10 things to do in Boston this weekend
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. You can also learn even more about awesome events around Boston by joining the BosTen Facebook group.
Kacey Musgraves
Country star Kacey Musgraves has more than a decade in the public eye under her belt, but in the last year, her star has risen even higher. Last year’s critically acclaimed “Golden Hour” netted the songwriter four Grammy awards, including Album of the Year, as well as top-billed appearances at festivals like Coachella and Bonnaroo and the adoration of both country fans and mainstream music listeners alike. Musgraves will ride into town on that wave of goodwill this Thursday, playing a show at Rockland Trust Bank Pavilion. (Thursday, Sept. 12 at 8 p.m.; Rockland Trust Bank Pavilion, Boston; $64-$142; all ages)
The Who
Who says orchestral arrangements can’t rock? The Who, one of the most influential bands to cross the pond during the British invasion, will play Fenway Park this Friday, with a full symphonic orchestra in tow and former J. Geils Band frontman Peter Wolf opening. The band has been playing with an orchestra since the start of the Moving On! tour in May, though each date on the tour so far has included a handful of songs with the classic rock band instrumentation as well. (Friday, Sept. 13 at 6:30 p.m.; Fenway Park, Boston; $75-$195; all ages)
“Choir Boy”
From the mind of “Moonlight” screenwriter Tarell Alvin McCraney, this coming-of-age play is set within the halls of the prestigious (and fictional) Charles R. Drew Prep School for Boys, where one student has been waiting for his chance to become the leader of the school’s gospel choir. But he soon finds that surviving school and achieving his dream will force him to choose between keeping his head down and playing by the rules or letting his true self shine through. (Friday, Sept. 13 from 8 p.m. to 9:40 p.m.; Calderwood Pavilion, Boston; $25-$60; recommended for ages 16+)
Boston Social Fitness Festival
The season of free outdoor fitness classes is almost over, but you can get an entire day’s worth in one fell swoop. On Saturday, City Hall Plaza will host an entire day of free fitness activities ranging from more conventional classes like yoga and bootcamp to less conventional offerings like outdoor spinning and a dance mile. There will also be family-friendly activities presented by TV personality and Medford native Maria Menounos, who will be there promoting healthy living alongside Rally Health. While all of the activities will all be free, organizers highly recommend that anyone interested in attending register in advance. (Saturday, Sept. 14 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.; City Hall Plaza, Boston; free; all ages)
Roslindale Porch Fest
With the porch fests of Arlington, Jamaica Plain, and Somerville already in the past, it’s Roslindale’s turn to bring free local music to neighborhood porches. More than 90 acts are set to play more than 70 locations across the Boston neighborhood on Saturday. (Saturday, Sept. 14 from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.; various Roslindale porches, Boston; free; all ages)
Riverfest
Riverfest is the City of Somerville’s summer send-off at Assembly Row, with a full day of activities slated for the banks of the Mystic River. The gathering will feature seven hours of live music from local artists, kid-friendly activities, and a sidewalk sale, all capped off by a fireworks show at sundown. (Saturday, Sept. 14 from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Sylvester Baxter Riverfront Park, Somerville; free; all ages)
Billy Joel
Billy Joel has seen the lights go out on Broadway, but he’s seen the lights go on at Fenway, too. The Piano Man has played at the home of the Sox more than any other artist, and will be back on Yawkey Way for the sixth consecutive year this Saturday. (Saturday, Sept. 14 at 7:30 p.m.; Fenway Park, Boston; $75-$195; all ages)
“Blue Velvet”
In many ways, this 1986 genre-bender from David Lynch feels like a precursor to his acclaimed TV series “Twin Peaks,” and not just because they both star Kyle MacLachlan. Just like the 1990 ABC show, “Blue Velvet” features a clean-cut, all-American protagonist played by MacLachlan, who finds himself wrapped up in an utterly surreal erotic mystery centered around an alluring woman (Isabella Rossellini) and a terrifying villain whose evil seems otherworldly at times (Dennis Hopper). In other words, it’s one of many Lynch works that is best enjoyed at midnight, which is when the Coolidge will screen the film this Saturday. (Saturday, Sept. 14 at 11:59 p.m.; Coolidge Corner Theatre, Brookline; $13.25; rated R)
Open Newbury Street
For the third time this summer, the City of Boston will make Newbury Street a pedestrian-only thoroughfare on Sunday. Check out local businesses, listen to live music, and play a few lawn games on the car-free stretch from Berkeley Street to Massachusetts Avenue. (Sunday, Sept. 15 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Newbury Street, Boston; free; all ages)
Boston Local Food Festival
The Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway will transform into a giant local and sustainable food hub this Sunday. Farmers, restaurants, food trucks, specialty food producers, and organizations focusing on healthy food and fitness from all across New England will be on hand to share their knowledge and their food. The fest will also feature chef demos, a seafood cooking competition, and musical performances. (Sunday, Sept. 15 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Rose Kennedy Greenway, Boston; free; all ages)
