May 10-17, 2011: Open Studios, Astronomy Day, Car Fest, Haitian Parade, Night Canoeing, & Springfield Anniversary Parade & Fireworks!
05/09/11 by
Johnny Monsarrat
Greetings to everyone I gave a card to at last weekend’s Steampunk Festival! Please send me your photos. I walked around offering people a peek inside my Victorian Era Mystery Box. Slowly, slowly lift the lid of the coffin shaped box with skeleton designs. Inside… the eerie, dangerous mystery… was candy! I hope you are having an awesome week. Now get out there and do something fun!
-Johnny
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| The Week in Weird | ||||
| Fri 5/6 – Sat 6/4Boston MetroThe Drowsy Chaperone – ticket giveaway |
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| Winner of five 2006 Tony Awards, The Drowsy Chaperone is about a die-hard musical fan whose favorite 1928 show magically bursts to life when he plays his cast record. I’m giving away 4 tickets to the show on Saturday 5/14 at 4pm! See our review and email johnny@eventsINSIDER.com to win. BCA, Boston, MA. more our review |
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| Sun 5/15Boston MetroHaitian Parade |
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| Last weekend was a huge blowout of events, but this weekend is perhaps the last “quiet” weekend until November. Let’s start with the Haitian parade, which starts from Mattapan Square. 1pm. Mattapan Square, 1614 Blue Hill Ave, Mattapan, MA. more more |
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| Sun 5/15Boston MetroCadillac Day at Larz Anderson Museum |
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| Just across the river in Brookline is the Larz Anderson Museum of Transporation. Throughout the summer they’ll have numerous lawn festivals, for various types of car enthusiast. This week it’s Cadillacs! 10am-3pm. 15 Newton Street, Brookline, MA.(617)-522-6547. more |
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| Sat 5/14Boston MetroNational Astronomy Day & Kite Fly |
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| What’s better than cars? Rockets! Are you glim about missing Rocket Day last weekend? You are saved! This special astronomy day begins with rockets, kites, and solar telesciopes and ends with viewings of the full moon and Saturn. 4-10pm. Clay Center Observatory, 20 Newton Street, Brookline, MA.(617)-522-5544. more |
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| Sat 5/14 – Sun 5/15Boston MetroCambridge Open Studios – Central |
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| Open studios are a great excuse to walk around the city. Meet interesting artists in their homes or work studios, and buy their art! I mean, AHHT. 12pm-6pm. Get a map, Cambridge, MA. more |
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| Sat 5/14 – Sun 5/15Boston MetroNewton Open Studios |
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| Newton is an even better place to walk around because there are so many mansions! And you get to meet local artists — not just their vendors — see their work, and possibly buy something. 11am-5pm. Various locations, Newton, MA.(617)-332-9967. more |
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| Fri 5/13Boston MetroCharles River Moonlight Canoe |
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| Also in Newton, the local canoe rental place has regular night events, for 3 days every full moon. They start this week and go all summer. Newton Boathouse, Commonwealth Ave., Newton, MA. more |
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| Sat 5/14SpringfieldSpringfield’s 375th Birthday Festival, Parade, & Fireworks |
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| This would be a great weekend to zip out to Springfield! They are celebrating their 375th birthday with a number of events, like a parade, fireworks, live music, a road race, and museum events like a scavenger hunt! All over…., Springfield, MA. more |
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| Sat 5/14SpringfieldWorld’s Largest Pancake Breakfast |
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| The festival includes this giant outdoor breakfast. This event is sort of made up but sounds like so much fun!! Pancakes!! Boy, I’m hungry now. 8am-11am. Main Street from State Street to Bridge Street, Springfield, MA.(413)-733-3800. more |
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| Sat 5/14SpringfieldArmory Day |
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| And there will be historical re-enactments, including the 2nd Continental Dragoons Cavalry demonstrations, historic weapons & cannon firing, reenactment camps, and museum tours. All events free from 1-5 PM. Springfield, MA. more |
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| Sun 5/15Western MassEmily Dickinson Museum Open House & Poetry Walk |
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| While you’re out West, see the Emily Dickinson museum, which has a commemoration of the anniversary of the famous poet’s death, with poetry readings and a walk. It’s free. 1pm (open house at 3pm). 280 Main Street, Amherst, MA.(413)-542-8161. more |
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| Fri 5/13 – Sun 5/15Boston MetroEmerging Americal Festival & Parade |
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| A parade in Harvard Square at 2 PM begins this year’s Emerging America Festival, a string of exciting and new theatrical performances presented by three of Boston’s giants: The American Repertory Theatre, The Huntington Theatre Company, and the Institute for Contemporary Art. Starts from 2 Arrow St, Cambridge, MA. more |
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| Sat 5/14Boston MetroA Loyalist Perspective on the Revolution |
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| I love re-enactments. Can’t get out to Springfield? In Boston, at the Paul Revere House this week, learn about the “other” side of the American revolution- the loyalists who maintained their allegiance to the crown. 1-3PM, free with museum admission. Paul Revere House, Boston, MA. more |
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| Sat 5/14Boston MetroTour: Charles Sumner: From Cradle to Grave |
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| Have you ever driven through the Sumner tunnel to the airport and thought, Who the hell was Sumner? Three linked, guided tours follow the life of Charles Sumner, whose bicentennial Boston is celebrating this year. Each segment of the tour is approximately an hour long and takes place in a different site. Free, but space is limited, so call to reserve a spot. Call 617-742-5415 for the tour beginning at the Abiel Smith School, 617-876-4491 for the Longfellow House, and 6170547 7105 for the tour at Mount Auburn Cemetery. 3 various locations, Boston, MA. more more |
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| Tue 5/17WorcesterFull Moon Canoe Trip |
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| Here’s another night canoe. I’ve never been on one, but I bet it rocks. Bring a light coat. 7:30-9pm. Hale Reservation, 80 Carby St., Westwood, MA. more |
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| Fri 5/13 – Sat 5/14All OverAudubon Society Birdathon | ||||
| Every year the Audubon Society has a fundraiser where teams compete to find as many birds as possible. I imagine they are open to newbies stopping by. It happens in state parks all over Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and possibly beyond. Various state parks, All over MA & RI. more more |
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| Fri 5/13 – Sun 5/15Southeast MassAnnual Scrimshaw Weekend |
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| This seems to be just another ordinary day at the New Bedford Whaling Museum, except they’ll have tons of vendors of marine antiques. Isn’t ivory supposed to be illegal? Well, it’s certainly unusual. New Bedford Whaling Museum, New Bedford, MA. more |
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| Sat 5/14 – Sun 5/15Rhode IslandRhode Island Folk Festival |
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| Let the relative lack of Boston events this week draw you to Boston! The RI Folk Festival has five stages and includes my favorite group, Atwater-Donnelly. If you like folk, I guarantee you will like it. Just go. Peeptoad Coffeehouse, 81 East Killingly Road, Foster, RI. more |
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| Sat 5/14 – Sun 5/15New HampshireHampton Beach Tow Rodeo |
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| Do you like trucks? Rodeos? This event might be for you. Apparently they try to tow around heavy objects?? They’ll have a beauty contest and “Police K-9 Demos”, which I assume is when the police release dogs into the audience to tackle and bite. Should be great fun. Hampton Beach, Hampton Beach, NH. more more |
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| Sun 5/15New HampshireGranite State Comicon |
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| If the AnimeCon and Boston ComicCon didn’t wear you out, drive up to New Hampshire for another great adventure in geekdom. 10am-4pm. Entry is $8 and kids under 10 enter free. Radisson Center, Manchester, NH. more |
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| Sat 5/14Cape CodSalt Pond Visitor Center Exhibit Dedication |
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| Join Superintendent George Price, park staff, and Mashpee and Wampanoag tribal members to dedicate two new exhibits at the Salt Pond Visitor’s Center. More interestingly, the rest of the day features demonstrations, music, and dancing by local Wampanoag tribe members. Salt Pond Visitor Center, Eastham, MA.508-255-3421. more |
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| Also Fun | ||||
| Thu 5/5 – Sat 9/10Boston MetroWFNX Downtown Crossing Block Party |
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| It’s not quite time for summer concert season, but Downtown Crossing doesn’t care. Here’s the first in their series of regular outdoor music events. Have I mentioned lately that I track the largest list of outdoor summer concerts in New England? Every Thursday from 5-8pm. Downtown Crossing, Boston, MA. more |
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| Sat 5/7 – Sat 10/1Boston MetroDowntown Crossing Art Fridays |
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| Also in Downtown Crossing is this art market, which will take place every Friday until October from 11am-6pm. Summer Street, Downtown Crossing, Boston, MA. more |
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| Wed 5/11 – Sun 5/15Western MassApple Blossom Festival |
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| Carnival season continues with this Apple Blossom Festival in Western MA. Abbot School, Westford, MA. more |
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| Wed 5/11 – Sun 5/15New HampshireDerry Carnival |
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| And here’s another one in Derry! Corner of Manchester Rd. & Ashley Drive, Derry, NH. more |
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| Wed 5/11 – Sun 5/15LowellSt Louis Church Festival |
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| And this week Fiesta Shows brings the good times to Lowell. 221 West 6th Street, Lowell, MA. more |
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| Wed 5/11Rhode IslandSaturn and Other Celestial Wonders |
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| This is another astronomy event where you get to learn about galaxies, star clusters, and planets. Saturn is visible this evening! Cool! To register call the listed number or email programs@asri.org. 8:30-10 PM. Seagrave Observatory, 47 Peeptoad Road, North Scituate, RI.(401) 949-5454, ext. 3041. more |
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| Fri 5/13 – Sat 5/14North ShoreMassachusetts Poetry Festival at the PEM |
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| Salem plays host to this year’s MA Poetry Festival, with many events taking place at the Peabody Essex Museum: Favorite Poetry readings, celebrations of poets alive and dead, workshops, art studios, lectures, and more. Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA. more |
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| Fri 5/13 – Sat 5/14NorthshoreOther Poetry Festival Events |
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| If you’re interested in the Poetry Festival, check out this link to make sure you don’t miss a cool event NOT held at the Peabody Essex. All over…., Salem, MA. more |
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| Sat 5/14Boston MetroPhantom Gourmet Safari |
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| And here’s a similar event where restaurants wanting to promote themselves assemble and overfeed you if you pay the overprice, but hey, it’s for charity. Suffolk Downs, Boston, MA. more |
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| Mon 5/9 – Sun 5/22Boston MetroBike Week Kickoff Party in the Fenway |
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| To increase bicycle pride, and get some cards off the road, Massachusetts is hosting a variety of events all week! For example, 5/15, there’s a festival in the Fenway. Enjoy food, music, and a special BMX show by mountain bike legend Jeff Lenosky. Top it off with a bike tour covering the new bike lanes in Boston. Fenway neighborhood, Boston, MA. more |
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| Sun 5/15Boston MetroBicycle Parade |
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| This “parade” is basically a closed road. Hmm. Thanks for closing the friggin’ road, guys! Check in at 11:30am and the 5-mile parade begins at 12:30pm. Then from 1-2pm, Amory Park celebration with refreshments. Amory Park, on Amory Street between Beacon Street and Freeman Street., Brookline, MA. more |
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| Sat 5/14Boston MetroThe Hub Crawl | ||||
| The Hub Crawl is an urban digital photo scavenger hunt where folks test their knowledge of the city while solving puzzles on the go and racing against the clock. Participants snap photos to gain points. Looks like fun! 1 State Street, Boston, MA. more |
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| Sat 5/14Metro West7th Annual National Arab American Service Day |
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| Everyone’s welcome to help out at Arab American Service Day. You can paint a refugee relief center, or sort donations for refugee families from the conflicts abroad. I’ve been to a recent Arab American event and it was both great fun and a great learning experience. ICNA- Relief Center, 222 Broadway, Chelsea, MA. more |
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| Sat 5/14WorcesterEarth Day Clean Up at Wachusett Mountain | ||||
| Wachusett Mountain is the closest “real mountain” to Boston, about an hour’s drive out west. Volunteer to help clean up and get an Early Season Lift Ticket voucher, valid thru Dec. 23rd, 2011. Registration from 7:30-9am. Wachusett Mountain, Princeton, MA. more |
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| Sat 5/14MaineBug Light Kite Festival |
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| A day of good old-fashioned kite-flying at Bug Light Park seems like a great way to enjoy the gorgeous weather we’re (finally) having. This free event features a “How to Fly a Kite” workshop, demonstrations of show kites, bol racing and a candy drop for the kids. Kites will be available for purchase, as well as food and drinks at the event barbecue. Portland Breakwater Lighthouse will be open, and you can take a rare opportunity to explore the inside! Location: 11 AM- 4 PM. Bug Light Park, 1 Madison Street., South Portland, ME.(207) 767-7299. more |
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| Thu 5/5 – Sun 5/15Boston MetroAnnual Boston LGBT Film Festival |
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| It’s hard to recommend staying indoors during Boston’s 8-month warm period, but this year’s LGBT Film Festival offers up some seriously fantastic selections including a mockumentary about gogo boys, a cinematic journey back to 1960’s Paris, a docudrama on kink, and two BBC period pieces with a sapphic twist: The Northeast premiere of “The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister” and “Daphne” (a biopic about the author of the famed novel Rebecca.). MFA, Boston, MA. more |
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| Tue 5/10 – Thu 5/12Boston MetroThe Boston 48 Hour Film Project |
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| And this is film but it’s also a creative competition and race! They give filmmakers 48 hours to create a film from start to finish. Perhaps one of the participants could be you! Screenings on the 10th, 11th, and 12th. Coolidge Corner Theatre, 290 Harvard Street, Brookline, MA. more |
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| Tue 5/10 – Wed 5/11Boston MetroAnnual Coolidge Award |
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| And the Coolidge is having their annual awards ceremony with some cool panel discussions and a festival atmosphere. The highlight will be a screening of a newly restored print of All About Eve, one of the greatest films of all time. “Fasten your seatbelts- It’s gonna be a bumpy night!” Coolidge Corner Theatre, Brookline, MA.(617)-734-2500. more |
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| Mon 5/9 – Tue 5/31Boston MetroOnce Upon a Time: Art Exhibit by Ricardo Passos |
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| Did you know that art exhibitions often begin with a public reception? Come see this vibrant and exciting exhibit of the paintings of Riccardo Passos, in an event that precedes the Boston Portuguese Festival. Opening reception Monday the 9th at 6 PM with a talk by Victor Escudero. Gallery 360 at Northeastern, 360 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA. more |
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| Sun 5/15Boston MetroPlastic + Film: An Exhibition of Toy Camera Photography |
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| And here’s another one. A myriad of cameras, films, development processes, and finally, printing methods and papers are employed by the 22 artists in Plastic + Film. The free artist reception is Sun May 15th, 3-5pm. The Nave Gallery, Clarendon Hill Presbyterian Church, 155 Powderhouse Blvd., Somerville, MA. more |
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| Tue 5/10 – Sun 5/15SpringfieldBrimfield Antiques Show (Spring) |
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| For the art at heart, this event is a huge draw, mostly outdoors, and it’s all antiques all the time! Dealers come from all over the country for this semi-annual show of epic proportions. Imagine the largest antiques show or flea market you’ve ever been to— times 10! It’s impossible to see it all in one day, or even two! But even if you can only make it for an afternoon, it’s worth the drive. No matter what you’re looking for or whether you’ve got $35 or $3,500 to spend, you’re bound to come home with something awesome. Rt 20 at Rt 19, Brimfield, MA.(413)-245 3209. more |
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| Wed 5/11Boston MetroRevels: Pub Sing at Doyle’s Cafe |
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| This is a heads up on a local participatory sing. They will sell out, so get tickets now. Doyle’s Cafe, 3484 Washington St, Jamaica Plain, MA. more |
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| Tue 5/17Southeast MassJazz Fest in the Garden |
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| Outdoor music season is just getting underway, and I will list more than 200 summer music series in New England, more than anyone else by a factor of 5x. 396 County St, New Bedford, MA. more |
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| Sat 5/14 – Sun 5/15Boston MetroAvon Walk for Breast Cancer |
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| Mother’s Day may be over, but contributing to the Walk for Breast Cancer is a gift that keeps on giving! Enjoy a fine walk and contribute to life-saving research. UMass Boston Campus, Boston, MA.1-800-510-WALK. more |
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| Sun 5/15Boston MetroBoston Kidney Walk |
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| Wait one second!! If you had to do a charity walk, why not choose a super fun location: the zoo! Awesome!! Check-in at 9:30am, walk at 10:30am. Rain or shine. Um, guys, a lot of us want to sleep in on a Sunday…. Franklin Park Zoo (Giraffe Entrance), Boston, MA. more |
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| Tue 5/17Boston MetroA Conversation with President Jimmy Carter |
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| You just missed getting tickets for former US President Jimmy Carter, but it’s not too late for the NEXT event at the JFK Library & Museum. Take a look and join their mailing list to see which VIPs are coming through town. JFK Library & Museum, Boston, MA. more |
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| Performance | ||||
| Fri 5/13 – Sun 5/15Metro WestBanjo Extravaganza & Banjo Camp |
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| Gee, this looks interesting! Everybody loves banjos. See the other link for info about the entire weekend Banjo Camp, which is in Groton, MA and seems to be more for performers than for ordinary music lovers. 33 Marrett Road, Lexington, MA.(781) 861-6559, ext. 4101. more more |
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| Tue 5/17Boston MetroBoston Handbell Festival |
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| I doubt that it’s really a festival — it seems like a performance — but I love handbells. Old South Church, Boston, MA. more |
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| Fri 4/15 – Sun 5/15Boston MetroAladdin and the Wonderful Lamp – our review |
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| There’s still time left to take the kids to the Wheelock Family Theatre for their dazzling production of Aladdin! Disney this ain’t. The Wheelock Family Theatre, 200 The Riverway, Boston, MA. more our review
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| Fri 5/6 – Sun 5/29Boston MetroPeter Pansy — our review |
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| The Gold Dust Orphans are an LGBTA theatre group that rocks out gay-friendly satires such as this take on the Peter Pan story. See our review! Machine, Boston, MA. more our review
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| Wed 4/27 – Sun 5/22Boston MetroAntony and Cleopatra | ||||
| The Actors’ Shakespeare Project finishes their 2010-2011 season with an edgy performance of Antony & Cleopatra at Suffolk University’s newly refurbished Modern Theatre. The Modern Theatre at Suffolk University, 535 Washington Street, Boston, MA. more |
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| Thu 5/5 – Sat 5/21Boston MetroHotel Cassiopeia – our review |
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| Fans of collage and assemblage artist Joseph Cornell might be interested in this dream-like Charles Mee play about his life and work. See our review! 10 Channel Center Street, Boston, MA.617.750.8900. more our review
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| Wed 5/11Boston Metro2011 Opening Night for the Boston Pops |
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| The Boston Pops kicks off its 2011 summer season with a tribute to Judy Garland. Symphony Hall, Boston, MA. more |
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| Thu 5/12 – Sun 5/29Boston MetroThe Bach Experience |
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| Long before Arnold Schwartzenegger, it was Johann Sebastian who first lifted a gatling gun and belted out, “I’ll be bach!” Hear three uplifting Bach Cantatas led by Bach specialist Mary Greer and performed by the talented Handel and Haydn Society. Bring your own leather jackets and sunglasses. Harvard Memorial Church, Cambridge, MA. more |
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