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10 free things to do in Boston in July
From outdoor movies and concerts to an Italian feast.
Summertime and livin’s easy. But you don’t have to spend a fortune to enjoy all the city has to offer. There are plenty of activities to experience all without shelling out a single dollar. Get your fill of sunshine, outdoor movies, celebrate our country’s birthday, and so much more. Here are 10 things to do in Boston for free this July.
1. Start Independence Day early at Harborfest
Expect to enjoy hundreds of activities throughout Independence Day weekend,
as the city’s historic landmarks come alive with family-friendly fun during one of America’s largest Fourth of July festivals. It all kicks off with the annual opening ceremony in Downtown Crossing on July 2 and continues through July 4 with historical reenactments, State House tours, Macy’s Great American fashion show, beer gardens, and much more. Living historians and an array of local musical acts, including the Middlesex Country Volunteers Fifes & Drums Concert, will perform in Downtown Crossing and Cristopher Columbus Waterfront Park. The Boston Pops Fireworks cap off the festivities with a spectacular display with several vantage points over the Charles River. (Various locations, Boston)
2. Celebrate the birth of our nation
All eyes are on Boston for Independence Day, and there’s good reason. The July
4th Pops Concert and Fireworks Spectacular is one of the country’s biggest
Independence Day celebrations. The Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra kicks off
the concert at 8 p.m. (vying for a seat on the lawn starts in the wee hours of the
day) and plays familiar favorites and rousing patriotic music, complete with real
cannon fire, on the Esplanade. The evening ends with fantastic fireworks above
the Charles River. You can also catch the day-before rehearsal (minus the
fireworks) for the same experience you’ll get from the Boston Pops during the big birthday party. (DCR Hatch Memorial Shell, Boston)
3. Enjoy music in a sweet little park
Sunset Concerts at Symphony Park feature Berklee musicians in one of Boston’s
most charming outdoor spaces, located between Berklee College of Music and
Symphony Hall. This annual series is brought to you by Berklee College of
Music, Fenway Civic Association, Friends of Symphony Park, and the City of
Boston. July concerts, which all take place at 6 p.m., include Sofia Sunshine on
July 8, Tom Almeida and Friends on July 15, George W. Russell Jr. and the
Reimagined Project on July 22, and Augustina on July 29. (Symphony Park, 39
Edgerly Rd., Boston)
4. Head to the Pru for an outdoor movie
It’s lights, camera, action at the Prudential Center’s annual outdoor movie series. Hosted in South Garden every Saturday evening from July 12 through August 23, you’ll watch films that run from classics to recent blockbusters. Movie selections begin at dusk, with music entertainment starting at 6:30 p.m. This month’s screenings include “Miss Congeniality” on July 12, “13 Going on 30” on July 19, and “Shrek” on July 26. (800 Boylston St., Boston)
5. Appreciate orchestral sounds along the Charles
Boston Landmarks Orchestra brings orchestral music to the Hatch Shell with
three experiences in July. The Longwood Symphony Orchestra, the orchestra of
Boston’s medical community, opens its season on July 16 at 7 p.m. The Best of
Boston on July 23 at 7 p.m. is held in celebration of the orchestra’s 25th season
and showcases some of Boston’s most celebrated composers of the past and
present, including familiar music by Leonard Bernstein and John Williams. The
season ends with Prokofiev’s charming Peter & The Wolf and More on July 30 at
7 p.m. (DCR Hatch Memorial Shell, Boston)
6. Experience the Bard’s works on the Common
The Commonwealth Shakespeare Company’s annual alfresco productions
“Shakespeare on the Common” are being held this year during the months of
July and August. This summer troupe takes on “As You Like It,” beginning July 23 and running through August 10. Showtimes are at 8 p.m. (Aug. 1 and 9 are at 1 p.m.). Bring your own blankets or chairs, or you can rent chairs online in advance or on-site for $10. (Parkman Bandstand, Boston Common)
7. Get spicy at Superette Summer Salsa Nights
Spice up your Thursday evening and join in the fun to salsa and bachata style
music at The Superette courtyard on July 24 from 6 to 8 p.m. Watch sizzlin’ steps
from Urbanity Dance and live music by Clive and Blues Productions. All are
welcome to participate in free public lessons. Bring your own freestyle moves or ask the Urbanity Dance instructors to teach you the basics. Reserve your spot
here. (70 Pier 4 Blvd., Boston)
8. Stroll a famous street on sunny Sundays
Open Newbury Street begins in July, and has become a summer tradition in
Boston. The mile-long, eight block stretch of shops, salons, galleries and
restaurants becomes a pedestrian-only walkway on Sundays in the summer.
People-watching is paramount, and each day is different with music in the air,
some shops offering free samples, and plenty of window shopping, as you stroll
from Berkeley Street to Massachusetts Avenue. This month’s dates are July 13,
20, and 27 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Newbury St., Boston)
9. Celebrate Puerto Rico and its culture
Attracting more than 50,000 attendees each year, the two-day Puerto Rican
Festival of Massachusetts returns to Boston on July 26 and 27 from noon to 9
p.m. What began in 1967 at Blackstone Park is now a huge celebration in
Franklin Park, where you can immerse yourself in the rich Puerto Rican culture
and enjoy live performances by local and international artists, kiosks selling
typical Puerto Rican food and arts and crafts, carnival rides, and more. The
festival culminates with the Puerto Rican Parade at noon on July 27 across from the Roxbury Community College, where the community showcases its culture
through fabulous floats, colorful dance troupes, singers, dancers, and
appearances by distinguished honorees. (Franklin Park Playstead Pierpont Rd.,
Boston)
10. Start off Italian Feast season
The eagerly awaited feast season in the North End begins on the last day of July,
with the celebration of Saint Agrippina taking over the neighborhood streets
through Aug. 3. The celebration begins with an opening ceremony at 7 p.m. on
July 31 followed by the procession of Saint Agrippina led by the children of the
Saint Agrippina Society at 7:30 p.m. Stay for live music throughout the night, as
well as Italian sweets and savories for sale, such as fresh shellfish; sausage,
peppers, and onions; arancini; pasta; fried calamari; and cannoli. (North End,
Boston)
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