By Sophie Cannon, deputy arts & entertainment editor
Thursday, Oct. 20
Get some exercise, see the stars and help raise money to fight cancer at the annual Light the Night Walk in Boston Common. Registration is still open to walk as a team or as an individual to raise money for leukemia and lymphoma research, all while getting your daily exercise in. To register for the event, visit lightthenight.org and choose Boston as your city. See the Boston skyline at night while surrounded by others who are gathered together to fight against cancer. 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.; Boston Common; free.
Friday, Oct. 21
Have you been to your local Victoria’s Secret or American Eagle yet? If not, you’d better go before Northeastern’s annual Underwear Run. This is the 11th year of the time-honored tradition, and you can bet everyone will be breaking out their new Calvins for the evening. Run, jog or even walk along with more than 1000 nearly-nude classmates as you go from the Speare Star to the Prudential Center. This year’s run will also feature the DJ Anthony “Antrik” Melnik, so you can run to the beat of his music. 9 p.m. – 12 a.m.; Speare Star; free.
Saturday, Oct. 22
Peruse portions of George Washington’s personal library and discover just what is inside of the members-only rooms of the Boston Athenaeum for the third annual open house event. The Boston Athenaeum is one of the oldest independent libraries and cultural institutions in the United States, and it is usually only open for guided tours. This weekend, bring your friends and stroll at your own leisure through the shelves of books and beautiful architecture. Advanced registration is recommended but not required, and no one will be admitted after 3 p.m. 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.; 10½ Beacon Street; free.
Sunday, Oct. 23
It’s the Fall Pumpkin Float, Charlie Brown! Put yourself in the Halloween spirit by coming out to the cutest community pumpkin event in all of Boston at the Frog Pond in the Boston Commons. Each attendee is asked to bring an 8-inch or smaller carved pumpkin to the event, which will then be cast into the frog pond for a lit-up and magical display for the public. Float your own pumpkin creation or simply stop by for a picture. Aside from the pumpkin floating event, there will also be miscellaneous Halloween-themed activities. Guests are encouraged to wear costumes if they so choose. 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.; Boston Common Frog Pond; free.
Monday, Oct. 24
The Fenway Alliance, Fenway Women’s Health and the LGBT Aging Project are teaming up for a two-part discussion series about the impact the AIDS epidemic had on women and the roles they took on in response. In addition to discussing the women who became caretakers, activists and survivors, the panel will include discussions about political mobilization in times of crisis and what we can learn from the AIDS crisis of the 1980s. Featuring first-person narratives from Act Up, AIDS Action and the Gay Community News, “Herstory: Exploring the Intersection of Women & HIV Then and Now” will explore critical time in our country’s history. 6:30 – 8 p.m.; Fenway Health, 1340 Boylston St.; free.
Tuesday, Oct. 25
As fall winds down, so do the days of the Harvard Farmer’s Market, which is simply too good to miss out on. The market is open every Tuesday from noon to 6 p.m. in the summer and fall, and closes up shop by the end of November. Instead of waiting until the chill of November, come on out while the leaves are still changing to see the beauty of Harvard and buy in-season produce and specialty goods. You can feel good about the produce you are buying too, because the Harvard Farmers Market’s mission is to support local families, local businesses and build the community. 12 p.m. – 6 p.m.; The Plaza at the Science Center; Harvard University; free.
Wednesday, Oct. 26
If you’ve never seen a Leningrad-based string quartet from 1939, Harvard Ed Portal is giving you the opportunity of a lifetime with a free concert from the Rimsky-Korsakov String Quartet. Come enjoy the music of Russia’s Silver Age as played by an historic quartet, composed exclusively of graduates of St. Petersburg Conservatory. Feel the Romanov vibes listening to classic compositions by Russian masters Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov and Stravinsky, among others. Co-hosted by Harvard’s Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies and the Ballets Russes Arts Initiative, this event promises to be a terrific blast from the Tsarist past. 6:30 – 8 p.m.; Harvard Ed Portal, 224 Western Ave., Allston; free.
Photo courtesy Jonathan Hartsaw, Creative Commons
