Thursday, Aug. 7
Cambridge Book Bike from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Anthony Costa Park, 71 Charles St., Cambridge. Free. The Book Bike visits 10 parks over the summer to give away books and run activities for Cambridge children of all ages with the city’s Summer Food program.
Summer Concert Series: Valerio Apuzzo from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Palmer and John F. Kennedy streets, Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The trumpet player, composer and educator from Rome has collaborated with artists such as Miguel Zenón, Ron Carter and Joe Lovano. His musical work ranges from contemporary jazz to creative improvisation. Co-sponsored by Club Passim and the Berklee College of Music.
“History On The Line” exhibition from 6 to 8 p.m. at Nathan Tufts/Powderhouse Park, College Avenue and Broadway, Somerville. A “History Un-Locked” drop-in chat opens the park to the public to celebrate Massachusetts’ 250 years.
“Mom” absurdist circus show about motherhood and art exhibition from 6 to 8:30 p.m. (continuing Aug. 8) at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Spring Hill, Somerville. $35 to $100. Shir Livne presents her solo show on motherhood using circus skills, storytelling and pages upon pages of fiery teenage journals and offers a look at a “Making It Up” collective art show – a collaborative and communal art making activity.
Kate Price reads from “This Happened to Me: A Reckoning” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. A memoir of working with a trauma specialist to recover a history of sexual abuse and trafficking, then of a 10-year collaboration with a journalist to prove the recollections were true – and understand how a parent could do this to their child – before becoming an advocate in service of other vulnerable kids. The Harvard Medical School’s Judith Herman joins.
“This Paranormal Life” comedy podcast at 7:30 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $39 to $85. Comedians Kit Grier Mulvenna and Rory Powers investigate a different paranormal case to try and find the truth inside the mystery. Started in 2017 in a bedroom in London, the show has amassed a cult following with more than 20 million downloads.
Chris Rivelli Trio performs at 7:30 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square in Ward 2, Somerville. Free. Classic, swinging jazz featuring Gregory Groover Jr. on tenor saxophone.
Live Under the Dome: Cliff Notez at 7:30 p.m. at Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, Boston, on the Cambridge border. $20, 18-plus. Cliff Notez has earned more than 11 Boston Music Award nominations, including Best New Artist and Song of the Year, and has been named Best Musician and one of Boston Magazine’s 100 Most Influential Bostonians.
Movies on the Lawn: “Wicked” at 8 p.m. at the Great Lawn at Assembly Row, 399 Revolution Drive, Somerville. Free. This event welcomes families and friends to bring blankets to this outdoor movie. This 2024 movie, starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, is the film adaptation of the first act of the 2003 Broadway musical.
Friday, Aug. 8
Golden Hour Concert Series from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Magazine Beach Park Nature Center, at the river end of Magazine Street, Cambridgeport. Free. This month, Lennie, a singer-songwriter originally from Croatia with a warm, nostalgic take on pop music.
“Mom” absurdist circus show about motherhood and art exhibition (continued) from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Spring Hill, Somerville. $35 to $100.
“When a Woman Ascends the Stairs (Onna ga kaidan wo agaru toki)” film showing at 7 p.m. at the Harvard Film Archive at The Carpenter Center, 24 Quincy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10. Takamine Hideko plays hostess Keiko, who seeks out patronage to support her family and fund her dream of having her own bar. The 1960 35 mm black-and-white film with English subtitles is directed by Naruse Mikio and remains one of his most renowned films.
Outdoor movie night: “To Catch a Thief” from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Kendall/MIT Open Space at 292 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free. Get another look at the 1955 Alfred Hitchcock mystery film starring Cary Grant and Grace Kelly.
The Nova Comedy Collective presents Nebula Night at 8 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Spring Hill, Somerville. $10. Comedians and musicians come together in this showcase.
Somergloom at 8 p.m. at the Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $36. Somergloom is a multiday underground heavy music and arts festival. Tonight’s lineup includes Body Void, The Keening, Lepra, Vudu Sister and Tears from a Grieving Heart.
Beginner swing dance lesson from 8 to 9 p.m. at Boston Swing Central, 26 New St., Suite 3, Cambridge. $15 to $20. Learn the moves while enjoying the music of the Toni Lynn Washington Band.
Mikayla Shirley jazz from midnight to 1 a.m. at The Mad Monkfish, 524 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. Free to enter. Late-night entertainment from a Berklee College of Music student.
Saturday, Aug. 9
Gardening workshop from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on the lawn at the Somerville Public Library, 79 Highland Ave., Central Hill. Free. The library and Green City Growers partner to offer organic hands-on workshops for all ages in a demonstration garden, showing when and what to plant and how to maintain, fertilize and harvest successful crops. Wear comfortable clothes and come ready to get your hands dirty.
Yart Sale from noon to 6 p.m. outside various Somerville homes and spaces (rain date: Aug. 10). Download the map to find locations where fellow citizens sell art pieces, handmade objects, collectibles, art supplies or even band merch from porches, yards and driveways.
Student spotlight tour from 1 to 1:50 p.m. at the Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. A tour led by Harvard students that explore three or four works on view through a theme of the student’s choosing.
“Reclaiming Folk” concert from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free. A celebration and honoring of people of color in folk music, created by singer-songwriter Naomi Westwater. Features original compositions performed by Valeria Orrantia, Anand Nayak and Westwater as well as covers from the musicians who came before.
Surface Play: Exploring Texture, Form and Transformation workshop (continues on Sunday) from 1 to 4 p.m. at Gallery 263, 263 Pearl St., Cambridgeport. $20. Day one of a two-day hands-on sculptural workshop exploring the fundamentals of building form and experimenting with surface. Led by artist Jo Nanajian and open to all skill levels.
Mahjong Tile Club from 1:30 to 5 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square in Ward 2, Somerville. $12.50. A half-hour tutorial and then game play (with beer available to buy).
Introduction to nature monitoring in the city from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at The Growing Center, 22 Vinal Ave., near Union Square, Somerville. Free, but register. Earthwise Aware cofounder Claire O’Neill teaches how to document and help the plant and insect communities of the center. No expertise required but prepare by installing free apps on your phone. (If you don’t have a smart device, you’ll be paired with someone who does.)
Bounce old-school roller skating jam from 3 to 6 p.m. at University Park Commons, 65 Sidney St., Cambridgeport near Central Square, Cambridge. Free, but you must bring your own skates – rentals are not provided. Skate and dance to a soundtrack by DJ Bruno, DJ Dex, Maurice Wilkey, Sumontri, Juuia and Brian Life.
Joan Watson-Jones performs from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $15. Watson-Jones sings jazz with Frank Wilkins as pianist and a rhythm section of Dave Zox and drummer Alvin Terry.
“Doctor Who” Meet up & Social at 6 p.m. at New England Science Fiction Association clubhouse at 504 Medford St., Magoun Square, Somerville. Watch this classic science fiction television series (and be introduced to new episodes) from the BBC with fellow fans.
Swing City Boston Swing Lesson and Dancing from 6:30 p.m. to midnight at the West Cambridge Youth Center, 680 Huron Ave. $20. A one-hour lesson on East Coast/six-step swing followed by social dancing to music from K.S. Sextet, a swing band in Boston. An optional lesson on Charleston footwork, combination steps and styling starts at 6:30 p.m.
“Music Sandwich” from 7:30 to 9:15 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Spring Hill, Somerville. $16. A stacked night of original music and improvised comedy at The Armory’s Rooted Café, this edition features improvised musicals by Silly Love Songs and Moonshine and original music from Somerville band Marzipan.
Somergloom at 8 p.m. at the Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $59. Somergloom is a multiday underground heavy music and arts festival. Tonight’s lineup includes Sumac, Morne, Chepang, Moths, A Monolithic Dome, Cowardice and Chainlacing.
Hubbub Comedy at 8 p.m. at Lamplighter CX, 110 N. First St., North Point, Cambridge. $15 and 21-plus. Write a question at the door and the comics may answer it live on stage.
Outdoor movie night: “The Hangover” from 9 to 11 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square in Ward 2, Somerville. Free. This 2009 movie was the first installment in a trilogy and stars Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Heather Graham, Justin Bartha and Jeffrey Tambor.
Mikayla Shirley jazz from midnight to 1 a.m. at The Mad Monkfish, 524 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. Free to enter. Late-night entertainment from a Berklee College of Music student.
Sunday, Aug. 10
“Emeralds” exhibit from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., in the Baldwin neighborhood near Harvard Square, Cambridge (continuing Mondays through Fridays through Sept. 1). $15 (including access to the attached Peabody Museum). A new, intimate collection of stunning crystals, gemstones and jewelry.
“The Solomon Collection: From Dürer to Degas and Beyond” exhibit from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The exhibition spotlights more than 135 works, including paintings, sculptures, drawings and prints by some of the most significant artists from the Renaissance to the 20th century, including Eugène Delacroix, Théodore Géricault, Gustave Courbet, Claude Monet, Edgar Degas and Paul Cézanne. The exhibit is open Tuesdays to Sundays through Aug. 17.
Queer Romance Book Club at 10:30 a.m. at All She Wrote Books, 75 Washington St., East Somerville. $7, $27 with book. This month’s title: “Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend” by Emma R. Alban.
“Deep Dive: Headquarters of a Revolution” guided tour (continued) 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.
Student spotlight tour from 1 to 1:50 p.m. at the Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. A tour led by Harvard students in the Ho Family Student Guide Program. Tours explore three or four works on view through a theme of each student’s choosing.
Surface Play: Exploring Texture, Form and Transformation workshop from 1 to 4 p.m. at Gallery 263, 263 Pearl St., Cambridgeport. $20. Day two of a two-day hands-on sculptural workshop that explores the fundamentals of building form and experimenting with surface. Led by artist Jo Nanajian and open to all skill levels.
“Summer Clouds (Iwashigumo)” film showing at 3 p.m. at the Harvard Film Archive at The Carpenter Center, 24 Quincy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10. Watsuke (Nakamura Ganjiro), the patriarch of a multigenerational peasant family, resists the shifting tides of modernization. Meanwhile, his headstrong, widowed daughter-in-law, Yae (Awashima Chikage), finds herself caught between Watsuke’s stubbornness and the individualistic careerism of her younger relatives – a divide that is amplified when a married journalist (Kimura Isao), visiting from the city, steals her heart. The 1958 35 mm color film with English subtitles is directed by Naruse Mikio.
Golden Rose Poetry Award: Martha Collins presentation and poetry reading at 3 p.m. at Longfellow House and the Washington’s Headquarters National Historic Site, 105 Brattle St., West Cambridge. Free. The Golden Rose, one of America’s oldest literary prizes, was inaugurated in 1919 by the Second Church of Boston to celebrate May Day by holding a poetry tournament in the style of the French Provençal poets who vied in “Les Jeux Floraux” in the Middle Ages. The New England Poetry Club has chosen Collins, author of 11 poetry books, co-translated five volumes of Vietnamese poetry and is a PEN America award finalist, to be this year’s recipient.
“Attack of the Byrds!” play from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Spring Hill, Somerville. Free. A verse play by Gary Duehr adapted from “The Birds” by Aristophanes – but mashing it up with Alfred Hitchcock’s horror film “The Birds” and songs inspired by the ’60s band the Byrds. This reading features original songs by Jane Burgess Harcourt, sung by Suzanne Boucher and accompanied by Peter Hoffman on guitar.
Monday, Aug. 11
Double Take Exhibit Exploration from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., in the Baldwin neighborhood near Harvard Square, Cambridge (continuing Mondays through Fridays through Aug. 31). $10 to $15. Because there are thousands of objects on display across all four museums that make up the Harvard Museums of Science & Culture, it’s easy to miss things even if they’re right in front of you. This self-paced exploration reveals some details, stories and specimens hidden in plain sight.
“Emeralds” exhibit from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., in the Baldwin neighborhood near Harvard Square, Cambridge (continuing through Sept. 1). $15 (including access to the attached Peabody Museum).
“Deep Dive: Headquarters of a Revolution” guided tour (continued) 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.
A/V Comedy Club: Interactive PowerPoint and Musical Comedy at 6 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. Free. Comedians use technology such as video, PowerPoint and music. Audience members are encouraged to ask questions during this open mic performance.
O’Neill Branch Book Group at 6:30 p.m. at the Cambridge library’s O’Neill Branch, 70 Rindge Ave., North Cambridge. Free. This month, the selection is “Theft” by Abdulrazak Gurnah.
The Dating Game with Boston B-Side from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square in Ward 2, Somerville. Free, 21-plus. An update on the classic 1960s game show, pan and bi bachelors and bachelorettes look for love, exploring through Q&A which person to choose for a meetup.
Jordan Thomas reads from “When It All Burns: Fighting Fire in a Transformed World” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. A firsthand account in a debut book about six months spent with an elite firefighting force called Los Padres Hotshots experiencing some of the most indescribable fires in California. Brown University’s Ieva Jusionyte joins.
Passim Monday Discovery Series: Andrew Victor and Victoria Cardona at 8 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free to $15. Singer-songwriter Victor has shared bills in the United States and Europe with Sharon Van Etten, Lael Neale and Damien Jurado. Singer-songwriter Cardona has toured internationally.
Tuesday, Aug 12
Gallery Talk: “Marks, Stamps, and Tags – Visible Traces of Provenance in the Solomon Collection” from 12:30 to 1 p.m. at the Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Exhibition curator Casey Monahan discusses the visible traces of ownership, or provenance, seen in works in the exhibition “The Solomon Collection: Dürer to Degas and Beyond,” open through Aug. 17.
Angie performs from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Urban Park Roof Garden at Kendall Center, 325 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free. Born and raised in Bogdanci, Macedonia, Angie is an emerging pop-alternative and indie-rock artist, songwriter and composer who blends blues-inspired music with the traditional Macedonian sounds she grew up with.
Pottery with a Purpose Sip & Sculpt from 6 to 8 p.m. at Lamplighter Brewing, 284 Broadway, The Port. $75, and 21-plus. Founder Samantha Hoff provides materials and know-how, and attendees choose air-dry clay or a waterproof and food-safe version of pots to sculpt for variety of purposes.
Makers and Mocktails at 6:30 p.m. on the Great Lawn at Assembly Row, 399 Revolution Drive, Somerville. $55, including a free mocktail. Learn how to paint planters while enjoying mocktails from the Lawn Bar. The class will include painting supplies and a 6-inch terracotta planter pot and saucer.
“Book Moot” discusses “A Far Better Thing” by H.G. Parry at 6:30 p.m. at Pandemonium Books & Games, 4 Pleasant St., Central Square, Cambridge. $5, registration required. In this book set during the French Revolution, Sydney Carton – stolen by the faeries as a child and made a mortal servant of the Faery Realm – has an opportunity for revenge.
Sam Wachman reads from “The Sunflower Boys” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free. In Wachman’s debut novel, 12-year-old Artem lives in Ukraine on his grandfather’s sunflower farm. He is wrestling with romantic feelings for his best friend, Viktor, in a country where love between two boys is unthinkable. Life and priorities change when the Russians invade their community and he must keep himself and younger brother Yuri alive.
James C. O’Connell reads from “Boston and the Making of a Global City” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The author, who teaches city planning and urban affairs at Boston University, traces the historical sweep of Boston from manufacturing in the late 20th century to the knowledge industries that have shaped the city and region of today. He also discusses economic, social and environmental challenges that Boston faces and how it is positioned to confront them. Scott Kirsner joins.
Romance Book Group at 7:15 p.m. at the Cambridge Main Library, Teen Room, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free, but register. This month, the selection is “Done and Dusted” by Lyla Sage.
Screening of short films about rivers from 8 to 9:15 p.m. at the Somerville Community Growing Center, 22 Vinal Ave., near Union Square, Somerville. Free. Outdoor screenings followed by discussion. Tonight’s theme is Urban Pastorals: Connecting Communities.
Wednesday, Aug. 13
Lunchtime Concert Series: Mairead Guy from noon to 1 p.m. at the Urban Park Roof Garden at Kendall Center, 325 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free. Guy is a Boston vocalist, banjoist, guitarist and songwriter. In 2017, they moved to Boston to attend the Berklee College of Music and formed the alt-folk duo Sweet Petunia with fellow Berklee alumna Maddy Simpson.
Gallery Talk: “Gray Area: Compassion and Companionship” from 12:30 to 1 p.m. at the Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Harvard University’s Jeanne Burke discusses “Gray Area,” a new series featuring members of Harvard Art Museums’ staff exploring artworks capturing the complexities of humanity, political landscapes, ethics, ideologies, power dynamics and critical thinking in our times.
Outdoor Concert with Albino Mbie at 6 p.m. at Joan Lorentz Park at 441 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge (in front of the Cambridge Main Library). Free. The jazz musician, singer and composer from Mozambique in southern Africa has a new album, “Mafu.”
Babka Making with Mamaleh’s Delicatessen from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Cambridge Center for Adult Education, 42 Brattle St., Harvard Square. $125. An immersive, hands-on baking experience teaches how to create babka – a treat sometimes described as “part bread, part cake” – from scratch.
Cambridge Sings! Barbershop from 6 to 7 p.m. at Brattle Plaza, Harvard Square, Cambridge (rain date: Aug. 14). Free. Greater Boston’s chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society shows off the historic style of song with its distinct four-part harmony – teaching about the art and offering a chance to visitors to sing with the performers.
Niqisax performs from 6 to 8 p.m. at Regattabar, 1 Bennett St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Niqisax is a Boston saxophonist, flautist and electronic wind instrument player recognized for her soulful tone and dynamic improvisation. She has performed across the United States and internationally, including at the Telluride Jazz Festival, Jazz Education Network Conference, Abravanel Hall, Berklee Performance Center and Radio City Music Hall.
Books and Brews from 6:15 to 7:30 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square in Ward 2, Somerville. Free. Hosted by the Somerville Public Library, this month’s title is “The History of Sound” by Ben Shattuck.
Darién Castro performs at 7 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square in Ward 2, Somerville. Free. The indie pop vocalist and songwriter includes her newest single, “Every Night in My Dreams,” created in collaboration with Grammy-nominated Brent Kolatalo.
Hub Comics “Book Clhub” at 7 p.m. at Hub Comics, 19 Bow St., Union Square, Somerville. Free, but bring a copy of the book with you. August’s title: “Dias de Consuelo” by Dave Ortega.
Michael M. Weinstein reads from “Saint Consequence” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free. In Weinstein’s debut poetry collection, he examines experiences spanning gender transition, chronic illness and disability to explore the tensions between public perception and private truth. K. Iver joins.
Poets M.P. Carver, Steven Cramer and J.D. Scrimgeour 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 Eileen Cleary.
Screen on the Green: “Moana 2” from 7:15 to 9:30 p.m. at Donnelly Field (Berkshire and York streets), East Cambridge (rain site: Frisoli Youth Center, 61 Willow St.) Free. Bring a picnic blanket and favorite snacks to see this 2024 animated film from Walt Disney Animation Studios.
Thursday, Aug. 14
“Illuminate: Contextualizing Asian American Women’s Stories through the Archives” curator-led tour from noon to 12:45 p.m. at the Poorvu Gallery in the Schlesinger Library in Radcliffe Yard, 3 James St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. A tour led by curator Victor Betts.
Pickleball basics from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Urban Park Roof Garden at Kendall Center, 325 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. Learn pickleball basics at this pop-up tutorial, which will run every half hour. Space for each slot is limited. This program is aimed at new players.
Cambridge Sings! Pan in the Park from 5 to 8 p.m. at Jill Brown-Rhone Park, near Central Square, Cambridge (rain date: Aug. 21). Free. This event showcases Cambridge Youth Steel Orchestra and the folkloric tradition of pan music as well as a DJ.
Summer Concert Series: Zara from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Palmer and John F. Kennedy streets, Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The Armenian Canadian jazz and folk singer-songwriter blends introspective storytelling with rich harmonies. A participant on the popular French Canadian TV show, “Star Académie” in 2021, she is set to release her debut album in 2025. Co-sponsored by Club Passim and the Berklee College of Music.
Throwback Thursday Movie Night: “Pretty in Pink” at 6 p.m. at the Urban Park Roof Garden at Kendall Center, 325 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free. This 1986 Gen X classic stars Molly Ringwald, Jon Cryer and Andrew McCarthy in this romantic comedy.
Live Music on the Lawn: Preston Lydotes performs from 6 to 8 p.m. at Assembly Row, 355 Artisan Way, Assembly Square, Somerville. Free. The singer-songwriter with a folk-rock edge says he is inspired by Coldplay, the indie grit of The Backseat Lovers and the poetic wit of Phoebe Bridgers. He performs from his debut EP “Is There Anyone?”
After Dark Series: AI and Discovery from 6 to 9 p.m. at MIT Museum, 314 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. $10 to $20 and 21-plus. Talk with cutting-edge researchers using AI to create life-saving medicines, explore a mind-blowing tool using Wi-Fi to “see” through walls and lend a hand to scientists training AI to understand puppy behavior. Dumplings from Mei Mei and local brews from Arlington Brewing are available for purchase.
“Reefer Madness!” at 7 p.m. (and repeating Aug. 15 and 16 and Aug. 21 to 23) at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $25. This musical comedy inspired by the 1936 film and performed by Moonstruck Theater Company shows the results of clean-cut kids falling prey to marijuana: a downward spiral filled with jazz music, sex and violence.
A Tribute to the Three Kings of the Blues: Celebrating The Music of B.B., Albert and Freddie King at 7 p.m. at The Burren, 247 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $25 to $30. Featured performers include guitarist Peter Parcek, blues guitarist and singer-songwriter Danielle Miraglia and Diane Blue.
Scott Ellsworth reads from “Midnight on the Potomac: The Last Year of the Civil War, the Lincoln Assassination, and the Rebirth of America” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Using research, Ellsworth tells a story of the last year of Lincoln’s life and the misconceptions that John Wilkes Booth may have acted alone in the assassination of the president. Novelist and Emerson educator Steve Yarbrough joins.
Pub sing from 7 to 10 p.m. at café at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville (and the second Thursday of each month). Free. A pub-style sing-along at which anyone is welcome to lead – drinking songs, sea chanteys and any song with a singable chorus will be appreciated!
Oscar Hall and Emi McSwain perform at 8 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $20 to $23. Indie singer-songwriter Hall is preparing to release his second album in 2026 after a five-year hiatus, when indie singer-songwriter McSwain releases her debut.
Pre-Party: Boston Salsa Festival from 8 p.m. to midnight at Dante Alighieri Society Center, 41 Hampshire St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. $20. This Latin dance social kicks off the Boston Salsa Festival, held in Boston Aug. 14-17.
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