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10 free things to do in Boston in September
From art to mini golf to a cowboy jamboree.
With summer winding down and fall around the corner, you don’t have to spend a fortune to enjoy all that the city has to offer. From self-defense courses to artist-led sketch sessions to a cowboy jamboree, there are plenty of activities to experience all without shelling out a dime. Here are 10 things to do in Boston for free this September.
1. Spend Labor Day at a museum
Art lovers of all ages are granted free admission to the Institute of Contemporary Art on Labor Day. Explore the museum’s extensive array of contemporary gallery exhibits and contribute your own drawing to a collaborative art project. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and free advanced tickets are required. (25 Harbor Shore Dr., Boston)
2. Learn how to protect yourself
Self-defense is serious business. Join the UFC GYM team on the picturesque
Rose Kennedy Greenway for free self-defense training. With Dewey Square’s
well-known mural in your sights, you will learn life saving techniques with a
fitness twist. Classes will take place every Thursday this month (Sept. 4, 11, 18,
and 25) at 5:15 p.m. on the lawn across from South Station and the Federal
Reserve building. (Dewey Square, Boston)
3. Try for a historical hole in one
Every day through the end of October, you can putt putt your way through history at the USS Constitution-themed nine-hole miniature golf course in the Navy Yard. Test your skills and your knowledge of Constitution and Boston trivia at each hole. The mini golf course is open 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., weather permitting. (USS Constitution Museum & Charlestown Navy Yard)
4. Check out local artists
Happening this year Sept. 6-7 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., the Boston Arts Festival showcases the visual and performing arts in Boston. Run by the organizers of the Beacon Hill Art Walk and Artists Crossing Gallery, the event launches Boston’s Arts Open Studios season featuring more than 70 juried local visual artists, craftspeople, and local musicians performing on the waterfront stage throughout the day. See (and shop, if you please) a wide variety of art and high-end craft work, including paintings, photography, ceramics, jewelry, sculpture, and more. (Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park, 100 Atlantic Ave., Boston)
5. Channel your inner Picasso
Known for creating art events for the community, SIDE Presents hosts Summer Sketch at the Superette in the Seaport. Held every other Tuesday from 5 p.m. on Sept. 9 and 23, these two-hour sketching classes are hosted by local artist Lee “SOEMS” (and occasional guest stars). You’ll be guided through fun and easy drawing exercises alongside local live music and beats. It’s free to attend, but registration is required. All the art supplies you’ll need are available — just bring your creativity. (131 Seaport Blvd., Boston)
6. Celebrate Chinese culture
Chinatown’s Main Street becomes a place for celebration during the Mid-Autumn Lantern Festival on Sept. 13 from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. There will be live cultural performances, cuisine, and boba. Eager to get the party started? You can also check out Lion Dances the week before, held at the Rose Kennedy Greenway and Chinatown Main Street and performed by the Kwong Kow Chinese School on Sept. 6 at noon. (The Chinatown Gate Park, John F Fitzgerald Surface Road and Beach Street, Boston)
7. Grab some grub from local farms and vendors
With nearly 100 farms, food vendors, activities, cooking demonstrations, and
more, The Boston Food Festival has something for every foodie (and those who
just want to have fun). Highlights of the Sept. 14 event, running 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., include The Seafood Throwdown, where two chefs race to create stunning
seafood dishes for the judges; chef demos with free tastings; a Family Fun Zone
featuring open movement, learning, playing, face painting, lawn games, and
interactive exhibits, Boston Public Library’s mobile bike library, and more; and
Food Solution New England’s New England Village where you can learn about
their 50-by-60 Food Vision and its goal of 50 percent of the food consumed in
New England being produced in New England by 2060. (Rose Kennedy
Greenway, Atlantic Ave. and Milk St., Boston)
8. Stretch and simplify your breath by a gentle pond
Spend a moment of reflection every Sunday this month (Sept. 7, 14, 21, 28) at
11:30 a.m. as you join wellness practitioner, yoga and meditation teacher, and
sound healer Marlene Boyette of Leela Yoga & Wellness for Yoga @ Jamaica
Pond. Held by the Pinebank Mansion Memorial, the classes are a great way for
you to breathe deeply and unwind. She’ll guide you through practice, with your
feet in the grass, surrounded by the beauty and peacefulness of Jamaica Pond.
This gentle yoga practice is suitable for all levels. Confirm your space by registering before you go. (Pinebank Mansion Memorial, Jamaica Pond, Boston)
9. Don your cowboy boots for a fall party
Boston Landing’s annual Fall Crawl returns to Athletes Park on Sept. 20 from 11
a.m. to 4 p.m., and this time it’s bringing a western twist. Guests can enjoy live
music, festive bites and drinks, family-friendly activities, cozy fall vibes, and
plenty of cowboy-inspired fun, from themed photo ops to western-style games.
(92 Guest St., Brighton)
10. Challenge your definition of art
Expanding the definition of “what is art,” Emerson College presents Echoes of
the Heart: The New England Media Art Biennial, a multimedia juried group
exhibition featuring New England visual artists Clint Baclawski, Erik DeLuca, Iwalani Kaluhiokalani, Justin Levesque, VHF Studios, and Karlie Zhao. The
exhibition includes new media art that not only encompasses traditional film and digital video, but also a wide range of technology, from AI to hand-built radio. The exhibits are on view in the Media Art Gallery from Tuesday through Saturday between noon and 6 p.m. until Oct. 4. (25 Avery St., Boston)
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