5 things to do this weekend, including a Dr. Seuss birthday party and a celebration of music from Istanbul

I grew up reading Dr. Seuss books like “Hop on Pop,” but one of my favorite memories was when my high school AP environmental science teacher read “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” to our class of juniors and seniors. We gathered around her outside in the sun and took in the words as 17 and 18-year-olds contemplating what our futures could be. It was a really sweet moment and a reminder that children’s literature can connect with all ages. There will be a birthday celebration for the late author at Harvard this weekend along with many more exciting arts events.

Thursday, Feb. 27

The New England Conservatory will celebrate Zildjian, Atlantic Records and jazz at “The Legacy of Istanbul in America” on Thursday. The festivities kick off at 10 a.m. with a mehter band workshop led by NEC faculty member Mehmet Ali Sanlikol. Mehter bands started during the Ottoman empire as the first recorded military bands. Zildjian, which is now based in Norwell, created the cymbals for those bands. At noon, John Edward Hasse, curator emeritus of American music at the National Museum of American History, will give a talk about the Ertegun brothers and Atlantic Records and Sanlikol will discuss “The Zildjians and Mehter Bands.” There will be a panel discussion with Hasse, Sanlikol and Ingrid Monson — professor of African-American Music at Harvard University — moderated by Ken Schaphorst, co-chair of NEC’s jazz department, at 2:30 p.m. The day will conclude with a concert at 7:30 p.m. All of the events are free, and tickets must be reserved online for the concert.

Thursday, Feb. 27

WBUR’s Arielle Gray will sit down with Haitian artist Fabiola Jean-Louis to discuss Black ancestry and spiritualism in art. Jean-Louis develops sculptures from paper pulp, mineral stones, shells, metals and glass that will be on display in the exhibit “Waters of the Abyss: An Intersection of Freedom and Spirit” at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum through May 25. Her work will also be displayed on the museum’s facade. “Jean-Louis will share how she uses imagination to create remarkable works of art that draw on a wide range of folkloric, literary, mythical, and historic references from Vodou traditions and spirituality to the powerful history of the Haitian Revolution that continues to resonate in legacies of Black liberation,” according to the event description. Tickets range from free to $22, and they include admission to the museum.

Fabiola Jean-Louis, “Ode to Merab: Study of Ateni Sioni Frescos,” 2023. (Courtesy the artist; photo courtesy Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum)

Friday, Feb. 28

Grammy-winning slack key guitarist George Kahumoku Jr., lap steel guitarist Sonny Lim and ukulele player Herb Otha Jr. will play Hawaiian music at Club Passim. “They draw from a uniquely Hawaiian musical mix that converged in the islands – ‘ukulele introduced by Portuguese immigrants, guitar brought by Mexican vaqueros, and slide steel, invented in Hawai‘i,” according to the event description. The artists have been featured in Kahumoku’s Slack Key Show on Maui and will share their culture and stories with Boston. There will be shows at 7:30p.m. and 9:00p.m. Tickets are $33 for members and $35 for nonmembers.

Sunday, March 2

Oh, the places you’ll go … like Dr. Seuss’ birthday celebration at Harvard’s The COOP. March 2nd marks the children’s book author’s 121st birthday, so the Harvard Square Business Association is hosting a story hour in his honor. Aside from goofy tales, there will also be coloring, birthday cake, green eggs and ham and a visit from a surprise Dr. Seuss character. Admission is free, and kids and their caretakers can reserve spots on Eventbrite.

The Harvard Square Business Association will celebrate Dr. Seuss’ 121st birthday on Sunday, March 2. (Courtesy Harvard Square Business Association)

Thursday, Feb. 27-Sunday, March 9

ANIKAYA Dance Theater brings a 12th century Persian poem by Farid Ud-din Attar to the stage through movement in “Conference of the Birds.” The poem follows hundreds of birds on a treacherous journey to find their king. The birds fly through seven valleys representing the stages of the Sufi path to enlightenment. After their travels, they learn that their leader is actually embodied in themselves. The dance performance directed by artistic director Wendy Jehlen reflects on migration and unity. The production is 70 minutes without intermission and takes place at Arrow St Arts. Tickets range from $1 to $65.

ANIKAYA Dance Theater will present “Conference of the Birds” Feb. 27 through March 9. (Courtesy Gary Alpert)



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