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- what to do in Boston this weekend (jan 17 - 19)
what to do in Boston this weekend (jan 17 - 19)
mr. pink invades Boston
Nicole Tommasulo
16 Jan • Estimated Reading Time: 26 minutes
hey there.
It’s been over a week since the devasting fires began in Los Angeles, and I wanted to start this week by sharing different ways people can help and places to donate.
donations/volunteers needed
Table of Contents
P.S. If you have an event, new attraction, new hotel, or restaurant opening you’d like me to cover, don’t hesitate to reach out.
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planning ahead: valentine + galentine events
It’s less than a month away from Valentine’s Day, and whether you love the holiday or love to hate it, there are a few fun events + deals happening around Boston you should know about.
Boston’s Little Miss Cupcape (250 Newbury St, Boston, 02116) has opened pre-orders for their Valentine’s Day menu, available for pickup or delivery between Jan 31 and Feb 16. Highlights include their Valentine’s Day Cupcake Pack, Conversational Heart Mini Cakes, Bake At Home Cookie Dough rolls, and a cute little box of XOXO Cupcakes. If you’re gluten-free or vegan, don’t worry; there are cupcakes for you, too! Use code SAVOR10% for 10% off your order.
Grab your galentine (or valentine) and come to The Urban Grape for a special Valentine’s Day Charcuterie Board Workshop on Tuesday, Feb 11. Tickets are two are $125 (solo are $95), and include a flight of three wines, a 10 × 10 board, and cheeses, meats, and more fun accompaniments are you learn step-by-step how to make your own charcuterie board.
unique things to do in Boston: jan 17 - jan 19
Everything here is happening this weekend only. Scroll down for recurring events every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in Boston.
winteractive
If anyone knows how to enjoy winter after the holiday season slows, it’s Québec. Inspired by and partnering with our neighbors to the north, the Downtown Boston Alliance has again brought WINTERACTIVE to Boston.
Last year, you may have noticed the wild, lifelike sculptures hanging around the city, the clown heads caught in the alley next to Modern Theatre, or the mysterious unicorn in a box. This year, the exhibition has changed and grown, stretching the walkable art experience from Government Center to the Theater District.
Not only are multiple Mr. Pinks hanging out, adding color and whimsy to the city, but there are also great light-up installations, giving Bostonians a reason to leave the house when the sun goes down.
You can find a map of all of the artwork here. The artwork installations will be viewable from now until March 30, 2025.
friday, january 17
tastings + parties
Dress in your best Gatsby glamour and head to Lamplighter CX (110 N First St, Cambridge, 02141) for Speakeasy Night on Friday, Jan 17, from 7 to 11:30 pm. Beer cocktails and prohibition-friendly mocktails will be flowing all night. Plus, this will be the first time Luminary Society members-only beers will be available.
for book lovers
Celebrate the grand opening of Boston’s newest romance-focused bookstore, Lovestruck Books (44 Brattle Street, Cambridge, 02138), on Friday, Jan 17, from 10 am - 5 pm. Besides a complimentary coffee tasting by George Howell Coffee, enjoy a fun photo station, pick up a blind date with a book, have your tarot cards read by Zhana, or get a piece of custom permanent jewelry by Spark by Simone. Admission is free, but Lovestruck asks that you RSVP.
Come back to Lovestruck at 6:30 pm for the Opening Celebration with Chloe Gong! There will be a conversation between Azanta and Chloe Gong on the writer’s journey and inspiration, as well as Chloe’s latest book, Vilest Things. Stick around after to get your book signed and enjoy some book-shaped cake. Tickets are $45 and include a copy of Vilest Things (Flesh and False Gods #2).
Author Jenny Howe will be at All She Wrote Books (75 Washington St, Somerville, 02143) on Friday, Jan 17, at 7 pm to discuss her new book, How To Get A Life In Ten Dates. IRL and live stream tickets are available on a sliding scale. If you can’t make it to this event, Jenny will also be at Lovestruck Books on Friday, Jan 24.
saturday, january 18
women’s march
Simultaneously with Washington, D.C., the Women’s March will move through Boston on Saturday, Jan. 18, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The march begins at the Boston Common Parade Grounds (Charles/Beacon Street corner). It will include talks with members from Boston City Council, New England Independence Campaign, MA Trans Political Coalition, and more.
for book lovers
If you can’t attend Lovestruck Books' grand opening celebration on Friday, don't worry; the party continues all weekend. On Saturday, Jan. 18, the store will be open during normal hours, and Little Words Project will set up a friendship bracelet station from 12 to 3 p.m.
Come hang out with fellow book lovers at the Book Club Cafe at the Honan-Allston Branch of Boston Public Library (300 N Harvard St, Allston, 02134) from 11 am - 12:15 pm. Chat books, share book recommendations, and enjoy a cup of coffee or tea in a friendly (+ free!) meetup.
classes
Join Pottery with a Purpose at Travelmug Cafe (50 Liberty Drive, Boston, 02128) on Saturday, Jan 18, from 1 - 3 pm for a Make Your Own Ceramic Tumbler class. Tickets are $115 and include your choice of drink from Travelmug Cafe, a two-hour workshop on pottery-making basics, PWAP’s Beginner Pottery Kit to make your mug during class and create more at home. Plus, glazing, firing, and shipping of your tumbler are included, so it’s waterproof and food-safe.
De-stress with a view on Saturday, Jan 18, at View Boston Observation Deck (800 Boylston St, Boston, 02199) with an Espresso Martini Candle Workshop. Tickets are $65 and include access to all three floors of View Boston (including their winter pop-up, Stratus Oasis) before and after the workshop.
Whether you’re new to making hand-crafted cocktails or you want to brush up your skills, come to Short Path Distillery (71 Kelvin St, Everett, 02149) for a Winter Cocktails Mixology Class on Saturday, Jan 18, from 7 - 8:30 pm. Tickets are $60 and include a complimentary welcome cocktail at the beginning of the class, a distillery tour, and an in-depth mixology class with bartender & spirit specialist Christine Bossalini.
wellness + wildlife
Just because winter is here doesn’t mean Boston’s wildlife has disappeared. Join naturalists and members of the National Park Service for a three-hour Winter Wildlife Cruise on Saturday, Jan 18, from 10 am - 1 pm. The ferry departs from Long Wharf (right by the New England Aquarium/Aquarium Station) and has heated indoor spaces, large windows, and outdoor viewing decks. Tickets range from $19 - $34.
If you’re still struggling to find a focus for 2025, come to The Goods Community Cannabis (255 Elm St, Somerville, 02144) on Saturday, Jan 18, for a Vision Board Workshop. From 2 - 4 pm, you’ll be guided through exploring your goals and creating your vision board. Paper, glue, and scissors will be provided, but please bring any images you may want to use. Tickets are $20.
Just because we’re in the middle of January doesn’t mean you can’t pick up a yoga practice. This Saturday, Jan 18, from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm, the Isha Foundation will host a free Yoga for Beginners class at Somerville Public Library (79 Highland Ave, Somerville, 02143). Please bring a yoga mat and two cushions/pillows.
tastings + pop-ups
Whether you’re bored with Dry January or already hooked on mocktails, come down to The Lab @ Curio (2267 Mass Ave, Cambridge, 02140) for a Dry January Pop-Up with local mocktail/cocktail infusion company Verbena Beverage Co. You’ll learn about their approach to zero-proof bartending, sample botanical infusions, and leave with new recipes and ideas for creating your own mocktails at home.
Skip the slopes and head straight to Sam Adams Boston Brewery (30 Germania St, Jamaica Plain, 02130) for Après Sam. You can reserve a heated igloo (which includes a bucket of Cold Snap), hang in the Beer Garden with a local live DJ, or head to the Barrel Room Lodge, where an acoustic cover band will be playing.
sunday, January 19
tastings + pop-ups
Skip the slopes and head straight to Sam Adams Boston Brewery (30 Germania St, Jamaica Plain, 02130) for Après Sam. You can reserve a heated igloo (which includes a bucket of Cold Snap), hang in the Beer Garden with a local live DJ, or head to the Barrel Room Lodge, where an acoustic cover band will be playing.
workshops
Join Ko-Kyoto for a free Kakizome (書初め) Calligraphy Workshop at Bow Market (1 Bow Market Way, Somerville, 02143) to celebrate the Japanese New Year. Kakizome is a traditional New Year’s activity in Japan that involves writing the first characters of the year, often a New Year’s resolution. A Sensei will guide you through this meaningful tradition! They’ll offer two calligraphy workshops, one at noon and another at 2 pm. Plus, Nagomi Bento will be serving delicious bowls of Zoni (お雑煮), a special New Year’s soup with rice cakes.
If you can’t make the Pottery with a Purpose workshop on Saturday, join them on Sunday, Jan 19, from 1 - 3 pm at Sam Adams Downtown Boston Taproom (60 State St, Boston, 02109) for a beginner-friendly Clay Mug Making Class. Tickets are $105, including the Beginner Pottery Kit and a two-hour workshop on making personalized mugs.
reoccurring winter events
As a reminder, the Commuter Rail has $10 weekend passes, which gives the ticketholder unlimited travel on Saturday and Sunday. Pass is activated during your first trip on Saturday and continues to stay active until Sunday night.
tours
Taste your way through Back Bay with a Back Bay Evening Chocolate Tour. For $55, take a guided walking + tasting tour of one of Boston’s most beautiful neighborhoods while learning Back Bay’s historical and architectural significance. Plus, enjoy tastings at four different locations where you’ll sample hot chocolate, cookies, cupcakes, and cake from Back Bay’s most iconic establishments.
Boston Athenaeum routinely holds Art & Architecture Tours throughout the week and weekend. Tours are always free for members, $15 for adults, $10 for students/educators/military, $8 for children 11 and under, or $4 using your EBT, WIC, or ConnectorCare cards.
Whether you’re a local or visiting Boston for the first time, there’s never a bad time to take a tour. For something a little different (and delicious), book a spot on the Freedom Trail: History Tour & Brewery Taste. Follow the Freedom Trail, stopping at 11 of 16 major landmarks along the trail, with Hub Town Tours before enjoying lunch and beer tasting at Democracy Brewing.
wellness
Last year, Moki Sauna debuted a winter pop-up downtown, inviting Bostonians to enjoy a pop-up sauna and polar plunge in an urban setting. This year, they’re back and have set up their wood-fired saunas and cedar cold plunge barrels at Somernova (14 Tyler St, Somerville, 02143) until April 15. Sessions start at $45 for 1 hour.
Start your weekend with a dose of wellness at The Hidden Art Gallery (25 Myrtle Street) in Beacon Hill, which hosts weekly Explore Meditation with Watercolor classes. Held every Friday from 3 pm - 6 pm, learn the basics of meditation while intuitively creating with watercolor. Classes are $55.
Reconnect with your ability to digest and rest during a Sound Bath Meditation with Ramon of Ib and Flow (247 Walnut St, Brookline, 02445). Sessions ($50) are held every Sunday.
Chase away — or press pause — on your end-of-weekend stress with a movie night at Sam Adams Boston Brewery (30 Germania St, Jamacia Plan, 02130). From 6 to 9 pm every Sunday, the brewery hosts a free weekly watch party. For January, their movie theme is winter movies: Grand Budapest Hotel (Jan 19) and Ice Age (Jan 26).
Wind down from the weekend and prepare for the week ahead with a Grounding Meditation session every Sunday from 5 - 6 pm at Blissful Monkey Yoga Studio (663 Centre Street, Boston, 02130) in Jamaica Plain. Led by Licenced Mental Health Counselor Brennan Mallonnee, you will be guided through techniques on how to calm stress responses and practice trauma-informed grounding techniques for anxiety. Tickets are $20. Yoga mats, cushions, and blankets are available for use, but you are welcome to bring your own.
If you’re trying to bring balance into your life this year, start your Sunday brunch with a gentle yoga flow with Brewery Yoga at Lamplighter CX. The class is held every Sunday from 12:30 - 1:30 pm at Lamplighter Brewing Co.’s CX location (110 North First Street, Cambridge, 02141) in their upstairs taproom. Tickets are $25 and include a beer token or complimentary non-alcoholic drink.
classes + workshops
Whether you already love screenprinting or are completely new to this printing method, DARK MODE hosts DIY Screenprinting workshops at their storefront in Bow Market (1 Bow Market Way, #24) in Somerville on Friday (7 pm) and Saturday (6 pm and 7 pm) nights. Tickets are $45, including t-shirts.
DARK MODE also hosts Candle Making and Intention Setting Workshops every Thursday at 7 pm at their storefront in Bow Market in Somerville. Tickets are $50.
Spend your Friday learning to make classic Italian cuisine with Self Up Cooking Classes (19 Kingston St) in Downtown Crossing from 6 pm - 9 pm. Every week, they host an Italian Dinner with Tiramisu Finale cooking class and dinner experience, where you can learn how to make a three-course meal, including a luscious tiramisu for dessert. Tickets are $100 and include all ingredients.
tastings
Coffee lovers, this one is for you. Every Friday at 10 am, Counter Culture Coffee (374 Somerville Ave) in Somerville opens their Training Center for free coffee tastings. Anyone who wants to can learn and commune over perfectly brewed, high-quality, sustainable coffee.
Every Friday at 6:30 pm, GrandTen Distilling (383 Dorchester Ave) in South Boston holds Friday Night Flights: a chance to get to know their full line-up of spirits (plus special limited-run bottles not available elsewhere) at an intimate tasting. Tickets are $25, and seating is limited (10 max).
On Saturdays, Boston Harbor Distillery (12R Ericsson St, Boston, 02122) leads VIP tours ($50) and barrel-side tastings of their spirits ($20).
Love Child holds free wine tastings every Friday (5 pm - 7 pm) and Saturday (12 pm - 3 pm) at their South Boston (364 West Broadway) location. These tastings are free and require no reservations.
Come to The Urban Grape (303 Columbus Ave) in Back Bay on Saturday for The After Brunch, between 2 pm and 5 pm, for their weekly free wine tasting.
winter pop-ups
Reoccuring: For a winter warmer on the other side of the harbor, visit Short Path Distillery’s (71 Kelvin St) Apres Ski Pop-Up. Hosted every Friday in January, come and enjoy a fresh menu of exclusive cocktails, including twists on classics like the Hot Toddy and Irish Coffee, plus more fun + bold drinks ready to quench your craving, no matter if you want sweet, spicy, smokey, or straight up boozy. Reservations required.
Ongoing: To get festive above Boston, visit ViewBoston’s Stratus Winter Oasis. At the top of Prudential Tower (800 Boylston), Status Bar has been transformed into a winter wonderland where guests can sip seasonal cocktails while the city glitters around them. Tickets are $38, including admission to ViewBoston exhibits and one beer, wine, or signature cocktail. This also gives you access to The Beacon Bistro, View Boston’s restaurant.
Ongoing: To literally warm up after a walk around Seaport, book a table at Deck 12’s heated rooftop outdoor bar (65 Seaport Blvd). Like in previous years, there is an Apres theme, complete with heaters, fondues, chair lifts, gondolas, and more. Reservations are strongly recommended.
Ongoing: Stay warm while enjoying the city skyline at Seaport’s Rooftop at the Envoy (70 Sleeper St, Boston, 02210). Grab one of their signature hot cocktails (or crafted mocktails) and cozy up to your friends in one of the igloos, ice boxes, or around your own fire pit. $25 deposit to book; minimums depend on time + day.
ice skating in Boston
Boston Common’s Frog Pond Skating Rink (38 Beacon St) is open daily from 10 am - 10 pm, with the last entry admitted 30 minutes before closing. Anyone 58 inches or taller must pay $10 to skate. You can also rent skates ($15 for adults, $10 for kids), rent lockers, and get your skates sharpened ($7). New Year’s hours: Dec 31st: 8:00 AM – 1:00PM; Jan 1st: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM
From now until mid-March, enjoy outdoor ice skating at Skate @ Canal District (300 Athenaeum St) in Kendall Square. Lessons and season passes are available. All-day admission is $6 for adults, $4 for students + seniors, and $1 for children 13 and under. Open daily (M, T: Noon - 5 pm; W, TH: Noon - 8 pm; Sat: 11 am - 9 pm; Sun: 11 am - 6 pm).
Located right behind the Stony Brook MBTA stop, the DCR Kelly Outdoor Rink (1 Marbury Terrace) in Jamaica Pain is a volunteer-run, donor-supported operation. Open now through mid-March, Sunday through Friday: 12 pm – 7:30 pm, Saturday: 1 pm – 7:30 pm. Skating is free and all-day skate rental is $4 cash ($5 credit card).
winter markets + festivals
Boston’s annual Winter Festival at Charlestown’s Hood Park (500 Rutherford) continues through Jan 25, with limited days and hours beginning at the end of December. Spread out across two acres, there is an ice skating rink ($20/hr for adults, $15/hr for kids under 10; $10 skate rental), life-size light up castle, an artisan marketplace, Veuve Clicquot Après Ski Gondola lounge, and more. Admission is free. Attendees can park in the Hood Park garage (100 Hood Park Dr) for free for up to three hours.
Farmer’s Market season never ends in Boston; it just moves inside. Visit Somerville’s Winter Farmer’s Market every Saturday from 9:30 am - 1:30 pm inside The Center for the Arts at the Armory (191 Highland Ave).
Rosalind Village is celebrating the return of its Winter Farmers Market. Every Sunday from 11 am - 2 pm in the ABCD Parking Lot (32 Birch St, Boston, 02131), shop fresh produce, meat, fruits, and specialty foods, plus appearances from summer market favorites, including The Neighborhood Farm and Lilac Hedge Far.
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