Sparklefest!

With stunning holiday lights adorning the trees and street lamps, Harvard Square becomes the perfect festive location to shop, dine, and be entertained during the holiday season. There is something for everyone from the traditional to the offbeat and events are being added all the time – be sure to check www.harvardsquare.com for updates!

November 26
Lighting of the Harvard Square Holiday Trees at The Charles Hotel
This family themed event includes performances from the Boston Boy Choir, Santa Claus’ Jazz Band and a visit from Santa Claus. Henrietta’s Table’s will be providing complimentary beverages and cookies. Bring the family around 4 p.m. to help decorate the holiday trees. The Boston Boy Choir will perform starting at 4:14 p.m. and Santa Claus’ Jazz Band will keep the music going from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., with the lighting of trees and a visit from Santa Claus himself at 5:30 p.m. This year’s event will help to benefit the Home for Little Wanderers. Please bring an unwrapped toy or gift card to benefit their “Big Wishes for Little Wanderers Gift Drive”. Your gift will make a difference in the life of a child this holiday season.
The Home is the oldest child and family services agency in the nation and one of the largest in New England. For more information on items to donate, how to “adopt a family” this holiday season, how to make a donation online, or how to find the drop-off location nearest to you, visit http://www.thehome.org/bigwishes or call 888-HOME-321.
The Charles Hotel, 1 Bennett Street, www.charleshotel.com, (617) 864-1200

December 1 – 18
Jose Mateo Ballet Theatre’s The Nutcracker
Jose Mateo Ballet Theatre brings its acclaimed Nutcracker back for the holiday season. For an intimate Nutcracker experience like no other, Mateo’s Nutcracker captures the true spirit of the season at affordable ticket prices.
Choreographed by Artistic Director Jose Mateo, and inspired by Tchaikovsky’s glorious score, Mateo’s ‘Nutcracker’ brings Clara’s dream world to life with festive sets, sumptuous costumes, and spectacular dancing. Over 200 children, ages 6 – 18 from throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire, join Ballet Theatre’s acclaimed company dancers as Party Children, Mice, Soldiers, Polichinelles, Cherubs, Angels and the lead child role of Clara. It is the only professional Nutcracker production in the area to hold open auditions for students outside of its own school.
Tickets $38 – $50
The Sanctuary Theatre, 400 Harvard Street, www.ballettheatre.org, (617) 354-7467

December 3 – 4; December 10 -11
The Cultural Survival Bazaar
The Cultural Survival Bazaar is a Festival of Native Arts and Culture from Around the World. We feature Native artisans, performers, and handmade products benefiting the livelihoods of artisans, fair trade, and Cultural Survival’s nonprofit work throughout the world. Cultural Survival offers several free admission events this holiday season. Each event provides you with direct access to thousands of items, handmade by Native artisans from around the world. These items include art, jewelry, clothing, crafts, decor, tribal rugs, and much more. Every item has a deeper story from the projects it supports, the artisans who made them, and the traditional knowledge that it represents. Proceeds support Native artisans, fair trade, and Cultural Survival’s work in partnership with Native communities around the world.

The Cultural Survival Bazaars also offer you an added incentive to make a difference with your shopping this holiday season. You can enjoy a festive atmosphere full of artisans, fair traders, craft making demonstrations, Native American storytelling, films including the screening of director John Sayles’ Amigo, guest talks, and live music performances by Native performers including Quichua band Yarina from Ecuador, Nipmuck Native flute artisan and performer Hawk Henries, performances and artisans from the Simba Maasai Outreach Organization visiting from Kenya, and special guest artisans from all over the world including Huichol yarn painter Cilau Valadez, Shona wire and bead artist Benard Domingo from Zimbabwe, Algonquin/Abenaqui artist Lenny Novak, Hmong embroidery artisan Chia Yang Khang, Lakota artisan Tim Swallow, Quechua artisans Felicia Huarsaya Villasante, Primitiva Cordova Mendoza De Salazar, and Marco Antonio Castillo Quispe from Peru, Maya weaver Maria Xoch from Guatemala, and many more.

The bazaars offer the opportunity not only to purchase a gift for someone, but a chance to spend time with them enjoying a worldly marketplace and shopping that makes a difference for Native artisans and their communities. This year we are offering gift cards available through our website, to help you share this experience with others.

For more information, performance schedule, and csb giftcards please visit us at
http://bazaar.culturalsurvival.org/