Cambridge Arts River Festival features live jazz, folk, and roots music; dance, theater performances, and poetry; art making, workshops, and demonstrations; and vendors of arts, crafts, and international foods at the Charles River (along Cambridge Parkway and at Lechmere Canal Park). Free.
Wine at the zoo
June 1, 2019 (5 to 7:30 p.m.)
3.5 miles SW
Sample wines at Roars and Pours [formerly called Uncorked] as you stroll past animals in the Tropical Forest Pavilion at Franklin Park Zoo for age 21+.
Coolidge Corner festival
June 1, 2019
4.4 miles SW
See fine art from 85 artists at the Coolidge Corner Arts Festival. In the afternoon, hear live music, shop from local food trucks, and buy beer & wine on Babcock Street in Brookline. Free.
Enjoy unlimited tastes of gelato and vote for your favorite with a ticket to the Gelato Festival in Boylston Plaza at the Prudential Center.
Greek festival in Arlington
June 1 - 2, 2019
7.8 miles NW
Arlington Greek Festival offers Greek food, beer, wine, music, dancing, and kids’ activities at St. Athanasius the Great Greek Orthodox Church in Arlington. Free.
Beacon Hill Art Walk
June 2, 2019
1 mile west
See artwork in residential gardens and courtyards of Beacon Hill’s North Slope and hear live music (folk, classical, klezmer) at Beacon Hill Art Walk. Begin at 135 Charles Street, or at the corner of Cambridge Street & W. Cedar Street. Free.
Bicycle party
June 3, 2019 (5 to 9 p.m.)
4.3 miles NW
Your $15 ticket to Bike Party & Benefit gets you a sandwich, beer or other drink, bike valet, and a raffle ticket at Redbones Barbecue in Somerville. May be postponed if it rains.
Taste of the Nation
June 4, 2019 (7 p.m., VIP 6 p.m.)
1.9 miles SE
Enjoy gourmet food made by 60 top local chefs, wine, beer, cocktails, entertainment, and an auction at Boston’s Taste of the Nation at 1 Black Falcon Ave.
Ice cream festival
June 4 - 6, 2019 (12 to 8 p.m.)
0.1 miles west
A ticket to the Jimmy Fund Scooper Bowl gets you unlimited ice cream at City Hall Plaza, rain or shine. Adults have the option of buying a happy hour ticket that includes two adult drinks on Thursday evening.
Free harbor cruise
June 4 & 9, 2019 (and later months)
1.3 miles SE
Sign up for a Free Share the Harbor Cruise to Spectacle Island or Boston Lighthouse aboard Provincetown II, departing from the dock at the World Trade Center in Seaport.
Literature in bars
June 6, 2019
0.7 miles SW
Lit Crawl Boston features games, performances, and local authors reading their works in bars, cafes, bookstores, art galleries, and performance spaces in the Boston Literary District surrounding Boston Common.
Party on the Point
June 6, 2019 (6 to 9 p.m.)
0.8 miles SE
Join young philanthropists aged 21 to 40 for drinks, heavy appetizers, BBQ, and dancing on the water of the Fort Point Channel at Party on the Point to support Boston Children’s Museum.
Greek festival in Woburn
June 6 - 9, 2019
11 miles NW
Enjoy Greek food, dessert, music, and dance at the Greek Festival at Annunciation of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church in Woburn. Free.
Noir film festival
June 7 - 9, 2019
5.5 miles west
Noir City screens classic films that are stylish, cynical, and melodramatic at The Brattle Theatre.
Salem Arts Festival
June 7 - 9, 2019
20 miles NE
Salem Arts Festival is a family friendly celebration that includes an exhibition of juried artists’ work in Old Town Hall, performance indoors and outdoors, and a street fair. Free.
Pride parade & festival
June 8, 2019
0.1 miles west
The highlight of LGBT Boston Pride Week is the Boston Pride Parade, which begins at noon in Copley Square and ends at Boston Pride Festival in City Hall Plaza. Free.
Beer festival
June 8, 2019
3.6 miles west
Hyper-Local Craft Brewfest showcases locally made beer, cider, mead, and food, as well as unfiltered cask beer at University Park in Cambridge. Delayed if it rains.
Wakefield festival
June 8, 2019
14 miles north
Festival by the Lake has arts, crafts, kids’ activities, live music, and food vendors lakeside in Wakefield. Free.
Strawberries and art
June 8, 2019
23 miles NE
Eat strawberry shortcake and browse works by 60 artists at the Strawberry Festival in Topsfield. Free.
Dragon boat festival
June 8 - 9, 2019
3.5 miles NW
Boston Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival includes Chinese arts & crafts, dance, drumming, music, martial arts, Asian food, and dragon-boat races on the Charles River. Free.
German festival
June 8 - 9, 2019
25 miles SW
Celebrate BSV Sommerfest with live music, dancing, kids’ games, German food, beer, and wine in a covered pavilion at the German club in Walpole.
Concert in the Park
June 12, 2019 (5 p.m.)
0.3 miles south
The spring Concert in the Park features Boston Crusaders Drum & Bugle Corps, young performers, musician speakers, and an award for the mayor at Norman B. Leventhal Park. Free.
Smart happy hour
June 13, 2019 (7 to 9 p.m.)
7.2 miles west
BostonTalks: Rosé All Day features wine experts and adult beverages for sale in a bar-like setting at WGBH Studios for age 21+.
Join the young professionals drinking samples of fruity sangria and pink wine at Sangria and Rosé Fest, with DJ music at Revere Hotel for age 21+.
Water festival for families
June 15, 2019 (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.)
7.4 miles NW
See how water is treated, hear live music, join the bike rodeo, and do nature activities during Fresh Pond Day at Cambridge Water Department (250 Fresh Pond Parkway). Free.
Beverly art festival
June 15, 2019
26 miles NE
Arts Fest Beverly is an outdoor festival featuring 150 juried artists and crafters, music and entertainment, kids’ activities and crafts, and a food court. Free.
Monster trucks
June 15, 2019 (7 p.m.)
27 miles SW
Big trucks with big wheels make big noise at the Monster Jam at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.
Father’s Day restaurants
June 16, 2019
New England locations
OpenTable lists restaurants that offer special brunch, lunch, and dinner menus on Father’s Day. Also see the recommendations at BostonChefs.
Historical music
June 16, 2019
Boston locations
Boston Early Music Festival features two fully staged operas, 18 concerts, a family event (Sat. 2 to 4 p.m.), lectures, and an exhibition of early instruments.
Father’s Day Sail
June 16, 2019 (1 & 4 p.m.)
0.4 miles SE
Take Dad for a two-hour Boston Harbor Sail aboard the historic Roseway sailboat, which departs from Rowes Wharf. Bring snacks; beverages are sold onboard. They list 4 p.m. on a separate page.
Races
June 16, 2019
1.4 miles SE
Watch “the world’s fastest men and women” jump and sprint up Boylston Street during Boost Boston Games (1:30 to 6 p.m.), or register to run yourself in the all-ages Boost Back Bay Mile (11 a.m. to noon).
Father’s Day race
June 16, 2019
9.5 miles NW
Brendan’s Home Run is a timed 5K run/walk and a children’s race at Belmont High School.
South Shore art festival
June 16, 2019
20 miles SE
South Shore Art Center Arts Festival features 85 juried exhibitors, live music, art demonstrations, and children’s art activities in Cohasset. Donation.
Rhode Island bacon & beer
June 16, 2019 (2 to 5 p.m.)
53 miles SW
At the annual Bacon & Beer Fest, “28 local restaurants create their favorite bacon inspired dish carefully paired with a beer from 28 world class breweries” for you to enjoy while it lasts with games and live music at Cranston Print Works in Providence, RI for age 21+.
Evening jazz cruise
June 16 - 30, 2019 (boarding 6:15 p.m.)
0.5 miles SE
Sunday Evening Jazz Cruise features music by Benjamin Young Quartet and 1.5 hours of Boston Harbor views aboard the vintage Northern Lights, departing from Rowes Wharf. Beverages and snacks are sold onboard.
Join the mayor at the Rose Garden Party for passed hors d’oeuvres, a buffet, live entertainment, a painting demonstration, a hat contest, and auctions (live and silent) at Kelleher Rose Garden in the Back Bay Fens.
Tony-winning best musical
June 18 - 30, 2019
0.2 miles west
Fun Home tells the story of Alison at three different ages interacting with her dysfunctional family in “a blazingly original heartbreaker and a nonstop treasure of invention” [Newsday] at Calderwood Pavilion.
Written by the creators of Les Misérables, Miss Saigon is about the tragic romance between a strong-willed Vietnamese woman and an American soldier in the last days of the Vietnam War at Boston Opera House.
Celebrate the emancipation of slaves with an evening of live art and performances at Juneteenth at the Museum of Fine Arts. Free.
Young inventors fair
June 19 - 20, 2019
2.4 miles west
Watch young inventors from high schools and colleges present working prototypes of their inventions on Wednesday, and see an exhibition of those inventions on Thursday during EurekaFest at MIT. Free.
Film festival
June 19 - 29, 2019
2.6 miles SW
Roxbury International Film Festival focuses on “films by, for, and about people of color”, with feature films and five programs of short films at the Museum of Fine Arts.
Jane Austen comedy
June 19 - 29, 2019
6.2 miles NW
Pride and Prejudice features witty Elizabeth Bennet and haughty Mr. Darcy trying to overcome pride and prejudice to find love and happiness at Tufts University.
One-hour Concerts in the Courtyard are free on Wednesdays (6 p.m.) and Fridays (12:30 p.m.) in the courtyard of the Central Library on Boylston Street, or in Rabb Hall if it rains.
Political comedy
June 20, 2019 (2 & 7:30 p.m.)
7.6 miles NW
Ed Asner plays “a wise, cantankerous, and wildly funny” Almighty in God Help Us! Clearly displeased with our politics and what we’ve done to his Creation, he urges us to listen more and talk less so we can all get along at the Regent Theatre in Arlington.
A diverse cast performs The Three Musketeers, an action-packed, humor-filled, and romantic story about fighting to protect loved ones from the sinister exploits of Cardinal Richelieu, at Greater Boston Stage Company in Stoneham.
View the city’s skyline and harbor on a Sunset Cruise, and watch the USS Constitution fire her cannon and lower her flag to end the day, departing from 60 Rowes Wharf.
Donna Summer Roller Disco Party honors the local music pioneer with family friendly skating to DJ music at City Hall Plaza. Free, including limited skates.
Harvard festival
June 21, 2019 (5 to 9 p.m.)
4 miles NW
Summer Solstice Celebration includes circus performers, farm animals, food trucks, hands-on activities, and free entry to four Harvard museums.
Hollywood medium
June 21, 2019 (8 p.m.)
46.7 miles west
Likable TV star Tyler Henry discusses and demonstrates his ability to read minds, answers audience questions, and screens a multimedia presentation at The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts in Worcester.
Mame is the story of a free-spirited bohemian woman who becomes guardian of her nephew, and together they create a life of adventure and laughter, at Reagle Music Theatre in Waltham.
Hanover Day has a craft fair, music, entertainment, historical demonstrations, food booths, 4-H animals, a 5K race, kids’ activities, a carnival, a 3-on-3 basketball tournament, and fireworks at 9:15 p.m. Free.
Free music
June 22, 2019 (3 to 6 p.m.)
1.5 miles SW
Dance to live music in seven South End parks during Fête de la Musique. Picnics are welcome. Free.
Free music
June 22, 2019 (3 to 6 p.m.)
3.6 miles NW
Make Music Harvard Square (part of international Fête De La Musique Festival) features musicians playing rock, pop, hip hop, and jazz in five parks. Free.
World music festival
June 22, 2019 (12 to 8 p.m.)
5.4 miles SW
Family-friendly Boston Art & Music Soul Festival offers a diverse lineup of music from around the world at Franklin Park Playstead in Franklin Park. The lineup includes R&B, hip-hop, Afrobeat/house, jazz, fusion, funk, soul, and spoken word. Free.
Taste of Allston
June 22, 2019 (12 to 3 p.m.)
6 miles west
Taste of Allston includes tastes from 20 restaurants, live music, and lawn games outdoors at Harvard Stadium.
North Star Pro Rodeo has a Saturday show at 6 p.m. and a Sunday show at 2 p.m. Gates open two hours before the show, with food vendors and kids’ activities at Marshfield Fairgrounds. Children younger than age 8 are free. Free parking.
Brunch Cruise
June 22 - 30, 2019 (10 a.m.)
0.5 miles SE
Take a scenic two-hour Brunch Cruise through the Boston Harbor Islands while enjoying a three-course brunch aboard the 1920s Northern Lights yacht, departing from 60 Rowes Wharf.
Taste lamb and BBQ cooked by six local chefs, and sample beer, wine, and spirits at Boston Lamb Jam, with butcher demonstrations and live music at The Innovation and Design Building for age 21+.
Guitar festival
June 24 - 30, 2019
3 miles SW
Boston GuitarFest includes competitions, workshops, and concerts (some are free) at the New England Conservatory.
Baseball
June 24 - July 17, 2019
2.5 miles SW
Watch the Boston Red Sox play an exciting home game at famous Fenway Park.
