10 things to do in Boston this 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.
Boston International Kids Film Festival
For children who love film or aspire to someday work in the film industry, the fourth annual Boston International Kids Film Festival offers a wide range of activities over the course of four days. Visitors can buy individual tickets or daily passes for short film packages (some of which are free), workshops on topics like stop-motion animation, and even films made by kids themselves. (Thursday, November 3 to Sunday, November 6 at various times; Arlington Capitol Theatre and Somerville Theatre; $0-60; all ages)
Bad Hombres and Nasty Women
In (dis?)honor of Donald Trump’s questionable quotes from the third presidential debate about ridding the U.S. of “bad hombres” and calling Hillary Clinton a “nasty woman,” The Brattle is playing two films featuring plenty of both on Thursday. First up is the Sergio Leone classic For a Fistful of Dollars — starring Clint Eastwood as the bad hombre with no name — followed by Perdita Durango, a 1997 film starring Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men) and Rosie Perez (Do The Right Thing) doing the wrong thing all over the country on their way to Las Vegas. (Thursday, November 3 at 7:30 p.m. to 11:45 p.m.; Brattle Theatre; $8-11 for one film, $11-13 for double feature; all ages)
From the Ground Up
As of June of this year, the Berklee College of Music and the Boston Conservatory are one entity. Starting Thursday, the newly minted Dance Division of the Boston Conservatory at Berklee is putting on their fall showcase, featuring new works created by leading choreographers specifically for Conservatory students and accompanied by the Boston Conservatory Orchestra. (Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 8 p.m., Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.; Boston Conservatory Theater, second floor; $25 GA; $30 premium seating, $20-25 for senior citizens, Boston Conservatory alumni, and WGBH members; $15-20 for students; all ages)
MFA Overnight: State of the Party
The Museum of Fine Arts is once again opening its doors during the witching hours, showcasing some of its more contemporary pieces, including Christian Marclay’s 24-hour experimental film The Clock and the abstract prints of artist Terry Winters. Visitors to this free event can also enjoy music, food trucks, stargazing, performance art, and more. Hopefully the crowd for the third of the MFA’s four overnight events won’t be quite as overwhelming as the wildly successful debut. (Friday, November 4 to Saturday, November 5, 9 p.m. to 9 a.m.; Museum of Fine Arts; free; all ages)
Boston Christmas Festival
With Halloween fading fast in the rearview mirror, many people who would rather avoid the headache of Black Friday are already planning their holiday shopping. The 30th annual Boston Christmas Festival will feature bargains and extravagant luxuries alike from more than 300 master American craftsmen. Visitors can also bid on gingerbread houses constructed by top chefs, with the proceeds benefitting Housing Families, a charity dedicated to ending family homelessness in Massachusetts. (Friday, November 4 from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday, November 5 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, November 6 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Seaport World Trade Center; $13 entry fee; all ages)
Hassle Fest 8
Brain Arts, an all-volunteer nonprofit organization dedicated to the independent art, film, and music community of Greater Boston, is throwing the eighth edition of underground music and arts showcase Hassle Fest for two nights at the Brighton Music Hall. Along with more than 30 musical acts, the venue will be decorated by local artists using recycled or upcycled materials, with organizers describing the “Trash Land” effect as, “Oh the Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss meets post-apocalyptic alien landscape.” (Friday November 4 from 3 p.m. to 1 a.m., and Saturday, November 5 from 1 p.m. to 1 a.m.; Brighton Music Hall; $25 for each night; all ages)
Chris Hardwick at the Wilbur
Chris Hardwick is one of the busiest men in the comedy world, serving as host for AMC’s Talking Dead, Comedy Central’s @Midnight, and the CEO of Nerdist Industries, among numerous other pursuits. He’s bringing his signature blend of acerbic, nerdy humor to the Wilbur for two shows this weekend. (Friday, November 4 at 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.; The Wilbur Theatre; $35; all ages)
Punkin Chunkin Quincy
Instead of throwing out those rotting jack-o’-lanterns quite, why not launch them from a giant trebuchet or slingshot? Boy Scout Troop 6 of Quincy is setting up their pumpkin-tossing machines for four hours on Saturday, with the money paid to fling gourds across Pageant Park benefitting the troop. (Saturday, November 5 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Pageant Park, Quincy; $5 per pumpkin launch; all ages)
Britney Brunch
In 2014, the city of Las Vegas declared November 5 Britney Spears Day in honor of the singer’s continued residency at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. To celebrate this November 5, 6B Lounge is throwing a Britney Brunch, where diners can enjoy their standard breakfast food options to the tune of the former Mickey Mouse Club star’s greatest hits. The event is free, but the restaurant strongly encourages making a reservation. (Saturday, November 5 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; 6B Lounge; free; all ages)
Harpoon Brewery Friendsgiving
If jumping right into Christmas-themed events is too much for you, Harpoon is offering a compromise with an early Friendsgiving. Along with a traditional Thanksgiving meal with some Harpoon-inspired elements, guests can enjoy live music, sample the newest seasonal beer from the brewery, and taste a Friendsgiving-exclusive beer. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Greater Boston Food Bank. (Sunday, November 6 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Harpoon Brewery; $70; 21+)
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