Johnny’s List of Quirky Boston Events: 06/11/08
Hello New England,
This is the quirky calendar for this week.
The must-see event before weekend is undoubtedly the Scooper Bowl, which I mentioned last week, Jun 10-12. Just go. http://www.scooperbowl.org
Over the weekend, the weird event of the week is the Boston Derby Dames Season Two Championship. It’s athletic women on roller skates. Jun 14. Shriners Auditorium. Wilmington, MA. 6pm. $16. Also an after-party with a DJ.
There are three “river festivals” this weekend. Firstly, the Cambridge River Festival is Jun 14. Cambridge, MA. 617-349-4380. 12pm-6pm. Rain or shine. Along Memorial Drive b/w Harvard & Central Squares. They have music performances, theatre, glass-blowing and ceramics demonstrations. http://www.ci.cambridge.ma.us/~CAC/
Part of the festival will be the Charles River One Mile Swim. Jun 15. Arthur Fiedler Dock. Boston, MA. Or thecharles.org. http://charlesriverswimmingclub.org
Then further west of the city is a festival in the Concord area. Riverfest is Jun 14-15. 617-223-5225. Boat rides, sculpture walk, river walk, music, canoe trek, scavenger hunt, nature walks. About 30 loosely connected events in differing locations, see schedule!. http://www.sudbury-assabet-concord.org
Also related is the Shelburne Falls Riverfest. Jun 14-15. http://www.shelburnefalls.com
Boston Pride Week continues and really gets into party mode this week. They’ll have a festival on Boston Common 6/14, and various “block parties”, June 14-15. http://www.bostonpride.org
Quincy has a solid tourism department and I’ve found their events worth seeing. The next one is the Quincy Flag Day Parade and Celebration, Jun 14. 7pm. Hancock St. to Pageant Field. Ends with fireworks! Quincy, MA. http://www.discoverquincy.com/calendarY
Every year they hold the Bunker Hill Day Parade and Re-enactment the Sunday before Bunker Hill day. This year, that’s Jun 15. Charlestown, MA. For info call 617-242-5652 Ethan, or Bill Casey 617-242-5628. http://www.nps.gov/bost
Every week there is folk dancing in Copley Square! They say that beginners are welcome. It’s every Tuesday through Aug 26, from 7:30-10pm, and it’s free. http://www.facone.org/programs/prog
At Boston GuitarFest, you can take a workshop or see a guitar competition. Through Jun 15. New England Conservatory, 290 Huntington Ave.,. Boston, MA. http://www.bostonguitarfest.org
I keep telling you to check out the DeCordova Sculpture Museum. And you should. But did you know that nearby, also in Lincoln MA is Gropius House? I was pretty excited until a friend told me no groping actually occurs there. Instead it’s an architectural landmark, but I’m sure that’s fun too. They have evening programs all summer and the next one, An Evening at Gropius, is Jun 13. Gropius House. Lincoln, Ma. And other nights, see http://www.spnea.org/things/calendar/Ev
If you don’t mind the drive, they’re having a balloon festival in Vermont. It’s the Quechee Balloon Festival & Crafts Fair. Jun 13-15. Vermont. Main Green, Route 4. Quechee, VT. 800-295-5451. Book rides by May 15th for discount. http://www.quecheeballoonfestival.com/
The Special Olympics Summer Games are Jun 13-15. Boston Metro. On the campuses of Harvard, MIT and Boston University. http://www.specialolympicsma.org/ev
Speaking of fireworks, every year is a Master Sand Sculpting Competition at Hampton Beach, in Hampton Beach, NH. This year it’s Jun 14-27, but the main events happen towards the end when there’s judging. 603-926-8718. Their awards night is the last Saturday, followed by fireworks. They also have fireworks at 9:30pm every Wednesday Jul-Aug, too.. http://www.hamptonbeach.org
Also having fireworks regularly:
— Every Thursday night at Palace Playland in Old Orchard Beach, ME. http://www.palaceplayland.com
— Every Saturday in July and August at Canobie Lake Park, in Salem NH. http://www.canobie.com/events.php
She Loves Me is the theatre show that inspired “You’ve Got Mail”, the movie. Through Jun 15, Huntington Theatre Company, Boston University Theatre, 264 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA. 617-266-0800. Bitter rivals are secretly penpals.
Improv Boston, my favorite improv comedy studio, keeps coming up with new things to pass along. This week it’s “My Big Fat Rashomon Wedding”. Through Jun 13. http://www.improvboston.com
The MFA starts their Concerts in the Courtyard series today, Jun 11, and it runs through Sep 14. Boston Metro. 617-369-3189. As you remember, Wednesday evenings, the MFA is free. http://www.mfa.org/concerts
Speaking of free, MIT has a movie club called LSC and their films are free in the summer. This weekend it’s Ghostbusters. http://lsc.mit.edu
One-upping MIT is the Brattle Film theatre, which is showing 2001: A Space Odyssey, preceded by a lecture with Keir Dullea, the star of that film. Jun 12. http://www.brattlefilm.org/brattlef
One-upping the Brattle, why not use this as an excuse to check out Provincetown on Cape Cod? The Provincetown International Film Festival is Jun 18-22. 508-487-3456. http://www.ptownfilmfest.org
I sometimes list very “local” events because while they’re not great draws, you get a lot of enthusiasm. So here’s an opportunity for you to go Greek in the non-frat-house manner. The Hellenic Festival is Jun 14 at the Saints Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church, 14 Magazine Street. Cambridge, MA. http://greekculture.meetup.com/12/calen
I like to complain abuot expensive food events, but usually they’re fundraisers for charity so I guess that’s OK. Here are two reasonably priced ones:
— The Phantom Gourmet BBQ Beach Party, Jun 18-22. City Hall Plaza, One City Hall Plaza. Boston, MA. Tickets are $5 at the event but as low as $1 if bought in advance. 617-931-2000. http://www.phantomgourmetbbq.com/
— The Taste of Allston. Jun 15. Just $20. Sample from Allston’s restaurants. http://www.allstonvillage.com
The New England Fiddle Contest is free and really more of a festival than anything else. Jun 14. Manchester, CT. (860) 236-4445. http://www.fiddlefest.org
As mentioned previously, Chris Rock performs Jun 14 at the Citi Performing Arts Center
I just have to get myself to the Boston Prostate Cancer Walk. Jun 15. Boston Metro. Boston Common. Boston, MA. http://www.bostonpcwalk.org
Continuing events:
— Glengarry Glen Ross to Jun 15. http://www.counterproductionstheatre.co
— The Great Park Pursuit, to Jun 14, http://www.greatparkpursuit.org/
-Johnny