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- What to do in Boston this weekend (Aug 8 - 10)
What to do in Boston this weekend (Aug 8 - 10)
Nicole Tommasulo
07 Aug • Estimated Reading Time: 19 minutes
Table of Contents
Also, if you have an event, new attraction, new hotel, or restaurant opening you’d like me to cover, don’t hesitate to contact me.
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food news
The South End is getting a few new eateries. A restaurant called ‘Bey’ is coming soon to Shawmut Ave. They are seeking a full liquor license for its two levels of seating, accommodating 41 people on the ground floor and 26 underground. No other details about the restaurant have been revealed at this time. (Boston Restaurant Talk)
Louis Corner, a new gastropub from the minds behind Kava, opened this week. Also in the South End, Louis Corner took over what was once home to the Butcher Shop and will feature “a little bit of everything, and a lot of comfort.” This includes starters like cheddar croquettes filled with potato and ham, as well as shrimp and grits made with guanciale. If you’re looking for a beer-battered fish fry, Louis Corner is the place. No Boston restaurant is complete without a raw bar, and this gastropub is no exception, featuring seafood towers, oysters, and caviar service. (Eater Boston)
unique things to do in Boston:
august 8 - august 10
Everything here is happening this weekend only. Scroll down for recurring events every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in Boston. For more ideas of what to do, check my Boston Guide.
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all weekend
It’s Feast Season in Boston’s North End, and this weekend they’re celebrating the 105th annual Madonna Della Cava Feast from Friday, August 8 (8 - 10 pm), through Sunday, August 10 (12 - 11 pm). Food vendors, games, and musical performances will be held on Hanover St. Entrance is free. Food and drink will be available for purchase.
This weekend is your last chance to see William Shakespeare’s As You Like It at Boston Common’s Parkman Bandstand (139 Tremont St, Boston, MA 02108). Performances run through August 10 and are held nightly at 8 pm. This is a free event; no tickets are required.
All month: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is once again sponsoring free Bluebike credits across the Greater Boston Area (including Salem!) in celebration of National Wellness Month. You can redeem a free $31 Bluebikes credit by entering the code BLUECROSSMARIDE in the “Rewards” section of the Bluebikes app.
friday
august 8
classes
Sharpen your mixology skills at the Summer Cocktails Mixology Class at Short Path Distillery (71 Kelvin St, Everett, MA 02149) on Friday, August 8, from 7 to 8:30 pm. Tickets are $60 and include a welcome drink, distillery tour, and an in-depth, hands-on cocktail-making workshop.
tastings, parties, + pop-ups
Start the weekend with good vibes and fun games with Bingo and Bailar night Upstairs at Bow (1 Bow Market Way, Somerville, MA 02143) on Friday, August 8, from 7 to 11 pm. Tickets are $25 and include one margarita, three bingo cards, an unlimited nacho bar, and access to the dance party once the dance floor opens at 9 pm.
If you’re in the North End, don’t miss stopping by Petrova Chocolates (61 Salem St, Boston, MA, 02113) on Friday, August 8, from 3 to 7 pm for Meet the Importer night. Olmstead Wines will be on hand, hosting free tastings of natural and biodynamic wines from Slovenia, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic.
Celebrate 25 years of Cisco Brewers’ 888 Distillery at the Y2K Silent Disco on Friday, August 8, from 8 to 10 pm at Cisco Brewers Fenway (1301 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02215). Two DJs will be on hand, spinning hits directly to your headphones (provided for you!). No cover, 21+.
New Recurring: Keep the summer vibes going every Friday this month at Vinyl Nights at the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA, 25 Harbor Shore Dr, Boston, MA 02210). Beginning at 5 pm, vinyl-only DJs will be playing highly curated sets while ICA Wine + Coffee Bar is serving up natural wines selected by Rebel Rebel and Dear Annie’s sommelier, Lauren Friel. Free event. No tickets are required.
saturday
august 9
markets, pop-ups, + parties
If you’re in the North End for the Feast, don’t miss a Meet the Importer sip and shop at Petrova Chocolates (61 Salem St, Boston, MA, 02113) on Saturday, August 9, from 12 to 3 pm. East West Wines will be hosting a free tasting of Baso Vino, a Serbian winemaker, as well as more natural and biodynamic Eastern European wines.
Celebrate Colombian culture and flavor at the Festival Viva Colombia on Saturday, August 9, at 102 Border St in East Boston, from 1:30 to 8 pm. This event is free and open to the public, featuring traditional food, music, dance, community, and more.
It’s time to Time Warp at the free Outdoor Movie Night in Harvard Square on Saturday, August 9. There will be a dance party beginning at 7 pm, followed by a viewing of Rocky Horror Picture Show beginning at 9 pm.
wellness
Start your Saturday on a higher plane with a Yoga + Sound Bath session with Joyn Yoga high above the city at View Boston (Prudential Center, 800 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02199) from 8:15 to 9:30 am on Saturday, August 9. Tickets are $40 and include a 60-minute yoga class and soothing Sound Bath.
Flow with the Sturgeon moon at the Full Moon Yoga & Soundscape session at the Museum of Modern Renaissance (115 College Ave, Somerville, MA, 02144). Tickets are $35 and include a 60-minute flow and 15-minute soundscape in savasana.
classes
Spend your Saturday learning how to create and care for a mini garden with the Pints & Plants Succulent Terrarium Building Workshop at Long Live Roxbury (152 Hampden St, Boston, MA 02119) on Saturday, August 9, from 1 - 3 pm. Tickets are $80 and include a two-hour, hands-on workshop on terrarium building led by Verdure Studio.
sunday
august 10
markets, pop-ups, + parties
Celebrate the arrival of August with the 55th Chinatown August Moon Festival on Sunday, August 10, from 10 am to 5 pm in Boston’s Chinatown between Harrison and Beach Streets. The second-largest Chinese Festival, the August Moon Festival, will feature stage performances of Asian folk dances, a lion dance, Chinese opera, and more. There will also be vendors with food, gifts, and more. This event is free and open to the public.
Enjoy a Car-Free Newbury Street this Sunday, August 10, from 10 am to 8 pm.
wellness
End your weekend with a gentle Candlelight R&B Yoga class Upstairs at Bow Market (1 Bow Market Way, Somerville, MA 02143) on Sunday, August 10, from 7:30 to 8:30 pm. Tickets are $15. Please bring your own yoga mat.
Sweat out the weekend at Brewery Pilates at Lamplighter Brewing CX (110 N First St, Cambridge, MA 02139) from Sunday, August 10, from 12:30 to 1:30 pm. Tickets are $25 and include a beer token good for one full beer or nonalcoholic drink.
classes
Spend your Sunday touching clay at the Sip & Sculpt Pottery Workshop at Mighty Squirrel Brewing Co. (1 David Ortiz Dr, Boston, MA 02215) on Sunday, August 10, from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm. Led by Pottery With a Purpose, this two-hour, hands-on workshop will teach you the basics of building a pinch pot. Tickets are $75 and include materials, plus pottery trivia with prizes from local businesses.
recurring summer events
As a reminder, the Commuter Rail has $10 weekend passes, which give the ticket holder unlimited travel on Saturday and Sunday. The pass is activated during your first trip on Saturday and remains active until Sunday night.
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tours + day trips
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 about 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.
Learn the real history of Salem with a Salem Witch Tour from Boston: History, Hysteria, & Handcrafted Brooms. These guided tours begin at Boston’s North Station and take you through the streets and history of Salem before ending in a private broom-making workshop (including a custom spell). Tickets are $149 - $159 and include a round-trip train ticket, broom-making class materials, spell satchel, and guided walking tour of Salem.
You can find a full rundown of recurring walking tours, food tours, bus tours, and trolley tours of Boston in my Beginner’s Guide to Boston.
wellness
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.
Surround yourself with skyline views during a Saturday Community Yoga session at Rooftop@Revere, on top of Revere Hotel Boston Common (200 Stuart St, Boston, MA 02116), every Saturday from 10 - 11 am. Tickets are $10 and include a post-session smoothie.
If you’ve always wanted to learn how to navigate Boston by bicycle but have been too intimidated to start, join a Weekend In-And-Back Guided Ride with A Better City TMA. On Saturdays and Sundays from 9 am to 1 pm this spring and summer, join a free, three-hour bicycle ride from one of the many bike paths outside the city (meeting location disclosed upon sign up) and traverse the Urban Loop through downtown before returning to the start location.
If you need a weekend pick-me-up, come to The Moxy Boston Downtown (240 Tremont St, Boston 02116) for Rooftop Yoga on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 - 10 am. Led by Julianne Maquire (Saturday) and Claire Metrick (Sunday) from YogaHub, you’ll flow through a dynamic vinyasa yoga experience, expending energizing movement with breath and community. Tickets are $25.
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.
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 Licensed 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, but you can 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 a complimentary non-alcoholic drink.
classes + workshops
If you’re new to oysters or want a fun way to spend a sunset this summer, don’t skip Shucking oysters by Boston Harbor with EBO Oysters + EBO Grocery-owner Alex Cervasio. Tickets are $65 and include a hands-on workshop on how to shuck oysters right on a dock in East Boston, fresh oysters, and a shucking knife you’ll get to take home.
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 in their storefront at 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 + parties
Whether you’re looking to get to know new beers or just have a happy hour to kick off the weekend, come out for Hop-Up Series: Local Brewery Tastings at Boston Public Market (100 Hanover St, Boston, MA 02108) on Fridays from 5 - 7 pm. This free tasting features a rotating lineup of breweries, including Frost Beer Works (August 8) and a patio beer garden featuring Dirigible Brewing Company and Red Apple Farm's hard cider (August 22).
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 can learn and connect over perfectly brewed, high-quality, sustainable coffee.
Come to DeLuca’s Market Wine Cellar (11 Charles Street, Boston, MA 02114) in Beacon Hill for a free wine tasting every Friday from 4 - 7 pm. Every week, resident wine expert Donovan handpicks a mix of familiar favorites and bottles from up-and-coming vineyards or hard-to-find vintages to share among participants. No ticket is required.
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 hosts free wine tastings every Friday from 5 pm to 7 pm and Saturday from 12 pm to 3 pm at their South Boston location (364 West Broadway, Boston, MA). These tastings are free and require no reservations.
Beginning Friday, May 23, Sam Adams Downtown Boston (60 State St, Boston, MA 02109)will host Decked Out every Friday and Saturday night from 8 to 11 pm through October. Come out for a rooftop hang featuring a different DJ every night. No ticket is necessary; roof access is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Come to The Urban Grape (303 Columbus Ave) in the South End on Saturday for The After Brunch, between 2 pm and 5 pm, for their weekly free wine tasting.
artisan + farmers markets
Shop local artisans every Thursday and Friday at the Downtown Boston Arts Market. Located in Downtown Crossing (8 Summer St, Boston, MA 02110) between Macy’s and Roche Brothers, this outdoor market will recur weekly from 11 am until 5 pm until October 24.
The Boston Open Market returns to Boylston Street, between Arlington and Charles (across from the Boston Public Library), every Saturday through October from 12 to 5 pm.
Alongside the Boston Waterfront, shop over 50 vendors at the Greenway Artisan Market on the Rose Kennedy Greenway. Beginning May 3, the market will be held every Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and every Saturday and Sunday beginning June 1.
Jamaica Plain holds its weekly Farmers Market every Saturday from 12 pm to 3 pm year-round in the Bank of America parking lot (677 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, 02130).
The Unique Square Farmers Market returns for their 21st season in Somerville’s Union Square Plaza (66-70 Union Square Plaza, Somerville, MA 02143) every Saturday through October 25 (except Sept 20).
One of Boston’s largest open-air markets, SoWa Open Market (500 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA), is held every Sunday from 11 am - 5 pm until October 26. Stop by to shop various regional and local vendors, including food and beverage trucks.
Shop the Seaport Summer Market (88 Seaport Blvd, Boston, MA 02210) every Saturday and Sunday from 11 am to 7 pm. Like the winter market, the summer market is full of unique vendors selling everything from original artwork to pet goods. Food and beverages will also be available for purchase, and a DJ and game area will be available for all ages to enjoy.
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