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.
The Love Witch at Emerson College
An undervalued film from last year is The Love Witch, a send-up of 1960s horror and Technicolor films about a witch that uses her powers to make men fall in love with her. The film’s director, Anna Biller, will be on hand for a Q&A after the screening. The Love Witch is part of Emerson College’s Bright Lights Film Series, which holds free screenings open to the public every Tuesday and Thursday evening, and is committed to screening at least 50 percent of films directed by women and elevating filmmakers of color, queer cinema, and films dealing with disability. (Thursday, November 2 at 7 p.m.; Paramount Center, Boston; free; all ages)
Boston Christmas Festival
Like it or not, the second you finished watching that Halloween horror marathon, it officially became holiday season. The unstoppable torrent of sleigh bells and tinsel will kick into high gear at the World Trade Center with the 31st annual Boston Christmas Festival, full of handcrafted gifts, specialty foods, a charity gingerbread competition between top chefs, and an overabundance of holiday cheer. (Friday November 3 from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday, November 4 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, November 5 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Seaport World Trade Center, Boston; $13; all ages)
Down the Road Beer Co. Grand Opening
Everett has become a surprising hub of fermentation, with Night Shift Brewing and the nearby Short Path Distillery giving ample reason to take a trip on the Orange Line. This Friday, another brewery enters the area. Down the Road Brewery will throw a grand opening party for its new taproom about a mile from Night Shift and Short Path. Visitors will enjoy food, newly released beers, and a retro arcade. (Friday, November 3 from 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Down the Road Beer Co., Everett; free entry; all ages)
Illuminus
Not only is there a Christmas festival this weekend, there’s a festival of lights. Illuminus will feature imaginative, illuminative work from Boston’s artists, designers, performers, and creative technologists. You can find large-scale projection maps, interactive digital art, and immersive art installations in Downtown Crossing this Friday and Saturday. (Friday, November 3 and Saturday, November 4 from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Downtown Crossing, Boston; free; all ages)
Boston Beer and Sweets Fest
From the producers of the Boston Beer and BBQ Fest and the Boston Beer and Cheese Fest comes the next logical step in the Beer and [X] festival template. The Beer and Sweets Fest will include eight local sweet shops, including Blackbird Doughnuts, Miam Miam Macaronerie, and Parlor Ice Cream, each paired with multiple local brews. (Friday, November 3 from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Saturday, November 4 from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Liberty Hall, Boston; $55; all ages)
Granite Railway Quarry Walk
Finding great hikes so close to Boston can be tricky, but one underappreciated spot for both hiking and history is the Quincy Quarries, a former granite quarry and the location of what many believe to be the first railroad in America. The Quincy Quarry and Granite Workers Museum will lead tours of the site this Saturday and will bring along photos that show what landmarks along the hiking path looked like more than 100 years ago. (Saturday, November 4 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Quincy Quarries, Quincy; free; all ages)
Pumpkin Smash
Trying to figure out what to do with those soon-to-be-rotting jack-o’-lanterns? Blast your squash into smithereens during the great Pumpkin Smash at the Mattapan Ecovation Center. You’ll also be able to learn more about home composting and munch on cider doughnuts. (Saturday, November 4 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Mattapan Ecovation Center, Boston; free; all ages)
Ramen Ride 2017
With the weather cooling down, riding your bike can be a chilly proposition. The Boston Cyclists Union hopes to remedy that situation with the Ramen Ride, a 10-mile bike ride starting in Copley Square that takes cyclists to three great ramen locations in the area. You’ll even get your own commemorative chopsticks. (Saturday, November 4 from 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.; Copley Square, Boston; $27.50; all ages)
Fenway Park Stadium Sprint
Spartan races usually mean daunting obstacles, break-neck speeds, and a whole lot of mud. This weekend at Fenway Park, there won’t be any mud, but there will be more than 20 obstacles spread across a 3-mile course, so you can push yourself to the limit in the confines of Friendly Fenway. There also will be kids races that will be much shorter and much cheaper than their adult counterparts. Saturday’s races are almost completely sold out, so check Sunday for more availability. (Sunday, November 5 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Fenway Park, Boston; $29-194; all ages)
Harpoon Friendsgiving
Harpoon will host its annual dinner benefitting the Greater Boston Food Bank this Sunday, featuring dishes made with Harpoon and UFO beers, plenty of beers on their own, and live music and raffles. Your ticket goes toward feeding those in need. (Sunday, November 5 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Harpoon Brewery and Beer Hall, Boston; $70; 21+)
