May 19: Dialogue Dinner

Dialogue Dinner: A Different Kind of Dinner Party

Tuesday, May 19, 2026
6-8 pm
159 Brattle Street (History Cambridge headquarters)
Registration required
Limited space available!
This Dinner will be photographed for promotional purposes and all participants must sign a release form. If you don’t want to be photographed, please join us at a future Dinner.

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Join us for a unique and memorable evening where we foster deeper connections and build a sense of community around a shared theme.

WHAT TO EXPECT

This is not your typical dinner party. Inspired by the Jeffersonian Dinner format, 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.

OUTLINE FOR THE EVENING

6-6:30 pm Arrival and informal introductions over cocktails
6:30 pm Dinner, discussion, and dessert
7:30-8 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. There will be time for conversation and common reflections after everyone has spoken.

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