6/2 – 6/9: Ice Cream, Soapbox Derby, Kite, River, Car Fests, Adult Prom, Pride Week, & Free Movies!

06/02/10 by Johnny Monsarrat

If you’re not on the Facebook group, then you missed free movie preview tickets to Splice this week! And TONIGHT I have one free ticket (possibly two, email me with a phone number) to Johnny Baseball, the new musical at Harvard’s A.R.T. in Cambridge.

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-Johnny

The Week in Weird
Free movie preview: ONDINE, starring Colin Farrell		6/7	Boston Metro
Here are some free movie tickets for you! ONDINE stars Colin Farrell, and it’s a fantasy about a mermaid. 7pm and there may be an after-party. Email me for tix. Stuart Street Playhouse, Boston, MA.
Scooper Bowl (world’s largest ice cream festival)		6/8 – 6/10	Boston Metro
And starting Tuesday is the Scooper Bowl! You pay $8 for charity, and it’s all-you-can-eat ice cream from the best vendors. I went once and ate so much ice cream I nearly hurt myself. It’s the biggest event of its type in the world. Yum! 12-8pm daily. Boston City Hall Plaza, Boston, MA. more
Friendly’s Free Ice Cream Day		6/5	All Over
Friendly’s is also getting in on the ice cream action. Go to any Friendly’s for a free scoop. 12-5pm. Any Friendy’s Restaurant, All Over. more
Arlington Soapbox Derby Race Day		6/6	Boston Metro
They’ll be racing homemade cars in Arlington, old-timey style! Starts at 9am when normal people are sleeping. No pics on their website. :(. Arlington, MA. more more
Boston Kite Festival		6/6	Boston Metro
This one is highly recommended! It’s so much fun to see real professionals do choreographed ‘dance’ with their kites and have kite competitions. Artists will bring their own custom giant flying lobsters and box kites, and you can learn to fly a stunt kite with two strings. Free. 10am-4pm. No rain date. This website not only has no photos, when I click on their logo it says ouch! Don’t click on me! :). Pope John Paul II Park, Hallet St., Boston, MA.781-925-3277. more
Dorchester Day Parade		6/6 – 6/10	Boston Metro
The parade starts at 1pm up DORK-hester Avenue, from Lower Mills to Columbia Road. Last year there was a cookout afterwards. Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester, MA.617-822-8296. more
Cambridge River Festival		6/5	Boston Metro
But the weird event of the week is the Cambridge River Festival! It’s 12-6pm on Saturday, rain or shine, and they claim 200,000 will attend. They’ll have 5 performance stages and a ton of artist demonstrations, vendor booths, Haitian storytelling, poetry readings, and more. Along Memorial Drive, between JFK Street and Western Avenue., Cambridge, MA.617-349-4380. more
Revels Opens Cambridge River Festival		6/5	Boston Metro
As part of the fest, the Revels performance group will lead a procession from Winthrop Park in Harvard Square at 11:30am to Memorial Drive. Arrive at 11am if you want to join in the parade and singing! Winthrop Park, at JFK Street and Mt. Auburn St, Boston, MA.617-972-8300. more
FIGMENT Festival		6/5	Boston Metro
Also part of the fest is FIGMENT, which they’ve refused to describe on their website. They say vague things like “everything is possible” and “celebrates creativity”. Maybe it’s some kind of participatory arts workshopy thing. Or maybe it’s a Burning Man thing. Well, anyway, go to the festival and you’ll see it. Memorial Drive, Cambridge, MA. more
Urban Canvas		6/5	Boston Metro
And go crazy with chalk as part of the festival. Just go already! Go! Memorial Drive at Western Ave, Cambridge, MA. more
Revere Beach Kite Festival		6/5	Boston Metro
Can’t make it to the Boston Kite Festival? Try out this preview event in Revere. Revere Beach, Revere, MA. more
Boston Pride Week		6/4 – 6/13	Boston Metro
Gay pride week starts this weekend, but the big events are all the following weekend. Sat: Faneiul Hall. Sun: Tea Dance. (Tea Dance?? How gay is that? Oh, right.) Pageant on Monday, and “Idol” competition Wednesday, etc. Various, Boston, MA. more
Art Prom		6/5	Boston Metro
If you don’t want to go to a gay pageant, how about reliving your high school prom, but without the chaperones! Center for the Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave, Somerville, MA. more
British Car Day @ Larz Anderson Museum		6/6	Boston Metro
The Larz Anderson Museum of Transportation continues to have lawn festivals. It’s wonderful. 15 Newton Street, Brookline, MA.617-522-6547. more
Boston Folk Festival (WUMB Music Fest)		6/6	Boston Metro
The Boston Folk Festival, held on the campus of UMass Boston, always seems to be a Very Big Deal. They only have two stages, though, and Saturday’s event is evening-only, a songwriting competition finalist performance. For the first time, 2009 will be all-indoors. UMass Boston, Boston, MA.617-287-6911. more
Quilters’ Connection Annual Quilt Show		6/4 – 6/6	Boston Metro
Don’t underestimate this one. I’m a manly man — at least I *think* I’m a manly man — and I was actually quite impressed with the quilt show when I went a few years ago. This is the biggest quiltiny event in New England. The quilts are genuine works of art, and over 200 are on display. Arsenal Center for the Arts, 321 Arsenal Street, Watertown, MA. more
Agawam Summer Gathering		6/5 – 6/6	North Shore
Native American celebration with singing & a good excuse to visit Ipswich and Crane Beach before the season gets going full tilt. I got a hint that they may have a “Powwow Idol” competition? Ipswich Town Hall, 25 Green Street, Ipswich, MA. more
Acton Chinese Culture Day		6/5	Metro West
They’ll have a dragon dance and martial arts performances and a lot more. 10am-4pm. Rain date 7 days later. NARA Park, 25 Ledge Rock Way, Acton, MA. more
Taunton River Festival		6/5	Southern Mass
Here’s a competing river festival! Come for live music, crafts, basically kids stuff. 10am-5pm. FREE. The event features moonwalks. Moonwalks? You mean moonbounces, right? Weir Riverfront Park, Taunton, MA.508-821-9347. more
Metropolis		6/4	Boston Metro
I’ve seen this movie, perhaps the most famous silent film of all time. It’s great and the Coolidge is doing a version with a live band! Coolidge Corner Theatre, Brookline, MA.617-734-2500. more
Also Fun
Flash Mob Anniversary		6/3 – 6/6	Boston Metro
Our friends at Boston Misteriosos are doing a “flash mob”, but they’ve refused to say what that is or where it is. Or when. So. Despite a lack of marketing skill, their events are usually great, so I guess you’ll have to do this one on faith. The idea is, you show up in a big mob, and then do something. Hmm. They wouldn’t tell me, Boston, MA. more
Country Life Festival @ Enfield Shaker Museum		6/5	New Hampshire
This historic village is having an undescribed celebration, where you can “see local animals and participate in special events”. Okaaaaay…. Well, it’s a great excuse to visit this and learn about the Quakers. Um, Shakers. I’m sure they’re very different. 447 NH Route 4A, Enfield, NH.603-632-4346. more
North River Festival of the Arts		5/28 – 6/8	South Shore
And now for a number of free outdoor festivals! This arty marketplace with live music continues. Rain or shine. 10am-5pm. Marshfield Hills Village, Marshfield Hills, MA. more
Coolidge Corner Arts Festival & Brookline Food Festival		6/5	Boston Metro
Also commercial, this “art festival” used to be a bunch of vendor booths on the sidewalk. But now they have moved it onto a school grounds and situated it next to a food festival. Sounding pretty good! 10am-6pm. Devotion School, 345 Harvard Street, Brookline, MA.617-739-9066-. more
Salem Arts Festival		6/4 – 6/6	North Shore
The Salem Arts Festival has a wide variety of dance, music, and art performance. Various locations, Salem, MA. more
Dedham Square Music and Art Festival		6/5	Boston Metro
This music festival was such a hit last year that they’ve added art! Dedham Community House Field, 671 High Street, Dedham, MA. more
New England Celebrates Israel		6/6	Boston Metro
Celebrating Israel is free! They’ll have camel and pony rides, a “mock Israeli supermarket” (is that like an obstacle course?), and a Masada rock wall to climb. I don’t know what the Masada is, but I’m quite sure there’s something wrong with calling your climbing wall a Masada. All this makes me want to go even more! 1-5pm. Gann Academy, 333 Forest St, Waltham, MA.617-457-8782. more
Arlington Greek Festival		6/4 – 6/6	Boston Metro
Greece also needs celebrating, and they claim to draw “thousands of people”. Could be! Cooking lessons, a market place, and Greek dancing, hopefully participatory. Church, 4 Appleton Street, Arlington, MA. more
Bike-A-Thon and Green Roots Festival		6/6	Boston Metro
Whether you join the bike-a-thon or not, they’re having an outdoor fest in JP with steel drummers, a circus, puppets, and more! They’ll have booths with environmental information. And it’s free. 12-5:30pm. Rain date a week later. Park at Boylston & Lamartine Streets, Jamaica Plain, MA. more
Southbridge Fest		6/5	Worcester
This would be just another small town festival, but they’re having a parade down Main Street as well as the usual live music and vendors. Town Common, Southbridge, MA.508-764-5402. more
Winchester Town Day		6/4 – 6/5	Boston Metro
A parade can’t compete with fireworks though! Winchester, town of rich people, hosts a great festival, I hope. Winchester, MA. more more
Goffstown Old Home Day		6/5	New Hampshire
This old-timey town festival includes a lip synch contest, a biggest smile contest, and other homey stuff. Goffstown, NH.(603) 497-9933. more
Chowder Cook-off		6/5	Rhode Island
Or check out this chowder festival. Basically, you show up, you eat chowder. It’s like the Scooper Bowl, but no charity. Over 3000 gallons of chowder from 30 great chefs. 2009: 11am-6pm. Newport, RI. more
Chowder Fest		6/5	New Hampshire
This one is slightly closer to Boston, in Portsmouth, NH. Prescott Park, Portsmouth, NH. more
Cape Cod BBQ Championship		6/5 – 6/6	Cape Cod
OMG! OMG! There’s an entire CLUB just for BBQ! I’m getting so hungry listing food festivals! Peters Pond Campground, Sandwich, MA. more
The Sounds of Song & Dance: A Family Concert		6/6	Boston Metro
This music concert in Forest Hills encourages you to dance. “”Stomp, swirl, tango, and twirl.”” And you can try out the instruments after the show. Forest Hills Cemetery, 95 Forest Hills Ave, Boston, MA.617-524-0128.
Fort Adams Family Day		6/5	Rhode Island
I’m always put off by the word “family” in an event name. It’s like code for saying “fun for kids, but boring for adults!” and it’s typical of our loaded society that biases everything towards children. Why shouldn’t I get to sit in Santa’ s lap, too? Ahem. OK, never mind. So. This event is free and they’ll have giant vehicles to touch and explore, and unspecified activities and vendors. Did I mention it’s free? Fort Adams State Park, Newport, RI. more
Family Paddle and Overnight on the Charles		6/5	Metro West
Also “family”, a nighttime paddle and campout along the Charles River. Rocky Narrows, Sherborn, MA. more
Old Home Days Family Fair		6/2 – 6/5	South Shore
Fiesta Shows has set up its traveling carnival again, on the South Shore. First Church of Pembroke, 105 Centre Street, Pembroke, MA. more
World Oceans Day Festival		6/6	Boston Metro
This festival is basically live music and kids games on the plaza in front of the New England Aquarium. But a few vendors and eco-groups will have booths. 11am-3pm. New England Aquarium, Boston, MA. more
Kids Pirate Festival		6/5 – 6/6	Vermont
Also for kids, an entire pirate festival! Too bad it’s in Vermont. Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, 4472 Basin Harbor Rd, Vergennes, VT. more
Shear Fun Fest @ Davis Farmland		6/5 – 6/6	Worcester
This one, sadly, is for kids, too, although if you’ve got a kid along with you, you can go too and watch the sheep get their coats sheared. 11am-3pm. 145 Redstone Hill, Sterling, MA.978-422-8888. more
Fight For Air: Climb		6/5	Vermont
While you’re in Vermont, how about joining a race that’s vertical! You go up and down and up and down a town monument. It’s all for charity. Bennington Monument, Bennington, VT. more
Burlington Discover Jazz Festival		6/4 – 6/13	Vermont
Do you like jazz? Do you like Vermont? Here ya go. Various, Burlington, VT. more
Southern Connecticut Renaissance Festival		5/29 – 6/13	Connecticut
The Ren Faire in Connecticut continues. Western Connecticut State University, Danbury, CT. more
Strawberry Park Bluegrass Festival		6/3 – 6/6	Connecticut
This festival only has one stage, but they’ll have participatory dancing! Strawberry Park, Preston CT. more
Block Island Annual Music Festival		6/8 – 6/13	Rhode Island
This one is free and includes free barbecue. Sounds like a great excuse to check out the island. Captain Nick’s, Ocean Avenue, Block Island, RI. more
Lowell Carnival		5/27 – 6/6	Lowell
And near Lowell. OK, well IN Lowell…. Regatta Field, Pawtuckett Blvd., Lowell, MA. more
AIDS Walk Boston		6/6	Boston Metro
I’ll tell you a secret. They’ll take your money even if you don’t walk… Hatch Shell, Esplanade, Boston, MA. more
Statewide Free Fishing Weekend		6/5 – 6/6	Metro West
Don’t need a fishing license to try your hand this weekend. State-wide, Massachusetts. more
BioBlitz @ Springfield		6/4 – 6/5	Western Mass
Participate in this annual count of local creatures. The idea is to count as many as possible in 24 hours. 3pm Friday to 3pm Saturday. Forest Park, Ball Field Complex, Springfield, MA. more
Berkshire International Film Festival		6/3 – 6/6	Western Mass
And there’s another way out West. While you’re there, check out Barong Imports, also in Great Barrington. They sell imported art and have a whole warehouse of weird wonderful stuff. Great Barrington, MA. more
Concord Gardens Tour		6/4 – 6/5	Metro West
Rich people let you visit their private gardens without needing to sneak in. Various locations, Concord, MA. more
29th Annual Festival of Historic Houses		6/5	Rhode Island
Other rich people let you tour a number of old homes this week in Providence, Rhode Island. Various locations, Providence, RI. more
Annual Spring Antique Show and Sale		6/6	Cape Cod
I’m only listing this art show because you MUST go see Heritage Museum and Gardens. They have extensive grounds, an art museum, and an auto museum all in one spot. 67 Grove Street, Sandwich, MA.508.888.3300. more
Performance
Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit		5/7 – 6/6	Boston Metro
Noel Coward is one of the famous comedic playwrights and whatever he does is supposed to be fantastic. So I’m recommending YES YES YES! That you see this performance. O YES! Lyric Stage, 140 Clarendon St, Boston, MA.617-585-5678. more
The Lady with All the Answers		5/13 – 6/26	Boston Metro
I don’t write much about performance. I wait until it’s AWESOME. Did you know that advice columnist Ann Landers helped get the National Cancer Act passed? Or that her competitive sister was Dear Abby? This one-woman act combines comedy and drama, and I’ve just seen it at the new theatre in Central Square. It’s moving and brilliant. You learn a lot and actress Do yourself a favor and actress Stephanie Clayman engages the audience with such questions as, How long have you been married? And How should toilet paper be hung? The real Ann Landers got thousands and thousands of letters and now it’s your turn to join in her poll on American life and advice. GO SEE IT NOW. Central Square Theatre, Cambridge, MA. more
A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Naked		6/2 – 6/19	Boston Metro
You’ve seen Shakespeare. You’ve seen it over and over again. So theatre companies go a little nuts trying to present new ideas, like having everyone dress up as Planet from the Apes and doing Shakespeare. Well.. This one has no apes. But they’re naked. The idea is that when the Fairies frolick in the woods, they REALLLLLLLY frolic and they want to show that. Contemporary Theatre of Boston, BCA Plaza Theatre, Boston, MA. more
JAMN 94.5 FM Summer Jam		6/5	Southern Mass
The big annual event for radio 94.5 FM is this week. Comcast Center, Mansfield, MA. more
Johnny Baseball (Red Sox musical with real baseball park food)		5/16 – 6/27	Boston Metro
I have one free ticket to give away to TONIGHT’S show at 7:30pm! This is the world premiere of Johnny Baseball, a musical about the Red Sox! As you can guess, it’s about reversing the “curse”, but it’s also a brainy commentary on racism. They’ll even have an Italian sausage vendor and beer and wine sales on the patio, so come for dinner, too! I’ll be going and will do a full review next week. Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA. more
Sign up early for Spring Wildfire. Fire Arts event.		6/4 – 6/7	Connecticut
Finally, this event is for people who want to learn (or show off) fire spinning, and they claim to be sold out (for participants!) But people can still drive up without the intention of camping and watch, right? Right? Actually, I don’t think so. They seem to warn away anyone who’s not serious about fire spinning. Well hell, call ’em. Some camp, Ashford, CT. more

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But Wait! That’s not it! I also list the largest list of outdoor summer concert series in New England. I will be tracking over 110 outdoor music series and 30 outdoor movies series! The season is just starting, but here are the ones that have events this week: