March 24: Dialogue Dinner at Cooper-Frost-Austin House

Dialogue Dinner: A Different Kind of Dinner Party

Wednesday, March 24, 2027
6-8 pm
Historic New England’s Cooper-Frost-Austin House
21 Linnaean Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
$30; registration required
Limited space available!

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Join History Cambridge and Historic New England for a special Dialogue Dinner inside the Cooper-Frost-Austin House—the oldest surviving building in Cambridge.

In this unique setting, guests will gather around a single table for a structured conversation exploring local history, community identity, and our sense of place.

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WHAT TO EXPECT

This is not your typical dinner party. All conversations are directed to the entire group, not to one-on-one dialogues with those seated next to you. We will gather at a single table, face-to-face, to make new connections and think about your role in the community in a new way.

Our Dialogue Dinner format takes inspiration from listening circles, a practice with deep roots in Indigenous communities. 

OUTLINE FOR THE EVENING

6-6:30 pm Arrival and informal introductions
6:30 pm Dinner, discussion, and dessert
8 pm Event concludes

DISCUSSION TOPIC

Our discussion topic, designed to elicit personal stories, feelings, and experiences, will explore the purpose of sustaining a sense of place. What stories are being collected and what stories are being told or left out? How do those choices influence a city in the present day?

Opening question

Think of a place you have lived that is important to you. How has the community changed over time?
To keep the conversation focused, we ask that each guest take a few minutes each to answer the question.

Second question

After the initial conversation, a second question will be posed, relating to the themes and ideas that came out of our opening question.

Final question

To sum up the evening, we will ask how each guest plans to follow up on what was discussed. There’s no pressure to respond in a particular way. It could be as simple as “I intend to think about what we discussed tonight.”

Here’s some feedback from previous Dialogue Dinner guests:

I thought it was really fun and interesting. I enjoyed hearing people take turns talking, and not having so much back and forth conversation.

It was valuable just to be in dialogue with neighbors. This builds the “community” that we are all afraid of losing due to change. 

I enjoyed hearing my neighbor’s story and learning more about Cambridge.

Come prepared to share your thoughts, listen actively, and engage in meaningful collective discussion!

Questions? Email us: info@historycambridge.org