Win a pair of tickets to Boston’s Celtic Music Festival at Club Passim. Email giveaways@eventsinsider.com to win. Club Passim Cambridge, MA, Fri 1/10–Sat 1/11.more

Work hard / play hard’ is in full effect at MIT this January, as they play Quiddich, which is a game from little known series of fantasy novels, in the snow. Unless there’s no snow. Then it will just be Quiddich…on the ground. 2-4pm. MIT Kresge Oval Cambridge, MA, Sun 1/12–Wed 1/29.more

I’ve seen this re-enactment and it’s wonderfully spooky! Rob Vellela portrays Edgar Allan Poe reading stories at this historic home. Trust me, you’ve got to see this! 4-6pm. Waltham, MA, Sat 1/11.more

There’s a different kind of sliding going on at Yawkey way this January involving snow and a 20 foot tall man-made snow-tubing hill. This is *our* bleepin’ city, and this is a cool bleeping event at Fenway park. Fenway Park Boston, MA, Thu 1/2–Mon 1/13.more

Ever since seeing ‘Childsplay’ I’ve had a softspot in my heart for Celtic music, and this is an ENTIRE FESTIVAL featuring the stuff, with music and dance performances, participatory events, a parade, and lots of other awesome celtic-y things. It’s like a ye-olden carnival brought to life via fiddle, step dance, and hopefully an Irish lass or two. Club Passim Cambridge, MA, Fri 1/10–Sat 1/11.more

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, I’ve seen it and it’s a pretty awesome stunt unless you’re trying to get off the subway with groceries. They meet at the South Station subway stop, outside on the street level. 1-6pm. South Station Boston, MA, Sun 1/12.more

What’s better than ‘The Last Waltz’? Your first Waltz! MIT, for 3 dollars, will teach you the basics of this most elegant ballroom dance as part of a series of dance workshops. So much twirling! 7:30pm. MIT, 77 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA, Mon 1/6.more

Learn the best office and desk practices to enhance comfort and productivity via this hour-long workshop. As someone who went from a tiny 14inch laptop computer to a desk, wireless mouse, keyboard, and 1080p monitor, the importance of having an ergonomically sound workplace cannot be stressed enough. Unless you’re MIT, in which case they’ll probably stress it just the right amount. This event is first come first serve, and you *may* have to be an MIT student. Call ahead…or ‘forget’ your ID, but I didn’t tell you that. 11:30am-12:30pm. MIT, 77 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA, Tue 1/7.more

We’ve all said ‘What are the odds of *that* happening?!’ at least once or twice in our lives. Well, Amram Shapiro had the presence of mind to write a book about it! He’ll be discussing that book, ‘The Book Of Odds’ at the Harvard Coop. 7pm. The Harvard Coop, 1400 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA, Tue 1/7.more

In the immortal words of Neo, ‘I know Kung Fu’. Okay I don’t, but after this free series of workshops, I could! Kinda! Learn about Kung Fu and Taichi from masters of the martial arts. In addition to making you a bad-ass, Martial arts build strength, confidence, and peace of mind when done right. Check it out, it’s going on all month long. 7:30-8:30pm. MIT, 77 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA, Tue 1/7.more

A special screening of the erotic (to some) ‘Secretary’ starring the gorgeous (to everyone) Maggie Gyllenhaal with a post-film Q&A with the cast and crew of ‘Venus in Fur’, a completely different, sexually charged, dramedy. Brings your questions, leave the whips and handcuffs at home. 7pm. Coolidge Corner Theatre, 290 Harvard St., Brookline, MA, Mon 1/6.more

What is Bridge, other than the one card game on your computer you ignore? I don’t know. Thankfully, MIT does, and they’re offering a free workshop dedicated to teaching aspiring card sharps. The wikipedia is something like 3000 words long, so hands on education is probably the way to go here! 6-9:30pm. MIT, 77 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA, Mon 1/6.more

Get up close and personal with rare books via MIT’s ‘Rare Book Speed Dating’ Event. It’s okay, I’m laughing pretty hard, too. This is open to everyone, but you have to register. There are currently four seats available if you wanna get to ‘know’ some rare books. For what it’s worth a girl I knew once said a good book is better than a ‘hot date’. She didn’t get out much and ate a lot of tofurky. 10:30am-11:00am / 11:15am-11:45am. MIT, 77 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA, Fri 1/10.more

What is Israeli folk dancing? I do not know. Thankfully MIT does, and not only will they demonstrate it, they will teach it to any and all willing participants, with songs ranging from popular pop hits to the songs Israeli pioneers sang. Entertaining AND Educational AND Active. MIT needs to be out of session more often! 8pm. Student Ctr 491 MIT, 77 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA, Wed 1/8.more

I know dozens of people who make their living via Youtube and media-related fields that use tons of copyrighted material under ‘fair use’. The rules are nebulous, changing, and confusing. And who better than MIT to hopefully set the record straight. I’d check this out if you’re a budding media creator and want to cover your booty, legally – though this focuses more on scholarly pieces and written work. Pre-registration required. 1-2:15pm. MIT, 77 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA, Fri 1/10.more

I never understood why off season baseball talk is called ‘hot stove’ talk, but I DO like that it afford the folks at Fenway the chance to call this benefit concert ‘Hot Stove / Cool Music’ with a bunch of ‘mash up’ bands with members of The Black Crowes and R.E.M performing to support ‘The Foundation to be Named Later’, which supports poor families. 6pm. Paradise Rock Club Boston, MA, Sat 1/11.more

A ceilidh (pronounced like ‘Kaylee’) is a Gaelic social gathering with music and dance. In other words, this is an Irish contra dance event! AND we have 2 tickets to giveaway! Score! Email giveaways@eventsinsider.com to win. Otherwise: $15, 8pm. The Atrium, 50 Church Street Cambridge, MA, Fri 1/10.more

Head to Johnson Ice Rink to get your ice skating fix. Even better this event will teach you how to perform various jumps, twirls, spins, and all that other stuff people far more flexible than I do. It’s free, too! 9:30-10:45am. MIT, 77 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA, Sat 1/11–Sat 1/25.more

There’s 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 that’s different. 8pm. MIT student center 491 Cambridge, MA, Tue 1/7–Tue 1/21.more

A series of visual art pieces about sound and music? The late Lou Reed would be proud. This event strives to convey the emotion and genre of music through various visual mediums. Certainly worth a look as long as you promise to not shout out ‘Draw Freebird! Draw Freebird!’ to the live DJ. OPENING RECEPTION: Saturday, January 11, 2014, 7@10pm. Washington Street Art, 321D Washington Street, Somerville, MA, Sat 1/11–Sat 1/25.more

Mahjong has Winds, Dragons, Flowers, and Seasons, and that’s about all I know about it, outside of the fact that it’s fantastically popular and quite the brain-intensive adventure. MIT, a school sort of known for it’s brain-intensive folks, is hosting a tournament that’s sure to be, well, intense! 7-10pm. MIT, 77 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA, Sun 1/12.more

MIT is also offering Cha Cha workshops, too! The Cha Cha is a Cuban-in-origin dance made popular via the swingin’ hips of Latin women across the globe. I won’t make a ‘Cha, you should go’ joke if you promise to go and Cha Cha…And nab a phone number or two for me while you’re at it. 7:30pm – 9:00pm. MIT, 77 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA, Mon 1/13.more

Do you like BMX? Vert Skateboarding? The X-games? Well, you should try figure-skating on for size! So much speed! So much twirling! So much jumping and landing that it gives me chills! And not just because it’s cold in there! TD Garden Boston, MA, Sun 1/5–Sun 1/12.more