Poetry by Prison Inmates at Warner Free Lecture
Poet and sculptor Linda Hoffman will present an evening of poetry written by inmates at MCI Shirley at the next Warner Free Lecture Friday, Feb. 11, at 7:30 p.m. in Volunteers Hall at the Harvard Public Library. Hoffman, joined by Susan Richmond, Kathryn Liebowitz, and Blase Provitola, will share experiences from the creative writing classes they started for inmates and will read some of the best poems created there. For more information on the Warner Free Lecture series or to join the e-mail list, call Rachel Oglesby at 978-456-8865.
Harvard Democratic Caucus
Registered Democrats in Harvard will hold a caucus Feb. 12 at 10 a.m. in the old library’s fireplace room to elect delegates to the 2011 Massachusetts Democratic Convention. Candidates for delegate and alternate must be present and consent to nomination in writing. Those not elected as delegate or alternate, who meet the qualifications, may apply to be add-on delegates in the following categories: youth, minority, and disabled. For more information contact Dennis Bradley at DbinNE@aol.com or 978-660-5854.
Will Patton Quartet at the Library
Harvard Friends of the Arts will sponsor the Will Patton Quartet Saturday, Feb 12, at 7:30 p.m. in Volunteers Hall. The concert will include swing, Brazilian choro, French waltzes, and other styles played with violin, mandolin, guitar, and string bass. Seating is limited; call 978-456-4114 to reserve. Admission is free; donations are gratefully accepted. For more information see harvardpubliclibrary.org or wpatton.com.
Baroque Concert on the Common
The Worcester Chamber Music Society will perform a concert of baroque composers, including Bach, Telemann, Haydn, and Rameau, Saturday, Feb. 12, at 7:30 p.m. at the Harvard Unitarian Universalist Church on the Common. Tickets are $20 for seniors, $25 for other adults, $10 for high school and college students, and free for children under age 17. More information is available at worcesterchambermusic.org or by calling 978-456-2730.
Bargains in the Belfry Half-price Sale
Bargains in the Belfry, the resale shop run by the Women’s Alliance of the Harvard Unitarian Universalist Church, will hold an end-of-season half-price sale Tuesday, Feb. 15, and begin a $5-a-bag sale Tuesday, Feb. 22. The shop is open Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the second floor of the church at the top of the Common. Bargains offers men’s and women’s clothing, as well as books, fluorescent and halogen lights, and knickknacks.
Well Adult Clinic
Nashoba Associated Boards of Health, in conjunction with the Harvard Board of Health, will hold a Well Adult Clinic Tuesday, Feb. 15, from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Hildreth House. Drop in for blood pressure and pulse screening and diet instruction. No appointment is necessary. For more information, contact Nashoba Associated Boards of Health at 978-772-3335 or 800-427-9762, ext. 333, or visit www.nashoba.org.
Library Movie for Early Release School Day
The Harvard Public Library will sponsor an early release movie Wednesday, Feb. 16, at 1 p.m. for Bromfield students.
Bromfield Drama Society Critique
The Bromfield Drama Society will present a critique performance of its entry in the 2011 Massachusetts High School Drama Festival Thursday, Feb. 17, at 7:30 p.m. in Cronin Auditorium. This year’s play is The Yellow Boat by David Saar. The public is invited to view the free performance and to participate in the critique.
Reba Maisel, Artist of the Month
This month, fiber artist Reba Maisel is featured on the For Art’s Sake website and in the Live Gallery upstairs at the Harvard General Store. As a weaver, knitter, spinner, and dyer of wool, Reba creates colorful antidotes for the winter doldrums that are sure to inspire. Visit the artist of the month page at www.forartssake-harvard.org to learn more about her work.
Fort Devens Museum Now Open Saturdays
Beginning Saturday, Feb. 19, the Fort Devens Museum will open the third Saturday of each month to accommodate area people not able to visit during the regular weekday hours, Tuesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The museum is located at 94 Jackson Road, Suite 305, on Devens. Call the museum at 978-772-1286 for directions or snow cancellations, or visit www.fortdevensmuseum.org.
Leather Wrap Bracelet Class
The Harvard Public Library will sponsor a leather wrap bracelet class Wednesday, Feb. 23, from 1 to 3 p.m. for students in grades 6 to 8. Bromfield junior Margaret Frothingham will teach five students how to make fashionable Greek leather wrap bracelets with “pearls.” Preregistration is required by calling the Children’s Room at 978-456-2381.
Animals in Winter Story time
The Harvard Public Library will hold an “Animals in Winter” story time for children ages 2 to 7 Thursday, Feb. 24, at 10:30 a.m. with Becca Newsham of the Harvard Conservation Trust. No sign-up is required.
Concerts at the Common
Concerts at the Common will feature the Hirsch-Pinkas Piano Duo playing music by Fauré, Schubert, Mozart, and Barber Sunday, Feb. 27, at 4 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church on the Common. The concert is supported in part by grants from the Bolton, Harvard, and Stow Cultural councils. Ticket prices are $18 for adults under age 65, $15 for seniors, and $12 for students age 18 and under. Make checks payable to Concerts at the Common. For more information visit www.uuharvard.org/CongregationalLife/SpecialEvents/Concerts.aspx or call 978-779-2876.
WinterFest Weekends at Fruitlands
Fruitlands Museum is holding its third annual WinterFest, Saturdays and Sundays through Feb. 27, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Pack up the kids, skates, sleds, cross-country skis, and snowshoes for winter fun on Fruitlands’ 200-acre winter wonderland. Sled the OMG! hill if you dare, ski or snowshoe on three miles of trails, or skate on the rink; then warm up around the bonfire with hot cider and snacks. Admission is $5 per car for museum members; $10 per car for nonmembers. Eastern Mountain Sports will be on hand most weekends with snowshoes to try out. Severe weather cancels the event. For more information visit www.fruitlands.org/calendar for updates and weather cancellations.
OUT OF TOWN
Indian Hill Island Escape
A Caribbean-themed benefit fundraiser to support Indian Hill Music will be held Friday, Feb. 11, at 6:30 p.m. at 36 King St. in Littleton. The evening will feature a Caribbean buffet, tiki bar, live auction, raffle, dancing, and music by Dell Smart. Tickets are $50 per person. Learn more at 978-486-9524, ext. 114 or www.indianhillmusic.org.
Spaghetti Dinner Cancelled
The spaghetti dinner at St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church in Acton Feb. 12 has been cancelled.
Stow Blood Drive
The Central Massachusetts Region of the Red Cross will hold a blood drive Saturday, Feb. 12, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Church of Saint Isidore at 429 Great Road in Stow. Severe winter weather has caused the cancellation of more than 700 blood drives since Jan. 1. All blood types are needed, but type O-negative donors can make the difference between an adequate blood supply and a shortage. For more information call 800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org.
Free Backyard Scrapbooking at NRWA
Nashua River Watershed Association (NRWA) naturalists will lead a free family workshop, “I Love Nature: Backyard Scrapbooking,” Sunday, Feb. 13, from 1 to 3:30 p.m. at the NRWA River Resource Center at 592 Main St. in Groton. Using nature as a guide, families can create a backyard journal to add to throughout the year. Participants will explore the winter world looking for animal tracks in the snow, discover where bugs hide out during the cold, and make rubbings from found textures. NRWA will provide basic materials to build a book and families are welcome to bring along favorite scrapbooking tools and papers. The workshop is designed for all ages. To register or for more information, contact Lauren Parente Noone, NRWA Eco-Adventures coordinator, at 978-448-0299 or e-mail LaurenP@NashuaRiverWatershed.org.
Marion Stoddart: The Work of 1000
Marion Stoddart: The Work of 1000 will be shown Sunday Feb. 13, at 2 p.m. at First Church of Christ Unitarian Hall in Lancaster Town Center. Following the screening of the 30-minute film, local leaders will engage with Marion Stoddart and audience participants in dialogue about ways to preserve, protect, and enjoy the Nashua River. Reserve free tickets by calling Thayer Memorial Library at 978-368-8928, ext. 4.
Water for Boston: The History of the Wachusett Reservoir
The Nashua River Watershed Association (NRWA) will host a free presentation, “Water for Boston: The Nashua River and the History of the Wachusett Reservoir” Thursday, Feb. 17, at 7 p.m., at the NRWA River Resource Center, 592 Main St. (Route 119) in Groton. Eamon McCarthy Earls, 17-year-old author of Wachusett: How Boston’s 19th Century Quest for Water Changed Four Towns and a Way of Life, will share the decade-long story of the construction—for a time the largest reservoir and dam in the world. Registration is requested for planning purposes, but not required. To register or for more information, contact Pam Gill, NRWA development associate, at 978-448-0299, or e-mail PamG@NashuaRiverWatershed.org.
Ayer Blood Drive
The American Red Cross will hold a community blood drive Thursday, Feb. 17, from 1 to 6 p.m. at the Ayer Town Hall. A free Bruins T-shirt will be given to all donors. For more information call 800-RED-CROSS (800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org.
