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.
Free Summer Yoga Thursdays at Frog Pond
Every Thursday from this one through August 31, the Boston Health Commission will hold free yoga at the Boston Common Frog Pond. Go and “find your inner frogi.” (Thursday, June 8 from 6 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.; Boston Common Frog Pond; free; all ages)
SoWa Summer Party
If you struggle to make it into the South End for SoWa on weekends, SoWa is holding an after-work summer party Thursday evening. More than 25 art galleries and design shops will keep their doors open past closing time. Enjoy plenty of music, food, and refreshments, including tunes from
Keytar Bear and beverages from Downeast Cider and Lord Hobo Brewing. (Thursday, June 8 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.; SoWa Art & Design District, Boston; free; all ages)
Boston Pride ’90s Throwback FUNdrager
An assortment of Pride Week events are going on this weekend, but a definite highlight will be Thursday’s party at Queeraoke in Jamaica Plain. It will include a costume contest, lip sync battles, photo booths, door prizes, and a playlist that organizers promise will be “filled to the brim with foot stompin’, booty shakin’, lung burstin’ 90s throwbacks.” (Thursday, June 8 from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.; Queeraoke, Boston; $10 donation; 21+)
Glow in the Park
On the heels of the recent grand opening of the Trillium Beer Garden, another 21-plus diversion is coming to the Rose Kennedy Greenway. The Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy will host its third annual Glow in the Park party, a young professionals event featuring lawn games, live music, and all the food and drinks you want from companies like Roxy’s Grilled Cheese, The Shuck Truck, Sam Adams, and Trillium included with admission. Boston.com readers can get $10 off your ticket by entering the code “BostonDotCom” at checkout. (Friday, June 9 from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.; Rose Kennedy Greenway, Boston; $95 GA, $85 with code “BostonDotCom”; 21+) Note: Boston.com does not receive any portion of the revenue from ticket sales for this event.
Spectacle Island 5K and Family Fun Run
Runners looking for a race with spectacular views should check out Saturday’s Spectacle Island 5K and Family Fun Run on Spectacle Island in the Boston Harbor. Racers and spectators alike can hop on a boat at Long Wharf or the Hingham Shipyard Marina and head to the island for a 5K, a children’s fun run, a picnic lunch, and live music. Race fees will benefit Boston Harbor Now, the nonprofit partner of the Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park. (Saturday, June 10 from 8:15 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Spectacle Island, Boston; $45 for adult runners, $20 for kids, $27 for spectators; all ages)
Boston Pride Parade and Festival
This Saturday, expect thousands of people to march, cheer, dance, and ride through the heart of Boston, rain or shine, during the Boston Pride Parade. Meanwhile, at City Hall, the Pride Festival and Concert will feature musical performances from eight artists, including R&B singer Lillie McCloud and X Factor finalist/former member of Menudo Carlito Olivero. (Saturday, June 10 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Copley Square/City Hall; free; all ages)
Bacon & Beer Festival
The original May 13 date was rained out, so the Bacon & Beer Festival will take over Fenway Park this Saturday. More than 40 restaurants—including newcomers City Tap House, Island Creek Oyster Bar, Blue Ribbon BBQ, and The Smoke Shop—will provide outrageous bacon-inspired dishes. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Red Sox Foundation, the official charity of the Red Sox, as well as Community Servings and Lovin’ Spoonfuls. (Saturday, May 13, from 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m., 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. for VIP ticket holders; Fenway Park, Gate B Concourse, Boston; $52 GA, $100 VIP; 21+)
Boston Dragon Boat Festival
If the Head of the Charles has started to feel like old hat, but you still want to spend time watching boat races on the Charles River, the Boston Dragon Boat Festival is for you. Approximately 70 teams will race traditional Chinese dragon boats through the water, while on shore you can expect music, food, and cultural demonstrations from China, Japan, South Korea, and other Asian countries. (Sunday, June 11 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Weeks Footbridge, Cambridge; free; all ages)
Color Run 5K at Gillette Stadium
On Sunday, the national fun run phenomenon known as the Color Run will return to Massachusetts. Runners will barely notice they’re getting a workout in the shadow of Gillette Stadium thanks to the pre-race dance party that start at 8 a.m., the clouds of color coating runners along the course, and giant inflatable unicorns that make for the perfect Instagram backdrop. A portion of the race fee will benefit Back on My Feet, a nonprofit that combats homelessness through the power of running and community support; and Chill Boston, a nonprofit that offers winter sports programs featuring skiing and snowboarding to kids who would otherwise be unable to afford them. (Sunday, June 11 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.; Gillette Stadium, Foxborough; $50-55; all ages)
Boston Pride Back Bay Block Party
Saturday’s Pride Parade and Festival won’t mark the end of Pride Week in Boston. Sunday will have several events, too, including the Back Bay Block Party at the corner of Berkeley Street and St. James Avenue. Featuring live DJs, food, and plenty of dancing, the block party should be a great way to spend the afternoon celebrating outside. (Sunday, June 11 from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m; St. James Street, Boston; $15; all ages)
