By Megan O’Brien, deputy inside editor
Event of the Week: Sunday, Oct. 4
Doughnut aficionados of the Northeast will find their niche in Back Bay this weekend when Post 390 hosts the second annual Rise and Rumble Donut Throwdown. Chefs hailing from the Boston and New York areas will whip up their most creative versions of glazed goodness for a chance to be voted best doughnut by guests. Kenmore Square chef Lauren Kroesser from Island Creek Oyster Bar took home the title last year with a jelly-filled, hazelnut-topped doughnut. A ticket to the event includes access to a brunch buffet, coffee bar and one of each doughnut entered in the competition. 406 Stuart St.; noon – 2 p.m.; $30.
Thursday, Oct. 1
Grateful Dead fans may be seen flocking to Digital Silver Imaging in Belmont this week to meet Herb Greene, the man who documented the rock band’s heyday. “Dead 50 Years” is a collection of images taken or selected by Greene, who befriended the band in the 1960s. He will be in the gallery on Thursday evening to sign copies of a limited-edition print. Refreshments will be served, and live music will be provided by local band The Sorry Honeys. The exhibition is open until Oct. 9. From Boston, the commute to Belmont is roughly an hour commute from Bostonwith a switch from the Orange to Red Lines. 9 Brighton St., Belmont; 6 – 8 p.m.; free.
Friday, Oct. 2
Starting this Friday, 21-year-old playwright Ruby Rae Spiegel’s work will be introduced to Boston theatergoers. “Dry Land,” a New York Times critics’ pick, will open at the Plaza Theatre at the Boston Center for the Arts this weekend, directed by Steven Bogart. Spiegel, who wrote the play while still an undergraduate at Yale University, has created a coming-of-age story about “abortion, bad jokes, bathing suits and friendship,” according to producer Company One. The inevitable mess of youth meets a highly-ordered theatrical form, bringing this melodramatic comedy to the forefront of theatre and social discourse. Performances run through Oct. 30. 539 Tremont St.; 8 p.m.; $15 with a student ID.
Saturday, Oct. 3
The Let’s Talk About Food Festival will return to Copley Square this weekend for its fourth consecutive year. Activities will center around the organization’s mission to spark conversation about the role of food in society. This includes hands-on cooking demonstrations and moderated discussions. This year, the festival is part of Boston’s first HUB Week, a collaboration between the Boston Globe, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard University to celebrate the convergence of art, science and technology in the community. A full list of HUB Week activities can be found at www.hubweek.org. 560 Boylston St.; 10 a.m.; free.
Monday, Oct. 5
Interested in beating the Monday blues and ushering in the start of the autumn season? Take care of both by celebrating Oktoberfest at Trident Booksellers and Cafe in Back Bay. The tasting celebration will feature fall beer by Lagunitas, as well as local companies Rapscallion and Ipswitch. Appetizers will be served, and guests will have the opportunity to finish out the evening over a game of Cards Against Humanity or by coloring in coloring books. Tickets can be purchased through Trident’s website: http://tridentbookscafe.com/event/oktoberfest-beer-tasting-party?instance_id=327 . 338 Newbury St.; 6 p.m.; $10; 21+.
Tuesday, Oct. 6
Now that October has arrived, those looking to do some “frightseeing” can find a scare on the Ghost and Gravestones Tour. Guests are invited to explore some of Boston’s most haunted locations on this themed trolley tour as a conductor leads them through the city. Stories about notorious Boston criminals such as the Boston Strangler and occupants of two of the city’s biggest graveyards will be told, and walking tours of two burial grounds are included in the 90-minute session. Tours run through the end of October. 200 Atlantic Ave.; times vary; $36.75.
Wednesday,Oct. 7
Through Oct. 21, MIT will host the MIT Making Life Soapbox Discussion, a lecture series exploring the details behind synthetic biology. Topics will address what synthetic biology is and how scientists use innovative techniques to genetically modify organisms. This week’s theme is “Breaking the ‘Synbio’ Barrier.” Peter Carr, senior scientist at MIT Lincoln Laboratory, and Jeffrey Way, senior staff scientist at Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, will speak on the subject. 265 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge; 6 – 7:30 p.m.; free.
Photo courtesy Dave Crosby, Creative Commons
