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Despite the snow and cold, there will be smoke and musket fire on the front lawn at Pilgrim Hall Museum, 75 Court St., on Monday, Feb. 16., for a reenactment of Establishment Day. Starting at 10 a.m., members of the New Plimmoth Gard will commemorate the anniversary of the establishment of the first colonial militia in Plymouth in the winter of 1621.
Reenactors will fire their muskets – without live ammunition – and there will be a reading from “Mourt’s Relation,” a report by William Bradford and Edward Winslow, on the state of the Plymouth Colony. The reading relates to the founding of the militia, but Stan Wollman, current Gard captain and history buff, said the report offers “lots of other historical stories” about the daily occurrences in the colony from 1621 to 1646.
Wollman said the anniversary of establishing a militia to defend Plymouth is significant because when the townspeople elected Myles Standish as captain, it marked the first-ever election in the colonies. Not even Governor John Carver was elected until later in the spring.
“It’s going to be interesting, because there’s a lot of snow around, but they (the reenactors) are – troupers, if you will,” said Donna Curtin, executive director of the museum. After the outdoor event, people will be welcomed into the museum’s main hall, to hear a few more historical readings – descriptions of the militia, or records of them being called to trainings. Curtin said she’ll invite members of the public to participate in the readings.
The event will be an opportunity for people to meet the members of the Gard, check out their costumes and trappings, and ask questions. The reenactors have made or bought authentic replicas of the kind of clothing and equipment the 17th century militia members used. Curtin said some of the Gard’s members are experts at creating costumes and accessories. Anyone who wants to join the Gard must read “Mourt’s Relation,” and they must learn the correct military drills, such as how to handle a pike – a 14-foot pole with a spike on the end.
The Gard’s website features links to resources, including where to get the correct clothing for a 17th century militiaman.
The event will run from 10 a.m. to noon, and it’s free. The museum will offer cookies and cider, too. Find out more here.
Monday, February 9
Join the Book Love Book Club from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Book Love, 7 Village Green South in the Pinehills. This month the club will be discussing “The Measure,” by Nikki Erlick. Register here – tickets are $5.
“A Private Life,” a French mystery/thriller starring Jodie Foster, Daniel Auteuil, and Virginie Efira, is screening at Plimoth Cinema in Plimoth Patuxet Museums, 137 Warren Ave. Foster plays an American psychiatrist living in France who suspects the suicide of one of her patients was a murder. The Oscar-nominated “Hamnet,” starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal continues screening at the cinema through Thursday, Feb. 12. Film times are 2, 4:30, and 7 p.m. Tickets are $12.50, $11 with a club card, $10 for seniors or members, and $8.50 for seniors with a club card.
Tuesday, February 10
Restoring the Promise, a community-based discussion led by immigration attorney Antonio Massa Viana, will be at Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St., from 6 to 7:30 p.m. An immigrant himself, Viana arrived in the United States at age 12 and later became the first known undocumented attorney admitted to the Massachusetts Bar. His personal journey through the immigration system fuels his dedication to advocacy, he said, and it is grounded in empathy, justice, and fairness. This non-partisan program will give participants opportunities for reflection, insight, and problem-solving. Registration is required here.
Wednesday, February 11
The Plymouth Garden Club’s monthly meeting will be at 1 p.m. at the Chiltonville Church, 6 River St. The meeting will feature Gail Conner presenting “Insects Near and Far.” The presentation will focus on the variety of insects in Costa Rica and their relatives in Southeastern Massachusetts. Conner is an active member of the garden club, and a beekeeper. A traditional English tea will be served, and guests are welcome to attend for a $5 fee.
The Plymouth Salvation Army, 52 Long Pond Road, will host its free breakfast brunch for people 55 and older, from 9 to 10:30 a.m. The brunch is offered every second Wednesday of the month. Find more information here.
“The Stranger,” the classic 1946 film directed by Orson Welles, will be showing at the Spire at 7 p.m. as part of the new Spire Classic Film Series. Starring Welles, Edward G. Robinson, and Loretta Young, the film is a cat-and-mouse game set in post-World War II Connecticut. Watch the suspenseful movie on the big screen instead of at home, and get tickets for $9 here.
Billy F. Gibbons and the BFG Band will perform at Memorial Hall at 7:30 p.m., bringing the unique sounds of Gibbons’s electric guitar, along with his massive beard, to the stage. Gibbons, who’s seen as the “centerpiece for ZZ Top,” is also considered one of the best guitarists in the blues-rock world. Tickets are $56 and $143 for Spectacle Live members; $58 and $145 for others. There are also VIP packages available. Get tickets and more details here.
Thursday, February 12
Attend an Anti-Valentine’s Date Night featuring a talk by Liz Gotauco, author of “F*cked Up Fairy Tales” at the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St., from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Gotauco will share her humorous takes on some unusual fairy tales – like those about people marrying animals – and other bizarre folk tales of love and marriage. There will be light refreshments, time for a Q&A, and books for purchase and signing. Register for this free event here.
The Spire Lobby Series will present The Wolff Sisters, three sisters performing their folk-rock music at 7:30 p.m. The trio consists of Rebecca on acoustic guitar, Rachael on electric guitar, Kat on keys, and all three on vocals. They also feature a rotating cast of drummers and bass players. Tickets are $17, and they’re available here.
Book Love, 7 Village South in the Pinehills, will host a Book Talk with John Sayles from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Sayles, the revered independent filmmaker “Crucible,” his book on Henry Ford, who was the Elon Musk of his day. Sayles, who is also a screenwriter and actor, has been nominated twice for an Academy Award -for best original screenplay, and once for the National Book Award. Tickets are $6.76, and are available here.
Friday, February 13
“Wuthering Heights,” a romantic drama loosely inspired by the Emily Brontë novel, will screen at the Plimoth Cinema in Plimoth Patuxet Museums, 137 Warren Ave. The film, written and directed by Emerald Fennell, stars Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi as Catherine and Heathcliff. “Midwinter Break,” a drama about a couple, played by Lesley Manville and Ciarán Hinds, will also begin showing at the cinema. In this film, a long-married couple revisit past tensions and truths that arise on their holiday break. Film times are 2, 4:30, and 7 p.m. Tickets are $12.50, $11 with a club card, $10 for seniors or members, and $8.50 for seniors with a club card.
On the eve of Valentine’s Day, Dr. Anne Mason, curator of Pilgrim Hall Museum, will give a virtual talk at noon, revisiting Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s famous poem, “The Courtship of Miles Standish.” Along with discussing the historic romance of John Alden and Priscilla Mullins, Mason will uncover other facets of love and marriage in 17th Century Plymouth. Sign up for the virtual event here.
The Dr. Richard M. Shiff Forum will presents “Love is in the Air – An Afternoon with Pianist Dan Kennedy” from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St. Ease into Valentine’s Day with piano music and love songs performed by Kennedy. Registration for this event is required, and here’s the link.
Saturday, February 14
The Plymouth Center for the Arts, 11 North St., is kicking off a membership campaign with a Valentine’s Day celebration from 1 to 2 p.m. in the Russell Library. Artist Margaret Rosenbaum will share her daily floral painting practice, host an informal conversation, and create a small still-life painting live during the event. There will be a raffle, and Rosenbaum will donate her painting, along with other artisan crafts and jewelry from the center’s gift shop. The event is a free, drop-in gathering with light refreshments.
Children ages 5 and older are invited to attend a soft pretzel-making workshop from 10 a.m. to noon at Plimoth Patuxet Museums, 137 Warren Ave. The Pilgrims also enjoyed pretzels, and participants will learn how to knead, twist, and bake them in a wood-fired oven. Tickets are $11.49 for member children, $16.74 for non-member children. Purchase tickets here.
Karine Hannah will take the stage at the Spire at 8 p.m., presenting “Songbird: a Singular Tribute to Barbra Streisand.” Hannah listened to Streisand’s music from an early age and worked on her own vocal skills. That focus over the years prepared her for a career as a performer and recording artist with a voice that “hits hard.” Tickets are $35.65 and $39.15, and they are available here.
Sunday, February 15
The annual chocolate auction hosted by the First Parish Plymouth is set to begin at 11:30 a.m. in Brewster Chapel, 12 Church Street in Plymouth. The auction is open to the public and will continue until early afternoon until everything is gone. Chocolate lovers of all ages are invited to attend. First Parish Plymouth is a member church of the Unitarian Universalist Association.
Tuesday, February 17
Award-winning educator Joel Mackall will present “The Hidden History of Black Boston” from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St. The presentation will delve into Boston’s 400 years of Black history, from the early eras of Faneuil Hall and Long Wharf to the Black communities of Beacon Hill in the early republic and all the way to the early 20th century. Mackall’s presentation encourages interaction and invites conversation and questions. Registration is required – sign up for this free event here.
Thursday, February 19
Maine-based singer-songwriter Chelsea Berry will perform as part of the Spire’s Lobby Series at 7:30 p.m. Berry’s folk singing career has spanned 25 years, and she’s released 12 original albums. Her music has been described as “genre-blending” with “emotional depth, and vibrant live energy.” Tickets for the show are $17, and are available here.
Today is the deadline to register for new classes at the Plymouth Center for the Arts, 11 North St. Check out the classes and sign up here.
Friday, February 20
Children ages 5 and older can make their own pinch pot pets, from 2:15 to 3:15 p.m., at Plimoth Patuxet Museums, 137 Warren Ave. Along with the child’s adult and a Plimoth Patuxet potter, the participants can make any clay figurine – possibly an animal seen at the museums or out of their imaginations. The pinch pot pet will remain at the museum to be dried and fired in the kiln. In about four weeks, participants will be able to pick up their finished “pet.” Tickets are $21.99 for member children, $24.09 for nonmember children, and are available here.