Thursday, Jan. 1
Illuminations Somerville (continued) any day, any time after dark in a range of neighborhoods found by using Somerville’s official online Illuminations Map (and continuing throughout Jan. 12, 2026). Free.
First flag-raising ceremony from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. starting with a parade from City Hall to the site of the ceremony, at noon, at Prospect Hill Park, 68 Munroe St., Somerville. Free. A reenactment (in costume) of the moment on Jan. 1, 1776, when general George Washington raised a new American flag over the highest point in the land, Prospect Hill in Somerville. This year the reenactors include Richard Johnson, appearances by Washington on horseback, “Primus Hall,” historic music and singalongs, and reading of Phyllis Wheatley’s famous poem to Washington in the months leading up to Jan. 1, 1776.
Marx Brothers Marathon: “Duck Soup” at noon and 7:30 p.m. at The Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $13 to $30. A New Year’s tradition of anarchic hijinks featuring the brothers taking on roles that range from heads of state to lowly stowaways, including this political satire from 1933.
Marx Brothers Marathon: “The Cocoanuts” at 1:45 p.m. at The Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $13 to $30. During the Florida land boom around the time of this 1929 film, the brothers run a hotel, auction off some land and thwart a jewel robbery.
Boston Baroque New Year’s Celebration (continued) at 3 p.m. at Sanders Theatre, 45 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. $25 to $125.
Marx Brothers Marathon: “Monkey Business” at 3:45 p.m. at The Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $13 to $30. Four stowaways get mixed up with gangsters while running riot on an ocean liner in this 1931 film.
Ward Hayden & the Outliers Presents: Celebration of Hank Williams from 4 to 7 p.m. at The Lizard Lounge, 1667 Massachusetts Ave., in the Baldwin neighborhood between Harvard and Porter squares, Cambridge. $28 to $35. A New Year’s Day matinee celebrating 100 years of musician Hank Williams. (Ward and his bandmates and musician friends have been doing it since 2010.)
Marx Brothers Marathon: “Horse Feathers” at 5:45 p.m. at The Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $13 to $30. The new president of Huxley University (Groucho Marx) has a plan to beef up its lousy football team in this 1932 film.
Candle Making and Intention Setting from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Bow Market, 1 Bow Market Way, Union Square, Somerville. $70. All materials are included to make a 16-ounce soy candle with herbs and flowers.
First 100! at 8 p.m. at The Comedy Studio in the basement at 5 John F. Kennedy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $19 to $24. Brieana Woodward hosts what’s described as “a totally unique show not to be missed … 100 comics. 100 new jokes.”
Toad Revival Thursdays Holiday Edition from 10 to 11:30 p.m. at McCarthy’s, 1920 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge. Free. The artists who built the room, packed the floor and made late nights legendary perform as the old Toad Revival.
Friday, Jan. 2
Illuminations Somerville (continued) any day, any time after dark in a range of neighborhoods found by using Somerville’s official online Illuminations Map (and continuing throughout Jan. 12, 2026). Free.
Making the Invisible Visible: Digitizing Invertebrates on Microscope Slides exhibit from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Monday through Friday) at Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., in the Baldwin neighborhood near Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10 to $15. Features microscopic slides and images of invertebrates from the Museum of the Comparative Zoology. Guests can look at the slides through a microscope.
Edna Andrade: Imagination Is Never Static (through Sunday) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Special Exhibitions Gallery, Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. This exhibit emphasizes the central role of drawing as well as interdisciplinary exploration in artist and educator Edna Andrade’s (1917–2008) art and in modernist movements of the 20th century.
Sketch, Shade, Smudge: Drawing from Gray to Black (Tuesday through Sunday through Jan. 18, 2026) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Special Exhibitions Gallery, Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. An exhibition celebrating the act of drawing using charcoal, chalk, crayon and graphite.
“Dog Man” screening from 2 to 3:45 p.m. at Cambridge library’s O’Neill Branch, 70 Rindge Ave., North Cambridge. Free. This 2025 American animated comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and based on the children’s graphic novel series by Dav Pilkey, is a spin-off to Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie (2017) and the second film in the Captain Underpants franchise.
“Wonder” theater at 7 p.m. at Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge (continuing through Feb. 8). $100 to $163. An American Repertory Theater presentation from the novel by R.J. Palacio and the 2017 film: Auggie Pullman, a kid with facial deformities, has been homeschooled his entire life. He must navigate a world filled with kindness and cruelty when his family decides it’s time for him to start going to school.
Shit-Faced Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” from 7 to 8 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville (and continuing tomorrow and next weekend). $30 and 18-plus. A one-hour version of the bard’s witty and bawdy play that includes one randomly selected actor who drinks before and during the performance, leaving the remaining sober cast to incorporate, rectify, justify and generally improvise around the drunkenness.
Vortex Ecstatic Dance from 7 to 10 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. $23 to $28. An intention ritual (for the new year) and a little contact improv provide the warmup for a bright beats-filled dance adventure. Bring your dreamy costume or a mask.
Friday’s Comedy Gold at 7:30 p.m. at The Comedy Studio, 5 John F. Kennedy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $24 to $30. Performers include Jack Hall, Dan Crohn, Ben Quick, Kendell Farrell, Kathy Lynch and Lila Sparks.
Hawk in the Nest debut album release at 8 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $25 to $30. The self-titled album includes compositions blending elements of folk, Americana and R&B.
The Portal – A Dark Arts Production from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. at ManRay, 40 Prospect St., Central Square, Cambridge. $12 to $17. This monthly production features DJ Andre Obin, go-go dancers and a dominatrix to play with in her dungeon.
The Late Night Show at 9:30 p.m. at The Comedy Studio, 5 John F. Kennedy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $24 to $30. Features today’s top comics doing jokes that only come out at night, line-up includes Cam Ohh, Dylan O’Keefe, Al Christakis, Emily Ruskowski, Brieana Woodward, Zach Valencia and Jan Davidson.
Saturday, Jan. 3
Illuminations Somerville (continued) any day, any time after dark in a range of neighborhoods found by using Somerville’s official online Illuminations Map (and continuing throughout Jan. 12, 2026). Free.
New Year’s Birdwatching at Fresh Pond from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Cambridge library’s O’Neill Branch, 70 Rindge Ave., North Cambridge. Free but RSVP. Identify birds, learn tips and tricks to watching and familiarize yourself with migratory birds as well as birds that can be spotted year-round. A limited supply of binoculars will be available. Meet outside the ranger station/water department building at 250 Fresh Pond Parkway.
Rick & Friends from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Spring Hill, Somerville. Free. Jazz vocalist (and flute player) Rick Silberg hosts a weekly residency with a varied lineup playing jazz favorites and American classics.
Edna Andrade: Imagination Is Never Static (continued) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Special Exhibitions Gallery, Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free.
Sketch, Shade, Smudge: Drawing from Gray to Black (continued) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Special Exhibitions Gallery, Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free.
Discover Mount Auburn Introductory Walking Tour from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at Mount Auburn Cemetery, 580 Mount Auburn St., West Cambridge. Free, but registration required. This 1.5-mile walking tour will focus on stories of history, monuments, and the lives of those buried at this National Historic Landmark.
“Wonder” theater (continued) at 2 and 7 p.m. at Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge (continuing through Feb. 8). $100 to $163.
Lamplighter’s “Beer School” tour and tasting from 4 to 5 p.m. at Lamplighter Brewing, 284 Broadway, The Port, Cambridge. $34, but 21-plus. For this monthly event, each ticket includes one 6-ounce welcome beer and a flight of samples, a guided tasting and behind-the-scenes brewery tour, a beer school “quiz” (with an answer key) and a Lamplighter Beer School diploma.
Americana Afternoons: Ben Wetherbee from 4 to 6 p.m. at Remnant Satellite, 877 Cambridge St., Wellington-Harrington, Cambridge. Free. The old-time fiddler writes and performs his own songs, rooted in the traditions of Appalachian fiddle music and rock ‘n’ roll.
Shit-Faced Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” (continued) from 7 to 8 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville (and continuing next weekend). $30 and 18-plus.
Peter Kontrimas Quartet performs from 7 to 8:15 and 8:45 to 10 p.m. at The Mad Monkfish, 524 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. Free, but there’s a $25 food-and-drink minimum. The acoustic bass jazz and classical musician and owner-engineer of PBS Studios in Westwood performs with Arnie Krakowski (tenor sax), Russell Hoffman (piano) and Steve Langone (drums).
Saturday’s Comedy Gold at 7:30 p.m. at The Comedy Studio, 5 John F. Kennedy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $24 to $30. This show features a lineup of seasoned stand-up comedians, each with a unique style and perspective, including Jack Burke, Chris Post, Janet McNamara, Sky Nockels and Brian Longwell.
Heroes from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. at ManRay, 40 Prospect St., Central Square, Cambridge. $12 to $15. DJ Chris Ewen mixes the music for you – 80s new wave, electro, post-punk and a bit of old-school goth + industrial.
The Late Night Show at 9:30 p.m. at The Comedy Studio, 5 John F. Kennedy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $24 to $30. Features today’s top comics doing jokes that only come out at night, line-up includes Cam Ohh, Dylan O’Keefe, Al Christakis, Emily Ruskowski, Brieana Woodward, Zach Valencia and Jan Davidson.
The Everything Show from 10:30 p.m. to midnight at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $10. Features jokes, stories, skits, music, magic, and more! The show has a little something in it for everyone and is guaranteed to bring the house down.
Sunday, Jan. 4
Illuminations Somerville (continued) any day, any time after dark in a range of neighborhoods found by using Somerville’s official online Illuminations Map (and continuing throughout Jan. 12, 2026). Free.
New Year Winter Tree and Shrub Identification from 9:15 to 11:30 a.m. at Ranger Station (beneath the clock tower), 250 Fresh Pond Parkway, in West Cambridge at Fresh Pond, Cambridge. Free. Join naturalist Jeff Adams for a New Year’s winter walk focused on identifying woody plants during the colder months, when many trees and shrubs have shed their leaves.
Sketch, Shade, Smudge: Drawing from Gray to Black (continued) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Special Exhibitions Gallery, Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free.
Exhibition Tour: Edna Andrade: Imagination Is Never Static from noon to 1 p.m. at Special Exhibitions Gallery, Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Mitra Abbaspour, co-curator of the exhibit, leads a tour of the artist and educator’s art, best known for her geometric compositions inspired by her interest in studying structures in nature, architecture, astronomy, mathematics and art history.
Game day at the New England Science Fiction Association from noon to 10 p.m. at the group’s clubhouse at 504 Medford St., Magoun Square, Somerville. Free, but you must request a seat by email to attend. A variety of games for all tastes and abilities are available for nonmembers twice a month. Or bring your own game and teach others how to play.
“Wonder” theater (continued) at 2 p.m. at Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge (continuing through Feb. 8). $100 to $163.
Sunday’s Rising Stars at 7 p.m. at The Comedy Studio, 5 John Kennedy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $19 to $24. Five next-generation comedians take the stage. The lineup tonight includes Danny Killea, Andrew Della Volpe, Jan Davidson, Brandon Battick and Trevor Nutt.
Monday, Jan. 5
Illuminations Somerville (continued) any day, any time after dark in a range of neighborhoods found by using Somerville’s official online Illuminations Map (and continuing throughout Jan. 12, 2026). Free.
“Illuminate: Contextualizing Asian American Women’s Stories through the Archives” exhibit (Monday through Friday until Jan. 23) from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Arthur & Elizabeth Schlesinger Library, 3 James St., Cambridge. Free. This exhibit spotlights the stories of Asian American women whose collections are held in the Schlesinger Library. It examines how race, ethnicity, gender, citizenship and migration affect our collective memory of history.
Making the Invisible Visible: Digitizing Invertebrates on Microscope Slides exhibit (continued) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Monday through Friday) at Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., in the Baldwin neighborhood near Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10 to $15.
Watercolor Workshop from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Cambridge Public library’s Boudreau Branch, 245 Concord Ave., Observatory Hill in Neighborhood 9. Free but register. In this class you’ll be introduced to painting with watercolor, including techniques in color mixing, observational painting and composition. Suitable for beginners.
Speed-dating from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square, Somerville. $18.50 and 21-plus. Meet a special someone at this facilitated event using psychology-backed question prompts run by Somerville-founded Skip the Small Talk.
Picture + Panel: Grief and Loss with Tom Hart and Jesse Mechanic at 7 p.m. at the Boston Figurative Arts Center, 285 Washington St., Ward 2, Somerville. Free to $5 and 21-plus. Tom Hart, a cartoonist and creator of “Daddy Lightning” and the Hutch Owen series of graphic novels and books, and Jesse Mechanic, opinion columnist and essayist with published work in Mother Jones and HuffPost, are at this monthly confab of graphic-novel creators sponsored by the Boston Figurative Arts Center, Porter Square Books and the Boston Comic Arts Foundation.
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.
Karaoke Noir from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. at ManRay, 40 Prospect St., Central Square, Cambridge. Free to enter and 19-plus. More than 5,000 songs from new wave, goth, punk, metal and postpunk genres.
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 bandmates Phil Grenadier on trumpet, John Sullivan on bass and Luther Gray on drums.
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 and bassist John Lockwood perform contemporary jazz.
Tuesday, Jan. 6
Illuminations Somerville (continued) any day, any time after dark in a range of neighborhoods found by using Somerville’s official online Illuminations Map (and continuing throughout Jan. 12, 2026). Free.
“Illuminate: Contextualizing Asian American Women’s Stories through the Archives” exhibit (continued) from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Arthur & Elizabeth Schlesinger Library, 3 James St., Cambridge. Free.
Making the Invisible Visible: Digitizing Invertebrates on Microscope Slides exhibit (continued) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Monday through Friday) at Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., in the Baldwin neighborhood near Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10 to $15.
Sketch, Shade, Smudge: Drawing from Gray to Black (continued) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Special Exhibitions Gallery, Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free.
Caitlin Vincent reads from “Opera Wars: Inside the World of Opera and the Battles for Its Future” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Drawing on interviews with dozens of opera insiders, as well as her own experience as a trained vocalist, opera company director and arts commentator, Caitlin Vincent discusses the debate of how much fidelity is owed to long-dead opera composers whose plots often stir racial and gender sensitivities. Artistic Director of Boston Lyric Opera Nina Yoshida Nelsen joins.
Marlene Gerber Fried and Loretta Ross read from “Abortion and Reproductive Justice: An Essential Guide for Resistance” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge. $28 with book and RSVP. “Written in accessible language, this one is required reading for anyone dedicated to bodily autonomy and sovereignty now and into the future,” Ms. Magazine said.
“Wonder” theater (continued) at 7 p.m. at Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge (continuing through Feb. 8). $100 to $163.
Honky Tonk Tuesday with the Talking Hearts at 7:30 p.m. at The Burren, 247 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $20 to $25. The six-piece ensemble features the spirit of country music icons Loretta Lynn, George Jones and Buck Owens.
Smut Slam from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the cafe at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville (and the first Tuesday of every month). $10 suggested donation. An open mic invites participants to tell five-minute, real-life dirty stories. Kat Sistare hosts.
Indie trivia at 8 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square in Ward 2, Somerville. Free. Test your knowledge every Tuesday. Aeronaut opens the taproom to players and hosts for this independent game of knowledge.
Wednesday, Jan. 7
Illuminations Somerville (continued) any day, any time after dark in a range of neighborhoods found by using Somerville’s official online Illuminations Map (and continuing throughout Jan. 12, 2026). Free.
“Illuminate: Contextualizing Asian American Women’s Stories through the Archives” exhibit (continued) from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Arthur & Elizabeth Schlesinger Library, 3 James St., Cambridge. Free.
Making the Invisible Visible: Digitizing Invertebrates on Microscope Slides exhibit (continued) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Monday through Friday) at Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., in the Baldwin neighborhood near Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10 to $15.
Sketch, Shade, Smudge: Drawing from Gray to Black (continued) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Special Exhibitions Gallery, Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free.
“Wonder” theater (continued) at 2 and 7 p.m. at Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge (continuing through Feb. 8). $100 to $163.
Whiskey Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Remnant Satellite, 877 Cambridge St., Wellington-Harrington, Cambridge. Free. Each month, Remnant pours flights and specialty cocktails, so whether you’re a whiskey connoisseur or seeking to gain some industry knowledge, this event will be sure to whet your whistle.
“Barbarella” (1967) from 6:30 to 8:15 p.m. at Somerville Public Library, 79 Highland Ave., Central Hill. Free. The Somerville Ciné-Club hosts this 1968 English-language science fiction film, based on the French comic series by Jean-Claude Forest. Jane Fonda stars as a space traveler and representative of the United Earth government sent to find scientist Dr. Durand Durand, who has created a weapon that could destroy humanity.
Cecily Parks and Elizabeth Bradfield read from “The Seeds” and “Sofar” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge. $18 to $22 with book and RSVP. Poet Cecily Parks deconstructs what it means to love nature while poet in “The Seeds.” Naturalist Elizabeth Bradfield examines her longtime queer love, her midlife body and a lifetime working on the water through prose in “Sofar.”
Poets Partridge Boswell, Thomas DeFreitas and Benjamin Landry from 7 to 8 p.m. at Grolier Poetry Book Shop on 6 Plympton St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $5 to $10, but register. With an introduction by Tom Daley.
Brewery Book Club from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Lamplighter Brewing, 284 Broadway, The Port, Cambridge. Free, but RSVP and 21-plus. A collaboration with the Cambridge Public Library that this month discusses “The Safekeep” by Yael van der Wouden.
Songwriters in the Round from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Rooted café at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Spring Hill, Somerville (every first and third Wednesday). Free. Four songwriters share the stage, taking turns performing and occasionally joining in on harmonies or guitar. Inspired by Nashville’s Bluebird Café “guitar pulls,” the event encourages conversation and collaboration.
Alla Boara performs at 8 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $28 to $30. The Italian folk band features vocalist Amanda Powell, guitarist Dan Bruce, trumpeter Tommy Lehman, bassist Ian Kinnaman and accordionist and keyboardist Clay Colley as they tour with their first album “Le Tre Sorelle.”
Comedy with Wednesday’s Rising Stars at 8 p.m. at The Comedy Studio, 5 John Kennedy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $19 to $24. Five next-generation comedians take the stage.
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, Jan. 8
Illuminations Somerville (continued) any day, any time after dark in a range of neighborhoods found by using Somerville’s official online Illuminations Map (and continuing throughout Jan. 12, 2026). Free.
“Illuminate: Contextualizing Asian American Women’s Stories through the Archives” exhibit (continued) from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Arthur & Elizabeth Schlesinger Library, 3 James St., Cambridge. Free.
Making the Invisible Visible: Digitizing Invertebrates on Microscope Slides exhibit (continued) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Monday through Friday) at Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., in the Baldwin neighborhood near Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10 to $15.
Sketch, Shade, Smudge: Drawing from Gray to Black (continued) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Special Exhibitions Gallery, Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free.
Thursday Morning Talks: “Covering Four Presidents: What’s Changed, What Abides, Where We Are Likely Bound” from 10:15 a.m. to noon at Holy Trinity Armenian Church, 145 Brattle St., West Cambridge. $20 or $125 (suggested donations for individual talk or series subscription), and registration is required. Ron Suskind, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, bestselling author, and Emmy Award-winning filmmaker known for his works on four U.S Presidencies, shares his experiences. The January and February lecture series is a fundraiser for Mount Auburn Hospital in its 89th year.
Collins Branch Book Club at 6 p.m. at Cambridge Public Library Collins Branch, 64 Aberdeen Ave., West Cambridge. Free. This month’s title: “Sandwich” by Catherine Newman.
After Dark Series: Making Time from 6 to 9 p.m. at The MIT Museum, 314 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. $10 to $25 and 18-plus. Uncover history’s mysteries with MIT Museum Curator of Science and Technology Florencia Pierri who shares tales from one of Boston’s slowest disasters: the Great Molasses Flood of 1919. Bites from Scott Brother’s Barbeque and drinks from Nashoba Valley Winery will be available for purchase.
Cardistry 101 at 6:30 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. Free. A beginner friendly series of lessons teaching cardistry, a performing art focused on the manipulation of playing cards.
Poetry workshop from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Spring Hill, Somerville (continuing Jan. 15 and Jan. 21). Flexible pricing. Each session begins with two city poets or poems and classes end with 20-minute readings by visiting poets. Topics will include form, line, structure and generative writing.
“Wonder” theater (continued) at 7 p.m. at Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge (continuing through Feb. 8). $100 to $163.
Martha Collins reads from “Word Work: Essays, Reviews, Reflections” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge. RSVP. Best known for her poetry focusing on race and her co-translations of Vietnamese poetry, Collins addresses those issues in a number of essays and reviews in this book: “The urgency of this work is more apparent than ever, as I write these words in 2025. We have work to do, and some of it is word work.” Poet Fred Marchant joins.
Pub sing from 7 to 10 p.m. at the café at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville (and the second Thursday of each month). Free. A pub-style singalong where anyone is welcome to lead – drinking songs, sea chanteys and any song with a singable chorus will be appreciated!
Blues Union dances from 7 to 11 p.m. at Dance Union, 16 Bow St., Union Square, Somerville. $10 to $25. A lesson in the first hour, then an hour to socialize, rest or practice with a partner before two hours of social dancing. Wear shoes that allow you to pivot; no need to bring a partner.
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.
Kendall Square Orchestra presents Dream and Delirium at 7:30 p.m. at Sanders Theatre, 45 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. $15 to $50. This second concert of the season presents Berlioz Symphonie fantastique and Piazzolla Four Seasons with violinst Yoonhee Lee.
Honest 2 Betsy and her Bawdy Broads variety show at 8 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $28 to $30. Blends comedy, music, ventriloquism and dance channeling the spirit of old-school vaudeville with a modern twist.
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.