Mar 14-22, 2011: St. Patrick’s Day, Evacuation Day, Tattoo Festival, and Giveaways for Adventure Expo, Prometheus Bound, and 8 Movie Previews

03/13/11 by Johnny Monsarrat

I’d like to get some conversation going on the Facebook fan page and Twitter feed. You tell me: What’s your favorite CREATIVE activity for St. Patrick’s Day? Like, in addition to getting drunk. Click and comment, please! Everyone who joins the conversation wins my free 27-page Spring 2011 Guide, with over 720 off-beat attractions you won’t find in the blog!

Love this blog? Subscribe to email, , or and if you help get the word out, I’ll put you on my priority list to win free stuff.

-Johnny

The Week in Weird
Fri 3/18North Shore2011 Adventure Expo & Party – tix giveaway
I’m curious about paragliding, hot air ballooning, and other outdoor adventures — but are they fun? Is it worth the money and the time? Now there’s an event that brings together nearly 20 sporty activities into one indoor/outdoor expo. You pay one price and get to try snow tubing, off-road segway rides, winter rafting, and playing with sled dogs. And it’s also a party with live music, a ski/snowboard competition, and drinking games. It’s called the 2011 Adventure Expo & Party, and I have 5 tickets to give away! So that’s two pairs, and I hope one of you with a car will bring me along as the 5th ticket! Email me at johnny@eventsINSIDER.com. 6-11pm. Amesbury Sports Park, 12 South Hunt Rd., Amesbury, MA. more
Fri 3/4 – Sat 4/2Boston MetroPrometheus Bound – tix giveaway
Alert! Alert! I have two pairs of tickets to give away to the Prometheus Bound, for the show Wednesday, March 16. This is the show that my reviewer gave 4 stars too, and I concur. A musical similar in theme to The Donkey Show, the ancient greek play about infighting gods is transformed with modern music, this time heavy rock and roll. Email me at johnny@eventsINSIDER.com. And click for our review! Oberon, 2 Arrow St, Cambridge, MA. more our review
Fri 3/18Boston Metro100th Anniversary of Alexander Ragtime Band – tix giveaway
Happy birthday, Irving Berlin’s Alexander’s Ragtime Band! One of the most popular songs in history, it was published on March 18, 1911 and they’re holding a talk at 7pm and a concert at 7:30pm to celebrate. I have two pairs of tickets to give away. Email me at johnny@eventsINSIDER.com. Pickman Hall, Longy School, 27 Garden St, Cambridge, MA. more
Tue 3/15Boston MetroEIGHT free full-length movie previews
Also alert! I have free movie preview tickets for Boston! This week I have EIGHT free movie previews. (You guys know that when I say ‘preview’, they are full length films, right? Just you see them before general release.) The Lincoln Lawyer (Mon 3/14, Fenway) is about an up-and-coming lawyer with Matthew McConaughey’s patented maverick attitude. The Music Never Stopped (Mon 3/14, Boston) is a father-son drama with J.K. Simmons. Lord of the Dance (Mon 3/14, Boston) is the famous Michael Flatley show, combining the traditional of Irish stepdancing with the future of unnecessary 3D effects. Win Win (Wed 3/16, Fenway) is a drama about a high stress businessman who coaches high school sports and… you already can guess the ending. Source Code (Mon, 3/21) is a Sci-Fi thriller with that guy from Donnie Darko, Jake Gyllenhaal. Paul (Tue 3/15) is the new Simon Pegg comedy that also has Sigourney Weaver. And I Saw the Devil, (Wed 3/16, Kendall), an action flick with that actor from Oldboy. Email me at johnny@EVENTSinsider.com and let me know what you want to win! AMC Boston Common Theatre, Boston, MA. more
Sun 3/20Boston Metro501st New England Storm Troopers in Boston’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Boston has the second largest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the country. Look for local re-enactors portraying the stormtroopers from Star Wars! Have you already “done” St. Patty’s in Boston? Events INSIDER lists TONS of other St. parades and events if you want to get out of town. Just keep reading! East along Broadway, then west along 4th St, 5th St, and Dorchester St, Boston, MA. more more
Fri 3/18 – Sun 3/20Boston MetroVERICON fandom convention
It’s not as big as Arisia, but it’s chock full of creativity! Run by Harvard students, it features Monopoly, Scrabble, and plastic ‘boffer’ tournaments, a Dance Dance Revolution Contest, a Masquerade Party, and capture the flag with Calvin & Hobbes rules! Sever Hall, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA. more
Thu 3/17Boston MetroMurder at Harvard
How crazy is this? A Harvard chemistry professor was put on trial in 1849 for murder of a famous businessman . Now there’s a documentary and the makers will attend to talk and screen it — and they’ll do it at Mt. Auburn Cemetery, where the victim was buried! Come “discover the truth” about who was really behind the killing. 5:30pm, followed by a reception. Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, MA. more
Thu 3/17Boston MetroEvacuation Day Ceremony (Revolutionary War)
During the American War of Independence, the British loyalists — mainly rich Bostonians — were pushed into Boston proper and then fled for Britain in boat. That’s “Evacuation Day” and this event in Dorchester is a re-enactment. Actors will dress up in revolutionary war costumes and there will be singing, a musket firing demo, a proclamation by local politicians, and ranger tours. 9-11am. Dorchester Heights National Monument, Boston, MA.617-242-5629. more
Thu 3/17Boston MetroEvacuation Day Lecture: “Washington’s First Spy Ring
Did you know that George Washington’s headquarters during the American Revolutionary War was in Harvard Square? Hot damn! They’ll have free special tours 1-4pm, and then at 6pm, a lecture on “Washington’s First Spy Ring” by a historian who will disclose the names of previously unidentified intelligence operatives. Free, but RSVPs are required. Longfellow House, Cambridge, MA.617-876-4491. more more
Fri 3/18Metro WestMeet Smart Sarah!
This is another historical re-enactment at The Old Manse, a historic home in Concord, featuring Sarah Alden Bradford Ripley (1793-1867), mother, minister’s wife, and intellectual. Think Dora the Explorer, old school. 7pm. The Old Manse, 269 Monument Street, Concord, MA. more
Sat 3/19South ShoreOpening Day at Plimoth Plantation & Rare Breeds Animal Parade!
Imagine you work at Plimoth Plantation, the re-enactment village. You want to spice things up a bit. Why not invite hundreds of exotic animals and make it a parade!! That’s educational, right? Didn’t the Pilgrims have zebras and emus? You bet your sweet ass they did. 137 Warren Avenue, Plymouth, MA.508-746-1622. more
Sat 3/19 – Sun 3/20South ShoreSouth Shore Model Railroad Club Open House
Also in that area is one of the few model railroad festivals in New England. I grew up at a time when space travel was cool but not mind-blowing, and airplanes were taken for granted, so I’m always a little confused by people who have to go back all the way to trains for their power fantasy. Bare Cove Park, Bldg 51, 19 Fort Hill St, Hingham, MA.781-740-2000. more
Sat 3/19Rhode IslandWind Power in Rhode Island
If you live near Rhode Island, you’ve seen a wind turbine, because one of them is right next to Route 95. Now you get to tour one!! How awesome is that! I called up and you don’t get to go inside but experts lead a guided tour and it will be thrilling. Bring a lunch and dress for the wind. Storm date is April 2. Register. 10am-3pm. Powder Mill Refuge, 12 Sanderson Rd, Smithfield, RI.(401) 949-5454, ext. 3041. more
Sun 3/20Northern MassTo Build a Fire
You think you’re pretty smart because you have the app that turns your iPhone into a flashlight. But if you were trapped in a cold forest at night, could you build a fire to survive? Come to this workshop to learn how! (I actually once was trapped in a cold forest at night. It happens. I did not start a fire. I ran 3 miles to get help, using my iPhone as a flashlight.). Swift River Reservation, Petersham, MA. more
Sat 3/19 – Sun 3/20New HampshireNew Hampshire Maple Festival & Parade
There are 65 sugar houses in New Hampshire, and they’re joining in a festival that includes an obstacle course, tours, and tastings! It’s all over the state, but the central parade is in North Woodstock. North Woodstock, NH. more
Sat 3/19Boston MetroAll-American Beard and Moustache Competition
What is this? Well, it’s a bar… people with wacky beards will compete… it’s silly… and there’s a “best fake beard” category. Hey! That’s my category! Precinct Bar, 70 Union Square, Somerville, MA. more more
Mon 3/14Boston MetroBoston Cream Pi Fight
Also silly is this pie fight in Cambridge Common, the park near Harvard Square. Gather to smoosh whipped cream pies in each others faces, in celebration of the fact that the mathematical symbol “Pi” is 3.14159 and Today is March 14th (3/14). Get it? Bring a real pie or a whipped cream pie. Any unsmooshed pies will get eaten. (Yum!) 7pm. Cambridge Common, Cambridge, MA. more more
Tue 3/15Boston MetroNowruz Celebration – Persian New Year
Here’s a Persian (i.e. Iranian) festival, with traditional food, drink, and a cultural program of music and poetry. 5:15-6:45pm. Harvard University Barker Center, Thompson Room, Cambridge, MA. more
Sat 3/19Boston MetroBalkan Music Night
Tired of Persia? Already seen their rugs? Try this Balkan concert and participatory folk dance night, all in one evening. This is their annual big event. Um, question. Where are “the Balkans” exactly? I looked it up. It’s Greece, Albania, and that whole former Yugoslavia region. So pretty much the butt of Western Europe. (And if you think that’s a rude comment, you should see what I just deleted about the region’s 20th century history.) I’m sure the dancing is fun. Friends of the Performing Arts in Concord (FOPAC), 51 Walden Street, Concord, MA. more more
Wed 3/16 – Sun 3/20Boston MetroBlooms! Boston Flower & Garden Show
Let’s face it. A gardening trade show sounds pretty boring. But I went to one once and it had dozens of room-sized floral displays. Neat-o! Seaport World Trade Center, Boston, MA.617-933-4983. more
Fri 3/18 – Sun 3/20WorcesterMassachusetts Tattoo & Art Festival
I hope before you get “I’m SOooo DRUNK” tattooed on your bicep that you’ve given some thought to whether you’ll still want it at age 60. If you are going to BOTH the floral show AND the tattoo show, write me. You are one party animal. Sturbridge Host Hotel, Sturbridge, MA. more
Sat 3/19Metro WestNaughty Bingo
Naughty Bingo is traditional bingo but with X-rated jokes thrown in. They’ll give away $1000 in “adult themed” prizes and they’ll probably sell “toys”. Oh, and pizza. 6:30pm Doors, 7pm event. It’s all a fundraiser for breast cancer research. Marlboro Fish and Game, 1 Muddy Lane, Marlboro, MA. more
St. Patrick’s Day
Sun 3/20Boston MetroSt. Patrick’s Day Parade – Boston
I can’t put it off any longer. Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! I’d love to see the parade. 1pm, from Broadway T stop (Thomas Park) to Andrew Square. And next are a bunch more St. Patty’s events if you want to get out of town. West Broadway, South Boston, MA.617 268-7955. more more
Thu 3/17Metro WestSt. Patrick’s Day Celebration at Longfellow’s Wayside Inn!
This is “only” a dinner and performance, not a lecture or re-enactment, but the Wayside Inn has a ton of interesting historical and literary events. They get a free pass on this listing. 72 Wayside Inn Road, Sudbury, MA. more
Sat 3/19 – Sun 3/20Metro WestThe Irish in Concord
This one’s brainier though. The Old Manse is back with tours focusing on the role of the Irish as servants and laborers in Concord. And they’ll serve BEER! Well, it says “light refreshments”. That’s beer, right? (Probably not.) $12. The Old Manse, 269 Monument Street, Concord, MA. more
Sun 3/20South ShoreSt. Patrick’s Day Parade – Abington, MA
There’s also a parade in Abington. That’s on the South Shore. From Abington Center, Abington, MA.781 878-1570 or 781-878-7785. more
Sun 3/20South ShoreSt. Patrick’s Day Parade – Scituate
Here’s another on the South Shore. Parade starts 1pm. Wait, the Irish have bagpipes? When did this happen? What does Sean Connery have to say about it? Scituate, MA.617 268-7955. more more
Sat 3/19 – Sun 3/20SpringfieldSt. Patrick’s Day Parade & Road Race – Holyoke, MA
More Saint Patrick’s Day! The road race is Saturday at 12pm and the parade is Sunday at 12pm. Claim to be the 2nd largest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the USA. Wait, that’s what Boston claims! Well, the #1 is in nearby NYC. From the K-Mart plaza in Holyoke., Holyoke, MA. more
Sat 3/19New HampshireSt. Patrick’s Day Kite Fly
What could be more Irish than flying kites? Apparently bagpipes. But guys, maybe we should switch it from drinking and bagpipes to kite flying. In front of the Ashworth Hotel, north end of the main beach. 10am to whenever it gets too cold, and then meet up in the Ashworth Bar. Hampton Beach, Hampton Beach, NH. more
Sat 3/19Rhode IslandSt. Patrick’s Day Parade – Providence, RI
In Providence, there’s a race at 11:15am, followed by a parade at 12pm. Providence, RI. more
Thu 3/17ConnecticutSt. Patrick’s Day Parade – New London, CT
Parades continue in Connecticut. It’s the state that “connects” New York to Boston. New London, CT. more
Thu 3/17ConnecticutSt. Patrick’s Day Parade – Bridgeport, CT
And continue…. Bridgeport, CT. more
Sat 3/19ConnecticutSt. Patrick’s Day Parade – Meriden, CT
And continue…. Meriden, CT. more
Sun 3/20ConnecticutSt. Patrick’s Day Parade – Greenwich, CT
And continue…. Greenwich, CT. more more
Sun 3/20ConnecticutSt. Patrick’s Day Parade – Mystic, CT
And continue…. Mystic, CT. more
Also Fun
Thu 4/7 – Sun 4/10Boston MetroAmerican Humanist Association Conference – 4 tix giveaway
Humanism is the soft side of atheism. It’s like saying, “Hey, you don’t believe in Thor, I don’t believe in Thor. So we’re good, right?” And then we all go to see the new Thor movie with that actor from Star Trek. And I have exciting news! They are bringing their national conference to Boston, with 24 speakrs — including Apple founder Steve Wozniak and promoter of reason Richard Dawkins. They’ll have exhibitors, a film festival, social mixers, and more. And I have 4 tickets to give away! It’s not happening until April, but this is a heads up. If you’re an atheist, stand up and be counted. If you’re not, what are you afraid of? You’ll go to Chinese lion dances but you’ll avoid this cultural opportunity? Give it a shot. They are a good bunch, and it could be a lot worse than a culture of wanting to see stuff to believe it. Hyatt Regency Cambridge Hotel, Cambridge, MA.202-238-9088, x105. more
Sat 3/19North ShoreCreature Feature at Ravenswood Park
This is a guided tour at night to discover wild animals like frogs. Although oriented towards kids, I’ve been to one of these. It’s surprisingly fun. Ravenswood Park, Gloucester, MA. more
Fri 3/18Boston MetroHealth and Nutrition
The Museum of Science is doing a whole series of lectures on health. This one’s about fat people. Are they a threat? Will they cause Boston to sink into the ground? Will they snap our health care system in half like a sagging park bench? This panel will talk about health policy. Free, but register. 7pm. Museum of Science, Boston, Boston, MA. more
Sun 3/20Boston MetroLunch Line
How did six kids from one of the toughest neighborhoods in Chicago set out to fix the school lunch system and end up at the White House? Free. but register. If it’s full, a limited number of passes will be available in the lobby on the day of the event. 2:30pm. Museum of Science, Boston, Boston, MA. more
Sun 3/20All OverThe Great American Meat Out
These people hate meat. That’s cool. It just means more meat for me! Various Places, All Over. more more
Sat 3/19Boston MetroLibrePlanet
While you’re wearing green, visit the fringe of the liberal movement and meet revolutionary geeks who think software should be free. (And don’t laugh, because they’re seriously going to take over someday and their products work better and are more secure than Microsoft’s.). Harvard Science Center, Harvard University Main Campus, Cambridge, MA. more
Sat 3/19North ShoreDanvers Pancake Festival
I’m sure they don’t have the “Great American Meat Out” in mind, but there won’t be any meat at this fundraiser for local charities. Unless they serve sausage. Or you count the eggs in the pancakes as meat. 7am-1pm. It’s just $4 and they’ll have “costumed characters” and the ubiquitous face painting. Danvers High School, 60 Cabot Road, Danvers, MA.978-774-0296. more
Fri 3/18 – Sun 3/20Metro WestParadise City Arts Festival (Spring)
This art show is so commercialized, I’m not sure why I list it. But March is a slow month for interactive events, and it’s sort of a festival — in the way that every mall in America is sort of a festival. Every ritzy mall that only sells art, I mean. Royal Plaza Trade Center, Marlborough, MA.800-511-9725. more
Sat 3/19North ShoreVolunteer Mug-Up at the Essex Shipbuilding Museum
Volunteer and you can help this museum on the North Shore build actual ships! Old ships! You gotta believe these professional craftspeople have wild afterparties. Wild as in “historically accurate”… as in “pirates”. Am I right or am I right? Essex, MA. more
Sun 3/20New HampshireCardboard Box Race at Loon Mountain
Ski resorts continue to remind you that winter is over in Boston but in the mountains, they still have snow! And people racing cardboard boxes down ski slopes. Watch out for those trees! Loon Mountain, Lincoln, NH. more
Sat 3/19 – Sun 3/20New HampshireSpring Carnival Day at Crotched Mountain
There’s also a cardboard box race at Crotched Mountain, which I don’t know what that means, but I’ll just say it is very, very poorly named compared to Loon Mountain. Their festival has a bunch of other events also and lasts two days. 9am-4pm. 615 Francestown Road, Bennington, NH. more
Thu 3/17Boston MetroYou Just Missed Seeing Jimmy Carter – DAMN IT
You just missed possibly your last chance to see Jimmy Carter in Boston before the former US President dies. BUMMER! He comes in May, but the event is full. OK, people, here’s the deal. The JFK Library and Museum invites tons of big, big, nation-level speakers to Boston. And most of their programs are free! But you have to scroll through their calendar in advance and REGISTER. So go take a look at what’s left in their Spring schedule now! Or better yet, if you’re a “newsie” who likes government issues, get on their mailing list. If you’d been on their mailing list you could have RSVP’d in time for Jimmy Carter. JFK Library & Museum, Boston, MA. more
Tue 3/15Boston MetroEvents INSIDER Restaurant Reviews
Check out our restaurant reviews this week of Shabu-Ya, sushi and Korean food in Cambridge; Harvest of India, Indian food in Cambridge; and Crazy Dough’s, the award-winning pizzza place, with branches all over Metro Boston. Across Boston Metro, Cambridge, MA. more
Sat 1/1 – Sat 12/31EverywhereEvents INSIDER Question of the Week
I’d like to get some conversation going on the Facebook fan page and Twitter feed. You tell me: What’s your favorite CREATIVE activity for St. Patrick’s Day? Like, in addition to getting drunk. Click and comment, please! Everyone who joins the conversation wins my free 27-page Spring 2011 Guide, with over 720 off-beat attractions you won’t find in the blog! Everywhere. more
Performance
Fri 3/11 – Tue 3/22Boston MetroAgrippina – review
Agrippina wants her rotten son to be the Emperor of Rome and she’ll do anything to get there in this Boston Lyric Opera staging with Handel’s music. Click for our review! CitiCenter, Boston, MA. more our review
Sun 3/20Boston MetroRevels: Spring Sing
The Revels are a professional group that allows the community to sing along at some of their shows. Check it out. Church, 80 Mt. Auburn St, Watertown, MA. more
Fri 3/18 – Fri 3/25Boston MetroDeath and the Powers – A Robot Opera
MIT, Robots, Opera, Death, and Immortality. What’s not to like? Cutler Majestic Theater, 219 Tremont St, Boston, MA. more
Sat 3/19Boston MetroNew England Irish Harp Orchestra and Réagánta
Oh, Irish Réagánta. You had me at “Harp Orchestra”. 10:30-11:30am. Free, but RSVP. Music, song, and dance. JFK Library & Museum, Boston, MA.617 514-1644. more
Fri 3/18 – Sat 3/26Boston MetroCrimes of the Heart
It has been five years since Hurricane Camille swept through Hazlehurst, Mississippi, home of the troubled Magrath sisters. Meg fled town under a blanket of rumors; Lenny resides in their childhood home caring for Granddaddy, and Babe is now knee deep in scandal. The sisters must unite and put aside their differences, but it isn’t easy overcoming the emotional wake of so many past storms. Resentments will be revealed; Skeletons will be uncovered, and the past will soon meet the present! Church, 85 Seaverns Ave, Jamaica Plain, MA. more
Mon 3/14Boston MetroBreaking the Code
Celebrate Pi Day (3/14, get it?) with a staged reading of scenes from Breaking the Code, a play about Alan Turing, who broke German codes during WWII. It’s not just a performance — they’ll have an audience discussion afterwards. And it’s free! 265 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA.617-253-4444. more
Sat 3/19Boston MetroPuppetSLAM
Here’s a puppet show meant for adults! 8pm. It’s PG-13 or R-rated. 32 Station Street, Brookline MA.617-731-6400. more

Love this blog? Subscribe to email, Facebook, or Twitter and please tell your friends and get the FREE 27-page Spring 2011 Guide, with over 720 off-beat attractions you won’t find in the blog!