Thursday, Nov. 21
“A Rural Agrarian Reckoning: Multigenerational Farmers Seeking to Repair Soil, Agriculture, and Rural America Itself” 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. Sydney Giacalone describes multigenerational farmers and ranchers across the United States who are questioning some practices. Also via Zoom. 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. Learn about the heroes, felons, fugitives and academics related to the interest in psychoactive drugs at Harvard from the 1940s through the 1960s during this 2-mile traipse through related sites. Led by Jeffrey Breau and Paul Gillis-Smith of the Psychedelics and Spirituality program at the Center. Information is here.
Celebrate Native American Craft Brewers with ArtsThursdays 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, but an RSVP is appreciated. Explore the art of craft beer making with a talk (from 6 to 7 p.m.) by the founders of Bow & Arrow Brewing Co. based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and the executive director of the Beer Culture Center in Chicago. Enjoy beer-themed activities, local beers for purchase and a free raffle to win museum gifts and membership. Information is here.
Manaswi Mishra on the Steina: Playback exhibition from 5:30 to 6 p.m. at MIT’s List Visual Arts Center, 20 Ames St., Building E-15, Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. The graduate student demonstrates a radical way of using voice and gesture to shape music using AI models in order to better understand the playful works in the exhibition by the pioneering media artist. Information is here.
Poets Nick Laird and Robyn Schiff from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Thompson Room of Harvard University’s Barker Center, 12 Quincy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. A reading and Q&A from the authors with an introduction by Professor Stephanie Burt. Also via livestream. Information is here.
Keke Palmer’s “Master of Me” tour at 6:30 p.m. at First Parish in Cambridge Meeting House, 3 Church St./1446 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square. $40 with book preorder. During this Harvard Book Store event, the Emmy award-winning multi-hyphenate entertainer talks with actor and producer Yara Shahidi. Information is here.
Palaver Strings presents “Ready or Not Revisited” at 7 p.m. at the Longy School of Music, 27 Garden St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free to $20. The Portland, Maine, string ensemble-in-residence celebrates the groundbreaking visions of women, queer, trans and nonbinary composers from the medieval period to the present with selections by Jessie Montgomery, Hildegard von Bingen, inti figgis-vizueta, Tanner Porter, Sato Matsui, Leilehua Lanzilotti, Pétalo Seslar and Lili Boulanger. Information is here.
Lowry Pressly reads from “The Right to Oblivion: Privacy and the Good Life” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The Stanford University political science lecturer argues that privacy isn’t simply a right to be protected but a tool for making life meaningful, and deepens our relationships with others as well as ourselves. Harvard’s Michael Sandel, author of “The Tyranny of Merit and Democracy’s Discontent,” joins. Information is here.
Poets Nadia Colburn and Carrie Bennett at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free. Colburn’s new collection “I Say the Sky” finds splendor and astonishment in a natural world – and a human world – that is deeply troubled yet still majestically beautiful. Bennett’s “The Mouth is Also a Compass” are “feminist poems of apocalyptic adventure… meticulously rendered” (says Nathalie Handal). Information is here.
Actors’ Shakespeare Project presents “Emma” at 7 p.m. at the Multicultural Arts Center, 41 Second St., East Cambridge (and continuing through Dec. 15). $25 to $64. Kate Hamill’s radical adaptation of Jane Austen’s Regency-era novel about matchmaking features screwball antics and fourth-wall breaking meta-theatrics. Directed by Regine Vital. Information is here.
Harvard Ballet Company presents “Dawn” at 7 p.m. at Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge (and continuing Nov. 22). $10 to $15. The student-run organization chose the program’s title for its optimism and for the exciting new works, reimagined classical repertoire and new professional opportunities on the horizon. Information is here.
Poets Diana Cao, Perry Janes and Margaret Ray 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 Arielle Kaplan. Information is here.
“Patterning Light: How Nature Creates Color” lecture from 7 to 8 p.m. at Cambridge Art Association’s Kathryn Schultz Gallery, 25 Lowell St., West Cambridge. $10 to $15. Giulia Guidetti from Tufts University’s Silklab describes how many of the most striking colors in the animal and plant kingdoms aren’t due to pigments but arise from nanoscale structures that manipulate light. Information is here.
Blues Union November Classes and Dances from 7 to 11 p.m. at Dance Union, 16 Bow St., Union Square, Somerville. $10 to $25. This month offers a musicality lesson at 7 p.m. and a beginner lesson at 8 p.m., with two hours of social dancing at 9 p.m. Wear shoes that allow you to pivot; no need to bring a partner. Masks required. Information is here.
“Galileo’s Daughter” at 7:30 p.m. at Central Square Theater, Cambridge, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge (and continuing through Dec. 8). $27 to $95. Jessica Dickey’s play alternates between Tuscany of the present day and the 1600’s. A writer on the brink of divorce travels to Florence to research a trove of revelatory letters written to Galileo by his daughter Marie Celeste. This performance is followed (at 9 p.m.) by a conversation with Harvard’s Ann Blair, who discusses the “truths” that Galileo pursued – and what truths we’ve uncovered since his time. Information is here.
The Thanksgiving Play at 7:30 p.m. at Arrow Street Arts, 2 Arrow Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge (and continuing through Dec. 15). $45. In Larissa FastHorse’s “rambunctious, wild and fearless play” serving up “a steaming side dish of uniquely American hypocrisy,” four politically correct performers come together to create a new take on the traditional holiday pageant. Tension ensues as the group struggles to reenvision history without ruffling any feathers. Directed by Tara Moses (Seminole Nation of Oklahoma/Mvskoke). Information is here.
Paul Sutter’s Carnival of Science presents “Staying Sane in a Changing World” at 7:30 p.m. in the blue wing at the Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, Boston, on the Cambridge border. $15 and 18-plus. A collective of scientists and artists bring a fun, fast-paced, approachable show exploring climate change, resiliency and the solutions being developed to save the planet. Information is here.
Laura Jinn and Tatum Gale’s “Termites Tour” with Lavagxrl and Battlemode from 7:30 to 10 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $10. Jinn and Gale write, sing and produce electronic alt pop; Lavagxrl’s style is playful beats, flourishes of strange electronica and unexpected synth shifts; and Battlemode’s dynamic electro-pop incorporates the glitchy 8-bit chiptune sounds that accompanied adolescent days spent playing Game Boys. Information is here.
“La Vida es Sueño/Life is a Dream” play at 8 p.m. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s W97 Theater, 345 Vassar St., Area II, Cambridge (and continuing through Nov. 23). Free. Pedro Calderón de la Barca’s classic play is often thought of as the “Hamlet” of the Spanish-speaking world. This fresh and visceral adaptation investigates what is real and what is not real in an emotionally explosive new way. 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 world music with Carnatic vocalist Srinivasan Raghuraman, Mike Rivard (bass and sinter), Upasak Mukherjee (tabla) and Shivaraj Natraj (mridangam). Information is here.
“Assassins” at 8 p.m. in La Sala de Puerto Rico in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Stratton Student Center, 84 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge (and continuing through Nov. 23). $10 to $20. Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman’s one-act historical “revusical” lays bare the lives of nine individuals who assassinated or tried to assassinate the President of the United States. Produced by the MIT Musical Theatre Guild. Information is here.
Friday, Nov. 22
Binney Street Park opening celebration from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at 322 Binney St., East Cambridge. Free. This new public park features a dog run, seating areas and a segment of the Grand Junction Multi-Use Pathway. Light refreshments provided. Information is here.
“Live Sound Workshop: Mixing Microphones” from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s W97 Theater, 345 Vassar St., Area II, Cambridge. Free. Christian Frederickson familiarizes explains some technical theater craft. All are welcome and no experience is necessary. Information is here.
Jazz and Contemporary Music Soiree: Harmolodic and Neo Roots Ensembles from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Longy School of Music, 27 Garden St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free to $20. Back-to-back performances by students from two ensembles in Longy’s Jazz and Contemporary Music department. Information is here.
The Annual Harvard-Yale A Cappella Jam from 6 to 8 p.m. at Harvard’s John Knowles Paine Concert Hall, 3 Oxford St., just north of Harvard Square, Cambridge, and Harvard Yard. $10 to $20. The Harvard Krokodiloes, Radcliffe Pitches, Yale Whiffenpoofs and Yale Whim ’n’ Rhythms present an evening of a cappella in a musical faceoff the night before the big game. Information is here.
Bawdy storytelling at 6:30 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. Free. A live grassroots stage performance series and an award-winning podcast, “Bawdy” specializes in true stories of sex, kink, gender and body image. Information is here.
Harvard Ballet presents “Dawn” (continued) at 6:30 p.m. at Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10 to $15. Information is here.
Amy Reading reads from “The World She Edited: Katharine S. White at The New Yorker” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The author of “The Mark Inside” discusses her biography of the magazine editor and spouse of E.B. White who propelled the literary careers of a number of women writers and edited a young John Updike and Vladimir Nabokov. Harvard’s Maggie Doherty joins. Information is here.
“Writing the Modern Romance” author discussion from 7 to 9 p.m. in The Brattle meeting room at The Charles Hotel, 1 Bennett St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $35 with book. Lovestruck Books hosts a conversation with “Big Fan” author Zan Romanoff about writing modern love stories, followed by a Q&A. Boston Globe columnist Meredith Goldstein moderates. Information is here.
“The Drowsy Chaperone” musical from 7 to 9 p.m. at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School’s Fitzgerald Auditorium, 459 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge (and continuing Nov. 23 and 24). $5 to $10. The CRLS Drama Company presents this parody of a 1920s-style American musical set within a comedy play, which ran on Broadway from 2006 to 2007. Information is here.
“Galileo’s Daughter” (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at Central Square Theater, Cambridge, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $27 to $87. Information is here.
Comedian B. Simone at 7:30 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $36. The long-standing cast member of MTV’s series “Wild N’ Out” appeared at the Lit AF Tour with Martin Lawrence and hosts the podcast “Let’s Try This Again.” Information is here.
Driff Fest from 7:30 p.m. to midnight at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. Free. A multigenerational lineup of Greater Boston improvising musicians from independent record label Driff Records, featuring two bands and three duos – and two newly released albums. 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 student musicians performing Wei’s “The Dancing Moonlight,” Ravel’s “Ma mere l’oye,” Nielsen’s “Aladdin Suite” and Williams’ “Far and Away.” Information is here.
The Thanksgiving Play (continued) at 8 p.m. at Arrow Street Arts, 2 Arrow Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge. $45. Information is here.
“La Vida es Sueño/Life is a Dream” play (continued) at 8 p.m. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s W97 Theater, 345 Vassar St., Area II, Cambridge. Free, but RSVP. Information is here.
Malian guitar player Habib Koité, balafon master Aly Keïta and kora player Lamine Cissokho at 8 p.m. at the Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square. $35 to $58. Three standard-bearers of West African musical traditions come together to celebrate Mandé Sila: the way of the Mandingo empire, symbolizing languages, cultures, music and the organology of West Africa. Percussionist Mama Koné joins. Information is here.
“Assassins” (continued) at 8 p.m. in La Sala de Puerto Rico in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Stratton Student Center, 84 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge. $10 to $20. Information is here.
The Harvard-Yale Football Concert from 8 to 10 p.m. at Sanders Theatre, 45 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The Radcliffe Choral Society, Harvard Glee Club and Yale Glee Club present eclectic works from various traditions, styles and eras – concluding with the classic Harvard and Radcliffe fight songs to rally up the spirit before The Game! Information is here.
The Easy Winners perform for Boston Swing Central from 8 to 11:45 p.m. at Q Ballroom, 26 New St., Suite 3, Fresh Pond, Cambridge. $13 to $20. Ragtime and Jazz Era music of the Americas played live on mandolin and guitar for a social partner dance with a lesson for beginners in the first hour. No partner required; no street shoes. Information is here.
Friendsgiving Party from 9:30 to 11:30 p.m. at The Comedy Studio in the basement at 5 John F. Kennedy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but RSVP required. A Thanksgiving get-together with drinks, music and friends. Information is here.
Saturday, Nov. 23
Tai Chi Under a Tree from 10 to 11 a.m. at Joan Lorentz Park at 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge (in front of the Cambridge Main Library). Free. Explore qigong warmups and the elements of tai chi with Ellen DeGenova. No experience necessary; a seated option is available. Information is here.
Friendsgiving with Mimi’s Chūka Diner from noon to 5 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square, Somerville. Free entry. Food and drink samples, a beer collaboration and local vendors celebrate the new home for the 4-year-old pop-up known for its chūka ryōri cuisine, or Chinese food made in a Japanese style. Information is here.
Annual Open Studios from noon to 5 p.m. at Brickbottom Gallery, 1 Fitchburg St., Somerville, and at Joy Street Studios, 86 Joy St., Somerville (and continuing Sunday). Free. Browse and buy the work of more than 90 artists and artisans in a variety of media and formats displayed in their studios, housed in two buildings one block apart. The event includes live music, a printmaking workshop, a massage therapist and a cafe. Information is here.
Harvard vs. Yale Tailgating Event from noon to 6 p.m. at One Reason Garden Bar, 1 Bennett St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free entry. The outdoor bar serves apple cider doughnuts and cider options from Lookout Farm, and provides a DJ from 3 to 6 p.m. Information is here.
Sixteenth Annual Benefit to Fight Parkinson’s Disease from 1 to 4 p.m. at Sally O’Brien’s, 335 Somerville Ave., Union Square, Somerville. Checks large or small made payable to A.P.D.A.M.A. Performers include Joel Greene and Sean Danehy; The Whiskey Twins; Cousin Louis; High Maintenance Jug Band; and Rocking Horse People. Information is here.
MIT Balinese Gamelan: Maguru Panggul concert from 2 to 2:45 p.m. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Kresge Auditorium, 48 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge. Free. This performance includes selections from the MIT Gamelan Class and Gamelan Galak Tika under the direction of Gusti Komin and features gongs, metallophones, hand drums and bamboo flutes. Information is here.
Around Hear’s “Music for Tigers” concert from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the Mystic Activity Center, 530 Mystic Ave., Somerville. Free. A public concert providing music, refreshments and materials for music-inspired art-making and writing. Program features a prelude by the Around Hear all-ages violin and piano classes; Errollyn Wallen’s “Music for Tigers” for piano quintet; Rebecca Clarke’s “Duo for Clarinet and Viola”; “Tiger Rag” for piano, as played by Jelly Roll Morton, presented alongside a cranky created by Healey School fourth graders; and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s “Quintet for Clarinet and Strings.” Information is here.
Actors’ Shakespeare Project presents “Emma” (continued) at 2 and 7 p.m. at the Multicultural Arts Center, 41 Second St., East Cambridge. $25 to $64. Information is here.
“Galileo’s Daughter” (continued) at 2 and 7:30 p.m. at Central Square Theater, Cambridge, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $27 to $95. Information is here.
The Journey Within candle-making class at 3 p.m. at Popp Boutique, 301 Massachusetts Ave., The Port, Cambridge. $50. Make your own fragrance blend and make a 10 oz. scented soy-blend candle, all materials supplied. Light refreshments provided; includes Journey Within gift bag. Information is here.
“Assassins” (continued) at 6 p.m. in La Sala de Puerto Rico in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Stratton Student Center, 84 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge. $10 to $20. Information is here.
“The Drowsy Chaperone” musical (continued) from 7 to 9 p.m. at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School’s Fitzgerald Auditorium, 459 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. $5 to $10. Information is here.
Ivan Dalia Jazz Piano Concert from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Museum of Modern Renaissance, 115 College Ave., between Davis and Powder House squares, Somerville. $30. Irony meets elegance through the unique jazz interpretations of arias and dances from European opera and classical music by the eclectic pianist and composer from the industrial hinterland of Naples, who now lives in New York City. Information is here..
ImproviZe: A Evening with Evolve Dynamicz from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at The Dance Complex, 536 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $25. Informal showings of new work and movement-improv compositions, plus screenings of innovative dance films and insight into the creative process that drives the inclusive, all-abilities company. Masks encouraged. Information is here.
Radius Ensemble’s “Roam” concert at 8 p.m. at the Longy School of Music, 27 Garden St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $15 to $35. The ensemble-in-residence performs “Georges Auric’s Trio for oboe, clarinet and bassoon; Mary Kouyoumdjian’s “Sea of Two Colors” for flute, clarinet, violin and piano; Jean Ahn’s “Froggy, Froggy” for viola solo; and Clara Schumann’s Piano Trio in G minor, Op. 17. Information is here.
Spectrum Singers presents “Chantez, Poètes!” at 8 p.m. at First Church in Cambridge, 11 Garden St., Harvard Square. $25 to $60. The acclaimed Boston-area chorus sings musical settings of words that weren’t originally intended to be set to music. Among the pieces are text by Marc LeGrand about spring (set by Jules Massenet), “La canción desesperada” by Pablo Neruda (set by Donald Grantham), Wendy Cope’s “The Uncertainty of the Poet” (set by Cary John Franklin) and the world premiere of text by Robert Frost “As Green Becomes Gold” (set by Ellen Voth). Music director finalist Adam Kerry Bowles guest conducts. Information is here.
The Thanksgiving Play (continued) at 8 p.m. at Arrow Street Arts, 2 Arrow Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge. $45. Information is here.
“La Vida es Sueño/Life is a Dream” (continued) play at 8 p.m. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s W97 Theater, 345 Vassar St., Area II, Cambridge. Free, but RSVP. Information is here.
MIT Chamber Chorus from 8 to 9:30 p.m at the MIT Chapel, 50 Massachusetts Ave., Area II, Cambridge. Free to 10$. The student group performs Halley’s “What Stood Will Stand”; Bach’s “Lobet den Herrn, alle Heiden”; Victoria’s “O Vos Omnes”; Esmail’s “When the Violin”; Berko’s “Sacred Place”; L.A. Garrett’s “My Heart Be Brave”; and Parton’s “Light of a Clear Blue Morning.” Information is here.
Body and Soul: Harvard v. Yale Talent Show from 8 to 10 p.m. at Harvard’s Lowell Lecture Hall, 17 Kirkland St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10 to $15. The Kuumba Singers of Harvard College hosts this biannual talent showcase celebrating Black artistry, bringing together the schools’ Black communities during the football game weekend. Information is here.
Sunday, Nov. 24
Lindy Hopcats practice from 10 a.m. to noon at the 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.
Kids on Brooms RPG Extravaganza for the Trans Emergency Fund from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Side Quest Books & Games in Bow Market at 1 Bow Market Way, Union Square, Somerville. $75 and 16-plus. Ten pro Game Masters run an inclusive wizarding school game. Pizza lunch provided. Information is here.
Britney and Christina drag brunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Summer Shack, 149 Alewife Brook Parkway, Alewife, Cambridge. $20. Dress up in your best late ’90s or early 2000s looks for this tribute to Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. Hosted by Kori King. Information is here.
Cranksgiving at noon at Somerville Bike Kitchen at 15 Properzi Way, near Union Square, Somerville. $15 (for purchases). Part bike ride, part scavenger hunt. Gathered goods and proceeds will be donated to the Somerville Homeless Coalition. Information is here.
Annual Open Studios (continued) from noon to 5 p.m. at Brickbottom Gallery, 1 Fitchburg St., Somerville, and at Joy Street Studios, 86 Joy St., Somerville. Free. Information is here.
“Galileo’s Daughter” (continued) at 2 p.m. at Central Square Theater, Cambridge, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $27 to $103. Information is here.
Actors’ Shakespeare Project presents “Emma” (continued) at 2 p.m. at the Multicultural Arts Center, 41 Second St., East Cambridge. $25 to $64. Information is here.
“The Drowsy Chaperone” musical (continued) from 2 to 4 p.m. at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School’s Fitzgerald Auditorium, 459 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. $5 to $10. Information is here.
MEM Tea 25 Year Anniversary Party from 2 to 5 p.m. at Lamplighter Brewing, 284 Broadway, The Port, Cambridge. Free. The leading purveyors of loose-leaf for New England throws a tea party with free samples to sip, demos and Lamplighter beer, including two made with MEM teas, plus raffles for gift baskets of tea wares to benefit the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition. Information is here.
St. Andrew’s Day Concert & Celidh: An Afternoon of Scottish Music and Dance featuring Scottish Fish at 3 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. $15 to $32. The five-member group’s fresh take on traditional and contemporary Scottish and Cape Breton music is “incredibly musical and just a little unusual” (says Scottish fiddler Hanneke Cassel). With Stephen Thomforde (pipes), Highland Dance Boston and Boston Scottish Country Dancers. Information is here.
The Thanksgiving Play (continued) at 3 p.m. at Arrow Street Arts, 2 Arrow Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge. $45. Information is here.
“Dichterliebe: Song Cycles of Robert Schumann” student concert at 3 p.m. in Recital Room N-1 at the Longy School of Music, 27 Garden St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free to $20. A student presentation of the Opus 39 Song Cycle. Information is here.
Learn all about burdock 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.
Tufts Flute Ensemble from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Distler Performance Hall, Tufts University, 20 Talbot Ave., Medford. Free. A fun, intriguing and varied program of music from the 17th to the 21st century featuring bass, alto, C flute and piccolo. Nina Barwell directs. Information is here.
Doug Lamey at 4 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, a Cape Breton fiddler with a solid rhythmic beat whose most recent solo album (2023) is “True North.” Information is here.
“Drama Queen: The Musical” from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $15 to $20. An original rom-com musical with catchy, bubbly tunes set in 2005 about a quickly rising young journalist at a celebrity gossip magazine in New York City. Information is here.
Hildaland performs with Liz Simmons and Casey Murray at 7 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $23 to $25. Two duos: Hildaland’s Scottish-born fiddler Louise Bichan and Indiana mandolinist Ethan Setiawan journey through Scottish, old-time and Swedish-inspired music; singer and guitarist Simmons is the co-founder of the band Low Lily and Berklee graduate Murray accompanies on cello. Information is here.
Varieté: Comedy and The Impossible from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at The Comedy Studio in the basement at 5 John F. Kennedy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $12 to $20. Contortion, stunts, tap and hip-hop dance, a naughty straightjacket escape, comedy magic, rapid fire gibberish and even a unicycling bagpiper. Information is here.
MIT Vocal Jazz Ensemble from 7 to 9 p.m. at Killian Hall in the Hayden Library Building at 160 Memorial Drive at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Free. An evening of jazz singing directed by Boston-based vocalist-arranger-composer Laura Grill Jaye, the ensemble’s current director and coach. Information is here.
“Sisters, Saints and Goddesses: Women’s Music for Cecilia’s Day” concert at 7:30 p.m. at First Parish Cambridge Unitarian Universalist, 3 Church St./1446 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $20 suggested donation. A concert honoring female composers past and present who, in turn, honor biblical, mythological and historical women through their music, with pieces by 17th century composers (Barbara Strozzi, Francesca Caccini, Isabella Leonarda and Chiara Margarita Cozzolani) as well as works of living composers and performers (Dana Maiben, Rebecca Nelson, Vivian Montgomery and Nancy Prescott). For this performance by Eudaimonia, A Purposeful Period Band, and its new vocal group project, donations go to the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center and Our Bodies Ourselves Today. Information is here.
Monday, Nov. 25
Pollinator Biodiversity and Climate Citizen Science opportunity from 2 to 3 p.m. at Fresh Pond’s Lusitania Meadow at 615 Concord Ave., Cambridge. Free. Get training to help with Earthwise Aware’s national research around the impact of climate change on the life cycles of plants, insects and more. Information is here.
“The Silk Road After Ukraine: A New Vision for Eurasian Integration” book talk from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the Center for Government and International Studies, South Concourse, S354, 1730 Cambridge St., Harvard Square. Free, but register. The Kyiv School of Economics’ Nathan Hutson discusses his new book about the impacts of Russia’s attempted recolonization of Ukraine on Eurasia’s economic and supply chain integration, and examines the key variables and false assumptions that the invasion has exposed. Information is here.
Emilija Škarnulytė on “Diving through strata: From the cosmic and geological to the ecological and political” at 6 p.m. in the ACT Cube (E15-001) of MIT’s Wiesner Building, 20 Ames St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free. The Lithuanian-born artist and filmmaker artist reflects on human civilization through the topic of deep time. Working between documentary and speculative fiction, her video works take viewers through decommissioned nuclear power plants, deep-sea data storage units, forgotten underwater cities and uncanny natural phenomena. Information is here.
Books and Bonds from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Narrative, 387 Highland Ave., Davis Square, Somerville. $5 (ticket price redeemable for store credit during event). Bring your own or buy a book at Narrative and enjoy an hour of peaceful reading, followed by an optional half-hour of connection through conversation or writing. BYO food and beverages. Information is here.
Creativity Collective art and craft meetup from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Somerville Public Library, 79 Highland Ave., Central Hill (and the last Monday of every month). Free, but register. Social learning or quiet work for those who draw, paint, sculpt, knit, crochet, sew, make paper crafts or fabric art. Light refreshments served. Information is here.
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 workout based on the Afro-Brazilian art form that combines dance, music and martial arts. Information is here.
“Hello Stranger”: The Songs of Hazel and Alice at 8 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $20 to $25. Local musicians and singers Hazel Royer, Rachel Sumner and Maxfield Anderson perform songs written and/or recorded by Hazel Dickens and Alice Gerrard, the pioneering women of bluegrass. Information is here.
Kings Kaleidoscope at 8 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. $35 to $45. The seven-piece band brings a deconstructed ensemble performance of their pioneering alternative-gospel sound and “modern psalms” lyricism. Information is here.
“Tinder Live!” with Lane Moore from 8 to 9:30 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $25. The 10th anniversary tour of the acclaimed comedy show in which Moore projects her dating app onto a screen, swipes through profiles live on stage and the audience votes whether she swipes right or left – to cathartic, hilarious and surprisingly kind results. Information is here.
Bluegrass night from 8 to 10:30 p.m. at Remnant Brewing Satellite, 877 Cambridge St., Wellington-Harrington, Cambridge. Free. Mandolinist Ariel Wyner and fiddler Sofía Jacqueline Wyner Chiarandini promise new arrangements of foot-tapping songs in bluegrass, swing and related genres. Information is here.
Tuesday, Nov. 26
Boudreau mystery book group from noon to 1 p.m. at Cambridge Library’s Boudreau Branch, 245 Concord Ave., Observatory Hill in Neighborhood 9. Free. This month’s title: “Grave Mistake” by Susan Cory. Information is here.
Valente community potluck from 12:30 to 2 p.m. at Cambridge Public Library Valente Branch, 826 Cambridge St., Wellington-Harrington, Cambridge. Free, but register. Join neighbors and friends for an autumn-themed potluck lunch. Bring a dish if you would like or simply come and enjoy! 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.
Maiga Doocy reads from “Sorcery and Small Magics” at 7 p.m. at Side Quest Books & Games in Bow Market at 1 Bow Market Way, Union Square, Somerville. $5 (ticket price redeemable for store credit on day of event). The author’s debut novel involves a curse binding an impulsive sorcerer to his curmudgeonly rival and their search through a magical forest to find a counterspell. Information is here.
Jazz and Contemporary Music: Modern Times from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Longy School of Music, 27 Garden St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free to $20. The Modern Times ensemble of Longy’s Jazz and Contemporary Music department performs a new and collaboratively created film score for Charles Lane’s now classic 1989 silent film “Sidewalk Stories.” Information is here.
“Galileo’s Daughter” (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at Central Square Theater, Cambridge, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $27 to $87. 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, “Outgrown,” which can be about graduating into new sizes, places and perspectives … from fitted jeans and false friends to rising above, moving beyond and adjusting to new levels. Information is here.
Gabe Boyerin and friends at 7:30 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $10 to $15. Two sets with the British Columbia-born Boston artist, composer, improviser, multiguitarist, electroacoustic musician and Kabbalist. First with Hidemi Akaiwa (piano) and Jake Wise (clarinet); second with Nate McBride (bass) and Noah Mark (drums). Information is here.
Fusey 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. $5 to $25. This time, the monthly fusion night for this weekly partner blues dance event is hosted by Balter Dance. Includes a lesson for beginners in the first hour; no partner required. Information is here.
Melo Green at 8 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $18 to $20. The Boston musician, singer and producer releases his second full-length album, “Laminar Flow.” Minya opens. Information is here.
Laugh Giraffe Comedy Show at 8 p.m. at Union Tavern, 345 Somerville Ave., Union Square, Somerville (and every Tuesday). Free, but reserve your space. Stand-up comedy showcase. Information is here.
Wednesday, Nov. 27
“Seven Samurai” (4K restoration) at 3 and 7 p.m. at The Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $12.50 to $14.50. Make a memorable start to the long weekend with “one of the most thrilling movie epics of all time” about a 16th century village whose desperate inhabitants hire the eponymous warriors to protect them from invading bandits. Information is here.
Comedian Jason Cordova at 8 p.m. at The Comedy Studio in the basement at 5 John F. Kennedy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $8 to $15. The Boston comic has been doing stand-up since 2009 and takes his hard-hitting brutal honesty to clubs all over the country. Information is here.
Friendsgiving Goofs from 8 to 9:30 p.m. at Goofs Comedy Club, 432 McGrath Highway, Prospect Hill, Somerville. $10 to $15 and 21-plus. Night-before-Thanksgiving comedy with a secret line-up of drop-in guests, a special food menu and affordable drinks. Information is here.
Free Dancegiving Dance & Bookends Show at Dancing Fools from 8 p.m. to midnight at George Dilboy VFW Post 529, 351 Summer St., Davis Square, Somerville. Free. No classes this time, just a fun “Bookends” show from 8 to 9 p.m. followed by the usual West Coast Swing social dance. (Bookends is a phone-free, potentially PG-13 show born 10 years ago as a creative protest against outdated attitudes about gender, but is now just pure celebration of the art and joy of dance.) Information is here.
Gill Aharon Trio performs from 8:15 to 10 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge (and every Wednesday). $10. A mix of influences inspires composer and pianist Aharon, founder of the Lilypad performance and event space. The trio includes bassist Jef Charland, guitarist Andrew Stern and drummer Randy Wooten. Information is here.
Wolves of Glendale at 8:30 p.m. at The Sinclair, 52 Church St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $25 and 18-plus. For a preholiday evening stuffed with comedy and music, here’s both on the same plate: a comedy band whose three members sing great and aren’t afraid to take each song premise to its extreme and unpredictable ending. No wonder they opened for Tenacious D in Vegas. Information is here.
Crypt presents “Dark Meet: A Thanksgiving Eve Dance Party” at 9 p.m. at ManRay, 40 Prospect St., Central Square, Cambridge. $7 to $10 and 19-plus. DJ Arcanus and DJ Static spin a cornucopia of music to sink your teeth into (goth, industrial and other dark treats). Information is here.
Fourth Annual Salsa & Bachata Thanksgiving Eve Party from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the Dante Alighieri Society Center, 41 Hampshire St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. $20 and 21-plus. Salsa, bachata and other Latin tunes from DJ Ninrod and DJ Ascends. The evening starts with an hourlong bachata lesson, no partner necessary, followed by social dancing. Information is here.
Re:Set Thanksgiving Eve with Boo Williams from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Phoenix Landing, 512 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $20 to $30 and 19-plus. The Wednesday Re:Set house and techno night brings the driving beats and textured ethereal soundscapes of a master producer of house music three decades into his career. With Re:Sidents (Bruno Limma b2b Joe Tagessian) and visuals by @areyouwellconnected. Information is here.
Thursday, Nov. 28
Somerville Road Runners’ 28th Annual Gobble, Gobble, Gobble at 9 a.m. at Davis Square, Somerville. Free (to watch) or $45 (to run). This 4-mile race benefiting local charities starts and ends in Davis Square, with post-race festivities at The Burren. Information is here.
Game Day at the New England Science Fiction Association from noon to 10 p.m. at the group’s clubhouse at 504 Medford St., Magoun Square, Somerville. Free. A variety of board, card and role-playing games for all tastes and abilities are available. Or bring your own game and teach others how to play. (Masks optional.) Information is here.
Thanksgiving Meal Out at various restaurants in Cambridge in Somerville. When few other restaurants are open, give thanks that a handful will serve you a sit-down meal – and get you out of the house when the streets are blissfully calm and quiet. Among the list are Bambara, Grafton Street, Harvest, Henrietta’s Table and Russell House Tavern in Cambridge and Five Horses Tavern in Somerville. Information is here.
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