Somerville Skillshare: Learn to Parkour, Make Tofu, and Fix Your Bike

It's all for free.

Want to learn how to jump on sign posts and scale walls, but also need to figure out how to change a bike tire? Here’s your chance.

The Somerville Skillshare program, a day-long event that features free workshops and seminars, is kicking off this weekend and offering a wide variety of classes from how to brew coffee to how to Parkour.

The Sunday, March 2, event, which has since capped its attendance and set-up a wait list because more than 400 people signed up, features 40 free classes in six hours, all of which are taught and organized by local residents.

“We are all teachers. We are all students. Drawing inspiration from Skillshares that have happened in other cities—such as Brooklyn and Boston—we seek to create a communal, hands-on, learning experience that serves as a jumping-off point in the construction of an autonomous, nonexclusive, reciprocal learning community right here in Somerville,” according to the organizers, who used a Kickstarter campaign as a means to fund the classes. “We also want to empower local residents–artists, artisans, professionals, hobbyists, small business owners–with a highly visible platform that allows them to showcase their unique talents.”

The first-ever Somerville Skillshare series, which will be holed up at the Center for the Arts at the Armory, is a mixed bag of unique talents that will be passed on to the general public. There’s everything from a class about building felt orbs to duct tape sculptures, and even how to give a proper hand massage (you might need it after all the crafting).

For those who aren’t into the arts, and have an ear for something different, the event is also hosting classes on digital DJ’ing and basic songwriting.

Sessions on urban beekeeping, indoor vegetable growing, fermenting and canning, and tofu-making are also on the line-up. “Attendees can drop in and out during the day and take as many classes as they’d like, and enjoy some free stuff from our local in kind sponsors,” according to organizers. “It’s a way to learn new skills, jump-start new hobbies, and meet other people with similar interests, all in a fun and informal setting.”