Johnny’s List of Weird Boston Events: 2/22/09

02/22/09 by

Darwin is still not gone, Lincoln’s going strong, and Longfellow enters the scene this week. Enjoy your week in weird! Want this weekly? Please subscribe.

-Johnny


The Week in Weird
Lincoln Symposium, Lecture by Benjamin Todd Jealous, President of NAACP, Brown University Campus, Providence, RI Feb 27 – Feb 28 Rhode Island
Let’s start with Lincoln! He will continue to be a theme all year, since he’s turning 200. This time the symposium is at Brown University and features the president of the NAACP.
Brown University, Providence, RI. more
Longfellow Birthday Celebration @ Mt. Auburn Cemetery Feb 28 Boston Metro
And it’s been a year since Longfellow’s 200th birthday. A historian will talk about Longfellow, there will be a wreath-laying ceremony and birthday cake.
580 Mount Auburn St, Cambridge, MA.617 547-7105. more
IHOP National Pancake Day Feb 24 Boston Metro
Birthday cake is good!! But so are pancakes!! Yummy yummy, pancakes. And they’re free. 7am to 10pm, any IHOP.
Various IHOPs, such as 16 Eliot Street #18, Cambridge, MA. more
Rail-A-Rama XL Train Show Mar 1 Southern Mass
Also, there will be a model train show! Sometimes I go to these things just to interact with hobbyists who have so much passion and energy. 10am-4pm. Free parking. $5.
Christina’s Function Facility, Rt 1, Foxboro, MA.617-361-4445. more
Chinese New Year Banquet Feb 27 Boston Metro
We’re not letting go of winter this week, or the Chinese New Year, which apparently continues, this time at the Boston Chinese Neighborhood Center, complete with a lion dance and food. Call immediately because they will sell out. 5:30pm reception and 7pm dinner.
Empire Garden Restaurant, 690 Washington Street, Boston, MA.617-635-5129 x1054. more
Winter Play on the Allée Mar 1 North Shore
Also wintry is a winter festival on Castle Hill. They’ll have stories, winter games, and sledding if there’s snow, which is not in the 10-day forecast right now. 1-4pm.
Castle Hill, Ipswich, MA. more
Snowshoe Tours at the DeCordova Museum Feb 28 Metro West
You’ll also look pretty silly walking around in snowshoes on the bare dirt. Or snow if we get lucky, for this guided tour. 10am and 1pm, reserve in advance.
51 Sandy Pond Rd, Lincoln, MA.781-259-8355. more
Winter Campfires at Mass State Parks Feb 28 Boston Metro
Even cooler are campfires on the beach. I really want to see this!! Hear campfire stories, roast marshmallows, and go for a beach walk. 5:30-7:30pm.
Constitution Beach, Boston, MA. more
Special Olympics – Winter Games Feb 28 – Mar 1 Worcester
The Special Olympics winter sports include a dance, skiing, ice skating, and those perennial winter pastimes: bowling and floor hockey. It’s not to late to volunteer, or just show up and cheer ’em on.
Wachusett Mountain, Princeton, MA. more
Comedy Beanpot (competition) Feb 25 – Feb 28 Boston Metro
Local college troupes square off for Boston’s premier comedy title.
Improv Boston, Cambridge, MA. more
Battles at the Buzzer (Breakdancing) Feb 28 Boston Metro
Personally, however, I’d rather see a breakdancing competition. 7pm-12am. $10. Breakdancing! You can’t top that!!
81 Harvard Avenue, Allston, MA. more
Darwin at Down Feb 23 Boston Metro
Check this out! They have, for one day only, a play about Darwin at this theatre in Watertown.
New Repertory Theatre, 321 Arsenal Street, Watertown, MA. more
MIT Chorallaries Bad Taste Concert (a capella) Feb 28 Boston Metro
Here’s an MIT event that you’re welcome to attend but will probably not get into unless you come early and wait in line. It’s the annual concert where the songs are in-your-face humor, and the audience gets to throw toilet paper. Who knows, if you’re lucky there could be a riot. 11:59pm.
MIT room 26-100, Cambridge, MA. more

Also Fun
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? Mar 2 Boston Metro
There will be a talk by a Harvard scientists about unconscious bias and racism. Clearly a joyful topic. But they’ll be showing the film Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, which I’ve seen and is a treat. It’s amazing how complicated the interactions of just 4 people can become!
Coolidge Corner Theatre, Brookline, MA. more
Central Massachusetts Flower Show Feb 27 – Mar 1 Worcester
This flower show might be worth checking out. I went to one once and it was surprisingly fun. It’s essentially a trade show for gardeners but they’ll have forced bloom flower displays, too! Park at Worcester Municipal Garage at 30 Worcester Center Blvd.
DCU Center, Worcester, MA.508-792-0314. more
BANFF Mountain Film Festival World Tour Feb 23 – Feb 25 Boston Metro
They’ll have a bunch of mountain climbing films in Arlington, which may be fun.
Regent Theatre, Arlington, MA. more
Salem Film Festival Feb 26 – Mar 5 North Shore
But the smart money is on this film festival in Salem. Their schedule shows sevearl of the filmmakers attended, and they’ll have an awards ceremony and social events.
1 Church Street, Salem, MA.978-744-1400. more
Lincoln Film Festival Feb 25 Boston Metro
A film on Lincoln will be shown 6-9pm.
Church on the Hill, 140 Bowdoin Street, Boston, MA. more
BAGLY Winter Ball Feb 28 Boston Metro
Also the BAGLY winter ball is coming up. I wouldn’t list this except it’s a slow week and where else can teenagers go for gay pride?
Back Bay Events Center, 200 Berkeley St., Boston, MA. more

Recurring
Darwin Day 200 at Harvard: Darwin and Me Symposium Feb 23 – Mar 5 Boston Metro
The Darwin symposium at Harvard continues with two lectures Feb 23, 6-8pm and Feb 26, 6pm.
Harvard University, Cambridge, MA. more
Academy Award-Winning Short Films Feb 12 – Mar 6 Boston Metro
The ICA continues to show all the short films that were nominated.
ICA, 100 Northern Avenue, Boston, MA.617-478-3100. more
Dirty Dancing, the Musical Feb 7 – Mar 15 Boston Metro
Dirty Dancing is now a musical. Ho hum.
Opera House, Boston, MA. more

 

Want this weekly? subscribe. My blogs: Weird Boston Events & Wheel Questions, Wheel Answers. Send encouragement & ideas to johnny@weirdbostonevents.org.