Books, Music, Dance, The Bard, cake, ice-cream and a Monkey named George!
On April 28th, please join the Harvard Square Business Association, Actors’ Shakespeare Project, the Cambridge Public Library, Revels, Zumix and all of Harvard Square’s book stores for the Fifth Annual Bookish Ball and Shakespeare’s Birthday Celebration. This free, family friendly festival will feature book store strolls, live music, dancing, performances, birthday cake and a sidewalk procession led by Curious George!
The festivities begin at 11:00am, in the Whale Room at the Cambridge Public Library, 449 Broadway, where children of all ages are encouraged to make unique and colorful banners, signs and hats to be carried during our festive sidewalk procession through the streets of Cambridge.
At approximately 11:55am, Toni Bee, Poet Populist of Cambridge, will engage the crowd at the library with a reading of one of her poems. Immediately following, at approximately 12:05pm, the group will “parade” from the library through the streets of Harvard Square led by the man of the hour, Curious George, the Man in the Yellow Hat portrayed by Actors’ Shakespeare Project’s very own Allyn Burrows, and our special guest, Dr. Nick Walton from The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust in Stratford-Upon-Avon.
At approximately 12:30pm, the procession will arrive in Harvard Square and gather at 1 JFK Street, where dignitaries, members of the Cambridge community, and lovers of an inquisitive monkey named George will gather for the ribbon cutting and grand opening of The World’s Only Curious George Store – Harvard Square. The new store, under the ownership of two local entrepreneurs, Jamie and Adam Hirsch, offers an extensive selection of children’s books in a creative space along with uniquely designed merchandise available only through the store and its website.
Immediately following the festivities at The World’s Only Curious George Store – Harvard Square, everyone is encouraged to visit Palmer Street where the party continues! AfroBrazil Boloco will energize the crowd with their distinctive, infectious beats, artists will be on hand creating remarkable chalk drawings, and cake and ice cream will be served in honor of William Shakespeare, who turns 448 in 2012! In addition, there will be performances by Charlestown Working Theatre, FuFu, Oreos, and Actors’ Shakespeare Project, face painting, a balloon artist, toasts, reading and more!
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
10:30am – Chalk artists begin drawing on Palmer Street
11:00am – Banner and hat craft activity – Whale Room at the Cambridge Public Library
11:55am – Reading by Toni Bee, Poet Populist of Cambridge at the Cambridge Public Library
12:05pm – Sidewalk Procession departs the Cambridge Public Library; AfroBrazil Boloco and activities on Palmer Street including face painting, balloon artist, and Open Air Circus Stilting Workshop
12:30pm – Sidewalk Procession arrives in Harvard Square and assembles for the ribbon cutting at The World’s Only Curious George Store Harvard Square, 1 JFK Street
12:45pm – Toasts by Boston Arts Academy students, British Consulate representative Bridget Gildea, and Dr. Nick Walton from the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Common Text Reading lead by ASP company member Steven Barkhimer, performances by Charlestown Working Theatre, Fufu and Oreos, and ASP’s Troilus and Cressida -all emceed by ASP Artistic Director Allyn Burrows and cake and ice cream on Palmer Street
1:15pm – Performance by Zumix on Palmer Street
1:30pm – Performance by AfroBrazil Boloco on Palmer Street
2:00pm – Shakespeare Pub Talk – moderated by Dr. Nick Walton at John Harvard’s Brew House, 33 Dunster Street. Tickets are required for the pub talk. Tickets will be available on a first come, first serve basis at the Actors’ Shakespeare Project table on Palmer Street. You can RSVP ahead of time at events@actorsshakespeareproject.org however all tickets must be picked up at the ASP table.
Harvard Square is proud to be the home of over a dozen book and printed word shops. Many will be holding events, book readings and promotions to celebrate the Bookish Ball. Details will be forthcoming.
The following book stores are offering promotions and events in conjunction with the Bookish Ball and Shakespeare’s Birthday Celebration:
Grolier Poetry Book Shop
Grolier Poetry Book Shop will be offering 20% off their tote bags.
Grolier Poetry Book Shop, 6 Plympton Street, (617) 547-4648, www.grolierpoetrybookshop.org/
Harvard Book Store
Harvard Book Store holds a Shakespeare Sale, in honor of Shakespeare’s birthday and the Bookish Ball. On April 28th, all books by or about Shakespeare will be 20% off.
Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Avenue, (617) 661-1515, www.harvard.com
The Harvard Coop
April is National Poetry Month – Check our web site & facebook page for information on the COOP’S ANNUAL Poetry contest for children Grades K-8
2 pm, Saturday, April 28th, 2012
Save 20% on ALL Kids’ Poetry Books & come join us for The Harvard Coop Annual Poetry “Open Mic Day” for all kids, grades K – 8!
We will host an open mic for all Kids Poetry Contest participants who want to share their poetry!!
We will then announce the WINNERS of the contest. In appreciation of everyone’s efforts, a complete anthology of entries will go on exhibit in the Children’s Book Department.