What to do in Boston this weekend (Sept 19 - 21)

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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Harvard Square levels up its Euro vibes. After construction closed parts of Cambridge’s Lower Bow Street for two years, the Cambridge City Council decided no one would miss that section of roadway. Now, between Dewolfe and Plymton Street, Lower Bow will be home to patios for Blue Bottle Coffee, Daedalus Restaurant, and Sea Hag Restaurant. (Boston.com)

Jerry Greenfield of Ben & Jerry’s quits to keep his voice. While the ice cream company and its owners have always been synonymous with social activism, their parent company seems to have put its foot down. In an open letter, Greenfield explained he was walking away from the company he helped create because Unilever had silenced their ability to speak on global issues. (CNBC)

25 years later, South Station Tower is finally here. The 690-foot tower is (nearly) complete, offering new private residential and office space above one of Boston’s busiest transit hubs. Highlights include penthouse views overlooking the Financial District and an indoor greenspace. (Boston Magazine)

Stop checking your battery-powered belongings. The TSA has updated its guidance on what belongs in a checked versus carry-on bag, now including cordless curling or straightening irons that use gas or butane cartridges and any refill cartridge, plus electronic toothbrushes with lithium batteries. (Afar)

AmEx is trying to make travel easier. Not only does the credit card company have a travel app coming out, making it easier for customers to book hotels, flights, and more, but they will also be providing wait times and access to a standby list for their popular airport Centurion Lounges. (The Points Guy)

Institutional investors back startups to unlock outsized returns. Regular investors have to wait. But not anymore. Thanks to regulatory updates, some companies are doing things differently.

Take Revolut. In 2016, 433 regular people invested an average of $2,730. Today? They got a 400X buyout offer from the company, as Revolut’s valuation increased 89,900% in the same timeframe.

No wonder 10K+ everyday people are taking the chance on Pacaso.

Founded by a former Zillow exec, Pacaso’s co-ownership tech reshapes the $1.3T vacation home market. They’ve earned $110M+ in gross profit to date, including 41% YoY growth in 2024 alone. They even reserved the Nasdaq ticker PCSO.

The same institutional investors behind Uber, Venmo, and eBay backed Pacaso. And you can join them. But not for long. Pacaso’s investment opportunity ends September 18.

Invest While You Still Can

_{Paid advertisement for Pacaso’s Regulation A offering. Read the offering circular at invest.pacaso.com. Reserving a ticker symbol is not a guarantee that the company will go public. Listing on the NASDAQ is subject to approvals.}

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 Oktoberfest celebrations continue this weekend at breweries across Boston with German-style beer, food, and live music. From Friday, September 19, through Sunday, September 21, you can party at Sam Adams Downtown Taproom (60 State St, Boston, MA 02109) and Mighty Squirrel’s Arsenal Yards location (102 Arsenal Yards Blvd, Watertown, MA 02472).

Fort Point’s newest bakery, Elephantine Bakery (332 Congress St, Boston, MA, 02210), is celebrating another soft open weekend. Doors will be open from 9 am to 2 pm on Friday, September 19, through Sunday, September 21.

The Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series is back in Seaport this weekend. Divers will be jumping off the top of the ICA (25 Harbor Shore Drive, Boston, MA 02210) on Friday, September 19, and Saturday, September 20.

Meanwhile, Trillium Brewing (all locations) and Aeronaut Brewing (14 Tyler St, Somerville, MA 02143) are holding Oktoberfest festivities from Saturday, September 20, through Sunday, September 21.

The 41st Boston Film Festival, one of America’s longest-running film events, will be held from Friday, September 19, through Monday, September 22, with special screenings and premieres happening all over the city.

Grab your best pair of lederhosen and head to Oktoberfest at the Great American Beer Hall (142 Mystic Ave, Medford, MA 02155) on Saturday, September 20, from 2 - 5 pm. There will be live music, festive food, drinks, and a beerstein holding challenge. The event is free to attend. Food and drink will be available for purchase.

For a party of a different kind, head to Lord Hobo Boston (2 Drydock Ave, Boston, MA 02210) for the Anti-Octoberfest on Saturday, September 20, from open to close. They’re trading beersteins for stemware and oompah bands for basslines for something a little different to kick off fall. Live DJs will keep the vibes going all day, while the bar has exclusive cocktail specials. Plus, the IV Garden is in full bloom, providing Hydration IVs to help keep the hangover away. This is a free event with food and drink available for purchase.

Celebrate the coming of a new season with a morning Fall Equinox Forest Therapy session on Saturday, September 20, from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm at Arnold Arboretum (125 Arborway, Boston, MA 02130). Led by Devon Oberle, a certified forest therapy guide, you’ll spend time reconnecting with nature on a slow meander through the Arboretum. This is a pay-what-you-can event, with the meeting point given after registration.

Spend your evening browsing the Taiwanese Night Market on Saturday, September 20, from 4 to 10 pm on Boston’s Rose Kennedy Greenway between Husdon Street and Beach Street. The market will feature live cultural performances, food vendors, handmade crafts, and games. This is a free event with food and drink available for purchase.

Take part in a Somerville tradition with the 20th annual What the Fluff? Festival on Saturday, September 20, from 2 to 6 pm in Somerville’s Union Square. Enjoy live music, Fluff-themed games (limbo, jousting, hairdos, lickoffs), Parkhour, a creation station, and more. This is a free event with food and drink available for purchase.

Shop your way through the Made in Boston Festival, a celebration of APPI creativity, culture, and community, on Saturday, September 20, from 11 am to 5 pm at Faneuil Hall Marketplace (206 S Market St, Boston, MA, 02109). Local vendors will have a curated collection of original artwork and innovative products. This event is free and open to the public. Food and drink will be available for purchase.

If you’re new to East Boston, don’t miss the Eastie Welcome Weekend community block party on Saturday, September 20, from 2 to 6 pm at the corner of Bennington, Brooks, and Harve Streets in East Boston by the MBTA Airport Station. There will be music, art installations, a beer garden, Latin American BBQ, plus resources and restaurant guides. This is a free event open to the public.

Grab your cowboy boots because the first-ever Boston Rodeo & Country Music Festival is being held on Saturday, September 20, from 2 to 10:30 pm in City Hall Plaza (1 City Hall Sq, Boston, MA). Enjoy a day of bull riding, barrel racing, bucking broncos, and two stages with a packed performing schedule by country music artists, including Fred Ellsworth, Kassi Ashton, the O’Connor Brothers, and special guests. Tickets start at $83.48.

Gather at Drawdown Brewing Co. (3204 Washington St, Boston, MA 02130) to watch the Women’s Rugby World Cup semi-finals on Saturday, September 20, beginning at 10:30 am. The event is free to attend, with food and drink available for purchase.

Add some autumnal flair to your home just in time for the solstice with a Honey and the Moon Bloom Bar Pop-Up at Shake the Tree (67 Salem St, Boston, MA 02113) on Saturday, September 20, from 1 - 4 pm. You can either create your own dried flower bouquet or pick a pre-made bundle.

Celebrate 10 years of Boston Public Market with Market on a Mission Day on Saturday, September 20, from 10 am to 5 pm at Boston Public Market (100 Hanover St, Boston, MA 02108). Community organizations will be popping up, along with giveaways and more.

Curio Spice Co. Bookstore (2265 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140) is celebrating the Grand Opening of their new and improved bookstore on Saturday, September 20, from 12 to 4 pm. Stop by for giveaways, spiced popcorn tasting bar (featuring their new everyday blends), take advantage of one-day-only promos, and more. This is a free event.

To help recover from Saturday night, Trillium Brewing is holding an Oktoberfest Hangover Yoga session on Sunday, September 21, from 11 - 11:45 am at its Fort Point (50 Thomson Pl, Boston, MA 02210), Fenway (401 Park Dr, Boston, MA 02215), and Canton (100 Royall St, Canton, MA 02021) locations.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.