(Note: Some events appear in further detail here in the Entertainment section, so be sure to check them out. Plus, don’t forget to come back to this section throughout the week for the latest event postings.)
March 16
Irish music concert and fundraiser Tickets are now on sale for The Makem and Spain Brothers, who will return to Melrose with a concert of Irish music on Friday, March 16, at 7:30 p.m., at Memorial Hall, 590 Main St. — just in time to kick off a gala St. Patrick’s Day weekend. Proceeds from the concert will help support Donate Life Melrose, a local organization that is part of the national group promoting organ donor awareness and education. Members of Donate Life Melrose will help staff the event, and the group will hold a raffle, offering many intriguing and beautiful baskets. The band of brothers, who were once considered the new kids in town, have honed their craft over nearly two decades of international performances. According to music critics and their fans, they are now one of the truly stalwart, road-tested Irish vocal groups available. Tickets for unreserved gallery seats cost $20 each and are on sale at Breads ‘n Bits of Ireland, 530 Main St., Melrose. For reserved table seats at $25, call 781-662-5407.
WRT presents musical ‘Once Upon a Mattress’ Wakefield Repertory Theatre will continue performances of “Once Upon a Mattress,” a musical adaptation of “The Princess and The Pea,” on March 16, 17 at 8 p.m. and March 10 and 18 at 3 p.m. at Wakefield-Lynnfield United Methodist Church, 273 Vernon St., Wakefield. The show features Melrose residents Marissa Geller, Regina Harris and Chris Vander Rhodes. Carried on a wave of wonderful songs, by turns hilarious and raucous, romantic and melodic, this rollicking spin on the familiar classic of royal courtship and comeuppance provides for some sidesplitting shenanigans. Tickets cost $18 for adults and $16 for students and seniors and can be purchased online at ticketstage.com/WRT or by calling 781-245-1173.
March 17
Beebe Estate exhibit, events The Beebe Estate Gallery, 235 West Foster St., will present an exhibition of photographs by Jack Welch and paintings by Tom Sutherland, both of Melrose. Sutherland will be displaying all new oil and watercolor paintings, as well as debuting his new technique of painting using oil, cold wax and marble dust. Welch will be exhibiting landscape photography taken on his travels as well as his specialty of automotive art. The gallery will be open to the public on each Saturday in March from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Each Saturday at 1 p.m., Sutherland will be presenting a live painting demonstration or a gallery talk discussing his various painting techniques. For directions and information, visit beebeestate.org.
Maple sugaring and more The state Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) will continue its maple sugaring events over the next two weeks at the Christopher P. Dunne Memorial Visitor Center, at Breakheart Reservation, 177 Forest St., Saugus. The Friends of Breakheart Pancake Breakfast will be held Saturday, March 17, 9 a.m. to noon. Whet your appetite watching DCR staff working in the Sugar Shack to conjure up the syrup from sap for your enjoyment. The $5 admission provides the supplies for the event. On Sunday, March 18, you can participate in Breakheart’s Annual Maple Sugarin’ from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tour the history section, tree identification activity, tap a maple, watch the evaporator at work in the Sugar Shack, and best of all, taste the results. A $4 admission will support the program. For additional information about activities at Breakheart Reservation, located off the Lynn Fells Parkway, call 781-233-0834.
March 18
St. Mary’s Alumni Mass and Reception All St. Mary’s School alumni and friends of the school are invited to the Second Annual Alumni Mass and Reception on Sunday, March 18 at 11:30 a.m. Enjoy conversation with your classmates and the school’s excellent faculty. See St. Mary’s technology improvements firsthand and swap stories from your St. Mary’s School days. Pass the invitation onto your St. Mary’s School friends! For more information, contact Principal Cynthia Boyle at 781-665-5037.
March 22
‘Women Making a Difference’ The Zonta Club of Malden will celebrate “Women Making a Difference” on Thursday, March 22, at Anthony’s of Malden, 105 Canal St. A social hour will begin at 5:30 p.m. with dinner at 6:30 p.m. The 2012 honorees are: Marie Rodrigue Coulanges, community volunteer; Anne D’Urso-Rose, assistant director, Malden Access TV; Nancy Nazik Kassabian, assistant superintendent, Malden Public Schools; and Gabriella Snyder Stelmack, special projects coordinator, Bread of Life. For more information and to purchase tickets, contact Maria Luise at 781-640-1320. To learn more about Zonta or joining Zonta, visit zonta.org or zontadistrict1.org or find the organization on Facebook.
March 23
Kids Club The Melrose Kids Club features entertainment and drop-in playtimes for preschool aged children and offers parents an opportunity to come together and network with each other. Admission is free. The next drop-in day will be Friday, March 23, 10-11:30 a.m., and the next entertainment will be on Friday, April 13. All sessions are held at Memorial Hall, 590 Main St., and are open to children ages 5 and under, accompanied by parents or caregivers. Check the city’s website, cityofmelrose.org, for upcoming dates and information.
March 24
MHS lax fundraiser The Friends of Melrose Lacrosse Boosters will hold its second annual Comedy Night fundraising event on Saturday, March 24, at Corinthian Hall, 523 Franklin St., Melrose. The show features Nita Dunn, Jeanne Sullivan-Toomey and two headliners, Bob Gautreau and Mike Donovan. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the shows starts at 8 p.m. There will be snacks, a cash bar and raffle prizes. Contact John Mandracchia at 978-729-7234, Ed Butts at 978-618-6917, Dawn Surette at 617-797-7353, Beth Schaefer at 781-799-6645, or Corinthian Hall at 617-750-4897 for tickets and information. Tickets ($25 each) will also be available at the door the night of the show. Currently, lacrosse is a “club sport” and is not included in the MHS athletic program budget. This means the school allocates a small amount of money for the program through fees paid by participating athletes, and the Friends of Melrose Lacrosse covers the remaining expenses required to keep the program running. Through financial support from parents, merchants and other “friends” of the program, there will be assistant coaches, practice time, team uniforms and equipment, game films, position-based training camps, scholarships and anything else needed to cover the gaps.
UMass Chamber Singers join Polymnia for spring concert The Chamber Singers, the premiere vocal ensemble at UMass Lowell, will join Polymnia Choral Society on Saturday, March 24, at 7:30 p.m., at St. Mary’s Church, 46 Myrtle St., Melrose. Under the baton of music director Murray Kidd, the concert will also feature soprano soloist Evangelia Leontis, a regular Melrose presence, baritone soloist Thann Scoggin, and a chamber orchestra. The major work of the concert is the Fauré Requiem. Other music will include songs by Fauré’s pupil, Maurice Ravel and Fauré’s Cantique de Jean Racine. In a cross-Melrose cultural collaboration, Jessi Eisdorfer, executive director of the Melrose Symphony Orchestra, will be playing the bass in the chamber orchestra. Tickets are $25 for adults, $15 for students and seniors, and $5 for children 12 and under. They can be purchased at polymnia.org or at Miter Biter Frame Company, 479 Main St., or Sweet Thoughts, 504 Main St., Melrose. This concert is supported in part by a grant from the Melrose Cultural Council, a local agency funded by the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
Free kids clothing swap Vineyard MetroNorth will hold a free spring/summer kids clothing swap on Saturday, March 24, 9-11:30 a.m., rain or shine, at its facility at 47 Adams Ave., Saugus. Clothing will include boys and girls sizes from infant to teens. Enter by the back door. Clothing donations can be dropped off during office hours, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. or call the office to arrange a pickup. For more information, call 781-941-2211 or visit vineyardmetronorth.org.
Musical salute to the troops The Middlesex Concert Band will present a musical “Salute to the Troops” Saturday, March 24, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, March 25, at 3 p.m. at the Americal Civic Center, 467 Main St., Wakefield. The band will play patriotic and military favorites, including: a medley of service songs and the Civil War tribute medley “The Blue and the Gray.” There will also be tributes to frequent USO performers, such as “A Salute to Bob Hope” and Andrews Sisters standby “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.” Other pieces include Samuel Barber’s “Commando March,” John Williams’ “Hymn to the Fallen” and a medley of military TV theme songs. Performing with the band will be its resident crooner, Rene Pfister, presenting his renditions of classic favorites. The band will also be joined by the “UUTunes,” a local singing group featuring the talents of Molly Smith, Lorraine Dennis and Liz Lowell. Support the band and win some gifts by bidding on a variety of raffle baskets at both concerts. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for adults, seniors and all retired and active military personnel. Doors open an hour early for both shows. Tickets can be ordered at 978-346-7606, tickets@mcbconcertband.org, mcbconcertband.org or at the door.
March 25
‘Showcase Melrose’ tasting event The Melrose Chamber of Commerce will host its second Showcase Melrose on Sunday, March 25, 4-6:30 p.m. at Melrose Memorial Hall, 590 Main St. Guests will sample food and wine from local establishments. Participating businesses include: Beacon Hill Wine and Gourmet, Bobby C’s Ristorante, Bohemian Coffee House, Breads n Bits of Ireland, The Cellar Fine Wines, Nasty Nonni’s Wine and Spirits, Spice Thai, Sweet Thoughts, Turner’s Seafood Grill and Market, Busy Bee Bakery, Rett’s Home Baked Goodies, VCVC Cupcakes, Stearns and Hill’s Bistro, Petrone’s, Coffee, Tea and Me and All Seasons Table. Tickets cost $25 and can be purchased at Bobby C’s, Turner’s or online at melrosechamber.org or Facebook.com/MelroseChamber. The last event was sold out, so the chamber encourages people to buy tickets early. A portion of proceeds will support local food pantries, A Pantry of Hope and A Servant’s Heart. For more about the chamber and its events, visit the websites listed above or contact Executive Director Joan Ford Mongeau, at joan@melrosechamber.org or at 781-665-3033.
March 26
Arts and crafts demonstration Melrose Arts and Crafts Society will meet at the First Baptist Church on Monday, March 26 at 9 a.m. The society meets the fourth Monday of each month. Various craft classes are available in which members participate. This month the featured speaker will be Melrose artist Carol Schena who will present a demonstration on white-line block printing, also known as “Provincetown Prints.” She will show how a multicolored print can be made by using only one block. The demonstration will include all stages of production plus a bit of background on the history of the Provincetown Prints. Light refreshments will be served.
March 28
Genealogy 101 The Recreation Department will offer “Genealogy 101” during three sessions, on Wednesdays, March 28 through April 11, 6-7 p.m., at the Milano Senior Center, 201 West Foster St. Cost: $30 (discount for people over 65). Are you interested in researching your family but are not sure how to start? Or, do you want to learn more advanced research techniques? This workshop series will include lectures and hands-on activities supplemented by computer images. The three workshops will cover the following: organizing and protecting family information and photographs; using the best computer websites for family research and advanced search techniques; and using federal and state censuses and preparing for the 1940 census. Instructor Philip Hermann is certified by Boston University in advanced genealogical research and is on the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Genealogical Council. Class size is limited. Registration is due by March 27. For more information or to register, go online to cityofmelrose.org or call the Melrose Recreation Department at 781-662-9511.
March 30
Tasting Silent Auction The Franklin Early Childhood Center (ECC) PTO will hold its 2nd annual Coast-to-Coast Tasting Silent Auction at Mt. Hood on March 30, 8-11 p.m. Entrance fee is $25 per person or $40 per couple. For more information about attending or donating, contact PTO co-presidents Elizabeth Christopher and Jill Tully at FranklinECC.pto@gmail.com. The tasting drink menu is donated by The Cellar in Melrose, with hors d’oeurves provided by Mount Hood. For updates and to order tickets, visit FranklinECCpto.com. Attendees can engage in friendly rivalry as they silently bid on exciting items donated from local businesses, including home improvement services, gym memberships, art and dance lessons, sports tickets and much more. Money raised will pay for spring enrichment programs, as well as LEGO Education kits for Franklin ECC classrooms, in support of the district-wide STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) initiative.
March 31
Festival benefits Northeast Metro Tech The Northeast Parent Advisory Council’s 2012 Festival Committee is preparing for its seventeenth annual fundraiser, a spring arts/crafts festival to be held Saturday, March 31, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Northeast Metro Tech High School, 100 Hemlock Road, Wakefield. Proceeds benefit the school’s Class of 2012. At that time, art and crafts vendors will display their original items for purchase. A wide selection will be offered. Many raffle items including Red Sox field box seats, a Sean Thornton-autographed Bruins hockey puck and other offerings will be available to patrons. A family activity area in the gymnasium will highlight a karate workshop with Beyond Self Defense from Wakefield, Zoo New England, K-9 Top Performance dog obedience training, Movement Dance Studio, McGonagle Dance Studio, a zumba demonstration, postural screenings, child fingerprinting by the sheriff’s department, cookie decorating, spin art, face painting and sand art.
April 1
‘Pampering with a Purpose’ Pampering with a Purpose, to benefit the North Suburban Child Family Resource Network, will take place Sunday, April 1, 1-4 p.m. at Montvale Plaza, 54 Montvale Ave., Stoneham. Enjoy a women’s fashion show, live music by Jack Tully and a light lunch prepared by Marty’s Catering of Montvale Plaza. Models will preview some new spring fashions. For a small additional charge, there will be specialty services available such as massages, Reiki, manicures, mini-makeovers and more. There will be more than 50 raffle prizes ranging from restaurant gift certificates to a night away. If you are unable to attend, you can contact the Family Resource Network and they will forward you the pre-raffle sheet. ($10 provides 25 chances to win.) The event has sold out in the past, so early ticket purchase is recommended. Cost: $40, including luncheon. Tickets are available online at hallmarkhealth.org or by calling the Family Resource Network at 781-662-2722. The Family Resource Network provides education and support for families and educators with children from birth through entering kindergarten. It serves Melrose and other local communities.
April 4
Art demonstration Melrose Arts will sponsor a free evening art demonstration with Ipswich artist Andrew Anderson-Bell on Wednesday, April 4, at 7 p.m., at the Milano Center, 201 West Foster St. Anderson-Bell is well known for his lush and atmospheric pastel landscapes that depict familiar scenes of Maine, salt marshes, and farmlands. Additional information on this artist is available on his website at anderson-bellstudio.com. For any questions, call Deb Corbett at 781-665-5840.