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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].
Join the conversation with ‘Wake Up America’
For the final day of Black History Month, head to the Museum of African American History this Thursday for a conversation about the new book Wake Up America: Black Women on the Future of Democracy. Editor Keisha N. Blain will be joined by former Boston acting mayor Kim Janey, and Boston Globe associate editor Renée Graham to discuss the book, an anthology of writing by influential Black women in politics and activism. The event is free, but prior registration (via Eventbrite) is required. (Thursday, Feb. 29 from 6-8 p.m.; Museum of African American History, 46 Joy St., Boston; free) — Kevin Slane
Bring a date to ‘Pretty Woman: The Musical’
It seems like there’s a musical adaptation of a box office hit arriving in Boston just about every weekend these days. That said, the stage rendition of 1990’s movie “Pretty Woman” has an impressive creative team involved, with the book written by the film’s director and co-screenwriters Garry Marshall and J. F. Lawton, and choreography from Tony winner Jerry Mithcel (“Hairspray”). Pair that with songs from ’80s balladeer Bryan Adams, and you’ve got an entertaining night in store at the Emerson Colonial Theatre. (Now through Sunday, March 3 at various times; Colonial Theatre, 106 Boylston St., Boston; $45-$185) — Kevin Slane
Catch ‘Dune: Part Two’ at the Museum of Science
Take it from someone lucky enough to have already seen it: You’re going to want to watch “Dune: Part Two.” Denis Villeneuve’s sequel is a filmmaking triumph, masterfully adapting the second half of one of the most influential sci-fi novels of all time, Frank Herbert’s “Dune.” It is a technical marvel, featuring some of the most beautiful camerawork of the year and a score from Hans Zimmer that will rattle your teeth. It tells a deeply complex story with difficult-to-parse themes and refuses to let audiences off the hook with a wink to the camera or a self-deflating joke. As such, you’ll want to see the film on the biggest screen possible. With showtimes already filling up at local AMCs and at the superlative IMAX screens at Jordan’s Furniture, another great pick is the Museum of Science’s OMNI Theatre, which will be showing “Dune Part Two” for a limited time. Friday’s show is sold out, but the spice continues to flow at Thursday and Saturday’s screenings. (Thursday, Feb. 29 and Saturday, March 2; Museum of Science, Boston; $15; rated PG-13) — Kevin Slane
Try a taste of new talent at ‘Three Courses’
We all have stories about seeing a famous band before they made it big. But can you say the same about a stage production? This weekend is your chance to see “Three Courses,” a new musical written, composed, and directed by Berklee College of Music student Howard Godfrey, who won the National Endowment for the Arts’ Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge in 2021. “Three Courses” concerns three couples all parsing the issues in their relationships at the same restaurant over the course of an evening. For a taste of what’s to come, check out Godfrey’s preview of one of the musical’s songs on TikTok. (Thursday, Feb. 29 through Sunday, March 3; Boston Center for the Arts, 529 Tremont St., Boston; $17) — Kevin Slane
Watch a lion dance in Dorchester
As of February 10, we have officially entered the year of the dragon. Thankfully, when it comes to Lunar New Year celebrations, Bostonians aren’t constrained to just one day. This Saturday, Gund Kwok, the first Asian Women’s Lion & Dance Dragon Troupe in the United States, will perform at the Fields Corner Branch of the Boston Public Library in celebration of the Lunar New Year and Women’s History Month. (Saturday, March 2 from noon-1 p.m.; 1520 Dorchester Ave., Dorchester; free) — Kristi Palma
Hop a train to Bay State Model Railroad Museum
Established in 1968 by a group of model train enthusiasts, the Bay State Model Railroad Museum is only open to the public for short periods on Wednesday nights and during their twice-yearly open houses, which return this Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors to the usually private club can see three incredible model railroad layouts in full operation, carefully maintained by club members. Admission is $5 per person and free for those under the age of 5. (Saturday, March 2 and Sunday, March 3 from 10-4 p.m.; 760 South St., Roslindale; $5) — Kevin Slane
Raise a glass at the Boston Wine Expo
Returning this weekend to the Park Plaza Hotel, the Boston Wine Expo brings over a hundred wineries together for two days of tasting classes, seminars with sommeliers, and plenty of one-on-one time with wine vendors. The event is designed to make all levels of wine lovers feel welcome, whether you’re an oenophile or a wine beginner. The weekend is split up into four grand tasting sessions that run for two hours each, starting at 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. Tickets cost $95 each, and include a signature wine glass, pours from the dozens of participating vendors, and light bites. Attendees can purchase separate tickets to the weekend’s many wine tasting classes, including “Wine Passport to Portugal” on Saturday at 2 p.m., “Wines of the Piedmont” on Saturday at 2:30 p.m., and “Uncorking Bordeaux” on Sunday at noon. (Saturday, March 2 and Sunday, March 3 from 1:30-6:30 p.m.; Park Plaza Hotel, 50 Park Plaza, Boston; $95 and up; 21+) — Natalie Gale
Watch a movie at the Boston Baltic Film Festival
Fittingly, this weekend’s Boston Baltic Film Festival will run for three days — one for each of the Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania). The festival kicks off Friday with a panel featuring several of the directors and producers whose movies will screen at the Emerson Paramount Center throughout the weekend, including Anna Ansone (“Can’t Help Myself”), Vytautas V. Landsbergis (“The Poet”), and Helga Merits (“The Paradox of Seabrook Farms”). Stick around after the Q&A for opening night film “The Invisible Fight,” which infuses a Baltic spirit into kung-fu films of the 1970s by adding Orthodox monks and European heavy metal. (Friday, March 1 through Sunday, March 3 at various times; Emerson Paramount Center, 559 Washington St., Boston; $15-115) — Kevin Slane
Toast Samuel Adams at its 40th anniversary party
It’s both easy and difficult to believe that Boston Beer Co., the makers of Samuel Adams, turns 40 this year. The craft beer pioneer is celebrating its 1984 founding this week, with a 40th-anniversary beer festival at the company’s original Jamaica Plain brewery this Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. The festival will feature fan-favorite throwback beers, live music, and food pop-ups from nearby small businesses. In addition, attendees paying for a “Super Fan” tour experience will be guided by none other than Boston Beer founder and brewer Jim Koch himself. A VIP session will guide drinkers through some exclusive barrel-aged beers, including a collaboration with Boston Harbor Distillery’s Rhonda Kallman, who helped Koch cofound Boston Beer Co. 40 years earlier. Tickets can be purchased at samadamsbostonbrewery.com/events. (Saturday, March 2 from noon-5 p.m.; Samuel Adams Boston Brewery, 30 Germania St., Boston; $40-$100; 21+) — Gary Dzen
Walk the Women’s Heritage Trail
March is Women’s History Month, making it the perfect time to skip the Freedom Trail and try the Boston’s Women’s Heritage Trail, which showcases spots where Boston women made history. The walk comprises 14 trails, each in a different Boston neighborhood, from Beacon Hill to Jamaica Plain to East Boston. Each self-guided tour has a map online detailing the trail’s historic spots and their significance. The city of Boston also provides a brief overview of the heritage trail on YouTube, featuring sites like the Boston Women’s Memorial (pictured above), the homes of Amy Beach and Louisa May Alcott, and statues of Mary Dyer and Anne Hutchinson. (Various times and locations; free) — Natalie Gale
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