As promoted, American Classics is the Boston area's only organization devoted solely to the…read moreperformance of American music, giving voice to forgotten gems and newly discovered musical treasures in concerts of vocal and instrumental music. I have attended multiple concerts since 1996 and find their repertoire refreshing and casts extraordinarily talented. Ben Sears and Brad Conner are music scholars sharing their knowledge about the musical choices throughout the performances... always making room for some silliness. Ticket prices and venues are also accessible to all. Check them out. amclass.org

Order tickets in advance to save a few bucks and access the fast entry line. And don't be put off…read moreby the longer queue - cars move at a decent pace, because, well... When I imagined a lights festival, I think not only of quantity and quality, but density - a certain holiday clutter that's both chaotically nostalgic and frustratingly delightful. Instead, this utilization of the Marshfield Fairground is akin to maybe a sandcastle competition: with 20-30 large, somewhat complex displays spaces well apart from each other. And instead of being handcrafted and artistically unique, they're constructed using fabricated templates, and algorithmic synchronization to the associated FM soundtrack. It's reasonably priced ($23/carload), enjoyable and it's a very COVID safe activity, but you should go in with appropriate expectations: it's more a traveling carnival than a festival.

First Night is Boston's famous New Year's Eve celebration and wow - do they really know how to ring…read morein the New Year!! There are so many events and features and activities that it's almost overwhelming lol! I can say with all confidence that everyone should spend at least one NYE in Boston in their lifetime! And bonus - it's extremely family friendly and felt very safe - and it's completely FREE! The city gets started early on NYE with ice sculptures!! If you go early enough, you can watch these master artists at work! The city even puts together a "sculpture stroll" complete with interactive map (or paper map if you prefer) - like an ice sculpture scavenger hunt haha! There were so many sculptures that I wasn't able to get to all of them...but I loved the ones I saw. And it's a really fun way to walk around the city and check out areas you may not normally walk to. All day long they have live music, parades, tons of activities kids will LOVE - like puppet shows and an ice skating rink. And at 7pm they do their first of three - yes THREE - fireworks shows!! This first one is over Boston Common and gives families a chance to join in on all the celebratory fun without having to keep the kiddos up until midnight which I think is just awesome! Then the party kicks off in Copley Square where they count down to midnight with their own ball drop but it looks more like a giant acorn lollll??? This is where the crowd gets really thick and lively - I believe they say over a million people visit for this party! And when the ball drops, a pyrotechnic show blasts off the top of the Fairmont Copley hotel followed by giant fireworks over the Boston Harbor! If you're coming to First Night, I highly recommend using Boston's brilliant public transportation system - it's so much easier and very convenient! Parking and driving in Boston is a nightmare. The city is extremely walkable with tons of restaurants and cozy cafes to take a break in so it's extremely enjoyable to leave the car behind and make a day/night of it!

First Night Boston is a viable option for families and those wishing to avoid the club scene but…read morestill celebrate New Years Eve. First night allows you to bring in the New Year with fireworks... And hundreds of thousands of strangers. Dress warm. It's usually 30 to 40 degrees out as you see ice sculptures, feast from food trucks and listen to local bands. THE DEAL: Most of it felt crowded into tiny Copley Square for the first time in 2017. It used to be spread out across the Waterfront and I assumed it was moved for security reasons following the Boston Marathon attack.

Lots of fun, music crafts If the weather is good its an awesome way to spend some time in Harvard…read moresquare.

MayFair is a city of Cambridge tradition. Note how I say city of Cambridge instead of Harvard…read moreSquare. That is because it's all local and none of that kitschy Harvard University touristy crap which is one of the reasons I love attending it every year. The city basically closes down several blocks in Harvard Square where businesses and the community set up shop in the streets selling various food, art, clothes and random things like home decor window treatment specialists. But it's not all business, there's always something to see from the Chalk Walk along Church street and concerts in front of the train station to kiddie trains and street performers busking. It's a lovely day filled with activities for all ages. Did I mention the food? There's all kinds of food here. While Harvard Square already has quite the array of restaurants it also draws some Mexican and Caribbean places from greater Boston as well. During the few hours I spent there I had a Belgian waffle, Spanish rice and beans with shrimp, jerk chicken, and I washed it down with a lychee tea. I probably ate too much but all that cost me only about $15. I should also mention the event itself is free. There's nothing but an upside to this.

I was very impressed by the quality and professionalism of the studio as an audience member. It was…read moreone of only events that I have attended where there were NO sound issues. All the mics worked perfectly, even though we had multiple performers, instruments and even a bellydancer. The many cameras are almost invisible. Most of the technical stuff happens in the control room, so you are just sitting in what seems like a small, comfortable theater. The stage and house are well-lit, using LEDs, so the participants and audience stay cool and look fabulous. The staff were attentive and gracious. This is really the next generation in webcasting and I would recommend Red Star for a musical or performance event as well as panel discussions or corporate announcements and events.

Had a pleasure of attending lecture from a professor ‍ for my admittance week at Harvard! The…read moretheatre was beautiful, full of stain glass, red bricks and wood. The whole place smelt like museum which I like! I can't believe this was my first time attending events at this legendary landmark and I look forward to attending more!

I've been to this venue twice now, both times for concerts of the Boston Philharmonic. I've also…read morebeen to Symphony Hall and Jordan Hall. Don't get me wrong, this is still a great theater, but it is my least favorite of the three... especially in the summer. No, nothing to do with A/C, but to do with the seating! The benches they have can be terrifically uncomfortable for long-term sitting (you know, like the kind you do at the orchestra. The cushions are cushiony enough, no compaints there... it is the backs of these things that get quite fidgety! I don't really know how to describe them other than to say: they aren't really flat. What does this have to do with winter? Well, when it's cold you have have a puffy jacket to serve as a makeshift pillow of sorts. Now that this needlessly long rant is over... I like how the seating is in a semicircle around the stage. What I like about this is your head won't be turned 70° for the entirety of the show. While if you are sitting at one of the ends (on the second floor, at least) you won't see the whole stage... this is typical of halls like this. Also, since The Blue Man Group does not perform here, it is not as important. Acoustically, since I am not an audiophile I can't comment in much detail. However, the hall being semi-circular and smaller gives the sound a little more "oomph" than a larger hall. Architecture is pleasant. It is not quite as extravagant as an Opera theater, but not a nondescript space by any means. Enough to get you looking around a bit before the show. Also, the deep wood tones add that "establishment" feeling that help you feel the age and institution of Harvard, and all that preceded whatever performance or lecture you have come to see. I was also a fan of the large room (hall?) that is the lobby. A great place to do a little mingling and walking about after the show or during an intermission. A few concluding notes: * While there is an elevator to the washrooms, I don't think the balcony levels are accessible. * Bathroom situation is not great. They are kept clean, certainly. Only there can be lines, especially lengthy for the ladies'.

I hired the Tony Fonseca Drummers for a fundraiser. Tony was extremely accomodating in terms of our…read morefundraising goals and limited funds for performers. He was also very warm, professional, and accomodating the day of the event. The drummers were excellent, and the audience absolutely loved them. They added a lot of energy to my event, and I'd definitely hire them again and recommend them to anyone!

Chris or "Madman with a Marker" did such a great job on the caricature that he did for a…read morecolleague's going away gift! She loved it and we put it in a frame with a matte border so everyone could sign. It looked AWESOME! Beyond that, Chris turned around the caricature so quickly including all of the special requests (i.e. Boston skyline in the pic, products that we work, etc). He also made it very easy for pick up and was very accommodating to my crazy schedule. Overall, a great experience and I would definitely recommend his services!

Chris did an amazing job for the University of Michigan when he captured some prominent faculty for…read morea colleague's going away party in caricature form. We initially began with three people, but quickly advanced to 13 caricatures that he nailed perfectly! And he completed it in such a fast turn around that made our stress level lower. Simply stated, our request was crazy with many details, but Chris completed the drawing in exemplary fashion with stellar service. If we ever need a caricature artist again, there is no doubt we would ask Chris.