Calendar of Events

Amy Goodwin: What She saw – 32 Main Street, lower level-   Visit this outstanding exhibition.

Open Mic– 40 Stow Street – 7:30pm – 10:30pm – hosted by Two for the Show (Ellen Schmidt and Jake Kensinger). Admission $5; refreshments available. Featured Artists:

May 7 • Marilyn Rea Beyer/Steve Rapson

May 21 • John Olivere/tba

June 4 • Linda Leslie & Steve Gretz/tba

June 18 • tba

Little Women - 51 Walden Street - Louisa May Alcott's book, "Little Women", is the much loved story of the four March sisters, and their journey from childhood to maturity in 19th century New England. The story is loosely based on the author's own childhood experiences with her three sisters, and explores the sorrows and triumphs of the March girls, as they navigate their way through the various stages of their lives, both together and independently.  David Fielding Smith's script of "Little Women" is faithful to the book, and brings to life this timeless classic in a vibrant and exciting way. Tickets $24.

Tastes of Concord:  A Bluegrass Picnic - 300 Baler Avenue, Corporate Cafe – An evening of delicious taste samplings from Concord restaurants and food purveyors and tastes of wines from around the world.  Bluegrass music.  Silent auction.  Tickets $25 per person/ $30 at the door.

Concord by Foot: A Series of Guided Walks – various locations - the series of guided walks provides new insights to our natural and historical heritage. There is a $15 advance registration fee that entitles you to participate in all the walks. Release form required. The walks are held on the second Saturday of each month, May-November, rain or shine. Course #4543 at Concord-Carlisle Community Education (978)318-1432 to register.

• May 12 – Concord Museum: Sleepy Hollow Walk
• June 9 – Drinking Gourd Project: Concord’s African American and Abolitionist History
• July 14 – The Wayside: Literary Neighbors Walk
• August 11 – Walden Pond: Following the Footsteps of Thoreau
• September 8 – Thoreau Farm: “Two Boulder Hill” Walk
• October 13 – The Walden Woods Project: Thoreau’s Path on Brister’s Hill
• November 10 – Concord Free Public Library and Concord Art Association: Special Collections, and the Art Around You Walk

Brahms German Requiem - St. Camillus Church, 1185 Concord Turnpike, Arlington – 8:00pm - The Requiem laid the cornerstone of the Concord Chorus, conducted first in 1946 by Nancy Loring, and most recently with F. John Adams in 1993. One of the greatest works in the classical choral repertoire, Ein deutsches Requiem is an enduring testament to the cycle of death, sorrow, comfort, and serenity, transcending the boundaries of creeds to envelop the listener.  Featuring Margot Rood, soprano; Ulysses Thomas, baritone; and professional orchestra.  Michael McGaghie, conductor. Adults $20, Sensors/student $16, children under 12 $5.

Artrageous:  Emerson Umbrella Gala – 40 Stow Street – Featuring comedian Jimmy Tingle – Great food, music, silent and live auctions!  Support the Umbrella and have a fun evening!

Party for the Park – 51 Sandy Pond Road – Join deCordova friends and supporters for this signature event celebrating contemporary sculpture and art with the new this year Park After Dark dance party. Call for information and reservations.

Spring Soiree Auction –659 Elm Street– 6:00pm – 9:30pm – Food, wine and fun!  Live and SIlent auctions and special drawings.  Klezmer Special.  Babysitting available.  $25 per person.

Mother’s Day Brunch – Wheeler Road and Sudbury Road – seating start at 10:00am - For six years, new and returning families have come to enjoy the brunch,  saying it is the perfect alternative to restaurants or staying at home.  In the picturesque setting beside the stand, moms can relax and enjoy a tasty brunch while their children play after eating in areas surrounding the tents. Featuring a selection of tasty foods every mom will love, including scrambled eggs, made-to-order omelets, hash browns, pancakes, breakfast meats, salad, fruit, scones, muffins, dessert, juice and coffee or milk.  Live acoustic guitar by Enrique.  $30.00 per adult, $10.00 for children 2 to 10 years. Reservations required.

Helen Popinchalk – 32 Main Street, lower leve l- Visit this outstanding exhibition.  Artist Reception:  Thursday, May 16, 6:00pm – 8:00pm

Wednesday Night Art Flicks: My Architect: A Son’s Journey – 37 Lexington Road - 7:00pm Filmmaker Nathaniel Kahn creates an intimate exploration of his famous father’s life.  The filmmaker tries to reconcile Louis Kahn’s prestige with his financial ruin, and his passion for his work with his insensitive treatment of his family.  Free.  Reservations please.

Pushing Back on Money Politics, 2012 - Concord-Carlisle High School – 7:30pm – 9:30pm - This public forum will explore the impact of money on politics and elections. Doors open at 7:00pm. No reserved seats. Moderated by Tom Ashbrook, Host of 90.9 WBUR\'s On Point.  Expert panel: Harvard Law Prof. Lawrence Lessig, attorney and author Jeff Clements, Brennan Center Democracy Program Counsel Mimi Marziani.  Free.  Public invited. Refreshments following the forum.

Little Women Continuous Read -  Children’s Room, 129 Main Street – Friday, 1:00pm – 6:00pm; Saturday, 9:00am – 5:00pm; Sunday, 1:00pm – 6:00pm - The book Little Women by Louisa May Alcott is beloved by readers all over the world.  In honor of the Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House’s 100th birthday, there will be a continuous read of the book beginning Friday afternoon, continuing during the day on Saturday, and ending on Sunday. Numerous readers will take part in this celebratory program, co-sponsored with the Orchard House.  Costumed characters will add color to the weekend of reading.  Come for part or all and hear members of the Orchard House staff, Library staff, patrons and Town officials reading from the book.  The birthday celebration will be complete with birthday cake served after the final reader on Sunday afternoon.  Free.

Concord Orchestra Pops 2012: Vive la France – 51 Walden – Fri. & Sat., 8:00pm; Sun., 2:00pm – Music by Gershwin, Ravel and Offenbach. Guest vocalist Marlene VanPlanck. Door prizes, tables for any number. Tickets $25/$20/$10.

Concord ArtWalk – Concord Center, Thoreau Street Depot Area, and West Concord – 10:00am – 5:00pm - Join us for our annual celebration of the arts!  See local artist displays, demonstrations, music performances and more!  40 participating locations.  See the “Big Art” and join us at the After Party at Emerson Umbrella from 4:00-6:00pm for wine and refreshments.

Fortepiano Trios with Maggie Cole – Parish Hall, First Parish Church, 20 Lexington Road – 7:00pm –Trios of Stephen Storace, Haydn and Beethoven Op. 1 No 2 in G major.  Tickets:  $24/ $20 Senior/ $12 Student/ free for children.

Centennial Celebrations at Orchard House – 399 Lexington Road – Including Vintage dancers, 19th century children’s toys and games, silhouette artist, apple press/cider making, thematic tours, 1912 living history portrayers, birthday cake and popular 1912 refreshments.  May 17 activities also include a Centennial Legislative Proclamation and Postal Stamp Cancellation Ceremony. CLICK HERE FOR THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION CALENDAR.

Asparagus Festival – Wheeler road and Sudbury Road – begins at 11:00am - Asparagus is Verrill Farm's first crop of the season, and to celebrate the arrival of that first crop, we hold our annual Asparagus Festival. At 11:00am, join Steve Verrill in the asparagus field to learn about the history, planting and picking of the crop - then harvest a few stalks of your own! Lunch under tents beside the farm stand includes appetizers, asparagus soup and entrée, salad, dessert, a beverage and more!  Farm Stand Chef Kevin Carey offers tips and a demo on asparagus preparation. Everyone leaves with a bunch of freshly picked Verrill Farm asparagus. $25.00 per person. Reservations and prepayment required by May 24.

Memorial Day Parades – West Concord Muster at Rideout Field at 9:00am – Concord Muster at Ash Street at noon

Buttrick Garden Party – North Bridge Visitor Center, 174 Liberty Street – 2:00pm – Celebrate summer and support our beautiful Buttrick Gardens.  Join us for lemonade and light refreshments.  Attire:  Garden Chic and Hats encouraged.  Whimsy and creativity will be rewarded.  Tickets $25 tax-deductible donation.  Proceeds from this event will help fund maintenance of the Buttrick Gardens.

The 23rd Annual Garden Tour – Cambridge Turnpike - 9:00am – 4:00pm -. Each of the eight private gardens reflects the individual interests and passions of the owners and their families and will inspire both new gardeners designing their first perennial bed and accomplished landscapers with acres of “garden rooms.” The tour of Concord-area gardens is self-guided and self-paced, Garden-goers should arrive at the Museum to pick up their maps prior to starting out.  Tickets are good for either or both days, but each garden may only be visited once.  Advance Tickets (through May 25): $26 Members, $32 Nonmembers; After May 25th or at the door: $32 Museum Members, $38 Nonmembers.  No refunds; no photography. 

Concord Library Book Sale – 129 Main Street – 10:00am – 3:00pm - More than 20,000 books in good condition will be for sale. Lots of kids’ books! Books are carefully sorted into more than 20 categories for easy browsing and priced to sell. The sale sponsored by the Friends of the Concord Free Public Library. Proceeds are used to buy library books, movies, CDs, museum passes and to fund concerts, poetry readings, and author talks. Rain date: June 9.

La Boheme – 51 Walden Street - To celebrate its 40th year of incorporation, FOPAC will present Puccini's La Boheme, the inspiration for the current hit musical Rent. This fully staged performance, a collaboration of The Concord Band, The Concord Orchestra, and The Concord Players, along with other friends of 51 Walden, will be performed in Italian, with English subtitles. The opera will be directed by Kathy Lague and conducted by Alan Yost. Paula Eldridge is the choral director. Tickets $25.

Reading a Powder Horn: The Siege of Boston through One Soldier’s Eyes – 200 Lexington Road – 7:00pm -J. L. Bell is the voice behind the well-known blog, “Boston 1775”, that offers history, analysis, and unabashed gossip about the start of the American Revolution. His presentation uses an ambitiously engraved powder horn exhibited in The Object of History as a stepping off point to examine the Siege of Boston . By reservation.  Free to all.

Musketaquid Summer Solstice – 6:30pm - Celebrate the arrival of Summer along the Assabet, Sudbury and Concord Rivers. The evening begins at 6:30 pm with a picnic on the grounds of the Old Manse. Bring food, drink, and a blanket, and relax while listening to music performed by the Voices for the Earth Chorus, Snow Crow, among others, and taking in an incomparable view. At 8 pm launch your canoe, rowboat, or kayak for an illuminated flotilla up the Concord River to the confluence of the Assabet and Sudbury rivers at Egg Rock. Bring along a candle lantern that you can attach to your boat. In all, over 60 vessels are expected to take part in the illuminated parade. For those who plan to join the flotilla, please arrive at the North Bridge area for the picnic and music and in time for the 8 pm launch.

For those who want to participate without getting wet, the best viewing spot is from the Lowell Road Bridge just outside Concord Center. You are also welcome to participate in the Drum and Dance Circle, conducted by the Earth Drum Council, which will be held nearby at the Old Calf Pasture. The Dance and Drum Circle also begins at 8 pm.  All are welcome to come for the picnic, the music, the flotilla, the drumming, or all four. And everyone is encouraged to bring a candle lantern.

Summer Camp -  Verrill Farm Stable, Wheeler Road – 8:30am – 12:30pm daily - Horseback Riding Camp for children eight and older.  Riding, Horsemanship, and Fun! $450 per week.

A Conversation with Annie Leibovitz and Doris Kearns Goodwin – 200 Lexington Road - Join us at Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House for a memorable conversation between two American icons. Annie Leibovitz’s large and distinguished body of work encompasses some of the most recognized portraits of our time. Doris Kearns Goodwin is a Pulitzer Prize-winning presidential historian, political news analyst, and Concord resident.  The event, followed by a reception, is scheduled for 6:00 p.m., and space is limited. $20 for Concord Museum and Orchard House Members; $25 for Nonmembers. We will begin to accept Member reservations on May 1 and Nonmember reservations on June 1.

Annie Leibovitz: Pilgrimage - 200 Lexington Road - This special exhibition, presented at the Concord Museum in collaboration with Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House, includes approximately 70 photographs that chart a new direction for one of America's best-known living photographers. Concord is the first stop on a national tour of this exhibition, following its presentation at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, and its only New England venue. During the run of this exhibition, the Concord Museum will open seven days a week from 9:00am - 5:00pm, and in July, August, and September until 8:00pm on Thursdays and Fridays. The exhibition is included free with regular Museum admission.

Thoreau Society Annual Gathering:  Celebrating 150 Years of Thoreau’s Life, Works and Legacy - Featuring Edward Osborne Wilson; a University Professor Emeritus and Honorary Curator in Entomology Harvard University Museum of Comparative Zoology.  All are welcome to register to attend community-wide events in Concord and Lincoln, Massachusetts, and at the Walden Pond State Reservation.  Hikes, workshops, presentations, reception and more.  Early registration begins May 6^th.

Minuteman Ride – starts at Concord Courthouse – registration begins at 8:00am; ride begins at 9:00am. Please join us to help raise funds and awareness to help individuals with Multiple Sclerosis.  There will be a 30 and 60 mile route through beautiful Concord.  

Midsummer Mechanicals: Scenes from  A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare - on the front lawn of the Concord Free Public Library, 129 Main Street - 2:00 p.m. -  Come see the comic shenanigans from one of Shakespeare's most beloved plays, directed by Robert Runck. Admission is free.

Nicholas Kozak – 32 Main Street, lower leve l-  Visit  this outstanding exhibition.  Artist Reception:  Thursday, July 17, 6:00pm – 8:00pm

Sizzlin’ Summer Sidewalk Sales – Concord Center, Thoreau Street Depot Area and West Concord – 10:00am – 5:00pm -  A day of sidewalk sales, entertainment and fun!  Don’t miss this fun event!

Armin Musham – 32 Main Street, lower level-   Visit  this outstanding exhibition.  Artist Reception:  Thursday, September 13, 6:00pm – 8:00pm.

Discover West Concord – Main Street, Beharrell Street and Commonwealth Avenue in West Concord – 10:00am – 5:00pm - Over 25 stores and businesses have joined forces to get the word out about all there is to do in the NEW West Concord..   Featuring free food, giveaways, children’s' activities, music, entertainment, artist demonstrations, healing services, home design advice, and a raffle with dozens of prizes.  Shop Locally and enjoy West Concord!

Give Art IV – 32 Main Street, lower level-   Wonderful art for holiday gift giving.  Opening Reception:  Thursday, November 8 , 6:00pm – 8:00pm.

West Concord Early Bird Shopping – Main Street, Beharrell Street and Commonwealth Avenue in West Concord – beginning at 5:00am at Debra’s Natural Gourmet  – COME IN YOUR PAJAMAS ! A West Concord tradition for 21 years started by Debra’s Natural Gourmet. Roll out of bed, leave the curlers in, put your feet into bunny slippers and come to West Concord. The whole street is participating, which means you get to run around outside in nighties and say hi to the neighbors.  Get a head start on your holiday shopping list and enjoy the early morning specials!

42^nd Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting – corner of Sudbury Rd. & Thoreau ST., down Sudbury Rd to Main St., to Monument Square – parade beginning at 4:45pm; tree lighting at approximately 5:15pm – Enjoy this annual event with the family.  See Frosty, the Gingerbread Man, Mrs. Claus, Louisa May Alcott and more with Santa arriving by Fire Engine.  Music under the tree by Sounds of Concord.  Free.  Please note, Sudbury Road and Main Street, from Keyes Road to Monument Square, are closed for this event during the parade and lighting times.