Boston Area – Page 6 – Salem Happenings

Game of Thrones: Season 5 Premiere

Winter is coming, but fear not for the only snow we’re talking about here is a member of the Night’s Watch. In fact, as you may have guessed from the title, this week’s post is not centered around the winter season, but is instead centered around the HBO series, Game of Thrones. This is because this Sunday marks the premiere of the fifth season of the popular TV series based on the novels by George R. R. Martin. As a result, fans of the show can rejoice because their long wait for more battle, betrayal, brinkmanship, and beautiful visuals has finally come to an end. However, if you are a true fan of the series and you’re looking for a way to really get into the spirit of Westeros, there are a few things this weekend that are sure to help.

First, if you have children who are a little too young for Game of Thrones, but you would like to include them in the medieval excitement surrounding the series, you may want to check out Alex the Jester. Alex the Jester, who is performing at the Coolidge Corner Theatre tomorrow (Saturday, April 11, 2015) at 10:30 A.M., is a modern day court jester. He has appeared throughout the United States and Canada to demonstrate his comic skills and made several TV appearances, including appearances on America’s Got Talent and Showtime. For more information on Alex the Jester and/or to order tickets for the show, please visit the Coolidge Corner Theatre website.

Secondly, if your kids are old enough for Game of Thrones or you would really just like to try your hand at taking over the world of Westeros on your own, you may want to try the Game of Thrones Board Game. The Game of Thrones Board Game, which adds its own unique twists to familiar games like Risk and Diplomacy, will allow you and up to 5 other players to take control of one of the houses of Westeros. Your ultimate goal, of course, is to use every tool at your disposal to decimate your enemies and cement your control over the Iron Throne. For more information on the game and/or to order a copy, please visit the Fantasy Flight Games website or Amazon.com.

Finally, if you don’t have kids or you’re planning to leave the little ones with their grandparents while you find a way to embrace your love of your show, the Violet Thorn in Natick may have the perfect event for you. This is because the Violet Thorn has planned an Authentic Game of Thrones Dining Experience from 2:00 P.M. tomorrow (April 11, 2015) to close on Sunday (April 12, 2015.) This dining experience will allow you to enjoy a number of Game of Thrones-inspired dishes, including Baratheon Blood Wild Boar Rib, Beef n’ Bacon Pie, Dragon’s Tail with Fire Breath, Sansa’s Homemade Lemon Pie, and Violet Thorn’s King’s Landing Confit. For more information on the Authentic Game of Thrones Dining Experience, please visit The Boston Calendar website or the Violet Thorn website.

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Why Boston Doesn’t Want the Olympics

There’s been a lot of talk recently about Boston’s bid to host the Summer Olympics in 2024 and the growing concern that many people in the Boston area feel towards that bid. However, a lot of the coverage and comments coming out of the media and the Olympic committees seem to have created this notion that athletes are not welcome in Boston or that Bostonians don’t like the Olympics and, to be honest, this notion is pretty ridiculous.

Boston is a city that has an enormous amount of pride in its athletes from the Patriots to the Red Sox to the Celtics to the Bruins and every other team or individual athlete from the area regardless of the sport they participate in. In fact, there are more people in the northeast watching the Olympics every two years than there are in any part of the United States except for the very center of the country. As a result, the people of Boston are not against the Olympics because we don’t like the Olympics or because we don’t want athletes here, but instead because we are greatly concerned with the ability of our infrastructure and our leadership to handle something as monumental as the Olympic games. Now, you may be sitting there thinking “O.K., why are you so concerned?”, and that’s a very good question. So good, in fact, that I thought it was worth taking a break from my normal posts about events in the Boston area to answer it.

If you keep up with Boston news or you’re familiar with the events and projects that have taken place in Boston over the last 30 years, you probably know that Boston has a rich history and that rich history includes more than its fair share of problems. In fact, there were two particular problems during the last 30 years that have led the people of Boston to doubt the city’s ability to handle large endeavors.

The first, of course, is the Big Dig. The Big Dig, for those of you who may not be familiar with it, was one of the largest construction projects in the history of not only New England but of the United States as a whole. This project, which was also known as the Central Artery/Tunnel Project, was intended to be a 16-year, $3 billion operation to build two new tunnels, a new bridge, a new park, and to alter the path of route 93 in order to relieve some of the traffic congestion around the city. Unfortunately, like most great plans of mice and men, the project went awry and after 25 years and over $14 billion (9 years and over $11 billion more than originally expected), the city ended up with a new park, a less congested highway, and two leaky tunnels complete with falling ceiling panels, falling light fixtures, and unsafe guardrails. This led not only the citizens of the Boston area, but their elected officials as well to doubt the ability of the city to carry out large-scale projects and a number of projects, including the Green Line Extension Project, were put on hold. To make matters worse, the city didn’t have the money to pay for the entire project in full, so it is still paying for it now and estimates the final cost of the project after interest to be approximately $24 billion ($21 billion over the original estimated cost.)

The second problem, which has recently been brought to the forefront, is the city’s public transportation system. The city’s public transportation system, the T, has faced a number of challenges over the years, but this year’s historic winter proved to be a grueling test of the T’s ability to operate during difficult and/or unfavorable conditions. The problem is that when the T’s ability to respond to the unexpected (or even expected conditions beyond the norm) was put to the test, it ultimately failed. In fact, the T was not only forced to shut down completely on multiple occasions without warning, but was also unable to restore full service for almost a month after the big storms were over. Now, there is no question that there was a ludicrous amount of snow in Boston this year, as the city broke almost every snow-related record, and no one can completely fault the T for its failure to operate. However, if the T cannot handle a rough winter in an area that is known for its rough winters, how can anyone expect the T to handle millions and millions of extra people trying to enter and exit the city on a daily basis for several weeks?

In the end, the fact of the matter is that as much as Bostonians would like to be able to say that they hosted the Olympics and actually have the opportunity to attend them, it’s hard for the people of Boston and the surrounding areas to believe that the city could actually pull it all off without breaking the bank, bringing our highways to a standstill, crippling our public transportation system, and causing a slew of other unforeseen problems.

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Works Consulted
Hoffher, Justine. “Can We Talk Rationally About the Big Dig Yet?” Boston.com. Boston Globe Media Partners, LLC, 5 Jan. 2015. Web. 3 Apr. 2015.

“How Different Genders, Ages, Races, and Regions Watch the Olympics.” Nielsen. The Nielsen Company, 25 Feb. 2010. Web. 3 Apr. 2015.

Macur, Juliet. “If 2024 Olympic Bid is a Hot Potato, Boston Has No Appetite.” The New York Times. The New York Times Company, 2 Apr. 2015. Web. 3 Apr. 2015.

Wikipedia contributors. “Big Dig.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 15 Mar. 2015. Web. 3 Apr. 2015.

Wikipedia contributors. “Boston Bid for the 2024 Summer Olympics.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 31 Mar. 2015. Web. 3 Apr. 2015.

The Story of Your Life (or Someone Else’s)

Has your life been one long series of unfortunate events? Have you ever had something spiral out of control to the point that everyone was making much ado about nothing. Have you ever met someone that seemed like Dr. Jekyll one moment and Mr. or Mrs. Hyde the next? Do you have a great story to tell?

Well, if you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be looking for a way to convey your story. A way to tell others what you have experienced or show them a world that they have never seen before. A way to demonstrate something new or something that you have re-imagined in a way that only you could. And, if this is indeed the case and you’re looking for a way to pass your story on to others, there are a couple of writing workshops this weekend that are sure to help you convey your story through the written word.

First, if you’re looking for a way to tell your life story or a story that is at least based on an aspect of your life, you may want to check out the Write Your Life Memoir Writing Workshop at the Brushstrokes Art Gallery in Marblehead, MA. The Write Your Life Memoir Writing Workshop, which is scheduled to take place from 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. on Saturday (March 28, 2015) is a writing workshop run by Scribbler’s Ink. This workshop will feature a catered lunch, snacks, beverages, and most importantly, writing exercises and techniques that are designed to help you take a single event from your life or a group of events and weave them into a story. For more information on the Write Your Life Memoir Writing Workshop and/or to register for the event, please visit the Scribbler’s Ink website.

Secondly, if you’re looking for a way to write a very short story whether it is fact of fiction, the Flash Fiction Workshop may be exactly what you’re looking for. The Flash Fiction Workshop, which is scheduled to take place at the Jamaica Plain Branch of the Boston Public Library from 10:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. on Saturday (March 28, 2015), is a writing workshop hosted by JP Reads. This workshop will teach you the basic elements of flash fiction and use a series of writing exercises and prompts to help you create your own piece of flash fiction centered around the theme of a “reluctant hero.” Best of all, this workshop is completely free and open to all teens and adults (although space is limited, so you may want to preregister.) For more information on the Flash Fiction Workshop, please visit the Flash Fiction Workshop Facebook page or call 617-524-2053.

Photo credit: William Arthur Fine Stationery / Foter / CC BY-ND

The First Day of Spring

Today may be the first day of spring, but it certainly doesn’t look like it. In fact, looking out the window at the lightly falling snow, it looks a lot more like the first day of winter than the day that all of the buds are supposed to start becoming flowers once again. Some might even go as far as to say that it feels like we’re stuck in our own version of Groundhog Day reliving the same weather over and over again (and, who knows, maybe that’s what the groundhog was trying to say when he bit the mayor.) Fortunately, winter will eventually come to an end, and we’ll be able to start complaining about 90 degrees days and the fact that we could probably cook an egg on the sidewalk. However, until then, if you’re looking for a way to get outside and have some fun, you may want to check out the Revere Spring Carnival.

The Revere Spring Carnival, which is located in the Showcase Cinemas parking lot at 565 Squire Road in Revere, is a three-week event sponsored by the McCarthy-Trifone Recreation Committee. This event will feature all of your typical carnival fare, including rides, games, food, and a petting zoo. The Revere Spring Carnival is scheduled to open this Thursday (March 26, 2015) and will continue operating daily until April 19, 2015. For more information on the Carnival, please visit the Fiesta Shows website.

If, on the other hand, you’re really looking for something to do this weekend and/or you would prefer an activity that is more environmentally friendly, you may want to head over to the Franklin Park Zoo. This is because the Franklin Park Zoo is holding their World Water Day Celebration from 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. Sunday (March 22, 2015.) This celebration will not only allow to you see all of the animals and engage in all of the fun that the zoo typically offers but will also teach you about the different ways that the zoo attempts to conserve water and the ways that you may be able to help conserve water at home. And, if that wasn’t enough, there will even be hands-on activities conducted by staff from the New England Aquarium. For more information on the World Water Day Celebration at Franklin Park Zoo, which is included in the zoo’s normal admission price, please visit the Zoo New England Events page.

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Finding the Luck of the Irish

There’s really no doubt that it’s been a tough winter, and if you’re like most people, you probably would like spring to get here a little faster and put an end to all of this frozen water. In fact, if you fell on the ice skating rink that was once your driveway, you lost all four of your car’s tires in the world’s largest pothole, lost all ten of your fingers to frostbite while you were shoveling snow with a wind chill of 30 below, or your roof just caved in from the weight of the melting ice and snow, you may be in need of some luck. Fortunately, Saint Patrick’s Day is right around the corner, and all of the festivities and hopefully some of that luck that you’re looking for, can actually be found this weekend.

First, if you’ve always loved a good parade and/or you’re looking for a way to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day with a huge crowd of people, there’s no better place to be than South Boston this weekend. This is because the South Boston Saint Patrick’s Day Parade, which starts on West Broadway Street near the Broadway T stop and ends on East Broadway Street near Farragut Road, is scheduled to begin at 1:00 P.M. on Sunday (March 15, 2015.) This parade will allow you and family, friends, and/or acquaintances to listen to Irish music and marching bands, see everything from professional athletes to stormtroopers, and maybe even get some cool Saint Patrick’s Day swag. For more information on the South Boston Saint Patrick’s Day Parade, please visit the Official South Boston Parade website.

Secondly, if you’re not really a big fan of parades or you just prefer animals to humans, you may want to check out the Franklin Park Zoo or the Stone Zoo this weekend. This is because the Franklin Park Zoo and the Stone Zoo are hosting their annual Saint Patrick’s Day Animal Enrichment Celebration from 10:00 A.M. to 1:30 P.M. at the Franklin the Park Zoo and 11:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. at the Stone Zoo on Sunday (March 15, 2015.) This celebration will let you see a bunch of the animals playing with special green-themed toys and/or eating special green food in honor of Saint Patrick’s Day. For more information on the Saint Patrick’s Day Celebration at the Franklin Park Zoo and the Stone Zoo, please visit the Zoo New England website.

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Exploring Artistic Masterpieces

Art comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Acting, animation, dancing, music, movies, photography, pottery, painting, video game design, writing, and even Lego building can all be considered art forms. However, even though most people will experience a number of these art forms during their lifetimes, many people are never really exposed to the works of true masters. In fact, when most people think of artistic masters, they think of dusty paintings hanging in museums and/or long-since-dead guys that must have been dull and boring. But, this is really pretty unfortunate because there are a number of works, both old and new, that are truly amazing. Fortunately, if you are interested in exploring some really impressive artwork or even trying your hand at getting involved in making your own, there are several events this weekend that you will definitely want to check out.

First, if you’d really like to see the works of true masters and/or you would like to see all of the work that goes into preserving an artistic masterpiece, the Davis Museum at Wellesley College has the exhibit for you. This is because the Davis Museum has a special exhibit from now until June 7, 2015 entitled “Hanging with Old Masters: The Reinstallation of the Davis Museum.” This exhibit will allow you to see the artistic works of famous Italian painters and see how the museum actually preserves each painting, chooses which paintings are displayed, and determines how each painting should be displayed in the museum. For more information on Hanging with Old Masters: The Reinstallation of the Davis Museum, please visit the Davis Museum at Wellesley College website.

Secondly, if you’re really into painting and pottery but you prefer artwork that was made this century, you may want to check out the Lexington Arts and Crafts Society. This is because the Lexington Arts and Crafts Society is presenting their 2015 Paints & Pots exhibit from 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. today and tomorrow (March 6th and 7th, 2015) and from 12:00 to 4:00 on Sunday (March 8, 2015.) This exhibit features a wide range of cards, paintings (on both canvas and paper), prints, pots, sculptures, vases, and more. For more information on the Paints & Pots exhibit, which is free and open to the public, please visit the Lexington Arts and Crafts Society website.

Finally, if you’re looking for a way to take a more active role in an artistic masterpiece, you may want to consider creating something for the Fair Verona Festivals presented by the Shakespeare Commonwealth Company. The Shakespeare Commonwealth Company is hosting three outdoor art festivals this year in Boston as part of their Shakespeare OFF the Common series. These three festivals will each feature a performance of Romeo and Juliet and a series of artistic works and activities that explore a specific theme from the play. As a result, if you’re looking for a way to make your own masterpiece and be part of an incredible artistic endeavor, you may want to consider submitting a proposal for a creative work or activity that you can showcase at one of the festivals this summer. In order to find out more information about the Fair Verona Festivals and/or to submit your proposal by the submission deadline of March 15, 2015, please visit the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company website.

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Celebrating the Chinese New Year

Last week, I talked about some of the ways that you could embrace the ice and snow in New England, as frozen water, in one form or another, is really all we’ve had lately. In fact, I have to admit that I was just about to write the words “New England has finally received a reprieve from the winter weather” only to look outside and realize that the very act of me thinking it apparently jinxed it (although, let’s face it, the very idea of the snow stopping before May was probably pretty absurd to begin with.) However, if you’re sitting there thinking to yourself that this year has gotten off to a pretty rough start with all the snow and the amount of time you’ve spent dealing with it, there is a simple way to find the fresh start that you may be looking for – the Chinese New Year. Now, of course, the Chinese New Year (A.K.A. the Lunar New Year) won’t help you reverse time and control the weather (because, trust me, if it could, everyone in New England would be celebrating it), but it may be able to help you reframe the way that you perceive your year.

If you think recognizing the Year of the Ram as the beginning of your year is a better idea than accepting the snow-filled months that have preceded it and you would like to know more about the traditional festivities that mark the occasion, the Peabody Essex Museum may be able to help. The Peabody Essex Museum, which is located in downtown Salem, Massachusetts, is holding its annual Lunar New Year Festival from 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. tomorrow, February 28, 2015. This celebration will give you, your friends, family, and anyone else who might be interested the opportunity to design your own lanterns, listen to traditional Chinese music, see traditional Chinese dances, and more. For more information on the Lunar New Year Festival, which is open to all museum visitors at the standard admission price, please visit the Calendar page on the Peabody Essex Museum Website.

If, on the other hand, you’re looking for something that feels more like a celebration and less like a learning opportunity (even though there is still plenty to learn), you may want to check out the Quincy Lunar New Year Festival. The Quincy Lunar New Year Festival, which is sponsored by the South Cove Community Health Center and organized by Quincy Asian Resources, Inc., is scheduled to take place on Sunday from 10:30 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. at North Quincy High School. This festival will feature a kid’s area, calligraphy, cultural exhibits, dancing, music, painting, papermaking, vendors with a wide variety of goods, and more. For more information on the Quincy Lunar New Year Festival, which is open to the public and free to attend, please visit the Events page on the Quincy Asian Resources, Inc. website.

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Embrace the Winter (Before it Becomes One Big Wintry Mess)

As you’re probably already aware, this has been a historic winter. Mountains of snow, ice dams large enough that you could go ice skating on your roof if it hasn’t already collapsed under the weight, and cold bitter enough to freeze a volcano has plagued the Northeast for almost a month now. To make matters worse, there’s a storm that is expected to dump a mix of rain, sleet, and ice this Sunday, which is sure to finish off a lot of the structures (and people) still standing. Fortunately, if you’re looking for a way to enjoy the weekend before the next wintry mess arrives, you may want to try these wintry activities before the snow turns into one big sheet of ice and the ice all turns into slush.

First, if you and/or your kids are big fans of ice skating, there are number of public skating rinks that you may want to check out:

1. Harvard Skate, which is located in front of the Harvard University Science Center (just outside of Harvard Yard) in Cambridge, MA, is an outdoor skating rink that is open to the public from 12:00 to 9:00 P.M. daily. This rink will allow you and your family to skate for absolutely free if you have your own skates or rent skates for a fee of $5 a person.

2. The Steriti Memorial Rink, which is located at 561 Commercial Street in Boston’s North End, is an indoor skating rink that is open to the public from 1:00 to 3:30 P.M. on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday; 12:00 to 5:00 P.M. on Tuesday; 12:00 to 3:30 P.M. and 7:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Friday; 3:00 to 10:00 P.M. on Saturday and 3:00 to 5:00 P.M. on Sunday. Skating at this rink is completely free during these hours if you have your own skates and $5 a person if you need to rent skates.

3. The Rockland Ice Rink, which is located at 599 Summer Street in Rockland, MA, is an indoor rink that offers public skating from 11:00 A.M. to 12:50 P.M. on most Tuesdays and Thursdays (these days and times may vary from week to week depending on the rink’s schedule, so you may want to check the website to make sure that the rink is available for public skating.) Skating at the rink is completely free, but you must bring your own skates.

4. The Winter Skate at Patriot Place, which is located at Patriot Place plaza (right next to Gillette Stadium) in Foxborough, MA, is an outdoor skating rink that offers public skating from 4:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday; 4:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. on Wednesday; 4:00 to 11:00 P.M. on Friday; 11:00 A.M. to 11:00 P.M. on Saturday and 11:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M. on Sunday (these hours may vary, so you may want to check the website to make sure the rink is open.) It is $6 for children under 12 and $8 for anyone over 12 to skate at the rink with their own skates and an additional $4 a person to rent skates.

If, on the other hand, you and/or your kids are big fans of sledding, you may be more interested in one of these sledding hills:

1. The sledding hill at Franklin Park, which is located right behind the Franklin Park Golf Clubhouse on Circuit Drive in Dorchester, is open to the public daily. However, this hill offers a little more than your typical sledding hill because the Franklin Park Coalition sponsors a number of special events. In fact, the Franklin Park Coalition is hosting an Indoor-Outdoor Snow Day tomorrow (Saturday, February 21, 2015) from 12:30 to 3:30 PM that will give you and your family the opportunity to not only sled but also to enjoy indoor activities like arts and crafts, board games, food, and hot chocolate. For more information on the Indoor-Outdoor Snow Day at Franklin Park, which is free to attend, please visit the Franklin Park Coalition website.

2. Cable Gardens Hill, which is located in front of Cable Gardens at the corner of Routes 1A and 133 in Ipswich, MA, is open daily for public sledding. This hill is a little smaller than some of the other sledding hills in the Boston area, so it makes it the perfect place for small children.

3. Holt Hill, which is located at the Ward Reservation on Prospect Road in Andover and North Andover, is open from 8:00 A.M. to sunset daily for sledding. This hill is not only the largest sledding hill in Essex County but also the highest point at an elevation of 420 feet. As a result, this sledding hill is not really the best hill for small children or the faint of heart, but older children who have a “need for speed” will definitely want to try this one.

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A Snowy Valentine’s Day

Sick of the snow? Looking for something fun and warm to do this Valentine’s Day? Well, fear not. Even though Boston is under six and half feet of snow right now, there’s still plenty of stuff going on this weekend to keep you and your significant other entertained. In fact, even if you don’t have a significant other right now, there are a number of events in the Boston area this weekend that are sure to warm your heart even if they don’t necessarily warm your hands.

First, if you and/or your significant other are into sweets, there’s no better place to be this weekend than the Salem So Sweet Chocolate and Ice Sculpture Festival. The Salem So Sweet Chocolate and Ice Sculpture Festival is an annual tradition in Salem, Massachusetts that typically runs the week before Valentine’s Day, and this year is no different. This festival, which runs until 6:30 P.M. on Sunday (February 15, 2015), features over 15 ice sculptures (including some that aren’t completely buried in snow yet), chocolate tastings, discounts at local museums and restaurants, a raffle, wine tastings, and more. For more information on the Salem So Sweet Chocolate and Ice Sculpture Festival, please visit the Salem Main Streets Festival page.

If, on the other hand, you and/or your beloved are more interested in mysteries than ice and chocolates or you are looking for some way to combine your Valentine’s Day celebration with Friday the 13th (without watching a movie like My Bloody Valentine), you may want to check out Marriage Can be Murder. Marriage Can be Murder is a murder mystery scheduled to take place at the Elephant and Castle Pub in Boston at 5:00, 6:30, and 8:00 P.M. tomorrow (February 14, 2015). This production, which will be performed by the Mystery Cafe, will place you and a group of other individuals in the role of wedding guests tasked with determining who committed the most horrific faux pas imaginable — murdering one of the other guests. In fact, you will not only be able to go through clues and use fake money to bribe the actors for more information between scenes but also join in all of the typical wedding festivities like trying to catch the bouquet, doing the chicken dance, and more. For more information on Marriage Can be Murder and/or to order tickets, please visit the Mystery Cafe website.

Finally, if you don’t have a significant other or you’ve always thought Valentine’s Day was a lame excuse to sell more greeting cards, Area Four in Cambridge has you covered. This is because Area Four is hosting their Fourth Annual Haters Valentine’s Day from 5:00 P.M. to midnight tomorrow (February 14, 2015). This somewhat unusual Valentine’s Day celebration will allow you to watch a series of angry films; listen to emo music; and sample a variety of anti-Valentine’s Day themed dishes, including Arrabbiata “Angry” Pizza, Jerked Chicken, Irate Rice, and Skewered Lamb Neck. For more information on the Fourth Annual Haters Valentine’s Day celebration, please visit Area Four’s Yelp event page.

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Bring Some Magic Into Your Life

We live in a frightening world. A world filled with bullies, cheaters, fanatics, murderers, incompetent politicians, and an endless array of other less-than-pleasant individuals. As a result, it really should come as no great surprise that so many people like reading books, watching films, and playing video games that allow them to indulge in a fantastic world in which every problem can be swept away with the wave of a hand. In fact, almost everyone will experience something at some point that makes them realize that they could really use some more magic in their life (whether that magic is in the literal or figurative sense.) And, if you have reached a point in which you could really use some more magic in your life, you’ll be pleased to know there are a number of magicians performing in the Boston area this weekend that would be more than happy to help you find it.

First, if you’re looking for a magic show that is aimed at the younger crowd, you may want to get tickets for Davey the Clown. Davey the clown is an accordion player, comedian, juggler and magician performing at the Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline, MA at 10:30 A.M. tomorrow morning (Saturday, January 24, 2015.) This show is not just your typical clowning around, however, as you and your kids can expect to see a wide assortment of balloon sculptures, tricks, unicycle riding, a rubber chicken, and more. For more information on Davey the Clown’s show at the Coolidge Corner Theatre and/or to order tickets, please visit the Coolidge Corner Theatre website.

Secondly, if you’re looking for a magic show that is aimed at a more adult crowd or you just find clowns to be extremely creepy, the Hampshire House may be your best bet. This is because the Hampshire House is hosting an event entitled Four-Handed Illusions: An Intimate Evening of Laughs and Wonder at 6:30 P.M. on Sunday (January 25, 2015.) This event will allow you and your friends to enjoy a pre-show reception with drinks and hors d’oeuvres (the hors d’oeuvres are free, but the drinks are not) before you watch two talented magicians, Joel Acevedo and Steve Kradolfer, make objects appear and disappear out of thin air, read minds, teleport, and more. For more information on the Four-Handed Illusions show at the Hampshire House and/or to order tickets, please visit the Four-Handed Illusions webpage.

Finally, if you’re looking for some of the lounge-style magic that you only typically see in Vegas, but you don’t really want to go to Vegas, you may want to check out The Comedy Studio in Cambridge. The Comedy Studio has a live magic show with a guest comedian every Tuesday night from 8:00 to 10:00 P.M. entitled Mystery Lounge Magic. This show will give you a chance to see a professional magician perform an assortment of new and classic tricks while a comedian cracks jokes about pretty much everything under the sun. For more information and/or to order tickets for Mystery Lounge Magic, please visit The Comedy Studio website.

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