10 things to do in Boston this weekend
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.
Yoga on Carson Beach
Mingle your inner peace with the salty sea air during an all-levels vinyasa flow on the beach from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Afterward, trade in your yoga pants for your party hat as a DJ kicks off a post-flow beach fiesta. Ticket prices include a salad from Sweetgreen and other perks from Yoga Around Town’s sponsors. (Thursday, August 3 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.; Carson Beach, Boston; $20 GA, $25 with mat rental; all ages)
The Friends of Eddie Coyle at the Brattle
The Departed, The Town, Gone Baby Gone, and Mystic River are always mentioned as exemplars of the Boston crime movie genre. Decades before any of them graced the silver screen, there was The Friends of Eddie Coyle starring Robert Mitchum as the titular Eddie Fingers, a low-level gunrunner in Boston’s seedy criminal underbelly. To celebrate what would have been Mitchum’s 100th birthday, the Brattle will hold screenings all weekend. (Friday, August 4 through Sunday, August 6 at various times; Brattle Theatre, Cambridge; $8-12; rated R)
White Hot First Fridays at the ICA
The Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston is embracing the August heat, throwing a waterfront party with a dress code of your best summer whites. Along with the exhibits, revelers can enjoy music from DJ Frank White and food from Island Creek Oysters, Roxy’s Grilled Cheese, and Union Square Donuts, plus plenty of cocktails. (Friday, August 4 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; ICA, Boston; $20 GA, free for members; 21+)
Free Fun Fridays at Boston Common
This summer, the Highland Street Foundation has offered Free Fun Fridays at the area’s museums, an opportunity that only continues through the end of this month. Eight Massachusetts cultural institutions will provide free admission this Friday, including the Old State House and the Greenway Carousel. However, this weekend’s highlight just may be the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, which will give a family-friendly demonstration of how actors safely simulate onstage combat at 6:30 p.m., followed by a performance of Romeo & Juliet at 8 p.m. (Friday, August 4 from 6:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Boston Common; free; all ages)
Oyster Oyster Block Party
To celebrate National Oyster Day, SoWa and Eat Boston will bring together a fleet of Boston area food trucks to serve oyster-themed dishes. The market will also feature a couple of mobile raw bars, as well as craft beers, cider, and wine. (Saturday, August 5 and Sunday, August 6 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; 540 Harrison Ave., Boston; free; all ages)
Roaring Twenties Lawn Party
If Jay Gatsby were alive (and not a fictional character), he’d want to snag a ticket to the Roaring Twenties Lawn Party in Ipswich this weekend. Thousands of people will don period-appropriate clothing and dance the evening away to the greatest hits from nearly a century ago on the lawns of Castle Hill on the Crane Estate. Organizers decided to expand the party to two days after 3,200 guests showed up last year. Tickets must be purchased in advance. (Saturday, August 5 and Sunday, August 6 starting at 1 p.m.; 290 Argilla Road, Ipswich; $40 GA, $32 for students, seniors, and Trustees members, free for children ages 10 and under; all ages)
Taste of the Caribbean Boston Food Festival
Want to dine on tasty Caribbean food while helping to give back to the community? Then check out the Taste of the Caribbean Boston Food Festival in Roxbury this Saturday. Along with Caribbean cuisine from local restaurants, the fest will offer live music, face painting, and local art. Proceeds from the tickets will go toward a scholarship program for exceptional local students. (Saturday, August 5 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.; Hibernian Hall, Boston; $15 GA, free for children ages 10 and under; all ages)
Free Outdoor Yoga in the South End
If you’re more of an early-morning exerciser, every Sunday starting this weekend through Aug. 27, Sadhana Yoga will host a free all-levels vinyasa flow at Blackstone Square Park in the South End at 8 a.m. (Sunday, August 6 from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.; Blackstone Square Park, Boston; free; all ages)
Blackbird Doughnuts and Bully Boy Brunch
If you’re looking for an unconventional brunch experience on Sunday, Bully Boy Distillery is opening its doors for a cocktail-doughnut-coffee combo event. South End’s Blackbird Doughnuts and Arlington’s Awake Nitro Brewing will bring the doughnuts and coffee, while Bully Boy’s handcrafted rum, vodka, and whiskey will put a little kick in your brunch cocktail. (Sunday, August 6 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.; Bully Boy Distillers, Boston; free entry; 21+)
Gospelfest
The 17th Annual Gospelfest will take place at City Hall Sunday evening, and according to the city’s website, it’s the largest gospel music celebration in New England. Musicians scheduled to perform include The Kingdom Builders, Margaret Holmes & the Gospel T’s, and a headlining performance by Anthony Brown & group therAPy. (Sunday, August 6 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.; City Hall Plaza, Boston; free; all ages)
