Wednesday (31st) – First Night Boston 2015’s from 1 p.m. to midnight at The Hynes Convention Center, Copley Square, Boston Common and other venues. First Night admission buttons cost only $10 and are available at participating CVS locations, participating Bank of America branches, online at ArtsBoston.org, at BosTix booths (Copley Square and Faneiul Hall), and other locations. Admission to First Night outdoor events is free, but admission buttons allow entrance to First Night indoor performances and activities, on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information visit FirstNightBoston.org.

• Jubilee Day Concert at 1 p.m., 46 Joy St., Beacon Hill, Boston. Join the Museum of African American History and the Handel and Haydn Society at the historic African Meeting House, the nexus of the abolitionist movement, to commemorate President Abraham Lincoln’s signing of the Emancipation Proclamation 152 years ago on that day as well as the forthcoming 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War in 1865. See maah.org The co-hosts collaborate for their third First Night Jubilee Day Concert with music by H+H and stories by MAAH, while also celebrating the bicentennial of H+H, America’s oldest continuously performing arts organization.

Thursday (1st) – The 3rd annual Leahy Holloran Community Center Polar Bear Plunge in memory of Brian Leahy will be held at 8 a.m. at Tenean Beach. Registration is $20/person. Best Costume wins Grand Marshall. For more information and pre-registration, please contact: Robert Genduso at robertgenduso@gmail.com; Tom Leahy at toml919@comcast.net; or Craig Galvin at craig@galvingroupre.com. Proceeds benefit the Leahy Holloran Community Center. Breakfast immediately following at the Deadwood Brewery. Sponsored by Boston Bowl.

• Join the DCR for a free First Day Hike for all ages, noon at Pope John Paul II Park in Dorchester. Hike a 1.5 mile (1 hour) easy figure eight loop through the park. Enjoy scenic views of the Neponset River along the way. Afterwards, enjoy a free cup of hot chocolate at the McKeon Post at 4 Hill Top Street. Be prepared for cold weather: dress in layers and wear winter boots. Friendly dogs allowed on leashes not to exceed 7 feet. The hike starts promptly at 12 noon. Meet at the Hallet Street entrance. For more information, call 617-333-7404, ext. 104.

Saturday (3rd) – Haitian-Americans United, Inc. (H.A.U.) will host the 16th Annual Haitian Independence Gala at Lombardo’s in Randolph starting at 7 p.m. The event serves as a unique opportunity for dignitaries, local community leaders to get together to honor Haiti’s ancestors, celebrate the victory of the 1791 Haitian Slave Revolution, and commemorate the 211th anniversary of the Proclamation of Haiti’s Independence. The keynote Speaker for the  Gala is  Haitian-born, Dr. Michel DeGraff,  professor of linguistics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), who’s working with his MIT colleagues to improve access to education in Haiti.   Mayor of Boston Martin Walsh will be honored for his outstanding support for the Haitian-American Community of Boston and for people living in Haiti. For more information, see hauinc.org.

Tuesday 6
Fields Corner Civic Association meets at St Ambrose Church, 240 Adams St. in the hall in the basement at 7pm. New members always welcome. Any questions please call 617-265-5376.