Sep 12-20, 2011: 6 Giveaways, 6 Fireworks, Steampunk, Highland Games,Pow Wow, Soap Box Derby, Pirate Day, Helicopter Rides, and Civil War Re-enactments
Heads up! If you normally just read the top 10 listings this week YOU MUST CLICK THROUGH! Unlike last week, this week I’ve found 25 sensational events I wanted to put in to the top 10.
I’ve just visited Salem, Massachusetts in preparation for the Halloween season, and it’s a great destination — but choose with care. Among the wonderfully creative and intelligent events you’ll find a lot of commercial timewasters, but I’ll make recommendations and try to steer you right. This is just a reminder that going to Salem you’ll encounter people who demand to be taken seriously when they talk about ghosts and palm readings. Do us all a favor and don’t encourage them by awkwardly looking away. Just politely say, “That’s not true,” or, “I disagree”. It doesn’t sound like much, but every dose of reality may help some poor sucker who’s been conned into making life choices from horoscopes.
I hope you are having an awesome week. Now get out there and do something fun!
-Johnny
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This week’s top items are below, or see the complete Boston Events Insider.
| MixFest VIP Passes – ticket giveaway | Boston Metro
Sat 9/17 |
 This FREE outdoor concert features Lifehouse, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, Michelle Branch, Javier Colon, and Sara Bareilles. It sounds SWEET and I’m giving away 2 VIP passes, with free food & alcohol, donated by the 2012 Ford Focus, which will display cars and create a party with Xbox Rockband, giveaways, and trivia. To win, tweet “Follow @OddBostonEvents @FordcastTour and RT to win two 9/17 MixFest VIP Party tix! #FocusVIP”. Hatch Shell, Esplanade, Boston, MA. |
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| South Boston Street Festival | Boston Metro
Sat 9/17 |
 Speaking of big commercial vendors, you’ll find dozens of them at this huge festival. You’ll need a huge sack for the glorious free swag. Oh wait! You’ll find free sacks, too! Target takes over an entire playground and hosts a carnival with free popcorn, and Ford will host a street party with their 2012 Ford Focus display cars, a Wii videogame station, and trivia! 11am-5pm. East Broadway, between I and L Streets, Boston, MA. |
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| Murder at Newport Art Museum – tix giveaway | Rhode Island
Sat 9/17 |
 There are a few different murder mystery experiences in New England, but this one is interactive! After sitting down for the intro, you walk around the Newport Art Museum greeting live actors and quizzing them about their alibis and scandals. Email johnny@eventsINSIDER.com for one of two pairs of tix to the Sat Sep 14 show. Newport, RI. |
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| An Evening with Captain Sig & The Hillstrand Brothers from The Deadliest Catch – tix giveaway | Worcester
Thu 9/15 |
 I also have two pairs of tickets to give away for this lecture, September 15 at 8pm. I sort of don’t get it, but I’ve heard that catching crabs is one of the most dangerous and exciting things on TV. Email johnny@eventsINSIDER.com. 554 Main St, Worcester, MA. |
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| King Richard’s Faire – ticket giveaway | South Shore
Sat 9/3 – Sun 10/23 |
 I have more tickets to give away for King Richard’s Faire, good for any weekend day thru Sep 25. This renaissance festival comes with jugglers and fire eaters. The last 2 weeks I have gotten slammed with requests and it’s hard to choose. So this time to win email johnny@eventsINSIDER.com and twist my arm by telling me how much you’ve been spreading the word to friends about Events INSIDER. (And thanks!). 235 Main St, Carver, MA.508-866-5391. |
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| East Heaven Hot Tub & Massage – ticket giveaway | Springfield
Sat 9/17 – Sat 12/31 |
 I’ve been to East Heaven and it’s my favorite spa because they have a rooftop hot tub that you can rent at night, even in the winter. It’s the best romantic getaway when you are visiting Western MA. I finally got around to calling and asking them for a giveaway. So now they’re offering a “couples package”, with a 30 minute rooftop hot tub followed by a 60 minute massage for two. Sweet! Email johnny@eventsINSIDER.com to win. 33 West St, Northampton, MA. |
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| Next Fall – theatre – ticket giveaway | Boston Metro
Fri 9/16 – Sat 10/15 |
 Next Fall was the Tony-nominated Broadway show that lost to those bastards The Book of Mormon. Yet, it is also about religion. One man is a Christian. One man is an Atheist. They’re a gay couple, and there’s laughter and heartbreak. I have 2 pairs of tickets to give away! Email johnny@eventsINSIDER.com. Speakeasy Stage Company, 539 Tremont St, Boston, MA. |
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| Revels RiverSing | Boston Metro
Sun 9/18 |
 Every year this local chorus has a participatory sing-a-long along the Charles River near JFK Street. It’s one of my favorite events on the year! Half of you are on the Boston side and the other half on the Cambridge side. Picnic at Winthrop Park in Harvard Square at 5pm and then at 5:45 a procession to the river. Then sing 6-7:15pm. Participatory. Bring a flashlight and a blanket. Over 2,000 attend. No sign-up needed. Free! Weeks footbridge, Charles River, Cambridge, MA. |
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| The Great New England Steampunk Exhibition | Metro West
Fri 9/16 – Sun 9/18 |
 Did you miss the International Steampunk City in May with 10,000 people? Here’s a sister act with 3,000 people in Fitchburg. It’s your chance to dress up as though the Internet age was part of the Victorian age! Taking place indoors, it’s a festival large enough for several workshops to take place simultaneously. Fitchburg Marriott Courtyar, Fitchburg, MA. |
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| A Call to Arms – Civil War Event | Rhode Island
Sat 9/17 – Sun 9/18 |
 2011 is the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, and you can find an entire “encampment”, which is re-enactors camping out old-timey style, with mock battles, blacksmithing demos, and an inaugural ball for President Lincoln and his wife. It sounds enormously creative and educational. Chase Farm House, Lincoln, RI. |
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And a lot more this week at Boston Events Insider, the most popular events blog in New England, including:
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