The deadline for listings is noon, Tues., Dec. 17 for the Dec. 20 issue. Send listings to [email protected]. Note: 617 should be dialed before numbers below, unless another area code is given.
Special Events
The JP Holiday Stroll and tree lighting, at the Soldier’s Monument, Centre/South Sts., Sat., Dec. 7, 1:30pm; at Hyde Square, Centre/Perkins Sts., 2:15pm. Info: jpbapa.org.
Annual holiday fair featuring over 40 artists, artisans and crafters with work ranging from pressed flora, to ceramics, to jewelry. Live band with jazz arrangements of Holiday Songs. First Church in Jamaica Plain Unitarian Universalist, Dec. 7, 11am-5pm. 6 Eliot Street. 524-1634.
Stonybrook Fine Arts Open House, tour the studio, view artwork & watch an aluminum sculpture pour, Sun., Dec. 8, 1-5pm, 24 Porter St. Info: 799-3644.
JP Holiday Art Fair, including pieces by Urbano teens, Dec. 14, 284 Amory St. Info: [email protected].
International Celebration, explore a world of cultures, traditions and fun, Sat., Dec. 14, 10am-noon, Franklin Park Golf Clubhouse. Info: 635-4505.
Winter Solstice event, with storyteller Diane Edgecomb with Margot Chamberlain & Tom Megan, Sat. Dec. 21, 8-10pm, $25 & Sun., Dec. 22, 4-5pm, $20, Loring-Greenough House, 12 South St. Info: 522-4335.
Music
Milky Way, 284 Amory St. Info: milkywayjp.com. Saturdays: Mango’s Latin Saturdays w/ The Lee Wilson Movement, 10pm, $10. Mondays, 7pm: Stump Trivia Night. Third Friday of the month: Boyfriends, gay dance night, 5pm, 9pm, 21+.
Midway Café, all shows 21+, doors 8pm, 3496 Washington St, 524-9038. Wednesdays, except the last Wed. of the month: The Authentic Lounge. Thursdays: Queeraoke. Fridays 6-8:30pm: Hippie hour. Dec. 6: The Other Girls Holiday Rock Show.
Eliot Street Coffeehouse, Dec. 7, 8pm: Darol Anger’s Berklee String Quartet, The International Gals Of Quartetdom, The Four Corners & The Resurexon Quartet, to benefit First Church UU, 6 Eliot St. Info: firstchurchjp.org/eliotstreetcoffeehouse.
Jazz at Taylor House, Fri., Dec. 6, 7:30pm: Daryl Bichel and Dave Elliott. Info: [email protected].
St Thomas Aquinas Church concerts, Sun., Dec. 8, 4pm: MaryAnne Polich, Greg Zavracky, and Choir of St Lawrence Church, 97 South St. Info: 739-1340.
JP Drum Medley: Freestyle hand drumming circle meets first Thursday of the month, 6:30-8:30PM. First Baptist Church 633 Centre St. Jamaica Plain. All levels welcome. Bring a drum, other small percussion. Info: [email protected]
Handreach Beat-brigade drum circle with Cornell Coley, Tuesdays, 7pm, Spontaneous Celebrations, 45 Danforth St. Info: 298-1790.
Dance
Dance JP!, community-centered dance group, Fri., Dec. 13, 8-10pm, First Baptist Church JP, 633 Centre St. $3-10. Info: tinyurl.com/DanceJP.
Line Dancing with Boston Rhythm Riders, Wednesdays through Labor Day, 6-7pm, outside Franklin Park Golf Clubhouse. Info: 442-4141.
West African dance classes, taught by Zucan, a principal dancer with the Drum and Spirit of African Society. Mondays, 7:30-9pm, English High School, 144 McBride St. Info: 359-1552.
Gender-Free/English Country Dance, beginners welcome and encouraged. 2nd and 4th Tuesdays (5th Tuesdays: experienced) of the month, 7:30-11:30pm, First Church, 6 Eliot St. Info: www.lcfd.org/bgfe/512-5554.
Square Dance, all ages, beginners welcome. Second Sunday of the month, 7-10pm, $5, Spontaneous Celebrations, 45 Danforth St. Info: Info@[email protected]/205-789-7907.
Art
Dispersal: Photographs by Anna Laurent, special exhibition through Jan. 26 at Arnold Arboretum Hunnewell Building.
Casey Was Here, art inspired by Casey Overpass project process, on display through Dec. 29, James’s Gate, 5 McBride Ave. Info: seanmccabe.com.
Literary
Chapter and Verse Literary Reading Series, Fri., Dec. 13, 7:30pm: Mary Bonina, Gwendolyn Jensen, Gary Whited. Loring-Greenough House, 12 South St., Suggested donation $5, Info: 325-8388.
Urban Myths + The Dream Machine, Urbano winter exhibition, Dec. 17, 5:30pm, 284 Amory St. Info: urbanoproject.org.
Youth/Families
Connolly Branch Library, 433 Centre St., 522-1960. Mon., Dec. 9, 6:30pm: family holiday crafts. Thurs., Dec. 12, 10:30am: ¡Musica! with Mariana Iranzim 4:30pm: Captain Underpants, performed by Hyde Square Task Force. Sat., Dec. 14, 9:30am: Holiday craft fun. Mon., Dec. 16, 6:30pm: Winter Holiday party feat. Rosalita’s puppets. Mon., Dec. 23, 6:30pm: winter family pajama story time. Weds., 10:30am: Children’s films. Mondays, 4-6pm, homework help with a BPL teacher. Mon.-Thurs., 3:30-5:30pm, homework help for K-8 with high school mentors.
Egleston Square Library: Tuesdays, 10:30am: preschool storytime, featuring puppets, songs games and fingerplays. 2044 Columbus Ave. Info: 445-4340.
Jamaica Plain Library: Tuesdays 10:30am: Toddler/preschool storytime. 3pm: Creative Drama Children. Wednesdays, 10:30am, baby and books. 12 Sedgwick St., Info: 524-2053.
Meditation for Kids and Families, Sundays, 9:30-10:30am, through Dec. 15. Develop happy minds such as kindness, patience & generosity through meditation, teachings, arts & crafts. Kids aged 5-12 accompanied by adult. $5/child. Serlingpa Meditation Center, 179 Green St., 2nd floor. Info: http://meditationinmass.org/kids-meditation-boston/
Family art class, wheelchair accessible, Tuesdays 10:30am-11:30am, ages 3-5. Tuesdays, 3:30-4:30pm, ages 5+. Family Resource Center, 1542 Columbus Ave. Info: 522-1018.
Learn to stiltwalk with Spontaneous Celebrations, 45 Danforth St. Sundays, 11am-1pm, $5. Info: 857-498-2438.
After-School Teen Welding and Teen Jewelry Workshops now available from 3-5pm on Mondays and Wednesdays at Stonybrook Fine Arts. Info: stonybrookfinearts.com.
Meet-Ups
Knitting Group, Thursdays, 6-8pm, JP Branch Library, 12 Sedgwick St. Info: 524-2053.
Narratives Boston, queer activist-writers group open to LGBTQ-identified adults interested in creative expression and social justice, first and third Wednesday evenings of the month, 7-9pm, Haymarket People’s Fund, 42 Seaverns Ave. Info: [email protected].
Connolly Branch Library, Dec. 2, 9, 16, 6:30pm: ESL conversation groups. Saturdays, noon-1:45pm: Spanish-language language exchange. 433 Centre St., 522-1960.
Classes
Herbal Magic in your kitchen workshop, Sun., Dec. 15, 1–2:30pm, Spontaneous Celebrations, 45 Danforth St., $20. Info: madcrowherbals.com/upcoming-events.
Ice skating lessons, cosponsored by Friends of Kelly Rink and the Dept. of Conservation and Recreation, donation of $50 requested, scholarships are available on request, sign-ups in person only at Kelly Rink, Sat. Dec 7 & 14, noon-2pm. Info: 320-3783.
Zumba, Mondays 6-7pm with Joya, Wednesdays 6-7pm with Nancy, Thursdays 6-7pm—1st & 3rd w/ Nancy, 2nd & 4th w/ Joya, $10 drop-in/$45 for a 5 class card/$80 for a 10 class card. Spontaneous Celebrations, 45 Danforth St. Info: 951-9161.
Calabash, ongoing African dance classes, Mondays & Thursdays, 7pm, English High School, 144 McBride St. $13. Info: [email protected]/359-1552.
Meditation classes, Tuesdays, 7-8:30pm, through Dec. 17, $10/adult, $5/student & senior. Sundays, 11am -12pm, through Dec. 15, $8/adult, $4/student & senior. Serlingpa Meditation Center, 179 Green St., 2nd floor. Info: http://meditationinmass.org/meditation-buddhism-boston/
Shim Gum Do (Mind Sword Path), zen sword, karate and meditation classes, scholarships available, Spontaneous Celebrations, 45 Danforth St. Info: 429-8024/[email protected].
Woodworking, sewing, art classes, fiber arts, photography, book arts. Children, teens, adults, year round. Eliot School of Fine & Applied Arts, 24 Eliot St. Info: eliotschool.org or 617-524-3313.
Fund-Raisers
Coats for Kids, Anton Cleaners’ winter coat drive through Jan. 11, bring coats to any of Anton’s Cleaners’ 42 locations or a Jordan’s Furniture store.
Call to Artists
Call for art, for Haymarket People’s Fund 2014 calendar, compelling black and white or color art that depicts the struggle of undoing racism in American society, immigrants in the US, and other forms of oppression. Info: [email protected].