By Sophie Cannon, deputy A&E editor
Thursday, March 23
Boston University has the Citgo Sign and Boston College has their castle skyline, but Northeastern’s very own Northern Light is the Prudential Center. Come out and celebrate our beloved beacon at the seasonal shopping event #ShopPru. Enjoy many one-night-only deals and discounts at the best restaurants and stores in the Center and even more from pop-up shops. There will also be fashion previews for the new spring season by Polo Ralph Lauren and Hammer Made. As an added bonus, the first 100 shoppers get to take home a free swag bag filled with coupons, prizes and much more. Check the Prudential Center’s website and social media for updates on the best deals and participating stores and restaurants. 5 – 8 p.m.; 800 Boylston St., Boston; free.
Friday, March 24
Do some cardio to combat cancer this weekend in the 2017 Relay for Life. Groups can sign up together or individuals can be added to existing groups, as this relay relies on teamwork. One member of each team will walk or run on the track at all times for a 12 hour period. Walking without encouragement is boring, so during the relay there will be plenty of entertainment provided. Enjoy live music, dance performances, food and drinks and plenty of games and giveaways throughout the day. This event is also an opportunity to get 12 community service hours, much needed for anyone in the Civic Engagement Program at Northeastern or for anyone looking to get involved in the community. 6 p.m. – 6 a.m.; Matthews Arena, $25.
Saturday, March 25
For liberty and justice for all, come to the annual Young Americans for Liberty (YAL) Boston Spring Summit. Join young adults from all over the New England area and beyond for a conference meetup to discuss all things justice and liberty related. Hear from speakers, discuss policy and current events in panels and roundtable discussions and participate in fun activities throughout the day. The event runs all day and includes three catered meals, as well as coffee served all day and an evening social with food and drinks. More details are released via e-mail after signing up, so make sure to reserve your ticket as soon as possible to start planning your weekend. 9 a.m. – 8 p.m., 200 Seaport Blvd, Boston, $25 for non-members, free for YAL members.
Sunday, March 26
Disco, dancing and a huge day party to end your weekend off right. Come to Disco Nap, during the prime nap time hours of 4-7 p.m., and do everything but sleep as you celebrate your Sunday. Sponsored by W Boston, Disco Nap is a no cover, no stress dancing environment. Drink mimosas and other brunch drinks and nosh on some small appetizers. Feel good about what you’re drinking too, because a portion of every Tito’s Vodka drink sale will be donated to the club’s own LGBTQA+ cause, the Human Rights Campaign. DJ Kon will be live mixing the event so expect dance beats and many throwbacks in the set. 4 – 7 p.m.; 100 Stuart St., Boston; free cover, 21+.
Monday, March 27
The Frankenstein of your favorite Halloween costume and the Golem from bible school will meet up for the first time at Northeastern, presenting a monster mash for the ages. Explore the similarities and differences between the two characters in a lecture from Dr. Paul Root Wolpe. Wolpe is the Director of the Center for Ethics at Emory University, Senior Bioethicist for NASA and a professor of countless subjects such as medicine, pediatrics, psychiatry, sociology and bioethics. As part of the annual Ruderman Family Foundation Lecture, Wolpe will be discussing the morals presented by these ghoulish creatures as well as the fun folklore behind them from ethical, religious and modern lenses. 5:30 – 7 p.m.; 40 A Leon St., Boston, free.
Tuesday, March 28
Learn how the lavish lived in Boston beyond the pages of a book in this year’s Author Talk sponsored by Boston Public Library (BPL). This year, participants will hear from Noam Maggor, the author of the novel “Brahmin Capitalism: Frontiers of Wealth and Populism in America’s First Gilded Age.” Instead of reading the book for yourself, you have the chance to hear from the author and listen to him speak about his thought process in creating the novel. This book is especially fitting at the BPL because of its Bostonian roots, Boston being the “quintessential East Coast establishment,” as he calls it. Travel back to the times of cotton textile plants, the abolishment of slavery and westward expansion. 6:30 – 8 p.m.; 700 Boylston St., Boston; free.
Wednesday, March 29
BYOS. Bring your own scoop, that is. Vegans and vegan ice cream connoisseurs will take over Boston Common in a Vegan Ice Cream Social that is sure to have you screaming for dairy and egg free ice cream. The rules are simple: Bring a few pints of vegan ice cream, a few spoons and bowls for sharing and an encouraged donation of $5. All donations collected at the social will be donated to The Humane League, a farm animal advocacy program. The ice cream can be store bought or homemade, but it must be free of dairy, egg and all other animal products, as this event is vegan safe and fun for all. Since it may be colder outside than the frozen treat itself, the event may be moved to a nearby indoor location. Updates can be found on the event’s Facebook page. 6 – 8 p.m.; Boston Common; free.
