10 things to do in Boston this Memorial Day weekend
BosTen is your weekly guide to not-lame events in the city.
BosTen is your weekly guide to events and cool happenings in and around Boston. Skip Netflix this weekend—here are 10 ways to get out of your home and not be bored in the city. If you’d like BosTen delivered to your inbox every Thursday, click here. Want more things to do? Check out our events calendar at boston.com/events.
Memorial Day Garden of Flags on Boston Common
Every Memorial Day, the city honors those who’ve died in the armed forces by planting 10s of thousands of American flags on Boston Common. The sight is truly amazing, and the “garden of flags” will be there to visit throughout the whole long weekend. (Thursday, May 26 to Monday, May 30; see it all day; Boston Common; free; all ages)
Opening of Cirque du Soleil: Kurios
The concept of this “Cabinet of Curiosities”-themed Cirque du Soleil is to take the audience into a fantasy world inhabited by strange characters. There hasn’t been a Cirque du Soleil like it yet. (Thursday, May 26 to Sunday, July 10; various times; Suffolk Downs; $35-$170; all ages)
The Handle Bar’s “Beyonce v Beyonce” ride
The cycling studio’s Southie location is having a few themed classes this week. A Boston Calling class featuring music from Sia and Disclosure is on Thursday night. The Friday evening class is a double dose of Beyonce, which could only mean lots of Lemonade. (Friday, May 26 at 5:45 p.m.; The Handle Bar, South Boston; $24 for a single class; all ages)
The Do-Over Tour with Adam Sandler
We’re throwing it back to 2005’s glory days of funny dudes for this one. Sandler, David Spade, Nick Swardson, and Rob Schneider teamed up with Netflix for a comedy tour that coincides with the Netflix premiere of Spade and Sandler’s movie The Do-Over on May 27. (Thursday, May 26 at 8 p.m.; Agganis Arena; $47.50-$196.50; all ages, but it’s Adam Sandler, so…)
Boston Calling Music Festival
The city’s biannual music festival is baaaaack. This weekend, huge acts like Sia, Disclosure, Robyn, and Haim will perform over the course of three days at City Hall Plaza. (Friday, May 27 to Sunday, May 29; various set times; $60-$185; City Hall Plaza; all ages)
Southfield’s Food Truck Rodeo
Who would pass up 25 food trucks all in one place and live music? Kristen Merlin from The Voice and a Jimmy Buffett cover band will be there. Participating trucks include Stoked, The Sausage Guy, Boston’s Baddest Burgers, and Ben & Jerry’s. (Friday, May 27 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Southfield, Weymouth; free to attend; all ages)
Cats in Space
Real Star Wars fans are going to love this one. Cats in Space Tour is taking over Boston Common on Saturday night, letting hundreds of people run around with glow-in-the-dark plastic swords. It’s a battle of the “defenders of light” versus the “defenders of dark.” Plus, $1 for every sword sold goes to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. (Saturday, May 28 at 8 p.m.; Boston Common; $10-$25 depending on the sword you buy; all ages)
Star Wars Day at Franklin Park Zoo
Yes, real Star Wars fans will love this one, too. People dressed as characters from Star Wars will roam Franklin Park Zoo for all the kids (and maybe adults?) to take pictures with. The zoo is also involving the animals for special Star Wars-themed features. (Saturday, May 28 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Franklin Park Zoo; $15.95-$19.95; all ages)
Country 102.5’s Street Party
Boston’s top country music station is throwing its annual party over on Landsdowne Street. This year, Chris Young, Eric Paslay, LOCASH, and Cassadee Pope are headlining the honky-tonk bash. (Sunday, May 29 at 1 p.m.; House of Blues Boston; $29; 21+)
Free Memorial Day Open House at the MFA
The Museum of Fine Arts is letting everyone in for free on Monday. That’s all it is, really. But while you’re there, check out the exhibition Steve Martin curated, the cleaned Van Gogh paintings, and the 20-foot-wide inflatable flower. (Monday, May 30 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; free; all ages)
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