November 2-9, 2010: Day of the Dead, Genetics Science Fair, Kite Fly, Open Studios, and Free Theatre, Movie, Corn Maze Tickets, and Mark Twain
11/02/10 by
Johnny Monsarrat
We’re into the slump after Halloween ends and before Xmas events begin, a great time to see a museum or go for a belated fall foliage hike.
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| The Week in Weird | ||||
| Free tickets to Davis Megamaze and Movie Previews | Sat 10/2 – Sun 11/14 | Worcester |
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| I have more tickets (daytime only) to Davis MegaMaze, the biggest and best corn field maze in New England! And movie previews: The Next Three Days (Thu Nov 4), Four Lions, (Tue Nov 2), and Fair Game (Thu Nov 4) all in Boston. You missed tickets to Morning Glory because you are not on the Facebook group. Email me at johnny@eventsinsider.com. 145 Redstone Hill, Sterling, MA.978-422-8888. more |
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| Free theatre tickets: Body Awareness, The Aliens, and Circle Mirror Transformation | Fri 10/22 – Sat 11/20 | Boston Metro |
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| This week I have tickets for all three of the “Shirley, VT” plays. Body Awareness (Nov 7 at 7:30PM) is a comedy where a nudie photographer visits a college campus. The Aliens (Nov 5 at 8pm) is about 30-something dropouts discussing philosophy and drugs. Circle Mirror Transformation (Nov 4 at 7:30pm) was off-Broadway hit, a touching comedy set in a drama classroom where there’s plenty of “drama”. Click for reviews of all three. 539 Tremont Street, Boston, MA. more |
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| Day of the Dead Festival at Forest Hills Cemetery | Tue 11/2 | Boston Metro |
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| The Day of the Dead festival is one of my favorite events of the year. It’s outdoors at night and forget candy skeletons. This is a serious and touching remembrance of the dead lead by a Mexican group that touches ancient traditions. And you can join in the singing, dancing, and interacting with the spirit world. Believe me when I say this: YOU MUST GO. 95 Forest Hills Avenue, Jamaica Plain, MA.617-524-0128. more |
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| Day of the Dead at Peabody Museum – Free ticket | Tue 11/2 | Boston Metro |
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| The Peabody Museum is having a Day of the Dead gala, which is still open if you come in costume, and they have a series of exhibits if you miss the gala. I am going and have one free ticket to give to whomever is most enthusiastic! Peabody Museum, Cambridge, MA.617-496-1027. more |
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| International Genetically Engineered Machine Competition | Fri 11/5 – Mon 11/8 | Boston Metro |
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| As if building robots weren’t enough, MIT now leads an international contest to build biological systems. (Are they going to fight to the death in a public arena?) Go and see what they’ve “cooked up”. MIT, Cambridge, MA. more |
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| Hampton Beach Holiday Kite Fly | Sat 11/6 | New Hampshire |
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| If you’re going up to New Hampshire for hiking, stop by this small-sized kite flying event. It’s harder to fly a kite than you might think, and you can meet and learn from some experts. They’ll probably sell kites on-site. In front of the Ashworth hotel. Hampton Beach, Hampton, NH. more |
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| Free Star Parties | Sat 11/6 | Southeast Mass |
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| This local park is doing an astronomy night. Go outdoors at night and learn from a real astronomer. Sounds like great fun! Register in advance. Moose Hill, 293 Moose Hill St, Sharon, MA.781-784-5691. more |
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| Newton Open Studios | Sat 11/6 – Sun 11/7 | Boston Metro |
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| Although we’re in the post-Halloween pre-Xmas slump for events, there are 4 competing open studios this weekend! This is when homes and work studios are open so you can walk around the city, meeting real artists (not just merchants) and potentially buying their stuff. This one’s in Newton! 11am-5pm. See website for map, Newton, MA. more |
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| Roslindale Open Studios | Sat 11/6 – Sun 11/7 | Boston Metro |
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| This one’s spread all across Roslindale so you get a nice Fall walk. 11am-5pm. See website for map, Roslindale, MA. more |
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| Fenway Studios Open Studios | Sat 11/6 – Sun 11/7 | Boston Metro |
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| Fenway will have one that’s just a single building. I guess that’s good? 30 Ipswich Street, Boston, MA.617-536-3756. more |
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| Waltham Mills Artists’ Open Studios | Sat 11/6 – Sun 11/7 | Metro West |
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| This open studios is also in a single location, so not as big, but perhaps worth a visit. I really need to buy this LSD cat painting… to give to someone I don’t like…. 144 Moody Street, Waltham, MA. more |
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| A Quilters’ Gathering | Thu 11/4 – Sun 11/7 | New Hampshire |
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| I know what you’re thinking, quilting shows are boring. But I’ve actually been to one and it was fun with the right attitude. The quilts are genuine works of art, not grids of plaid. Sheraton Hotel, Nashua, NH. more |
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| The New England Webcomics Weekend | Sat 11/6 – Sun 11/7 | Western Mass |
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| This convention near Springfield is for comic artists that can’t get into print newspapers. For some reason they have not posted a real schedule of events on their website, but they’ll have plenty of guests. Eastworks, 116 Pleasant St., Easthampton, MA. more |
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| Breakfast with George Washington | Sat 11/6 | New Hampshire |
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| I couldn’t put this up top, because it’s meant for kids, but a re-enactor playing George Washington will visit, at 10am and 11am. Also they serve breakfast. Folsom Tavern, One Governors Lane, Exeter, NH.603-772-2622. more |
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| Rosalynn Carter on the Mental Health Crisis | Sun 11/7 | Boston Metro |
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| The former first lady comes to Boston to speak, 30 years after the Carter presidency ended. Free, but reserve ahead. 4-5:30pm. JFK Library & Museum, Boston, MA. more |
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| Brockton Train Show | Sun 11/7 | South Shore |
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| There aren’t very many events for model train enthusiasts near Boston. But here is one. Come see the trains and, um, more trains. Best of all, it’s held in a temple. 10am-4pm. Temple at Pearl & Torrey Sts, Brockton, MA.508-583-5810. more |
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| Also Fun | ||||
| El Dia de Los Muertos | Tue 11/2 | Boston Metro |
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| This alternative Day of the Dead festival has candy skulls. I went last year and it was only okay. Essentially it’s a very small museum with one or two arts & crafts activities for kids and an ethnic lunch that is basically a few cafeteria ladies serving lunch. So I have downgraded it from “The Week in Weird” to the top of “Also Fun”. Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center, Cambridge, MA.800-511-9725. more |
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| Battle of the Lawyers | Thu 11/4 | Boston Metro |
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| This one’s sort of an open studios for lawyers. Are you curious what trial lawyers actually do and say, off the movie screen and in real life? They will show us in a series of lectures called “Battle of the Lawyers”. Millstein Hall Auditorium, 10 Winter Place, Boston, MA.617-218-8211. more |
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| Harvest Dinner & Urban Barn Dance | Fri 11/5 | Boston Metro |
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| So… this is participatory folk dance… that encourages you to learn about local farmers’ markets. See the other website here for a ton more folk dancing opportunities. Dante Alighieri Cultural Center, 41 Hampshire St, Cambridge, MA.781-893-8222. more |
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| Exploring the Emperor’s Paradise | Sat 11/6 | North Shore |
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| There’s never a bad time to visit the Peabody-Essex Museum. Well, maybe during the Salem Halloween crunch. But now that it’s post-crunch, they’ll have demonstrations and participatory martial arts, caligraphy, film, and landscaping. Peabody-Essex Museum, Salem, MA. more |
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| Franklin County CiderDay | Sat 11/6 – Sun 11/7 | Western Mass |
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| I’m usually skeptical of single food events. This one is occurring simultaneously at several farms in Western Massachusetts. You can get orchard tours and see apple butter being made, but the secret seems to be “tastings”, i.e. free booze samples. Various, Greenfield, MA. more |
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| ARF 120th Anniversary | Sun 11/7 | Boston Metro |
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| Although they don’t describe what ARF stands for, this is an Armenian festival that might have gone higher in this week’s list if they’d described it better. 1:30pm. ACEC, 47 Nichols Ave, Watertown, MA. more |
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| Container Ship in Distress! The Story of the APL Panama | Tue 11/9 | North Shore |
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| This looks pretty good. In 2005, a big ship grounded and this expert had to figure out how to rescue the oil and contents. Unlike with the Titanic, there will be no love plot. 66 Main St, Essex, MA.978.768.7541. more |
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| Concord Festival of Authors | Wed 10/20 – Sun 11/7 | Metro West |
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| Did I say two weeks? Concord is into its third weeks of author talks, most of which are free. Concord, MA.978-369-9763. more |
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| Boston Jewish Film Festival | Sat 10/23 – Fri 11/12 | Boston Metro |
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| This film festival has plenty of directors and celebrities. Coolidge Corner Theatre, Brookline, MA. more |
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| Daylight Savings Time Ends | Sun 11/7 | Everywhere |
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| Don’t forget to set your clocks forward an hour this weekend. Everywhere, Everywhere. more |
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| Vote! (And Election Night “TXTual Healing”) | Tue 11/2 | Boston Metro |
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| Don’t forget to vote! See the website for where to go. And tonight, there’s “TXTual Healing”, where speech bubbles are projected publicly and you can text in a message. 6pm. Main Street at Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA. more |
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| Performance | ||||
| Mortified | Thu 11/4 – Fri 11/5 | Boston Metro |
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| Mortified is a storytelling night for adults when people get up on stage and tell their scariest personal stories. I’ve seen it and it’s well done! Club Oberon, 1 Arrow Street, Cambridge, MA. more |
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| New England Jazz Banjofest | Fri 11/5 – Sun 11/7 | Boston Metro |
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| I don’t normally list concerts, but who doesn’t love old time jazz and dixieland banjo music! If you play, come along and jam with them. Unfortunately, they haven’t posted their schedule yet. Hmm. Doubletree Hotel, 44 Middlesex Tpk, Bedford, MA.781-275-5500. more |
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| Boston Comedy Festival | Fri 11/5 – Sat 11/13 | Boston Metro |
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| The Boston Comedy Festival isn’t exactly weird but it was SO much fun the year I went. Highly recommended! The really big deal is finals night, the last night of the week. Various downtown venues, Boston, MA. more |
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| Bob the Magic Guy | Sat 11/6 | Boston Metro |
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| On the plus side, it’s a magic show!!!! On the negative side, that’s your magician’s name? Bob the magic guy? Five hours of brainstorming and that’s the name that came out? Somerville Theatre, Somerville, MA. more |
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| Three Traditions of Rhythm Come Together to Beat Climate Change! | Sat 11/6 | Boston Metro |
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| 7:00 pm. Hindustani, Ghanaian, and jazz drummers perform for charity. $20; $15 students/seniors. Proceeds go to the environmental organization www.350.org. Emmanuel Church, 15 Newbury Street, Boston, MA.781-396-0734. more |
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| Travel | ||||
| The Mark Twain House & Museum Annual Fall Gala | Sat 11/6 | Connecticut |
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351 Farmington Avenue, Hartford, CT.860-247-0998. more |
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| Hartford International Film Festival | Thu 11/4 – Sun 11/7 | Connecticut | ||
| The schedule on this film festival doesn’t say whether any of the actors or directors will come, or whether there are any social events, which — are the ONLY things I care about in assessing a film fest. :(. Various venues, Hartford, CT. more |
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