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Harvard Square
Business Association
October 2026 Newsletter
Events/Deals/News
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Head of the Charles 2026
October 16th - 18th
Every year, athletes from around the world gather for the chance to leave their mark on the Charles. A three-mile race upstream on a river full of bends and bridges promises to keep family, friends and spectators cheering from start to finish.
The 2026 regatta continues its tradition as the world’s largest and most celebrated head race, offering a full weekend of competition and community along the Charles River. Full information available here.
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Help Keep the
“Fridge in the Square” Full
In Harvard Square, there’s a simple idea that works: a community fridge and pantry outside First Parish Church where anyone can take what they need - no questions asked. We call it The Fridge in the Square. It’s run with heart by the Harvard Square Business Association (HSBA) alongside community partners and local volunteers. It is a lifeline for our unhoused and food insecure neighbors and friends. For more information and to donate, click here.
| | Events Around the Square | | |
Tuck's Arcadium
October 15th
Founders and small business owners, this one is for you. Join us for a 90s themed night at the newly opened Tuck's Arcadium.
Get ready, because we’re bringing back the 90s!
Bring a friend to the brand-new, just-opened Tuck's Arcadium in Harvard Square for an evening of disco-ball vibes, neon-sign central, your favorite late-night finger foods, epically themed drinks, and maybe a little holiday strategy woven in… and a lot of well-deserved fun.
As we head into the busy market season, this is your space to connect with fellow founders, talk through what is ahead, and recharge before the holiday rush kicks in.
Come ready to chat, plan, and play. You've earned it and members, we’re giving you a +1 to this event! Grab a founder friend and bring them along for this not-to-be-missed night out.
Tickets and more information available here.
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Patagonia
October 15th, 22nd & 31st
October 15, 7pm
Climate Chance in the Courts
Join us for an event focused on recent and ongoing litigation in the courts on climate change issues, led by the Emmett Environmental Law & Policy Clinic at Harvard University. Student volunteers working with the Clinic will present on these cases, discuss their potential ramifications, and preview related litigation. All are welcome! Come mingle, have food and drink, and learn about climate change issues and the law! Doors open at 7pm.
October 22, 7pm
Climbing Recovery Yoga
Join us and instructor Grace Yang on October 22nd for a FREE yoga class designed to aid climbing recovery and performance. The class will be centered around full-body mobility and flexibility, with the goal of opening up the neck, shoulder, spine, and hips. All ages and abilities are welcomed and are encouraged to join. Be sure to bring your own mat.
October 31, 9:15am
Wild Turkey x CRWA Halloween Run Club
We're teaming up with the Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) for a special Halloween edition of the Wild Turkey Run Club. Grab your friends, your running shoes, and meet us at the Patagonia Cambridge store at 9:30am on Saturday, October 31st for a 3–4-mile run along the Charles. No drop, all speeds welcome, costumes encouraged, good times guaranteed. Don't be intimidated—we're just a bunch of turkeys!
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Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments
Opening October 16th
Sundays–Fridays,
11:00am–4:00pm
New Exhibition
Measurement on the Color Line: Scientific Instruments and the Making of Human Categories
"Everyone thinks they know what race is—but do they?" Ideas about racial categories and racial differences have been created and sustained through scientific, biological, anthropological, and medical practices. Measurement on the Color Line traces the development of present-day notions of race through the sciences, measurements, and data that produced them.
From the eighteenth century to the present, scientific instruments have been used in studies that make claims about race and racial difference. Specific categories of people have been formed through acts of observation, measurement, and quantification. New sciences and technologies have been repeatedly applied to answer familiar questions about race. Since the end of the nineteenth century, some physicians and social scientists have offered a counter-narrative to challenge race-making measurements.
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Lovestruck Books
October 19th, 20th & 21st
October 19, 7:00pm
Encore Performance Book Bash with Leila Sales
Take center stage with author Leila Sales during the launch celebration for her debut adult romance, Encore Performance! Readers will get a front-row seat to behind-the-scenes insights on character development, second-chance romance tropes, and the sparks of theater drama. Stay after the chat for book signings and community mingling!
October 20, 7:00pm
The Gilded Rose Book Bash with Joanna Shupe & Sara MacLean
Transport yourself to the world of Gilded Age New York with bestselling historical romance author Joanna Shupe as she discusses The Gilded Rose! Joined in conversation by acclaimed author Sarah MacLean, Shupe will unpack this atmospheric Beauty and the Beast retelling filled with lavish settings, sharp wit, and deep emotional stakes. Join us for a captivating evening of historical lore, reader Q&A, and personalized book signings.
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October 21, 7:00pm
Undone Release Bash with Peyton Corinne at First Parish
Join author Peyton Corinne for a special off-site release party celebrating her highly anticipated novel Undone at First Parish in Cambridge! Dive into an emotionally charged narrative packed with complex relationship dynamics, deep vulnerability, and unforgettable character arcs.
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Blue Heron
October 24th, 3pm
Blue Heron presents
Divine Songs: Secular chansons & sacred transformations
First Church in Cambridge
Blue Heron performs fifteenth-century Franco-Flemish chansons and the sacred motets and masses that borrow their secular tunes. Featuring music by Binchois, Du Fay, Okeghem, La Rue, and Bauldeweyn. HSBA newsletter readers enjoy 10% off tickets with the code: FRIENDS10
Learn more + tickets
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Harvard University
October 24th
3pm
Harvard Football Fall Fest
Join us for the biggest event of the season at Fall Fest, Harvard Football's premiere gameday experience! Right in the backyard of the Square, don't miss out on food trucks, live music, and so much more at Harvard Stadium.
Visit our Fall Fest page to learn more and secure your tickets, starting at just $25!
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MOTTO
October 24th
12 - 5pm
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Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology
October 24th
12pm - 4pm
Special In-Person Event
Day of the Dead Celebration
Learn more about this joyful holiday, a national symbol of Mexico.
- Personalize a sugar skull (extra fee)
- Watch a mariachi performance with live folk dance at 2:00 pm
- Write a message to departed loved ones for the museum altar
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Hot chocolate and pan de muerto available for purchase
Regular museum admission rates apply. Event activities are free, except where noted. Limited free event parking available with registration. More information available here.
Advance registration recommended
Leer en español
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The Harvard COOP
October 27th & 29th
October 27, 6:30-7:30pm
A Journey in Chocolate
Join us for a chocolate sommelier-led tasting featuring handcrafted, small-batch treats at The COOP! Presented in partnership with Cambridge Center for Adult Education. Tickets available here.
October 29, 6-7pm
Adam Grant presents VIBE: The Secrets of Strong Connections in a Lonely World
Join the COOP for an evening with #1 New York Times bestselling author Adam Grant as he discusses his highly anticipated new book, VIBE.
Sanders Theater, 45 Quincy St. Tickets available here.
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Harvard Museum of
Natural History
October 29th
5pm-9pm
Free In-Person Event
ArtsThursdays: Halloween at the Museum
Explore the museum after hours for a Halloween adventure unlike any other.
- Trick-or-treat your way through the galleries and encounter mysterious specimens rarely seen by the public. Face unusual insects, reptiles, invertebrates, strange plants, and treacherous minerals.
- Don a Halloween costume and snap photos at our photo booth. We encourage costumes inspired by nature!
- Decorate a trick-or-treat bag.
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Visit Collecting Wonders: Tomorrow’s Discoveries, showcasing rare objects from the collections, from a massive polar bear to tiny jewel-like beetles.
- Enjoy a variety of beverages for purchase (valid government ID required to consume alcoholic beverages).
- Enter a free raffle to win museum gifts and membership.
Free and open to the public. Let us know you are coming! RSVPs encouraged, but walk-in visitors are always welcome.
Free event parking is available at the 52 Oxford Street Garage with registration from 4:30-9:30pm. Register by October 28 to receive parking registration instructions.
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Harvard Art Museums
October 29th & November 4th
October 29, 5:00-9:00pm
Harvard Art Museums at Night
We’re keeping our doors open late for an evening to celebrate On Location: Drawing the Outdoors with art, fun, food, and more!
October 29, 6:00-7:30pm
Artist Talk: Sneha Shrestha
Join Sneha Shrestha for a talk about migration, belonging, and her recent paintings, sculptures, murals, and installations.
November 4, 6:00-8:00pm
Artist Talk: Enzo Camacho and Ami Lien
Harvard alums and visual artists Enzo Camacho and Ami Lien share insights and developments into their practice as artistic collaborators.
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Harvest
October 29th & November 26th
October 29, 6:00pm
Concord to Cambridge: A Chef’s Dinner with Verrill Farm
Five-Course Tasting Menu | $125 per guest | $50 optional wine pairing
Join us on Thursday, October 29th, for our Concord to Cambridge Chef’s Dinner, the second partnership dinner with our friends from Verrill Farm. This evening brings their late-season harvest from their fields to our dining room in Cambridge. It’s also a new chapter in our kitchen: we’ll introduce Executive Chef Mike Glatki with a five-course dinner served on our new Terrace.
Chef Mike Glatki and Executive Pastry Chef Tab Volpe have built each course around the farm’s peak New England produce, paired with wines curated by Beverage Director Benjamin Chesna. View the menu & reserve your table here.
November 26
Thanksgiving at Harvest
Three - Course Prix Fixe
$110 per person | $55 optional wine pairing
Enjoy a festive three-course prix-fixe menu crafted by Chef Partner Robert Sisca, Executive Chef Keith Pooler, and Executive Pastry Chef Tab Volpe. Enhance your holiday dining experience with a curated wine pairing from Beverage Director Benjamin Chesna. Book your table here. Full menu details are coming soon.
Please note: our à la carte menu will not be available on Thanksgiving Day.
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Bob Slate Stationer
October 30th & 31st
Yafa Fountain Pen Trunk Show
On Friday, October 30 and Saturday, October 31, Bob Slate Stationer will host a representative from Yafa, the US distributor for Conklin, Diplomat, Monteverde & Private Reserve. Stop by to explore a large selection of pens beyond what we normally carry, offered at a special, event-only manufacturer's discount.
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Cambridge-Ellis School
November 7th
10am-12pm
Cambridge-Ellis will be holding our Open House for prospective families.
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International School of Boston
Novmber 7th
At the International School of Boston, we inspire students from age 2 through Grade 12 to see the world as a place of infinite opportunity, where friendships span continents, conversations flow naturally across languages and diverse experiences build empathy, understanding and a deeper connection to humanity.
Join us for our All-School Open House on Saturday, November 7th!
Register today!
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Swedenborg Chapel
November 8th & December 13th
11:00am
We hope everyone is enjoying the fall season. Our two remaining Sunday services of 2026 will be held at 11:00am on November 8 and December 13. Before we say goodbye to 2026, please also join us for our candlelight Christmas Eve service on December 24 at 4:30pm, an annual tradition of carols, readings, reflection, and prayer. You’ll find us at the corner of Quincy and Kirkland streets.
On January 1, 2027, the chapel will close temporarily for the Chapel Restoration Project, which will replace the roof of our mid-century modern annex and make various roof repairs to the chapel itself. We are grateful to the City of Cambridge and the Cambridge Historical Commission for awarding us an Institutional Preservation Grant, which will cover about half the cost of the exterior work. If you would like to support the project, please consider making a donation through our website, and be sure to include a note on the form that your gift is for the Chapel Restoration Project.
Next year's closure will be a brief pause in the 125-year life of the chapel. We hope to see you before we close, at a Sunday service or on Christmas Eve, and again when we reopen in late 2027 with an Open House for the Cambridge community.
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December 5th - 21st
Join us for SOLSTICE: Reflections on Winter Light at Mount Auburn Cemetery, as the landscape activates with large-scale light and sound art.
SOLSTICE: Reflections on Winter Light is an annual event at Mount Auburn Cemetery that includes an outdoor journey through large-scale light and sound artworks, created by MASARY, a Lantern Walk, and an indoor experience with candle lighting and live music. For the 2026 event, there will be four new artworks!
Tickets available here. For additional information about the event, please click here.
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Brick Marketing
December 9th
2027 Marketing Budget Planning in the AI Search Era Webinar Announced by Brick Marketing
Brick Marketing has announced its upcoming webinar, “2027 Marketing Budget Planning in the AI Search Era,” scheduled for Wednesday, December 9, 2026, at 3:00 PM EST, replay will be sent to all registrants. The free webinar will run for 60 minutes and focus on helping businesses make informed decisions about their digital marketing investments for the coming year. Registration is open, and space is limited.
Webinar registration and more information is available here.
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Revels
December 11th - 28th
Tickets are on sale now for the 56th annual Midwinter Revels: American Crossroads!
Join us to celebrate a unique American story 250 years in the making. Drawing on 19th-century songs and stories from the Great Plains, this production will include cultural touchstones of the American frontier and the diverse communities and families who shaped it. Share in the multi-generational joy and harmony of Revels and thehope that comes each year on the Shortest Day. Learn more here.
| | Click here for the full calendar of events | | |
Car Care
With any exterior detail, customers will receive free clay cleaning and ceramic spray. Clay cleaning helps remove bonded contaminants from the vehicle’s paint, while the ceramic spray adds protection and a lasting shine.
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DIG
Place your Dig Inn Thanksgiving catering pre-order online through 10/27 and get 20% off using code THANKS20.
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Living Harmony
Do you need to break free from your ghoulish disarray this Halloween?
Then give yourself the gift of organizing.
Living Harmony promises you just the good stuff (boo-tiful to-do lists, paper clutter disappeared, overwhelm gone and a big no-raisins promise).
You instantly receive $75 off your first organizing package if you contact us before Halloween with the secret word “boo.”
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Nine Tastes Thai Cuisine
YOUR NEXT THAI FOOD NIGHT STARTS AT NINE TASTES!
Bring your appetite, gather your friends, and enjoy one of these delicious dine-in offers!
OFFER 1: ENJOY A FREE THAI ICED TEA
Order any one of these featured entrées and receive one FREE Thai Iced Tea:
• Royal Chicken Panang Curry
• Mongolian Beef
• Salmon Dry Noodles
Limit: One complimentary Thai Iced Tea per person with a qualifying entrée order.
OFFER 2: SHARE A MEAL, ENJOY FREE CHICKEN PAD THAI!
Order 4 or more entrées for your table and receive ONE FREE Chicken Pad Thai to share!
Available through October 18th
Dine-in only. Please choose ONE offer per table. These two offers cannot be combined. Come enjoy your Thai favorites—we look forward to welcoming you!
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Off the Beaten Path
Food Tours
Since 2016, our small business has offered three unique Harvard Square tours for locals by locals and we have taken thousands of guests through Harvard Square. Whether you're new here, have lived here for ages, or are just visiting -- we are the experience for you!
Harvard Square Chocolate Tour: Booking Fridays and Saturdays, you'll hear interesting stories about the Square, learn fun facts about chocolate and sample the best and most interesting chocolatey treats around. Each tour is a fun 90 minutes and includes 4 stops with plenty of treats and less than a mile of walking. We can't wait to take you on a unique chocolate adventure. Use code HARVARDSQUARE and enjoy 10% off!
Harvard Square Food Tour: Booking Saturdays at 11:30am, this memorable experience is offered weekly. You'll eat a satisfying array of yummy eats, from Greek to Latin to the best pizza in the world. Taste delicious eats from Charlie's Kitchen's revamped menu and explore Lou's music venue and restaurant. Use code HARVARDSQUARE and enjoy 10% off!
Harvard Square Donut Tour: Booking Sundays, this unique tour delves into the history of donuts. Its fun for locals and visitors. From an everything bagel donut to churros and Greek donuts, you'll explore the best donuts in Cambridge with us on this entertaining adventure. Use code HARVARDSQUARE and enjoy 10% off!
French Fry & Pairings Food Tour: Join Boston’s only french fry tasting tour in Harvard Square! Sample sweet potato fries, Greek fries and hand-cut wedges paired with lime rickeys, mocktails & frappes. Tour runs Thursdays at 5:30pm and Sundays at 3pm, it stops at 3 delicious spots.
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SEE Eyewear
FALL TRUNK SHOW. GO WILD.
The baddest frames of the season have arrived with limited-edition styles and rare finds you won’t see again.
Plus, save up to $350 on Rx eyewear.
Starts October 15.
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Smoke Shop BBQ
The Smoke Shop BBQ has launched ThanksgivingBBQ.com, a simple new home for everything guests need to celebrate Thanksgiving with more barbecue and a lot less work. This year’s offerings include three complete holiday Feasts and a full à la carte menu.
The new lineup is built for different kinds of Thanksgiving tables.
The Grand Feast ($259) serves six to eight and includes smoked turkey breast and thigh, smoked pork loin ham, creamy mac and cheese, cornbread with honey sea salt butter, Burnt Ends Stuffing, mashed sweet potatoes with candied pecans, roasted Brussels sprouts with red onion jam, That Gravy, cranberry sauce and pumpkin spice butter cakes.
The Classic Spread ($159) serves four to six and covers the full traditional dinner, while the Leftovers Kit ($109) serves two to three and is designed around what many people quietly believe is the best part of Thanksgiving: Friday’s leftovers. It includes smoked turkey breast and thigh, Texas toast stuffing, mashed sweet potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce and slider buns. Guests can upgrade the stuffing in either package to Burnt Ends Stuffing for $25; it is already included in the Grand Feast.
Orders are due Saturday, November 21 at 6 p.m. and may be picked up cold, with reheating instructions, on Tuesday, November 24 from noon to 8 p.m. or Wednesday, November 25 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
In addition, to the three Feasts, guests can build their own Thanksgiving dinner from an à la carte menu that includes whole smoked turkey, carved turkey breast, pork loin ham, whole smoked brisket, holiday sides, desserts and add-ons. Guests may also order The Smoke Shop’s regular BBQ sides. Full menus, pickup details and online ordering are available at ThanksgivingBBQ.com. Orders placed by September 30 receive 10% off with code THANKS10.
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Zinnia
Sale section at Zinnia featuring select necklaces and bracelets for as low as $3, sunglasses for $4.50 and earrings for just $1.99. We refresh and restock the section a couple of times a week, so customers can always discover new treasures.
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Cambridge Rotary Club
Join the Cambridge Rotary!
We’re a welcoming and laid-back group that has been serving the Cambridge community since 1922. If you're looking to make a meaningful impact, build authentic relationships, and get involved in local service, we’d love to meet you! We meet on the first and third Thursday of each month in Harvard Square for a casual brown-bag lunch with inspiring guest speakers. Our club is all about connection, community, and giving back.
For membership inquiries, email us at info@cambridgerotary.org. Also, check us out at cambridgerotary.org.
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Distressed Children & Infants International
Take Action & Change a Life
Please join us in helping underprivileged children, their families, and communities in Bangladesh, India, and Nepal. Please open your heart and donate now (any amount) and receive a 2026 tax benefit. You may also donate directly to the DCI via ZELLE # 203-376-6351
Take Action & Change a Life:
Contribute Any Amount to support a program of your choice. Choose from the many ways to help here.
Your generosity would make a significant difference, and any contribution—no matter how small—would be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much for your kind consideration and support of our mission of fighting poverty, hunger, child labor, child marriage, preventable blindness, and natural disasters.
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J.P. Licks
Kick off autumn with some fall themed featured flavors, super colorful pumpkin and apple flavors, and 2 dairy free options and more this month!
New Item:
The Apple Fritter- A golden pastry sweetened with apples, warmed with spices, and finished with a sweet glaze.
New Fall Affogatos:
Hot Honey Affogato and Pumpkin Spice Affogato.
Our delicious Pumpkin Pie is ready to custom order now!
We’re going pink for breast cancer awareness month with the Ellie Fund offering pink sprinkles and pink sprinkle dipped cones.
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Celebrate at Lou’s
Weddings, rehearsal dinners, holiday parties, corporate gatherings: whatever the occasion, Lou’s offers a one-of-a-kind Cambridge setting to make it unforgettable. Great food, great drinks, great music, and an atmosphere you won’t find anywhere else, all backed by a team that’s ready to bring your vision to life. Whether it’s your big day or your next get-together, let’s make it one to remember.
Explore Private Events at Lou’s
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Lovepop
Same Day Delivery Is Here!
Forgot a birthday? Need a last-minute thank you? Lovepop Harvard Square now delivers the same day. Place your order by 7pm and we’ll bring it to your door that day.*
Order today at lovepop.com, or stop by our shop at 18 JFK Street.
*Delivery available within a 10 mile radius of Harvard Square.
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Veggie Grill
Holiday Feast Preorders Begin October 23!
Holiday hosting just got a whole lot easier (and more delicious)! Our 100% plant-based Holiday Feast is back and nearly 50% larger this year, with DOUBLE the mashed potatoes and gravy and more than DOUBLE the stuffing and mac & cheese!
Serving 6–8 guests for $199.99, this oven-ready spread features our Holiday Harvest Wellington, all your favorite festive sides, and gluten-free options. Add a delicious holiday dessert to make your celebration even sweeter!
Preorders open October 23! Spend less time cooking and more time celebrating. View Menu and Preorder
Shakes Have Arrived at Harvard Square!
Something sweet just landed at Harvard Square! Our famous hand-spun Next Level Shakes are officially on the menu. Sip on a classic favorite, make it your own with a variety of delicious mix-ins, or celebrate spooky season with our limited-time Dirty Jack-O-Lantern Shake! This Halloween treat is here through October 31 and features organic pumpkin puree, house-made chocolate cookies, whipped cream, organic chocolate sauce and sour gummy worms. Shakes are available in-store and online. Don't miss out!
View Shake Menu
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In service to Harvard Square, we offer a temporary measure for moments of transition, helping vacant commercial spaces retain an appearance of optical decorum. Imagine (@snobs._)’s creations in a manner like a band-aid. For the purpose at hand, (@snobs._) focuses mainly on digital creations that only require a thin glass layer between the commercial volume and the street front it occupies.
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Harvard Square Business Association
Two Brattle Square, Mezzanine
Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 491-3434
www.harvardsquare.com
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Need a Job? We can help!
Click here for a list of hiring businesses
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