Friday (1st) – VietAID invites community to its New Year’s Day Flag Raising Ceremony, which will be followed by the national anthem and light refreshments, 2-4 p.m. 42 Charles St., Dorchester.

Sunday (3rd) – Boston Baroque presents Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons at the Strand Theatre, 2 p.m. This free annual community concert features concertmaster Christina Day Martinson. Reserve your tickets by calling 617-987-8600 or in person at the Uphams Corner Library. See bostonbaroque.org for more information. Story, Page 6.

Tuesday (5th) – A public hearing, which calls for an entertainment license to be operated and maintained until 12 a.m. for Sam Maverick’s in Adams Village will be held at Boston City Hall, Room 809A. The hearing is open to the public.

• Boston Redevelopment Authority hosts public meeting about a proposal by Connelly Construction to build a three-story residential building at 8 Banton Street near Peabody Square. An alternate date of Monday, Jan. 11 is planned in case of inclement weather. The meeting will be held on the first floor of 1831 Dorchester Ave. at 6:30 p.m. For more information contact John Campbell at 617-918-4282 or John.Campbell@Boston.gov.

Friday (8th) – Labouré College hosts Danielle Legros Georges, Poet Laureate of Boston, who will speak at the College as part of the Labouré Lecture Series and in commemoration of Haitian Independence. In the lecture, entitled “Fluid Beautiful Identity,” she will discuss the notion of fluid identity as part of both her personal experience and the immigrant experience. Free. 1:30 p.m. in room C112 at the College. Parking is available in the rear lot. More information can be found at laboure.edu/events.aspx

• Boston Water and Sewer Commission hosts a workshop for residents on how to properly dispose of FOG— fats, oils and grease. Mattapan Public Library, 1350 Blue Hill Ave., 10 a.m.-2p.m.

Saturday (9th) – The Haitian-Americans United, Inc. (H.A.U.) hosts its 17th Annual Haitian Independence Gala at Lombardo’s in Randolph starting at 7 p.m. The Keynote Speaker for the Gala is Valery Numa, one of the most seasoned and most listened to Haitian radio host and political commentator in Haiti and in the Haitian Diaspora, currently affiliated with Haiti’s Radio Vision 2000. Honorees include Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito will be honored, alongside with Boston Haitian Reporter editor Bill Forry, EDEM Foundation director Patrick Lucien and young Haitian American TV host Jacie Calixte. For more information see hauinc.org

Tuesday (12th) – FEMA and city officials will host an informational meeting for the public from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Boston Teachers Union Hall at 180 Mt. Vernon St. on Columbia Point regarding flood insurance mandated for certain properties in FEMA designated flood zones.