Updated March 13, 2010—Spring won’t officially arrive until next weekend, but downtown Cambridge is going to get a jump on the season’s eagerly awaited arrival this Second Saturday, March 13, with stores staying open late to preview new seasonal merchandise and deliver fabulous deals on a wide range of fashion, accessories, and home goods. This event happens rain or shine!
And that’s not all: Four downtown art galleries will be hosting opening receptions for new shows, and two downtown restaurants will be presenting music shows in the later hours of the evening.
“It’s always fun this time of year, to see shopkeepers changing out their windows and unloading boxes full of the great new finds they made on their various buying trips,” said Jim Duffy, executive director of Cambridge Main Street. “These individual shopkeepers make every last decision about their inventory, and that’s what makes shopping in downtowns like ours so much more fun and interesting than with the chains. Every store reflects such a highly individual vision.”
The shops will be open all day on March 13; Second Saturday festivities get under way at 5 pm, with stores generally staying open until at least 8 pm and some until 9 pm. Many stores will be offering snacks and refreshments to shoppers as well.
The art galleries downtown will be showcasing new works as well, with free receptions open to all. This month’s exhibits downtown are:
• “The Green Show” at the Main Street Gallery, 413 Muir Street. This exhibit features dozens of pieces by regional artists working on environmental themes and/or using recycled materials in their works. Paintings, sculptures, fiber arts, and jewelry are all included. Reception 5-8pm.
• The Dorchester Center for the Arts, 321 High Street, honoring the artists in its first-ever “Instructors & Students Show,” which will feature photography, painting, sculpture, and more—all made by participants in the wide array of art classes offered through the Center. Reception 6-8pm with lite refreshments and live music.
• The Joie de Vivre Gallery and the Danny Doughty Gallery, both at 410 Race Street, will be featuring works by new artists. At Joie, the painter Willy Schlossbach is displaying a collection of landscapes focused on the natural beauty of our countryside, while Danny Doughty is presenting intricate metal works by Buck Doughty in a one-of-a-kind exhibition space—and an old-school country oyster-shucking shack. Reception 5-8pm.
“The creative energy these galleries have going right now is really special,” said Dave Harp, a Cambridge resident who also serves as a board member of the Maryland State Arts Council. “This downtown is developing an arts scene that’s really unique and fun—it’s a joy to see what’s what they come up with every Second Saturday.”
Make you your dinner reservations in advance, as downtown’s restaurants are always busy on Second Saturday. Be sure to stop by Canvasback Restaurant & Pub, 420 Race Street, to hear the jazz trio Minus One featuring a special guest—Grammy award-winning bassist Max Murray. The show starts at 8 pm. Later, at 10 pm, Jimmie & Sook’s, 421 Race Street, features music by the band Bad Mojo.
Second Saturdays and many other events are organized by the nonprofit Cambridge Main Street. For more information, call 443-477-0843.
