorium in Building E-51, also known as the Tang Center, 70 Memorial Drive, Cambridge. $30 to $35. Indian Carnatic vocalist Abhishek Raghuram is accompanied by Kamalakiran Vinjamuri (violin) and Parupalli Phalgun (mridangam). Information is here.
“Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror” (1922) film screening with live orchestral score at 7 p.m. at the Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square. $18 to $20. The premiere of composer Al Kryszak’s large orchestral score for F. W. Murnau’s influential silent German Expressionist vampire film, featuring Czechoslovakian cimbalom virtuoso Matěj Číp with Gina Naggar and The New England Film Orchestra. Information is here.
The Folk Collective: Indigenous People’s Day at 7 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $20. Performances by Kim Moberg, Maxfield Anderson, Thea Hopkins, Mwalim “DaPhunkee Professor” and The Wampanoag Nation Singers and Dancers. Information is here.
“I Can Steal Your Mother” hand-drawn, multimedia comedy show at 7 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $20 to $25 and 21-plus. Comedian and artist Max Wittert shows more than 1,200 illustrated frames that he says are “a love letter to Los Angeles, a psychedelic tour of a family history, a safety pamphlet about grief and a glossary of some of my most mortifying moments.” Guest openers: Brieana Woodward and Bethany van Delft. Information is here.
Hubbub Comedy at 7:30 p.m. at Lamplighter CX, 110 N. First St., North Point, Cambridge. $15 and 21-plus. Write a question at the door and the comics may answer it live on stage. Information is here.
Kendall Square Orchestra presents “Perseverance and Gratitude” from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Sanders Theatre, 45 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10 to $50. The nonprofit’s first concert of the season features the majestic reimagining of Bach’s “Fantasia and Fugue” by Elgar, the deeply moving Elgar “Cello Concerto” performed by acclaimed cellist Alan Toda-Ambaras and Symphony, a masterpiece of emotional depth and resilience. Kristo Kondakçi directs. Information is here.
Kate Bollinger at 8 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. $21.50. The Charlottesville, Virginia, singer-songwriter performs homespun folk songs to warmly rendered psychedelic rock. Information is here.
Blue Milonga from 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. at Dance Union, 16 Bow St., Somerville. $15 to $20 (cash or Venmo). A night of milonga dancing with guest DJ Boris. Masks recommended. Information is here.
Sunday, Oct. 13
Somerville Flea from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 56 Holland St., Davis Square, Somerville (and every Sunday through October). Free. This vintage and artisan flea market includes a farm stand. Information is here.
Boston ToyCon from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. Free. The second year for Greater Boston’s premier toy and collectibles show. Presented by Comicazi and Nick’s Comic Strip shop in Danvers. Information is here.
Ndaje Festival of African Drum and Dance (continued) from 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. at The Dance Complex, 536 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $20 or $90 for a five-class pass. Information is here.
“Your Friend in Witchcraft” game launch with designer Kay Marlow Allen from 11 a.m. to noon at Side Quest Books & Games in Bow Market at 1 Bow Market Way, Union Square, Somerville. $30 includes the game. Learn about the cozy two-player game and its development from the designer and author. Information is here.
Lindy Hopcats Practice from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Cambridge Community Center for the Arts, 41 Second St. (enter from the side-street patio), East Cambridge. $5 (cash or Venmo). Semistructured practice sessions for motivated dancers at all levels. No partner required. 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.
Ninth Curated Vintage Market from noon to 8 p.m. at Bow Market, 1 Bow Market Way, Union Square, Somerville. Free. Clothing, jewelry, home décor, furniture, art and collectibles from more than 80 New England vendors spilling out onto Somerville Avenue. Four professionals upstairs at Mender Row will make small repairs on clothing you bring while you shop, eat or drink. Information is here.
Fun with Fungi from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at Mass Audubon Nature Center at Magazine Beach, 668 Memorial Drive, Cambridgeport. Free, but register and adults only. Learn how to make art, such as spore prints, with some of the porous fungus we find throughout the park. You’ll be able to take your mushroom masterpieces home with you. Information is here.
The Comedy Studio Street Party from 2 to 6 p.m. at The Comedy Studio at 5 John F. Kennedy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free entry. A reopening celebration emceed by two local comedians with music by local band The Theo Griffin Experience; interviews with comedians Gary Gulman (“The Great Depresh”), Jenny Zigrino (Comedy Central, HBO) and Eugene Mirman (“Bob’s Burgers”), who perform later during a ticketed evening show; an X Factor–style One Joke Only comedy competition with the audience voting; plus family fun with jugglers, magicians, a contortionist, face painting, vendor stalls, a beer garden and food trucks. Information is here.
Deep Dive Tour: Queer History at 2:30 p.m. at Longfellow House and the Washington’s Headquarters National Historic Site, 105 Brattle St., West Cambridge (and every Sunday through Oct. 28). Free. A weekly tour about the queer past through three generations of Longfellows and changing cultural understandings of queer relationships and identities. Information is here.
“Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” musical (continued) at 3 p.m. at Arrow Street Arts, 2 Arrow Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge. $55. Information is here.
Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras season opening concert at 3 p.m. at Sanders Theatre, 45 Quincy St., near Harvard Square. $25 to $30. BYSO’s 67th year launches with the Boston Youth Symphony and the Repertory Orchestra together in concert. The BYS performs Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 7,” Tchaikovsky’s “Symphony No. 4” and Gershwin’s “Cuban Overture” with Federico Cortese conducting. The RO performs Saint-Saëns’ “Bacchanale from Samson and Delilah” with Mark Miller conducting. Information is here.
Learn all about tulsi from 3 to 4:30 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.
Lady Ray and her Jazz Birds from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at The Center for Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. $15. Standards by women songwriters of the jazz era sung by Raynel Shepard and backed by Joe Reid on piano, Mark Chenevert on sax, Dan Fox on bass and Miki Matsuki on percussion. Information is here.
“Dreams, Queens and Everything in Between” (continued) at 6 p.m. at Harvard-Epworth United Methodist Church, 1555 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free to $20. Information is here.
“Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror” (1922) film screening with live improvised score at 7 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. $25. New music ensemble, The Dylan Jack Quartet, provides a live soundtrack to the renowned 1922 silent film, combining composition and improvisation for a new and thrilling perspective of this classic vampire story. Includes a Nosferatu themed costume contest. Information is here.
Jazz Composers Alliance Orchestra concert from 7:30 to 10 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $15 to $20. The 21-piece JCA Orchestra performs adventurous new jazz music with a huge variety of influences and inspirations, ranging from traditional sounds to free playing. This time, it’s music by David Harris, Darrell Katz, Bob Pilkington and Mimi Rabson. Information is here.
Monday, Oct. 14
Indigenous People’s Day Celebration from noon to 6 p.m. at University Park Commons at 65 Sidney St., in Cambridgeport near Central Square, Cambridge. Free. A first of its kind in Cambridge with traditional Indigenous music and dance; storytelling sharing the history and resilience of local tribes; and art displays and craft demonstrations. Local food vendors and family-friendly activities, too. Information is here.
Central Square Farmers Market from noon to 6 p.m. at 76 Bishop Allen Drive, Central Square, Cambridge. This market during Monday holidays is where you can encounter chefs on a rare day off, old friends like you who’ve stayed in town and the ecosystem that is peak New England harvest crossed with Cambridge’s vibrant population diversity. Information is here.
Deep Dive Tour: Washington Reexamined at 12:30 p.m. at Longfellow House and the Washington’s Headquarters National Historic Site, 105 Brattle St., West Cambridge (and every Monday through Oct. 28). Free. This weekly tour explores George Washington’s legacy and the lives of enslaved and free people at his headquarters. Information is here.
“Diffusion in Baba Nyonya Cuisine” with Kyo Pang 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 founder of New York City’s acclaimed Malaysian cafe Kopitiam, where the third-generation Baba Nyonya from Penang, Malaysia, blends her culinary heritage with modern sensibilities. 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.
The Hypos perform at 7:30 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $20 and all ages. Folky rock, bluesy soul and a few Jamaican rhythms merge in the music of veteran songwriters Greg Cartwright and Scott McMicken with musicians from the Memphis-Asheville axis performing on vintage instruments. Also playing: Sloppy Heads and Daughter of the Vine. Information is here.
Kokoroko performs at 8 p.m. at The Sinclair, 52 Church St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $25. The London-based musical collective led by Sheila Maurice-Grey plays a fusion of jazz and Afrobeat. Their 2022 debut album “Could We Be More” is “a richly layered journey deeply rooted in the traditions of West African and London jazz.” A new EP comes out Nov. 1. Information is here.
Tuesday, Oct. 15
Fall Concert Series: Mrs. Wilberforce performs at noon at Harvard’s Science Center Plaza between Harvard Yard at Kirkland and Oxford streets, near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Kyra Davies and Sean Smith play Celtic chamber music inspired by contemporary folk. Co-sponsored with Club Passim. Information is here.
“Leonardo da Vinci” series excerpt screenings preview with filmmakers Ken Burns and Sarah Burns from 1 to 2 p.m. in the Mugar Omni Theater at the Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, Boston, on the Cambridge border. $10. The Burns team discusses how the two-part, four-hour documentary premiering in November on PBS diverts from their typical style by using split screens with images, video and sound to help contextualize Leonardo’s art and scientific explorations. Information is here.
Downsizing and Decluttering from 1 to 2 p.m. in the community room at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free. Discover important organizing tips while exploring how streamlining your things could help you feel happier, less stressed and more productive. 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, Catan, Scrabble, chess, checkers, Boggle, Bananagrams and more, or bring a board game to play with others. Pizza and beverages provided. Information is here.
“The Highwaymen: Matt York performs the songs (and tells the stories) of Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson and Waylon Jennings” from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free. The New England musician and author and 2022 and 2023 nominee for the Boston Music Award for Best Country Artist tells the stories of the four songwriting legends who formed the country supergroup The Highwaymen in the 1980s. 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. October’s title: “North Woods” by Daniel Mason. Information is here.
Paula Fredriksen reads from “Ancient Christianities: The First Five Hundred Years” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. For her new book, the Boston University professor made use of noncanonical and paracanonical texts and information from papyri, inscriptions and archaeology to map the evolution of early “Christianities” with a sprawling cast of characters. Harvard Divinity School’s Annette Yoshiko Reed joins. Information is here.
Maria Vetrano reads from “Queen Bess: A Tudor Comes to Save America” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free. The author discusses her debut novel that involves an employee of a cybersecurity company using time travel to bring Queen Elizabeth I to the future so she can run against a ruthless candidate for the 2028 U.S. presidential election. Bentley University political science professor Summer Marion joins. Information is here.
Outdoor pub sing from 7 to 9 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.
The Diego Herrera Project from 7:20 to 10 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $12. A unique blend of R&B, blues rock and jazz fusion with smooth jazz touches featuring Peruvian tenor saxophonist and composer Herrera, the improv-based band Gabe Kuchan and the Funky Doctors and vocalist Stefane Franchi. 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 includes a lesson for beginners in the first hour. (And this week, Kara Fabina from Colorado teaches and DJs both blues and fusion.) No partner required. Information is here.
Kate Nash performs at 8 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $30 to $35. The new album (“9 Sad Symphonies”) of the London and Los Angeles singer, songwriter, actor and activist features lush string arrangements inspired by old Hollywood and musical theatre. Information is here.
Wednesday, Oct. 16
Boudreau Branch book group from noon to 1 p.m. at Cambridge Public Library Boudreau Branch, 245 Concord Ave., Observatory Hill in Neighborhood 9. Free, but register. October’s title: “Contending Forces” by Pauline E. Hopkins. Learn more about Hopkins, the most prominent Black female writer in America at the turn of the 20th century, here. Information is here.
Moon Over Bow from 4 to 9 p.m. at Bow Market, 1 Bow Market Way, Union Square, Somerville. Free entry. Shop small batch crafts, tarot readings, aura photography, experiential jewelry and DIY workshops. Spooky specials include Remnant Brewing’s pumpkin Halloween beer release. Information is here.
Michael Sheldrick reads from “From Ideas to Impact: A Playbook for Influencing and Implementing Change in a Divided World” from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Building 66, also known as the Landau Building, at 25 Ames St., Cambridge. Free. A panel discussion with the co-founder of Global Citizen, which mobilizes support from governments, businesses and foundations to end extreme poverty. Panelists include Erhardt Graeff of Olin College and Mihaela Papa and Wonyoung So of MIT. Information is here.
Marshall Ganz reads from “People, Power, Change: Organizing for Democratic Renewal” at 6 p.m. in the lecture hall at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free, or $31.86 with book. The Harvard Kennedy School lecturer talk with the founding executive director of Isaiah and Faith in Minnesota, Doran Schrantz. 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 Jackie DeWolfe of MassDOT and former executive director of LivableStreets. Information is here.
Valente branch book group from 6 to 7 p.m. at Cambridge Public Library Valente Branch, 826 Cambridge St., Wellington-Harrington, Cambridge. Free. October’s title: “Contending Forces” by Pauline E. Hopkins. Learn more about Hopkins, the most prominent Black female writer in America at the turn of the 20th century, here. Information is here.
“Rediscovering Sculptures of King Menkaure at the Giza Pyramids” 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. Mark Lehner, director of Ancient Egypt Research Associates, discusses “surprising new results” from a reinvestigation of the temple where in 1908 Harvard’s George Reisner found some of the most iconic pieces of ancient Egyptian art. Information is here.
Masterclass with violinst Guy Braunstein from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at First Church in Cambridge, 11 Garden St., Harvard Square. Free. The Berlin Philharmonic’s former concertmaster presents a class with help from up-and-coming Boston-area violinists Michael Fisher, Benjamin Rosenthal, Takahiro Higuchi, Daphne Lee and Minkyung Kang. (Braunstein performs Brahms Violin Concerto at the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra’s season opener Oct. 20.) 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 “Detransition Baby” by Torrey Peters. Copies are available for pickup at the branch. Information is here.
Wednesday Night Creative Writing Group from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the community room at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free, but register. Writers of all experience levels are invited to join a casual, peer-supported writing group. Bring short in-progress or completed pieces of any genre. Information is here.
Faoileán performs with Elias Cardoso and Helen Kuhar at 7 p.m. at Luthier Collective, 487 Somerville, Ave., near Union Square, Somerville. $15 to $25. The Philadelphia-based outfit that challenges and experiments with the limits of modern Irish folk music is joined by two Boston Celtic music scene musicians in this stringed instrument repair shop that sometimes hosts small acoustic performances. Information is here.
Benjamin Nathans reads from “To the Success of Our Hopeless Cause: The Many Lives of the Soviet Dissident Movement” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The author of “Beyond the Pale: The Jewish Encounter with Late Imperial Russia” discusses how he drew on diaries, memoirs, personal letters, interviews and KGB interrogation records for his account of the Soviet dissident movement. Russian investigative journalist Yevgenia Albats, editor-in-chief of The New Times, a formerly Moscow-based, Russian-language, independent political weekly, joins. 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. October’s title: “Dr. Strange: The Oath” by Brian K. Vaughan and Marcos Martin. Information is here.
Julie C. Dao reads from “Now Comes the Mist: A Tale of Romantic Gothic Horror” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free. The critically acclaimed author discusses the first book of a duology that retells “Dracula” from the point of view of Lucy Westenra. NPR and WBUR’s Kalyani Saxena joins. Information is here.
Poets Isaac Jarnot and Srikanth Reddy 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 Catherine Bresner. Information is here.
Caitlin Cook: “The Writing on the Stall” from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $25 to $30. Cook’s confessional and funny hit bathroom graffiti musical – literally set in a dive bar bathroom – is “a show for comedy nerds, musical theater kids, art history buffs and anyone who’s ever seen something written in a bathroom and thought, ‘I wonder who wrote that?’” 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.
Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas at 7:30 p.m. at The Burren, 247 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $25 to $35. As part of the Burren’s Brian O’Donovan Legacy Series, “the Michael Jordan of Scottish fiddling” and “the brilliant Californian cellist” span the full spectrum between intimate chamber music and ecstatic dance energy. Information is here.
Thursday, Oct. 17
Women’s Entrepreneurial Network relaunch from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at Althea restaurant, 2 Columbia St., Central Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. The Cambridge Women’s Commission and Economic Opportunity & Development Division welcome Cambridge women entrepreneurs and business owners from all industries, stages and backgrounds to share needs and connect. Ascendus Credit coach Neysa Cruceta shares information about loans and credit building. Information is here.
“Climate Action: Equitable Resilience Solutions” 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. Joyce Coffee, founder and president of Climate Resilience Consulting, discusses creating safety, stability and security in the face of climate change disruption. Also via Zoom. Information is here.
“Education can’t fix everything: Job quality and gender stratification in the labor market” lecture from noon to 1:15 p.m. at the Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, 9 Bow St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. Shauna Dyer discusses in-progress social scientific and population research. Also via Zoom. Information is here.
“A Remarkable Life in Poetry” with Isaac Jarnot (formerly Lisa Jarnot) from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Center for the Study of World Religions, 42 Francis Ave., in the Baldwin neighborhood near the Somerville border, Cambridge. Free, but register. The author of several collections of poetry reads poems as well as excerpts of the talks in his new book “Four Lectures.” Information is here.
Beyond Her Time: The Visionary Works of Pauline Hopkins at 6 p.m. in the lecture hall at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free. An examination of the stories and essays – and the enduring impact – of the Black novelist, journalist, playwright and activist who spent her formative years in Cambridge and tackled issues of race, gender and social justice. Panelists include Northeastern University’s Max L. Chapnick, Harvard’s Hannah Ezer and Cambridge author Virginia Pye. We wrote about it here. Information is here.
MIT Fall 2024 Architecture Lecture Series: Vivian Loftness at 6 p.m. in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Long Lounge (Building 7-429), 77 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge. Free, but register. The Carnegie Mellon University professor discusses climate and regionalism in architecture, environmental design and sustainability. Also livestreamed. Information is here.
Riverside Naturalists: Seed Dispersal from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Mass Audubon Nature Center at Magazine Beach, 668 Memorial Drive, Cambridgeport (also Oct. 24). 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.
Dan Chiasson reads from “Bernie from Burlington: Sanders in a Changing Vermont” from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Edison Newman Room of the Houghton Library, at Quincy and Harvard streets in Harvard Yard, Cambridge. Free. The poet and critic discusses his forthcoming book, a “kaleidoscopic tale of collective transformation” with stories that chronicle Sanders’ rise. The New Yorker’s Louisa Thomas joins. Presented by the Woodberry Poetry Room. Information is here.
Robin Chandler’s “Medicine Joy! Re-Writing Mixed Identity” art exhibition reception from 6 to 8 p.m. at Multicultural Arts Center, 41 Second St., East Cambridge. Free. Work reflecting the artist’s time in communities in places such as Brazil and South Africa after growing up as a person of color in Cambridge in the 1950s. Information is here.
Bahauddin Dagar performs Indian classical at 6:30 p.m. in the Tsai Auditorium at the Center for Government and International Studies, South Concourse, 1730 Cambridge St., Harvard Square. Free, but register. The rudra veena player was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, the highest award for performing artists in India, in 2012. Information is here.
Jokes for Justice: A Get-Out-the-Vote Comedy Show from 7 to 8:15 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $15 to $20. Comedians Shelby LeCuyer, Carolina Montesquieu, Tooky Kavanagh, Evan Valentine and Nancy Sen aim to get you giggling because “laughter is the best medicine for your existential dread.” Information is here.
“Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” musical (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at Arrow Street Arts, 2 Arrow Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge. $55. Audience members are required to wear masks for all Thursday performances. Information is here.
Mildlife performs at 8 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $15 to $18. The niche occupied by this Australian band traverses jazz, dance and psychedelic music. 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 drummer Barry Altschul, saxophonist Scott Robinson and bassist Hill Greene. Information is here.
San Miguel Fraser at 8 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $18 to $20. Dynamic fiddling and string arrangements from a project bringing together Galen Fraser, a Berklee graduate and son of renowned Scottish fiddler Alasdair Fraser, and Maria San Miguel, a native of Castile and graduate of Oviedo Conservatory with roots in the traditions of her homeland. 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.