August 2006 Archives

Boston Harbor Islands Kite Festival - Sep 2-3, Georges Island (one of the Boston Harbor Islands). Free with ferry fare of $10. Stunt kite flying demonstrations and extreme kiteboarders, make your own kite, kids activities.

http://www.bostonusa.com/visitor/resdet.php?cat=&cat_seqnum=&type=event&seqnum=16432

Also, Gloucester Schooner Festival. Sep 1-3. Sailing vessels old, new, small, and large. Mayor's Race, demonstrations, historical lectures, kids events, live music, and fireworks. Gloucester, MA. http://www.capeannvacations.com/schooner

See last 3 posts for more on this weekend.

Hey everyone,

Two updates. Jewish Music Festival, http://www.shalohhouse.com, Sep 4th in Canton.

Also Arts in the City, Sep 27, an "overview" of all the arts (dancing, theatre, etc.) going on in Boston in the 2006-2007 year. They claim it'll sell out. So buy ahead. There is a special deal if you buy this weekend. http://www.bostoneventguide.com/events/fae06/fae06tickets.htm

See last two posts for this weekend's events.

Hi!

Also, this just in:

Our Lady of Fatima Festa in Ludlow, MA
This year's 58th annual Our Lady of Fatima Festa is set for Sept. 1 through 4 on the church grounds on Winsor Street. The Festa normally attracts tens of thousands of visitors to activities such as the outdoor Mass, candlelight procession and Portuguese musical performances.

http://www.ourladyoffatimaparish.org

In general, there are a ton of North End festivals. Warning, they are very religious, so if you are not Catholic it may not be for you. See www.northendboston.com.

See last post for this weekend.

-Jon

Tomorrow, August 31st, catch the King Richard's Faire Preview at the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade, http://www.mass.gov/dcr/events/hatch.pdf. King Richard's Faire is a Renaissance Festival with music, juggling, magic performances, and jousting tournament with real stunt horseriders. Unfortunately their performers aren't paid much, and the place is jammed with merchant booths, but it's worth a trip if you like Harry Potter stuff. http://www.kingrichardsfaire.net. Carver, MA. Rt 3 S to Rt 44 W to Rt 58 S. Weekends and Holidays. MITAC discount. (508) 866-5391. Also, it's right next door to Edaville Railroad. King Richard's Faire is weekends only, Sep 2 - Oct 22.

This weekend, check out the Seakonke Wampanoag Tride Annual Pow-wow. I went to last year's event and it was worth seeing. There is a ring of vendor booths and then in the center, dance performances and speeches are made. Some of the dancing is participatory! http://www.wanderingbull.com. Redway Plains, Bay State Road at Winthrop Street (Rt 44). Rehoboth, MA. 401-723-1563. 6,000 people attend. Come early and camp there, volunteer to help Friday morning? Also see www.500nations.com/MassachusettsEvents.asp

It's also the Newport Waterfront Irish Festival, Sep 2-4, Newport Yachting Center, Newport RI. newportfestivals.com/IrishFestival. Newport Yachting Center.
which probably isn't worth visiting by itself, but a great excuse to check out the Newport mansions and cliffwalk.

There is also an Indian festival (Asian Indian, not Native American Indian) called the Radhastami Festival, Sep 2, run by VPS International (www.vps-international.org). I don't know about this one, as it is held in a public school, but there are so few Indian events it's probably worth it. Broad Meadows School Auditorium, 50 Calvin Road, Quincy, MA. 617-512-0073. 3pm. Free. Indian cultural dance, music, food, theatre.

Also the Tanglewood Jazz Festival is this weekend, Sep 1-3, way out in Western Mass. http://www.tanglewoodjazzfestival.com.

While you're out west, check out the Brimfield Antiques Festival (Fall), which is held three times a year. Sep 5-10, http://www.brimfield.com. Rt 20 at Rt 19. Brimfield, MA. (413) 245 3209. Largest in NE.

And you should probably skip the Spencer Fair, but it is the largest agricultural fair in central Massachusetts. http://www.spencerfair.org. Spencer, MA.

Also, Cirque du Soleil is performing Sep 8 - Oct 8, see http://www.cirquedusoleil.com. They are the acrobats hanging off of silk ropes people.

The MIT Geology Department is having its MIT Annual Geology Trip during orientation week which is approximately now-ish. I don't really care, but if you do give 'em a ring. 617-253-1000.

Recurring things, Publick Theatre runs to Sep 10th. AeroBalloon Rides end this weekend, to Sep 3. And the Maryland Renaissance Festival goes to Oct 22.

This week's bonus event, and definitely the weirdest -- I went to Dinosaur State Park, which is south of Hartford CT. http://www.dinosaurstatepark.org. They have the largest set of dinosaur tracks in North America, it's 200 million years old. Only takes 30 minutes but if you're in the area, definitely see it. Rocky Hill, CT. 860-529-8423.

I also saw Gillette Castle while I was in the area, dep.state.ct.us/stateparks/parks/gillettecastle.htm, and it was basically an old and weird-looking mansion. Not really worth visiting, I think, but thought I would mention it. The Mark Twain House is much better, that's actually in Hartford, http://www.marktwainhouse.org.

Get out there and go to a zoo, an amusement park, before the summer's over! See http://www.serpermethod.com/johnnys-activities.htm for a full list of summer events.

One more thing, there is a scavenger hunt around Boston being run by the Boston Young Professionals Association. Basically, think dating. (If it were business networking, why would they restrict it to young people, who hardly have a dime in their pockets, I'd want to go to the Boston Old Rich People's Association for networking!). Sat Aug 26, www.bostonypa.com.

And if you like rollerskating and want to meet some new people, try SkateBoston, http://www.skate-boston.com, through Aug 27th.

Also see last post for this weekend.

It's been a year now since I started this blog. Not much has happened. So much for my ideas of Internet groupies and rock star fame. Drop me a note of encouragement if you like what you see. It takes about a half hour every week.

Dave Chappelle is coming to the BU Agganis Arena tonight at 7:30pm, Aug 23rd.

The most interesting thing going on this weekend is Schemitzun, a Native American Festival. Aug 24-27. http://www.schemitzun.com. North Stonington, CT. Native American arts & crafts, dancing, bull-riding, singing, Nearby to the Pequot Museum. It's about 2 hours and as close as you can get to Boston and be in Connecticut.

A little close to home it's the Seaside Pow Wow and Festival, Aug 26-27, another native american festival, this time in Gloucester. Intertribal American Indian event featuring dancing, story telling and arts and crafts. 10am-5pm. Free.
http://www.capeannvacations.com/festival-event.cfm?id=154&mk=3&ck=0&em=&ey=

Also it's the other big astronomy conference in New England, Anuna Hill Days (Stargazing Weekend), Aug 25-27, http://www.arunah.org. Cummington, MA. A weekend festival for serious astronomy buffs. Most of the fun of course happens in the evenings, when the stars are out.

Also unless you are big into sewing skip CraftAdventure, happening at the Big E out in Western MA, http://www.thebige.com/craft.html. West Springfield, MA. The largest fiber and fabric showcase in New England. Fri 9-6, Sat 9-5pm, and on Sun from 11 am to 3 pm. Admission $5 for adults, $3 for children. Free parking.

The Plymouth Waterfront Festival is Aug 26-27. http://www.plymouthwaterfrontfestival.com. It's a street festival not worth visiting by itself but a great excuse to visit Plimoth Plantation and stop by.

It's a hike but I'm told the best Renaissance Festival on the East Coast is the Maryland Renaissance Festival @ Silver Springs. Aug 26-Oct 22, http://www.rennfest.com

Boston Carnival ends Aug 26, and Cambridge Carnival Internationale is Aug 27. Both are Caribbean festivals. Boston Carnival is in Dorchester, MA. Kiddie Carnival Sunday, then full carnival the ending Saturday. Note, in 2005 17 people were arrested at the Caribbean Carnival at Franklin Park. http://www.bostoncarnival.org. Then the Cambridge Carnivale is in Kendall Square in Cambridge, 12-7pm. http://www.cambridge-usa.org

Also they are having another Very Religious North End Festival, the Feast of St. Anthony, Aug 25-27. http://www.saintanthonysfeast.com. Endicott St, Boston, MA. Opening ceremonies Fri 7 pm. Sat & Sun 9am-11pm, with the grand procession on Sun at noon. Free.

Finally, an event be sure to skip, Celebrate Holyoke, Music & food festival. Thu 5-11pm, Fri & Sat 12-11 pm, Sun 12-8 pm. Free. Holyoke, MA. Aug 25-27. http://www.celebrateholyoke.com. If you happen to be in Western MA it might be fun to stop by.

Also skip the Aisle 5 Short Film Festival. You should be outdoors enjoying the summer. http://www.aisle5.net. Aug 26. Arlington, MA. Instead go see Bruce Hornsby at the Lowell Summer Music Series, Aug 26th, http://www.lowellsummermusic.org. Lowell, MA. 978-970-5200

Finally there is a theatre festival called FeverFest 2006: A Day of Theatrical Exploration, Sat 8/26, see www.whistlerinthedark.com which The Weekly Dig lists but actually it doesn't give any real information about the festival. Cambridge Family YMCA Theatre.

The weird event of the week is the New England Boogie, the Skydiving Festival, Aug 17 - Aug 20 at 165 Nashua Road, Pepperell, MA. 978 433-9222. It is the largest skydiving event in New England; up to 300 attend. I'm not exactly sure what happens but skydiving enthusiasts are some of the most passionate people you will ever meet.

Not weird enough for you? How about the Connecticut River Valley Astronomers Conjunction, Aug 18-20. It's one of the two big Massachusetts astronomer gatherings of the year. (The other is Aruna Hill Aug 25-27.) It's out in Western Massachusetts, at Northfield Mountain Recreation and Environmental Center, Northfield, MA. http://www.philharrington.net/astroconjunction.

A little closer to home, the Civil War Re-enactment at The Old Manse, Aug 19, 269 Monument Street, Concord, MA. 978-369-3909. Civil War encampment re-enactment. 10am-5pm. Crafts, games, drilling, firing demonstrations, ice cream social. http://www.thetrustees.org

Two agricultural fairs are happening. It's a great chance to see lots of kitsch. Hardwick County Fair, Town Common, Rt 32A, Hardwick, MA, Aug 18-19. Lumberjack contest, hay rides, frog jumping, cookout. Sheep, cattle, rabbit, vegetable, flower, craft exhibits. Fri 5:30-10 pm, Sat 7am-5 pm. Free. http://www.hardwickfair.com

And the Marshfield County Fair, http://www.marshfieldfair.org. Marshfield, MA, Aug 18-27, Route 3A at South River St. (781) 834-6629. Monday - Friday Noon - 10 pm, Saturday & Sunday 10am - 10 pm. This one I've been to and it was well worth it.

Going from low culture to high culture, check out The Antique and Classic Boat Festival, Aug 19-20, Hawthorne Cove Marina, 10 White St. Salem, MA. http://www.by-the-sea.com/bacbfestival. Classic sailboats, powerboats, and hand-powered craft. Sat 12-5pm, Sun 11am-3pm. Admission $5, free for children 12 and under

While you're on the North Shore, check out the Gloucester Waterfront Festival, Aug 19-20, Stage Fort Park, Gloucester, MA. http://www.capeannvacations.com.

And stop by the Southeast Asian Water Festival, Lowell Heritage State Park, 500 Pawtucket Blvd., Lowell, MA. Aug 19. http://www.lowellwaterfestival.org/. Ethnic food, arts, clowns, musicians, dancing, music performances, and dragon boat races.

You can get Asian Culture closer to home though. It's the August / Autumn Moon Festival (Quincy), Aug 20th, President Plaza, 219 Quincy Ave, Quincy, MA, 617-472-2200. 11am-4pm. Free. Performances, music, asian food, kids activities. This one I confirmed. There is also another August Moon Festival in Chinatown but I was not able to confirm this, also Aug 20.

Speaking of cultural faires, try the Boston Carnival, Aug 20-26, Dorchester, MA, 617-296-7083. Kiddie Carnival Sunday, then full carnival the ending Saturday. Note, in 2005 17 people were arrested at the Caribbean Carnival at Franklin Park.

Or visit Martha's Vinyard this week, and see the Fireworks at Ocean Park, Aug 18. http://www.oakbluffsmv.com. Ocean Park, Beach Rd, Oak Bluffs, Martha's Vinyard, MA. 508.693.0077. Band concert & fireworks. Free. A good excuse to visit the island. Rent bikes & cycle around, enjoy the beaches!

Or if you are feeling like hitting Maine, see the Great Falls Balloon Festival, Aug 18, http://www.greatfallsballoonfestival.com. Lewiston, ME. 800-639-6331.

And while you are up there, check out the Maine Highland Games. Aug 19. Thomas Point Beach, Brunswick, ME. 207-688-4515. http://www.mainehighlandgames.org.

Two beaches are having sandcastle sculpture competitions. Crane Beach Sandblast, Aug 19, http://www.thetrustees.org. Ipswich, MA. The least impressive of them but closest to Boston. Or Sandcastle and Sculpture Day on Nantucket Island, also Aug 19, http://www.nantucketchamber.org. Speaking of which, to get there you can fly! Try 508-228-1700. Cape Air, 800-352-0714, Nantucker Airlines 800-635-8787, Island Airlines 800-248-7779, or take a ferry from Cape Cod or New Bedford.

Out near Worcester there is the Festival of the Lion (a Renaissance Festival), Aug 19-20, Brigham Hill Rd at Potter Hill Rd, Grafton, MA. See website for coupon. 11am-6pm. http://www.festivalofthelion.com. The next best thing to King Richard's Faire that's local.

And you've gotten tired of hearing about Disc Golf, but there's a big one happening this weekend, Pokerpalooza - Disc Golf, Topsfield, MA. At Borderland Disc Golf. http://www.nefa.com. Aug 19.

Finally, a look ahead to next week... sign up for Dance New England - Dance Camp. Omni Camp, Poland Springs, ME. Aug 24 - Sep 2.

And Dave Chappelle is doing standup comedy at the BU Agganis Arena. Aug 23. Boston, MA. $45-60, 7:30pm.

Finally finally, continuing things from last week, the Publick Theatre goes to Sep 10, http://www.publicktheatre.com. Shakespeare on the Common is now OVER, you missed it, so get yourself to the Publick Theatre. And the Longfellow Summer Festival is going to Aug 30, http://www.nps.gov/long/pphtml/events.html. They are still doing AeroBalloon Rides on the Boston Common to Sep 3, call ahead to reserve tix, http://www.aeroballoon.com

It's still Boston Restaurant Week, http://www.restaurantweekboston.com, and the Carnival (Provincetown) is still going on, http://www.ptown.org.

That ought to hold ya for a week. Get off your butt and do something fun, the warm weather is coming to an end and you will be sorry if you miss it.

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/fieldsdavis.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/hatchevents.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.

Please see last posting on me starting a company for activity listings. We are now looking for investors, just in small chunks $5K - $20K.

Plenty of strangeness is happening this weekend, starting with the Lowell Quilt Festival, Aug 3-6, in Lowell. http://www.lowellquiltfestival.org. It sounds pretty awful doesn't it but it's the 2nd largest quilting event around Boston and I went to the #1 event last month and it was pretty interesting actually. They'll display over 100 quilts like works of art.

Also there is an entire festival dedicated to the marimba, which is like a pipe xylophone. Check out the Zeltsman Marimba Festival, http://www.nancyzeltsman.com/festival. For example Aug 5th, 12-4pm there is a performance, and then a marathon concert finale August 5th 12pm-4pm (come and go as you please) at Seully Hall, 4th floor, 8 The Fenway.

This weekend is also the "Summer Flea" for NELA, if you don't know what that is, you don't want to go.

And if you'd like to learn to rollerblade there is a two-day event in Watertown Aug 5-6, see www.camprollerblade.com. Sign up in advance and it costs $239.

Not weird enough, eh? OK how about From Redcoats to Rebels: a military re-enactment at Sturbridge Village, Aug 5-6. http://www.osv.org. In Sturbridge, MA. (508) 347-3362. Re-enactment of 300 years of military history. Parade, fife & drum, camp cooking, cannon demo, kids activities. I'm guessing it won't be all that big but Sturbridge Village itself is definitely worth visiting, it's a re-enactment village set in the 1830s, like Plimoth Plantation (Plymouth, MA) and Strawbery Banke (Portsmouth, NH).

Still not weird enough? Try this, it's the Big Band Music at Beechwood Mansion in Newport. As you know there are a bunch of old mansions in Newport open as museums. Well, at this one they'll teach you some swing dancing and then you can pretend to be a monied partier from the 1940s. http://www.astorsbeechwood.com. Dance lesson at 7pm, band begins at 7:30pm. Traditional, swing, latin dance.

Even more weird, get this: there are people who throw frisbees on a golf course. I guess they can't golf so they had to resort to this instead. Anyway, the Eastern Mass Championships of Disc Golf is happening August 6th in Topsfield, MA. http://www.pyebrookdiscgolf.com

Finally I got a lead on the big Chinatown event of the year! This is after 3 years of chasing these people with their lack of websites. Boston Chinatown Festival is the same as the August Moon festival, and it is definitely happening August 6th in Boston. http://www.chinatownmainstreet.org. It's a street festival with a parade, kung fu demonstrations, lionhead dancing, asian folk dance, and more. (617) 635-3485, or 617-350-6303. August 6th, 10am-5pm.

The largest portuguese festival in the USA is in Southern Mass.! It's the
Feast of the Blessed Sacrement. Madeira Field, New Bedford, MA. Music, food, a parade on Sunday, 5K road race. Thu & Fri 6pm-12, Sat 11am-12am, Sun 12pm-12am. Free. http://www.portuguesefeast.com. 508-992-6911

Also August 6th is Celebrate Shakespeare Day in Boston Common in Boston. Here's the deal. For weeks now the Wang Theatre has been training kids of all ages to act. On Aug 6th they have three stages in Boston Common and present Shakespeare plays 4-9:30pm. Of course adults have their stage too, this is where the Free Shakespeare people perform. http://www.wangcenter.org/frame-top.tmpl?topURL=top-shows.html&leftURL=shows-menu.html&rightURL=shows-calendar.html&showanchor=now

Speaking of Shakespeare, "New England Shakespeare" is a troupe that hops all over New England doing shows. It's free, too bad it conflicts with the Boston Common event but hey guess what the Free Shakespeare people keep performing to August 13th so you can catch them later. Anyway, New England Shakespeare performs a Midsummer Nights Dream, at Menotomy Rocks Park in Arlington, MA. August 6th at 5pm. http://www.newenglandshakespeare.org. Bring a picnic blanket and arrive early. And they'll be in Lowell on August 11th.

The annual Redbones Pig Pickin' is August 7th, next Monday. 6-9pm. It's $20 and includes a street festival with live music, all to benefit charity.

Also it's the Salem Maritime Festival, one day only August 5th! http://www.nps.gov/sama/index.htm. 174 Derby Street, Salem. 978-740-1650. A good excuse to visit Salem, but wouldn't it be smarter to wait to October? You'd think so but actually last October wasn't that great, I would definitely give Salem a shot in August, sure.

If you feel like traveling, this week, Aug 2-6, is the Maine Lobster Festival, http://www.mainelobsterfestival.com. It's in Rockland, ME, which is nearly 4 hours from Boston, so make it a whole weekend. Let's face it though, isn't every weekend a "lobster festival" in Maine?

The Newport Folk Festival is this weekend, Aug 4-6, in Newport RI. http://www.newportfolk.com

And the weather looks for this weekend for yet another non-local balloon festival, Aug 4-6, the Pittsfield Balloon Festival, in Pittsfield, NH. http://www.pittsfield-nh.com. This is 1.7 hrs from Boston.

Also two festivals in Vermont. The Champlain Valley Folk Festival, Aug 4-6, Kingsland Bay State Park, Ferrisburgh, Vermont. http://www.cvfest.org. 877-850-0206. And the Northeast Kingdom Music Festival, which features world music, Aug 4-5, in Albany, VT. http://www.nekmf.com. Bring your camping gear and stay the whole weekend for either one.

This week's bonus event, don't forget there are venues that show outdoor movies. For exmample, Movies by Moonlight at the Boston Harbor Hotel is showing films on Fridays on Rowes Wharf in Boston. http://www.bhh.com/freemoviesmoonlight.cfm. Aug 11th is The Princess Bride.
There are also Free Friday Flicks at the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade in Boston, http://www.mass.gov/dcr/hatch_events.htm.

Oooh! Another bonus event! Next week they start free balloon rides in Boston Common. It's just up & down (you can't ride balloons around where ya might crash onto the ocean or a building, so there's nothing too real close to the city), but worth it I'm sure. It's Aug 10
to Sep 3, daily. http://www.aeroballoon.com. The trick here is that you really want to reserve in advance, but it's only $15.

This week's events to probably skip include:

Today, Aug 2nd, check out the Summer Block Party @ Downtown Crossing http://www.downtowncrossing.org, although do so with the knowledge that it's basically a marketplace, possibly the most commercial street festival yet. However they will have carnival games, music, prizes, and free food.

Annual Festival of the Arts in Lynn. In Central Square in Lynn. Apparently somebody didn't read the memo that we totally own "central square" here in Cambridge, so they're just going to have to choose a new name. 11am-4pm. The usual street festival thing. http://www3.whdh.com/events/info.html?id=BO22694

And because we all know that the best way to spend the only warm 3 months in New England is indoors watching movies... the Rhode Island International Film Festival. Aug 8-13 in RI. http://www.film-festival.org. Providence, RI. 401-861-4445. Seriously, don't go to this one or you'll regret it next February when it's like 10 friggin degrees outside.

Finally, it's the Pan Mass Challenge, Aug 5-6. http://www.pmc.org. Bicycle trip for charity from Wellesley to Provincetown, for cancer research.

Also they're having an Italian Car Festival at the Larz Anderson Auto Museum on August 6th, see www.mot.org.

Also also the Boston Lyric Opera is doing a free opera performance of excerpts from upcoming shows on August 8th, at 6pm in Christopher Columbus Park which is in Boston on Atlantic Avenue. It's free. www.blo.org.

Aerosmith is coming Sep 26 & 28 to the Tweeter Center. Make sure to get real seats, not lawn seats.

Every friday including this Friday Aug 4th is the "SoWa Artists Guild First Friday", a social get together in the middle of Boston's finest art district. 450 Harrison Avenue, Boston. 5:30-8:30pm. It's a social event and also dozens of artists' studios are open to the public. http://www.sowaartists.com. Also the MFA has a first fridays event, http://www.mfa.org/calendar/sub.asp?key=12&subkey=73.

p.s. I went to the Lowell Folk Festival last weekend after dissing it and it was actually pretty OK. My apologies. The trick though is you come early. About half of it closes by 4pm and almost everything shuts by 6pm. Another trick: park for free on a side street before you hit the city center and need to pay $10 for the parking garage. This applies I guess to every event in New England.

p.p.s. If you are new to reading my blog, scan through out the last several entries because I occasionally list things like Water Parks that are open all summer long. Or check out my big list of New England activities, at http://www.serpermethod.com/johnnys-activities.htm. For example, it includes all the zoos in New England... at the Stone Zoo by the way they have a new baby jaguar and an interactive live bird performance called Lord of the Wings, check website for performance schedule, www.zoonewengland.org