The most fun you’ll have with a calendar of events all week. And you just might learn something, too.
Tuesday, Nov. 14 — Worcester Railers vs. Brampton Beast, 10:05 a.m., DCU Center, 50 Foster St. Consider this a rivalry game, Railers fans — the Beast are the ECHL affiliate of the hated Montreal Canadiens. And while the new hometown team is aligned with the NHL’s New York Islanders, a) they don’t like the Canadiens much either (who does, eh?) and b) this is still Bruins country. So sharpen the elbows and bring on the intensity for this one.
Railers goalie Mitch Gillam, 25 — and Canadian, but not a Canadien — who started the last three seasons at Cornell University, is among the ECHL leaders in goals against average (first, at 2.00, after Friday’s games) and save percentage (eighth, .929).
Fair warning: The 10:05 start is to accommodate about 4,000 Worcester Public School students for a special “School Day Game.” Tickets start at $15.
Wednesday, Nov. 15 — Religion, Protest and Social Upheaval, 1-3:15 p.m. [first session], Rehm Library, Smith Hall, College of the Holy Cross, 1 College St. Religion, protest and social upheaval?! Well, that seems like an awful lot to tackle for a Wednesday afternoon. And, in fact, it is. This is but day one of a three-day, multiple-session conference exploring “the recent proliferation of social, political, and economic protest and populist expression, from Black Lives Matter to Hindu Nationalism.”
The first session, Religion and Nationalism, is followed by Religion and Immigration, 3:30-5:45; then on Thursday with Religion and Gender/Sexuality, 9-11:15 a.m.; Religion and Race/Ethnicity, 1-3:15 p.m.; Religion and Economy, 3:30-5:45; and finally on Friday, Religion and Ecology, 9-11:15 a.m.
All sessions, featuring a mix of Holy Cross professors and religious studies professors from across the country, are free and open to the public.
Thursday, Nov. 16 — “What a Stench! The Civil War’s Instant Cities,” 7-9 p.m., American Antiquarian Society, 185 Salisbury St. Unsurprising, we suppose, that the war between the North and the South did not come complete with a pleasing aroma. But it’s at least a little surprising that someone — even a really smart someone — could turn the stench of war into a compelling history of the origins of public health in America.
Flickr / sapienssolutions
American Antiquarian Society
Based on her new book, “Smell Detectives: An Olfactory History of Nineteenth-Century America,” author, historian and Virginia Tech Professor Melanie A. Kiechle will take you “on a tour of Civil War smellscapes to explain how wartime smells combined with antebellum medical beliefs” to build the foundation of modern national health policy.
First-come, first-served seating is free and open to the public. Doors open at 6:30.
Friday, Nov. 17 — WPI women’s basketball vs. Becker, 7:30 p.m., Kneller Athletic Center, Clark University, 57 Downing St. We lead off with the Engineers because, well, behind former Holy Name star Ama Biney and longtime coach Cherise Galasso, the team’s been a powerhouse the last two seasons, with a 47-10 record and an NCAA tournament berth in 2016.
But the first game of the women’s Worcester City Tournament, at 5:30, features Clark — and its own homegrown star guard, Sam O’Gara of Claremont Academy, and 32-year coach Pat Glispin — against Worcester State. The Hawks, for their part, bring standout scorer Cassidy Harrison to the table against Biney, Galasso and a young supporting cast. The Lancers return top scorers 6-foot-1 Britt Herring and Kaitlyn Berkel for a dynamic-duo matchup with O’Gara and junior center Ogechi Ezemma.
Winners and losers face each other at 1 and 3 p.m. Saturday.
Saturday, Nov. 18 — “The Freshman:” Silent film accompanied by the Mighty Wurlitzer organ, 2 p.m., Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts, 2 Southbridge St. If you’re thinking of the 1990 comedy starring Marlon Brando and Matthew Broderick, well, your taste in movies is questionable (and your cinema history is a bit off). But here’s your chance to make up for it!
Featuring silent film star and Hollywood pioneer Harold Lloyd — he was the fifth person to have his handprints (and signature spectacles) cast in stone in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre — 1925’s “The Freshman” was one of the last great silent comedies before “talkies.” Tickets are $20, with discounts available.