Saturday, April 12th
11:00am – 4:00pm
The Harvard Square Business Association, in partnership with the City of Cambridge as part of MA250 in Cambridge, is delighted to announce the return of the Bookish Ball, a celebration of Harvard Square’s bookstores complete with a Revolutionary theme, on Saturday, April 12th from 11am – 4pm!
This free, family-friendly extravaganza features literary tours of Harvard Square, treats, live music, and special book-themed promotions in our businesses.
In celebration of the 250th anniversary of America’s independence, City and state officials launched the Massachusetts 2050 campaign in September 2024. Throughout 2025 and 2026, Massachusetts 250 (or MA250) will commemorate the many battles across the City of Cambridge and the state that led to America’s independence.
The festivities begin at 11am on Harvard’s Smith Campus Plaza (located at 1350 Massachusetts Avenue) where you will be greeted by Elizabeth Glover, portrayed by Linda Peck. Glover established the first printing press in the Thirteen Colonies on Dunster Street, just around the corner! Enjoy some sweet treats and live music before grabbing your “Passport to Wisdom” and visiting Harvard Square’s five book stores:
Special Literary Tours
11am, 1pm, 3pm (depart from the Smith Campus Center Plaza)
For 400 years, Harvard Square has been the epicenter of American literature, philosophy, and education. From the first printing press in North America to our beloved book stores today, the outstanding tradition of poetry and storytelling, from Anne Bradstreet to Allen Ginsberg, the Square has been home to all things book-related. Stroll between our current bookstores while hearing stories of the incredible literature that was written in and inspired by these streets. Acclaimed lawyer, author and politician, Richard Henry Dana Jr. (portrayed by Daniel Berger-Jones of Boston History Company) hosts these tours designed exclusively for the Bookish Ball.
We hope that you will join us for this celebration of Harvard Square as a place of books and bookstores, public learning, public discourse and a community that treasures the printed word.
Special thanks to the City of Cambridge and MA250 in Cambridge for their generous support of this event.
For additional information about this event and all events in Harvard Square, please visit www.harvardsquare.com.
Enjoy special in-store events, activities, refreshments, entertainment and shopping discounts at Harvard Square’s five bookstores and other participating businesses.
Book Stores
Grolier Poetry Book Shop
6 Plympton Street
Customers who spend a $100 or more on April 12th will receive a free tote bag or T-shirt.
Harvard Book Store
1256 Massachusetts Avenue
Harvard Book Store will be signing up customers for our Frequent Buyer program, and have flyers out for our Warehouse Sale and upcoming sale for our Frequent Buyers on Sunday, April 27th.
Harvard COOP
1400 Massachusetts Avenue
The Harvard COOP will offer 20% on trade books (not text) from 11am – 4pm on April 12th.
Lovestruck Books
44 Brattle Street
Lovestruck Books will have a craft table set up for attendees to create something special to commemorate the Bookish Ball.
Rodney’s Bookstore
23 Church Street
Rodney’s bookstore books are priced so well, it is like they are always on sale!
Cambridge Center for Adult Education
Do you miss being in a classroom and the joy of discussing and analyzing literature with friends? Join other bibliophiles at Cambridge Center for Adult Education this spring on Brattle Street! Led by educated and talented professors, instructors, and authors, CCAE offers literature courses ranging from ancient classics with Ovid’s Metamorphoses to Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan Novels, and tackling challenging works like Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye: The Intersection of Race, Gender, Generation and Disability. For those inspired to write their own works, classes such as Developing Authentic Characters, Lunch Time Writers Club, and Memoir, Personal Essay & Beyond: Creative Nonfiction Crash Course will help you hone your craft. See CCAE’s humanities department offerings, including literature and writing classes, here.
The Charles Hotel
With being the smart place to stay, as we like to say, we do have our library which includes an array of books to explore as well as a partnership with Bedside Reading, where we offer our guests an online library to read e-books, podcasts, audiobooks, and meditations. The two books of the month for April are Layered Leadership by Lawrence Armstrong and She Grows Rich by Audrey Faust. These complimentary books are provided to guests during the month of April.
In addition, we will be kicking off our Harvard Author’s Series on May 13th at 5:30PM! The first author is Dr. Nashaster Deu Solheim, who will be discussing her book, The Leadership PIN Code. Their will be an open discussion along with a Q&A session to follow.
In The Leadership PIN® Code, Dr Nashater Deu Solheim shares a unique and proven framework for creating the impact and influence you need in your daily work. You’ll learn how to use three simple keys to get what you need from every interaction—while also maintaining positive relationships. If you want to be a leader who inspires trust, easily navigates conflict, and creates value every day, The Leadership PIN® Code is for you.
She is an HBR contributor, executive coach on leadership influence, and a keynote speaker on her experience as a psychologist working with psychopaths, the serving military and with leaders in business settings. She holds a doctorate in Psychology from the UK and trained as an Expert Negotiator at Harvard Law School.
To register, click here.
The Comedy Studio
The Comedy Studio will offer $15 tickets to our 7:30 show on April 12th to anyone who buys a book that day. Just show your receipt at the door!
Dig
Dig will be passing out bookmarks and will offer $5 off in-app pickup orders at our Harvard Square location until 4/26/2025, with 1 redemption allowed per person.
Harvard Athletics
Bark at the Park
Saturday, April 12 | Harvard Athletics Complex
Every year, we invite Crimson fans to bring their dog and enjoy a day at the park for one of Harvard Athletics’ furriest events! On top of several dog-focused local businesses joining the fun, all attending pets will receive a free custom Harvard giveaway that will make them bark with excitement!
The day includes Harvard Baseball and Softball games, as well as Men’s Lacrosse and several other Harvard Athletics contests.
Click the button below to RSVP and receive alerts of upcoming information on the event!
Event Schedule
11:30 a.m. Baseball vs. Princeton (Game 1)
12:30 p.m. Softball vs. Yale (Game 1)
1:00 p.m. Men’s Lacrosse vs. Penn (Get Tickets)
Harvard Magazine
Check out the Harvard Authors’ Bookshelf in Harvard Magazine for books by Harvard alumni, faculty, and staff.
Visit harvardmag.com/bookshelf and visit the COOP for this summers bestsellers.
Patagonia
20% off our Patagonia Books for the Bookish Ball at our Harvard Square location.
Season to Taste
SEASON TO TASTE CELEBRATES HARVARD SQUARE’S BOOKISH BALL APRIL 12th WITH SPECIAL STORYBOOK COCKTAIL & RECIPE CONTEST….
Harvard Square’s neighborhood gem, Season To Taste, is celebrating the Harvard Square Bookish Ball on April 12th with the introduction of a special Spring Storybook cocktail as well as a Recipe contest.
PRINCESS AND THE SNAP PEA COCKTAIL:
Season To Taste is creating a special cocktail in honor of the HARVARD SQUARE BOOKISH BALL and one of our favorite children’s stories, ‘Princess and the Pea’. This cocktail will be introduced April 12 in conjunction with the Harvard Square Bookish Ball and will run through Spring at Season To Taste.
Princess and the Snap Pea is a riff on the classic daiquiri celebrating spring, made with Blanco rum, house-made snap pea cordial, and fresh lime juice.
PURCHASE A COOKBOOK IN HARVARD SQUARE DURING THE BOOKISH BALL & SHARE YOUR FAVORITE RECIPE ON IG, TAG SEASON TO TASTE……SEASON TO TASTE WILL CHOOSE ONE FAVORITE AND RUN IT AS A SPECIAL THIS SPRING!
We love books, and cookbooks in particular! So Season To Taste is encouraging folks to visit Harvard Square book stores, purchase a cookbook and share your favorite recipe online, tagging @seasoncambridge the weekend of April 12. Chef Robert Harris and his team will choose their favorite recipe and will run it as a special in April!
About MA250 in Cambridge:
In celebration of the 250th anniversary of America’s independence, City and state officials launched the Massachusetts 2050 campaign in September 2024. Throughout 2025 and 2026, Massachusetts 250 (or MA250) will commemorate the many battles across the City of Cambridge and the state that led to America’s independence.
Cambridge has played a key role in Massachusetts’ history, from its indigenous Massachusetts tribe to milestones like the American Army’s birth, the first printing press, the first college, and the first same-sex marriage in America. Join us as we commemorate America’s Independence and embark on this journey of remembrance and celebration.
Whether you are born and raised in Cambridge, here as a student, or visiting, we invite you to explore the rich tapestry of our city’s history – a story woven with strands of change, innovation, and extraordinary firsts. From the early revolutionary days to the vibrant, diverse community we are today, Cambridge has continually embraced progress and transformation all while respecting and honoring our history. This milestone is not just a reflection of our past but an exciting opportunity to honor the pioneers, visionaries, and everyday residents who shape our legacy and propel us forward.
For additional information, please visit: https://www.cambridgema.gov/mass250initiative
About Daniel Berger-Jones
Founder, Boston History Company
Daniel Berger-Jones is a Boston-based entrepreneur, actor, producer, and director. In 2011, he and Chris Schultz founded Cambridge Historical Tours after several years of working as tour guides in downtown Boston. As the company’s focus shifted to greater Boston, Boston Historical Tours became the next generation of the original project, though Harvard is still a personal favorite. In the classical music world, Daniel has enjoyed sharing the stage with the Boston Symphony Orchestra (Peer Gynt), The Boston Pops (Peter and the Wolf), The BYSO (Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, Peter and the Wolf), Boston Chamber Symphony, Odyssey Opera, and other small companies and performances which have given equal delight. As an actor, he has been in productions with the ART, Huntington, Lyric Stage, Speakeasy Stage, Boston Playwright’s Theatre, Actors’ Shakespeare Project, Shakespeare and Company, Greater Boston Stage, and many other small companies and performances which have given equal and sometimes more delight. As a cofounder of the Fringe Theatre company Orfeo Group, he is proud to have had a hand in 3 Eliot Norton Awards for Best Production by a Fringe Company in five years, starring in 5 of the group’s productions.
About Boston History Company
Let us charm you with our highly trained staff!
Our small staff of highly trained professional performers use charm, expert storytelling, and humor to give you the experience your group is looking for. We strive to maintain excellent customer service , plenty of humor and vivid storytelling of accurate history. Once we meet you, the tour path could change slightly if we know you’ll enjoy something a little different, we want you to leave our tour with a desire to keep exploring our beloved city. You came all the way to Boston to see our treasures, and we are here to guarantee your best possible experience seeing them.
We take pride in having a diverse staff of exceptional guides, many of whom have backgrounds in performance, history and the arts, and we take pride in curating tour experiences for all interests and backgrounds. We strive to provide a more approachable experience, limiting our public tour groups to 25 guests per guide. If, however, you are seeking an even more intimate tour experience, scheduled at your leisure and tailored to your interests, private tours are certainly the way to go.
Our “Boutique” Tour style means that you can request anything. If we can’t accommodate something, we will either explain why no one can, or point you in the direction of someone who can. We hope to create any experience you may be seeking, and add to it. Our stories bring places to life. Without the stories behind it, even the Roman Forum would just be a pile of rubble. Let us leave lasting memories, swell your pride in human achievement, and be the highlight of your time in Boston.