The Venues | Where to Stay | Directions
and Parking | Where to Eat
The Venues
November 2, Thursday
All events Thursday will be held at MIT, in Cambridge, MA.
The 7:30pm Beginning workshop location has changed - it will be in Stratton
Student Center Rm 407 (NOT Lobby 10) and the milonga will be held in
Lobdell Hall (on the 2nd floor) in the same building.
November 3 - 5, Friday through Sunday
All events will be held at Springstep at 98 George P. Hassett Drive in Medford, MA.
Photos by Greg Premru
Where to Stay
There is a hotel, AmeriSuites, very close to Springstep that offers an affordable rate: $139 a
night for up to four person occupancy. You may also be able to find housing with local tango dancers.
Staying with the Locals
We've taken down the Housing Request Form since the festival is upon us! If you're still looking
for housing, you can take your chances and just show up, make some friends and see if someone will
take you in.
If you stay with a local we hope that you consider renting a car.
If money's really tight you can get away without one, you'll just have to be creative! There is
public transportation (bus or subway to bus) to the main festival venue during the daytime, but
at night you'll have to carpool. (See transportation information below.) Some hosts have cars and
others rely on public transportation to get around, but even those with cars may not be going to
the same events as you are. If you stay at the hotel listed below, you'll be fine without a car.
Staying in the Hotel
The festival hotel is AmeriSuites. It's across from Springstep, at
116
Riverside Ave NE, Medford, MA.
*The rate right now is around $139 per night.* That's about $35 a night if you have
3 roommates! Included in the price: breakfast buffet, indoor heated pool, high-speed internet access,
telephones with dataports, voice mail service, mini-kitchen with refrigerator and microwave, coffeemaker
with coffee, hair dryer in suite, laundry facility, iron/ironing board in suite, fitness center (in
case you're not getting enough exercise ;) ) and a free shuttle to the Red and Orange lines of the
subway.
We've taken down the Housing Request Form, so if you would like to find roommates to share a
hotel room, you'll have to coordinate with people at the event.
To get from Logan
International Airport to the hotel (and vice versa) you can
either take a cab for about $25, or take public transportation for $1.25. It's not difficult to
take public transportation, but it will take you about an hour. From the airport you'll take the
Silver Line bus to South Station. Then get on the Red Line Subway, or "the T" as we call it, going
towards Alewife. Get off the T at Davis Square and call the AmeriSuites
Shuttle to come pick you up at (781)
395-8500.
Directions and Parking Information
To MIT
Click
Here for Map
The Battle of the Bands Milonga will be held in Lobdell Hall in the Stratton Student Center.
The Beginning workshop preceding the milonga will also be held in the Stratton Student Center, on
the fourth floor in room 407.
By Car Check Google maps for driving directions from everywhere. Limited street parking is available on Massachusetts and Vassar. There are also some Pay garages.
Public Transportation The nearest T stop is Central Square on the Red line. To get to the Student Center from Central Square, walk South on Massachusetts Avenue for about 10-15 minutes. When you get to Vassar Street, you're at MIT. On the right side of the street just ahead you'll see a low 1970s building - that's the Student Center. You'll know it's the correct building if you see a big, beautiful old building with 2-story high columns just across the street.
To Springstep and AmeriSuites
Click Here for Map
Springstep is accessible by car and bus. If you're staying at AmeriSuites, you can also take the Shuttle
to/from the T (subway) on the Red (Davis Square Station) or Orange (Wellington Station) lines.
By Car Springstep and AmeriSuites are right by the Medford City Hall, and next to exit 32 off Interstate 93. The freeway entrance ramp is just behind the Springstep building, but you have to take a small circuitous route to get to the building from the freeway. If you follow these directions, though, you shouldn't get lost:
Follow Route 93 to exit 32 (Route 60 - Medford Square/Malden). Enter rotary and merge onto Route 60 West/Salem Street toward Medford Square/Arlington. Take your first left onto River Street. At the end of the road turn left onto Riverside Avenue. Stay in right hand lane. At the light turn left onto Clipper Ship Drive. AmeriSuites is just to your right and Springstep is straight ahead. For Springstep, you can park anywhere you see--in the spots under and in front of the building, along the street, or in the municipal lots nearby. If you're staying at the hotel, you might as well park in the hotel lot.
Public Transportation (to Medford Square)
Link to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority site for Schedules and Routes.
Lowell Line Commuter Rail — West Medford stop. Connects to Bus Route 326.
Bus Route 326 — West Medford and Haymarket Station
Bus Route 134 — North Woburn and Wellington Station
Bus Route 101 — Malden Center Station and Sullivan Square Station
Bus Route 96 — Medford Square and Harvard Station
Bus Route 95 — West Medford and Sullivan Square Station
Bus Route 94 — Medford Square and Davis Square Station
For the AmeriSuites Shuttle from the Red Line Davis Square T Station or the Orange Line Wellington T Station call the hotel at (781) 395-8500.
Where to Eat
Great places to eat near the festival venues.
Cambridge, near MIT Map coming soon!
GuangZhou Restaurant Chinese Cuisine in Inman Square
1220 Cambridge St. Cambridge, MA
(617) 547-6368
The Druid Pub Good pub fare in Inman Square
1357 Cambridge St. Cambridge, MA
(617) 497-0965
Middle East Restaurant Middle Eastern Cuisine in Central
Square
472 & 480 Massachusetts Ave. Cambridge, MA
(617) 864-3278
Medford, Somerville and Arlington, near Springstep
Lantana Cafe Italian
and Mediterranean Cuisine in Medford
417 Salem St. Medford, MA
(781) 393-1930
Pho Yan Restaurant Chinese
and Vietnamese Cuisine in Medford
38 Salem St. Medford, MA
(781) 391-1100
Sweet Sue's Bakery Baked Goods and Saturday Brunch in
Arlington
Sweet Sue's will also be vending at Springstep during the festival.
795 Massachusetts Ave. Arlington, MA
(781) 646-1118
