Anime Boston, Memorial Day Parades, MFA Free Day, Drive-in Movies, Outdoor Festivals
05/20/09 by
Johnny Monsarrat
Here’s your week in weird. Enjoy it! Want this weekly? Please subscribe.
-Johnny
The Week in Weird |
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| Anime Boston | 5/22 – 5/24 | Boston Metro | |
| Besides Memorial Day parades, it’s not a big week for activities, but here are a few! Anime Boston is the big annual festival for people who love Japanese cartoon movies, and they’ll have a costume contest, game shows, dancing, and a music video contest. Hynes Convention Center, Boston, MA. more |
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| J. Michael Straczynski lecture | 5/22 | Boston Metro | |
| Also geeky is a lecture by “JMS”, the author behind Sci-Fi series Babylon 5, and “Changeling”, the Clint Eastwood film. Get your tickets immediately because this will sell out. MIT, Room 10-250, Cambridge, MA. more |
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| Faneuil Hall Street Performers Festival | 5/23 – 5/25 | Boston Metro | |
| More outdoorsy is this annual event at Faneuil Hall, where you can see street performers. I’ve seen both the Aerial Angels and the USA Breakdancers before — they’re really good! 11am-10pm. Faneuil Hall, Boston, MA. more |
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| African Liberation Day | 5/23 | Boston Metro | |
| Nearby on Boston Common is an african festival. It’s a little unclear what this is, but it involves drumming and ‘spoken word’, which is like a poetry slam, I think. 11am-5pm. Boston Common, Boston, MA. more |
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| Discovery Day in Lexington | 5/23 | Metro West | |
| There’s a small town festival in Lexington. I love these small events because often you’ll find something special. (I’m not sure what’s so special about a municipal parking lot with 70 vendor booths and high school music, though. ) 10am-3pm. Rain date 7 days later. Muzzey Street at Waltham Street, Lexington, MA. more |
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| Newburyport Spring Fest | 5/24 – 5/25 | North Shore | |
| This one will have a teddy bear parade but is even less well detailed. I called and basically: vendors & music! 10am-5pm. Downtown Newburyport, Newburyport, MA. more |
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| Spring Planting Moon Pow-Wow & Crafts Festival | 5/23 – 5/24 | South Shore | |
| This one’s the clear pick of the lot. Come see native american dancing, demonstrations, and crafts. Marshfield Fairgrounds, 140 Main St., Marshfield, MA. more |
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| Strange Creek Campout Festival | 5/22 – 5/25 | Western Mass | |
| Camp out an entire weekend for this music festival! And they’ll have a bonfire! Camp Kee-Wanee, Greenfield, MA. more |
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| Preview of Falcon Ridge Folk Festival | 5/23 | Boston Metro | |
| Or check out this preview of “Best Of” music from the upcoming Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in upstate New York. Church, 50 Paul Revere Road, Arlington Heights, MA. more |
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| US Air Guitar Championships – Boston | 5/27 | Boston Metro | |
| If you prefer your music fake, there’s a nationwide championships and it’s coming to Boston as part of a tour. Harper’s Ferry, Boston, MA. more |
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| Animal Intelligence lecture at Museum of Science | 5/27 | Boston Metro | |
| Did you hear in the news about the intelligent parrot who died recently? Well, its owner and researcher comes to the Museum o’ Science to discuss. Museum o’ Science, Boston, MA. more |
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Memorial Day |
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| Sudbury Memorial Day Parade | 5/25 | Metro West | |
| It’s not hard to find Memorial Day events. I suggest traveling to some small town and catching the enthusiasm of the event organizers. This one’s notable because it will have re-enactors and native americans. Sudbury, MA. more |
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| Concord Memorial Day Parade | 5/25 | Metro West | |
| Concord will have some re-enactment action as well as part of their parade. Concord, MA. more |
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| Dunstable Memorial Day Parade | 5/24 | Northern Mass | |
| There are really too many to list but here’s another, focusing on WWII. Dunstable, MA.978-649-6425. more |
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| Somerville Memorial Day Parade | 5/24 | Boston Metro | |
| And one in my town, Somerville. 8am procession down Highland Avenue. And parade begins at 1 p.m. from Somerville High School, ending with afternoon ceremonies at Veterans Memorial Cemetery on Broadway. Somerville, MA. |
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| MFA is free on memorial day | 5/25 | Boston Metro | |
| The MFA is free on Memorial Day. Museum o’ Fine Arts, Boston, MA. more |
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Also Fun |
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| Gardner Museum’s 3rd Thursdays | 5/21 – 6/18 | Boston Metro | |
| Some Thursday nights the Gardner is open late. They have a scavenger hunt, food, participatory arts & gardening, music, tours, and lectures. Museum o’ Gardner, 280 The Fenway, Boston, MA.(617)566-1401. more |
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| Mass MOCA 10th Anniversary Ball | 5/23 | Western Mass | |
| And way out in Western Masscahusetts, the Museum of Contemporary Art is turning 10 and celebrating with a ball instead of a festival. Museum o’ Contemporary Art, 87 Marshall St, North Adams, MA.413-662-2111. more |
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| Attleboro Spring Carnival | 5/20 – 5/25 | Southern Mass | |
| Fiesta Shows continues shlepping their carnival around. Check website for coupon. Attleboro, MA. more |
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| Lowell Spring Fair | 5/20 – 5/31 | Northern Mass | |
| Apparently they can be in two places at once! Check website for coupon. Lowell, MA. more |
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| Annual Beacon Hill Hidden Gardens Tour | 5/21 | Boston Metro | |
| Beacon Hill is the home of a lot of rich people, and some of them have private gardens. Heres’ your chance to meet and mingle. Dress up. 9am-5pm, $25. Beacon Hill Garden Club, Charles & Mt. Vernon Streets, Boston, MA.617-227-4392. more |
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| Small Fry Festival | 5/23 | Cape Cod | |
| Or dress down and learn to fish with the locals. 1-3pm. Lyman Reserve, Red Brook Road, Bourne, MA. more |
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| Massachusetts Sheep and Wool Show | 5/23 – 5/24 | Western Mass | |
| This is the oldest sheep festival in New England, they say. They will have sheep. And bunny wabbits! Cummington Fairgrounds, Cummington, MA. more |
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| Gaspee Days Arts & Crafts Festival | 5/23 – 5/25 | Rhode Island | |
| They claim that 50,000 people will come to this crafts show, with live music and pony rides, with 150+ exhibitors. Pawtucket Village, Wartick, RI. more |
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| Lincoln’s John Hay/John Hay’s Lincoln – Lecture | 5/22 | New Hampshire | |
| This one’s a lecturer by a historian who has written about John Hay and Abraham Lincoln. 1:00 pm. Free, but pre-register. The Fells, Newbury, NH. more |
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Recurring Events |
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| Fireworks every Wednesday @ Hampton Beach | 5/24 – 9/12 | New Hampshire | |
| It bears noting that Hampton Beach begins its regular fireworks this week. Ocean Boulevard, Hampton, NH.603-926-8718. more |
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| Carousel on Boston Common | 5/1 – 6/21 | Boston Metro | |
| And the carousel on Boston Common remains open daily 11-9 through June 21. Only $2. Boston Common near Frog Pond, Boston, MA. more |
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| Charles River Canoe & Kayak | Apr 1 – Nov 15 | Metro West | |
| Here are some extras: things that happen regularly throughout the summer or all year. Here’s a place to rent a canoe or kayak. Rt 90E to ex 15 to Rt 30E. Go thru two lights. Brown boathouse is immediately after crossing the river on the left. Lessons. Or www.sacobound.com in NH. 2401 Commonwealth Avenue, Newton, MA.617 965-5110. more |
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| Stone Zoo | Jan 1 – Dec 31 | North Shore | |
| The Stone Zoo is the smaller brother to the Frnaklin Park Zoo and worth a tri. 617-541-LION. AAA discount. Free day after Thanksgiving. 149 Pond Street, Stoneham, MA.781-438-5100. more |
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| Participatory International Folk Dance | Jan 1 – Dec 31 | Boston Metro | |
| Finally, here’s a sampling from local dance groups. No experience necessary. Fridays 8pm-11pm, Sept thru June. Includes lessons. Park Ave & Paul Revere Rd, Arlington, MA.781-662-7475. more |
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| Participatory “Dance Freedom | Jan 1 – Dec 31 | Boston Metro | |
| Every Wednesday 7:30-10:30. Encourages, um, carefree dancing. Church @ Mason & Garden Streets, Cambridge, MA.508-405-0908. more |
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| Drive-In Theater – Mendon | May 1 – Sep 30 | Worcester | |
| Drive-in movie theatres are a great summer nighttime event when you’re looking for something to do! This one’s my favorite. It’s the closest to Boston and has a 1950s style diner. The trick is that you show up early and think of it like a night in the park. Bring a frisbee or just go for a walk while waiting for the film. Rt 90W to 495S to exit 20, Rt 85 S to Rt 16 W to Mendon, MA. 56 minutes from Boston. See http://www.driveinmovie.com/MA.htm. 35 Milford Street, Mendon, MA.508 473-4958. more |
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| Drive-In Theater – Cape Cod | May 1 – Oct 31 | Cape Cod | |
| This one has an antiques show during the late summer. On Rt 6, on the Eastham / Wellfleet line. Wellfleet, MA.508-349-7176. more |
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| Drive-In Theater – Lunenburg (Rt 2) | Apr 1 – Sep 30 | Northern Mass | |
| This one is 66 minutes from Boston. Mendon is closer. See http://www.driveinmovie.com/MA.htm. 3 Youngs Road, Lunenburg, MA.978-345-5062. more |
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