Events INSIDER: Jan 6-13, 2015
Giveaways and Features
Win: Alice in Wonderland
Want a pair of tickets to see Alice in Wonderland at the Regent Theatre on January 7th for free? Email giveaways@eventsinsider.com for your chance to win. Arlington, MA, . more
Win: Two Pairs of Tix Bill Bellamy at the Wilbur
Email giveaways@eventsinsider.com for a chance to win a pair ot tickets to see Bill Bellamy live at the Wilbur on 1/10! Boston, MA, . more
Johnnys Picks
International Folk Dancing for Everyone
MIT has a folk dancing club. You read that right. The smartest people in the country also have coordination, AND dancing talent. Meanwhile I still trip myself up on the Eyyyy Marcarina! part of the…well you know the song. Yeesh, some people have all the luck. Cambridge, MA, –. more
24 Hour Show
Its a college drama staple: The 24 hour play! Yep, a group of actors write, direct, and perform an original short play in 24 hours. See how they fared at 8pm. Cambridge, MA, . more
Boston No Pants Ride
Every year the pranksters in Boston (and New York) ride the subway with only their underwear. These are the guys who unleashed fifty people in blue shirts and khakis into a Best Buy, for the record. Regarding this, Ive seen it and its a pretty awesome stunt unless youre trying to get off the subway with groceries. They meet at the South Station subway stop, outside on the street level. Boston, MA, . more
MIT IAP (Independent Activities Period)
The school that never sleeps, MIT, holds a month of creative classes, lectures, and special events. Almost all of these are just for the MIT community or fully registered by now (I checked), but click through to see if anything is available that might catch your fancy! Cambridge, MA, –. more
Full Moon Snowshoe Walk
Explore Laconia by snowshoe under the light of a full moon. Bundle up and enjoy the scenery! Laconia, NH, .more
Old Newbury Bonfire
Another Christmas tree bonfire! This one is north of Boston, and has a little more to offer: tour this historic home, enjoy cider and donuts, and more! Newbury, MA, . more
Christmas Tree Bonfire
Salems residents will burn their holiday trees in a huge bonfire without a single falsely accused witch in sight! Progressive! It will smell great and the pine sap tends to pop, too! Salem, MA, . more
Full Moon Trek & Bonfire
Enjoy an adults-only one-and-a-half hour hike that includes Native American traditions pertaining to moonlight, a wine tasting, and the quintessentially American tradition of lighting things on fire for our entertainment (and warmth). Richmond, MA, –. more
Also Fun
Winter Trails Day
Theres one more holiday to go folks. Happy Winter Trails day! Winter Trails Day takes place all across New England, wherever there is snow. You can find free snowshoeing and free cross-country skiing anywhere theres snow and trails! All Over, , .more
Israeli Folk Dancing
Contra dances are popular around town, but I dont see many opportunities to learn Israeli dances. Try it out at 9pm. Cambridge, MA, –. more
Winter Sing for Twelfth Night
Eat, sing, mingle, and be merry at this Winter Sing event. Bring a song, sing along, or just enjoy! Somerville, MA, . more
Hot Stove Cool Music Benefit Concert
Whether or not your team has been burned by the hot stove of baseballs offseason, this sports-backed concert helps put kids in college through scholarship programs. Boston, MA, . more
Otto Piene & Electronic Art Opening Reception
Otto Piene, the father of Sky Art is memorialized in this showing of interesting and engaging electronic art! Jamaica Plain, MA, . more
Harvard Squares Winter Carnival
Harvard Squares Winter Carnival is back for its seventh year, for the next two months! Check for event details online. Cambridge, MA, –. more
Boston Urban Ceilidh Dance Party at @ The Atrium @ 8pm
A ceilidh (pronounced like Kaylee) is a Gaelic social gathering with music and dance. In other words, this is an Irish contra dance event! Cambridge, MA, –. more
Fetes De Rois (Feast of the Kings)
This centuries old French tradition is basically a party for kids, and theyll have a cake or galette (which is not where The Patriots play), and lots of French culture. Theres limited space, so RSVP, sil vous plait. Boston, MA, . more
1890s Dance Class
Forget partying like its 1999, at this class, pick up some 1890s dance grooves! This is in preparation for a historical dance later this month. Waltham, MA, . more
Passims BCMFest
There will be more than 100 performers at this huge Celtic music and culture event! Cambridge, MA, –. more
Dancing Nudes Murder Mystery Scavenger Hunt
Basing a murder mystery on a Sherlock Holmes story is a promising start for this one night only scavenger hunt! Boston, MA, . more
Reading & Book Signing
Peter Shapiro discusses and signs copies of his book, Ghosts on the Red Line. Dont be scared if you take the Red Line home! Winchester, MA, . more
Intro to Contra Dancing, with Live Folk Music
Theres more going on at MIT this January besides folk/contra dancing. I just really like contra dancing. This one has a live band (which you can join, if you play!) so thats different. Cambridge, MA, –. more
Trash Can Drumming
Banging on a Trashcan is not just for Nickelodeons Doug anymore, as a special performance / workshop for aspiring trashcan drummers comes to MIT. Cambridge, MA, –. more
Colonial Classic Synchronized Skating Competition
A synchronized skating competition in Lowell will dazzle you. I promise it. Seeing people moving in unison is great as is, but imagine doing it on skates! Thats *really* hard to do, folks! Even better, this is a three day competition, so you know youre getting the A game from the skaters! Lowell, MA, –. more
A Night with Frank and Jack
Id be more into the Sinatra tunes than the Jack Daniels sampling at this event, but whatever floats your boat… Sudbury, MA, . more
Sculpture Park Snowshoe Tour
Assuming there is snow, snowshoe around this great sculpture park and enjoy the sights! Lincoln, MA, –. more
Winterfest Weekends at Fruitlands Museum
The Fruitlands museum, Candy Lands healthier, slimmer, cousin, has a slope called the OMG Hill during its Winterfest festival! I mean, its not really a festival if it lasts until spring, but theyll have bonfires, sledding, ice skating, and snowshoeing, every weekend. It would be a good idea to call ahead, since there may be last-minute cancellations due to the weather. Harvard, MA, –. more
Providence Restaurant Week
Head to Rhode Island for its Restaurant Week, with delectable and delicious deals in over a dozen restaurants, including 2 for 1 specials, and discounted prices on three course meals! This is running until the 24th, so get there sooner rather than later! Providence, RI, –.more
Winter Wonder Days at the Roger Williams Park Zoo
Nothing to do? How about the zoo? Roger Williams Park offers half price admission January through February thanks to its Winter Wonder Days promotion. Providence, RI, –.more
Watercolors in Nature
Do you like to paint? Why not try this watercolor class at the Audubon? Youll need some instruction- watercolors are tricky and one wrong dab can turn those beautiful blues and yellows and reds a mucky yucky brown! Natick, MA, . more
Plymouth Farmers Market
Farmers markets are the new in thing for a good reason: You support local farmers and get fantastic fresh food in return! Ive never been to a Native American one, though. Looks highly promising. 2:30-6:30pm. Plymouth, MA, . more
A Shire Twelfth Night
All the revelry you can handle is at this Shire Twelfth Night, held on the tenth of January in Fairhaven. Games, food, drink, more! Fairhaven, MA, . more
Moonlight Syrup-on-Snow Snowshoe Hike
This two hour nighttime snowshoe hike is worth it, with views of Peaked Mountain under moonlight. Plus, if any has freshly fallen, there will be syrup-on-snow! Monson, MA, . more
Performance
The Edwards Twins
These twins claim to look and sound like over 100 superstars! See for yourself this weekend at the Stoneham Theatre. Stoneham, MA, –. more
Measure for Measure
This award-winning company is bringing Shakespeares classic Measure for Measure to Cambridge through February. Cambridge, MA, –. more
A Future Perfect
Examine the modern family experience in this tale of two couples on the cusp of change in A Future Perfect. Boston, MA, –. more
Chalk
This Sci-fi thriller pits a mother against the end of the world AND the end of her world. Boston, MA, –. more
Lose your BLUES!
Check your winter blues at the door and enjoy this uplifting and beautiful harp performance. Natick, MA, . more
Muckrakers
Activism, journalism, and hacking collide in this modern conversation about the nature of privacy. Watertown, MA, –. more
Mashpee Plays Together: An Evening of Art & Music
Childhood thrives on the playground, and this Mashpee event will featuring live music and other performances, as well as surprise guests supports Mashpees goal of building a new one… with theraputic qualities! Cotuit, MA, . more
The Best Brothers
What makes these two siblings the best? Find out in this performance of The Best Brothers in Lowell. Lowell, MA, –. more
Perpetual Motion Performance
Did you know the Peabody Essex Museum has a Composer-in-Residence? Come hear his new piano piece this weekend! Salem, MA, –. more
A Date With Kate: An Intimate Evening With Katharine Hepburn
After wowing audiences as Liza Minelli and Judy Garland, Peter Mac takes on the legend herself, Kate Hepburn. Salem, MA, –. more
24-hour Play Festival
A 24 hour play festival is actually a little misleading – theres actually only 6 plays performed in about a 2-3 hour period. The 24 hour part comes from the writers, producers, and actors who are up from midnight to midnight writing and rehearsing them. Wanna see what a play finalized at 3am looks like? Check it out in Wakefield, RI. Wakefield, RI, . more
Travel
Snowshoe Adventure Hikes
Theres low intensity and high intensity snowshoe walks happening in Laconia this January, which combines frigid temperatures with…sweating. Lots of people like it though, and it could make for a cool day-trip adventure for families or folks looking to try something new. Check it out. Laconia, NH, –.more
National Winter Trails Day
At this event, cancer survivors and their caregivers can rent equipment for free, but everyone will enjoy getting out on National Winter Trails Day! Oxford, ME, . more
Malagentia Winter Feast
Music, food, games, and warmth are standard at this Winter Feast. Come chase away the winter, if only for an afternoon. Portland, ME, . more
Childrens Festival Week
Sunday Rivers Childrens Festival *actually* looks like a great excuse to go yourself – kids stay free, ski free, can take discounted lessons, and be stowed away with childcare folks for half price while you hit the slopes with a little extra dough in your pocket. Sounds good to me! Newry, ME, –. more
Winter West Festival
Dog sleds, sleigh rides, ice sculptures, food, winter sports, and more in Westbrook! The details on the 2015 event are scant, but its happening, thats for sure! Westbrook, ME, –. more
Glowlight Parade & Fireworks
You know that awesome scene in Mulan where thousands of soldiers race down a snowy mountain carrying lit explosives, then Mulan shoots the last firework at them to cause an avalanche? Well this is like that, but instead of soldiers its dozens of skiers, and instead of explosives, its glow-lights – and theres more than one firework, too…and hopefully no avalanche. Same kind of visual though! Check it out! Kingfield, ME, . more
Boston’s concert season is rocking this year! Some of the concerts in Boston you can get tickets to online include John Legend at the Blue Hills Bank Pavilion, Fleetwood Mac, teen superstar Justin Bieber and even Tom Petty at Fenway Park. Boston seems to always have lots of events going on, even stuff for the kids like Disney on Ice Frozen at the Fleet Center.