Johnny’s List of Quirky Boston Events: 09/28/06

09/28/06 by

There is so much weird because Halloween is starting! This is like weird festival peak of the year.

Let’s start with the Ig Nobel Prizes. http://www.improbable.com/. Oct 5. Sanders Theatre. Cambridge. Comedy night of joke awards for scientists for bad or funny research.

And the Salem Haunted Happenings Grand Parade starts Thu Oct 5th as well. http://www.hauntedhappenings.org/events.htm

This weekend is the NEMO Music Festival, the professional musician’s industry conference. A great opportunity to hear some emerging stars. Sep 28-30. http://www.nemoboston.com. Buy one $50 wristband and go to various venues around Boston. Industry trade show

The BeanTown Jazz Festival is this weekend, Sep 29-Oct 1. http://www.beantownjazz.org. Columbus Avenue, Boston.

MIT’s glassblowing center sells pumpkins every year. Great Glass Pumpkin Patch @ MIT. http://www.mit.edu. Kresge Oval, MIT Campus. Cambridge, MA. 617-253-5309. Sep 29-30.

The Jamaica Plain Open Studios is this weekend. Yet another local festival where artists throw open their private homes and studios. Sep 30-Oct 1. http://www.jpopenstudios.com. Jamaica Plain, MA.

Also coming up is yet another Disc Golf event. Yes, some people play golf by throwing frisbees. NEFA Points Finals. Sep 30. http://www.nefa.com/.

It’s all the New England Fall Festival @ Sturbridge Village, Sep 30 – Oct 1. This is not so much an event to attend as a nice excuse to visit Sturbridge Village itself, which is a fantastic recreation village with live actors. http://www.osv.org. 1 Old Sturbridge Village Road. Sturbridge, MA. (508) 347-3362. 9:30-5. Craft demonstrations, food vendors, music.

The Royal Drummers of Burundi are performing at Sanders Theatre in Cambridge Sep 30. 8pm.

The Three Apples Storytelling Festival is this weekend! It’s storytelling for adults as well as kid and I’ve been twice — really worth checking out! Sep 30-Oct 1. http://www.threeapples.org. Harvard, MA. 617-499-9529. Rt 2 exit 38, Rt 111 into Hvd Center. Sat eve is for adults. Sunday is “classes” only. See http://www.storynet.org/Calendar/massachusetts.htm.

Yet another agricultural fair may help you connect with the local farmers and their culture. Topsfield Fair, Sep 30 – Oct 9, http://www.topsfieldfair.org. Topsfield, MA. Arrive early, much parking trouble! MITAC discount.

I don’t normally list art shows, but the DeCordova Sculpture Museum is opening “Animal House” which looks interesting, on October 1. Through Jan 7. http://www.decordova.org. 51 Sandy Pond Rd, Lincoln, MA. 781-259-8355. Depictions of wild critters.

Hub on Wheels is a cycling event for charity, I think. Oct 1. http://www.hubonwheels.org.

I just learned that Oct 3rd (and possibly every Tuesday??) is Magic Lounge @ Hong Kong Comedy Studio.http://www.thecomedystudio.com/schedule.html. Professional magicians play. 617-661-6507.

Continuing events, King Richard’s Faire (Ren Faire) continues to Oct 22nd. http://www.kingrichardsfaire.net. Cirque du Soleil – Boston to Oct 8. http://www.cirquedusoleil.com. Eastern States Exposition to Oct 1, http://www.thebige.com.

And the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee has opened, it’s supposed to be good. A theatre performance set in a spelling bee. Wilbur Theatre. Boston, MA. Whenever I hear the name “Wilbur Theater” I always think of the talking horse who always said WILLLLL BURRRR…

And now finally what you have been waiting for all year! OK, well at least I have… Haunted Houses are starting to open!! Most wait until Mid-October but a few open this weekend. Last year I went to 7 haunted houses a total of 11 times and I graded all of them.

Barrett’s Haunted Mansion, http://www.bhmansion.com. 1235 Bedford St, Abington, MA. 781-871-4573. MY RATING: A. Rt 3S to Rt 18S. 7-10:30pm daily except 1-5,10,11,12,31. A BIG one worth seeing.

Asylum of Horror (haunted house), http://www.asylumofhorror.com. Anawan St. Fall River, MA. 508.324.7709. MY RATING: A-. Sep 29,30, Oct 1,6,7,8,9,13,14,15,19,20,21,22,26-31, 7pm+ . See website for coupons. Go to the other fall river haunted house while you’re there.

Witch’s Woods (haunted house) @ Nashoba Ski Valley. http://www.witchswoods.com. Nashoba Ski, Westford, MA. 978-692-3033. MY RATING: C. Rt 2W to Rt. 2A/119, 6mi to Powers Rd. The worst one, skip it! Every Thu-Sun night Sep 29-Oct 28 + Oct 30,31.