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- what to do in Boston this weekend (feb 28 - mar 2)
what to do in Boston this weekend (feb 28 - mar 2)
goodbye february, won't miss you
Nicole Tommasulo
27 Feb • Estimated Reading Time: 27 minutes
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. Like the newsletter? Feel free to buy me a coffee.
Ditch the Dinner Drama
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food news
Boston has another James Beard winner. The 2025 America’s Classics Award winners were announced yesterday, and Sullivan’s Castle Island (2080 William J Day Blvd, South Boston, 02127) won the award in the Northeast category. These awards are given to beloved restaurants with “timeless appeal” that reflect the region’s “character and cultural traditions.” If you want to celebrate Sullivan’s win, and the start of their 74th season, they’re offering 50% off all hot dogs from March 1 through March 7.
Help save Cafe Iterum. One of East Boston’s favorite cafes is in (financial) danger. Located in Maverick Square, right by the T station and near Tall Ship, Cafe Iterum (11 Father Jacobbe Rd, Boston, 02128) has been serving up great (and sustainable!) food and coffee for over three years. After being denied SBA and bank loans to help with construction and operation costs, they are asking for donations to help keep the cafe running. Or, stop in and grab coffee + a sandwich — they do to-go/order ahead. Walking through Eastie with your pup? Cafe Iterum has treats for them, too.
… And Carmella’s Market. East Boston is mainly known as where the airport is, but there’s a trove of amazing restaurants, bakeries, and delis not many know about. Carmella’s (86 Cottage St, Boston, 02128), a favorite neighborhood Italian deli, was highlighted in the NY Times over the summer as a great place to grab a sandwich but now needs local support to help keep things going after a particularly difficult winter. You can donate to their GoFundMe or stop in (or order ahead!) and pick up breakfast or lunch.
Cisco Brewers plans to come to Fenway. Local brewery Cisco Brewers has scouted their next location for Fenway, at 1301 Boylston Street, the old home of Tasty Burger. Joining Nantucket, New Bedford, and the Seaport District in Boston, this new Cisco location would be a year-round beer hall with a seasonal beer garden to be open during warmer months. (Universal Hub)
travel news
Visiting National Parks will be different this year. Former Yosemite National Park employees hung an American flag upside down — traditionally a signal for distress — at the park’s popular firefall location to raise awareness of the mass reduction of National Park staff. Visitors can expect long lines to enter parks, closed campsites, and reduced visitor center hours. This means limited access to maps, guided tours, historical exhibits, and reduced sanitation services like garbage removal and bathroom cleaning. (Afar)
No, Spain didn’t implement a “tourist ban.” However, the country is starting to combat locals' rising housing costs in big tourist cities like Madrid, Seville, and Barcelona. New short-term tourist properties (think Airbnb) are already prohibited in these cities, with Málaga’s city council passing similar restrictions in 43 districts. Despite protests and tourism taxes, travelers are still visiting the country in record numbers, with 10 percent more people spending time in Spain in 2024 than the previous year.
unique things to do in Boston:
feb 28 - mar 2
Everything here is happening this weekend only. Scroll down for recurring events every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in Boston. Like the newsletter? Feel free to buy me a coffee.
friday
february 28
pop-ups + parties
Dance away the winter blues at the Summer in the Winter: a Dance Party on Friday, Feb 28, from 8 pm to midnight at Remnant Brewing (2 Bow Market, Somerville, 02143). Dress for the tropics, not the tundra, and enjoy themed cocktails and EDM late into the night.
Mardi Gras season is here, and to celebrate, Short Path Distillery (71 Kelvin St, Everett, 02149) is hosting a Mardi Gras Pop-Up Bar on two Fridays only: Feb 28 and Mar 7. Enjoy new takes on classic New Orleans cocktails in their cozy Barrelhouse Bar. Reservations are required.
Fill the blank space in your calendar with Taylor Swift Trivia this Friday, Feb 28, from 5 - 7 pm, at Boston Public Market (100 Hanover St, Boston, 02108). The event is free, but please RSVP.
classes
Fine-tune your cocktail skills ahead of warmer weather with a Winter Cocktails Mixology Class this Friday, Feb 28, from 7 - 8:30 pm at Short Path Distillery (71 Kelvin St, Everett, 02149). Learn all about mixology techniques, glassware, garnishes, and more, plus enjoy a glass of welcome punch and a brief distillery tour. Tickets are $65.87.
If you’ve wanted to learn how to make fresh egg pasta, now is your chance. Eataly Boston (800 Boylston St, Boston, 02199) is hosting a Hands-On: Fresh Egg Pasta Shapes on Friday, Feb 28, from 12 - 1 pm. Led by Eataly’s Scuola Chef, you’ll learn how to make your own Cavatelli from scratch while learning all about the culture and tradition of fresh egg pasta while enjoying an antipasto, Fresh Cavatelli, and a wine pairing. Tickets are $75.31.
saturday
march 1
markets, pop-ups, + parties
Celebrate the start of March with a bit of retail therapy at the Spring is Queer Market on Saturday, March 1, at Time Out Market (401 Park Drive, Boston, 02215). From 12 to 5 pm, shop over a dozen LGBTQ+-owned businesses and discover your favorite new local creator.
Every year, Short Path Distillery (71 Kelvin St, Everett, 02149) releases a limited edition No Man’s Hands Whiskey, crafted exclusively by women and non-binary folks “from grain to glass.” Come down to the Distillery for the No Man’s Hands Whiskey Launch Party this Saturday, March 1, from 1 until 11:30 pm, to celebrate this year’s batch. This wheat whiskey started with grain grown by Rachel McDermott at Dancing Grain Farm in New York before being sent to Valley Malt where Andrea, Margot, and Shelia malted the grain. 5% of every bottle sold will be donated to Pink Books, “who aims to assist, inspire, and encourage women and non-binary individuals in the alcoholic beverage industry.”
Get in the mood for Mardi Gras with an afternoon of early jazz and New Orleans dishes at the Mardi Gras Bash, which will be hosted by The Great American Beer Hall (142 Mystic Ave, Medford, 02155) on Saturday, March 1, from 1 until 4 pm. This event is free, but food and beverage sales will benefit the Bay State Hot Jazz Festival (formerly Medford Hot Jazz Festival).
classes
Pottery with a Purpose, Boston’s favorite pottery class for beginners, is leading another Sip & Sculpt Pottery Class on Saturday, March 1, from 10 am until 12 pm. This class will be at Far Out Ice Cream (419 Harvard St, Brookline, 02446), and besides a two-hour, hands-on pinch pot workshop, this includes a complimentary affogato. Tickets are $90.
Or, learn how to make your own smokeable sculpture at the Make Your Own Ceramic Smokeware Class at The Goods Cannabis Dispensary (255 Elm St, Somerville, 02144) on Saturday, March 1, from 1 to 3:30 pm. Tickets for this class are $119 and include a charcuterie cup from Board For Days.
wellness
Work out your winter blues with a Winter Ayurveda & Aerial Yoga Workshop on Saturday, March 1, from 1 - 2:30 pm at Swet Studio (480 Tremont St, Boston, 02116). Led by Kerry Ann, you’ll learn simple Ayurvedic tips to help you stay grounded while moving through an aerial yoga class full of poses and breath work meant to help shake seasonal slumps. Tickets are $45.
sunday
march 2
markets, pop-ups, + parties
Whether you’re vegan, veg-curious, or just want to shop small this weekend, come by The Spring Vegan Market on Sunday, March 2, from 11 am to 4 pm at Arts at the Armory (191 Highlight Ave, Somerville, 02143). Shop over 30 vendors selling vegan food, beauty products, art, and more.
If you want to celebrate Hollywood’s biggest night with friends, join Trident Bookstore (338 Newbury St, Boston, 02115) for their Annual Oscars Watch Party, on Sunday, March 2, beginning at 7 pm. They’ll be serving up themed cocktails, predicting winners, and celebrating the year’s best films. Entry is free, but please RSVP.
For a watch party with a different vibe, join the Oscars Watch Party on Sunday, March 2, from 7 until 11 pm at Upstairs at Bow (1 Bow Market Way, Somerville, 02143). Led by Boston Drag sensation Chito, dress to impress and walk the red carpet, enjoy snacks from Carolicious and SAUS, play Oscars Trivia and Bingo, and more. Tickets are $30.
If you plan to be on the North Shore this weekend, don’t miss stopping at Fennel House Studio (228R Cabot Street, Beverly, 01915) for their annual Secondhand Sundays on Sunday, March 2, from 9 am until 12:30 pm. Pastries by Fennel House co-founder Brita Potenza will be on hand while you shop local thrift vendors.
classes
There’s no better time to learn how to make dumplings and PAGU (310 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, 02139) is holding a Dumplings + Dim Sum Class on Sunday, March 2, from 11 am until 1 pm. This two-hour workshop teaches you the art of making dumplings and other small plates while enjoying popular dim sum dishes. Tickets are $119.
wellness
If yoga with soothing spa music isn’t your jam, come out to Night Shift Brewing (87 Santilli Highway, Everett, 02149) for Metal Yoga at Night Shift with Salem’s own Black Widow Yoga. Tickets are $33.85 and include a complimentary beer or NA drink after class.
End the weekend feeling calm and restored with a Sound Bath Vibe Session at Soul City Lynn (192 Oxford St, Lynn, 01901) on Sunday, March 2, from 6 to 7:30 pm. An optional journaling and reflective circle will follow. Tickets are $45.
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.
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winteractive
If anyone knows how to enjoy winter after the holiday season slows, it’s Québec. Inspired by and partnering with our northern neighbors, the Downtown Boston Alliance has again brought WINTERACTIVE to Boston.
The exhibition is a walkable art experience stretching 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 even after the sun goes down.
A map of the artwork is available here. The installations will be viewable from now until March 30, 2025.
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
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.
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.
Enjoy a quiet hour of crafting at Porter Square Books Boston Edition’s (50 Liberty Dr, Boston, 02210) Audiobook and Craft Hour every Saturday beginning Feb 1, from 1 - 2 pm. Grab a drink and a snack from Travelmug Cafe and get cozy among fellow booklovers and crafters.
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. Their Match movie theme and movies are TBA.
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 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
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.
Come to DeLuca’s Market Wine Cellar (11 Charles Street, Boston, 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 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 the South End on Saturday for The After Brunch, between 2 pm and 5 pm, for their weekly free wine tasting.
winter pop-ups
Reoccuring: Skip the slopes and head straight to Sam Adams Boston Brewery (30 Germania St, Jamaica Plain, 02130) for Après Sam on Saturday and Sunday for all of February. 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.
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. It is open Sunday through Friday, 12 p.m.–7:30 p.m., and Saturday, 1 – 7:30 pm through mid-March. Skating is free, and all-day skate rental is $4 cash ($5 credit card).
winter markets
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).
Jamaica Plain holds its weekly Farmers Market every Saturday from 12 pm - 3 pm year round in the Bank of America (677 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, 02130) parking lot.
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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