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10 things to do in Boston this weekend
BosTen is your weekly guide to the best events and coolest happenings in and around Boston.
Welcome to BosTen, your weekly guide to the coolest events and best things to do in Boston this weekend. Sign up for our weekly email newsletter here. Have an idea about what we should cover? Leave us a comment on this article or in the BosTen Facebook group, or email us at [email protected].
Editor’s note: The free ice skating event scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 19, 2023, at the Frog Pond has been cancelled due to warm weather.
Dine on dumplings at Trillium Fenway
There’s never a bad time for dumplings, but there might not be a better time this week than at Trillium Brewery’s Fenway location this Thursday from 5-8 p.m. That’s when Dumpling Daughter founder Nadia Liu Spellman will be signing and selling her new cookbook, and offering up free dumplings for anyone who purchases the book. While snagging Dumpling Daughter in Boston proper is a rare treat, Spellman will soon be opening a takeout spot in Southie, adding to her locations in Brookline, Cambridge, and Weston. — Kevin Slane
See ‘The Children’s Crusade’ at the ICA
Starting Thursday, you’ll be able to visit the ICA’s newest exhibit, “María Berrío: The Children’s Crusade.” The Colombian-born artist, now based in New York, uses large-scale paintings and collages to reflect on both contemporary migrants (particularly unaccompanied minors) and the 1212 Children’s Crusade, in which kids reportedly fanned out throughout Italy and France to convert Muslims to Christianity. Fore more info on Berrío’s work, visit the ICA website. — Kevin Slane
The New England Boat Show Sails into Boston
Open now through Sunday, the New England Boat Show is your chance to dive head first into the boating lifestyle. Connect with fellow boating enthusiasts, both nautical novices and seasoned sailors alike, to view a comprehensive selection of boats in New England — from center consoles and family cruisers to pontoons and wakesports boats. You can gear up for the season with the newest boating accessories, marine electronics, and on-the-water must-haves. Newbies gain “Boating 101” education at Fred’s Shed How-To Center, with a variety of daily seminars and demos on everything from getting started to service to operating, while your little ones enjoy splashing around a mini lake in a paddleboat or building their own toy boat. For a list of hours and ticket info, visit the NEBS website. — Cheryl Fenton
Get geeky at the Boston Science Fiction Marathon & Festival
Held every February, this year’s SF48 will be a hybrid event of live and virtual programming taking place at the Somerville Theatre now through Monday, and will consist of 30 features, 75 shorts, 10 workshops/panels and, of course, parties. It all ends with a cinematic overload called The Marathon, a 24-hour non-stop binge view of classic, not-so-classic, and downright schlocky films. Guests can expect events such as The Fabricator Panel, where Hollywood professionals from “The Mandolorian,” “Star Trek: Picard,” and more offer insight into how they make what they make. Visitors can buy tickets to a single program or purchase an all-access pass, which grants admission into all features, shorts, panels, parties, and more. — Cheryl Fenton
Fly over to the ‘Make Way for Ducklings’ musical
The ubiquitous duck statues of the Public Garden come to life in “Make Way for Ducklings the Musical,” which opens Friday and runs through March 12 at the Wheelock Family Theatre. Based on Robert McCloskey’s classic children’s book, the musical follows the same story beats as the book, taking audiences on a duck family’s quest to find a safe home in the busy hub of Boston. For more info and tickets, visit the Wheelock Family Theatre’s website. — Kevin Slane
Attend a Bugs Bunny film festival in Cambridge
The annual Bugs Bunny Film Festival at Brattle Theatre in Cambridge brings favorite Looney Tunes characters to the big screen starting this Friday through Feb. 26. This annual celebration of everyone’s favorite Wascally Wabbit and his friends returns for another all-35mm edition featuring Bugs himself, Daffy Duck, Taz, Tweety, Yosemite Sam, the Roadrunner, and so many more. Tickets are $12 for all shows before 5 p.m., and $12 for children and $14 for adults after 5 p.m. — Cheryl Fenton
Uncover the ‘Secrets of the Sea’
If you haven’t been to the New England Aquarium’s Simons Theatre in a while, now is the time to change that. This Friday, the theater will be the only venue in the Northeast where viewers can see “Secrets of the Sea,” a 3-D documentary that examines 70 different underwater species and how they interact with each other. The documentary travels from Tahiti to California, and captures images of marine life great and small, from pygmy seahorses to giant manta rays. Tickets for the film, which will be playing through the end of 2023, are on sale now via the New England Aquarium website. — Kevin Slane
Sing along with Carrie Underwood at TD Garden
Before returning to Las Vegas for another residency, former “American Idol” winner Carrie Underwood will show off her country credentials this Friday at TD Garden with the “Denim & Rhinestones” tour, in celebration of her album of the same name. The Grand Ole Opry member and health and fitness guru is running out of room at home to display her collection of gold and platinum records, Grammys, and all sorts of other honors. But the idea of slowing down has never been part of her agenda. One highlight of the shows on the upcoming tour will be a duet on the album’s title track with her opening act Jimmie Allen. But a highlight of another sort will be the sight of Underwood singing and performing acrobatics while flying above the crowd. — Ed Symkus
Blast into the past at Retromania Expo
Get ready to stock up on vintage gear this Saturday and Sunday when Roadrunner hosts The Brighton Bazaar’s first-ever Retromania. More than 100 vendors will be on hand to sell clothing, art, books, comics, electronics, video games, vinyl, and all sorts of other retro swag that’s at least 20 years old. Tickets for a four-hour shopping window between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. are available on Roadrunner’s website. — Kevin Slane
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