It’s Veterans Day weekend, and for a few of us, that means a long weekend. It also means there will be parades and gatherings throughout the commonwealth. For those of us who haven’t served in the military, it’s a good time to consider ways to express gratitude and respect for the veterans in our community. Perhaps you attend Boston’s parade on Saturday. Perhaps you invite someone you know to one of the events below. From serious to silly, there’s plenty of options in this weekend’s roundup.
Thursday, Nov. 9
The Longfellow House, where George Washington first headquartered during the American Revolution, will host a talk about queer history. It’s part of the museum’s Fall Lecture Series, which will take place both in person and virtually, free and open to all. Thursday night’s talk will feature American LGBTQ+ Museum executive director Ben Garcia and The History Project executive director Joan Ilacqua in conversation about the intersection of their work. Attend this 6 p.m. talk in person to see this beautiful National Historic Site up close. If you’re not in the in-person mood, attend virtually, and get a little live-stream edutainment as you prepare your Thursday night dinner. The event is free, but registration is required.
Friday, Nov. 10
The music of Thelonious Monk, Nina Simone and Roberta Flack will be featured at the Multicultural Arts Center in Cambridge on Friday night. Local singers Dominique Eade, Gabrielle Goodman and Grammy-nominated Farayi Malek will take the mic with accompaniment from the Ron Savage Trio (Consuelo Candelaria-Barry on piano, Alexander Toth on bass and Ron Savage on drums). It’s an offering from the Cambridge Jazz Foundation, the same group that has organized the Cambridge Jazz Festival. In addition to the music, the venue alone is also worth checking out if you’re curious about architecture of the late 19th and early 20th century. The center is the former Middlesex County Courthouse and boasts stunningly ornate features. Friday night’s show begins at 8 p.m. General admission tickets cost $35 and there will be a cash bar at 7 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 10-Sunday, Nov. 26
I didn’t like to put on clothes when I was a kid. My parents used to call me Nature Boy. I must’ve not been the only one because there’s a new show premiering at The Puppet Showplace Theater all about the daily wrangling to get children into their outerwear. “Don’t Make Me Get Dressed” by local theater group The Gottabees will use puppets, live music as well as recordings from interviews with children who know the struggle all too well. Friday’s performance marks the world premiere of this show, brought to you by the same team behind “Squirrel Stole my Underpants” and “Go Home Tiny Monster.” Tickets are $16 each. This weekend, Friday is “Mismatch Dress-Up Day” and an opening weekend reception is slated for Sunday with a “juice cup toast” between the 10:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. shows.
Sunday, Nov. 12
Jeff Rapsis does something that not many people do in 2023: he plays the organ as accompaniment for silent films. You may have heard WBUR’s Amelia Mason’s report on Rapsis’ work this week. On Sunday, he’ll accompany the silent 1925 film “The Big Parade” at the Somerville Theatre. The movie tells the story of young American men enlisting in the first World War and departing to France. It’s a love story, a drama and one of the biggest blockbusters of the silent era. Watching this film on 35 mm in the Somerville Theatre, a 1914 movie house, will be as close to an authentic early 20th century movie experience as you can get in the 21st century. Tickets are $17 for non-members and $13 for members.
If you’re like me, you didn’t know that the U.S. State Department has a team of Ambassadors of Hip Hop and Cultural Exchange. Well, take this as your opportunity to learn more from Jazzmyn RED, Massachusetts-based artist and one of those ambassadors. RED will be conducting a workshop at the Harvard Art Museums on Sunday. Attendees will learn about the use of hip hop in social justice, and participants will even be encouraged to write 16 bars of music to perform for the group. As of this summer, Harvard Art Museums are free to all visitors. While there’s no admission fee, registration is required for this event that marks both November as National Hip-Hop Month as well 50 years of Hip Hop in 2023.
