A week of events in Cambridge and Somerville: Regatta, Halloween for all ages and some celebs

Thursday, Oct. 17

“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.

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.

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 Mayor Sanders’ rise. New Yorker staff writer Louisa Thomas joins. Presented by the Woodberry Poetry Room. Information is here.

Bahauddin Dagar performs Indian classical music 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.

“Trans Kids, Our Kids: Stories and Resources from the Frontlines of the Movement for Transgender Youth” book discussion and signing at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Authors Alexis Stratton, Adam Polaski and Jasmine Beach-Ferrara describe their aim to both narrativize the pain and fear experienced by everyday Americans in this cultural moment, as well as highlighting the courage, hope and resilience of transgender and LGBTQ+ youth, their families and the people who support them. 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 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.

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.

Friday, Oct. 18

The Head of the Charles Regatta from 7:45 to 10:30 a.m. at the Charles River south of Harvard Square (and continuing until 4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday). Free. This 59-year-old, three-day rowing competition won’t be hard to find, since it involves more than 11,000 athletes from around the world and tens of thousands of spectators. Follow the crowd and try to get a view of the river races to see what it’s all about. (Best views are between Anderson and Weeks bridges.) Sample delicious local flavors at the Weld Exhibition at Riverbend Park, where you’ll find Regatta programs and merchandise too. Information is here.

“John Singer Sargent across Media” seminar from 11 a.m. to noon in the Art Study Center (fourth floor) at the Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. With curatorial fellow Cambra Sklarz, examine Sargent’s objects made with oil paint, charcoal, ink, graphite and watercolor on canvas plus a variety of papers to consider how each material creates distinct effects and can inform different artistic goals. Information is here.

Party Under the Harvest Moon for Food For Free from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Building 50, also known as the Walker Memorial, 142 Memorial Drive, Cambridge. $75. This celebration of community spirit raises awareness and funds to help fight food insecurity across Eastern Massachusetts (the nonprofit distributes 6.2 million pounds of nutritious fresh and prepared foods annually). Includes appetizers and refreshments, a raffle, a wine toss and live music by Bubble Wave. Information is here.

An Evening with Robert Bullard, the “father of environmental justice” at 6 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. A celebration features state undersecretary of environmental justice and equity Maria Belén Power, Groundwork USA’s Cate Mingoya-LaFortune and author, journalist and activist Kevin Powell. Information is here.

Live Music Fridays from 6 to 8 p.m. at Assembly Row, 355 Artisan Way, Assembly Square, Somerville. Free. For the final outdoor concert of the series, the Franklin Underground from Boston performs a mix of rock, funk, blues and indie-alternative. Information is here.

Boston Fuzzstival from 6:30 p.m. to midnight at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville (and continuing Saturday). $40 (two-day pass) and $25 (one day). All ages. For its 10th year, Illegally Blind’s festival continues its loud and proud mission of showing off local and regional psychedelic, fuzz, garage, hip-hop and surf rock bands – 20 this year. Tonight’s lineup includes Sweeping Promises, BabyBaby_Explores, YHWH Nailgun, Bong Wish, Balaclava, Mingko, Nurse Joy, Lupo Citta, The Spatulas and Plant Fight. Information is here.

Nikkya Hargrove reads from “Mama: A Queer Black Woman’s Story of a Family Lost and Found” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The member of Bard College’s Board of Governors discusses her memoir about fighting for custody of her infant half-brother after the death of her cocaine-addicted mother who was just out of prison. Sarah Prager, the author of “Queer, There and Everywhere: 27 People Who Changed the World,” joins. Information is here.

Pianist Donald Berman performs at 7 p.m. at the Longy School of Music, 27 Garden St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free to $20. This faculty artist recital titled “Other Transcendentalists” honors Charles Ives, born 150 years ago in 1874, by placing two of his solo piano works in conversation with a set of four newly commissioned musical portraits of women who were pivotal figures in American Transcendentalism. Information is here.

Old Budapest from 7:30 to 10 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $10 to $15. Kristof Darvas plays and sings Hungarian coffeehouse standards from the past 100 years with a distinctive piano style influenced by Hungarian and European antebellum café music traditions, theater music, New Orleans jazz, rhythm and blues, The Beatles, the 1960s and Eastern European folk music including klezmer. Information is here.

Waltz at MIT from 7:30 to 11 p.m. in the Hulsizer Room at Ashdown House, 235 Albany St., Cambridgeport. Free. Back after a hiatus, this open social dance night includes an introductory cross-step waltz lesson in the first hour and features music of various styles and tempos, including waltz, polka, swing, fusion, blues, bachata, salsa and more. Wear shoes that allow you to pivot. 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.

Grand Slam Jazz Band at Boston Swing Central from 8 to 11:45 p.m. at Q Ballroom, 26 New St., Fresh Pond, Cambridge. $13 to $20. The local band plays live for this social partner dance with a lesson for beginners in the first hour. No partner required; no street shoes allowed. Information is here.

Hole Show presents “Monster Fvck3r” at 9 p.m. at Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square, Somerville. $25 and 21-plus. Come dressed as your favorite monstrous version of yourself (or dressed to attract the monsters of your dreams) to this queer art and dance party with vendors that features eight drag performers – kings, queens and “things” from other parts of the country as well as New England – hosted by Sherman, plus music by DJs L’Duke and Chelita. Information is here.

Semiosis Quartet performs from 9 to 8:30 p.m. at Somerville Music Spaces, 1060 Broadway, Suite C101B, Somerville. $15 suggested donation. The contemporary classical string quartet challenges with a program that includes Raven Chacon’s “Journey of the Horizontal People,” Evan Ziporyn’s “Qi,” Tanya Tagaq’s “Sivunittinni,” Gabriela Lena Frank’s “Leyendas (An Andean Walkabout)” and Julián Peralta’s “Charrúa.” Information is here.

“Change of Life” (1966) film screening at 9:15 p.m. at Harvard Film Archive at The Carpenter Center, 24 Quincy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $5 to $10. Paulo Rocha’s melancholy story about a soldier’s return to a changing world includes a cast of local villagers as themselves plus experienced actors (including the great Isabel Ruth). The film was inspired by Rocha’s experience working with Manoel de Oliveira on “Rite of Spring.” In Portuguese with English subtitles. Information is here.

Saturday, Oct. 19

The Head of the Charles Regatta (continued) from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at The Charles River south of Harvard Square. Free. Information is here.

Tai Chi Under a Tree from 10 to 11 a.m. at Joan Lorentz Park at 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Explore qigong warmups and the elements of tai chi with Ellen DeGenova. No experience necessary; a seated option is available. Information is here.

Forest Bathing nature experience from 10 to 11:30 a.m. meeting at the Story Chapel at Mount Auburn Cemetery, 580 Mount Auburn St., West Cambridge. $10 to $15. Explore the cemetery and experience a connection to nature. Led by Stefanie Haug. Information is here.

Boston Anarchist Book Fair 2024 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Cambridge Community Center, 5 Callender St., Riverside (continues Sunday). Free. More than 30 groups offer literature, artwork and workshops on diverse ideas of contemporary anarchism, aiming to challenge conventional media and create community. Information is here.

“A Strange and Unusual” Small Mart from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. Free. Curated for the season, more than 25 vintage vendors, local artisans and makers sell, plus specialty cocktails and mocktails and music. Information is here.

Seasonal Salvage Sale and Makers’ Market from noon to 5 p.m. at The Growing Center, 22 Vinal Ave., near Union Square, Somerville (rain date: Oct. 20). Free. A yard sale in two parts: the first, a curated, seasonally themed sale featuring salvaged housewares, clothing, jewelry, books and decorative items; the second, a craft and artisan fair offering everything from locally designed clothing, original artwork and prints to handmade jewelry and other treasures. Information is here.

Central Square Rezoning Block Party from 1 to 5 p.m. on Norfolk Street, between Bishop Allen Drive and Massachusetts Avenue, Central Square, Cambridge (rain date: Oct. 20). Free. Enjoy pop-up mini golf, parkour, public art, Play Streets equipment, music and dancing while learning about the final recommendations for updates to Central Square’s zoning and other city initiatives focused on the area. 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.

Write Science: How Science Fiction uses Today’s Technology to Envision the Future from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at The MIT Museum, 314 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free with museum admission. Susan Solomon, the MIT professor and author of “Solvable: How We Healed the Earth, and How We Can Do It Again,” talks with atmospheric scientist Noelle Selin. Be warned that a Write Science event we attended in December was light on fulfilling the premise, but with one writer instead of a panel this may be more focused. Information is here.

Christine Kuljian reads from “Our Science, Ourselves: How Gender, Race and Social Movements Shaped the Study of Science” from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free. The science writer, who grew up in the Boston area and has lived in Johannesburg, South Africa, for more than 30 years, discusses her book profiling seven women scientists in the Boston area from the 1970s to the 1990s who who were shaped by the women’s movement and developed feminist and anti-racist critiques of science. Information is here.

Blue Heron vocal ensemble concert at 3 p.m. at First Church in Cambridge, 11 Garden St., Harvard Square. $10 (low-income tickets) to $42 (general) and $90 (reserved). For its 25th birthday, the ensemble returns to its origins singing the music of Hugh Aston from the Peterhouse Partbooks and looks to the future with works by Boston composer Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol using Turkish Sufi texts, including a piece for the occasion, “The Triumph.” A reception follows. Information is here.

Drone light show celebration from 3 to 7 p.m. at Assembly Row, 355 Artisan Way, Somerville. Free and all ages. Assembly Row celebrates its 10 year anniversary with live music on the Lawn, drinks from the Downeast Cider pop-up, free play at the social sports center Club Volo, a bounce house and giveaways. At 7 p.m., 150 drones take flight over Grand Union Boulevard with a kind of 21st century version of a fireworks show. Information is here.

Fifth Annual Camberville Zombie Pub Crawl from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. at selected pubs and bars in Cambridge and Somerville. Free entry. Dress and walk like a zombie while pub hopping between Portico Brewing, 5 to 6:30 p.m.; Remnant Satellite, 6:30 to 8 p.m.; New Republik and An Sibin, 8 to 9:30 p.m.; The Turing Tavern, 9:30 to 11 p.m.; Trina’s Starlight Lounge and Parlor Sports, 11 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.; and The Druid, 12:30 to 2 a.m. Information is here.

Boston Fuzzstival (continued) from 6:30 p.m. to midnight at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. $25 and all ages. Information is here.

Rasik classical Indian dance series at 7 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge (and Oct. 25). $15 to $50. The first of two performances with soloists from Greater Boston performing dance: Gauri Bhatkhande (Kathak), Sapna Govindan (Mohiniyattam), Deepa Srinath (Bharatanatyam) and Shipra Mehrotra (Odissi). Information is here.

“Vulture Sister Song” dance performance from 7 to 8 p.m. at The Dance Complex, 536 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $5 to $40, pay what you can. New England’s Ellen Smith Ahern and collaborators from around the country explore human and more-than-human relationships through story, song, sculpture, wild movement and a healthy dose of humor. Information is here.

The Pierre Hurel Trio at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. at Regattabar, 1 Bennett St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $20 to $30. The Paris-born painter and composer teaches at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee College of Music and has recorded eight albums. He performs with bassist Greg Loughman and dummer Mike Connors. Information is here.

New England Film Orchestra Halloween Concert at 8 p.m. at First Church in Cambridge, 11 Garden St., Harvard Square. $5 to $25 and all ages (age 12 and under free). Performances of music from favorite spooky films along with some Halloween classics. Costumes encouraged: compete to win a prize. Information is here.

The Nova Show at 9:30 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $23 to $28. This new comedy variety show, described as “like a local Saturday Night Live … only weirder and wilder,” features Boston comedians and host David Thomas. This season’s theme is “Aliens! From Planet Comedy” and tonight’s stand-up is Tooky Kavanagh, with special guest Nick Alberts. Information is here.

Sunday, Oct. 20

The Head of the Charles Regatta (continued) from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at The Charles River south of Harvard Square. Free. 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. $6. At this high-tech, computer, electronics and ham radio flea market you can “buy, sell or swap all things nerdly.” Information is here.

“Hand to Hand Translations” art exhibition final day from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. Free. An art exhibit of creative telephone linked through photography, charcoal, oil paint, pen and sculpture, co-curated by Foundry staff member Brittany Hendricks and Foundry maker space member Flynn Anderson. Information is here.

Fourth Annual Halloween Family Bike Ride at 9:30 a.m. meeting at Assembly Line Park near Smoke Shop BBQ at 325 Assembly Row, Assembly Square East, Somerville. Free, but register. A 2.9 mile ride on noncar paths with bike-to-bike trick-or-treating, rock painting, robot activities from The Robo Hub, a costume fashion show and more. Information is here.

Teele Square Indie Market from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Lou Ann David Park, 1060 Broadway, Somerville. Free. One-of-a-kind gifts and unique art pieces created by talented local artists, including pottery, jewelry, illustrations, photography, fiber art and more. Information is here.

Boston Anarchist Book Fair 2024 (continued) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Cambridge Community Center, 5 Callender St., Riverside. Free. Information is here.

Breakfast Book Club from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at All She Wrote Books, 75 Washington St., Prospect Hill, Somerville. $5, or $27.57 with book. This month’s title: “It Came from the Closet: Queer Reflections on Horror” edited by Joe Vallese. Coffee and pastries provided. Information is here.

Mapping Feminist Cambridge: Inman Square Walking Tour from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. meeting in Inman Square. Free; registration provides meeting location. The activist past of Inman Square from the 1970s to 1990s revealed. Sponsored by the Cambridge Commission on the Status of Women. Information is here.

No Frills, All Fun Clothing Swap and Repair Day from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Multicultural Arts Center, 41 Second St., East Cambridge. Bring from five to 15 items for $5 to $25 pay-what-you-can or $20 to fill a bag. Drop off clothing items in good condition (wearable and clean) at We Thieves’ annual “community over capitalism” event and take home items you like, all to help raise funds for the nonprofit On the Rise. Local sewers and artisans make on-site clothing repairs and customizations for a fee. Information is here.

SomerStreets: Monster Mash from 2 to 6 p.m. on Somerville Avenue from School Street to Warren Ave., near Union Square, Somerville (rain date: Oct. 27). Free. Busy streets close to cars for dancing to live music, a costumed parade led by the School of Honk!, puppet and magic shows, parkour, pumpkin carving, a cemetery ghost tour, games, food and more. New this year is the Wicked Awesome Dancing Witches of Greater Boston, inspired by the world-renowned Wolfshäger Hexenbrut witch dancers of Germany. Costumes encouraged. 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.

Dava Sobel reads from “The Elements of Marie Curie” at 3 p.m. at St. James’s Episcopal Church, 1991 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge. $10 or $36 with book. During this Porter Square Books event, the author of “Longitude” and “Galileo’s Daughter” discusses her chronicle of the life and work of the most famous woman in the history of science, and how many young women trained in her laboratory launched their own scientific careers. Harvard astronomy professor Alyssa Goodman joins. Information is here.

Mendelssohn, Ives and Mozart from 3 to 5 p.m. at Sanders Theatre, 45 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. $9 to $68. Eight musicians from the Boston Chamber Music Society perform Felix Mendelssohn’s Sextet in D major for Piano and Strings, Op. 110 (1824); Charles Ives’ Piano Trio (1904–1911); and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante in E-flat major, K. 364 (1779) (arr. for String Septet). Information is here.

Poets Jenny Grassl and K Prevallet at 4 p.m. at The Press Room at 90 Oxford St., in the Spring Hill neighborhood, Somerville. $5 suggested donation. The seventh season of poet Michael Franco’s Xit the Bear Readings launches with a Cambridge poet and visual artist and a now Gloucester essayist and archivist editor (of The Helen Adam Reader). On the walls, through December, are paintings and drawings by Thorpe Feidt. 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. Masks are optional but encouraged. Information is here.

“Volcano: A Science Comedy Show by Ben Miller” from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $20 to $25. The scientist turned stand-up comedian explores volcanology, entomology, Hawaiian history, cats, cookies and more. Information is here.

The Click’s Monster Mash Halloween Bash from 7 to 9 p.m. at The Dance Complex, 536 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $20 to $30. The Complex transforms into a spooky and spirited funhouse of tricks and treats with performances and projections. Includes a costume contest and tarot reading corner. Information is here.

Cimafunk performs at 7:30 p.m. at Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square, Somerville. $37 to $45. A hard-driving Afro-Cuban funk band. Presented by Global Arts Live. Information is here.

Monday, Oct. 21

Fresh Pond Nature Walk from 10:15 to 11:30 a.m., meeting at the ranger station (under the clock tower) at 250 Fresh Pond Parkway, in West Cambridge at Fresh Pond, Cambridge. Free, but register. During this relaxing walk of Fresh Pond, ranger Tim Puopolo shares insights about what’s growing, changing and blooming in the neighborhood. The walk is on uneven terrain, down hills and over roots, not on a paved path. Information is here.

“Max Roach: Black Power Ideologies and Aesthetics” lecture from noon to 1:30 p.m. at Granoff Music Center, Tufts University, 20 Talbot Ave., Medford. Free. To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of the drummer, composer and bandleader Max Roach, “one of the fathers of bebop and modern jazz,” the jazz vocalist and Africanist-African Americanist ethnomusicologist and cultural activist Maya Cunningham presents research from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where Roach taught from 1972 to the mid-1990s. Information is here.

Pollinator Biodiversity and Climate Citizen Science opportunity from 2 to 3 p.m. at Fresh Pond’s Lusitania Meadow at 615 Concord Ave., Cambridge (and every Monday) Free. Get training to help with Earthwise Aware’s national research surrounding the impact of climate change on the life cycles of plants, insects and more. Information is here.

Federico Finchelstein reads from “The Wannabe Fascists: A Guide to Understanding the Greatest Threat to Democracy” from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at Adolphus Busch Hall, 27 Kirkland St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The professor of history at the New School for Social Research has written books on fascism, populism, the Holocaust and Jewish history in Latin America and Europe. Co-sponsored by the Center for European Studies’ new “Democracy and its Critics Initiative.” Information is here.

Articulating Abortion: On the Coloniality of Abortion Bans lecture from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in room 105 of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Building 2, also known as The Simons Building, 182 Memorial Drive, Cambridge. Free. Harvard’s Durba Mitra reflects on the history of abortion in South Asia and the legacies of racism and sexual control rooted in colonialism that shape present-day debates about reproductive rights and bodily autonomy. Sponsored by MIT’s Women’s Gender & Studies Program. Information is here.

“The Community Grafting Project: Science, Art, Social Experiment, Joy” exhibition reception from 6 to 8 p.m. at Gallery 344 on the second floor of City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free. A chronicle of the grafted cuttings from an apple tree removed during reconstruction of Cambridge’s Tobin Montessori and Darby Vassall Upper Schools that will grow within a play structure on the new campus. The event includes a grafting demo by plant scientist and horticulturist Sean Halloran; apple-themed ice cream and sorbet from Toscanini’s; tastings of apple and cider doughnuts from Momma’s Grocery & Wine; and hands-on bookmaking from Lend a Hand Designs. Information is here.

Film screening of two comedies by British director Ken Loach from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Somerville Public Library West Branch, 40 College Ave., near Davis Square. Free. Emerson College film history professor Dan Moore screens “Looking for Eric” (2009) and “The Angels’ Share” (2012), two of the more lighthearted and whimsical approaches by Loach, a filmmaker known for using realistic narrative to examine social issues facing the world. Information is here.

O’Neill Branch book group from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Cambridge Public Library O’Neill Branch, 70 Rindge Ave., North 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.

Benjamin Swett and Sven Birkerts discuss “The Picture Not Taken: On Life and Photography” and “The Miró Worm and the Mysteries of Writing” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Two essay collections. Swett’s, accompanied by black-and-white photographs and illustrations, is “a haunting meditation on the visible world and the cast shadow of tragedy” (says poet and journalist Cynthia Zarin). Birkerts’ asks “What does it mean to be a writer today, when so many other media compete for audiences?” Information is here.

“The Thermodynamics of BBQ” with Bryan Furman at 7 p.m. on the front lawn of Pierce Hall, 29 Oxford St. (facing Oxford Street), near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The Science and Cooking Public Lecture Series brings back pitmaster Bryan Furman. Information is here.

“Power Shift” symposium keynote conversation with Massachusetts Climate Chief Melissa Hoffer at 7 p.m. at the Knafel Center of the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Harvard University, 10 Garden St., west of Harvard Square, Cambridge (and continuing Oct. 22). Free, but register. To kick off Tuesday’s symposium on “Energy Innovation, Sustainability and Equity,” Hoffer talks with Tufts University’s Barbara Kates-Garnick about reaching net-zero commitments, inspiring youth to take action and making use of public policy, bold partnerships and even bolder ideas. Information is here.

“I Will Not Go: Translations, Transformations and Chutney Fractals” book release celebration with author Rajiv Mohabir from 7 to 8 p.m. at Narrative, 387 Highland Ave., Davis Square, Somerville. $5 (ticket price redeemable for in-store purchase the the night of the event). The poet discusses his new anthology that asks 17 diasporic writers to experiment with interpretations of famous Chutney songs (Caribbean music born out of North Indian tunes and African beats). Special guests Miranda Rachel Deebrah, Kiran Maharaj, Krystal Ramroop and Aparna Paul join. Information is here.

The Pairs perform at 8 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $20 to $22. Classically trained vocalists and songwriters Renée Coughlin, Noelle Frances Coughlin and Hillary Watson blend three-part harmony with stories of hardship and humor. Their fourth studio album arrives spring 2025. Information is here.

Cortex performs at 8 p.m. at Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square, Somerville. $40 to $45. The 1974 debut album “Troupeau Bleu” of this jazz-funk group – created and led by acclaimed French composer and multi-instrumentalist Alain Mion – has been repeatedly sampled since the late 1990s. Information is here.

Poets Catherine Barnett and Danielle Chapman read from 8 to 9 p.m. at the Cambridge Center for Adult Education, 56 Brattle St., Harvard Square. $5. Barnett’s book is “Solutions for the Problem of Bodies in Space”; Chapman’s is “Boxed Juice.” Sponsored by the Blacksmith House Poetry Series. Information is here.

Tuesday, Oct. 22

“Power Shift: Energy Innovation, Sustainability and Equity” symposium from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Knafel Center of the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Harvard University, 10 Garden St., west of Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. A symposium bringing together scientists, public officials, industry leaders, environmental justice advocates and behavioral scientists to investigate an equitable energy revolution. Includes a bagged lunch. Also via Zoom. Information is here.

“Ethical Considerations in the Early Collecting of Asian Art” lecture from 11 a.m. to noon in the Art Study Center (fourth floor) at the Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. Curator Sarah Laursen shares a selection of painting and sculptural fragments and leads a discussion about patronage, provenance and ethics. Information is here.

MIT Axiom Ensemble from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Kresge Auditorium, 48 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge. Free. The newly formed ensemble performs “musical works which don’t quite fit in the context of a typical large-ensemble concert nor chamber music concert.” Tonight features the complete “Appalachian Spring” of Aaron Copland in its original instrumentation. Adam Boyles conducts. Information is here.

Lesley Leadership Series with Ellen Winner from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at Lesley University’s University Hall, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. The Boston College and Harvard educator discusses her “How Art Works: A Psychological Exploration.” Information is here.

Askwith Education Forum: “Eliminating the MCAS High School Graduation Requirement” 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 of education leaders discussing Massachusetts Ballot Question 2, a measure that would repeal the requirement that students earn a passing score on 10th-grade Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System exams to graduate high school. Information is here.

“The Coming Arms Race: Russia, China, America and Nuclear Weapons” discussion from 5 to 7 p.m. at Harvard University’s Center for Government and International Studies, South Concourse, S020, 1730 Cambridge St., Harvard Square. Free, but register. Russian investigative journalist, political scientist, author, radio host and visiting scholar Yevgenia Albats discusses with The Washington Post’s David Hoffman “Why did the last arms race end?” and “Why will this one be different, and what can be done about it?” Information is here.

Jeff VanderMeer reads from “Absolution” at 6 p.m. at The Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $38 with book required. During this Harvard Book Store event, the author of the Nebula-winning novel “Annihilation” in the Southern Reach trilogy discusses his fourth book, which provides “some long-awaited answer s… more questions and profound new surprises.” Hugo-winning fiction author Kelly Link joins. Information is here.

Nepali filmmaker Saurav Ghimire’s art exhibit opening and film screening from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in Room S250 at the Center for Government and International Studies, South Concourse, 1730 Cambridge St., Harvard Square. Free, but RSVP. The premiere U.S. screening of the Mittal Institute Visiting Artist Fellow’s 17-minute film “Songs of Love and Hate” is followed by a conversation with Harvard’s Vishal Khandelwal and a reception with regional snacks and beverages. Information is here.

Rose Levy Beranbaum celebrates the 35th anniversary edition of “The Cake Bible” from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. $35 to $75 with book. The bestselling author chose the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts to help her kick off her national tour celebrating the anniversary of her classic cookbook, now revised and updated with additional recipes, more photos and a new styling for the charts and recipes. Top-tier ticket holders get a seat while Beranbaum is interviewed about the book and its history, baking tips and how she developed her revolutionary reverse-creaming method, followed by audience questions and cake samples provided by the CSCA (which this year celebrates its 50th anniversary). Information is here.

Poet Alessandra Lynch reads from “Wish Ave” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free. Poets Catherine Barnett and Joan Larkin join. Information is here.

Brian Hare reads from “Puppy Kindergarten” in conversation with Isabella Rossellini at 7 p.m. in the blue wing at the Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, Boston, on the Cambridge border. $30, with book required and 18-plus. The bestselling author of “The Genius of Dogs” chats with the acclaimed screen actor who also made the documentary “Animals Distract Me” and short films dramatizing various creatures’ seduction and mating rituals. Hare has discovered a method of raising dogs that sets them up for success, but the conversation’s bound to go anywhere… and could be dramatized (let’s hope!). Information is here.

Bass-baritone Davóne Tines and violinist Jennifer Koh on their collaborative work “Everything Rises” from 7 to 9 p.m. at Harvard’s John Knowles Paine Concert Hall, 3 Oxford St., just north of Harvard Square, Cambridge, and Harvard Yard. Free, but register. The artists discuss – and illustrate with video and performed excerpts – their unflinching multimedia show about their experiences in the white-dominated classical music field. Information is here.

George performs from 7 to 10 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. Free and donations accepted. The genre-crossing jazz and new-music composer and percussionist John Hollenbeck formed the four-piece group during the pandemic; they met in person for the first time in 2022 to record “Letters to George,” released in 2023. Information is here.

The Moth story slam at 7:30 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. $15. This monthly open-mic storytelling competition is open to anyone who can share a five-minute tale on the night’s theme – this time, “Goosebumps,” or things that bring about “spine chills … that sudden shift in emotions your body can’t ignore. Unexplained phenomena, uncanny resemblances, reminders of the past, peeks at the future, ghostly visitors” – basically, whatever leaves listeners with the heebie-jeebies. Information is here.

Pokey LaFarge performs at 8 p.m. at Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square, Somerville. $30 to $35. The Illinois-born singer-songwriter’s “Rhumba Country,” written after a career sabbatical when LaFarge worked 12-hour days on a farm in Maine, reflects “a newly heightened devotion to making music that channels pure joy.” Also playing: The Tailspins. Information is here.

Wednesday, Oct. 23

Landscape architect Kongjian Yu in conversation from 9 to 10 a.m. in the Skyline Room on the sixth floor the Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, Boston, on the Cambridge border. Free with preregistration and 18-plus. The “sponge city” concept pioneer and Peking University professor discusses common ecological issues affecting cities globally and nature-based approaches to urban resilience with Chris Osgood of Boston’s Office of Climate Resilience. Robin Young, of NPR’s “Here & Now,” moderates. Information is here.

“Brexit and the Trust Paradox of Sovereigntist Internationalism” lecture from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. in the Hoffman Room at Adolphus Busch Hall, 27 Kirkland St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The Goethe University Frankfurt professor researches how Russia’s war against Ukraine, Brexit and controversies over Nato’s future undermine trust within the European security order and how to protect or even rebuild trust. Sponsored by the Center for European Studies. Information is here.

Richard English reads from “Does Counter Terrorism Work?” from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. in the Center for Government and International Studies North Knafel Building, 1737 Cambridge St., Baldwin neighborhood near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The politics professor at Queen’s University Belfast defines what effective counter-terrorism would involve. Information is here.

Ayana Elizabeth Johnson reads from “What If We Get It Right? Visions of Climate Futures” at 6 p.m. at The Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $12, or $40 with book. At this Harvard Book Store event the marine biologist and policy expert profiles people willing to imagine a landscape of possible climate futures. With farmer and Brandeis University’s Brian Donahue, Tufts’ Kelly Sims Gallagher, Disaster Researchers for Justice co-founder Samantha Montano and spoken-word artist Steve Connell. The alt pop duo Oshima Brothers performs. Information is here.

Matcha workshop from 6 to 7 p.m. at Bow Market, 1 Bow Market Way, Union Square, Somerville. $70. Learn to prepare and serve matcha while sampling and comparing high-quality matcha from Kyoto paired with Japanese sweets. Matcha bowl and whisk included (bring your own matcha bowl for a discount). Information is here.

Cookbook book group: Middle Eastern from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Cambridge Public Library Boudreau Branch, 245 Concord Ave., Observatory Hill in Neighborhood 9. Free, but register. All cooking levels are welcome at this potluck; bring a dish (or just your thoughts) to share with other cooks. This month choose any recipe from “Simply West African” by Pierre Thiam and “Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen” by Zoe Adjonyoh. Information is here.

Comedian Iliza Shlesinger in conversation with comedy writer Bess Kalb from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Harvard’s John Knowles Paine Concert Hall, 3 Oxford St., just north of Harvard Square, Cambridge, and Harvard Yard. Free, but register. Shlesinger wrote, executive produced and starred in the feature “Good on Paper” and has released six Netflix comedy specials. Kalb’s an Emmy-nominated comedy writer and the bestselling author of “Nobody Will Tell You This but Me,” being adapted into a feature film. Presented by the Mahindra Humanities Center. Information is here.

“Are You Part of Central Square’s Future?” community discussion from 6 to 8 p.m. at Massasoit Elks Lodge, 55 Bishop Allen Drive, Central Square, Cambridge. Free, but RSVP. Learn and talk about the major changes planned for the neighborhood, sponsored by the Cambridge NAACP, Cambridge Housing Justice Coalition, The Black Response Cambridge, YWCA Cambridge, Our Revolution Cambridge and additional groups. Includes food, a musical performance and raffle. Information is here.

Death Cafe from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Somerville Public Library West Branch, 40 College Ave., near Davis Square. Free, but register. Not a bereavement or counseling session, but an opportunity to engage in interesting and thought-provoking conversations “to increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their (finite) lives.” Light refreshments served. Information is here.

Strummerville Ukulele from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the café at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville (and every fourth Wednesday). Free. Amateur musicians invite you to join in as they sing and strum the hits. Information is here.

Hesse Phillips reads from “Lightborne” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free. The author’s “visceral and moving” debut thriller reimagines the last days of famed Elizabethan playwright Christopher Marlowe and a love within the margins. Michelle Hoover of GrubStreet joins. Information is here.

Nancy Pelosi reads from “The Art of Power: My Story as America’s First Woman Speaker of the House” at 7 p.m. at First Parish in Cambridge Meeting House, 3 Church St./1446 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square. $50 to $55 with book. During this Harvard Book Store event, the 52nd Speaker of the House discusses her bestseller with the 73rd governor of Massachusetts, Maura Healey. Information is here.

Poets Rosa Alcalá, Alan Felsenthal and Margaret Ross 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 Kythe Heller. Information is here.

Resonance Lab singles-matching launch event from 7 to 9 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square, Somerville. Free. Two Camberville psychotherapist millennials have created a way for people 28 to 48 to meet. Joining the database via a short Google form questionnaire allows for personalized matching. Information is here.

Throb Zombie and Fangoria present Gash at 8 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $20 to $25 and 18-plus. This monster-mash quarterly collaboration with Boston drag king Throb Zombie celebrates the release of Fangoria’s newest issues with a night of creepy artisans, monster drag, a “gorelesque” revue, haunt actors on premises and a film screening (this time, “Killer Klowns from Outer Space”). Information is here.

Comics for Kamala at 9:30 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $35 to $50. Stand-up NY presents an evening with six stand-up comics to raise funds for the Kamala Harris campaign. Information is here.

Thursday, Oct. 24

“Accelerating the Transition to Zero-Emission Transportation” 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. Jordan Stutt from the California Air Resources Board Clean Transportation describes technologies, policies, business models and partnerships supporting the shift away from gas- and diesel-powered vehicles. Also via Zoom. Information is here.

“Is Latino Becoming a Racial Category?” 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. New York University’s Maria Abascal discusses in-progress social scientific and population research. Also via Zoom. Information is here.

Materials Lab Workshop: The Origin and Evolution of Fabricated Colored Chalks (Pastels) from 1 to 4 p.m. at Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. $15 materials fee and 14-plus. Timothy David Mayhew, scholar of traditional drawing materials and techniques, answers the hows and whys of pastels’ development and guides participants in making their own pastel sticks. Supplies provided and beginners warmly welcome. 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.

Arts Thursdays: “Sea Monsters: Wonders of Nature and Imagination” from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., in the Baldwin neighborhood near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. A “Sea Monsters” exhibit inspires an evening of arts: create a felt creature; participate on a community art piece about the impact of plastics on marine animals; learn about octopuses from scientists from Harvard’s Bellono Lab; check out unusual – even spooky – marine specimens in the Museum of Comparative Zoology; plus enjoy interactive kids activities and cash bar. Information is here.

MIT’s Art, Culture, and Technology Program Lecture: Artist Lucy Orta at 6 p.m. in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Long Lounge (Building 7-429), 77 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge. Free, but register. The artist makes wild but meaningful “refuge wear” and “body architecture.” Also streamed online. Information is here.

Poet Cecilia Vicuña from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts, lower level, 24 Quincy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The Woodberry Poetry Room honors the “consummate creator, word-weaver, wave maker and interdisciplinary visionary” who’s written more than 30 volumes of poetry and related visual art (a pop-up installation of selected “palabrarmas/word-weapons” is temporarily on view). Information is here.

Baritone Brian Major at 7 p.m. at the Longy School of Music, 27 Garden St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free to $20. This year’s Gessner-Schocken concert features Major, accompanied by Longy’s Noriko Yasuda, performing “Mortal Storm,” a song cycle by Robert Owens with text by Langston Hughes. Information is here.

Mapping Feminist Cambridge Community Celebration at 7 p.m. at Commonwealth Wine School, 35 Dunster St., first floor, Harvard Square. Free, but register. A wrap-up celebration of those who contributed research and stories to tours highlighting the impact local individuals and organizations had on the feminist movement from the 1970s to 1990s. Sponsored by the Cambridge Commission on the Status of Women. Information is here.

Riley August reads from “The Last Gifts of the Universe” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The speculative fiction writer’s debut novel centers on a space-exploring archivist who scours dead worlds for technology and cultural rituals – anything useful to a home world’s survival – and discovers a message from an alien. Rebecca Fraimow, author of the sci-fi rom-com novel “Lady Eve’s Last Con,” joins. Information is here.

Walter Sickert and the Army of Broken Toys Halloween Happening at 7:30 p.m. in the Charles Hayden Planetarium at the Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, Boston, on the Cambridge border. $20 to $25 and 18-plus. The eight-member rock-goth-and-punk band from Boston has designed “an apocalyptic party” through “surrealist multiverses into rabbit black holes straight through the psychedelic Planetarium maw.” Cash bar with complimentary light snacks opens at 6:30 p.m. Information is here.

Asha Thanki reads from “A Thousand Times Before” from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Narrative, 387 Highland Ave., Davis Square, Somerville. $5. The debut novelist discusses her multigenerational saga following the women of one family from the partition of India and Pakistan to the present-day United States who can magically access their ancestors’ memories through an inherited tapestry. “Loudmouth Ladkis” podcast co-host Saniya Soni joins. Information is here.

Cirque of the Dead at 8 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville (and continuing Oct. 25, 26 and 31). $43 to $65 and 18-plus. Boston Circus Guild’s show blends aerials, acrobatics, contortion and more with creepy camp and humorous horror; this year’s story involves the “Cirque of the Dead Historical Society” as it brings to life the eerie and captivating world of the 1920s spiritualist movement with its psychic mediums and seances. Information is here.

Otis Shanty album release at 8 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $15 to $18. The dream pop band performs songs from “Up the Hill” supported by other local bands (Small Pond, Lost Film and Night Moth). Information is here.

Elements presents Seba from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Phoenix Landing, 512 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $15 in advance and 19-plus. The drum and bass sets from this influential Swedish DJ – on his first U.S. tour in more than a decade – are famous for blending underground jungle and liquid sounds with innovative twists and vocals. Opening set by Lenore b2b Flowleg. Information is here.

A stronger

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