Free Things to Do in Boston, December 2016
FOR THE LOVE OF FILM
“The Dying Of The Light” Screening at Emerson Paramount Center
Calling all aspiring Christopher Nolans and old-school film stock enthusiasts. Emerson College’s Bright Lights Film Series will be screening The Dying of the Light (2015), a documentary and tribute to the craft of film projection. A discussion with director Peter Flynn will follow.
Free, Thursday, December 8, 7 p.m., Bright Family Screening Room, Emerson Paramount Center, 100 Washington St., emerson.edu.
NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM
mfaNOW Overnight: Last Call
If you slept through the first three, fear not. There’s still time to partake in the museum’s after-hours fiesta, which includes artist demonstrations, lectures, food trucks and DJs. Bring your dancing shoes—this might be your last chance to kick it at the MFA.
Free, Friday, December 9-Saturday, December 10, 9 p.m.-9 a.m., Museum of Fine Arts, 465 Huntington Ave., mfa.org.
SKATE DATE
Holiday on Ice at Community Ice Skating at Kendall Square
Lace up your skates and glide on over to Kendall Square’s rink for a day of frolicking on ice. This annual event also includes a skating show at 2 p.m., featuring internationally qualified skaters.
Free, Saturday, December 10, 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Community Ice Skating at Kendall Square, 300 Athenaeum St., Cambridge, skatekendall.com.
SOVIET SOUNDS
“From Russia With Love” Concert at Berklee
In the mood for classical music? The Berklee Symphonic Winds and Music Education Department Big Band will be performing an all-Russian program that’s likely to transport you right to St. Petersburg.
Free, Thursday, December 15, 8 p.m., Berklee Performance Center, 136 Mass. Ave., berklee.edu.
BOOKS
Jilly Gagnon Reading at The Harvard Book Store
Remember those Choose Your Own Adventure books? Replace adventure with holiday-induced misery (think credit card debt and unwanted company) and the result is a parody, Choose Your Own Misery: The Holidays, by Mike MacDonald and Jilly Gagnon.
Free, Thursday, December 15, 7 p.m., Harvard Book Store, 1256 Mass. Ave., Cambridge, harvard.com.
Santa Speedo Run photo by Jeremy Hetzel on Flickr/Creative Commons
RUN, SANTA, RUN
Santa Speedo Run
Luckily for our Speedo-donning runners, winter this year has been fairly kind. Keep an eye out for the scantily clad Father Christmases partaking in the seventeenth Annual Santa Speedo Run.
Free to watch, Friday, December 16, 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Whiskey’s, 885 Boylston St., Boston, ssrunners.org.
ROM COM
New Year’s Eve Screening at the Boston Public Library
Remember that movie from five years ago starring Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Bon Jovi—the one where nothing really happens, but you watched it anyway? Well, you should see it again, and this time at the BPL.
Free, Thursday, December 29, 2 p.m., The Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston St., bpl.org.
First Night by MassTravel via Flickr
NEW YEAR, NEW YOU
Boston First Night
Ring in 2017 with intricate ice sculptures, fancy pyrotechnics, a countdown at Copley Square, and a dance down Boylston Street. Don’t forget to bring the kids along for face-painting and magic shows.
Free, Saturday, December 31, 6 p.m., Copley Square and Boston Common, firstnightboston.org.
