The Harvard Square Business Association - 2011 Annual Calendar of Events
January Events:
January 16th - Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration - On Sunday, January 16th, students from the Community Charter School of Cambridge will recite Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream Speech” at Fire + Ice, 50 Church Street, Harvard Square. 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
This event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.
January 27th - Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year Parade in Harvard Square! (Parade at 3:00 p.m. followed by her Award Presentation and Roast)
January 28-30th - Taste of Chocolate Festival in Harvard Square!
Harvard Square's finest restaurants and cafés will embark upon a three-day Chocolate extravaganza, sponsored by the Taste of Chocolate and the Harvard Square Business Association.
Events will include workshops, a Chocolate Scavenger Hunt, Dining in the Dark Chocolate Style, and Mystery Café’s Death by Chocolate. Harvard Square restaurants will feature chocolate appetizers, entrees, desserts, cocktails, cordials and nightcaps while Harvard Square retailers will dazzle you scrumptious chocolate specials and deals. And, for you brave and hearty chocolate lovers, a tasty sampling of chocolate goodies from Harvard Square’s finest purveyors will be presented on Saturday from 1:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. on Deguglielmo Plaza (in front of Crema Café) for all to enjoy! Entertainment, prizes and more!
January 28th – Come celebrate our 3rd Winter Carnival Go Green Walk/Ride Friday with our special Green Eggs and Ham breakfast! Enjoy green breakfast burritos, green muffins and pastries and green apples! Breakfast is free, open to the public and will take place in the arcade at Holyoke Center, 1350 Mass. Ave. from 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
February Events:
February 4th - Hasty Pudding Man of the Year – The tradition continues! (An award Presentation and Roast at 8:00 p.m. followed by the opening night performance of Hasty Pudding Theatricals 163: Kashmir If You Can).
February 5th – “Some Like it Hot Chili Cook-off” from 1:00 - 3:00 pm. (the day before the Super bowl.) Enjoy samples of chili from some of Harvard Square's HOTTEST Restaurants while enjoying musical entertainment! Vote for the People's Choice Award for Best CHILI in Harvard Square. This event is free, open to the public and will take place on Deguglielmo Plaza. (in front of Crema Café)
February 6th - Super Bowl Sunday in Harvard Square! Events in Harvard Square Restaurants and clubs…more details coming soon!
February 11th-14th – A very long and very sweet Valentine's Weekend in Harvard Square! This event will feature fabulous food and drinks from Harvard Square’s restaurants, romantic and fun deals from our retailers and a variety of funky, cozy, and entertaining things to do from all of our very best cultural icons!
February 20th - Come celebrate Chinese New Year in Harvard Square! 1:00 - 4:00 pm
2011 is the year of the Rabbit and the 56th Anniversary of the Hong Kong in Harvard Square! As usual, Massachusetts Avenue from the Hong Kong to Yenching will be festooned with gorgeous red and gold silk lanterns hanging from our wrought iron lampposts as we prepare for our grand annual Chinese New Year procession through Harvard Square and our cultural "Open House" at the Hong Kong!
Meet us for a Lion Dance around our lantern-bedecked oak tree in Winthrop Park (corner of JKF and Mount Auburn) and then join our Lion Dance Parade over to the Hong Kong. The Lion Dance Parade will start at 1:30 p.m.
From 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. several generations of the Lee Family will continue their tradition of community outreach by welcoming the public into the “Kong” for a special cultural open house. The Hong Kong is a beloved landmark and for decades has served as the gateway to the heart of the Square for students and visitors alike. The Hong Kong’s steady presence adds to the vibrant cultural diversity that one finds upon entering Harvard Square.
March Events:
Monday, March 1st – Harvard Square Celebrates Women History Month
Join us in Harvard Square as we celebrate Women’s History Month! Check back for more information about restaurant events and cultural events throughout Harvard Square www.harvardsquare.com
March 6th – 11th and 13th – 18th - Winter Restaurant Week in Harvard Square!
Thursday, March 17th - Harvard-Go-Brach Events in Harvard Square!
Join us in Harvard Square as we celebrate our Irish Cultural Heritage! Check back for more information about restaurant events and cultural events throughout Harvard Square.
April Events:
Saturday, April 30th - The Fourth Annual Bookish Ball and Shakespeare’s Birthday
Bookstore Strolls, Music, Dancing, Remarks and Cake! Free to the Public. Be sure to pick-up a Bookish Ball Passport at the Harvard Square Business Association Kiosk and get as many “stamps” as possible in order to enter to win fabulous prizes including a Shopping and Dining Spree in Harvard Square. More details to follow.
April 30th -Sunday, May 8th - The 4th Annual Cambridge Science Festival. Harvard Square is full of scientific surprises! Check back for more details.
May Events:
Thursday, April 28th through Sunday May 1st -The 19th Annual Harvard Arts First Festival – Join hundreds of Harvard undergraduates, graduate students and faculty in Harvard’s Annual Celebration of the Arts. http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~arts/about.htm
Sunday May 1, 2010 from 12:00 until 6:00 p.m. -The 28th Annual Mayfair featuring Six Stages of live entertainment, over 30 restaurant vendors, hundreds of street vendors selling artwork, jewelry, vintage clothing, neighborhood sidewalk sales, AND Chalk on the Walk! Rain date – May 15th
Thursday, May 5th - Cinco de Mayo –Mexican heritage celebrated in the restaurants of Harvard Square.
Sunday, May 8th -Mother’s Day!
Friday May 27th - Patios in Bloom Kickoff – Our fifth annual Patios in Bloom Event kicks off the official “Patio Season” in Harvard Square. We can’t wait to celebrate our outside patios! Patio’s in Bloom also serves as a “square wide” unveiling of over 120 Victorian Flower Baskets which will be installed on the Washington Lampposts throughout the Square.
May 26th - 360th Harvard Commencement
June Events:
Saturday June 11th – The Dance for World Community Festival in Harvard Square, presented by Jose Mateo Ballet Theatre.
Saturday, June 18th – 4th Annual Make Music / Harvard Square! - A square-wide musical celebration being held in every nook and cranny, park and plaza and street and patio throughout the day and throughout the evening on the longest day of the year.
Sunday, June 19th - Father’s Day!
July Events:
Sunday, July 17th - Bastille Day! Join us on Holyoke Street for a stormin’ French Street Festival featuring fabulous French food, music, dance and children’s events!
Tuesday, July 5 through August 31 - Think Pink, Drink Pink, Shop Pink! Members of the Harvard Square Business Association have joined together to create a Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign using PINK themed window displays, PINK drinks and PINK shopping opportunities in Harvard Square from July 5th through August 31st. The fifth annual event changes weekly with new displays, offers and events. The financial donations collected by individual businesses and special events will be tallied and announced after August 31st.
August Events:
Summer Restaurant Week in Harvard Square. Details to follow.
September Events:
Third Annual Urban Ag Fair. Details to follow.
Sunday, September 18th - Eighth Annual Riversing, presented by the Revels.
October Events:
Sunday October 2nd -The Thirty-Second Annual Oktoberfest and Honk Festival featuring six stages of live entertainment, Over 30 restaurant vendors, hundreds of street vendors selling artworks, jewelry, vintage clothing, neighborhood sidewalk sales, and HONK! Bands from around the country! Raindate Oct 9th
Saturday October 22nd - Sunday, October 23rd - The 47th Head of the Charles.
The 46th Head of the Charles Regatta, the world's largest two-day rowing event, brings 7,500 athletes from around the world to compete in 55 different race events. The Regatta attracts up to 300,000 spectators to Harvard Square!
October 28th-31st - Harvard Scare! Scary event details to be announced soon.
November Events:
November 1st - November 30th - Folk Music Month in Harvard Square!
Saturday November 26th – Tree Lighting at the Charles Hotel
December Events:
Sunday December 11th – Ice Rink Opening at the Charles Hotel
Friday December 16th – Saturday December 17th – Shop Over Weekend at local Harvard Square hotels and inns!
Saturday December 17th - The Every one Love Latkes Party! From 1:00 – 2:30. The Fifth Annual Everyone Loves Latkes Party featuring the most delicious, most creative, and best-looking latkes and condiments available! Join us for this free event with gracious latke donations from the fabulous restaurants of Harvard Square. Holiday music and storytelling too!
Sunday, December 18th - Breakfast with Santa
For more information about Harvard Square Events, please visit: www.harvardsquare.com