March 21-29, 2011: Poe, Jugglers, Kites, Celtic Warriors, Stargazing, & a Lecture by the Guy Who’s Indiana Jones In Real Life

03/20/11 by Johnny Monsarrat

Hello, New England! Spring is not quite here yet, so now’s your chance to check out local museums and brainy lectures before I start to list outdoor festivals! Don’t just sit around, get out there and do something fun! –Johnny

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-Johnny

The Week in Weird
Thu 3/24 – Sun 4/10Boston MetroThe Rimers of Eldritch – Giveaway
The murder of a teenage girl leads to many secrets unraveling in a mining town. Sounds thrilling! I have 2 pairs of tickets to give away. Please choose a show date when you email me at johnny@eventsINSIDER.com to win. 395 Main Street, Stoneham, MA. more
Thu 3/24 – Sat 4/2Boston MetroThe Spitting Image – ticket giveaway
He paints. She models. But as the painting emerges, so do their secrets. Art is an illustration of life in this “metamorphosis” inspired by ancient Greek myths. I have two pairs of tickets to give away for the Saturday 3/26 show. Email johnny@eventsINSIDER.com. Factory Theatre, 791 Tremont St, Boston, MA.617-817-6600. more
Fri 3/18 – Sat 3/26Boston MetroCrimes of the Heart – ticket giveaway & review
Skeletons are also revealed in this small town Mississippi drama where troubled Magrath sisters are still haunted by the hurricane five years before. I have two pairs of tickets to give away to the Thursday, 3/24 show. See our review and email johnny@eventsINSIDER.com! Church, 85 Seaverns Ave, Jamaica Plain, MA. more our review
Thu 3/17 – Sun 3/27Boston MetroLiving in Exile – ticket giveaway & review
This haunting take on The Iliad compares ancient Greek battles to those in Vietnam and Iraq. I have two pairs of tickets to give away. Make sure to tell me which performance date when you email johnny@eventsINSIDER.com. See our review! The Storefront on Elm, 255 Elm Street, Somerville, MA.866-811-4111. more our review
Thu 3/24 – Sun 3/27Boston MetroIrish Film Festival & other free movie previews
The Irish Film Festival returns! I went last year and was really impressed by the selections, which come with social aftgerparties and plenty of celebrity and director Q&As. So this is very much a real festival, and I have three pairs of tickets to give away to each of the following screenings: MY BROTHERS, NICE GUY JOHNNY, and SNAP, and CUP CAKE. In My Brothers (Sat 3/26 at 2pm), pa is dying and we steal the local bread van and have an “epic quest” to show our love for him. In Nice Guy Johnny (Sat 3/26 at 7:30pm), we are tempted to give up our radio DJ dream to earn more money for our fiancees. In Snap (Sat 3/26 at 9pm), we tell mysteriously different mother and son stories about the snatching of our toddler. And in Cup Cake (Sun 3/27, 2:30pm), our down on its luck bakery is rescued through the antics of a robot engineer (no, not Iron Man) and others. See the IFF schedule for details and email johnny@eventsINSIDER.com and let me know which you want to win! You’re allowed to ask for multiple (but may not win them all). I also have free movie preview tickets for Soure Code (Monday 3/21, Boston), Certified Copy (Monday 3/21, Kendall Square), and Sucker Punch (just one, not a pair, Wed 3/23, Boston). Somerville Theatre, Somerville, MA. more
Sat 3/26Boston MetroVanilla Fudge Farewell Tour – ticket giveaway
Vanilla Fudge, whose first “farewell concert” was in 1970, is an American rock band best known for their hit cover of “You Keep Me Hangin’ On”, by The Supremes. Come see their latest farewell. I have two pairs of tickets to give away! Email johnny@eventsINSIDER.com. 8pm. Regent Theatre, 7 Medford Street, Arlington, MA, Arlington, MA. more
Sat 3/26Boston MetroIgudesman and Joo: A Little Nightmare Music – tix giveaway
I love PDQ Bach — which turns classical music into comedy, in a classy, intelligent way — and I’m so excited to see Igudesman and Joo, serious musicians who aren’t too smug to make us laugh. This isn’t a giveaway but I was invited as press and can bring a guest if anyone wants to go. Email johnny@eventsINSIDER.com. 8pm. Berklee Performance Center, 136 Massachussetts Avenue, Boston, MA. more
Fri 3/25 – Sat 3/26Metro WestThird Conference On Middle-earth (C.O.M.E.)
In 1969, Boston’s Lord of the Rings fans organized a conference so epic that it passed into legend. Now it returns! The Conference on Middle Earth is the One Convention of the Hard Core to Rule Them All. Featuring a dance at Sauron’s Downfall Party, a LOTR Costume Party, panels with Tolkien scholars, a vendor room, “Great Hall” feast, and hundreds of fantasy-reveling fans who want to be elves. Or sleep with one. Count me in for both! Westford Regency, 219 Littleton Road, Westford, MA. more more
Thu 3/24Boston MetroEdgar Allan Poe: Ever Love Boston
Either I run these Edgar Allan Poe events because I’m an idiot, or because they are AWESOME and you are MISSING OUT if you don’t go. You decide! This event is free and features my favorite re-enactor. Poe is Boston’s most famous author and he’ll read his poems and works, both spooky and not. Boston Public Library, Boston, MA. more
Sun 3/27Metro WestEdgar A. Poe: Master of the Macabre
Why didn’t you go to the Poe event on Thursday? What am I, your events-collecting monkey…? Okay, I am. Regardless, GO GO GO see Poe at this historic mansion in Waltham. He’ll read stories including one so horrific that Poe himself censored it. This one is not for the faint of heart! The Gore Estate, 52 Gore Street, Waltham, MA.781-894-2798. more
Fri 3/25 – Sun 3/27Metro WestMargaret Fuller at the Manse
Living during the same period as Poe, Margaret Fuller was an important author of the 19th century. They’ll re-enact her visit to Nathaniel Hawthorne and his wife at the Manse at a pivotal point in her life. Fri 3/25 at 7pm, Sun 3/27 at 2 pm. The Old Manse, 269 Monument Street, Concord, MA. more more
Sat 3/26Metro WestSlavery and Anti-Slavery at the Manse
Also at the Manse, tour the slave quarters of the 1700s and learn about the anti-slavery movement that came later. Take it from me, it’s one thing to read about slavery. But one day I visited the Mark Twain museum, where they display actual slave manacles and I nearly leapt out of my shoes. They have a frightening aura and I couldn’t even bear to be in the same room with them. You owe it to yourself to visit the Old Manse this weekend to get a grip on history that’s more than academic. The Old Manse, 269 Monument Street, Concord, MA. more more
Wed 3/23Boston MetroShoebox Tour: Master Jugglers
Did you know that MIT and Harvard have juggling clubs where you can learn or just stop by to watch? They do, and I’ve been keeping tabs and waiting for this week’s event for years. Master jugglers with internation acclaim, Jay Gilligan and Wes Peden will perform and it’s only $10! This is your opportunity to see a world class act up close in a cozy environment instead of being just one in the crowd in a corporate circus tent. 8pm. MIT Wong Auditorium, E51-115, Cambridge, MA. more
Sun 3/27Western MassSt. Patrick’s Day Parade – Manchester, NH
Did you miss St. Patrick’s Day, or did you celebrate so far that you’ve lost all memory of the event? Celebrate againn with this parade in Manchester, New Hampshire. 12pm. From Elm Street, Downtown Manchester, Manchester, NH. more more
Sat 3/26New HampshireStacked Kite Fly
Also in New Hampshire, it’s National Kite Month — because it’s so windy, I suppose. Kiters are great people — very welcoming. Check it out and learn to fly a ‘stunt kite’! Hampton Beach, Hampton Beach, NH. more
Sat 3/26 – Mon 5/2Boston MetroKite Month flying at Pope John Paul II Park
Every weekend during kite month, Greg Lamoureux and his crew of kite enthusiasts will my flying at this Dorchester park. 11am-3pm. Pope John Paul II Park, Dorchester, MA. more
Sun 3/27South ShoreKite Day at the South Shore Country Club
Also free, and also involving… wait for it… wait for it… KITES!! Yessssss. 11am-3pm. 274 South St, Hingham MA.781-749-1720. more
Fri 3/25 – Sun 3/27Rhode IslandNortheast Henna and Bellydance Gathering
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 and seeing Poe. Various, Providence, RI. more more
Wed 3/23Boston MetroMoustache-a-Thon Hootenanny
Growing mustaches is somehow a charity fundraiser? They’ll “weigh in” more than 80 competitors and have prizes for most creative, etc. Didn’t we just have this event last week? 6pm. The Burren, Somerville, MA. more
Sat 3/26 – Sun 3/27WorcesterCeltic Warrior Arms and Armor Show
The Higgins Armory is my 2nd favorite Worcester area destination (after Davis Farmland and Megamaze). They have an entire museum of old-timey armor and weapons, and have tons of demos and celebrations, like this one, all year long. Higgins Armory, 100 Barber Ave, Worcester, MA. more
Sat 3/26Western MassEarth Hour Stargazing
Earth Hour is an annual event where people turn off the power for an hour, because that’s how long we can bear to go without email. This local park is holding a stargazing event. 8:30pm. Bullitt Reservation, Ashfield, MA.413.628.4485. more
Tue 3/29Boston MetroClay Center’s Public Observatory Nights re-open
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
Thu 4/7 – Sun 4/10Boston MetroAmerican Humanist Association Conference – ticket 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
Sun 3/27Boston MetroIf Indiana Jones Were Real, This Would be His Lecture
Born in 1923, Ian Graham, is possibly the greatest living archaeologist from the time when there were still human civilizations undiscovered, both modern and ancient. He’s written a book and will give a lively, entertaining lecture about his various adventures, mainly about the Maya. Peabody Museum, 11 Divinity Ave., Cambridge, MA. more
Also Fun
Tue 3/29Boston MetroThe Teotihuacan Cosmogram and Polity: Update on the Sacred City and its Three Monuments
Also ancient Mexican, let’s talk about the ancients behind Mexico City’s Sun and Moon Pyramids, where they’ve recently discovered new graves. OoOoOoooO! 5:30pm, followed by a reception at the Peabody Museum. Harvard’s Geological Lecture Hall, 24 Oxford St., Cambridge, MA. more
Sat 3/26Boston MetroThe Moral Lives of Animals
I’m not all about lectures, but March is a slow month for outdoor events, and you know that Harvard and MIT lead the world in lectures and research? Let’s not take our proximity to these brilliant thinkers for granted. So go hear about animals, morality, and evolution. Cambridge, MA. more
Sat 3/26Boston MetroArab Voices with Dr. James Zogby
Wow! This one’s even better! As you know, a dozen Arabic nations are in the middle of turmoil that could lead to democracy across the region. Boston’s Center for Arabic Culture is hosting a free book lecture and wouldn’t it be interesting to get the insider’s viewpoint on what’s happening in Arabic culture worldwide? MIT, 32 Vassar Street, Room 123, Cambridge, MA. more
Wed 3/23Boston MetroPhysics of the Future
I heard this guy on NPR, I think. Rather than thinking “science fiction”, Michio Kaku has researched and written a well-thought out book on what might actually come in the next 90 years. An elevator to space? Robot surgeons? Contact lenses that give X-ray vision? 7pm. Free, but registration in advance. Miss out? A limited number of passes will be available in the lobby on the day of the event. Museum of Science, Boston, Boston, MA. more
Sat 3/26North ShoreWhat Art Tells Us About the Brain
Why do we like art? Why don’t we build houses and forage instead of drawing on cave walls and toilet stall walls? This Harvard expert knows and will tell all. It’s a good excuse to visit Salem and this interesting museum off-season. Register in advance. Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA. more
Sat 3/26South ShoreREI: Introduction to Geocaching
Geocaching is when you walk through the forest with a GPS device trying to hunt down buried treasure. For realz!!!! Awesome! Just remember, when you and your friend find the motherlode: dead men tell no tales. REI Hingham, Hingham MA. more
Thu 3/24 – Sun 3/27North ShoreThe Boston Tea Party – Swing Dance Festival
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. Newton Marriott, Newton MA. more
Sat 3/26Metro WestWoolapalooza
Sheep need shearing. You get to watch! Drumlin Farm, 208 South Great Road, Lincoln, MA. more
Sun 3/27Boston MetroMetropolitan WaterWorks Museum
The grand opening of this new museum doesn’t seem to involve a celebration except that they happen to be open. But still — new museum! It’s all about the history of clean water, perhaps the most important invention for human health ever. 2450 Beacon Street, Boston, MA. more
Fri 3/25 – Sat 3/26Boston MetroWild & Scenic Film Festival
This film festival includes director Q&As, a panel on energy with the Undersecretary for Energy Policy, and a locavore tasting. Locavores are people who eat locally grown and raised food. Which of them do I get to taste? “Find out what it is like to couch surf in Mongolia, see claymations of animals helping the planet, and watch as photographers from around the world unite to save the white bear of Ghost Bear National Park. Various Locations, Boston, MA.617-227-1522. more
Thu 3/24 – Thu 3/31Boston MetroBoston Underground Film Festival
Jesus! The first film on the schedule is “Hobo With a Shotgun” and it just gets crazier from there, with 4 parties including the Machete Maidens Party and plenty of director & celebrity Q&As to beef up this film marathon into a real fest! Look for J. Cannibal’s program of horror short films. Kendall Square Cinema, Cambridge, MA.617-202-5059. more
Thu 3/24 – Sun 4/10Boston MetroBoston Turkish Film Festival
I’d still rather than you go outdoors than stay in a dark room watching movies, but I don’t know any other Turkish events in New England, so it’s worth a shot. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 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. Spring is a great time to go hiking. It’s like having air conditioning all around. What’s your favorite hiking destination within driving distance of Boston? Click and comment, please! Everywhere. more
Tue 3/22Boston MetroEvents INSIDER Restaurant Reviews
Check out our restaurant reviews this week of Leo’s Diner in Cambridge and Wagamama, the pan-Asian noodle place in Harvard Square and Boston. Across Boston Metro, Cambridge, MA. more
Performance
Sun 3/13 – Sun 4/10Boston MetroEducating Rita – our review
Oh Rita! You got some ‘splaining to do! A feisty student who falls in love with her literature class is more than her professor can handle in this comedy. Click for our review. BU Theatre, 264 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA. more
Fri 3/4 – Sat 4/2Boston MetroPrometheus Bound — our review
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. Click for our review! Oberon, 2 Arrow St, Cambridge, MA. more
Fri 3/25 – Sat 3/26Boston MetroDoctor Who: Starship of Madness
A local theatre troupe re-enacts the radio shows of the 1930s by standing on stage and performing the “recording” live, complete with showing you how radio sound effects are made. This one’s a combination of science fiction faves Dr. Who and the works of H.P. Lovecraft. Church, 204 Elm St., Somerville, MA. more
Sat 3/26Metro WestInternational Championship of Collegiate A Cappella – Quarterfinals
If you love a capella music like I do, check this out. 8pm. Kresge Auditorium, MIT, 48 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA. more
Mon 3/28 – Wed 3/30Boston MetroSlamBoston
Between 6 and 9 ten-minute plays compete in a festival atmosphere. Looks interesting. Factory Theatre, Boston, MA. more
Sat 3/26Boston MetroMariachi Veritas de Harvard at the MFA
I came across this mariachi band and couldn’t help but want to list it. 1-2pm. It’s part of a week long “MFA Fiesta”. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA. more 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
Thu 3/24Boston MetroAnnual International Folk Music Festival
This “festival” seems to be purely a performance. 8:15pm. Berklee Performance Center, 136 Massachusetts Ave, Boston, MA. more
Sat 3/26Boston MetroSOKOLOW NOW!
The Anna Sokolow Contemporary Dance Company presents their annual spring concert at the Boston University Dance Theater. Boston University Dance Theater, 915 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA.617-358-2500. more

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