Thursday, Jan. 23
Thursday Morning Talks: Carol Felsenthal on “Writing Unauthorized Biographies and Magazine Profiles” from 10:15 a.m. to noon at Holy Trinity Armenian Church, 145 Brattle St., West Cambridge. $20 or $125 (suggested donations for individual talk or series subscription), and registration is required. Felsenthal’s written in-depth magazine articles on numerous political figures as well as biographies of Alice Roosevelt Longworth, S. I. Newhouse, Jr., and Katharine Graham. The January and February lecture series is a fundraiser for Mount Auburn Hospital in its 88th year. Information is here.
The Pleasures of Poetry from 1 to 2 p.m. in the conference room 14E-304 in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Building 14, also known as Hayden Memorial Library, 160 Memorial Drive, in the MIT/Area II neighborhood, Cambridge (and continuing every weekday through Jan. 24). Free. The Lit@MIT community has offered this Independent Activities Period for 30 years. Each session is devoted to a poet or two, often a close reading of a single poem. Everyone with an interest in a diverse range of poetry, regardless of experience level, is welcome to join. Information is here.
Central Square Cooks! cookbook club from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Cambridge Public Library Central Square Branch, 45 Pearl St. Free, but register. This month for this new cookbook club make and bring a dish from “À Table: Recipes for Cooking and Eating the French Way” by Rebekah Peppler – or just come to talk about your experience with this cookbook. Information is here.
The Fifth Annual Radical King Symposium: Building Bridges from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free. A My Brother’s Keeper Cambridge Task Force panel discussion guided by King’s work examines relationships and change across racial, ethnic and social divides. Moderated by MBK’s Tony Clark, the panel includes Ellen Semonoff from the Department of Human Services; Andrew King from the Boston University Center for Antiracist Research; Lilly Havstad of Harvard University; Wayne Altman of Tufts University School of Medicine; state Rep. Marjorie Decker; and Anthony Galluccio. Information is here.
Lab Academy Apprentice Showcase of films from 6:45 to 9:30 p.m. at MIT’s Bartos Theater, 20 Ames St., Building E15, atrium level, Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. Media arts apprentices screen and answer questions about their short documentaries made in partnership with Audible relating to the 2024 election, with topics including voter apathy, media literacy and ballot question 5, about a minimum wage for tipped workers. Information is here.
Matthew Gabriele and David M. Perry discuss their book “Oathbreakers: The War of Brothers That Shattered an Empire and Made Medieval Europe” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free. The medieval historians and co-authors of “The Bright Age” discuss their book about the Carolingian Civil War: a bloody, protracted battle pitting brother against brother and father against son that would end an empire, upend a continent and redefine the future of Europe. Information is here.
Crowded Mind presents “Celebrating Her” at 7 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $15 to $20. The Boston indie rock band teams up with female musicians to celebrate songs written or performed by women. Information is here.
Alison Wood Brooks reads from “Talk: The Science of Conversation and the Art of Being Ourselves” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The Harvard Business School professor and expert on the science of conversation illuminates how to make small improvements in the architecture of our conversations to improve our relationships in work and life. Comedian, communication scholar and blogger (“Experimental History”) Adam Mastroianni joins. We interviewed the author here. Information is here.
Poets Robert Carr, Gloria Mindock, Tim Suermondt and Pui Ying Wong 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 Lloyd Schwartz. Information is here.
Poetry open mic night from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Somerville Public Library, 79 Highland Ave., Central Hill. Free, but register. Bring and read your own poetry or a work by another poet. Information is here.
Witch-Craft Cinema from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at Side Quest Books & Games in Bow Market at 1 Bow Market Way, Union Square, Somerville. $12 and 21-plus. Watch cult classic “The Craft,” bring your own craft (or buy a crafty kit from Homebody DIY in Bow Market) and sip a well-crafted themed drink. Outside food and drink are allowed. Information is here.
New Language Collaborative performs at 7:30 p.m. at Café Phinista, 1876 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge. $15 to $20. Enjoy Vietnamese food or coffee while listening to Eric Zinman (piano), Eric Rosenthal (drums), Vance Provey (trumpet) and Glynis Lomon (cello, vocals and Aquasonic). Information is here.
“Why Are You Being So Unreasonable?! The Ethics of Misunderstanding” from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Lehrhaus, 425 Washington St., Somerville. $10. Deborah Barer from the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America references Talmudic stories to explore ways to access the perspectives of others during challenging interactions to improve the ways that we respond. Information is here.
“Same Time, Same Place” comedy show at 8 p.m. at The Comedy Studio in the basement at 5 John F. Kennedy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $20 to $25. Orlando Baxter, Corey Manning, Corey Rodrigues and Chris Tabb. Information is here.
Next Stop Comedy from 8 to 9:30 p.m. at Bred, 730 Main St., The Port, Cambridge. $20 to $25. The group formerly known as Boston Comedy Club brings a novel lineup of stand-up comics seen on television and heard on podcasts. Information is here.
Hustle Killer Presents: Welcome to 2025 from 8 p.m. to midnight at The Jungle, 6 Sanborn Court, Union Square, Somerville. $10 and 21-plus. Rage against the January cold with 15 New England bands and performers, plus Super Party Bros. pop-up arcade. Information is here.
Lorena Ometto and The Village Idiots from 10:30 p.m. to midnight at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $15. Pop rock Brazilian artist and Berklee College of Music student Lorena Ometto brings a five-piece band to play rock and blues along with some originals; Village Idiots are a four-piece group from Boston with a grunge rock musical style and also perform originals. Information is here.
Friday, Jan. 24
The Pleasures of Poetry (continued) from 1 to 2 p.m. in conference room 14E-304 in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Building 14, also known as Hayden Memorial Library, 160 Memorial Drive, in the MIT/Area II neighborhood, Cambridge. Free. Information is here.
Crafternoon from 4 to 6 p.m. at the MIT Welcome Center, 292 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free. Artist Alie Reilinger, printer at Cambridge’s Albertine Press and owner of Yellow Leg Studios, shows how to print quilt-themed cards and carve a stamp. Leave with a set of three cards and colorful envelopes (materials available while supplies last). Information is here.
Boston Game Dev’s Global Game Jam from 4 to 9:30 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge (and continuing through Sunday). Free to $30, and 18-plus. A three-day noncompetitive opportunity to learn game making from industry mentors while collaborating with others to design, develop, create and test a game by 6 p.m. on Sunday. Information is here.
South Street Sessions: House Party from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at Portico Brewing, 101 South St., Boynton Yards, Ward 2, Somerville. Free. Dance to a classic mix of IDM, acid house and eclectic, electro beats from @acid.basket. Information is here.
Cuban Dance with Boston Rueda from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge (and most Fridays). $15. No partner or experience necessary to learn this group dance to Cuban and other salsa music involving the changing of partners. Information is here.
“Not Your Usual Burns Ceilidh” from 6:30 to 10 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $30 to $40. An evening of dance, song, poetry celebrating the birthday of Scotland’s national bard, Robert Burns, and the birthdays of the event’s hosts: The National Trust for Scotland Foundation USA and Scots in New England (50 and 25 years, respectively). Light refreshments and cash bar. Information is here.
Steven “Nookie” Postal discusses his cookbook “The Nookbook: 120 Recipes for People with Busy Lives” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free. A how-to for producing delicious meals on hectic days from the charismatic former owner (from 2013 to 2023) of Kendall Square’s Commonwealth Market & Restaurant, now busy being a dad of three and the chef and co-owner (with Liza Shirazi) of the 1-year-old Mothership in Cambridge and six Revival Cafe and Kitchens in the Boston area and burbs. Information is here.
Dan Licata’s “Viva La Dan Tour” at 7 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $20 to $25 and 21-plus. A fixture of the Brooklyn alternative comedy scene, Licata recorded his first comedy special, “For the Boys,” in 2024 at his former high school in Buffalo, New York, in front of an audience made up of 15-year-old boys, a set later described as “not appropriate for 15-year-old boys.” Information is here.
Boston bands Leaving Irene and Better Fires at 7 p.m. at The Burren, 247 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $15 to $20 and all ages. Two Boston bands: one blends “raw storytelling with nostalgic rock melodies,’ the other “fuses pop songs with big guitars and even bigger melodies.” Information is here.
Jenny Howe’s “How to Get a Life in Ten Dates” book release celebration from 7 to 9 p.m. at Lovestruck Books, 44 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $28 with book. The author of “On the Plus Side” and “The Make-Up Test” discusses her rom-com about a young woman set up on 10 dates by friends and family, with her best friend adding himself to the roster. An audience Q&A follows, plus slices of cake. Information is here.
Nico Play performs from 7 to 10 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $17 to $20. The bilingual project of Mexico City-born guitarist and singer-songwriter Nicolás Perea, now based in Chicago. Information is here.
Vida Mia milonga from 7:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. at Dance Union, 16 Bow St., Somerville (and every fourth Friday of the month). $15 to $35. This night of milonga dancing by Tango Affair includes a lesson in the first hour. Guest DJ: Boris Hayete. Information is here.
Kat Wallace at 8 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $23 to $25. The Boston multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter inspired by traditional Celtic and American folk music performs songs from her just-released debut solo album “Grand Design.” Boston’s Emily Haviland opens (Haviland’s own debut album was released last February). Information is here.
Upstairs at Bow Market Comedy Showcase from 8 to 9:30 p.m. at Upstairs at Bow, 1 Bow Market Way, Union Square, Somerville. $18 to $20. This time, Howling Wolf Productions’ comedy show features Matt Ledell, Corey Percival, Tori O’Kane, Mike Dupont, Peter Martin, Brieana Woodward and Ajay Thakkar. Information is here.
Detention stand-up comedy with David Drake at 8 and 10 p.m. at Goofs Comedy Club, 432 McGrath Highway, Prospect Hill, Somerville (and Saturday). $20 to $25, and 21-plus. A weekend of performances from a regular at New York City’s Comedy Cellar who’s also appeared on Comedy Central, HBO, Sirius XM and Fox and produces the “Comedians You Should Know NYC” showcase. Information is here.
The Swing Legacy performs for Boston Swing Central from 8 to 11:45 p.m. at Epic Ballroom, 26 New St., Suite 3, Fresh Pond, Cambridge. $13 to $20. This social partner dance, which includes a lesson for beginners in the first hour, welcomes a septet that brings the polish, heat and energy of the great swing big bands. No partner required; no street shoes allowed. Information is here.
Saturday, Jan. 25
Tai Chi Under the Tree – Indoors! from 10 to 11 a.m. in the second-floor Barn Room at First Parish Cambridge Unitarian Universalist, 3 Church St./1446 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Explore qigong warm-ups and elements of tai chi with Ellen DeGenova. No complicated choreography, no experience necessary. A seated option is available. Information is here.
Winter tree identification from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the Mass Audubon Nature Center at Magazine Beach, 668 Memorial Drive, Cambridgeport. Free, but register and 14-plus. Discover how to identify trees in your neighborhood from buds and bark rather than leaves, and about how trees survive during cold weather. Information is here.
Gallery Talk: Joana Choumali’s “Languages of West African Marketplaces” from 12:30 to 1 p.m. at Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but check in at visitor services to join. Launching today, the Ivorian artist’s exhibition features vibrant mixed-media photographs exploring the complicated and multinational economy of secondhand T-shirts. Talk by exhibition co-curator Ilisa Barbash. Information is here.
“Selma” film screening from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free. The 2014 biopic of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. follows the fight to pass the Voting Rights Act in 1965. Information is here.
“Conversations We Had” art exhibition reception from 2 to 4 p.m. in the cafe at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. Free. This exhibition featuring drawings from a dozen members of the Boston Figurative Art Center in Union Square ends Jan. 27. Information is here.
Learn the art of dumpling (momo) making from 5 to 7 p.m. at Dado Tea 955 Massachusetts Ave., between Harvard and Central Squares, Cambridge. $80, and ages 13-plus. Make traditional vegetable Nepalese dumplings known as momos during this hands-on workshop with step-by-step guidance for preparing the fillings and mastering folding techniques. Take home all the dumplings you make and recipes. Ingredients and materials provided. Information is here.
Jan-thology with authors Ann Leblanc and Jay Kang Romanus at 6:30 p.m. at Pandemonium Books & Games, 4 Pleasant St., Central Square, Cambridge. $5. An interview, readings and Q&A with editors of queer anthologies: Ann Leblanc returns with “Embodied Exegesis,” an exploration of transfeminine cyberpunk futures, and Jay Kang Romanus debuts with “Dudes Rock,” stories that visualize all the different ways masculinity might look in a world different than our own, for better or worse. Information is here.
Detention stand-up comedy with David Drake (continued) at 7 and 9 p.m. at Goofs Comedy Club, 432 McGrath Highway, Prospect Hill, Somerville. $20 to $25 and 21-plus. Information is here.
Freedy Johnston from 7 to 10 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $22. The singer-songwriter’s last album, 2022’s “Back on the Road to You,” is “steeped in wit, humor, pathos, love and friendship” with a mood and instrumentation echoing “The Byrds, Jackson Browne, Joni Mitchell and Neil Young.” Information is here.
Voices Rising presents “We Persist” choral concert at 7:30 p.m. at First Church in Cambridge, 11 Garden St., Harvard Square. $5 to $35 and all ages. The 60-member feminist chorus has a selection of music by modern women composers and songwriters as well as popular songs from folk artists and Broadway hits. Directed by Leora Zimmer. Information is here.
Esh Circus Arts staff show at 8 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. $12 to $24. Esh Circus Arts near Somerville’s Union Square trains people how to perform aerial stunts, group acrobatics, athletic dancing and clowning. Watch them prove how good they are at doing as well as teaching at this showcase event. Information is here.
Juventas New Music Ensemble presents “Flautist Nicholas Southwick Center Stage” from 8 to 10 p.m. at the Multicultural Arts Center, 41 Second St., East Cambridge. $1 to $36. A virtuosic solo program featuring the flautist of the Boston ensemble that performs classical works by living composers. Information is here.
Mourning Night Y2K25 at 9 p.m. at Sonia, 10 Brookline St., Central Square, Cambridge. $13 to $15 and 18-plus. Goths and emos gather for pop-punk, emo and alt. Y2K sounds from DJ Howie D Rivet and DJ Succubux. Creative attire encouraged. Information is .
Fourth Annual Salsa and Bachata Winter Ball Gala at 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the Dante Alighieri Society Center, 41 Hampshire St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. $20 and 21-plus. An elegant night of music, dance performances and nonstop dancing to salsa, bachata, merengue and Latin tunes. Four well-dressed attendees will be crowned gala royalty. Sounds by DJ Ninrod and DJ Ascends. The evening starts with a beginner-friendly lesson, no partner necessary. Information is here.
Bill Charlap Trio at 9:30 p.m. at Regattabar, 1 Bennett St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $30 to $40. The Grammy-winning pianist and his trio are sold out for Friday’s show and for Saturday’s earlier show, too. Information is here.
Fruitstand presents “Purr My Last Email” from 9:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. at a Cambridge or Somerville location revealed with your RSVP. $10 and 21-plus. Don your power suit and prepare to gaslight, gate keep and girlboss your way to the top at this corporate-themed queer dance party where DJ Frazzo spins club classics from Slayyyter, Charli XCX, Rebecca Black, Cobrah and more. Information is here.
Boston Flowmies presents Flow Below from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. at The Cantab Underground, 738 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $10 to $15 and 21-plus. Sets featuring riddim, experimental bass, dubstep, ukg and dnb by locals Mettra, Freyja, unspun and Pastivity. Information is here.
Sunday, Jan. 26
Clothing swap from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Somerville Bike Kitchen, 15 Properzi Way, in Ward 2, Somerville, between Porter and Union squares. Free. Bring gently used clothes in good condition to share (all genders and sizes, but no underwear, socks or items too hole-y) and take home items new to you. Snacks and vibes provided. Information is here.
Breakfast Book Club from 10:30 a.m. to noon at All She Wrote Books, 75 Washington St., Prospect Hill, Somerville. $7, or $24 with book. This month’s title: “Patricia Wants to Cuddle” by Samantha Allen. Coffee and pastries provided. Information is here.
Materials Lab Workshop: Light up the new year with paper cutting and lantern decorating at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. on the lower level of the Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. $15 materials fee and 14-plus. Two 90-minutes workshops, one in the morning, one in the afternoon, led by multimedia artist Zhonghe (Elena) Li. Information is here.
Adults with Hobbies: Feeding the Revolution (baking and decorating cupcakes) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. $25 to $45. Try a different hobby each week in a series with educator and activist Nicole Hicks and friends. Information is here.
Art and the Expanded Field: “Formidable Beasts, Fantasy and the Feminine” from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. $30 and 18-plus. This final workshop in a series about interdisciplinary art practices explores how to apply allegory (our relationship to the folkloric, fantastic, imaginary and nonhuman creatures) to new work. All levels welcome. Instructors: Dani Nordenberg and Bianca Fields. Information is here.
Eighties drag brunch from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Summer Shack, 149 Alewife Brook Parkway, Alewife, Cambridge. $20. Dust off your leg warmers and tease up your hair to sing along with ’80s favorites performed by local drag stars. Information is .
Swing Boot Camp for beginners from noon to 2:30 p.m. at Epic Ballroom, 26 New St., Suite 3, Fresh Pond, Cambridge. $42 to $50. Boston Swing Central’s introductory class covers a lot of the lead-follow swing basics and footwork. Information is here.
Boston Symphony Orchestra community chamber concert at 3 p.m. at First Church in Cambridge, 11 Garden St., Harvard Square. Free, but reserve your space (if sold out, seats from no-shows before the performance may be available). Violinist Jenny Ahn, violist Cathy Basrak and cellist Christine Lee perform Reger’s Trio No. 1 in A minor, Op. 77b; and Beethoven’s Trio in D, Op. 9, No. 2. Information is here.
Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras: Verdi’s “Don Carlo” at 3 p.m. at Sanders Theatre, 45 Quincy St., near Harvard Square. $45 to $75. The only K–12 youth orchestra to present full, semistaged operas with outreach and accessibility to underserved communities. Information is here.
Crystal Sanders reads from “A Forgotten Migration: Black Southerners, Segregation Scholarships and the Debt Owed to Public HBCUs” from 3 to 5 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free. Emory University’s Sanders discusses the effects of scholarships awarded by Southern states to Black students for out-of-state graduate education before Brown v. Board of Education. Wellesley’s Kellie Carter Jackson, author of “We Refuse: A Forceful History of Black Resistance,” joins. As a “Be the Change” event, 20 percent of store sales during the discussion benefits the Johnston Central High School National Alumni Association. Information is here.
The Here Comes Everybody Players presents “Echoes of Brigid” at 3:30 p.m. at The Burren, 247 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $25 to $30. Boston’s Irish theater group celebrates the women of Ireland through poetry, prose, drama and music. Information is here.
Pico Opera presents “I Puritani” by Vincenzo Bellini from 5 to 8:30 p.m. at the Multicultural Arts Center, 41 Second St., East Cambridge. $25. An immersive experience for this fully staged production filled with music, bel canto singing, madness, passion and drama. In Italian with English titles. Information is here.
Harvard Square Book Circle from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. This time, meet and discuss “Time’s Echo: Music, Memory and the Second World War” by Jeremy Eichler. Information is here.
Gotta Bal! balboa dance event at 7 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.
Comedian Jono Zalay at 8 p.m. at The Comedy Studio in the basement at 5 John F. Kennedy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $15 to $20. The Los Angeles comic has been featured at more than 30 comedy festivals and written for shows on Fox, Amazon and Comedy Central, but he started his stand-up career in Boston while earning his doctorate in neuroscience. Information is here.
Pianist Yuseok Seol with saxophonists Keaton Shaw and Ana Díaz Asencio from 8 to 9 p.m. at Somerville Music Spaces, 1060 Broadway, Suite C101B, Somerville. Free. Works by Albright, Dundee, Donatoni, Hindemith, Schmitt and Seol. Information is here.
Tiny Indie Festival from 9 p.m. to midnight at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $10 to $15. Cerussis, Lilo, AnneMarie, The Fuss and Katie Zee perform. Information is here.
Monday, Jan. 27
Hive safety training from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Fab Lab of The Hive at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free, but register. This workshop familiarizes you with The Hive makerspace and shows how to use its resources and stay safe. Completion of safety training is the entry point to using the space. Information is here.
Central Square Shares the Love: Community Mosaic from 4 to 5 p.m. at the Cambridge Public Library Central Square Branch, 45 Pearl St. Free. Share what you love about the square and its library in a community mosaic to be displayed in February. Collage supplies provided for this session. Information is here.
“Ephemeral Field Journal: Climate + Love in Claude Monet’s Garden” art exhibition opening reception from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in the conference room at the Center for the Study of World Religions, 42 Francis Ave., in the Baldwin neighborhood near the Somerville border, Cambridge. Free. Artist-in-residence Sarah Schorr’s journal project invites a deeper understanding of how to care for the environment and each other through an investigation of Claude Monet’s gardens at Giverny. Information is here.
Winter Art Tour: Gallery 344 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Gallery 344, on the second floor of City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free, but register. A guided tour of the exhibition “The Community Grafting Project” and “Town Green,” Mike Glier’s group of large-scale wall paintings in the City Hall Annex. Sponsored by the Cambridge Arts Council. Information is here.
Monday’s Pages at 6 p.m. at The Comedy Studio in the basement at 5 John F. Kennedy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge (and every second and last Monday of each month). Free. At this cold reading series, actors and writers get together to work on their crafts via 10-page submissions, with casting at 6:15 p.m. and reading at 7 p.m. The free “One Night Only Variety Curated Show” and The Theo Griffin Experience house band follow at 8:15 p.m. Information is here.
Collins Branch Book Group from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Cambridge Public Library Collins Branch, 64 Aberdeen Ave., West Cambridge. Free, but register. January’s title: “Memory Piece” by Lisa Ko. (This event was originally scheduled for Jan. 8.) Information is here.
Artful Evenings: Open Crafting for Adults from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Cambridge Public Library O’Neill Branch, 70 Rindge Ave., North Cambridge. Free, but register. Bring your own projects or start something new with the library’s assortment of materials and supplies while in a self-guided, relaxed environment. Snacks provided. Information is here.
“Follow the LeadHer” Monday night run from 6 to 8 p.m. leaving from the auditorium of Somerville Public Library, 79 Highland Ave., Central Hill. Free. TrailblazHer’s Run, a crew in the Boston area for women, especially Bipoc women, hosts a 3-mile run beginning and ending at the central library. Information is here.
MIT Tango Club from 6:45 to 8 p.m. (beginner) and 7:45 to 9 p.m. (intermediate) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Stratton Student Center, Room 401, 84 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge (and every Monday through May 12). $25 or $260 for a 13-class pass (with discounts for MIT students and staff). First day of new season of Argentine tango classes with outstanding instructors. No partner required, but wear comfortable clothes and shoes with leather or suede soles that allow you to pivot and walk backward. Information is here.
PSB Cambridge Edition Book Club at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge (and held monthly). Free, but RSVP. This month’s selection: “The Overstory” by Richard Powers. Information is here.
“It’s a Date” unscripted comedy dating show from 7 to 9 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square, Somerville. $15 to $27 and 21-plus. Four singles who’ve applied ahead of time take the stage and the audience supplies the conversational topics and chooses who will wind up with who at the end of the night. Information is here.
Judy Rakowsky on “Becoming the Witness: A Family’s Search for the Truth” from 7:30 to 8:45 p.m. at Lehrhaus, 425 Washington St., Somerville. $10. The Cambridge author of the memoir “Jews in the Garden: A Holocaust Survivor, the Fate of His Family and the Secret History of Poland in World War II” warns (and discusses possible solutions for) how truth is increasingly under threat by narratives prioritizing national pride. Information is here.
Fiddlers Clara Rose and Raphaella Hero at 8 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $18 to $20. The duo measures the success of their folk-inspired improvisational music aimed at “soothing and healing” by how in tune they can be with their surroundings as well as each other. Information is here.
“Problemista” screening at 8:30 p.m. at The Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $13 to $15. Those who blinked no doubt missed Julio Torres’ three stand-up shows last November at Crystal Ballroom, which sold out weeks in advance. So here’s his “Kafkaesque” film from a year ago, co-starring a venomous Tilda Swinton, if that’s any compensation. Information is here.
Tuesday, Jan. 28
“American Swastikas and German Klansmen: Transatlantic White Supremacy from the 1970s to Charlottesville” from 4 to 6 p.m. in the lower level conference room at Adolphus Busch Hall, 27 Kirkland St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The University of Richmond’s Michelle Khan explains how far-right extremists have conspired across borders to stoke the fires of fascism. Information is here.
Imani Perry reads from “Black in Blues: How a Color Tells the Story of My People” at 6 p.m. at The Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10, or $38 with book. During this Harvard Book Store event, the Harvard professor and National Book Award–winning author of “South to a America” looks at the intertwining roots of the color blue and Blackness – emotional, cultural and spiritual, as well as political and ideological. WBUR’s Cristela Guerra joins. Information is here.
Effi performs at 6 p.m. at The Jungle, 6 Sanborn Court, Union Square, Somerville. Free. The Greek-American singer-songwriter was a chemist and then a software engineer, and now she mixes guitar melodies delivered via distortions and ambient melodies with Greek music from the late ’60s and ’70s. She also cites David Bowie, Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin as influences. Information is here.
“Have You Read This?” Classics Book Club at 6:30 p.m. at Pandemonium Books & Games, 4 Pleasant St., Central Square, Cambridge. $5 (ticket price redeemable for store credit during event). This time, discuss “The Phantom Tollbooth” by Norton Juster, a beloved offbeat fantasy story about a bored boy who’s taken on an important journey. The book’s wisdom and inventiveness and Jules Feiffer’s splendid illustrations have generated millions of fans for more than 60 years. Information is here.
Adult board game night from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the Lewis Room at the Cambridge Public Library Central Square Branch, 45 Pearl St. Free, but register. Play Ticket to Ride, Settlers of Catan, Uno, Bananagrams and more. Pizza and snacks provided. Information is here.
Creativity Collective art and craft meetup from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Somerville Public Library, 79 Highland Ave., Central Hill (and the last Monday of every month). Free, but register. Bring whatever project you’d like to work on to the library to make among others who also enjoy exploring art and crafts. No official teachers or supplied crafts, but learning from others is encouraged. Information is here.
Great Books Book Group from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free. This time: “Duino Elegies” by Rainer Maria Rilke. Information is here.
Caio e Jess, Dom the Composer and Mioera from 7 to 11 p.m. at The Cantab Underground, 738 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $10 and 21-plus. Boston rising artists perform with styles that include lush, genre-bending jazz, rock-pop and Brazilian music. 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. The monthly fusion night for this weekly partner blues dance event includes a lesson for beginners in the first hour. No partner required, but masks are required. Information is here.
Ryan Montbleau at 8 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge (and continuing through Jan. 30). $33 to $35. Three nights of performances from a “masterful wordsmith” and frequent collaborator who’s brought “ecstatic live shows and exhilarating sonic versatility” to his fans for 30 years. Brooks Forsyth opens. Information is here.
“Evil Does Not Exist” film screening at 8 p.m. at The Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $13 to $15. Set in a rural alpine hamlet near Tokyo, Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s 2024 film is a foreboding fable on humanity’s mysterious, mystical relationship with nature, with the “stealthy power” of the filmmaking just as able to startle on a second viewing (says New York Times reviewer Manohla Dargis). In Japanese with English subtitles. Information is here.
Laugh Giraffe stand-up comedy show at 8 p.m. at Union Tavern, 345 Somerville Ave., Union Square, Somerville (and every Tuesday). Free, but reserve your space. A weekly comedy showcase. Information is here.
Hungarian trumpeter and composer Barabás Lőrinc from 8 to 10 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $15. A driving force in Budapest’s improvised music scene, Lőrinc has released 12 albums with his different bands and as a solo artist (on trumpet with also keyboard instruments, a looper and other sound modulators). Two of his works have been premiered for symphony orchestra. Information is here.
Salsa/Bachata Tuesdays from 8:15 to 11:30 p.m. at Havana Club, 288 Green St., Central Square, Cambridge. $10 to $15 and 18-plus. The club has a strict no-alcohol policy on Tuesdays (also on Mondays and Sundays) with lively dancing to bachata (60 percent) and salsa (40 percent) and lessons in both for the first 90 minutes. Information is here.
Wednesday, Jan. 29
“Thinking with Plants and Fungi” reading group from 3 to 5 p.m. in the conference room at the Center for the Study of World Religions, 42 Francis Ave., in the Baldwin neighborhood near the Somerville border, Cambridge (and biweekly through Apr. 23). Free, but register. For this seven-part series, read and discuss recent scholarship that raises questions about how plants and fungi trouble our understanding of “thinking,” perhaps cause us to reconsider what it means to be human and compel us to rethink how we work with them ethically. Information is here.
Bill McGoldrick’s Acoustic Duo from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the lobby bar of The Row Hotel, 360 Foley St., Assembly Square, Somerville. Free. McGoldrick’s exquisite guitar playing matched by Lauren Scudder’s haunting vocals. Information is here.
Cambridge Birds and How to Draw Them with Clare Walker Leslie from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Cambridge Public Library O’Neill Branch, 70 Rindge Ave., North Cambridge. Free, but register. The Cambridge author of “How to Look at a Bird” and “Keeping a Nature Journal” discusses local birds, provides all drawing and reference materials and demonstrates drawing techniques. Leave with a finished drawing. Beginners welcome. Information is here.
Authors Nina MacLaughlin, Joan Wickersham and Lucy Ives from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the lecture hall at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free, but register. The writers read from their respective books “Winter Solstice,” “No Ship Sets Out to Be a Shipwreck” and “An Image of My Name Enters America.” A short audience Q&A and book signing follows. Information is here.
Lunar New Year Celebration from 6 to 8 p.m. at CanalSide Food + Drink, 100 CambridgeSide Place, East Cambridge. Free and all ages. Kick off the Year of the Snake with festive entertainment, giveaways and a free calligraphy lesson: Learn to write the Chinese character for “fortune” with sumi ink on red paper. Information is here.
Stitch ’n’ Bitch from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Boston Figurative Art Center, 285 Washington St., Ste. 102, near Union Square, Somerville. $10 and all ages. Bring an unfinished textile or sewing project and commiserate with others in a low-key setting about how many unfinished projects you have. Professional artist and fashion designer Mary Kahle of Kahle Studios troubleshoots and provides feedback. All experience levels are welcome; snacks provided. Information is here.
Shang Saavedra reads from “Wealth is a Mindset: Change Your Mind, Change Your Money” at 7 p.m. at Connexion, 149 Broadway, Somerville. Free, or $32.80 with book. Sponsored by All She Wrote Books, a debut book release by the founder of Save My Cents personal finance coaching, who details how her savings strategy draws upon scientific research in psychology and neuroscience. Information is here.
Harvard College Opera presents “Cendrillon” at 7 p.m. at Agassiz Theatre, 5 James St., Harvard Square, Cambridge (and continuing through Feb. 2). Free to $20. An operatic adaptation of the “Cinderella” fairy tale with an added focus on hope and perseverance after loss and grief, and the triumph of love. Music by Jules Massenet and libretto by Henri Cain. Information is here.
Iris Bohnet and Siri Chilazi discuss their book “Make Work Fair: Data-Driven Design for Real Results” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The Harvard Kennedy School behavioral economist and award-winning author of “What Works” along with the senior researcher at HKS’s Women and Public Policy Program describe their three-part framework for creating and sustaining equity in everyday business practices. Information is here.
Lina Zeldovich reads from “The Living Medicine: How a Lifesaving Cure Was Nearly Lost –and Why It Will Rescue Us When Antibiotics Fail” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free. The author of “The Other Dark Matter: The Science and Business of Turning Waste into Wealth and Health,” discusses her new book about a century-old, antibiotic-free cure for drug-resistant infections and the historical drama of the renegade scientists who discovered the medicine. Boston Globe health and medicine editor Anna Kuchment joins. Information is here.
Revels chantey sing at 7:30 p.m. at The Burren, 247 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $30 to $35. The Revels artist-in-residence and acclaimed baritone chantey man, who’s recorded four solo CDs, leads an evening of chanteys and sea songs, exploring their history and traditions, as part of the Burren’s Brian O’Donovan Legacy Series. Information is here.
Ryan Montbleau (continued) at 8 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $33 to $35. Information is here.
Matt Pond PA at 8 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $20 to $30. Many songs in the 13-album catalog of this Hudson Valley (by way of Philadelphia) band evoke the natural world, just as the lead singer-songwriter’s name does. Also playing: Anya Marina and Bathtub Cig. Information is here.
The Mail and special guests from 8 to 11:30 p.m. at The Lizard Lounge, 1667 Massachusetts Ave., in the Baldwin neighborhood between Harvard and Porter squares, Cambridge. $15 to $18 and 21-plus. Three Boston bands: The Mail’s five members blend folk rock and alternative influences; American Beauties’ music evokes late ’60s and early ’70s West Coast folk-rock bands; Autumn Hollow weaves warm strains of roots rocks. Information is here.
Bachata Room grand reopening from 8 p.m. to midnight at La Fábrica Central, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $15 to $25 and 21-plus. After a monthlong break, Bachata Room kicks off 2025 with Shaggy and Angel from Sensual Movement in New York City teaching two workshops, followed by social dancing to music from DJ Ninrod and DJ Ascends. Information is here.
Re:Set with Derrik Muñoz from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Phoenix Landing, 512 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $10 and 19-plus. The Wednesday Re:Set house and techno night brings the creator of Soirée, one of the longest-lasting party series in Brooklyn, New York. Local vinyl selector Patchwork warms up and visuals by @areyouwellconnected. Information is here.
Thursday, Jan. 30
Thursday Morning Talks: Monica Brady-Myerov on “Building & Expanding a Business from an Expert in Listening” from 10:15 a.m. to noon at Holy Trinity Armenian Church, 145 Brattle St., West Cambridge. $20 or $125 (suggested donations for individual talk or series subscription), and registration is required. Brady-Myerov, a former WBUR senior editor and assistant managing editor, is the founder and chief executive of Listenwise, an award-winning listening skills platform. The January and February lecture series is a fundraiser for Mount Auburn Hospital in its 88th year. Information is here.
Elliot Wolfson reads from “Nocturnal Seeing” from 3 to 5 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 scholar argues that we need to pay more attention to three philosophers – Susan Taubes, Gillian Rose and Edith Wyschogrod – in their work to find the midpoint between hope and hopelessness. Harvard’s Shaul Magid and the University of Montreal’s Bettina Bergo join. Information is here.
Harvard Art Museums at Night from 5 to 9 p.m. in the Calderwood Courtyard at Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. During this recurring event wander exhibits (including the new one by Joana Choumali), catch spotlight tours, browse the shop, enjoy sounds from DJ C-Zone and buy refreshments from Vitamin Sea Brewing and Suya Joint. Information is here.
ArtsThursdays: Cozy Winter Glow from 5 to 9 p.m. at Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., in the Baldwin neighborhood near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, and RSVP preferred. Explore the galleries, create a paper lantern, listen to the Eureka Ensemble, learn from biologists about migratory bird species, explore the science of biofluorescence from specimens that glow under UV light and enjoy free hot chocolate and churros, beverages for purchase and a raffle. Information is here.
Lunar New Year Night Market from 5 to 9 p.m. at Bow Market, 1 Bow Market Way, Union Square, Somerville. Free entry. Enjoy a local AAPI maker market at Upstairs at Bow, a 7 p.m. courtyard performance by NüWa Lion Dance and food and drink specials from Bow Market restaurants. Information is here.
Emily Austin reads from “We Could Be Rats” at 6 p.m. in the lecture hall at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free, but registration is required. The author of “Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead” and the poetry collection “Gay Girl Prayers” discusses her novel about two dissimilar sisters who reconnect by reigniting their shared childhood imagination. Kimm Topping, educator and author of the forthcoming “Generation Queer,” joins. Sponsored with Harvard Book Store. Information is here.
Adulting Made Easier: Group Therapy for Ages 22 to 29 from 6 to 7 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge (and most Thursdays through Mar. 13). $16.50. Six hourlong sessions for emerging adults looking to foster a smoother adjustment into a fulfilling adult life. Information is here.
Members Prize Show opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. at Cambridge Art Association’s Kathryn Schultz Gallery, 25 Lowell St., West Cambridge, and at CAA@University Place, 124 Mount Auburn St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Awards presentation for work submitted by Cambridge Art Association members and juried by Emerson College’s Shana Dumont Garr. The works stay displayed through Apr. 25. Information is here.
“Janiva Ellis: Fear Corroded Ape” exhibition opening reception from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts, level three, 24 Quincy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Reconfiguring imagery from art historical portraiture and landscape conventions, animation and popular culture, the New York City painter narrativizes “white existentialist mythology.” Her starting point for the exhibition, on display through Apr. 6, were “hard-to-resolve paintings” she “continuously reworked, with long breaks in between” during which time the world changed. Information is here.
“Sounds of Medieval Cluny” at 6:30 p.m. at Gund Hall, 42 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but RSVP. The opening of an exhibition celebrating the study of medieval architecture at Harvard includes a talk by curator Christine Smith, a Blue Heron vocal ensemble concert that would have been heard in the Cluny medieval monastery, commentary by musicologist Thomas Forrest Kelly and a reception. Also livestreamed. (For what it’s worth, the exhibit is called “Envisioning Cluny: Kenneth Conant and Representations of Medieval Architecture, 1872–2025.”) Information is here.
Harvard College Opera presents “Cendrillon” (continued) at 7 p.m. at Agassiz Theatre, 5 James St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10 to $20. Information is here.
Vidyan Ravinthiran reads from “Asian/Other: Life, Poems and the Problem of Memoir” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The award-winning author and Harvard professor discusses his book that leaps between memoir and criticism and an understanding of his life through poetry, and vice versa, as it considers identity in its political and psychological senses. Aruni Kashyap, the director of the creative writing program at the University of Georgia, Athens, joins. Information is here.
Helping Cambridge Live Car-light or Car-free Lifestyles at 7 p.m. at Patagonia, 39 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. Green Streets Initiative and Cambridge Bicycle Safety share what’s ahead for both groups regarding safety for cyclists and innovative programs for communities and employers. Early comers can be first at the Otto pizza table and enter a raffle for a new Fifield e-bike. Information is here.
Tyler Wetherall reads from “Amphibian” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free. The journalist and author of “No Way Home: A Memoir of Life on the Run,” discusses her coming-of-age debut novel – with its deft notes of magical realism enhancing desire, precocity and the intensity of early friendships that have the power to upend lives. Joanna Rakoff, author of “My Salinger Year” and “A Fortunate Age,” joins. Information is here.
Poets Peter Bottéas, Ruth C. Chad, Michael McInnis, Vassiliki Rapti and Brad Rose from 7 to 8 p.m. at Grolier Poetry Book Shop, 6 Plympton St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $5 to $10, but register. With an introduction by Gloria Mindock. Information is here.
This Music series from 7 to 10 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $10 to $15. The first set is Gnats, presenting collective improvisation for koto, trumpet, electronics, distressed field recordings and amplified surfaces; the second set is Borys Uzieblo and The Stars, a septet that “goes on spiritual journeys in their performances, exploring vastly contrasting emotions and experiences” and “with every player room to breathe through free improvisation.” Information is here.
Ryan Montbleau (continued) at 8 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $33 to $35. Information is here.
A stronger
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eighties drag brunch is missing the link, think its https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/50890012/80s-drag-brunch-1100am-cambridge-summer-shack-cambridge
cheers!