After a month-plus of World Cup classics, watch parties and celebrations in between, the big tournament came to a close earlier tonight as Spain triumphed over Argentina. Boston and the country now set aside their years-long anticipation and get back to regular programming for the rest of the summer. With the haze also in the rearview mirror, patio parties, dance lessons and even late-night moth finding adventures take hold in Camberville. The only catch might be a new method of travel as the Red Line temporarily shuts down on Tuesday and shuttle buses take over. Plan accordingly and enjoy the week ahead.
Stories ‘Round The Squares
Cambridge Corner
Plan your late-July commute now: a 10-day Red Line shutdown between Alewife and Park Street starts on Tuesday, with free shuttle buses replacing trains and fare-free Commuter Rail running between Porter and North Station · City of Cambridge
The office slump hit East Cambridge hard this week, as the empty 20-story tower at 40 Thorndike, the redone Sullivan Courthouse, sold for just $1 plus nearly $232 million in assumed debt · Cambridge/Somerville Independent
Smoked-burger spot BRED is opening a full BRED Bar with cocktails, a lounge and DJ nights at 730 Main Street in Kendall Square on July 23 · Patch
The Harvard Square IHOP at 16 Eliot Street has closed after about 20 years of late-night pancakes · Boston Restaurant Talk
Police made an arrest in the deadly July 4 shooting of a city DPW worker near Sennott Park, with the suspect arraigned and held without bail · NBC Boston
Somerville Stories
Crews broke ground on 319 new homes at the former Winter Hill Star Market, 136 of them affordable, on a Broadway lot that sat empty for close to twenty years · City of Somerville
After its only rival dropped out, Wood Partners won the 90 Washington Street site near Union Square and grew its plan to 418 apartments over underground parking · Bisnow
Coworking is heading back to Union Square as Workbar takes a 10,000-square-foot space at 50 Prospect Street, a decade after it left, with doors opening in late fall · Connect CRE
The buildings behind the Somerville Theatre and Crystal Ballroom in Davis Square hit the market at $12 million, though operators say their leases hold and nothing changes at the box office for now · WBUR
Events
Spotlight Of The Week
The 2026 Cambridge Moth Ball @ Kingsley Park, Cambridge - Moth Ball is a nighttime citizen-science event at Fresh Pond. Help researchers collect, photograph, and ID moths, with hands-on stations and activities just as it’s turning dark
Monday July 20th
Strike Up the Fun Bowling With Neighbors @ Sacco's Bowl Haven, Somerville - The Davis Square Neighborhood Council throws a free bowling and pizza social at Sacco's Bowl Haven and you're invited. Open to anyone in the neighborhood | FREE • 6-9PM
Pure Barre Pop-Up on The Lawn @ Assembly Row, Somerville - Pure Barre brings a free 45-minute outdoor class to The Lawn at Assembly Row. Low-impact and open to any fitness level | FREE • 6:30PM
Adult Summer Camp Crafts @ West Branch Library, Somerville - The library's throwback craft night for adults is back, and this month it's boondoggle lanyards. Register ahead as less than 10 spots remain | FREE • 6:30-8:30PM
Tuesday July 21st
Free Lunchtime Concerts @ The Lilypad, Cambridge - Need a midday break? If you're around Inman Square, take a walk to The Lilypad during lunch as they put on a different musician on its stage every weekday at noon | FREE • 12-12:45PM
Union Square Networking Night @ Boston Figurative Art Center, Somerville - Meet the people who work on your block over drinks and snacks at this Union Square meetup, where a free headshot booth and a guided drawing session replace the usual ice breakers | FREE • 4:30-7PM
Tuesday Tunes @ Kendall Center, Cambridge - Berklee's summer concert series drops a weekly set on Kendall's roof garden, where student artists play free to anyone who wanders up between 5 and 7 | FREE • 5-7PM
Froca Fitness @ University Park Common, Cambridge - Swap the gym for a free weekly after-work outdoor dance class in the Kendall Square park, set to African and Caribbean tracks. Alternates Tuesdays between University Park and Canal District Kendall all summer
Café Concert with Vinyl Street @ Arts at the Armory, Somerville - Vinyl Street has been singing pop covers around Greater Boston since 2007 and brings its all-voice act to the Armory's ROOTED Café with an acoustic opener from member Kelley Guerra | $13 • 7:30PM
Soca Fusion Dance Classes @ Community Art Center, Cambridge - Learn to move to soca every Tuesday this summer at the Community Art Center, where Soca Fusion runs beginner-friendly classes on a pay-what-you-can basis | $5-$28 • 7PM
Wednesday July 22nd
Mahjong @ The Hong Kong, Cambridge - Bring a friend or make a few over tiles at the Hong Kong in Harvard Square, where a mahjong meetup runs chicken-hand and scoring tables upstairs | TBD • 6-9PM
The 2026 Cambridge Moth Ball @ Kingsley Park, Cambridge - Ever spent a summer night IDing moths in a park? Kingsley Park hosts a science x social event for National Moth Week where you can hang and learn from researchers alongside activities | FREE • 7:30PM
The Stoop’s Pick
Backyard Bash @ Glass House, Cambridge - Head into Kendall Square as Glass House does summer camp for grownups on its Cambridge Crossing patio. Themed cocktails, a giveaway scavenger hunt, lawn games, and a DJ by the firepit
Thursday July 23rd
Backyard Bash Patio Party @ Glass House, Cambridge - Camp nostalgia meets patio bar at Glass House, where a DJ spins over lawn games, a scavenger hunt, glizzy specials and a fire pit to close out the night with friends | FREE • 5PM
Salsa Party @ Kendall/MIT Open Space, Cambridge - A free salsa night outdoors at Kendall, run with MIT's Latino ERG and LatinX@Broad, where a beginner lesson leads into open dancing and free agua fresca | FREE • 5-7PM
Sip & Paint @ Eastern Edge Food Hall, Cambridge - Paint your own beer glass or coffee cup over a complimentary drink at Eastern Edge Food Hall, guided by The Blank Canvas Co. with paints, brushes, and a take-home cup | $75 • 6:30-8PM
Speed Dating 2.0 (Ages 34-44) @ Remnant Brewing, Somerville - CitySwoon runs an app-powered speed dating night at Remnant Brewing where the platform picks your matches live, so you get about eight mini-dates without the nametags or paperwork | $39 • 7:30-10PM
Summer Film Night @ The Growing Center, Somerville - The Somerville Community Growing Center runs an outdoor film night in its garden, and July's pick is Power to the Pedals with filmmaker Bob Nesson | FREE • 8-9:15PM
Weekend Sneak Peek
Salsa Squared @ Brattle Plaza, Cambridge - Learn to salsa and bachata under the lights on Brattle Plaza. This free Harvard Square party pairs lessons and a DJ with complimentary salsa and chips from El Jefe's
Best of the Wurst 2026 Sausage Fest @ First Street Market, Cambridge - The Wurst has never been better as East Cambridge's premier sausage-tasting throwdown is back. One ticket, a taste of every handmade sausage from the area's best chefs, each paired with a notable mustard by the National Mustard Museum
Run, Sip, Swing @ Good Time Golf, Somerville - Run a scenic 5K along the Mystic, then cap it with golf swings and matcha. AERA Society, Good Time Golf, and nomu team up for a Saturday social at Assembly Row
Around The Corner
Cold Water Cold Beer Social @ Remnant Brewing, Somerville - Whether you fish or just like the people who do, GBTU's summer social at Remnant is open to anyone curious about the coldwater conservation chapter's work
Crime & Safety
A weekly recap of the Cambridge and Somerville police logs for July 6 to July 12. Cambridge counts all logged incidents; Somerville counts arrests.
Cambridge
INCIDENTS Per day · July 6 – July 12
| Mon 7/6 | 30 | |
| Tue 7/7 | 22 | |
| Wed 7/8 | 28 | |
| Thu 7/9 | 23 | |
| Fri 7/10 | 24 | |
| Sat 7/11 | 25 | |
| Sun 7/12 | 28 |
Across the week, Cambridge recorded 180 incidents and 22 arrests, up from 165 and 20 the week before.
NOTABLE
On Saturday night, an armed carjacking was reported in Central Square: the victim's moped, valued at $1,500, was taken from them while stopped at an intersection on Massachusetts Avenue. The following night, officers arrested a driver on OUI and drug trafficking charges after he struck several vehicles near Putnam and Western avenues and tried to flee; suspected drugs were found in the vehicle.
Scammers had a productive week: a $20,000 fraud by a known individual, $15,110 in unauthorized withdrawals from a business bank account, and callers impersonating an out-of-state police officer and the FCC. A pedestrian was robbed of a backpack holding roughly $2,500 in belongings near Green and Pleasant streets, the bike-theft streak rolled into another week with 15+ bicycles, e-bikes, and scooters taken from racks, sheds, and building lobbies at values up to $2,040, and four unattended packages checked by the bomb squad all came back harmless.
Somerville
ARRESTS Per day · July 6 – July 12
| Mon 7/6 | 0 | |
| Tue 7/7 | 2 | |
| Wed 7/8 | 0 | |
| Thu 7/9 | 1 | |
| Fri 7/10 | 1 | |
| Sat 7/11 | 0 | |
| Sun 7/12 | 1 |
Somerville recorded 5 arrests over the week, spread across four days.
NOTABLE
A Sunday assault near Davis Square left a woman with a cut on her nose and briefly unconscious after she was struck in the head with a laptop. The suspect was identified from a witness photo and arrested near the Davis T stop that evening on a charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.
The week's other arrests included one combining drug possession, larceny, a nighttime vehicle break-in, and a credit card charge, a fugitive-from-justice warrant, a larceny under $1,200, and receiving a stolen motor vehicle.
Somerville's log excludes arrests involving juveniles, domestic violence, and sexual assault, as required by state law.
Sources: Cambridge Police daily log and Somerville Police weekly arrest log.
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