Thursday, Sept. 11
Ukulele Jam from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Cambridge Center for Adult Education, 42 Brattle St., Harvard Square. Free. An outdoor jam with CCAE students and members of the ukulele community, led by Amy Kucharik and past class masters cranking out the hits from 1920 to 2023. All skill levels are welcome. Bring a uke or borrow one of ours.
Collins Branch Book Club at 6 p.m. at the Cambridge Public Library Collins Branch, 64 Aberdeen Ave., West Cambridge. Free. This month’s title: “What We Remember Will Be Saved: A story of refugees and the things they carry” by Stephanie Saldaña.
“Downton Abbey” Trivia at 6 p.m. at Clover Food Lab, 496 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge. Free. A fan gathering to celebrate “The Grand Finale,” a film presumably capping the “Downton Abbey” TV and film series that arrives in theaters Sept. 12. Scones and a test of series knowledge with a chance to win $100 in food at the vegetarian chain.
After Dark Series: Spacetime from 6 to 9 p.m. at The MIT Museum, 314 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. $10 to $20 and 21-plus. MIT physicists share stories about the quest to confirm Einstein’s theory of general relativity, the science of gravitational waves and what these discoveries are revealing about the nature of our universe. Experience hands-on demos and activities with researchers exploring Ligo – the instrument that first detected gravitational waves.
Somerville Poetry Workshop from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Spring Hill, Somerville (and continuing Sept. 18 and 25 and Oct. 2). Flexible pricing. Each session begins with two city poets or summer poems; classes end with 20-minute readings by visiting poets. Topics include form, line, structure and generative writing.
Amanda Uhle reads from “Destroy This House: A Memoir” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. A debut memoir about a chaotic childhood teetering between wealth and poverty with a mother who hoarded and a scheming father. Executive director of Mass Poetry Daniel Johnson joins.
Lesley Bannatyne reads from “Lake Song” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge. $23 with book. A backdrop of historical events – bootlegging, Klan attacks, gold smuggling, the Albany Ketchup Murders, the 1965 Northeast blackout – illustrates a decades-old mystery of missing 10-year-old Angus Epps in the fictional town of Kinder Falls. Harvard playwright Talaya Delaney joins.
“Silent Sky” play at 7:30 p.m. at Central Square Theater, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge (and continuing through Oct. 5). $27 to $103. Lauren Gunderson’s female-led science drama tells the true story of 19th century astronomer Henrietta Leavitt as she explores a woman’s place in society during a time of immense scientific discoveries. With music and math, Henrietta and her female peers change the way we understand both the heavens and the Earth.
The 7 Fingers presents “Passengers” at 7:30 p.m. at the American Repertory Theater’s Loeb Mainstage, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge (and continuing through Sept. 26). $35 to $158. Montréal’s acclaimed contemporary physical-theater troupe The 7 Fingers brings a theatrical journey in which passengers on a train don’t sit in silence staring at their phones – they express hopes and dreams through a seemingly superhuman blend of cirque, music and dance skills.
Kenny Barron performs at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. at Regattabar, 1 Bennett St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $45 to $55. Honored by The National Endowment for the Arts as a 2010 jazz master and a consistent winner of critic and reader polls, including in DownBeat, JazzTimes and Jazziz magazines.
Scottish Fish perform at 8 p.m. at the Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $36. Described as “one of the most energetic and creative acts to take root in the local Celtic music scene this century” by Boston Irish Reporter Sean Smith, Scottish Fish present a fresh take on traditional and contemporary Scottish and Cape Breton music.
Biribá Union performs at 8 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $28 to $30. Biribá Union features Mike Block (cello, vocals), Christylez Bacon (beatbox, guitar, rhymes) and Patricia Ligia (electric bass, vocals). Their music draws on the freestyle theatrics of hip-hop and go-go music; the effortless beauty of Brazilian forró and choro; the earthiness of American roots music and the improvisational spontaneity of jazz.
Friday, Sept. 12
Outdoor Movie Night: “Moana” from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Kendall/MIT Open Space at 292 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. Moana (voiced by Auli’i Cravalho) is a 16-year-old girl living on a beautiful island in ancient Polynesia when a threat is caused by the demigod Maui that could mean doom for her and her people. She ventures out to sea to find Maui (voiced by Dwayne Johnson) and save her island.
Patricia Wild reads from “Strands: An Apprenticeship with Grief and Loss” at 6:30 p.m. at the Somerville Community Growing Center, 22 Vinal Ave., near Union Square, Somerville. Free. The local author launches her memoir about her life as a storyteller, Quaker leader, spiritual teacher and activist.
“Hackers” 30th anniversary screening and pre-party at 7 p.m. at the Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square. $25 to $30. A teenage hacker finds himself framed for the theft of millions of dollars from a major corporation. A killer cast: Jonny Lee Miller, Angelina Jolie, Jesse Bradford, Matthew Lillard, Laurence Mason, Renoly Santiago, Lorraine Bracco and Fisher Stevens. Pre-party starts at 7 p.m. with viewing beginning at 8 p.m.
M.L. Rio reads from “Hot Wax” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. In 1989, 10-year-old Suzanne is the only witness to a desperate act of violence while on a concert tour with her father and spends the next 29 years trying to disappear – then is forced to take action on a raucous road trip and chase. Author Daphne Kalotay joins.
“Those Who Question” season launch at 7 p.m. at the Longy School of Music, Pickman Hall, 27 Garden St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. Hear works from Webern to Björk, John Cage to Niloufar Nourbakhsh born from curiosity and resistance.
The Arab Blues performs from 7 to 10 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Spring Hill, Somerville. $36 to $40. Rami Gabriel (Lebanese Egyptian oud and guitar) and Karim Nagi (percussion) take inspiration from the canon of classical Arab compositions and improvisational techniques.
Synth-tember opening reception from 7 to 11 p.m. at the New Alliance Gallery, 438R Somerville Ave., in Ward 2 near Union Square, Somerville. Free. An annual event series at the intersection of art and science curated by Allison Tanenhaus and Jess Baggia. This year’s exhibition is “Deviations.” Performances include the official album release of This Bliss’ “Grave of Sound,” DJing by A.C. Wiley and comedian Eugene Mirman.
The 7 Fingers presents “Passengers” (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at the American Repertory Theater’s Loeb Mainstage, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge (and continuing through Sept. 26). $35 to $158.
“Silent Sky” play (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at the Central Square Theater, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge (and continuing through Oct. 5). $27 to $103.
Blues on the Corner: McCoy Tyner Legacy Band featuring Francisco Mela, Gerald Cannon at 7:30 p.m. at Regattabar, 1 Bennett St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $30 to $42. Drummer Francisco Mela joins with bassist and Gerald Cannon to pay tribute to their legendary mentor and former bandleader, McCoy Tyner. Rounding out an all-star trio is Venezuelan American pianist Benito Gonzalez. Tenor titan George Garzone is a featured guest.
Comedy with Mario Adrion at 9:30 p.m. at The Comedy Studio, 5 John F. Kennedy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $25. The stand-up and YouTuber from Germany has been featured by Vogue, Fox, ABC and “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” and you also might know him from challenging Katy Perry to a catwalk battle on “American Idol” while wearing a Speedo.
Saturday, Sept. 13
Gardening workshop from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on the lawn at the Somerville Public Library, 79 Highland Ave., Central Hill. Free. 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. Sponsored by the library and Green City Growers.
Leap Lab: Composted Images from 11 a.m. to noon at the Kendall/MIT Open Space at 292 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free. A collage-making workshop using sun, soil and cut paper that begins with a scavenger hunt for shapes, colors and details. Artist Coco Allred teaches the process of composting and considers how creating a picture can break down found materials into new forms.
Community celebration from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Seven Hills Park, Davis Square, Somerville. Free. Inaugural event spotlighting the neighborhood’s arts, music and creative communities with live performances, local vendors and activities for all ages. Musical acts include Talking Hearts, Irish Moss, Grain Thief and Hot Garbage.
Assembly Row Riverfest from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Assembly Row, 340 Canal St., Assembly Square, Somerville. Free, but registration is required for courts and games. The day starts with more than 30 vendors from the Boston Women’s Market and free use of pickleball and sand volleyball courts, plus bocce and cornhole games. There’s chalk art, face painting and giveaways for kids, then music from bands on two stages starting at 1 p.m. The Baxter Park Oval features a bounce house obstacle course, giveaways, roving entertainment and more family-friendly fun. Fireworks start at around 8:30 p.m.
World Arepa Day at noon in the courtyard of Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square, Somerville. Free. The Carolinas from Carolicious and their team serve up sweet and savory arepas for the sixth year.
SomerStreets: Gilman Square Arts and Music Festival from noon to 5 p.m. on Pearl Street between Marshall and James streets, Somerville (rain date: Sept. 14). Free. Busy streets close to cars for live music, an acrobatic performer, artists, makers, vendors and seven food stands. Activities for kids and adult kids.
Oktoberfest at 1 p.m. at Remnant Brewing, 2 Bow Market Way, Union Square, Somerville (continues on Sept. 14). $18. There’s plenty of beer, a stein-holding competition, an abundance of pretzels, live music and German-themed specials.
“Silent Sky” play (continued) at 2 p.m. at Central Square Theater, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge (and continuing through Oct. 5). $27 to $103.
The 7 Fingers presents “Passengers” (continued) at 2 and 7:30 p.m. at the American Repertory Theater’s Loeb Mainstage, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge (and continuing through Sept. 26). $35 to $158.
Gallery Talk: Monsters of the Deep at 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.
The Future of Sustainable Fashion: Upcycling from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Magazine Beach Park Nature Center, at the river end of Magazine Street, Cambridgeport. $5 to $7. Not sure what to do with that old shirt that’s been sitting in the back of your closet? Upcycling uses creativity to give old products new life. Learn how to select and acquire fabrics from Aelen Unan, owner of local Cambridge business Ninawa Zero Waste Clothes, and practice ways to sew new designs by hand. Some fabrics provided, but you are encouraged to bring your own.
Bread & Puppet Theater’s “Our Domestic Resurrection Revolution in Progress Circus” from 4 to 5 p.m. at the Cambridge Common, near Harvard Square. Free. This iconic group has been presenting shows annually since 1970 directed by co-founder Peter Schumann as colorful spectacles of protest and celebration featuring stilt dancers, a raucous brass band and really large puppets. “We are joined by Palestinian peace cranes on their way to Washington,” the theater said. “Green frogs who teach the art of hopping over seemingly insurmountable problems, and gaggles of kindergarten butterflies who frolic to their hearts’ desire. Join us for a serious and silly circus.” After the show, Bread & Puppet serves its famous sourdough rye bread with aioli.
“Centering Culture” discussion from 4 to 6 p.m. at the St. Augustine African Orthodox Christian Church, 137 Allston St., Cambridgeport. Free. Dancer and choreographer Mar Parilla, percussionist Cornell Coley and interdisciplinary artist Ifé Franklin talk culture and placemaking, moderated by Ashleigh Gordon of the Black arts series Castle of our Skins as a prelude to the MassQ Ball, an annual arts celebration taking place at the Arnold Arboretum in Boston.
Gouache Basics Artist Workshop from 4 to 7 p.m. at Gallery 263, 263 Pearl St., Cambridgeport. $40 to $50. Rhode Island artist Jordan M. Rhodes introduces gouache in a hands-on, three-hour workshop on basic color mixing, layering and painting a simple subject. Bring supplies or buy through the workshop.
Crafting: The Weïrd Sisters from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Somerville Community Growing Center, 22 Vinal Ave., near Union Square, Somerville. Free. A harvest evening of nature-based magic and mystery with a performance piece from Shakespeare’s “Macbeth.” Inspired audience members can then create their own theater piece, no experience required. Witch or warlock attire encouraged (but not required). Refreshments provided.
Book launch party with local author Nicholas Marchuk at 7 p.m. at Life Drawing Boston, 72 Joy St., Somerville. $5. Marchuk releases his debut novel “Paint Dries as a Train Goes Off the Rails” and plays trombone with the Dirty Water Brass Band at this event with snacks and drinks.
The Wicked Pickers perform from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Spring Hill, Somerville. Free. Sarah Friedman (vocals), Bill Morris (guitar), Paul Green (bass and vocals), Gordon Hill (violin) and George O’Connor (mandolin and vocals) play acoustic folk, jazz, Celtic, Latin, blues, R&B and soul, with bluegrass instrumentation and even some hints of classical and funk.
Outdoor Movie Night: “Zoolander” from 9 to 11 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square in Ward 2, Somerville. Free. The 2001 satire of male modeling by and starring Ben Stiller with Christine Taylor, Owen Wilson and Will Ferrell.
Comedy with Irene Tu at 9:30 p.m. at The Comedy Studio, 5 John F. Kennedy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $30. A Los Angeles stand-up, actor and writer who honed her chops in San Francisco seen on “After Midnight,” Hulu, Comedy Central and Netflix. Her clips have amassed more than 30 million views on social media, and her first comedy album, “We’re Done Now” debuted at No. 1 on the iTunes comedy charts.
Sunday, Sept. 14
Indonesian café pop-up from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. Free to enter. Radio Ombak, a café pop-up serving fresh takes on classic Indonesian drinks and snacks, run through Sept. 27.
Spotlight Tour: “The Art of Conservation” with Sachi Laumas at 11 a.m. at Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. A look at the role of conservation in the life of artwork and its effect on how we experience art. She also discusses the museums’ Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies, the first scientifically based conservation and research department in a U.S. museum.
Oktoberfest (continued) at 11 a.m. at Remnant Brewing, 2 Bow Market Way, Union Square, Somerville. $18.
Lederhosen Lager Run check in at 11 a.m. at Remnant Brewing, 2 Bow Market Way, Union Square, Somerville. $20. This literal beer run begins at noon, with the first stop the Satellite bar; second, Lamplighter Brewery; third, Portico Brewing; then back to Bow Market.
The 7 Fingers presents “Passengers” (continued) at 2 p.m. at the American Repertory Theater’s Loeb Mainstage, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge (and continuing through Sept. 26). $35 to $158.
“Silent Sky” play (continued) at 2 p.m. at Central Square Theater, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge (and continuing through Oct. 5). $27 to $103.
Spotlight Tour: Injury and Repair with Diana Ochoa-Chavez at 2 p.m. at the Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. A look at injury and repair to art objects by examining a Neo-Assyrian wall relief fragment that portrays a head of a winged protective spirit (883–859 BCE), Italian sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s terracotta “Kneeling Angel” (1672) and the painting “Poèmes Barbares” (1896) by Paul Gauguin.
Cambridge Salsa in the Park from 4 to 7 p.m. at Cambridge Common Park at the Waterhouse Street entrance. Free. This family-friendly event includes lessons – including Silent Rhythms, a special lesson for those who are deaf, hard of hearing and/or blind – as well as social dancing, performances and a DJ.
Mexican Independence Day Celebration from 4 to 9 p.m. at the One Reason Garden Bar, 1 Bennett St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. A selection of traditional food and games, DJ’d music and a performance by Veronica Robles’ all-female Mariachi Quintet.
Lady Ray and Her Jazz Birds at 6:30 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Spring Hill, Somerville. $15 donation. Raynel Shepard, aka Lady Ray, performs jazz standards with Ben Broder (piano), Mike Ball (bass), Mark Chenevert (sax and clarinet), Dave Hurst (percussion) and Mark Torgenson (guitar).
“Yourself and Yours (Dangsinjasingwa dangsinui geot)” film showing at 7 p.m. at the Harvard Film Archive at The Carpenter Center, 24 Quincy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge $10. A tale of blind desire and doppelgängers centered around a young painter whose grief over his mother’s near death is suddenly derailed by rumors that his girlfriend has broken their joint vow to drink less. The 2016 film with English subtitles is directed by Hong Sangsoo.
Funk It Up: Finding the Funk at 7:30 p.m. at the Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $35 to $59. Join Sybill Disobedience and Lala Luscious, along with a band and a fierce lineup of local performers – AGlamB, Audacious, Brae Edwards, Sindy, Reina Gold and Phoenix – for a high-energy night of song and dance.
Monday, Sept. 15
Who We Are and How We Got Here: Ancient DNA as a Window into Human History and Biology at 4 p.m. at the Knafel Center, 10 Garden St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but RSVP. Harvard Medical School genetics professor David Reich discusses the scientific revolutions resulting from the DNA sequencing of ancient materials begun 15 years ago – findings often in tension with what we thought we knew based on archaeology, linguistics and history.
Designer Diane von Furstenberg in conversation with MIT President Sally Kornbluth from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Media Lab, 75 Amherst St., in Area II near Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. Diane von Furstenberg, a pioneering designer, feminist leader and philanthropist sits down for a fireside chat. Refreshments are served after. Also watchable by Zoom.
Poets Sarah Green, Keetje Kuipers and Natalie Shapero at 5:30 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. Green reads a selection from ] “Deletions,” Kuipers from “Lonely Women Make Good Lovers” and Shapero from “Stay Dead.”
“A History of Surveillance and Security” lecture from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Act Cube (E15-001) of MIT’s Wiesner Building, 20 Ames St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free. Julia Scher discusses the intertwined histories of surveillance and security – fields in which Scher has worked as an artist – and how surveillance has expanded from state control and Cold War paranoia into the intimate spaces of everyday life.
Robert Livingston reads on “Pathways to Black Empowerment, Prosperity and Joy” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Our approach to racism is not working, the Harvard psychologist says, because racism is like an addiction for many white people: hard to admit and harder to quit. In his book, “Play the Game. Change the Game. Leave the Game,” the script flips to ask how Black people attain prosperity and peace of mind despite the enduring presence of racism. Harvard’s Anthony Foxx joins.
U.S. Steinholding State Qualifier at 7 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square, Somerville. Free. Steinholding is a Bavarian strength and endurance contest challenging participants to hold a full beer stein weighing 5 pounds. This could lead to an invitation to the Steinholding state finals held Oct. 5 in Framingham.
Drink + Doodle at 7 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square, Somerville. Free, but RSVP and 21-plus. A bimonthly drawing-and-drinking event.
“Like You Know It All (Jal aljido mothamyeonseo)” film showing at 7 p.m. at the Harvard Film Archive at The Carpenter Center, 24 Quincy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10. In this 2009 comedy by South Korea’s Hong Sangsoo, the art house filmmaker makes fun of himself with a hero who snores his way through works at a festival he’s supposed to judge, drags himself through lectures to college students and causes romantic chaos irresponsibly and pointlessly.
Dancing to 1920s Jazz at 7 p.m. at First Church in Cambridge, 11 Garden St., Harvard Square. $35 to $40. No partner or experience necessary for this class with Carol Wong and Maria Kakolowski.
Sci Fi/Fantasy Book Club at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Porter Square, Cambridge (and held monthly). Free, but RSVP. This time, the selection is “Dark Matter” by Blake Crouch.
Tuesday, Sept. 16
Midday Music and Performance: Street Scores from 12:15 to 1 p.m. at the Kendall/MIT Open Space at 292 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free. A mix of urban research, music and dance by the MIT Senseable City Lab. Archival footage from the 1980s in New York, Boston and Philadelphia is compared with scenes from the 2010s showing pedestrians walk faster and linger less – and that behavior is translated into music and choreography.
CPL Nature Club: Cambridge Birds and How to Draw Them at 5:30 p.m. at the Cambridge Public Library Collins Branch, 64 Aberdeen Ave., West Cambridge. Free, but RSVP. Local author Clare Walker Leslie shows how to draw the birds we see every day. All materials provided, and all skill levels are welcome.
Daniel Pollack-Pelzner reads from “Lin-Manuel Miranda: The Education of an Artist” at 6 p.m. at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free, but RSVP. $32 with book. The “Hamilton” creator goes from an often isolated childhood to becoming winner of multiple Tonys and Grammys for his Broadway hits “Hamilton” and “In the Heights,” his songs in Disney’s “Moana” and “Encanto,” and his Pulitzer and MacArthur Genius Grant. Northeastern University’s Dani Snyder-Young joins.
O’Connell Branch Book Group at 6:30 p.m. at the Cambridge library’s O’Connell Branch, 48 Sixth St., East Cambridge. Free. This month’s title: “The Elements of Marie Curie: How the Glow of Radium Lit a Path for Women in Science” by Dava Sobel.
Side Quest Book Club at 7 p.m. at Side Quest Books & Games, 1 Bow Market Way, Union Square, Somerville. $5. This month: Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s dark fantasy academia novel, “The Bewitching.”
Melissa Lozada-Oliva reads from “Beyond All Reasonable Doubt, Jesus is Alive!” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free, $26 with book. A short story collection about faith, delusion and demons presents a variety of women looking for something to believe in. In one short story, a recently canceled musician flees New York and finds herself in a haunted punk house in Boston. Author Nicky Gonzalez joins.
Caleb Gayle reads from “Black Moses: A Saga of Ambition and the Fight for a Black State” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. A journalist’s account of Edward McCabe, who championed the idea to create a state governed by and for Black people – and the racism, politics and greed that thwarted him after the Civil War. Pulitzer winner Ilyon Woo joins.
The 7 Fingers presents “Passengers” (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at the American Repertory Theater’s Loeb Mainstage, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge (and continuing through Sept. 26). $35 to $158.
Comedy with Brendan Scannell at 7:30 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $15 to $20. The actor and comedian is known for his starring role in the Netflix dark comedy series “Bonding,” for which he was nominated for an Emmy.
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 (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.
Willy Porter performs at 8 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $35 to $37. Spanning more than two decades, 13 albums and multiple continents, singer-songwriter Porter’s live shows are guitar-driven grit, soul and blues.
Wednesday, Sept. 17
The People’s Struggle for Climate Justice, Health and Power at Home at noon at the Knafel Center, 10 Garden St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Diana Hernández, author of “Powerless: The People’s Struggle for Energy,” discusses climate change, energy justice and public health in a talk called “In the Heat of This Moment.” She explores how everyday households – especially in low-income, historically marginalized communities – navigate the compounding pressures of rising energy costs, inadequate housing and extreme weather.
Gallery Talk: Keep Flowering! Gardens in Islamic and South Asian Art from 12:30 to 1 p.m. at the Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Curatorial fellow Janet O’Brien guides a stroll through the gardens evoked in Islamic and South Asian art, including an 18th-century Persian carpet of a four-part garden design and contemporary glass birds by Turkish artist Felekşan Onar.
Vegetable fermentation for gut health at 2 p.m. at the Cambridge Public Library’s Central Square Branch, 45 Pearl St. RSVP required. Mo Katz-Christy walks through how to use any old vegetables to make fermented foods that replenish the microbiome and regulate the immune system. Leave with a jar of kraut.
The 7 Fingers presents “Passengers” (continued) at 2 and 7:30 p.m. at the American Repertory Theater’s Loeb Mainstage, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge (and continuing through Sept. 26). $35 to $158.
Walking Tour of Harvard’s Psychedelic History from 5 to 7 p.m. starting at Center for the Study of World Religions, 42 Francis Ave., Baldwin, Cambridge. RSVP required. This walking tour stitches together figures from as far back as Ralph Waldo Emerson to little-known heroes of ’60s drug culture and contemporary felons, fugitives and academics. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended.
Kelly J. Ford, Margot Douaihy and Stephanie Gayle reads from “Crime Ink: Iconic: An Anthology of Crime Fiction Inspired by Queer Icons” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. A collection of crime fiction by and about queer authors and characters – inspired by James Baldwin, Oscar Wilde, Candy Darling, Radclyffe Hall, Babadook, Megan Rapinoe, Laverne Cox, Dolly Parton, Vita Sackville-West and more – from cozy mysteries and whodunits to noir, psychological thrillers and police procedurals that answers a lack of LGBTQ+ writers in the genre.
Hub Comics “Book Clhub” at 7 p.m. at Hub Comics, 19 Bow St., Union Square, Somerville. Free, but bring a copy of September’s title: “Rare Flavours” by Ram V and Filipe Andrade.
Drummer Ryan Sands from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at The Mad Monkfish, 524 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $25 minimum. Sands performs with Domas Zeromskas on piano and Max Ridley on acoustic bass as part of the Mad Monkfish Concert Series.
“Silent Sky” play (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at Central Square Theater, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge (and continuing through Oct. 5). $27 to $103.
Boston Poetry Slam at 7:30 p.m. at Cantab Underground, 738 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. Free. A weekly menu to share poetry and more – a one-act play, sixth grade diary entry, “stump speech, political diatribe, nonsense verse, New Formalism, Olde Formuleism, machine code, Morse code, ode to an audience member who got up to go to the bathroom during your stage time” …
A Unity of Purpose: A Musical Celebration for Jamshied Sharifi at 8:30 p.m. at Linde Music Building, also known as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Building W18, 201 Amherst St., Cambridge. Free. MIT Wind Ensemble, MIT Festival Jazz Ensemble and MIT Concert Choir come together to honor the life and artistry of composer and conductor Jamshied Sharifi.
Thursday, Sept. 18
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, running every half hour. Space for each slot is limited. This program is aimed at new players.
“Geometry and contemporary art” gallery talk at 6 p.m. at the Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Artists Crystalle Lacouture, Odili Donald Odita and Dyani White Hawk celebrate “Edna Andrade: Imagination Is Never Static” by presenting their own work focusing on how geometric composition is a means of connection to historical, ancestral or natural forms – a cornerstone of Andrade’s art.
“Barcode Journeys” opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Somerville Museum, 1 Westwood Road, in the Spring Hill neighborhood. Free to $10. Barcode Journeys explores the pervasiveness of barcodes in our daily lives – discovering the humor, awe, meaning and aesthetics in our coexistence with barcodes, algorithms and now AI, asking what it means to stay human. Participating artists are Lesley Bannatyne, Lynn Cannici, Greg Duerhr, Nathan Fash, Janine Fay, Kyle Huffman, Barbara Jo, Olga Mesa, Elizabeth Pacini, Cindy Ramírez, Laidy Saenz, Charlie Warren, Sandra Wascher and Woolsey Cole Chesterman.
Volo Cornhole League from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the lower courtyard of The Charles Hotel, 1 Bennett St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10 to $15. A laid-back open 2v2 cornhole league plays through Oct. 30.
Peter Brannen reads from “The Story of CO2 Is the Story of Everything: How Carbon Dioxide Made Our World” at 7 p.m. at the Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. How carbon dioxide’s movement through rocks, air, water and life has kept our planet’s climate livable, beginning at the dawn of life almost 4 billion years ago and working all the way up through today’s global climate crisis. Paleontologist Phoebe Cohen joins.
Stacy Waldman Bass reads from “Lightkeeper” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free, $30 with book. In photographer Bass’ memoir, she shares her journey through grief that began when a seaplane accident on Block Island claimed her father’s life. Nicole Graev Lipson joins.
Indigenous knowledge and climate change: The keys to our resilient future at 7 p.m. at the Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, Boston, on the Cambridge border. Free, with preregistration. The work Indigenous communities are doing to combat climate change is discussed by Amira Madison (Aquinnah Wampanoag), Hartman Deetz (Mashpee Wampanoag) and representatives of the Harvard University Native American Program and Salata Institute at Harvard.
The 7 Fingers presents “Passengers” (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at the American Repertory Theater’s Loeb Mainstage, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge (and continuing through Sept. 26). $35 to $158.
“Silent Sky” play (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at Central Square Theater, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge (and continuing through Oct. 5). $27 to $103.
Mary Halvorson performs at 7:30 p.m. at Regattabar, 1 Bennett St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $25 to $36. “The most future-seeking guitarist working right now” in the jazz/not jazz axis, NPR says.
Level Up Circus at 8 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. $30 to $40. Circus acts and cosplay inspired by video games.
Seacoast Stilettos dance showcase at 8 p.m. at the Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $30. This school’s third annual showcase has a DJ, bar, raffle, exclusive merch and photobooth.
Third Thursdays jazz with Dave Bryant and Friends at 8 p.m. at the 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).
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