January Events:
January 6th – Kick-off Harvard Square’s 4th Annual Month-long Winter Carnival commencing with the Boston Celtic Music Festival at Passim.
January (date to be announced) – Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year Parade in Harvard Square! (Parade at 3:00 p.m. followed by her Award Presentation and Roast.)
January 27th – 28th – 29th – Taste of Chocolate Festival in Harvard Square!
Harvard Square’s finest restaurants and cafés will embark upon a three-day Chocolate extravaganza!
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 27th – Come celebrate our 4th 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 (date to be announced) – 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.
February 4th – “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! Cast your vote for the best “Some Like it Hot” Chili in Harvard Square! This event is free, open to the public and will take place on Deguglielmo Plaza. (In front of Bob Slate Stationer at 30 Brattle Street)
February 5th – Super Bowl Sunday in Harvard Square! Events in Harvard Square Restaurants and clubs…more details coming soon!
February 10th – 14th Lovin’ the Square. This year’s Valentines 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 (to be announced) – Come celebrate Chinese New Year in Harvard Square! 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
2012 is the year of the Dragon and the 57th Anniversary of the Hong Kong in Harvard Square! As usual, Massachusetts Avenue from the Hong Kong to Yenching will be festooned with red and gold 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 (98 Winthrop Street) and then join our Lion Dance Parade over to the Hong Kong. The Lion Dance Parade will start at 1:30 p.m. Then, 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:
March 1st – March 30th 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
Saturday, 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.
March 18th -23rd and 25th – 30th – Winter Restaurant Week in Harvard Square!
April Events:
April 21st – 29th – The 5th Annual Cambridge Science Festival. Harvard Square is full of scientific surprises! Check back for more details.
April 26th – April 29th – The 20th Annual Harvard Arts First Festival – Join hundreds of Harvard undergraduates, graduate students and faculty in Harvard’s Annual Celebration of the Arts.
Saturday, April 28th – The Fifth Annual Bookish Ball and Shakespeare’s Birthday celebration!
Partnering with the Cambridge Public Library, Actors’ Shakespeare Project and Harvard Square’s bookstores, Please join us for bookstore strolls, music, dancing, performances and birthday cake! This event is free to the Public. More details to follow.
May Events:
Saturday, May 5th – Cinco de Mayo –Mexican heritage celebrated in the restaurants of Harvard Square.
Sunday May 6th from 12:00 until 6:00 p.m. –The 29th annual Mayfair featuring six Stages of live entertainment, dozens of restaurant vendors, hundreds of street vendors selling artwork, jewelry, vintage clothing, neighborhood sidewalk sales, and the Rotary Club of Cambridge’s annual Chalk on the Walk! Rain date – Sunday, May 20th
Sunday, May 13th – Mother’s Day!
Thursday, May 24th – 361st Harvard Commencement
Friday May 25th – Patios in Bloom Kickoff – Harvard Square’s Annual “Patios in Bloom” festival. Come celebrate as we officially open patio season in Harvard Square with the installation of our Victorian Flower Baskets!
June Events:
Saturday, June 2nd – Cambridge’s Riverfest Celebration!
Saturday, June 9th – Jose Mateo’s Dance for World Community Festival in Harvard Square!
Saturday, June (to be announced) – 5th Annual Make Music / Harvard Square, a Fete de la Musique! – A square-wide musical celebration held in every nook and cranny, park and plaza and street and patio throughout the day and the evening on the longest day of the year.
Sunday, June 17th – Father’s Day!
July Events:
July 5th – 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 sixth 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 at the end of the event. Harvard Square businesses have raised thousands of dollars for breast cancer research since the inception of this event in 2006. (This event runs through August 31st.)
Sunday, July 15th – Bastille Day! Join us on Holyoke Street for a stormin’ French Street Festival featuring fabulous French food, music, dance and children’s events!
August Events:
Summer Restaurant Week in Harvard Square. Details to follow.
September Events:
September 1st – 30th – Revival Month in Harvard Square. Details to follow.
Fourth Annual Urban Ag Fair. Details to follow.
Ninth Annual Riversing, presented by the Revels. Details to follow.
October Events:
Sunday, October 7th -The 34th Annual Oktoberfest and Honk Festival featuring six stages of live entertainment, dozens of restaurant vendors, hundreds of street vendors selling artworks, jewelry, vintage clothing, neighborhood sidewalk sales, and HONK! Bands from around the country! Raindate Oct. 8th
Saturday, October 20th – Sunday, October 21st – The 48th Head of the Charles.
The 4th 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!
Friday, October 26th – 31st – Harvard Scare! Scary event details to be announced.
November Events:
November 1st – 31st – 4th Annual Folk Music Month in Harvard Square.
Saturday, November 17th – 129th Harvard Yale Game at Harvard!
Thursday, November 22nd – Thanksgiving in Harvard Square!
Friday, November 23rd – Kick-off the Holiday shopping season with Black Friday events in Harvard Square
Saturday, November 24th – Annual Tree Lighting at the Charles Hotel.
December Events:
Saturday, December 8th – The Every one Love Latkes Party! From 1:00 – 2:00. The sixth 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 9th – Ice Rink Opening at the Charles Hotel.
Friday, December 14th -15th – Shop-over Weekend at local Harvard Square hotels and inns!
Sunday, December 16th – Breakfast with Santa at the Inn at Harvard! More details to follow.
For more information about Harvard Square Events, please visit: www.harvardsquare.com