This is wild and haunting and crazy and puppety and…I have to admit I don’t think I’m smart enough to fully understand what this is about from the synopsis I read. Very strange, but interesting – and there’s definately nothing else like it. You can check it out for yourself, too! We have tickets to give away! Email giveaways@eventsinsider.com to win, and keep an eye out for our review going up this week! Cyclorama at the Boston Center for the Arts (BCA), 539 Tremont St., South End,Boston, MA, –.more
Win: ‘Hairspray’ at Wheelock College
Enter to win tickets to ‘Hairspray’ at Wheelock college! Message Giveaways@eventsinsider.com to win! ‘Hairspray’ is a fantastic musical about a big-boned girl with bigger dreams in the 1950s. This is quite the iconic show, too. The film versions transcend time and place and culture and even gender (with Jon Waters and John Travolta playing a woman in each of the films), via music, dance, and progressive thought. Boston, MA, –.more
Win: ‘Making Comic Sense’ with Jimmy Tingle
Win tickets to the reflective, funny, and very popular in the New England area comic Jimmy Tingle’s 1/25 show! E-mail giveaways@Eventsinsider.com to win tickets to the. The Regent TheatreArlington, MA, .more
Win: Talk Nerdy To Me 3.5
Nerdlesque is exactly what you think it is. Awesome. This two night only show takes your favorite elemtns of nerd culture: Star Trek, Star Wars, the Settlers of Catan, Lan Parties, and mashes them up with sexy sexy ladies taking their clothes off – it’s more than that, but that’s the basic idea. I always end up staring at the floor and blushing when at these sort of events, but that’s just me. ALSO we have a pair of tickets to the January 26th and January 30th shows! e-mail giveaways@eventsinsider.com to win! The OBERON 2 Arrow StreetCambridge, MA, –.more
Johnny’s 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. 8pm. Stratton Student Center, Building W20Cambridge, MA, –.more
Snow Quidditch!
Work hard / play hard’ is in full effect at MIT this January, as they play Quidditch, which is a game from little known series of fantasy novels, in the snow. Unless there’s no snow. Then it will just be Quidditch…on the ground. 2-4pm. MIT Kresge OvalCambridge, MA, –.more
Lego’s: The Brick Factor – Master Model Builder Competition
American Idol meets Legos at Boston’s Public Library! ‘Brick Factor’ is a competition to find the best of the best brick builders, with the winner landing an actual job, with an actual salary, for Lego, to build Lego sculptures professionally. Talk about high stakes. Check this one out *for sure*. 1/25 to 10am-5pm, 1/26 1pm-3pm. Boston Public LibraryBoston, MA, –.more
MIT Science Fiction Marathon
The MIT kids are watching Sci-Fi flicks from 7pm ’til the wee hours of the morning, including Aliens, Pacific Rim, And..oh my god, Mystery Science Theatre 3000, the movie! GREAT for second shifters like myself. 8 bucks, 5 bucks after Pacific Rim. MIT 26-100Cambridge, MA, .more
Science on Screen: KING KONG
Head to Brookline for a screening of the classic ‘King Kong’ with its incredible stop-motion special effects. It’s great! Coolidge Corner TheatreBrookline, MA, .more
Fire and Ice in Fay Park @ Community Bonfire
Think you’re a master-level snowman (or woman, or dog, or mustang) builder? Head to Littleton, MA for a snow sculpture competition, with prizes for best snow man *and* best snow sculpture – this conest is running until March, so plan ahead. Fay Park, Littleton CommonLittleton, MA, .more
Maine Winter Special Olympics
Sugarloaf Mountain hosts Maine’s Winter Special Olympics, fostering the ideals of teamwork, individual betterment, and pride in one’s performance that team and individual sports too, for kids who may not be able to engage in those activities otherwise. This is something special, a great cause, and if you have kids, or know kids, or have friends with special needs, check this out 1/16-1/28. Sugarloaf Ski and Golf ResortCarrabassett Valley, ME, –.more
Revels Pub Sing #1 at The Skellig
Probably tired of some jerk playing ‘American Pie’ on the jukebox at their favorite pubs, the various members of Boston’s ‘Revels’ troupe took to singing in pubs, downing brews, and making merry! The first of these rowdy events takes place at the Skellig in Waltham! The SkelligWaltham, MA, .more
Moonlit Snowshoe Tour
No flashlights! An AMC Naturalist helps you find your way through the trails with only the full moon for light. That’s either terrifying or enthralling. Maybe a bit of both! January 18, February 15, February 22* and March 8. 7pm. Route 16, Pinkham NotchJackson, NH, –.more
Snow Sculpting Competition
Who knew there was such thing as a professional snow sculpter? Watch them at work or try it out yourself. Amateurs welcome. Each day has a different location. Black Mountain, Black Mountain RoadJackson, NH, .more
Pocket Tech
Head to the Discovery Museum in Acton, MA, and learn about that fantastically amazing computer in your pocket known as your cell phone, with exhibits and hands-on demonstrations. 2-4:30pm. The Science Discovery MuseumActon, MA, .more
Amherst Railway Society – Big Railroad Hobby Show
Wayyyyy out west in Springfield is a massive model train show. They hook together dozens of privately built tracks to create one huge railroad track system, sort of like the transcontinental railroad of model trains. Eastern States ExpositionSpringfield, MA, –.more
Camp Sunshine Polar Plunge
People will dive into cold water to raise money for charity at Wachusett Mountain. Insanity. Can I just write a check? Register at 11am, plunge at 1pm, so you have two hours to think about your poor choices in life. 1-3pm. Wachusett MountainPrinceton, 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! MIT, 77 Massachusetts Ave,Cambridge, MA, –.more
Find 16 New England Regions on Twitter
Hey! I’ve split my Twitter feed into 17 regions so that you can REALLY get just the events close to home, or pick what you like. Please check it out and add me to a ‘Twitter list’ too (google it). All Over, , –.more
Get the 2014 New England Guide
Mention my website to friends and get my 2013 New England Guide, with 1,200 off-beat destinations including dinosaur footprints, zoos, ziplines, where to go stargazing, and where to find an indoor water park in December! All Over, , –.more
Also Fun
Surveillance in Cultural Context: Seven Films at MIT
MIT hosts a film festival focused on citizens being watched by their governments. It begins with the great ‘Minority Report’ , includes ‘Rear Window’, ‘Enemy of The State’ and ends with a documentary on the ‘Anonymous’ hacking group, all with post-film discussion and light snacks! Free, too! Check it out! MIT, 77 Massachusetts Ave,Cambridge, MA, –.more
Trash Can Drumming
Banging on a Trashcan’ is not just for Nickelodeon’s ‘Doug’ anymore, as a special performance / workshop for aspiring trashcan drummers comes to MIT. Class starts at 7pm. MIT W20 Basement Conference Room (W20-027)Cambridge, MA, –.more
Ice Skating via MIT
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, –.more
Audio/Visual: Visual Art about Sound and Music
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, –.more
COLLISION20:bilocate
An entire art exhibit based on things smashing into other things, with a techno-twist? Beam me up Scotty! Cyber Arts exhibits are always wild – hell, one time they used electricity to turn plankton colors. Plankton! 6-9pm. Boston Cyberarts Gallery, 141 Green Street,Jamaica Plain, MA, –.more
Build Your Own Monster Puppet at Puppet Showplace
Puppets don’t get enough love. They’re not just for kids, you know! This intro class for adults will teach you how to make your very own moving-mouth puppet with rod arms, like the ones on the Muppet Show, just in time for the new Muppet movie! 2014:Tuesdays, 6:30-9pm. The Puppet Showplace TheatreBrookline, MA, –.more
Brian Stokes Mitchell
Triple Threat writer, actor, and singer Brian Stokes Mitchell comes to Boston! Cambridge specifically! 8pm. Sanders Theatre, 45 Quincy St,Cambridge, MA, .more
Taste of Chocolate Festival
A Chocolate festival with over a dozen vendors, live music, and Boston’s Museum of Natural History will have a selection of rare, edible, plants! This looks wonderful! Especially since there’s stuff for folks who aren’t super crazy about chocolate. I’m more of a savory, chippy, saucey, kind of person – you are what you eat, after all. 1-2pm. Harvard SquareCambridge, MA, –.more
A Party for Prevention: Lesbians & Friends Dance
A ‘Party for Prevention’ with a silent auction, hors d’oeuvres, and someone named DJ Jodi, all for a great cause – preventing Breast Cancer. $40, $45 at door 8:30pm-12:30am. Holiday Inn Boston Brookline, 1200 Beacon Street,Brookline, MA, .more
The Boston Home Show
The Boston Home show is like IKEA on steroids. So many decors, styles, trinkets, and innovations, all in one place. If you’re desperate to keep up with the Joneses, consider this opposition research! Cruiseport BostonSouth Boston, MA, –.more
Let the Public Play
Opening Reception: Monday, January 27, 2014, 6-8pm. CAC Gallery, City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway, 2nd Floor,Cambridge, MA, .more
Blizzard Blast Race
Tough Mudder’ in the snow, so…’Tough…I can’t think of a pun. Anyhoot, this 79 dollar obstacle course offers a bevy of things to run over, under, and through, and offers prizes for the top finishers. Feel the burn in the chilly winter! 9am. Four Oaks Country ClubDracut, MA, .more
Annual Ice Harvest
Another Ice Harvest, this one in Sudbury, MA. Again, these are quite the spectacle, especially when you consider the fact that before we had electrical refridgeration, this was the only game in town for those folks who wanted icey cold drinks! 11am-3pm. Longfellow’s Wayside InnSudbury, MA, .more
Moonlit Snowshoe Tours
No flashlights! An AMC Naturalist helps you find your way through the trails with only the full moon for light. That’s either terrifying or enthralling. Maybe a bit of both! January 18, February 15, February 22* and March 8. 7pm. Great Glen Trails, Route 16, Pinkham NotchGorham, NH, –.more
Ice Day
In the old-timey days, before refrigeration, they used to cut out blocks of ice and try to store them through the summer! In this free event you can watch ’em do it via gas powered chainsaw. From there they are slid across the ice into a giant store house, if my 7th grade science teacher is to be believed! It’s also preceded by a pancake breakfast! 9am-2pm. Rain date 7 days later. Kezar Lake’s Horse BeachNorth Sutton, NH, .more
Phillips Favorites: Winter Wonderland Walking Tour
Ahh, a ‘Winter Wonderland’ walking tour highlighting Salem’s bevy of historical architecture. The admission comes with cocoa! 2-3pm. Phillips HouseSalem, MA, .more
Winterfest Weekends at Fruitlands Museum
The Fruitlands museum, Candy land’s healthier, slimmer, cousin, has a slope called the ‘OMG Hill’ during its Winterfest festival! I mean, it’s not really a ‘festival’ if it lasts 6 weeks, but they’ll have bonfires, sledding, ice skating, and snowshoeing, Saturdays & Sundays, from 11am-4pm. It would be a good idea to call ahead, since there may be last-minute cancellations due to the weather. Fruitlands MuseumHarvard, MA, –.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 Wonderdays’ promotion. Providence, RI, –.more
Free Community Skating Party
In Norton, the skating will be free, and they’ll hand out hot cocoa that’s also free! Yum! 2-4pm. Norton, MA, .more
Flora in Winter 2014
From January 23rd to the 26th, head to Worcester to see Flowers paired with works of art. Professional florists create various arrangements and pair them with the historical paintings in Worcester’s art museum. This is like the waffles and pancakes of the visual expression world – a delightful, but unexpected combination. Worcester Art MuseumWorcester, MA, –.more
Worcester Auto Show
Worcester is having its own Auto Show from Jan 24-26th! With shiny new cars, trucks, *and* they snuck in snowmobiles and motorcycles too. Go, take a gander, and fantasize about all the fancy cars you will probably never, ever, own. DCU Center, 50 Foster St.,Worcester, MA, –.more
Performance
Review: Working: A Musical
Check out our review of ‘Working: The Musical’ from the lyric stage! The Lyric Stage, 140 Clarendon Street, Copley Square,Boston, MA, –.more
Review: Venus in Fur
Venus in Fur’ is one of those subversive plays that mix the actual ‘play’ with the production aspects for some fourth-wall-breaking goodness. This one has quite the legacy, too, with the film adaptation being directed by controversial filmmaker Roman Polanski it starts 1/9, and we’ll have a review you can check out 1/14! Huntington Theatre Company, 264 Huntington Avenue,Boston, MA, –.more
Review: Insignificance
Marilyn Monroe meets Einstein meets Joe DiMaggio, meets…John F. Kennedy(?!) in this comedy about our oft-spinning moral compass. Check out our review! Cambridge, MA, –.more
Review: The Color Purple
The tour-de-force drama comes to the Speak Easy Stage, keep an eye out for our review. SpeakEasy Stage Company, 539 Tremont Street,Boston, MA, –.more
Review: The Haberdasher! A Tale of Derring-Do
A slap-dash tale of Derring-Do in Boston! There’s swordfighting and cross-dressing! I mean, come on, what more could you want from your
play?! Check out our review, too! Boston Playwrights’ TheatreBoston, MA, –.more
Review: Imagining Madoff
They say the best supervillians are the ones you’re able to identify with, just a bit. This play poses the question of whether or not even the most evil of men, have souls worth saving. Check out our review, too! Arsenal Center for the ArtsWatertown, MA, –.more
Review: The Devil’s Music: The Life and Times of Bessie Smith
An intimate show featuring blues and Bessie Smith, who tells the tale of her life through music, monologue, and audience interaction. Check out our review, and it’s not too late to enter to win tickets, either! E-mail giveaways@eventsinsider.com to win! MRT TheatreLowell, MA, –.more
Bogart at Berklee Comedy Showcase
A wonderful night of comedy with a live band (which means live Rimshots!) and fantastically hilarious MC. We’re ALSO giving away a pair of tickets for this 1/22 show. E-mail giveaways@eventsinsider.com to win! 8pm. The Red Room @ Cafe 939, 939 Boylston St.,Boston, MA, .more
Speakeasy Circus
The insane speak easy circus returns with more stunts, more lights, more colors, and more incredible feats! OBERONCambridge, MA, –.more
Gathering of Fiddlers and Fishermen
Portsmith Rhode Island’s ‘Gathering of Fiddlers and Fishermen’ is a traditional Irish concert, lovingly dubbed ‘an open-mic tribute to the sea’. This is so good it sells out every year. Be sure to get your tickets in advance! 6:30pm. Common Fence MusicPortsmouth, RI, .more
Jersey Boys
Jersey Boys’ comes to Worcester’s Hanover theatre, bringing with it ‘four seasons’ worth of entertainment, as the play traces the incredible story of Frankie Valli and his cohorts from blue collar kids in ‘Jersey to international pop music sensations. Worcester, MA, –.more
Travel
Stagecraft: 50 Years of Design at Hartford Stage’
Take a wonderful tour of historical props, costumes, and various set pieces from 50 years of Hartford’s legendary theatrical run. Hartford StageHartford, CT, –.more
Valentine Chocolate Festival
A ‘Valentine’ chocolate festival in New Haven, CT. Yes, this is a few weeks ahead of St. Valentines day, but hey, this festival is actually a competition, which will select the best of the best chocolate confections – with a silent auction thrown in as a bonus. Yummah! 1-4:30pm. The Thomas Golden, Jr. Student Center, Yale University 268 Park Street,New Haven, CT, .more
Public Reception for VIBRANT. A Look at Contemporary Lyricism
Check out the opening reception for ‘VIBRANT: A Look at Contemporary Lyricism’. Maybe someone will get to the bottom of what the heck Radio Head is singing about. 2-5pm. Whitney Center, 200 Leeder Hill Drive,Hamden, CT, .more
The Ice Carnival
An old fashioned carnival midway with games, a non-copyright-infringing fortune wheel, and more, highlight New London, CT’s Ice Carnival. 6-10pm. Hygienic Art ParkNew London, CT, .more
Winter Carnival @ Ski Sundown
Ooh a winter carnival in New Hartford, CT! This one has a ‘special fun course’ as well as balloon animals, ice sculptures, and free popcorn and cotton candy! 11am-2pm. Ski Sundown ResortNew Hartford, CT, .more
Rangeley Snowmobile Snodeo
Snowmobile tricks, scenic helicopter rides, a family marshmellow roast, canoe sleigh rides, parade and a delicious pun of a title makes Ragneley’s ‘Snowdeo’ thoroughly worth the trek to Maine. Rangeley LakeRangeley, ME, –.more
Moosehead Lake Togue Ice Fishing Derby with Ricky Craven
In the most ‘Maine’ thing in the history of Maine, Greenvile presents to you a three day long ice fishing derby! There’s prizes for the best catches, and it’s hosted by ESPN analyst Ricky Craven. Cool! Moosehead Lake, Village St.,Greenville, ME, –.more
Fireworks Presented by Bank of Maine
Sugarloaf has a slew of activities in preperation for its Charity ball. One such activity includes that with a donation, with each lift ride you’re given a card. After you’re done skiing, turn in your best five card poker hand. Best hands get prizes. The charity ball itself features live and silent auctions, dancing, and hors d’oeurves! Auction starts at 5:30pm. Sugarloaf Ski and Golf ResortCarrabassett Valley, ME, .more
WinterKids Winter Festival
This is cool. On 1/25 ‘Winter Kids’ hosts its ‘Welcome to Winter’ festival, where immigrants from other (probably warmer) countires to Maine to expierence snow sports like skiing, tubing, sledding, and snowshoeing for the first time. 12:30-2:30pm. Portland, ME, .more
Portland on Ice
While it’s mostly live music, we’ll take what we can get in winter in Maine. So try this week long festival! Downtown PortlandPortland, ME, –.more
Torchlight Parade and Fireworks
To cap off a special day at Maine’s Special Olympics, there’s a parade, and various torch-light related boomers. What a great way to celebrate a great event for a great cause! 8pm. Sugarloaf Ski and Golf ResortCarrabassett Valley, ME, .more
How creative! Restaurants in Eastman, New London, Newport, Hanover, and Lebanon bring food samples to 6-8 outdoor bonfires, and you follow the tiki torches to each via snowshoe or cross-country skiing. It’s just a 2-hour drive from Boston and provides hours upon hours of delicious delights. 11am-1pm. Eastman Cross CountryGrantham, NH, –.more
Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake
See Swan Lake LIVE from Russia, via Peterborough, NH’s Closed Circuit kinda-sorta-PPV feed. For 18 dollars you see one of the most beautiful ballets ever written and performed on the big screen in glorious HD, amongst folks who are just as into it as you are. 1pm. Peterborough Players TheatrePeterborough, NH, .more
Masked Marvels & Wondertales
Oh wow I saw this guy in….5th grade and he is INCREDIBLE! He’s like a Tim Burton movie brought to life, but it’s just one guy – that isn’t Tim Burton! That man is in fact Michael Cooper, who uses a variety of elaborate masks, costumes, and props to tell a wildly fantastic (and fantastical) story and had a bigger impact on my life than I realized until just now. 1pm & 4pm. Capitol Center for the Arts, 44 South Main St.,Concord, NH, .more
Waterbury Winterfest
Waterbury Winterfest now has 10 full days of wintry festivey events! There’s snowshoe demonstrations and obstacle courses, gourmet soups in homemade bowls, free ice skating, poetry slams, a wassailing contest, and more! downtown WateburyWaterbury, VT, –.more
Stowe Winter Carnival
Snow Golf! Snow Volleyball! Barn dancing! The Stowe Winter Carnival has so, so, so, sooooo many cool events, and activities, AND a bouncy house for the kids. Head to Stowe, VT, head there now, and tell em I sent you! various locationsStowe, VT, –.more
MontPolar Frostival
Montpelier’s ‘Frostival’ will feed you via a pancake breakfast and chili dinner, tap your toes via jazz and ballroom dancing, pump your blood via sledding and a scavenger hunt and indoor sledding, and the highlight: Hoola Hooping! various locationsMontpelier, VT, –.more
Ice on Fire Winter Festival
This ‘Ice on Fire’ festival has a parade, bonfire, theatre, and if the Facebook is to be believed, folks dressed up as animals for reasons that currently escape me. Great! 2pm. North Branch Nature Center, 713 Elm Street,Montpelier, VT, .more
