parking tips for gene loves jezebel at middle east - upstairs (cambridge ma 01/28)

hey everyone, figured i'd share some parking tips for the gene loves jezebel show on monday, 01/28, especially since parking around central square is honestly a nightmare if you don't know the drill.

my absolute best advice is to check out prked first. i know it sounds like a weird thing, but it's an app where you can rent driveways or private garage spots right next to the middle east. it’s usually way cheaper than the garages and lets you skip that last stretch of central square traffic since you can park on a side street and just walk a few minutes.

if you skip prked and want to go for the public options, you have a few choices, but you gotta be sharp. the show starts at 7:00 pm, which means you're driving right as mass ave traffic is supposed to be in complete gridlock between 4:30 pm and 7:00 pm, so give yourself extra time to get there.

the closest options are the municipal lots and garages. the green street garage in central square is one municipal option, which has about 280 spaces. there are also several small off-street lots in the area like the central square parking lot at 438 green st (super close, like 16 feet away according to one booking site) and the bishop allen lot at 65 bishop allen dr. the central square lots typically charge $2.00 per hour from 6 pm to 10 pm, with a 4-hour max. you can also use apps like spothero or parkwhiz to reserve a spot in these lots and avoid the scramble entirely.

street parking is tricky. most meters in the business district become free after 6:00 pm on weekdays, which is perfect for a 7:00 pm show, but you absolutely must check the posted signs right where you park. this is because some metered zones switch to being permit-only overnight, and cambridge parking enforcement is not messing around. also, the time limit for meters is by the *zone*, not the space, so once your time runs out, you have to move the car to an entirely different zone. honestly, unless you get there early and snag a free spot at 6:00 pm, the lots are less stressful.

definitely avoid any street where you see "resident permit required" signs unless you're visiting a resident who gave you a visitor permit. tickets are expensive.

hope this helps and you have a great time at the gene loves jezebel show.