Need weekend plans?
The best events in the city, delivered to your inbox
10 things to do in Boston this July 4 weekend
BosTen is your weekly guide to the best events and coolest things to do in 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].
Enjoy summer seafood at State Park
There’s no better time to be feasting on seafood in New England than in the summer. Come to The Bar By The Elevator at State Park in Cambridge for a Crawfish Boil. You’ll be able to dine on the patio, enjoying fresh crawfish, andouille sausage, potatoes and corn, kale coleslaw, macaroni salad, and cheddar biscuits. A $70 ticket to the feast will get you one pound of crawfish and two drinks. After you’re finished with your meal, feel free to play some pinball or shuffleboard. — Shira Laucharoen
Catch fireworks shows in a town near you
Don’t want to make the trek into the city for the 2023 Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular on Tuesday? You’ll likely be able to catch a great pyrotechnics display in a town near you, with more than 90 Fourth of July fireworks shows in Massachusetts scheduled to take place between now and July 15. Fireworks fanatics can find a show every night from now through July 4, with the fun kicking off Thursday night in Auburn, Dracut, and Somerville. For a comprehensive list of town-by-town info (and the latest information in case of rain delays), check out our full list of 2023 July 4 fireworks shows in Massachusetts. — Kevin Slane
Celebrate Independence Day at Boston Harborfest
The annual Boston Harborfest returns to town Independence Day weekend, bringing live entertainment, historical reenactments, and fireworks to downtown Boston for a five-day celebration. The fest kicks off on Friday at noon, and culminates with the City of Boston’s official Independence Day commemoration on the morning of the Fourth of July, including a parade and a reading of the Declaration of Independence. Other highlights include Monday afternoon’s Chowderfest, where visitors can sample and judge free chowders from favorite local restaurants (while supplies last). The July 4 celebrations begin early Tuesday morning when the USS Constitution sails into Boston Harbor, followed by a flag raising ceremony at City Hall Plaza and a parade to the Granary Burial Ground, where wreaths will be laid on patriots’ graves. For the weekend’s full schedule, visit bostonharborfest.com. — Natalie Gale
Break your bad habits with Ed Sheeran
You + Ed Sheeran + Gillette Stadium = Weekend plans? This Friday and Saturday, the pop star will play shows at Gillette Stadium during the American leg of his his “+ – = ÷ x Tour” (pronounced “The Mathematics Tour”), Sheeran’s first American stadium tour since his 2018 Divide Tour. Each of Sheeran’s studio albums have been named after mathematical symbols, with the most recent, 2021’s “=” (pronounced “Equals”), featuring chart-topping hits like “Bad Habits,” “Shivers,” and “The Joker and the Queen.” “=” became Sheeran’s fourth consecutive album to top the Billboard 200 charts. Unlike his pal Taylor Swift’s Gillette Stadium shows, you can still find reasonably priced tickets for Sheeran’s concerts, with Friday tickets as low as $39 and Saturday tickets as low as $79 via Ticketmaster. — Kevin Slane
Shop collectibles and memorabilia at the Northeast Music Con
Ready to celebrate all your pop culture fan favorites? Head to the Boxboro Regency Hotel for a three-day extravaganza featuring cosplay, video games, comic and vinyl vendors, memorabilia, vintage clothing and collectibles, and much more on this Friday through Sunday at the Northeast Collectibles Extravaganza and MusicCon. Guests can expect celebrity appearances, photo ops, panels, live entertainment, food and drink vendors, and VIP experiences at this kid-friendly event. This year’s convention is focused specifically on music, and panels will include interviews with musicians like Cherie Currie, (The Runaways), Micky Dolenz (The Monkees), and Richie Ramone (The Ramones). Specialized vendors will sell music memorabilia like autographs, records, instruments, amps, and posters. Tickets are currently on sale via Eventbrite, and while you can buy them at the door, purchasing online is cheaper. — Natalie Gale
Visit the annual Chinatown Summer Festival
One of the country’s largest Chinatowns outside of New York City, Boston’s Chinatown has been around since the 19th century. Today, the district remains a hub of Asian American culture in New England, with dim sum palaces, dumpling houses, and food markets dotting the densely populated area. For the 18th year, Chinatown Main Street’s Summer Festival returns to Boston for a day of street food, arts and crafts vendors, live entertainment, and other cultural celebrations this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The family-friendly street fair, which is free and open to all, will include vendors selling artisan and handmade goods, purveyors of Asian street food (don’t miss the curry fish balls!), and performances of the lion dance, along with other Chinese cultural performances like folk dances and martial arts demonstrations. For more information about this year’s festival, visit Chinatown Main Street’s website. — Natalie Gale
Tune in to Tori Amos at Leader Bank Pavilion
It’s been a bit of a dizzying ride for Tori Amos and her fans, who will get to see the singer-songwriter this Saturday at Leader Bank Pavilion in the Seaport. While studying classical piano at Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, she developed a fascination with rock. But a move to the West Coast, ostensibly to become a pop singer, detoured into providing piano accompaniment for herself on ballads. The rock and pop soon followed, and her first album, “Little Earthquakes,” garnered a lot of positive attention. That she soon after released an EP with a cover of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” also made an impression. As did, in ensuing years, her synthesizer-infused “Choirgirl,” her rocking “American Doll Posse,” and her classically informed “Night of Hunters.” Her newest, 2021’s “Ocean to Ocean,” is pop in sound but downbeat in mood. — Ed Symkus
Check out the newest exhibit at the MFA
Whether you’re trying to beat the heat or avoid thunderstorms, the Museum of Fine Arts is always a great spot to check out in the summer. This Saturday marks the opening of “Matthew Wong: The Realm of Appearances,” a new exhibit featuring 40 of the artist’s vivid paintings. In a tragically short six-year career, Wong (who passed away in 2019) specialized in painting colorful landscapes, drawing inspiration from sources like the Fauvists and 17th-century Qing period ink painters. This weekend is also one of the final chances you’ll have to see “Hokusai: Inspiration and Influence” — which showcases more than 100 works by the famed 19th century Japanese artist and an additional 200-plus works by his “teachers, students, rivals, and admirers” — before it ends July 16. — Kevin Slane
Enjoy a car-free Newbury Street
Boston’s Open Newbury Street initiative, which first began in 2016, is undergoing a major expansion this year. What was previously six pedestrian-only days last summer is now 16 consecutive car-free Sundays, starting this weekend and ending October 15. From 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. each Sunday, Newbury Street will close to vehicle traffic between Massachusetts Avenue and Berkeley Street. The intersections at Berkeley, Clarendon, and Dartmouth will remain open to cars, but the rest will become foot traffic-only along with Newbury Street itself, meaning folks can walk in the street. Businesses are encouraged to activate the space outside their shops too, with tents, music, or expanded outdoor dining. — Natalie Gale
Celebrate July 4 with the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular
After a triumphant post-pandemic return last year, the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular will once again bring the sounds of the Boston Pops to the Esplanade on July 4. As is typically the case, the 2023 Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular will feature a number of musical guests accompanying conductor Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops Orchestra. Among the highlights of this year’s event are a headlining performance from R&B group En Vogue, sets from Broadway star Mandy Gonzalez (“In the Heights”), country duo LOCASH, and a trio of Broadway performers — Alton Fitzgerald White, Elizabeth Stanley, and Andrea Jones-Sojola — who participated in the Pops’ recent concert presentation of “Ragtime: The Symphonic Concert.” For a comprehensive list of what to know about this year’s celebration, check out our full guide to the 2022 Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular. — Kevin Slane
Be civil. Be kind.
Read our full community guidelines.To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address