Saturday, June 21st
11:00am – 4:00pm
Life, liberty and the pursuit of books!
The Harvard Square Business Association, in partnership with the City of Cambridge as part of MA250 in Cambridge, is delighted to announce the return of the Bookish Ball, a celebration of Harvard Square’s bookstores complete with a Revolutionary theme, on Saturday, June 21st from 11am – 4pm!
This free, family-friendly extravaganza features literary tours of Harvard Square, treats, performances, and special book-themed promotions in our businesses.
In celebration of the 250th anniversary of America’s independence, City and state officials launched the Massachusetts 2050 campaign in September 2024. Throughout 2025 and 2026, Massachusetts 250 (or MA250) will commemorate the many battles across the City of Cambridge and the state that led to America’s independence.
The festivities begin at 11am on Harvard’s Smith Campus Plaza (located at 1350 Massachusetts Avenue) where you will be greeted by Elizabeth Glover, portrayed by Linda Peck. Glover established the first printing press in the Thirteen Colonies on Dunster Street, just around the corner! Enjoy some sweet treats before grabbing your Bookish Ball Booklet and visiting Harvard Square’s five book stores:
Outside of each book store, HSBA staff will be on hand to stamp your booklet. Collect stamps from all five stores, return the booklets to the Smith Campus Center plaza by 4pm to be entered to win our Grand Prize, which includes:
One night stay at the Sheraton Commander Hotel
$300 Gift Certificate for The Hourly Oyster House
$50.00 Gift Certificates for each of the (5) bookstores
Special Literary Tours
11am, 1pm, 3pm (depart from the Smith Campus Center Plaza)
For 400 years, Harvard Square has been the epicenter of American literature, philosophy, and education. From the first printing press in North America to our beloved book stores today, the outstanding tradition of poetry and storytelling, from Anne Bradstreet to Allen Ginsberg, the Square has been home to all things book-related. Stroll between our current bookstores while hearing stories of the incredible literature that was written in and inspired by these streets. Acclaimed lawyer, author and politician, Richard Henry Dana Jr. (portrayed by Daniel Berger-Jones of Boston History Company) hosts these tours designed exclusively for the Bookish Ball.
To RSVP for a tour, please click here. Space is limited.
“Scenes from the Revolution” in Song!
Middle school cast members from the CONCORD250 will be performing numbers from the original musical “Scenes from the Revolution” by Aline Shader at 11:30am and 1:30pm on the Smith Campus Center plaza.
Intended for student performers, “Scenes from the Revolution” tells the story of the American Revolution through a series of musical numbers and historical scenes from the Boston Tea Party to the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Songs Children Sing is a free online music resource including 40+ songs and musicals written by beloved Newton Public School drama teacher and composer, Aline Shader (1936-2002).
For more songs and musicals by Aline Shader, please visit: https://songschildrensing.com
We hope that you will join us for this celebration of Harvard Square as a place of books and bookstores, public learning, public discourse and a community that treasures the printed word.
Special thanks to the City of Cambridge and MA250 in Cambridge for their generous support of this event.
For additional information about this event and all events in Harvard Square, please visit www.harvardsquare.com.
Enjoy special in-store events, activities, refreshments, entertainment and shopping discounts at Harvard Square’s five bookstores and other participating businesses.
Book Stores
Grolier Poetry Book Shop
6 Plympton Street
Customers who spend a $100 or more on June 21st will receive a free tote bag or T-shirt.
Harvard Book Store
1256 Masschusetts Avenue
Stop by the Harvard Book Store and pick up a Blind Date With a Book. Staff have chosen their favorite used books, wrapped them and included a teaser but don’t divulge the title! Discover a new book that you didn’t know you needed!
Harvard COOP
1400 Massachusetts Avenue
The Harvard COOP will offer 20% on trade books (not text) from 11am – 4pm on June 21st.
Lovestruck Books
44 Brattle Street
Lovestruck Books will have a Build Your Own Bookmark Station to commemorate the Bookish Ball.
Rodney’s Bookstore
23 Church Street
Rodney’s bookstore will offer a 20% discount for all purchases above $25!
Cambridge Center for Adult Education
Do you miss being in a classroom and the joy of discussing and analyzing literature with friends? Join other bibliophiles at Cambridge Center for Adult Education this spring on Brattle Street! Led by educated and talented professors, instructors, and authors, CCAE offers literature courses ranging from ancient classics with Ovid’s Metamorphoses to Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan Novels, and tackling challenging works like Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye: The Intersection of Race, Gender, Generation and Disability. For those inspired to write their own works, classes such as Developing Authentic Characters, Lunch Time Writers Club, and Memoir, Personal Essay & Beyond: Creative Nonfiction Crash Course will help you hone your craft. See CCAE’s humanities department offerings, including literature and writing classes, here.
With being the smart place to stay, as we like to say, we do have our library which includes an array of books to explore as well as a partnership with Bedside Reading, where we offer our guests an online library to read e-books, podcasts, audiobooks, and meditations.
One Reason Garden Bar
JUNE 25TH, 6:30PM | HARVARD AUTHOR TALKS: JANE MERRILL
Join us for the next installment of our Harvard Author Talks series, featuring acclaimed writer Jane Merrill. This outdoor event, held at the One Reason Garden Bar, will take you on a journey through the vibrant, pre-digital world of freelance writing, as explored in Jane’s diverse body of work.
This event is free and open to the public, and we encourage you to enjoy drinks from the One Reason Garden Bar and delicious bites available for purchase from Kured.
Merrill is the author or co-author of over a dozen books, covering subjects ranging from fashion history and political exile to hidden chapters of American life. She will share brief readings and behind-the-scenes insights from several of her notable works, including:
Sex and the Scientist: The Indecent Life of Benjamin Thompson, Count Rumford
The Late Years of Benedict Arnold: Fugitive, Smuggler, Mercenary, 1780–1801
Aaron Burr in Exile: A Pariah in Paris, 1810–1811
Expect fascinating stories that intertwine personalities, cultures, and eras—covering everything from wedding night rituals and beaded adornments to public scandals and long-forgotten exiles.
Christian Science Reading Room
Where you can nurture your spiritual growth.
10% discount on: The Bible, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Bible research, Books for Children, Inspiring magazines in five languages, newspaper.
Patagonia will offer 20% off all Patagonia books at their Harvard Square location.
About MA250 in Cambridge:
In celebration of the 250th anniversary of America’s independence, City and state officials launched the Massachusetts 2050 campaign in September 2024. Throughout 2025 and 2026, Massachusetts 250 (or MA250) will commemorate the many battles across the City of Cambridge and the state that led to America’s independence.
Cambridge has played a key role in Massachusetts’ history, from its indigenous Massachusetts tribe to milestones like the American Army’s birth, the first printing press, the first college, and the first same-sex marriage in America. Join us as we commemorate America’s Independence and embark on this journey of remembrance and celebration.
Whether you are born and raised in Cambridge, here as a student, or visiting, we invite you to explore the rich tapestry of our city’s history – a story woven with strands of change, innovation, and extraordinary firsts. From the early revolutionary days to the vibrant, diverse community we are today, Cambridge has continually embraced progress and transformation all while respecting and honoring our history. This milestone is not just a reflection of our past but an exciting opportunity to honor the pioneers, visionaries, and everyday residents who shape our legacy and propel us forward.
For additional information, please visit: https://www.cambridgema.gov/mass250initiative
About Daniel Berger-Jones
Founder, Boston History Company
Daniel Berger-Jones is a Boston-based entrepreneur, actor, producer, and director. In 2011, he and Chris Schultz founded Cambridge Historical Tours after several years of working as tour guides in downtown Boston. As the company’s focus shifted to greater Boston, Boston Historical Tours became the next generation of the original project, though Harvard is still a personal favorite. In the classical music world, Daniel has enjoyed sharing the stage with the Boston Symphony Orchestra (Peer Gynt), The Boston Pops (Peter and the Wolf), The BYSO (Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, Peter and the Wolf), Boston Chamber Symphony, Odyssey Opera, and other small companies and performances which have given equal delight. As an actor, he has been in productions with the ART, Huntington, Lyric Stage, Speakeasy Stage, Boston Playwright’s Theatre, Actors’ Shakespeare Project, Shakespeare and Company, Greater Boston Stage, and many other small companies and performances which have given equal and sometimes more delight. As a cofounder of the Fringe Theatre company Orfeo Group, he is proud to have had a hand in 3 Eliot Norton Awards for Best Production by a Fringe Company in five years, starring in 5 of the group’s productions.
Let us charm you with our highly trained staff!
Our small staff of highly trained professional performers use charm, expert storytelling, and humor to give you the experience your group is looking for. We strive to maintain excellent customer service, plenty of humor and vivid storytelling of accurate history. Once we meet you, the tour path could change slightly if we know you’ll enjoy something a little different, we want you to leave our tour with a desire to keep exploring our beloved city. You came all the way to Boston to see our treasures, and we are here to guarantee your best possible experience seeing them.
We take pride in having a diverse staff of exceptional guides, many of whom have backgrounds in performance, history and the arts, and we take pride in curating tour experiences for all interests and backgrounds. We strive to provide a more approachable experience, limiting our public tour groups to 25 guests per guide. If, however, you are seeking an even more intimate tour experience, scheduled at your leisure and tailored to your interests, private tours are certainly the way to go.
Our “Boutique” Tour style means that you can request anything. If we can’t accommodate something, we will either explain why no one can, or point you in the direction of someone who can. We hope to create any experience you may be seeking, and add to it. Our stories bring places to life. Without the stories behind it, even the Roman Forum would just be a pile of rubble. Let us leave lasting memories, swell your pride in human achievement, and be the highlight of your time in Boston.