Johnny’s List of Quirky Boston Events: 03/17/06

03/17/06 by

I’m going straight to hell. Yesterday I walked into one of the
Galleries on Newbury Street. I didn’t say anything, but when they started treating me as if I were rich, I didn’t say anything like “Um, you do realize my budget is more in the $25 range, not $2,500.” They have this trick where they take the painting off the wall, bring it to a special viewing room with a sofa. And sure enough, it looks exactly the same in the viewing room as it did out in the gallery. Also see http://www.boston.com/ae/theater_arts/local_art_galleries_directory/
The big event of the week is the
St. Patrick’s Day Parade – Boston, May 19th. 1pm, from Broadway T stop (Thomas Park) to Andrew Square. www.cityofboston.gov. Also Scituate, & Manchester, NH. The one in Holyoke claims to be the 2nd largest in the country. I wonder if that’s true — they’re close enough I suppose to NYC which has the largest. www.holyokestpatricksparade.com, at Holyoke High School, 500 Beech St
12pm.
Festival season is finally going to start rolling, with
the Paradise City Arts Festival, March 17-19, at the Royal Plaza Trade Center in Marlborough. Like most arts festivals it is a thinly disguised marketplace, but it’s probably worth checking out. Rt 495 to exit 24B (Rt 20W). F 10-6, S 10-6, S 11-5. 800.511.9725
Of more cultural significance is
The Evacuation Day Re-enactment, March 18th, in Dorchester. During the Revolutionary War, before they came back with a vengeance, the British abandoned Boston to the revolutionaries. This event involving actors dressed in period costumes will re-enact the revolutionaries march into taking Boston.
Continuing with the good stuff, this week check out
Juggle Mania, by the MIT Student Juggling Club, March 18th at MIT in Cambridge. This would appear to be their big event of the semester or year. 6:30PM in MIT room 54-100. It’s free and some visiting nation-level jugglers will be there.
Finally, although I never really go to book readings — they tend to be lots of fans fawning over an author — this one I can’t resist.
Daniel Dennett, “Religion as a Natural Phenomenon”, March 20th in Cambridge. He is a philosopher and brain scientist who studies human consciousness, and I’m sure he’ll have some interesting things to say about how evolution and the brain play a role in the human desire for religion. Askwith Forum at Longfellow Hall, Harvard University. (617) 661-1515. 6:30PM. Plus, he looks like Santa Claus and you want to stay on the “good” list for Xmas, right?

Also, I checked out the New England Spring Flower Show, which goes to March 19th, and it was pretty cool, surprisingly so I have no interest personally in gardening. Also I checked out the New Art Gallery in Newton I mentioned yesterday for the “Obey” exhibit and it was only so-so, skip it.