Johnny’s List of Quirky Boston Events: 08/10/06

The Isabella Stuart Garnder Museum is open free tonight August 10th to 8pm. Guided tours, jewelry-making workshops, storytelling, and a scavenger hunt for kids. http://www.gardnermuseum.org, 280 The Fenway, Boston.

The weird event of the week is the Waterfront Festival at Battleship Cove (also the Fall River Celebrates America Waterfront Festival). Get this, in Fall River, MA they have an actual WWII battleship, and a submarine and stuff, and you can get tours. Also there is a carousel there. 200,000 attend this celebration so it’s a great opportunity to check it out.

If that’s not weird enough, how about spending $400 to fly in a WWII bomber? http://www.b17.org. Reserve in advance. Lawrence, MA. Aug 11-13.

Or if that’s too expensive, how about visiting a model airplane club for the day? The CRRC Soar-In is one of two big events of the year in New England for model airplanes and helicopters. I went last year and it was fun, hokey but fun. http://www.charlesriverrc.org. Davis Field. Sudbury, MA. (978) 897-1750. $20. Off Rt 117. Call Mark Drela at 617 253 0067, or drela@mit.edu. Lunch included in admission. Directions, see http://www.charlesriverrc.org/fields_davis.htm.

Another alternative as I mentioned last week is the AeroBalloon rides (straight up and down on a tethered balloon, but it’s only $15), see http://www.aeroballoon.com. Boston Common Aug 10 – Sep 3.

But if you want something truly dangerous, try the Dominican Festival & Parade @ Franklin Park, because last year people got arrested for carrying guns and brawling. Aug 11-13, Franklin Park, Boston, MA. 617.201.2909. Domican, Haitian, and Jamaican food, music, dance. Carnival rides, face painting. 12pm-7pm. Free. I went to the Puerto Rican festival in the same location and it was muddy and kind of lame.

Grease is showing at the Free Friday Flicks at the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade, Aug 11. http://www.mass.gov/dcr/hatch_events.htm. Bring a picnic blanket and possibly bug spray.

The Newport Jazz Festival (JVC Jazz Festival) is this weekend, Aug 11-13, which seems to be the biggest jazz festival around, although the Beantown Jazz Festival is coming up Sep 29-Oct 1. http://www.festivalproductions.net. Fort Adams State Park, Newport, RI.

Or if Jazz isn’t your thing try the New England DMC DJ Competition, Aug 12, at Club Lido, 1290 North Shore Rd. Revere, MA. http://www.clublido.com.

There is also a Bellydance Benefit for Jane Doe charity. Aug 12. Dance Complex, 536 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA. 2-5pm. $12. I’ve never seen bellydancing before so I thought I’d go and shout things like “take it off, baby!” while respecting Middle Eastern culture.

If you’re a geek, there’s a minor SF convention happening, the Pi-Con Science Fiction Convention. Aug 11-13 at the Best Western Sovereign Hotel, West Springfield, MA, about a 2-hour drive from Boston. http://www.pi-con.org.

Also Boston Restaurant Week (Summer) begins, Aug 13-18, 20-25. This is basically a marketing event not a cultural event, but you get to eat at the priciest restaurants for only $20 so hey. http://www.restaurantweekboston.com

Cedrick the Entertainer is performing at the Comedy Connection, Aug 13. A mildly famous comic who got stuck with a bad name early in his career I guess.

Also I am really looking forward to the India Day – Festival & Concert, which is the only Indian (not native american, I mean Indian Indian) cultural event around Boston as far as I know. Aug 13th. http://www.iagb.org/Site. At the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade in Boston. C
concert, crafts, dance, games & activities.

In the “where does Johnny get this stuff?” category, try Patriots and Prisoners on Georges Island, which is one of the Boston Harbor Island you take the ferry out to. Living history encampment of artillery. Also check out the Kite Festival on the Boston Harbor Island 9/2-9/3. http://www.bostonislands.org/events_results.asp. 617-727-5290.

Finally it’s Carnival in Provincetown, which means you’ll be having a gay old time! Aug 13-19 on Cape Cod. http://www.ptown.org. Street festival & parade. 800.637.8696. A good excuse to visit the Cape.

Continuing events, Shakespeare on the Common wraps up Aug 13th so get out there to see it. http://www.freeshakespeare.org. I tried to see it but a combination of a moody date and bad seating location spoiled it for me. Boston Common.

The New England Rainbow Family of Living Light and Rhode Island International Film Festival
from last week continue.

If you like my blog, please tell your friends. It’s been a year now and I’m getting a little tired of it. Meanwhile, the company that I’m starting with Sheeri is progressing, we’ve gotten some funding and we look likely to get much more this month.