Thursday, July 17
Cambridge Book Bike from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Danehy Park, 99 Sherman St., in Neighborhood 9 just east of Fresh Pond, Cambridge Free. The Book Bike visits 10 parks over the summer to give away books and run activities for children of all ages in conjunction with the city’s Summer Food program.
Emerging Artists exhibit from noon to 4 p.m. at CAA@Canal, 650 E. Kendall St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free. A show juried by Jameson Johnson of the Boston Art Review up through Sept. 12.
“All Stars: The Sensational History of Athletics as Entertainment” exhibit from noon to 12:45 p.m. at Houghton Library, at Quincy and Harvard streets in Harvard Yard, Cambridge. Free, but register. Curators Matthew Wittmann and Karintha Lowe of the Harvard Theatre Collection discuss their exhibition of the wild period before athletes went professional, when boundaries between sport, theater, and spectacle were blurred. The curators will point out highlights from the materials on display during a guided tour.
Summer Concert Series: Izzie Bannister from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Palmer and John F. Kennedy streets, Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Bannister, blending jazz, R&B and pop, released her first single, “Unavailable” in April. Co-sponsored by Club Passim and the Berklee College of Music.
CX Summer Nights: Rijah and Zola Simone perform from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at The Common at CX, 320 Morgan Ave., North Point, Cambridge. Free. Part of the summer concert series in June, July and August, this event features live music by 2021 Album of the Year Boston Music Awards-nominated Simone (for her debut album, “Now You See Me”) and Rijah brings light jazz, a husky voice and picaresque tunes to the mix.
Throwback Thursday movie night: “Flubber” from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Urban Park Roof Garden at Kendall Center, 325 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free. This 1997 movie starring Robin Williams follows a professor who invents a bouncy and fun substance. The film was a box office success grossing $178 million worldwide.
Live Music on The Lawn: Kooked Out performs from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Great Lawn at Assembly Row, 399 Revolution Drive, Somerville. Free. A blend of indie, surf-pop, alternative, punk and reggae.
“The Princess Bride” screening from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Somerville Public Library, 79 Highland Ave., Central Hill. Free. Watch this funny romantic adventure film about gallant suitors and helpful giants featuring classic lines such as “As you wish” and “My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.” Refreshments will be served.
Laura Poppick reads from “Strata: Stories from Deep Time” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Poppick takes the reader through the stories of our planet’s 4.5-billion-year history written in strata, seen in ages-old remnants of ancient sea floors, desert dunes and riverbeds striping landscapes around the world.
Lawrence Millman reads from “Drinks with God” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free. In this satirical look at Biblical figures, Lawrence Millman reimagines god as a celestial klutz, Jesus as weirdo and other figures from Noah to satan in new ways.
Blues Union dances from 7 to 11 p.m. at Dance Union, 16 Bow St., Union Square, Somerville. $10 to $25. A lesson in the first hour, then an hour to socialize, rest or practice with a partner before two hours of social dancing. Wear shoes that allow you to pivot; no need to bring a partner.
Atomic Comedy Indie Improv Night from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at the café at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. Free, but register. An independently produced monthly improv show featuring new and veteran talent.
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, keyboardist and composer Bryant presents improvised music with Eric Barber (saxophones), Stephen Haynes (cornet, flugelhorn), Kit Demos (bass) and Curt Newton (drums).
Friday, July 18
“Deep Dive: Headquarters of a Revolution” guided tour at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. at Longfellow House and the Washington’s Headquarters National Historic Site, 105 Brattle St., West Cambridge (every Sunday, Monday, Friday and Saturday through Oct. 27). Free. Explore general George Washington’s first headquarters of the American Revolution, which celebrates its 250th anniversary this year.
Emerging Artists exhibit (continued) from noon to 4 p.m. at CAA@Canal, 650 E. Kendall St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free.
Lupe Fiasco’s “Ghotiing” works at 12:15 p.m. at the List Visual Arts Center, 20 Ames St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. A public art tour inspired by the field recording collaboration between the Massachusetts Institute of Technology List arts center and Grammy-winning rapper and MIT visiting scholar.
Gallery Talk: “Monsters of the Deep” from 2 to 2:30 p.m. at the MIT Museum, 314 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free with museum admission. Join an exhibition curator for a tour to see how sailors, scholars and everyday people turned monsters into mammals. Other tour dates: July 25, Aug. 8, Aug. 22.
Outdoor movie night: “Flow” from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Kendall/MIT Open Space at 292 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free. This Academy Award-nominated animated feature follows a group of animal characters who band together after an apocalyptic flood sweeps across their land. It was one of our top 10 films from 2024.
Golden Hour Concert Series from 6 to 8 p.m. at Mass Audubon Nature Center at Magazine Beach, 668 Memorial Drive, Cambridgeport. Free. Indie folk singer-songwriter Anna Vtipil incorporates layered vocals, guitar, piano, violin and cello into her songs. Her debut album, “Anyone to You” was released in May 2024.
Her Sister performs from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Spring Hill, Somerville. Free. Sister duo Adina Lilly Aaron and Sela Aaron share original songs with an ethereal, folky essence.
Raphael Bob-Waksberg reads from “Someone Who Will Love You in All Your Damaged Glory” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Raphael Bob-Waksberg, creator and executive producer of the hit Netflix animated series “Bojack Horseman” brings an off-beat collection of short stories about love. One of his stories includes a young engaged couple forced to deal with interfering relatives dictating the appropriate number of ritual goat sacrifices for their wedding.
Yoko Miwa Trio performs from 7 to 8:15 and 8:45 to 10 p.m. at The Mad Monkfish, 524 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. Free, but $25 food-and-drink minimum. The Japan-born jazz pianist performs with Brad Barrett (acoustic bass) and Scott Goulding (drums).
Somerville Art Fair from 7 to 9 p.m. at Bow Market, 1 Bow Market Way, Union Square, Somerville. Free. With a studio showcase featuring painter Maggie Cedarstrom and potter Larisa Ovalles.
Cambridge Chamber Ensemble presents “Thomas and Sally” (continues on Saturday and Sunday) at 7:30 p.m. at Multicultural Arts Center, 41 Second St., East Cambridge. $8 to $45. Thomas Arne’s 1760 chamber opera was the first English comic opera to be sung throughout. It tells the story a sailor and his love contemplating his upcoming voyage and the wealthy squire courting her.
“Hello from the Magic Tavern: The Ten Year Tour” at 7:30 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Spring Hill, Somerville. $45. The improvised comedy podcast “Hello from the Magic Tavern” celebrates its 10th anniversary with a live recording.
Jam session with saxophonist Andy Voelker from 10 p.m. to midnight at The Mad Monkfish, 524 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. Free. The improviser and composer brings along members from a rotating rhythm section of local greats.
Saturday, July 19
LEAP Lab: Wind Power from 11 a.m. to noon at the Kendall/MIT Open Space at 292 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free. Learn how to harness electricity from the wind by building a miniature wind turbine that you can take home. Explore the physics behind wind energy and measure the power output of your turbine in a wind tunnel.
Pet Science Fair from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the MIT Museum, 314 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free with museum admission. The scientists at Darwin’s Ark, a community science nonprofit engaging dogs and cats in scientific discovery, studied to find out why your pet does that one “weird” thing. You can ask an expert researcher about the evolutionary mysteries behind your pet’s quirks and create your own pet enrichment puzzle.
“Deep Dive: Headquarters of a Revolution” guided tour at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. at Longfellow House and the Washington’s Headquarters National Historic Site, 105 Brattle St., West Cambridge (continuing every Sunday, Monday, Friday and Saturday through Oct. 27). Free.
ArtBeat from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. in Davis Square, Somerville (rain date: Sunday). Free. Artists and performers showcase work based on this year’s theme: freeze. The streets will be filled from noon to 7 p.m. with craft, community and food vendors, after which music continues in Seven Hills Park until 9 p.m.; there will be art installations, two stages of music, performances at Statue Park and a dance showcase at the Somerville Theatre. Information is here.
Cambridge Chamber Ensemble presents “Thomas and Sally” (continued) at 3 and 7:30 p.m. at the Multicultural Arts Center, 41 Second St., East Cambridge. $8 to $45.
Exhibition reception for Jana Edele from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. in the café at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Spring Hill, Somerville. Free. Jana Edele (J’Art) is a Massachusetts-based visual artist working in painting, epoxy resin and hand-painted glassware. Her exhibition is open through Aug. 13.
Mercury Orchestra performs Strauss and Beethoven at 8 p.m. at the Sanders Theatre, 45 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. $25 to $30. The Mercury Orchestra performs Strauss’ “Eine Alpensinfonie,” TrV 233, Op. 64 (the “Alpine Symphony”) and Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58.
Outdoor Movie Night: “School of Rock” at 9 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square in Ward 2, Somerville. Free. In this 2003 Jack Black film, a struggling guitarist poses as a substitute teacher at a prep school after being fired from his band. After seeing the musical talent of the students, he forms a band of fifth graders to try to win a Battle of the Bands to use his winnings to pay his rent.
Sunday, July 20
Breakfast Book Club from 10:30 a.m. to noon at All She Wrote Books, 75 Washington St., East Somerville. $7, or $26 with book. “The Golden Girls” sitcom went off the air in 1992 after seven years, but Blanche, Dorothy, Rose and Sophia live on in a new cozy mystery book series. This club meeting explores the first: “Murder by Cheesecake” by Rachel Ekstrom Courage.
“Deep Dive: Headquarters of a Revolution” guided tour at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. at Longfellow House and the Washington’s Headquarters National Historic Site, 105 Brattle St., West Cambridge (continuing every Sunday, Monday, Friday and Saturday through Oct. 27). Free.
Ice Cream Day summer Sundays celebration from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Cambridge library’s O’Neill Branch, 70 Rindge Ave., North Cambridge. Free. Celebrate National Ice Cream Day with soft serve from Frosty Ice Cream. Listen to some summer tunes and learn about all-ages summer reading at the library.
“A Wife’s Heart (Tsuma no Kokoro) film showing at 3 p.m. at Harvard Film Archive at The Carpenter Center, 24 Quincy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10. Husband and wife Shinji and Kiyoko want to open a small café that will take all the money they have, but life has other plans. The 1956 35 mm black-and-white film with English subtitles is directed by Naruse Mikio.
Cambridge Chamber Ensemble presents “Thomas and Sally” (continued) at 3 p.m. at Multicultural Arts Center, 41 Second St., East Cambridge. $8 to $45.
Diannely Antigua and Stephanie Burt poetry at 3 p.m. at Longfellow House and the Washington’s Headquarters National Historic Site, 105 Brattle St., West Cambridge. Free. A New England Poetry Club reading with Antigua, the 13th poet laureate of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and the youngest and first person of color to get the title. Burt was called in 2012 “one of the most influential poetry critics of her generation” by New York Times.
GottaBal! Dance from 4 to 8 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Spring Hill, Somerville. Free. A DJ hosts a monthly dance event featuring Balboa, a swing dance style that originated in Southern California in the 1930s and is danced to faster tempos than Lindy Hop. Dancers should bring separate shoes with leather or suede soles.
Craft Café from 6 to 8 p.m. at Bow Market, 1 Bow Market Way, Union Square, Somerville. Free. Bring a project to create with other crafters.
Allan Chase Trio from 6:20 to 7:50 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $10. The jazz saxophonist and composer brings his Standards Project – a set of rarely heard songs – to this intimate setting. Nate Radley is on guitar and John Sullivan on bass.
“Yearning (Midareru) film showing at 7 p.m. at Harvard Film Archive at The Carpenter Center, 24 Quincy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10. War widow Reiko (Takamine Hideko) finds herself at odds with her late husband’s family. For her performance as Reiko, Takamine Hideko won the Locarno Film Festival’s Best Actress award. The 1964 35 mm black and white film with English subtitles is directed by Naruse Mikio.
Joe Hunt Group performs from 8:30 to 10 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge (and the third Sunday of every month). $15. Live modern jazz, usually paying tribute to a certain composer or performer.
Monday, July 21
Kamishibai storytelling with Yumi Izuyama at 11 a.m. at Somerville Public Library, 79 Highland Ave., Central Hill (and repeating Tuesday). Free. Kamishibai – paper theater – is a traditional form of Japanese street theater and storytelling; author-illustrator Izuyama uses her original art to tell folktales from around the world, bringing them to life for families with young children.
“Deep Dive: Headquarters of a Revolution” guided tour at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. at Longfellow House and the Washington’s Headquarters National Historic Site, 105 Brattle St., West Cambridge (continuing every Sunday, Monday, Friday and Saturday through Oct. 27). Free.
Lisa S. Gardiner reads from “Reefs of Time: What Fossils Reveal about Coral Survival” from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free, or $35 with book. Expeditions to tropical locales by the geoscientist and educator illustrate the latest science on learning from the past to help the future of aquatic organisms.
Butoh dance class from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at SomArt@The Hive, 561 Windsor St., Suite 401a, Somerville (and every Monday). $10. Instructor Sara June encourages students to find and embrace movement in the avant-garde movement form. Dancers at all levels are welcome.
Open Mic Night from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at The Cantab Lounge, 738 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. Free, and 21-plus. Singers, poets, comedians and storytellers are welcome to showcase their talents.
Joseph Lee reads from “Nothing More of This Land: Community, Power and the Search for the Indigenous Identity” at 7 p.m. at the Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, Boston, on the Cambridge border. Free, with registration. Journalist Lee draws from his roots as a member of the Aquinnah Wampanoag tribe on Martha’s Vineyard to look at Indigenous communities across the globe.
Sci-fi/Fantasy Book Club at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free. This month’s title: “Will of the Many” by James Islington.
Elan Mehler Trio from 7 to 8 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge (and every Monday). $15. A jazz pianist and composer who’s released 11 albums performs with Max Ridley and Dor Herskovits.
FutureDrama at 7:30 p.m. at The Comedy Studio in the basement at 5 John F. Kennedy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $12. The Nova Comedy Collective explores misgivings and existential dread about the future in a tongue-in-cheek way and using interviews, improv and sketch to tackle issues related to technology, society, and what lies ahead. Each show centers around a theme such as data privacy, AI in the workplace or the future of marketing and uses comedy to speculate about their impact.
Tuesday, July 22
“The Caribbean: Sea of Resilience” exhibit from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Tuesdays through Fridays through Aug. 22) at Houghton Library, at Quincy and Harvard streets in Harvard Yard, Cambridge. Free. This exhibit examines Houghton’s holdings of Caribbean materials, shedding light on stories overshadowed by colonialism. Guest curated by Chloe McKain, president of the Harvard Caribbean Club.
Cambridge Book Bike from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Gold Star Mother’s Park, 123 Gore St., East Cambridge. Free. The Book Bike visits 10 parks over the summer to give away books and run activities for children of all ages in conjunction with the city’s Summer Food program.
Kamishibai Storytelling with Yumi Izuyama (continued) at 2 p.m. at Cambridge library’s O’Connell Branch, 48 Sixth St., East Cambridge. Free.
Summer nights paddling from 4:45 to 8 p.m. at the Nature Center at Magazine Beach, 668 Memorial Drive, Cambridgeport. Free, but register and 12-plus. This guided ecotour by kayak welcomes paddlers of all abilities. Gear is provided, and the program begins with beginner paddler instruction.
Summer Concert Series: Nora Meier and Grace Givertz from 6 to 8 p.m. at Danehy Park, just behind the entrance at 99 Sherman St., in Neighborhood 9 just east of Fresh Pond, Cambridge. Free. Folk-pop singer Nora Meier’s debut album “Outfield” came out in late 2024; indie-folk musician Grace Givertz’s debut album “Year of the Horse” came out in 2019. Co-sponsored with Club Passim.
Makers and Mocktails: Fragrance Workshop at 6:30 p.m. on the Great Lawn at Assembly Row, 399 Revolution Drive, Somerville. $55, including a free mocktail. Learn how to craft a custom summer fragrance from perfumer and founder of Pine 617 Maegan Cruz while enjoying mocktails from the Lawn Bar.
The Moth story slam from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Spring Hill, Somerville. $17.50. This monthly open-mic storytelling competition is open to anyone who can share a five-minute tale on the night’s theme – this time, “Denial.” Willful ignorance, white lies, skimming the truth, or finally getting the courage to approach that person and getting a flat out “no.” Delusions and revisionist history too.
Jessa Crispin reads from “What Is Wrong with Men: Patriarchy, the Crisis of Masculinity, and How (Of Course) Michael Douglas Films Explain Everything” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Crispin examines how the rules of how to be a man changed and Douglas, through his roles in the 1980s and ’90s as a president, a Wall Street power broker, failed husband and police officer, revealed anxieties around women, money and power. WBUR’s Emiko Tamagawa joins.
Nicky Gonzalez reads from “Mayra” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free. Gonzalez celebrates the release of her debut novel, a tale of early childhood friendship and a reunion in adulthood, rife with past disagreements. Writer Claire Luchette joins.
Bluesy Tuesy social dance from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. at New England Science Fiction Association clubhouse at 504 Medford St., Magoun Square, Somerville (and every Tuesday). $5 to $25. DJs play at this weekly partner blues dance event that includes a lesson for beginners in the first hour. This week, it’s fusion night.
Wednesday, July 23
“The Caribbean: Sea of Resilience” exhibit (continuing) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Tuesdays through Fridays through Aug. 22) at Houghton Library, at Quincy and Harvard streets in Harvard Yard, Cambridge. Free.
Midday Music: DJ Knszwrth from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Kendall/MIT Open Space at 292 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free. DJ Knszwrth plays soulful, jazzy and international tunes.
Lunchtime Concert Series: Jake Jarvis from noon to 1 p.m. at the Urban Park Roof Garden at Kendall Center, 325 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free. The Boston singer-songwriter writes about the current state of the world and being a young person in their 20s.
Emerging Artists exhibit (continued) from noon to 4 p.m. at CAA@Canal, 650 E. Kendall St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free.
Evan Fort jazz from 6 to 8 p.m. at Regattabar, 1 Bennett St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. A pianist, composer, arranger and producer in his last year at the Berklee College of Music.
“Unforgettable Swing: A Tribute to Frank Sinatra & Nat King Cole” at 7 p.m. at The Mad Monkfish, 524 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $10. Pianist Davide Ceretta is joined by Youngchae Jeong on the upright bass and Antonio Cerfeda on drums for this tribute.
An evening with documentary filmmaker Mike Davidson at 7 p.m. at Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, Boston, on the Cambridge border. Free, with registration. The documentary filmmaker and TV presenter behind “How Did They Fix That?” brings to life the stories behind some of the most remarkable science, engineering and technology breakthroughs featured in his hit series.
“3 Songwriters in Boston” at 7 p.m. at The Middle East Upstairs, 472 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $20 to $25. Danielle Miraglia, David Redd, Matt Borrello share the stage. Miraglia’s “Bright Shining Stars” debuted as the No. 15 top blues album on Billboard charts. Indie artist Redd released his debut indie rock album, “Somewhere Else,” in 2020. Borrello, released a collection of original folk and classic rock singer, “Lonesome Valley” in 2022.
Emily & The Galaxy perform at 7 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square in Ward 2, Somerville. Free. Emily incorporates the violin in her original songs and plays funk-fusion covers by artists such as Lindsey Stirling and Noel Pointer.
Kate Russo reads from “Until Alison” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free. In this thriller, investigative journalist Rachel Nardelli looks into the death of her childhood rival at the same place the girls said goodbye to each other back in eighth grade. Pulitzer-winning dad Richard Russo joins for the conversation.
The Cambridge Moth Ball for National Moth Week from 7 to 10 p.m. at Kingsley Park near the Water Department facility at 250 Fresh Pond Parkway, in West Cambridge at Fresh Pond Reservation. Free and all ages, but register. Learn how to attract, photograph and ID moths, explore them up close and share the data and photos with researchers. No experience required. Festivities include a talk by a local moth expert, moth lures live moths.
Tamar Korn and Kyle Morgan album release at 8 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $20 to $22. Korn and Morgan sing a style of close harmony drawing on country classics such as The Carter Family and Patsy Cline and more modern folk from Leonard Cohen and The Staple Singers. Their debut LP, “Darkening Green,” will be out Aug. 15.
Thursday, July 24
“The Caribbean: Sea of Resilience” exhibit (continuing) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Tuesdays through Fridays through Aug. 22) at Houghton Library, at Quincy and Harvard streets in Harvard Yard, Cambridge. Free.
Cambridge Book Bike from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Sennott Park (Broadway at Norfolk Street, near Central Square, Cambridge). Free. The Book Bike visits 10 parks over the summer to give away books and run activities for Cambridge children of all ages in conjunction with the city’s Summer Food program.
Emerging Artists exhibit (continued) from noon to 4 p.m. at CAA@Canal, 650 E. Kendall St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free.
Beer Garden pop-up with Lamplighter Brewing from 4:30 to 9 p.m. at the Urban Park Roof Garden at Kendall Center, 325 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. $5 and 21-plus. It’s one beer token per online $5 donation at these events running monthly through October. Proceeds of go to a local charity.
Summer Concert Series: Adia Clark Lay from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Palmer and John F. Kennedy streets, Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The singer-songwriter and Berklee College of Music student plays a blend of indie, folk and country. Co-sponsored by Club Passim and the Berklee College of Music.
Gary Shteyngart reads from “Vera, or Faith: A Novel” at 6 p.m. at The Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $35 including book. Shteyngart tells the story of the struggling Bradford-Shmulkin family through the eyes of 10-year-old daughter Vera, who wants three things in life: to make a friend at school, to keep her parents together and to meet her birth mother, who will tell Vera the secret of who she really is. Novelist Tom Perrotta joins.
“Serialously with Annie Elise” true-crime podcast from 6:30 to 10 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Spring Hill, Somerville. $38. The true-crime podcaster covers cult leaders and serial killers like them all, but her angle is to navigate the genre with empathy, prioritizing victims’ stories and families’ experiences, and she purports to raise awareness and educate.
Henri Cole reads from “The Other Love: Poems” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Henri Cole, winner of the Award of Merit Medal in Poetry from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, discusses his newest book, a reflection on aging and the passing of time. Poet Sandra Lim joins.
Porter Square Books presents “Under the Radar with Callie Crossley” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free. The radio and podcast host interviews Allison King, author of “The Phoenix Pencil Company” – a debut novel in which Monica Tsai helps her grandmother, Yun, reunite with a cousin she lost during World War II and uncovers secrets about special abilities and the people who want to abuse those abilities.
Poets Krysten Hill, Heather Nelson and Tom Snarsky from 7 to 8 p.m. at Grolier Poetry Book Shop on 6 Plympton St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $5 to $10, but register. With an introduction by Tom Daley.
Comedy Studio presents “Laughs on the Lawn” from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Great Lawn at Assembly Row, 399 Revolution Drive, Somerville. Free. Comedy stand-up from The Comedy Studio with headliners Kindra Lansburg and Dan Crohn, featuring Troy Burditt. (Another “Laughs on the Lawn” is Aug. 21.)
Hank Wonder performs at 8 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $25. Hank Wonder is the Boston-based trio of Annie Bartlett (fiddle and viola), Darren Buck (vocals) and Michael Loria (guitar). Together since 2013, they craft a soulful blend of Americana and classic country.
This post was updated July 17, 2025, to correct that there is no Lupe Fiasco performance this week.
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