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- What to do in Boston this weekend (May 30 - June 1)
What to do in Boston this weekend (May 30 - June 1)
Hello June
Nicole Tommasulo
29 May • Estimated Reading Time: 21 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.
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travel news
Goodbye, free checked bags. Southwest’s new policy of charging $35 for your first checked bag ($45 for the second) is now in effect. Those flying Business Select and A-List members will still get a free checked bag, but everyone else has to pay up. The decision was first announced in March. (savor + roam)
New direct flights to Madrid, Porto, Edinburgh, and more. JetBlue and TAP Air celebrated inaugural direct flights to new European destinations from Boston-Logan. Through JetBlue, travelers can now fly directly to Edinburgh and Madrid. TAP Air has expanded its direct service to Porto. (wcvb)
Changes coming to portable charger policies. Airlines are now asking travelers to use power banks and portable chargers “under your constant supervision.” Meaning, no charging devices in the overhead bins. (Afar)
Standing up too early after your plane lands can cost you. At least in Turkey, where the government recently announced that passengers who do not stay seated with their seatbelts buckled until the seatbelt light is off upon landing can be reported and fined. (NY Times)
Don’t let a surprise vet bill torpedo your budget
Routine vet checkups are rising, and some surgeries can cost as much as a holiday in Europe. Fortunately, pet insurance can help offset these unexpected costs. With some policies starting at $10 and reimbursing up to 90%, you can keep your pet healthy without sacrificing your savings.
unique things to do in Boston:
may 30 - june 1
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.
pride in Boston
this weekend
Celebrate the start of Pride Month at Nightshift Brewing’s Lovejoy Wharf Pride Party on Sunday, June 1, from 1 - 4 pm with Boston Proud at 1 Lovejoy Wharf (Boston, MA 02114). Come out and enjoy good vibes and live music. Entry is free, with cold brews like the limited-release Fruity with a Booty available for purchase.
Pride officially kicks off on Monday, June 2, with an LGBTQ+ Flag Raising and Pride Celebration at City Hall Plaza (1 City Hall Square, Boston, MA 02203) from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm.
upcoming
Join the Boston Pride for the People Parade & Festival on Sunday, June 14, beginning at 11 am. The parade starts at Claredon Street near Boston Public Library and will end at Boston Common, where a festival will be held from 12 - 6 pm. There will also be a Pride Block Party at City Hall Plaza from 2 to 8 pm.
There will also be a Pride Block Party hosted by Dani’s Queer Bar (909 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02115) on Gloucester St, next to the bar, on Sunday, June 14, from 1 - 6 pm. There will be DJs, vendors, drag, dancers, and more. Tickets are $20.
If parades aren’t your thing, head to Cunard Tavern (24 Orleans St, Boston, MA 02128) for Pride Drag Brunch on Sunday, June 14, beginning at 10:30. Hosted by Rocky Graziano, special guests will include Lakia Mondale, Rose Quartz, and Abby Cummings. Full brunch menu from Cunard will be available for order. Tickets are $30.
all weekend
Celebrate poetry this weekend at the 30th annual Massachusetts Poetry Festival from Friday, May 30, through Sunday, June 1, throughout Salem, MA. There will be over 100 poets and performers holding readings, workshops, open mics, and more set up at different venues throughout Salem, including the Peabody Essex Museum, Old Town Hall, the National Park Service Visitor Welcome Center, and more. Tickets begin at $20.
From Thursday, May 29, through Saturday, May 31, WBUR is celebrating its 75th anniversary with The WBUR Festival at Boston University (890 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215). This year, the festival features a full schedule of conversations, musical performances, and a lively street scene, including Dr. Anthony Faucci, Ina Garten, Roxane Gay, Ira Glass, Kara Wisher, Eric Ripert, Leslie Odom Jr., Vibe Chck, and Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me. Tickets begin at $150 ($30 for students).
Immerse yourself in the music of John Williams with the Boston Symphony Orchestra: John Williams Playlist on Friday, May 30, and Saturday, May 31, at Boston Symphony Hall (301 Mass Ave, Boston, MA 02115). Tickets start at $159.
friday
may 30
parties
Get a taste of the North End at North End Neighbors’ Night, held this Friday, May 30, from 5 to 7 pm at different shops and boutiques throughout the neighborhood, which will each be offering something fun, like snacks and discounts. Participating stores include Bungalow, Boston Bottle, Uvida, Project Paulie, I AM BOOKS, Good Taste Records, and Shake the Tree, which will serve up spritzes, charcuterie treats, and discounts.
saturday
may 31
festivals + parties
To help celebrate WBUR's 75th anniversary, the WBUR Festival is holding a Street Fair on Saturday, May 31, from 12 to 6 pm, at BU Beach (270 Bay State Rd, Boston, MA 02215). This free event will feature performances, food trucks, a Vintage Market, and more.
Enjoy free opera on the S.S. Pierce Walkway (Brookline, MA, 02446) at Flowers and Opera with Opera on Tap on Saturday, May 31, between 2 and 4 pm. Please bring a donation for the Brookline Food Pantry collection box. Sweet treats will be available for purchase from Colleen’s Medford.
Kick off the unofficial start of summer with Summer Solstice Fizz Fest at Time Out Market Boston (401 Park Dr, Boston, MA 02215) on Saturday, May 31, from 1 to 8 pm. There will be a curated selection of fine wines and crafted seltzers, plus live music and delicious food pairings to complement the wine and seltzer on offer. Tickets begin at $29.
East Boston’s rooftop bar, The Layover, is reopening for the season and will celebrate with Ready for Takeoff: The Layover’s Opening Party on Saturday, May 31, from 12:30 to 6 pm. The party starts on the roof with tropical cocktails and snacks before heading down to Cunard Tavern for a curated summer feast, including half of a grilled lobster for every guest, by James Beard-award-winning chef Tony Messina. Tickets are $80.
Aeronaut Brewing Somerville (14 Tyler St, Somerville, MA 02143) is throwing an 11th Anniversary party on Saturday, May 31, from 12 - 5 pm. There will be games, performances from aerialists and aerobatics, live music, blind taste tests, and more. Admission is free, food and drink are available for purchase.
wellness
Join Boston Girls Who Walk and Barre & Soul for a Walk + Barre class this Saturday, May 31, at 11:30 am at Jaho Coffee (425 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA, 02139). The walk will end in Harvard Square at Barre & Soul (36 John F Kennedy St, Cambridge, MA 02138) for a barre class. Tickets are $10.
classes
Whether you’re new to clay pottery or are just looking for something to do on a rainy Saturday in Boston, don’t miss the Make Your Own Planter or Vase Pottery class with Pottery With a Purpose at Faneuil Hall Marketplace’s Upper Rotunda (206 S Market St., Boston, MA 02109) on Saturday, May 31, from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm. Tickets are $60, including a pottery kit, a hands-on workshop, and enough materials to make more at home.
markets
Shop over 50 local vintage and sustainable-style vendors at Found Vintage Market this Saturday, May 31, at the WBUR Festival at Boston University (735 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA), rain or shine, from 12 to 6 p.m. This free event will also feature live music and a roundup of food trucks with sips and snacks available for purchase.
Shop over 30 women-founded small businesses at the Boston Women’s Market at Assembly Row (375 Artisan Way, Somerville, MA 02145) on Sunday, May 31, from 12 - 5 pm.
sunday
june 1
markets
Spend your Sunday in Jamaica Plain’s Loring Greenhough House (12 South Street, Boston, MA 02130) shopping over 45 woman-owned small businesses at the Boston Women’s Market pop-up. On June 1, from 11 am to 4 pm, explore the property’s lush gardens while shopping and supporting local makers. Entry is free.
wellness
Family Bike Ride is bringing its mission of highlighting fun, safe infrastructure in Boston to Eastie for a ride down the Mary Ellen Welch Greenway on Sunday, June 1, beginning at noon. Riders will meet at Piers Park (95 Marginal St, East Boston, MA 02128) and head down the greenway from there, but you’re welcome to join at any point.
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recurring spring events
As a reminder, the Commuter Rail has $10 weekend passes, which gives the ticketholder 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
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.
The Boston Athenaeum routinely holds art and architecture tours throughout the week and on weekends. Tours are always free for members, $15 for adults, $10 for students, educators, and military personnel, $8 for children 11 and under, or $4 with your EBT, WIC, or ConnectorCare card.
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
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 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 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 + parties
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). 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 - 11 pm into October. Come out for a rooftop hang featuring a different DJ every night. No ticket is necessary; roof access is first come, first served.
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.
pick-your-own farms
Celebrate the last days of tulip season with Pick-Your-Own-Tulips at Ward’s Berry Farm (614 Main Street, Sharon, MA 02067). Tickets are $20 and include a hayride to and from the tulip field, plus 10 stems. Ward’s is open daily.
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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