Check Out JP Holiday Light Show on JP Licks Thru Jan. 9

The JP Centre/South Main Streets winter light show is happening every night on the front of JP Licks from 5 to 9 pm through Jan. 9. So check it out if you're walking by, or park the car, and bring the kids, your parents, in-laws, friends, dogs, or whomever else you want to do so. And stop in for some ice cream, hot cocoa, or another delicious dessert or beverage. JP Winter Light Show happening now and every night, 5-9pm, until Jan 9!

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Video: 3-Year-Old Gives Amazing Tour Highlighting Jamaica Plain!

A young boy (and his mother) made an incredible one-minute video highlighting all of his favorite things about Jamaica Plain -- the restaurants, train stations, barber shop, libraries, bicycles, karate classes -- and more! Holding a toy train to start, Santiago Arroyo begins in front of the Egleston Square mural across from the T and makes his way to the Egleston Community Garden, and then moves on to restaurants by highlighting the original Chilacates, JP Licks (what kid doesn't like ice cream?), Pikalo, and Exodus Bagels. He shouts out all the bicycles to ride, neighborhood libraries and playgrounds, mentions he takes karate classes with his mother and grandmother(!), and talks up the firefighters of Engine 28. Then he really gets into the action -- by getting a trim at Flaco's Barber Shop, and a teeth cleaning at the Brookside Community Health Center. He ends by showcasing JP's T stops.

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Yum! 23rd Annual Taste of Jamaica Plain on Nov. 15

Blue Nile, Chilacates, Café Beirut, FoMu, The Frogmore and Tres Gatos are just some of the participating businesses in the 23rd Annual Taste of Jamaica Plain on Nov. 15. This year's Taste of Jamaica Plain has a new location at Our Lady of Annunciation Church on the West Roxbury and Jamaica Plain border. In recent years the Taste of JP has been held at the Franklin Park Zoo. While the event is moving inside this year, it will still benefit a good neighborhood organization, Ecumenical Social Action Committee (ESAC), its senior home programs and youth opportunity collaborative.

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Video: ‘Thriller’ Flash Mob with Boston Symphony Orchestra & Pops in Jamaica Plain

This Halloween in Jamaica Plain wasn't just costumed kids going from house-to-house asking for candy. This year, professional musicians and dancers made their way across JP creating flash mobs in an homage to Michael Jackson's "Thriller." Jamaica Plain's Hoopla Productions collaborated with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Boston Pops to produce several flash mobs for Halloween outside of Symphony Hall and in various locations in Jamaica Plain, said Hoopla's Mindy Fried to Jamaica Plain News. Hoopla Productions also organizes the popular Jamaica Plain Porchfest. Ali Pierre-Etienne choreographed the dancing, which was accompanied by the professional musicians, who also got into the zombie performance with makeup and some dance moves.

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Posters for various JP Music Festival Fundraisers

Before It Raises the Roof, Here’s How the JP Music Festival Raises the Money

Running a free community event like the JP Music Festival is great fun — even behind the scenes. The festival itself brings together the people of JP and Boston (and many Brooklinites sneak over the border) to celebrate great, local, live music. Every year the thousands of people who come discover just how much amazing musical talent lives and works in our ‘hood. As a group of JP residents (okay, a couple of us have migrated to Dorchester), part of the fun of putting on a free community event is raising the money to pull it all off. The committee is led by Rick Berlin and Shamus Moynihan as co-producers and the festival committee is currently Margie Nicoll, Kellie Cardone, Justin McCarthy, Ferris Mueller, and Charles McEnerney.

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File photo: Adam Rutstein, owner of Centre Street Sanctuary, stands beside his new outdoor patio space.

Gallery: Restaurant Patios of Jamaica Plain

Patio season is in full swing. You might think you know every outdoor restaurant space in the neighborhood, but click through — you may find some you didn't know about. My bet for best patio some of you might've missed is the nicely designed space behind Simpli Bar & Bites in Forest Hills. Of course it's hard to make a gallery like this comprehensive. Please add any omissions in the comment section or email me at chris@jamaicaplainnews.com and I'll add a photo.

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