WEEKEND FUN: Dance Performance, Solstice Celebration, Bike Ride, World Cup Watch Party, New Play

This weekend you can get out and enjoy the nice weather during a Summer Solstice celebration, check out the first performance by the Boston Dance Company in Watertown, catch a World Cup game or two, see a new play, and take a bike ride while learning some history on Juneteenth. BOSTON DANCE THEATER & MOSESIAN ARTS LIVE – CROSSCURRENTSSaturday, June 20 at 7 p.m. & Sunday, June 21 at 2 p.m.Mosesian Center for the Arts, 321 Arsenal St. Spanning repertory by internationally recognized choreographers, new works created for Boston Dance Theater’s Trainee Program, and performances by guest artists rooted in the local dance community, Crosscurrents offers a layered and immersive audience experience. The program moves between virtuosic contemporary dance, codified training traditions, and embodied philosophical practices, creating a rich field of exchange across styles, lineages, and generations. The evening features selections from BDT’s repertory, including works set to music by Johann Sebastian Bach and Maurice Ravel, alongside new creations by emerging choreographers.

Mount Auburn Cemetery Becomes First Cemetery in the U.S. to Earn AGZA Green Zone Certification

The following announcement was provided by Mount Auburn Cemetery:

Mount Auburn Cemetery, the American Green Zone Alliance (AGZA), and Quiet Communities announced that Mount Auburn has become the first cemetery in the United States to earn AGZA Green Zone® Certification, cutting carbon emissions by 16 tons annually. The designation marks a shift from gas-powered handheld landscaping equipment to battery-powered tools, creating a cleaner, quieter, and healthier environment for people and wildlife alike and offering a model for how cemeteries and other large landscapes can operate more sustainably. The AGZA Certified Green Zone program is a four-level program designed to transition landscape maintenance operations away from fossil fuel-powered equipment to battery electric-powered equipment and other low impact alternatives. AGZA and Quiet Communities implement the program for parks, municipalities, institutions, and businesses across the country, providing education, training, support, and metrics that demonstrate reductions in emissions, noise, and other impacts over time. “As the first garden cemetery in the United States, we have a responsibility to continue leading in how landscapes like ours are cared for,” said Matthew Stephens, President & CEO, Mount Auburn Cemetery.

Unplug and Recharge With Outdoor Yoga at Mount Auburn Cemetery

Story Chapel at Mount Auburn Cemetery. (Photo from Mount Auburn Cemetery)

Mount Auburn Cemetery’s yoga series continues this week with a session led by a Watertown studio. See more information in the announcement from the Cemetery, below. As late spring comes into full bloom, Mount Auburn Cemetery is inviting the community to slow down, unplug, and reconnect with themselves through a mindful outdoor yoga series set in one of Greater Boston’s most peaceful landscapes. Yoga for Awakening with Artemis Yoga returns on May 21, offering a guided experience rooted in presence, breath, and intentional movement.

WEEKEND FUN: Poetry Inspired by the Revolution, Farm to Gallery Exhibit, Karaoke, Healing Power of Art, Persian Dining

My weekend suggestions for this first week of April includes two exhibits to go see. The one at the Mosesian, Art and Healing is a mixed media show that will be there until May 1. Check out the mostly cardboard piece in the photo below. The library has a new exhibit of fiber art called Farm to Form, which is a collaboration between Gore Place and fibre artists. Celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of America at the Mount Auburn Cemetery with a literary historian who will talk about how authors in the 1800s turned the American Revolution into our national legend.

See When Early-Bird Hours Start at Mount Auburn Cemetery

Mount Auburn Cemetery. The following announcement was provided by Mount Auburn Cemetery:

This spring, Mount Auburn Cemetery is bringing back Early-Bird Hours, offering a unique opportunity to experience its beauty in a whole new morning light. The Cemetery’s Main Entrance (580 Mount Auburn St., Cambridge) will open daily at 6 a.m. in April and May, allowing visitors to experience the serene beauty of the Cemetery in the quiet, early morning hours. These early hours offer a rare glimpse into nature awakening — the soft glow of sunrise over the Cemetery’s landscape and tree collections, the arrival of migratory birds, and a stillness that invites reflection. Whether seasoned birders, beginners just discovering the joys of birdwatching, those who simply love peaceful morning walks, and more, visitors can take in the early morning Mount Auburn landscape like never before.

WEEKEND FUN: Children’s Theater, Drawing Nature, LGBTQ+ Crafting, Lasagna Dinner, Blood Drive

Friday evening there is a drop-in for LGBTQ+ folks at the Hatch Maker Space. Hatch is open to all in their regular hours, too, but this particular gathering features an optional maker activity designed by their facilitator. All weekend there is a child-focused theater event at the Mosesian: the Watertown Children’s Theater presents Alice in Wonderland Jr. Take your youngsters for lots of fun and maybe they will want to join in the next show. A blood drive isn’t exactly deep in the fun category of things to do, but it feels like an important thing to do if you can. There is one on Saturday at Hibernian Hall along with a food drive. It always feels good to give to others.

Several Owls Visit Mount Auburn Cemetery During Long-Running Program Hosted by Owl Enthusiasts & Rescuers

Marcia Wilson holds a Eurasian Eagle Owl during the Eyes on Owls event at Mount Auburn Cemetery. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

Mount Auburn Cemetery recently welcomed a couple who have devoted their lives to observing and caring for owls. They have traveled around New England in search of the raptors, from Crane Beach in Ipswich to Rye, New Hampshire, to Nantucket, and have ventured as far as Alaska, Serbia and Nunavut in the north of Canada to catch a glimpse of owls. Mark and Marcia Wilson presented Eyes on Owls on Feb. 21 at Story Chapel, a program that Mount Auburn Cemetery has hosted since 1997.

WEEKEND FUN: Art Inspired by Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Children’s Play, Creative Coffee Hour, Ethiopian Food

I have a diverse group of entertainments for you this weekend, with an emphasis on international culture, and including with a restaurant recommendation. Have you heard that a wonderful Ethiopian restaurant opened in Watertown Square last year? Start out your Friday exploring that delicious cuisine at Lalibela on Spring Street. On Saturday evening there is a music performance at Restaurant Chulo with Nepali singer Ram Krishna Dakhal. Sunday there is a play at the Mosesian called “The Miraculous Journey of Edward the Rabbit.”