Thursday, Nov. 13
Start Where We Are Earth Music Festival from 5 to 10 p.m. at Bow Market, 1 Bow Market Way, Union Square, Somerville. Free, but register. Live music, food and courtyard fires in support of organizations focused on the climate crisis.
Kelly Cervantes and Miguel Cervantes read from “The Luckiest: A Memoir of Love, Loss, Motherhood and the Pursuit of Self” at 6 p.m. at The Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $12, $38 with book. A memoir of navigating motherhood is presented by Kelly Cervantes with performances from husband Miguel Cervantes, who portrayed Alexander Hamilton in the Broadway and Chicago productions of “Hamilton: An American Musical” for eight years. Author Marianne Leone joins.
Morgan Talty reads from “Fire Exit” at 6 p.m. at the Cambridge Main Library lecture hall, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Register. Talty’s newest novel focuses on family secrets and how they inform the stories we tell ourselves about who we are and where we live. This event celebrates Native American Heritage Month.
Indigenous Traditions: Stickball in the 21st Century at 6 p.m. at the Museum of Natural History’s Geological Lecture Hall, 24 Oxford St., Baldwin neighborhood, Cambridge. Free. A look at the Indigenous game of stickball – once outlawed and threatened, but still played, even by students and staff across Harvard – from the Peabody’s Audrey Jacob, a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma’s stickball team; Bailey Brown, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and Cherokee Nation; and Iysiahs Manny York, tribal member of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, discuss stickball, moderated by James Walkingstick (Cherokee), a player and apprentice stick maker.
Works from the Film Study Center from 6 to 9 p.m. The Carpenter Center, 24 Quincy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge . Free. Short films followed by a conversation with their makers co-presented by the Film Study Center at the Harvard University and ArtsThursdays, a university-initiative.
After Dark Series: Sleep, Dream, Wake from 6 to 9 p.m. at The MIT Museum, 314 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. $10 to $20 and 18-plus. Charles Czeisler examines how light shapes the way we sleep, wake and feel; the art installation “Hotel Room #2: Communal Dreams” lets three people at a time experience for five minutes how pulses of light, sound and motion have them drifting into a shared dream. Test your circadian smarts in a game that shows how signals from light can help you beat jet lag or wake up refreshed. Local craft beer from Aeronaut and Japanese eats from Pagu available for purchase.
F*ckup Nights Boston from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square in Ward 2, Somerville. $10 to $15. Come for the stories of professional failures, stay for the connections.
Poets Matt Donovan, Nathan McClain and Iain Haley Pollock at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge. RSVP. Donovan (“The Dug-Up Gun Museum”), McClain (“Previously Owned”) and Pollock (“All the Possible Bodies”) read poems from their recent books.
Serhii Plokhy reads from “The Nuclear Age: An Epic Race for Arms, Power and Survival” at 7 p.m. at the Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The Cold War historian explores why governments have acquired and stockpiled nuclear weapons and reveals the global failure to reach meaningful nuclear arms treaties. International legal scholar Mykhailo Soldatenko joins.
Poets Heather Christle, Martha Ronk and Rachel Trousdale from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Grolier Poetry Book Shop on 6 Plympton St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $5 to $10, but register. With an introduction by Catherine Rockwood.
“The Pirates of Penzance” (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at the Agassiz Theatre, 5 James St., Cambridge (and continuing through Nov. 16). $15.
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.
“Get a Clue” at 7:30 p.m. at the Loeb Experimental Theater, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge (and continuing through Nov. 16). Free. This detective noir musical is set in 1920s New York City where an heiress, a secretary, a famous author, a hotelier, a disgruntled maid and a detective are determined to unravel a mystery.
John McNeil Tribute from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $15. Honoring the trumpeter, composer and educator with musicians Allan Chase (saxes); Mark Tipton (trumpet); Mark Shilansky (piano); Joe Fitzgerald (bass); Austin McMahon (drums); and special guest Jerry Bergonzi (tenor sax).
Comedy with Judah Friedlander at 8 p.m. at The Comedy Studio, 5 John F. Kennedy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $29. New work from the actor, writer and comedian best known for playing writer Frank Rossitano on the NBC sitcom “30 Rock,” films such as “Wet Hot American Summer” and his most recent stand-up special, “America is the Greatest Country in the United States.”
Janeane Garofalo at 9:45 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Spring Hill, Somerville. $49. The stand-up comedian has starred in “The Truth About Cats and Dogs,” “Wet Hot American Summer,” and “Ratatouille,” among others. She was a cast member of the Emmy-winning “Ben Stiller Show” and received an Emmy nomination as Paula on “The Larry Sanders Show.”
Friday, Nov. 14
.jpg)
Shop for free with The Spot from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Cambridge Public Library’s Central Square Branch, 45 Pearl St. Free. Gear up with fall and winter clothes, accessories, supplies and more.
Long Trail Studio art show and opening reception from 5 to 7 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square in Ward 2, Somerville. Free, but RSVP. Oil painter Liv Cappello shares her new exhibition.
John Samuel Harpham reads from “The Intellectual Origins of American Slavery” at 7 p.m. at the Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. This book, subtitled “English Ideas in the Early Modern Atlantic World,” looks at how authors of the 16th and 17th centuries justified slavery, including by revitalizing ancient Roman ideas for trade in human cargo during the early years of Atlantic capitalism. This event is part of University Press Week, an annual celebration recognizing the impact of university presses.
Movie Night: Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Kendall/MIT Open Space at 292 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. The outdoor community is celebrated in short films – not rated, so some content may not be appropriate for all audiences.
“The Pirates of Penzance” (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at the Agassiz Theatre, 5 James St., Cambridge (and continuing through Nov. 16). $15.
“Get a Clue” (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at the Loeb Experimental Theater, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge (and continuing through Nov. 16). Free.
“Say It With Music Both Night and Day” concert at 7:30 p.m. at First Church Cambridge, 11 Garden St., Harvard Square. $25 to $30. Classics by songwriters Irving Berlin and Cole Porter performed by Grace Allendorf, Bradford Conner, Christina English, Sarah Kornfeld, Robert Saoud, Marcus Schenck and Benjamin Sears.
“Summer, 1976” play at 7:30 p.m. at the Central Square Theater, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge (and continuing through Nov. 30). $27 to $87. The second wave of feminism is cresting when two women form a friendship: Diana, a fiercely iconoclastic artist, and Alice, a free-spirited yet naive young housewife. Alice and Diana bring us directly into the small moments that change the course of their lives in this play The New York Times praises as “sharply observant … subtly, insistently feminist.”
Harvard Wind Ensemble fall concert at 8 p.m. at Harvard’s Lowell Lecture Hall, 17 Kirkland St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Founded in the 1960s, the ensemble offers musicians of the Harvard community the opportunity to study and perform original literature for winds and percussion.
“A King and No King” theater at 8 p.m. at Unity Somerville, 6 William St., just off College Avenue near Davis Square, Somerville (and continuing through Nov. 16 and Nov. 20 to Nov. 23). $20 to $25. A Jacobean tragicomedy from Theatre@First set in 1619 with intertwined plots including a king who returns victorious from a long war and sees his grown-up sister – and she’s hot and into him. (Everything ends happily and legally.)
Nebula Night comedy at 8 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Spring Hill, Somerville. $10. Local comedians and musicians come together in this Nova Comedy Collective showcase. Snacks and drinks available.
Beginner swing dance lesson from 8 to 9 p.m. at Boston Swing Central, 26 New St., Suite 3, Cambridge. $18 or $20. Learn the moves while enjoying the music of the Phyllis Fallon Sextet.
“Ladies in Retirement” film screening at 8:30 p.m. at the Harvard Film Archive at The Carpenter Center, 24 Quincy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge (continues on Sunday). $10. In this 1941 film based on a Broadway play, Ida Lupino plays a spinster housekeeper and live-in companion who brings her sisters (Elsa Lanchester and Edith Barrett) to a secluded mansion, later joined by their shady nephew (Louis Hayward) whose main interest is in the wealth of the gullible lady of the house. Directed by Charles Vidor.
Saturday, Nov. 15
José Mateo Ballet’s excerpts from “The Nutcracker” at 11 a.m. at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free. Join cast members for a storytime reading of “The Nutcracker” with live ballet. Learn some ballet moves and meet the dancers as well. All ages welcome.
Book Club: Decolonize Your Reading at 11 a.m. at Porter Square Books, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge. RSVP. Meets on the third Saturday of the month to read nonfiction, fiction and poetry to learn about Black, Indigenous, Latinx and Asian American experiences. This time, discuss “Bad Indians Book Club: Reading at the Edge of a Thousand Worlds” by Patty Krawec.
Spatchcock That Turkey from noon to 1:30 p.m. at First Street Market, 59 First St., Cambridge. $25. Marc Osborne of Simply Sharp walks you through how to remove the backbone and flatten the bird to ensure even cooking of the traditional Thanksgiving meal centerpiece. Materials provided.
Film: “György Kepes: Interthinking Art + Science” from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Harvard Art Museums, Menschel Hall, Lower Level, 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, registration encouraged. A documentary about György Kepes, considered the “father of media art,” that asks whether technology can fix the problems it creates. Presented in conjunction with the exhibition “Edna Andrade: Imagination Is Never Static,” running through Jan. 4.
“Get a Clue” (continued) at 2 and 7:30 p.m. at the Loeb Experimental Theater, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge (and continuing through Nov. 16). Free.
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.)
Lagers and Leaves: A Fall Festival from 2 to 7 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square in Ward 2, Somerville. Free, but RSVP. Cozy up with a good book at a Porter Square Books pop-up and listen to folk and fiddle live performances from Beecharmer and Kathleen Parks of Twisted Pine. Fall outfits with scarves, mittens and sweaters encouraged, with prizes for the most autumnal outfit.
“The Pirates of Penzance” (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at the Agassiz Theatre, 5 James St., Cambridge (and continuing through Nov. 16). $15.
“A King and No King” theater (continued) at 8 p.m. at Unity Somerville, 6 William St., just off College Avenue near Davis Square, Somerville (and continuing through Nov. 16 and Nov. 20 to Nov. 23). $20 to $25.
“Velada Flamenca” at 8 p.m. at The Dance Complex, 536 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge (and continuing Sunday). $15 to $100. This two-day celebration with Omayra Amaya Flamenco Dance includes singer Juan Murube, guitarist and composer Roberto Castellon, percussionist Rafael Heredia.
Harvard Opportunes 45th anniversary jam at 8 p.m. at Sanders Theatre, 45 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. $25. Current members and alumni come together for an evening of a cappella selections from 1980 to now.
MIT Festival Jazz Ensemble fall concert at 8 p.m. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Thomas Tull Concert Hall, 201 Amherst St., Cambridge. $15. Founded in 1963 by Boston jazz icon Herb Pomeroy and led since 1999 by Dr. Frederick Harris Jr., this advanced 18- to 20-member big band-jazz ensemble is made up of MIT undergraduate and graduate students studying a wide range of disciplines.
“Chasing Dreams for Later Light” jazz at 8 p.m. at the Multicultural Arts Center, 41 Second St., East Cambridge. Donations from $1. A survey of the works of composer Oliver Caplan by the Juventas New Music Ensemble. Each work on the program is connected, some emerging from musical fragments once set aside, to show “the unfolding of a composer’s creative journey.”
Esh Circus Arts fall student show from 8 to 9:30 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Spring Hill, Somerville. $12 to $25. Adult and youth students show off their circus skills.
“Thunderhoof” film screening at 9 p.m. at the Harvard Film Archive at The Carpenter Center, 24 Quincy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10. This 1949 film tells the story of a Texas rancher on a quest to capture a wild horse across the Mexican desert. He is accompanied by his younger wife and “The Kid,” a young man whose life he once saved, who falls in love with her.
Sunday, Nov. 16
Breakfast Book Club from 10:30 a.m. to noon at All She Wrote Books, 75 Washington St., Prospect Hill, Somerville. $7, or $29 with book. This month’s title: “Disco Witches of Fire Island” by Blair Fell. Coffee and pastries provided.
Near East Tours led by Harvard students at 1 p.m. at the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East, 6 Divinity Ave., in the Baldwin neighborhood near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Explore the “Mediterranean Marketplaces: Connecting the Ancient World” exhibition and how the movement of goods, peoples and ideas around the ancient Mediterranean transformed the lives and livelihoods of people at all levels of society. Touch replicas and smell “ancient” scents as the students bring the past alive.
“The Pirates of Penzance” (continued) at 2 p.m. at the Agassiz Theatre, 5 James St., Cambridge. $15.
“Get a Clue” (continued) at 2 p.m. at the Loeb Experimental Theater, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge (and continuing through Nov. 16). Free.
Community, Connection and Visibility: Real Lives Shorts Program at 2:30 p.m. at The Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $15. Six short films illuminating LGBTQ+ issues, from a trans football club and a dancer reclaiming identity through movement to a daughter forging bonds with her donor father.
Hound & Handler performs at 2:30 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square, Somerville. Free. A high-energy bluegrass-Americana band with originals and classic country and bluegrass covers.
Guitar Stop all-ages student recital from 2:30 to 5 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Spring Hill, Somerville. Free. Adult and youth students show off guitar skills.
Masterworks Chorale season opener at 3 p.m. at Sanders Theatre, 45 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. $20 to $50. This performance includes Haydn’s “Lord Nelson Mass (Missa in angustiis),” Hob. XXII:11 and Franz Schubert’s “Mass No. 2 in G, D 167.” Musical director: Kevin Leong.
“Gallant Lutes – Duos from the German Baroque” at 3 p.m. at the Somerville Museum, 1 Westwood Road, in the Spring Hill neighborhood. $20 to $30. Lutenists Timothy Burris and Olav Chris Henriksen from Duo Maresienne perform works by Handel, Baron, Gleim, Lauffensteiner and Falckenhagen.
“A King and No King” theater (continued) at 4 p.m. at Unity Somerville, 6 William St., just off College Avenue near Davis Square, Somerville (and continuing Nov. 20 to Nov. 23). $20 to $25.
Allan Chase Quintet from 6:20 to 7:50 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $15. The jazz saxophonist, composer and chair of the Ear Training department at Berklee brings his Standards Project – a set of rarely heard songs – to an intimate setting with Yulia Musayelyan on flute, Sheryl Bailey on guitar, Fernando Huergo on electric bass and Austin McMahon on drums.
“Velada Flamenca” (continued) at 7 p.m. at The Dance Complex, 536 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $15 to $100.
“Ladies in Retirement” film screening (continued) at 7 p.m. at the Harvard Film Archive at The Carpenter Center, 24 Quincy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10.
Monday, Nov. 17
Workshop: Identity theft and fraud protection at 1:30 p.m. at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. RSVP. Robin Putnam from the state Office of Consumer Affairs & Business Regulation discusses how to spot and avoid scams – including the latest – and the steps to take if you have been a victim.
Bone Appétit – Battle of the Bites at 3 p.m. at Tandem Vet Care, 116 Beacon St., Ward 2, Somerville. Chefs compete to create gourmet dishes for dogs in a clinic transformed into a Michelin-style restaurant for dogs complete with a water sommelier serving Hallstein Water. The event is emceed by comedian Joe Fenti, with judges including WBZ reporter Matt Shearer.
Filmmaker Domee Shi: “Drawing from Life: Storytelling, Heritage and Turning the Personal into the Universal” at 4 p.m. at the Knafel Center, 10 Garden St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. Director, animator and filmmaker Shi – director of Pixar’s “Turning Red,” “Elio” and true Oscar-winning short, “Bao” – explores storytelling and her own work, joined by Harvard’s Ju Yon Kim.
“We Are Not Numbers”: Amplifying the Voices of Gaza’s Youth at 6 p.m. at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free, or $27 with book. Authors Pam Bailey and Ahmed Alanouq discuss stories of youth living in Gaza with readings by Daniel José Older, Salma Shawa, Khury Petersen-Smith, Autumn Allen and George Abraham. A discussion on censorship and repression of Palestinian voices is led by Palestinian American author Hannah Moushabeck.
Queer Book Club from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. at the Somerville Public Library, 79 Highland Ave., Central Hill. Register. This month’s title: “How Does That Make You Feel, Magda Eklund?” by Anna Montague.
Daniel Whiteson reads from “Do Aliens Speak Physics?” at 7 p.m. at the Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. In a book subtitled “And Other Questions about Science and the Nature of Reality,” the author, cartoonist and particle physicist explores what aliens and humans might have in common should we meet. Physicist Matt Strassler joins.
Catherine Newman reads from “Wreck” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge. $27 with book. Rocky, living in Western Massachusetts with her husband Nick and their daughter Willa, finds herself obsessed with a local accident that only tangentially affects them – and with a medical condition that, she hopes, won’t affect them at all. Author Joanna Rakoff joins.
“The Science of Food and Drink: NoLo Beverages: Innovation Through Fermentation” at 7 p.m. at the Harvard Science Center, Hall C, 1 Oxford St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Mauro Colagreco, chef-owner of Mirazur in Menton, France, ranked one of the best restaurants in the world, discusses work on nonalcoholic and low-alcoholic drinks.
The Tall Trio from 7 to 8 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $10 to $15. Every Monday night, the Lilypad’s Tall Trio warms up the stage for a night full of jazz legends. Usually led by Elan Mehler with Max Ridley and Dor Herskovits.
Blacksmith House Poetry Series: Selma Asotić and Danielle Jones at 8 p.m. at the Cambridge Center for Adult Education, 42 Brattle St., Harvard Square. $5. Jones reads from her debut collection, “Hunger” with Asotić, whose first book is “Say Fire.”
Cantrip performs at 8 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $30 to $35. This Scottish band playing for 20 years includes Dan Houghton (pipes, whistles, flutes, guitar, bouzouki, vocals), Jon Bews (fiddle, vocals), Alasdair White (fiddle) and Eric McDonald (guitar, mandolin, bouzouki, vocals).
Jerry Bergonzi Quartet from 8:30 to 10 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge (and continuing most Mondays). $10 to $15. Bergonzi brings his tenor sax mastery to this seated show with bandmate Luther Gray on drums and special guests on trumpet and bass.
The Fringe performs at 10 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge (and every Monday) $15. Remaining members of The Fringe (formed in 1971), tenor-saxophonist George Garzone, Francisco Mela on drums and bassist John Lockwood perform contemporary jazz.
Tuesday, Nov. 18
Gallery Talk: Encounters with art conservation at noon at the Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Art conservation staff discuss their work treating objects in museum collections and gives you a chance to get up close and hands-on with a selection of tools and materials.
Are You Ready for Winter Weirding? at 6 p.m. at the Cambridge Main Library, Community Room, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free, but RSVP. Hear from Cambridge sustainability experts on how climate change is affecting our winter weather and how to best prepare your home or apartment for colder weather while saving money.
Ellen Pinsky and Michael Slevin read from “Driven to Write: 45 Writers on the Motives and Mysteries of their Craft” at 6 p.m. at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free, or $27 with book. Some contributors to this book, which explore what drives writers to write, join co-editors including poet Robert Pinsky; Harvard’s Stephen Greenblatt, author of “Dark Renaissance”; Boston University’s Ha Jin; and Sigrid Nunez, National Book Award-winning author of “The Friend.” Rachel Dillon, poet and managing editor of “Ploughshares,” moderates the talk.
John Edward Huth reads from “A Sense of Space: A Local’s Guide to a Flat Earth, the Edge of the Cosmos and Other Curious Places” at 6 p.m. at Harvard Science Center, 1 Oxford St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, or $35 with book. An exploration of how changing scientific models of space change social perceptions, and vice versa, starting with the example of whether you give directions centered on people (“go straight ahead and turn left”) or removing them (“head north before moving west”). Harvard’s Jacob Barandes joins.
Claudia Arozqueta reads from “Heartbeat Art” at 6 p.m. at MIT Press Bookstore, 314 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. $5. Arozqueta details how artists engage with heartbeats from the 1960s to the present by a wide range of international artists, including Yoko Ono, Pauline Oliveros, Heinz Mack, Brian O’Doherty and Teresa Burga. MIT’s Behnaz Farahi joins.
Worlds Collide music showcase at 7 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Spring Hill, Somerville. $20 suggested donation. The Pandora Consort hosts this concert, competition and fundraising event in which artists from different musical backgrounds team up to perform original songs and covers combining different genres. The audience votes for their favorite performance, and a cash prize of $200 to $300 will be awarded to the winning duo or trio, as well as an additional $100 for a charitable organization.
Heather Aimee O’Neill reads from “The Irish Goodbye” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge. $29 with book. The three Ryan sisters come together at for Thanksgiving – eager to reconnect, but each carrying a heavy secret – 20 years after an accident that killed a family friend and caused their brother to take his life. Author Kristin Bair O’Keeffe joins.
Side Quest book club from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Side Quest Books & Games in Bow Market at 1 Bow Market Way, Union Square, Somerville. $5. This time: Rebecca Roanhorse’s novel, “Black Sun.”
Bonsai bar class from 7 to 9 p.m. at Lamplighter Brewing, 284 Broadway, The Port. $85 and 21-plus. Learn about potting, pruning and designing bonsai while sipping on craft brews and create your own tiny tree to take home.
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.
Swara & Friends with Jules Kessler from 8:15 to 9:45 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $12. Swara & Friends, an indie rock-pop act, headlines, performing a mix of well-known covers and original songs. The show opens with an acoustic set by Jules Kessler.
Wednesday, Nov. 19
Puzzles and Pie from noon to 2 p.m. at the Kendall/MIT Open Space at 292 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free. Stop by for midday puzzling and a mini pie from Petsi Pies, available while supplies last.
Joshua McFadden reads from “Six Seasons of Pasta” at 6 p.m. at The Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $12, or $45 with the book, subtitled “A New Way with Everyone’s Favorite Food.” A follow-up to the cookbook “Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables,” the author teaches how to turn everyday grocery-bought dried pasta into restaurant-quality dishes in your home kitchen.
Frederic Leighton, A Victorian Traveler and Collector in the Middle East from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Harvard Art Museums, Menschel Hall, Lower Level, 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but registration encouraged. Melanie Gibson discusses artist Leighton’s travels and the art he collected at home and abroad, including a Persian carpet now on display at the Harvard Art Museums. Norma Jean Calderwood Lecture:
Mahjong Tile Club from 6 to 9 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).
Blues and roots music at 6:30 p.m. at The Sea Hag Restaurant & Bar, 49 Mount Auburn St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The Barrett Anderson Band performs Wednesdays. Joining Anderson (vocals and guitar) are Paul Loranger (upright and electric bass) and Joey Pafumi (drums and percussion).
W. David Marx reads from “Blank Space: A Cultural History of the Twenty-First Century” at 7 p.m. at the Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Marx examines pop culture and asks why risk is no longer rewarded, focusing on the formulaic trends and the shifting cultural norms that often prioritize going viral over innovation. One of NPR’s Most Anticipated Books of the Fall.
Be the Change at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free. November’s Be the Change event features Cass Sunstein, author of “On Liberalism: In Defense of Freedom.”
Jesse Gallagher performs from 7 to 8 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $10. The club booker had a whole career with psychedelic rock band Apollo Sunshine, which performed with the Wu-Tang Clan, Toots & The Maytals and The Flaming Lips, and has had solo works in the soundtracks of “Breaking Bad” and on ads for Nike and The Gap – and now his YouTube instrumentals infiltrate the world through the videos of NBC, Emma Chamberlain and Tesla.
French Cassettes performs at 8 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Spring Hill, Somerville. $32. This indie pop band from San Francisco includes Scott Huerta (vocals and guitar), Mackenzie Bunch (guitar and keyboards), Daniel Carrico (bass) and Rob Mills (drums, accordion and tambourine).
Gill Aharon Trio performs from 8:15 to 10 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge (and every Wednesday). $10. A mix of influences inspires composer and pianist Aharon, founder of the Lilypad performance and event space. The trio includes bassist Jef Charland, guitarist Andrew Stern and drummer Randy Wooten.
The Lilypad Variety Show from 10 p.m. to midnight at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $5. Enjoy new talent performing music, art, poetry, comedy and dance.
Thursday, Nov. 20
“The Immortal Legacy of Gilgamesh” opera preview from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East, 6 Divinity Ave., in the Baldwin neighborhood near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. This new opera, exploring friendship, courage, love, mortality and divine destiny, is inspired by the ancient epic of Gilgamesh. Audiences experience the opera’s prologue and select musical scenes from the production, which is slated to premiere in 2026 in Cerritos, California.
Oyinkan Braithwaite reads from “Cursed Daughters” at 7 p.m. at the Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Eniiyi seems to be doomed to live out the curses the women in her family have endured: “No man will call your house his home. And if they try, they will not have peace.” When she falls in love, she seeks out how to break the curse and have her happily ever after. Author Hanna Halperin joins.
Esmond Harmsworth memorial literary reading at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge. RSVP. Harmsworth, a literary agent who represented many Boston writers, is memorialized by with readings by Jedediah Berry, Lisa Borders, Gary Braver, Christopher Castellani, George Harrar, Michelle Hoover, Emily Franklin, Sarah Smith, Milo Todd and Liza Tully.
Poets Didi Jackson and KPrevallet 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 Chloe Garcia Roberts.
Lois Majors performs from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at The Mad Monkfish, 524 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. Free, but $25 food-and-drink minimum. The jazz bassist performs with Camila Quintero (vocals), Niccole Meza (trumpet), Mimi Terry (piano) and Zach Sorkin (drums).
“Cellular Dance” multimedia performance at 7:30 p.m. at the Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, Boston, on the Cambridge border. $25. Choreographer Meg Anderson and her ensemble are joined by composer David Ibbett and pianist William Hume performing a ballet based on research by cell biologist Alexey Veraksa of the University of Massachusetts at Boston.
Bill Jones Trio at 7:30 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square in Ward 2, Somerville. Free. The tenor and soprano saxophonist has performed with jazz musicians Bob Gullotti, Leo Genovese, Herb Pomeroy, Jeff Galindo, Tim Ray, Greg Hopkins and John Lockwood.
Actress and comedian Greta Titelman at 7:30 p.m. at the Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $36. Known for her breakout role as Ambassador Gibbons on HBO’s hit series “Los Espookys,” she was named one of Comedy Central’s “Up Next” performers.
Scottish country dance from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at New England Science Fiction Association clubhouse at 504 Medford St., Magoun Square, Somerville. $5 to $20. Learn and practice in gender-neutral language. A warm-up and lesson in the first hour are followed by an hour of social dancing. Kat Dutton emcees and teaches.
“A King and No King” theater (continued) at 8 p.m. at Unity Somerville, 6 William St., just off College Avenue near Davis Square, Somerville (and continuing through Nov. 23). $20 to $25.
Friend of a Friend & The Spyrals perform from 8 to 10:30 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $15 to $18. Friend of a Friend is an American indie rock duo formed in 2020 and released “Desire!” in April. The Spyrals, with its psychedelic sound, put out “Retrograde” in November 2024.
A stronger
Please consider making a financial contribution to maintain, expand and improve Cambridge Day.
We are now a 501(c)3 nonprofit and all donations are tax deductible.
Please consider a recurring contribution.