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10 things to do in Boston this 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].
Catch a free outdoor movie (or two)
While film fans have started heading back to movie theaters more regularly following multiple years of COVID-19, the Boston area will once again offer a robust number of free outdoor movies now that summer has officially arrived. All summer long, you’ll be able to catch a mix of fairly recent films and certified classics at pop-up outdoor movie screenings — free of charge. On Thursday, visit Revere Beach for a sunset showing of “Remember the Titans,” or visit Lincoln Park in Somerville for a 9 p.m. screening of “Footloose.” Or you can wait until Saturday, when the Prudential Center will be showing “Top Gun: Maverick” on its lawn at sunset. — Kevin Slane
Get up close and personal at Body Worlds
How exactly do you define happiness, and what sort of impact does achieving happiness have on the body? That’s the heady question at the center of “Body Worlds: The Anatomy of Happiness,” a new exhibit featuring a curated collection of real human specimens coming to Boston this Friday. “The Anatomy of Happiness” is the newest traveling exhibit from Body Worlds, which has showcased human anatomy via traveling exhibits since 1995 in 154 cities worldwide. The exhibit has already been seen 54 million times across the globe, and will make its North American debut this Friday at The Back Bay Hub (343 Newbury St.). Ticket prices start at $25, and will be available via presale starting June 16 via the Body Worlds Boston website. — Kevin Slane
Work out and dine at Barre Brunch
Break a sweat bright and early, and then celebrate with a delicious meal at a “Barre Brunch” at ReelHouse in East Boston this Saturday at 9 a.m. Instructor Jamie Rossi from The Point East Boston will lead you through a 45-minute class, during which you’ll learn signature barre moves that will tone your body. After the lesson, you can enjoy a buffet brunch with an egg station, fresh fruits, yogurt, pastries, and sides while taking in the view from a waterfront patio. Buckets of bubbles will also be available. Buy tickets for $40 here. — Shira Laucharoen
Check out fine art at Hull Open Studios
Following a busy two months of open studios in May and June, the town of Hull will host the first big open studios event of July this Saturday and Sunday from 10-4 p.m. You’ll actually have two chances to see Hull’s artists showcase their works, with the city also hosting open studios on Sept. 9-10. Last year’s event featured 27 artists at 17 locations, with Gallery Nantasket serving as a central hub where visitors could purchase works from a variety of Hull’s creatives. — Kevin Slane
Get spicy at Boston JerkFest
Boston JerkFest, an award-winning, family-friendly food festival, celebrates Caribbean culture with local flavor all day long this Saturday at the Harvard Athletic Complex. Local vendors will be on-site with spicy food for sale, spanning traditional jerk chicken to jams, nuts, desserts, homemade drinks, and more. Our Spice Lane will showcase the best hot sauces made in New England, and there will be chef demos — including a Seafood Throwdown and the Jerk Cook-off, each challenging two chefs head-to-head to bring the heat. The night before, 21-plus attendees will want to get in on the Rum & Brew Tasting. From 5:30 to 8 p.m., enjoy unlimited samples of a variety of Caribbean libations, including spirits, local craft beer, wine, and artisan beverages. There will also be an entertaining Cocktail Throwdown featuring local bartenders making their best rum-inspired cocktails. — Jacqueline Cain
Get down with black midi at Royale
When I first heard the first track from black midi’s second album, 2021’s “Cavalcade,” it took me between one and two seconds to think of “21st Century Schizoid Man,” the opening track from King Crimson’s 1969 debut. You can imagine my feeling of validation when their 2022 EP “Cavalcovers” included a cover of that progressive rock masterpiece, along with the band’s versions of songs by Captain Beefheart and (wait for it) Taylor Swift. Last year’s “Hellfire” was a continuation of black midi’s prog rock and jazz fusion tendencies, which will be on display this Saturday at Royale. — Blake Maddux
Celebrate Independence Day at Christopher Columbus Park
Celebrate a belated Independence Day this Saturday at Christopher Columbus Park in the North End. From noon to 3 p.m., the waterfront park will be filled with interactive, family-friendly activities like singing and dancing, “Sesame Street” characters, and arts and crafts. This year marks the 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party, so in celebration, the event opens with an interactive skit about the historical event. Under the park’s trellis, attendees can expect face painting, Peter the Magician, balloon animals, Big Joe the storyteller, and a Reptile Circus, along with lawn games throughout the park, refreshments from the Dining Car food truck, and a raffle with prizes like aquarium and carousel tickets. — Natalie Gale
Join a Spanish fiesta at Toro
The South End’s Toro will host its annual “Running of the Bulls” party on Sunday. Join chefs Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonette, who will be honoring an old Spanish tradition with delicious food and beverages. Tickets are $125 per person and will include a feast of paella, pintxos, freshly shucked oysters, and more. It will also cover two drinks from a small beverage menu. Get your tickets here, and head over for what’s sure to be a fun time. — Shira Laucharoen
See Alicia Keys live at the Garden
If you’ve been following the chatter about Alicia Keys’s current concert tour, there’s only one logical conclusion you can make: This girl IS on fire! As Creative Loafing put it in describing the “triumphant energy” of her 32-song (!) set in Tampa Bay on June 30, “Alicia Keys has an uncanny ability to make someone feel like they can accomplish anything.” One can only presume the 15-time Grammy winner will bring the same oomph to her Sunday stop at TD Garden — along with her wild 360-degree theater-in-the-round stage setup, complete with catwalks to bring her close to the fans she loves (and vice versa). It’s hard to believe it’s been more than 20 years since the classically trained Keys hit the scene with 2001’s 12 million-selling “Songs in A Minor,” but if there’s anything we can glean from her current tour — with its career-spanning showcase for her unique blend of soul, hip-hop and R&B — it’s that the 42-year-old is far from running out of steam. — Peter Chianca
Get ‘Up!’ with Shania Twain
Canadian singer and guitarist Shania Twain was never what you would call a straight-up country gal. With the release of her self-titled 1993 debut album, her music was often classified as country-pop. And that was fine with Twain, who was adding a sheen of slickness to others’ songs while crafting her own compositions with the idea of pleasing both pop and country audiences. She scored with fans and critics on the albums “The Woman in Me” and “Come on Over,” which were accompanied by constant touring. But after “Up!” proved to be another hit, she opted for a three-year residency in Las Vegas instead of recording. A 15-year hiatus led to “Now” in 2017, and this year’s “Queen of Me,” which features more pop than country. Twain will be joined by Breland when she visits the Xfinity Center this Sunday for a 7:30 p.m. show. — Ed Symkus
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