What to do in Boston this weekend (Oct 3 - 5)

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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Viral sandwich shop is opening today. On Friday, October 3, All’Antico Vinaio, the Florence-based sandwich shop, officially opens for business at 555 Boylston. There will be red-carpet vibes, including a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11:00 am, plus live sandwich-making and more, all weekend long. (Forking With Armani)

New Haven pizza has arrived in Boston. Sally’s Apizza, the New Haven-based pizzeria, is opening for dine-in and delivery on October 7. Located in Dorchester’s South Bay (9 District Ave, Boston, MA, 02125), they can accommodate 100 people in their dining room, plus have a 12-person bar and seasonal patio. (NBC 10 Boston)

Boston’s Elephantine Bakery is now open normal hours. Beginning Monday, September 30, Elephantine Bakery (332 Congress St, Boston, MA 02210) will be open at normal hours: Monday 8 am - 2 pm, plus Wednesday through Sunday from 8 am through 2 pm. The Portsmouth-based bakery makes all goods in-house, from scratch, bread and pastries.

No, Erewhon is not coming to Boston. The luxury grocery store posted a cryptic social media post this week, suggesting a major expansion into 20 different cities, including Boston. The social media post’s caption was later edited to include the word “shipping,” with an announcement following that it would be shipping their Hailey Bieber smoothie ($20, assembly required). (Boston.com)

New hot pot spot coming to Downtown Crossing. Just as the weather (hopefully) starts to cool, GrowlGrowl Hot Pot will be opening, with a “playful twist” on hot pots. The menu features a wide variety of soup bases, including spicy Sichuan and Japanese tomato, as well as drinks like spiked boba. (What Now Boston)

Remembering Jane Goodall. During a 2023 interview with Travel + Leisure, the renowned zoologist and activist shared the importance of responsible animal and conservation tourism to developing nations. When travelers pay money to visit and see animals in their natural habitats, this shows locals how important these areas and animals are to conserve.

You can now fly from Boston to New Bedford. The addition of the 15-minute flight is raising eyebrows, but Cape Air’s vice president for planning believes this will save people traveling from the South Coast time, allowing them to fly to Logan to catch a connecting flight elsewhere while skipping the two-hour drive or train ride. (WBUR)

RIP passport stamps. European countries are changing their entry/exit procedures, effective October 12. Going forward, there’ll be digital checks, including facial recognition and fingerprinting, instead of the old analog system. This will help countries keep a better track of who enters their countries and send automatic alerts when someone overstays their planned visit. (Afar).

Vermont ski resorts are getting creative with their lawn care. Jay Peak, located near the Canadian border, is experimenting with using goats and sheep to maintain its manicured grass. The goal is to reduce the use of gas-powered machine mowers, which emit noise and air pollutants. (WBUR)

What the government shutdown actually impacts. Some national parks and monuments, including Boston’s USS Constitution and JFK Library, are closed indefinitely as they await the funding for necessary staffing. Flights and TSA checkpoints won’t see an immediate impact, but since these are essential government workers who must report to work without knowing when they’ll be paid for the work, officials advise that there may be delays. (Travel + Leisure)

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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The Boston Symphony Orchestra is looking at its roots this season, beginning with a performance of Mahler's Symphony No. 4 and Debussy’s Nocturnes — pieces composed around the same time Symphony Hall was being built. Performances are Thursday, October 2, at 7:30 pm, Friday, October 3, at 1:30 pm, and Saturday, October 4, at 8 pm at Symphony Hall (301 Mass Ave, Boston, MA 02115). Tickets range from $65.99 to $172.99.

See Macbeth on stage beginning Thursday, October 2, through October 26 at the Mosesian Center for the Arts (321 Arsenal St, Watertown, MA 02472). Directed by Christopher V. Edwards, this is an updated interpretation of the classic, set against the backdrop of the Cold War. Tickets start at $71, including fees.

World Market (95 Middlesex Ave, Somerville, MA 02145) is celebrating its Assembly Row Grand Opening Weekend, starting with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, October 2, followed by free food and drink tastings, giveaways, and special discounts all weekend long.

Oktoberfest continues with the 34th annual Harpoon Octoberfest party on Friday, October 3 (6 - 11 pm, doors close at 9:30) and Saturday, October 4 (12 - 7 pm, doors close at 5:30) at Harpoon Brewery (306 Northern Ave, Boston, MA 02210). Beer will be flowing, oompah music will be playing, plus there will be Stein Holding and Pretzel Eating competitions, chicken dancing, and more. Tickets range from $38 - $91, including beer. Additional beer tickets and food will be available for purchase.

Enjoy two days of fall fashion at the Finery: a Fall Fashion Festival at Faneuil Hall’s Quincy Market Building (1 S Market St, Boston, MA 02109) from Saturday, October 4, through Sunday, October 5, from 11 am to 7 pm. This will be the “ultimate pop-up department store” with over 90 vendors selling clothes, jewelry, accessories, and more. Entry is free. Food and drink will be available for purchase.

TS12 is here, and Boston is celebrating with release and listening parties all over the city.

Union Square Donuts is kicking off this new era with The Life of a Dough-Girl, a limited-edition doughnut featuring an orange glaze, mint drizzle, and a hint of sparkle. Available Thursday - Sunday at all locations (Union Square, Harvard Square, Assembly Row, Brookline, Time Out Market, and Boston Public Market).

Listen to Taylor’s hits, new and old, at the Taylor Swift Listening Party on Friday, October 3, from 6 - 7:30 pm at Time Out Market Boston. The first 100 attendees will receive a DIY Friendship bracelet kit, plus there will be a Taylor look-a-like contest, delicious food and drink from market kitchens, and more. Entry is free, and food and drink will be available for purchase.

Celebrate the debut of The Life of a Showgirl at the Taylor Swift: Life of a Showgirl Party with DJ Swiftie at High Street Place Food Hall (100 High St, Boston, MA 02110) on Friday, October 3, from 7 to 11 pm. There will be a video wall featuring music videos and Eras tour moments, a bracelet bead bar by Little Words Project ($25 per bracelet), specialty cocktails, shareable snacks, and more. Tickets are $25.

Make your way through Taylor’s new album from beginning to end at the TS Album Release Party: The Life of a Showgirl at Remnant Brewing (2 Bow Market Way, Somerville, MA) on Friday, October 3, from 9 pm to midnight. The first 30 fans through the door get a party bag. Entry is free, and drinks will be available for purchase.

Join the Taylor Swift Listening Party at CanalSide at CambridgeSide (100 CambridgeSide Place, Cambridge, MA 02141) on Friday, October 3, from 6 - 8 pm. There will be Taylor-themed cocktails from C-bar, a live DJ, bracelet making, a selfie spot, and more. Entry is free with food and drink available for purchase.

Celebrate the season at Fall Fest on the Greenway on Friday, October 3, from 4:30 to 8:30 pm at Rowes Wharf Plaza (High St and Atlantic Ave, Boston, MA 02110). There will be food trucks, artisan vendors, free face painting, pumpkin decorating, plus an outdoor screening of The Addams Family (1991) at 6:30. This event is free and open to the public. Food and drink will be available for purchase.

Get in the spooky season spirit with the Murder Mystery Co. Dinner Theater Show on Friday, October 3, from 7 to 9:30 pm at Exchange Street Bistro (67 Exchange St, Malden, MA 02148). Over a three-course meal, you’ll mingle with suspects, learn secrets, and maybe even end up as the killer. Tickets are $79 and include dinner.

In celebration of Korean independence from Japan, witness Reasonance of Freedom, a concert in commemoration of the 80th anniversary of Korean independence on Friday, October 3, from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm at Jordan Hall (290 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA). The performance features the world premiere of The Grass Still Grows (들풀): A Cantata for Memory, Community, and Hope (commissioned by Korean Methodist Church & Institute (KMCI)) by Texu Kim at California State Univ. in San Diego, plus Beethoven’s Coriolan Overture and Piano Concerto No. 5. Tickets are free.

Start Sober October with a Yoga & Sound Bath Session at Dray Non-Alcoholic Bottle Shop (18 Union Park Street, Boston, MA 02118) with Peter Sacco of BulldownFlowBoston on Saturday, October 4, from 10 to 11:30 am. Stick around after the session for an alcohol-free social hour. Tickets are $30.

Shop books, CDs, and DVDs at the Boston Public Library Book Sale on Saturday, October 4, from 10 am to 4 pm at Boston Public Library Copley’s Commonwealth Salon (700 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116). Proceeds from the sale fund museum passes and projects at 16 BPL branches, including cooking classes, live performances, and art workshops. They will also be accepting donations (books, CDs, DVDs) for future sales.

Head to Tall Ship (1 East Pier Drive, Boston, MA 02128) on Saturday, October 4, for their 5th Annual Oktoberfest celebration. From 1 - 5 pm, enjoy Stein Hoisting competitions, prizes for the best dressed, cornhole, live shucking, pretzels from Eastern Standard Provisions, German-themed food specials, and over 30 beers from New England breweries, including Sam Adams, Fiddlehead, Triple Eight, Burlington Beer Co., and Break Rock Brewing. Tickets are $17.85, including fees.

The Life of a Showgirl is finally here, and City Winery Boston (80 Beverly St, Boston, MA 02114) is hosting a Swiftie Trivia Brunch + Listening Party on Saturday, October 4, beginning at noon (doors open at 11 am). Tickets are free with food and drink available for purchase.

Grab your best fur friend and head to Harpoon Dogtoberfest on Sunday, October 5, from 10 am - 2 pm at Harpoon Brewery (306 Northern Ave, Boston, MA 02210). There will be costume, trick, and look-a-like contests, on-site adoption meet & greets with the MSPCA, an agility course, plus food and beverages — including beer brewed specifically for your dog (Bow-Wow Brew). Tickets are $27.69 and include one drink ticket and a 2025 Dogtoberfest Pint Cup. Additional drinks and food will be available for purchase.

Get in the spooky season spirit with a viewing of Hocus Pocus with Live Commentary from some of the movie’s stars, including Vanessa Shaw (“Alison”), Omri Katz (“Max”), Larry Bagby (“Ice”), and Jason Marsden (voice of “Binx”), on Sunday, October 5, beginning at 5 pm at The Cabot (286 Cabot St, Beverly, MA 01915). Tickets start at $73.50, including fees.

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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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.

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.

Ease into the weekend with a Friday Yoga Flow for all levels at Boston Public Library Honan-Allston Branch (300 N Harvard St, Allston, MA 02134) every Friday through September 19 from 3 to 4 pm. This event is free, but registration is required as each class is customized to participants’ preferences. Yoga mats, blocks, and straps will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis.

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.

Every Saturday from June 21 through September 6, start your weekend with the Sweat and Sip Summer Yoga Series on the rooftop of High Street Place (100 High Street, Boston, MA 02110). Classes are $20 and include a $10 voucher to spend at any of the High Street Place Food Hall vendors.

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.

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.

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.

New to natural wines? Don’t miss the free wine tastings at Petrova Chocolates (61 Salem Street, Boston, MA) in the North End every Friday (3 - 7 pm) and Saturday (12 - 3). Each week, they open bottles of Eastern European natural wines from countries like Georgia, Bulgaria, and Greece. These tastings are free and require no tickets or reservations.

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.

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.

On Saturdays, Boston Harbor Distillery (12R Ericsson St, Boston, 02122) leads VIP tours ($50) and barrel-side tastings of their spirits ($20).

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.

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 with 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 filled with unique vendors selling a wide range of items, from original artwork to pet supplies. Food and beverages will also be available for purchase, along with a DJ and a game area for all ages.