Harvard Square, a shopping destination since 1630 invites all shoppers to free themselves from “Door-Busters, Early Bird Specials and Artificial Lighting” and join us for a healthy dose of crisp November air, village sights and sounds, and great shopping discounts.

* Black Friday at UpStairs is going to feature a restorative lunch prix fixe offering for only $20. $20 gets you three sumptuous courses that are bound to kick the tryptophan out of your system and give you the energy to wander Harvard Square in search of the best sales. The only "left-over" will be the extra change in your wallet.  
UpStairs on the Square, 91 Winthrop Street, 617-864-1933 www.upstairsonthesquare.com

* Free Mango lassi w/ purchase of Café of India on Black Friday!
Café of India, 52A Brattle Street, 617-661-0683 www.kashmirspices.com

* Enjoy a very specially priced “Dark and Stormy” all night and day at Grafton Street this Black Friday!
Grafton Street Pub & Grill, 1230 Massachusetts Ave. 617.497.0400 www.graftonstreetcambridge.com

* Eye Q Optical is having a 10th Anniversary SALE during Black Friday!
BUY ONE PAIR OF EYEGLASSES GET A SECOND PAIR FREE!! 
Eye Q Optical, 12 Eliot Street 617-354-3303 www.eye-q-optical.com

* Take in a Movie at the Brattle Theater:
Thursday, November 26 – Saturday, November 28
CASABLANCA at 2:45, 5:00, 7:15, 9:30
Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle Street, 617-876-6838   vwww.brattlefilm.org 

* 100 DOLLARS OFF ANY EYEGLASSES – Vision House
Vision House Opticians, 7 J.F.K. Street 61-661-3676 www.thevisionhouse.com

* Hunts Photo has special “Black Friday” incentives on Casio and Nikon cameras which will be featured in Boston/ Cambridge area newspapers! Check into the Harvard Square Hunts store for more info
 Hunt's Photo, Video & Digital 99 Mt. Auburn Street, 617-576-0969 www.huntsphotoandvideo.com

* Sat. & Sun. Nov. 28th and 29^th - The Harvard Square Holiday Fair 2009 returns for its 24th year as the longest running annual craft fairs. The fair is a Harvard Square winter highlight drawing thousands of local residents and visitors from across New England, with 40 artists and craftspeople offering a stunning array of unique and affordable gifts for holiday giving.   These days people are looking for alternatives to mall shopping and love supporting local artists and craftspeople, and keeping their dollars in the community.  Shoppers also want to be green, and the Fair features many craftspeople using recycled materials including:  jewelry and wind chimes from old silver plated cutlery dazzling light fixtures from used coffee and tomato cans used food packaging made into purses and totes clothing and bags from vintage silk and satin fabrics clocks made from old metal plates and trays jewelry from  bottle caps and found objects and of course many other beautifully handcrafted gifts:  pottery, calendars, tiles, cards, wooden spoons and cutting boards, hats, mittens, candles, stuffed animals, flutes, sweaters, and lots of funky jewelry.  Open for a total of 13 days between Nov. 28th and Christmas Eve, with many new exhibitors every weekend, the fair takes place near the heart of Harvard Square at the First Parish Unitarian Church on the corner of Church St. and Mass. Ave.
Christmas Crafts Co-op, 617-522-5502 www.migrantwinds.com/index.htm

* Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra’s Concert!
Sunday, November 29, 2009 – 3pm at Sanders Theater

“Wunderkinds of Music II” – featuring the winners of our second annual concerto competition.  Come and hear the some of the area’s most talented young musicians with the legendary Gunther Schuller at the podium!  Winners Daniel Kim and Jonah Ellsworth will perform Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No.1 and Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No.1, respectively.  In the spirit of Thanksgiving, the orchestra is organizing a food and toy drive to East End House (a multi-service community center in Cambridge). Bring a toy or non-perishable food donation to the concert hall and receive $10 off your next Pro Arte ticket purchase! www.proarte.org

* KangoGift will kick-off the holiday shopping season with a 15% discount on all items throughout the weekend. Customers just have to enter the code, "Shopping" at checkout. Also, all customers who make a purchase on Black Friday will receive an extra bonus gift - a delicious treat from Finale. www.kangogift.com

* Cardullo's is offering 10% discount off all gift baskets (November 27th only) and has weekly wine, beer or product tasting every Friday afternoons from 4pm to 7pm…stop in on Black Friday for a taste of something special!
Cardullo's Gourmet Shoppe, 6 Brattle Street 617-491-8888 www.cardullos.com

* Grendel's Den, Go Green and Stay in the Black on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Green and Healthy Pasta Pesto, or Spinach Pie for only $4.95 from 11:30 til 5 PM will keep your immune system strong and your wallet full.  Power through the your holiday shopping with a FREE espresso demi-tasse 3 pm - 5 pm with $4 minimum purchase of other food or beverage per person.
Grendel's Den is  certified by the Green Restaurant Association (TM).
Grendel's Den, 89 Winthrop Street, 617-491-1160, www.grendelsden.com

* Salon BellaMar is offering 15% off of any hair service for the week of thanksgiving!
Salon BellaMar, 1105 Massachusetts Avenue, 617-661-4293,

 Cambridge Local First is a valued member of the HSBA!
We very much appreciate the work they do on behalf
of the entire Cambridge community and encourage shoppers to
“Think Local and Thank Local!”

Cambridge Local First will launch their third annual campaign to raise funds for a Cambridge not-for-profit enterprise.  This year's beneficiary will be the Cambridge Housing Assistance Fund, (CHAF). CHAF raises funds to assist the homeless and near-homeless with the startup costs of securing permanent housing. It costs CHAF only $830 to prevent a family from falling into homelessness. Once homeless, it costs ~$37,000 of our tax dollars per year for the state to house that same family in the state emergency shelter system.  By supplementing rental startup costs, the Cambridge Housing Assistance Fund has assisted more than 1,300 households transition into a stable home from life in a shelter, on the street, or on the verge of homelessness.

Over 30 business members of Cambridge Local First have already signed up to help us raise money for this worthy organization during the holiday season. Participants pledge to donate a percent of their proceeds during the week of 11/27-12/4, during the busy holiday shopping week just after Thanksgiving.

Over the past two holiday seasons, Think Local Thank Local has raised a total of over $18,000 for Cambridge charities Food For Free and On the Rise. While we would like to aim that high again, we understand that this economy is somewhat different than it was a year or two ago. However, this same challenging economy has contributed to a recent rise in homelessness; without assistance, many families will spend this holiday season on the streets, even in a relatively affluent community like Cambridge.

Look for the autumn-colored posters in the windows of participating businesses throughout Cambridge, and start your holiday shopping at these businesses. Your dollars will support the local economy, and help the Cambridge Housing Assistance Fund in its vital mission. For more info - www.cambridgelocalfirst.org

Here is a list of participating Cambridge Local First stores:

1369 Coffeehouse (Mass Ave)

1369 Coffeehouse (Cambridge St)

A Bed and Breakfast

Ambit Press

Brattle Theatre

Cambridge Brewing Company

Cambridge Common

Cambridge Naturals

Christopher's Restaurant

Clothware

Curious George Books & Toys

Denise Patnod Acupuncture

Easy Chairs Antiques

Full Moon Restaurant

Greenward

Harding House

Henry Bear's Park

Home Care Home Improvement

Irving House at Harvard

Joie de Vivre

Patricia Mazza Real Estate

Picante Mexican Grill

The Games People Play

Toscanini's

Veggie Planet

West Side Lounge

Tags

Didriks

Yale Turner of Vision House Opticians

Griffin Properties

Poor Little Rich Girl