MISCELLANY

Since the long July 4 weekend is coming up you'll probably have a lot of time to hang out in Harvard Square and drink in the sights you've missed by playing frisbee in the Yard all day. There's a new world just outside your gates and it includes some of the following delights.

Entertainment. Classic Square entertainment involves someone who just finds an open space, puts out a bucket or guitar case for contributions, and begins to perform, expecting to draw a crowd. These days there are two prime spots for this sort of thing: Brattle Square, usually late in the afternoon or early at night, and the front door of the Coop, a couple of hours after closing time. Lately a group of jugglers have been using the Brattle Square spot and they are okay if you like jugglers. The Coop location has weird acoustics because of its cave-like qualities and usually attracts good guitarists.

It used to be that Forbes Plaza, the space in front of Holyoke Center, was the true mecca of Square performers, but these days the Harvard cops kick them out. Just the other day a magician who was short on tricks but long on charm had attracted a huge mob but was quickly collared and hustled away. Still, sometimes you can catch a brief Forbes Plaza performance by a daring magician, if you get there before the cops do.