3/23/10 – 3/31/10: Free Movies, Science Talks, Robots, & Ice Cream; Hindu, Toga, & Bellydance Fests; Easter Egg Hunts

03/23/10 by Johnny Monsarrat

More free movie tickets this week! Love this blog? Subscribe to email, Facebook, or Twitter and please tell your friends!

-Johnny

The Week in Weird
Irish Film Festival — Free Tickets		3/26 – 3/27	Boston Metro
The event of the week is the Irish Film Festival! This is a real festival, not simply a “sit down shut up” in the dark. They’ll have directors and stars come to answer questions, and social mixers as well. Best of all, I have tickets to give away! I have three pairs of tickets to ‘Wide Open Spaces’, Thursday at the Brattle Theater with a reception to follow at the Grafton Street Pub & Grill. I also have three pairs of tickets for Saturdays’ films: The Bass Player: A Song for Dad (2:30pm), The Race (4pm), Divorcing Jack (7:30pm). See the website for details and be specific about which films you’d like to win tix for. Somerville Theatre, Somerville, MA. more
Clash of the Titans — Free Tickets		3/29	Boston Metro
And I have ten free tickets to a sneak preview of Clash of the Titans on Monday. It’s a silly-looking but probably fun remake of the silly-looking but fun 1981 original, starring Liam Neeson and Sam Worthington. Email me to win. Boston Common Theatre, Boston, MA. more
Evolution of Brain Aging and Cognitive Decline		3/25	Boston Metro
I don’t normally list book or research lectures, because there are so many of them and living in Land Of Academia, we tend to take them for granted. However, I was just at a HMNH lecture last weekend and have become a believer. So here are a bunch of unusual talks, all of which have some interactive component. FIrst, this lecture on the brain is free! Harvard Museum of Natural History, Cambridge, MA. more
Bizarre Animals: An Evening of Contemporary Art Interventions		3/26	Boston Metro
Then they step up the action with an “artists night”, with video and live music performances and special guided tours. Anything is possible. I hope to start a conga line! 7-9:30pm. Not free, but you can afford $6, right? Harvard Museum of Natural History, Cambridge, MA. more
The Climate Collaboratorium and Collective Intelligence		3/30	Boston Metro
MIT is getting into the interactive science act as well, with a lecture and demonstration of harnessing thousands of people to perform a single intellectual task. FREE. 6pm. MIT Museum, Cambridge, MA. more
Boston FIRST Robotics Competition		3/26 – 3/27	Boston Metro
If that’s not enough science for you, how about FREE ROBOTS! They say it takes place in a “rock concert atmosphere”! With robots! Come submit yourself now before the big robot takeover. 8am-6pm both days. Agganis Arena, 925 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA. more
Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day		3/23	Everywhere
The only thing better than free robots is free ice cream!! Yummy in my tummy! :). Ben & Jerry’s, Everywhere. more
The Boston Tea Party – Swing Dance Festival		3/25 – 3/28	North Shore
This is a tea party that involves neither tea nor politics. It’s an entire weekend of workshops, classes, and dance parties for swing, lindy hop, and ballroom dancing, with a competition. Register in advance. The Sheraton Ferncroft Resort, 50 Ferncroft Road, Danvers, MA.978-777-2500. more
Blooms! Boston Flower & Garden Show		3/23 – 3/28	Boston Metro
To get the tea, you’ll have to attend this flower festival. Let’s face it. A gardening trade show sounds pretty boring. But I went to one once (not this one) and it had dozens of room-sized floral displays. This one features an English Garden Tea and is probably worth checking out. There’s a preview with cocktails Tuesday evening. Seaport World Trade Center, Boston, MA.617-933-4983. more
Revere Spring Carnival		3/24 – 4/18	Metro Boston
But perhaps you’d rather be outdoors. This traveling carnival goes all around New England in warm weather. Their rides are smaller and somewhat rickety, but it’s always a good time if you have the right mindset and are with the right people. Showcase Cinemas, Route 60, Revere, MA. more
Full Moon Tour @ Gore Place		3/31	Metro West
This historic mansion is doing another of their moonlight tours, showing what it was like to live by candlelight. 7pm. 52 Gore Street, Waltham, MA.781-894-2798. more
Clay Center’s Public Observatory Nights re-open		3/30	Boston Metro
Of course, you can look at a much bigger view of the moon at local observatories like this one that host public nights. This one is every Tuesday, 7-8:30pm. Always call ahead to check on the weather for observatory nights. 20 Newton Street, Brookline, MA.617-454-2795. more
Northeast Henna and Bellydance Gathering		3/26 – 3/28	Rhode Island
Henna is like the tattoo you don’t regret in the morning because it fades away. Some people like henna so much, they want to spend 3 days in workshops and lectures. I am not one of these people. I will be at the Irish Film Festival. I’m usually the tallest guy in the room. Come say hi. Various, Providence, RI. more more
Salem Spring Fling		3/27	North Shore
This one is definitely the weirdest though. Themed after a “Bacchanalia”, bring your toga. They’ll have massage and live music but the event is based around wine-tasting. I don’t drink but I’d be curious just to see it! Old Town Hall, Front Street, Salem, MA. more more
Holi : The Hindu Celebration of Color		3/27	Boston Metro
This is the first Hindu festival I’ve seen that’s open to the public. Food, music, dancing and “Bollywood” celebrations. West End Museum, 150 Staniford St., Boston, MA.617-670-1900. more
Dance Marathon		3/27 – 3/28	Boston Metro
And your bellydancing and toga skils will come in handy at this 18-hour dance marathon to benefit AIDS research. Boston University, Boston, MA. more
Also Fun
Elegant Evening		3/27	Boston Metro
This annual folk dance event sounds like a blast and is preceded by lessons. Folk dancing is usually pretty easy just to show up and pick it up. Don’t be afraid! Church, 365 Belmont Street, Belmont, MA. more
Linda Fang: Stories from China		3/23	Boston Metro
This is another lecture, sort of. It’s storytelling aimed at an adult audience, drawing from Chinese history and culture. 6pm. Free. Harvard Art Museum (Sackler), 485 Broadway, Cambridge, MA.617-495-9400. more more
Boston Underground Film Festival		3/25 – 4/1	Boston Metro
And the Boston Underground Film Festival continues, with parties every evening after the films. I would pay special attention to J. Cannibal’s Tapas of Terror, a mini-festival on Friday and Monday. Kendall Square Cinema, Cambridge, MA.617-202-5059. more
Boston Turkish Film Festival		3/25 – 4/11	Boston Metro
In comparison, this event might be something of a turkey. (Get it? Turkey? Nudge nudge.). Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA. more
FreeMasons Open House		3/27	Boston Metro
There’s really nothing weird about this open house for a local community service group… unless you believe that the masons are a secret society that controls the world. Then, it’s real weird that they’re enticing you to visit. And join. Various, They’re everywhere!. more
New England Walkers for Knockers Craft/Vendor Fair		3/27	Northern Mass
This event may be even more disturbing. Buy crafts and support “knockers”. I am a big fan of knockers. AmVets, 576 Primrose St., Haverhill, MA. more
Boston Restaurant Week – Winter		3/21 – 3/26	Boston Metro
This is a commercial promotion, not an event, but the winter is sparse, so we’ll take what we can get. Be warned, even at a discount, most of these restaurants are pricey, and you’re supposed to tip as though you’d paid for a full meal. Various, Boston, MA. more
Opening Weekend of Fiery Pool: The Maya and the Mythic Sea		3/27	North Shore
To celebrate a new Mayan exhibition, the PEM is holding a day of film, lecture, and tours. Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA. more
NanoDays		3/26 – 3/27	Boston Metro
Nano” technology is a fad, an umbrella term for a variety of chemical and molecular sciences that want to look trendy and haven’t found a killer app yet. Well, the Museum of Science, Boston will be hosting a day of talks and demos on the various topics that aren’t really a single topic. Museum of Science, Boston, MA. more
Review: New England Soup Factory		1/1 – 12/31	Boston Metro
From time to time I’m going to talk about restaurants that I’ve visited, both in the blog and on my radio spot on the Out With Joe show. The New England Soup Factory, in Newton and Brookline, is an inexpensive alternative to quick lunch stops like Au Bon Pain and Panera Bread. They’re best known for their cold berry soups in the summer, and feature bakery items like a peanut and butter jelly cookie. I recommend the tomato florentine or lobster newburg soups while it’s still cold. Perhaps the best thing about New England Soup Factory is that you get the positive experience in a bright and well-designed atmosphere of a well-managed chain without the ‘factory’ attitude of Subway Sandwich Shops or D’Angelos. Because despite the name, the founder, who helped grow Boston Market, still works in the kitchen and recently published a soup cookbook. It’s an upscale version of Fresh City, without the upscale pricing, that’s worth a taste. And defintely get some rolls, which even beat out the rolls at Bertucci’s. 244 Needham Street, Newton, MA. more
Easter
Annual Easter Egg Extravaganza – Maine		3/27	Maine
I can’t hold it back any longer! Even though Easter isn’t until April 4th, a number of places are doing their’s early. This one has an entire parade. 10am-1pm. Old Orchard Beach, Old Orchard Beach, ME.207-934-0860. more
Camoflaged Egg Hunt – Smithfield, RI		3/27	Rhode Island
Or hunt for “eggs in a natural setting”. What, actual bird eggs? Doesn’t seem like it. Powder Mill Ledges Wildlife Refuge, 12 Sanderson Road, Smithfield, RI. more
Easter Egg Hunt – Westerly, RI		3/27	Rhode Island
If you’re in Rhode Island, go to this park instead. I have a huge height and speed advantage over 5-year-olds. I’m quite sure I can collect more eggs than anyone! Wilcox Park, Westerly, RI.401-596-7761. more
Annual City Easter Egg Hunt – Taunton, RI		3/27	Southern Mass
I’m in! This one has an Easter egg hunt that allows adults to assist kids. I’m quite sure I can beat out a bunch of 2-4 year olds. I mean, um, “assist” my “teammate” in doing so. Watson’s Pond, Taunton, MA. more
Easter Egg Hunt – Medway, MA		3/27	Metro West
10am. Rain date next day. What if I showed up early with binoculars to scout out the eggs are they’re being hidden? Choate Park, Medway, MA. more
Annual EGGstravaganza – Danvers, MA		3/28	North Shore
Most churches will have some kind of event, so I’m going to list just the secular ones. But this one looked exceptional, so I’m listing it. They’ll also serve you a free breakfast if you sit through their morning sermon. Tempting. Pancakes. Christ. Pancakes. Christ. Can’t I just have the pancakes? Some church, Danvers, MA. more more
Easter Egg Hunt – Westborough, MA		3/27	Worcester
And this one’s going to be free (well, bring canned food to donate) and has a moonbounce. Some church, Medway, MA. more
Easter Fair and Pizza Lunch – CT		3/27	Connecticut
This one will have games, live animals, a visit from the Easter Bunny, crafts, and food. 60 Main Street, Colchester, CT. more
Performance
Sudbury Savoyards Perform Longfellow’s Greatest Tales		3/26	Metro West
Is it a historical re-enactment or a theatre show with dinner? Looks like both! A performance of some of Longfellow’s works. 72 Wayside Inn Road, Sudbury, MA. more
Annual International Folk Music Festival		3/25	Boston Metro
This “festival” seems to be purely a performance. Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA. more
WERS A Capella Concert & 60th Anniversary Celebration		3/28	Boston Metro
WERS is my favorite radio station. They’re having their annual concert and there will be a ton of A Capella! Cutler Majestic Theatre, Boston, MA. more

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