11am-5pm. Free. Performances, music, asian food, kids activities. http://www.discoverquincy.com/calendar.htm or http://www.qari.info Last week I mentioned Davis Farmland with their petting zoo and fantastic corn maze, at http://www.davisfarmland.com. Well, here are the other big mazes in New England. Corn Maze at the FARM Institute is on Martha’s Vinyard, http://www.farminstitute.org. The Great Vermont Corn Maze, Danville, VT, http://www.vermontcornmaze.com. Parlee Farms, which also has pick-you-own fruit, http://www.parleesfarm.com in Chelmsford, MA. And a bunch more at http://gonewengland.about.com/cs/fallfoliage/l/aa082902a.htm Speaking of the agricultural lifestyle, which is so hidden from us urbanites, the Hardwick County Fair is Aug 17-18. It’s one of many agricultural fairs locally. Town Common, Rt 32A, Hardwick, MA, but the only one with a lumberjack contest! They also have hay rides, actual frog jumping my goodness, and plenty of animal exhibits. Free. http://www.hardwickfair.com Another fair I haven’t been to is the Marshfield County Fair, Aug 17-26. Marshfield, MA. Route 3A at South River St. (781) 834-6629. This one features a demolition derby, motorcycle racing, and a battle of the bands. In October they do a Haunted House too. http://www.marshfieldfair.org Finally, the Verrill Farm Corn & Tomato Festival is Aug 18-19. 11 Wheeler Road, Concord, MA. 978-369-4494. Hay & pony rides, petting zoo, entertainment. http://www.verrillfarm.com Here’s an excuse to visit Cape Cod: the Onset Blues Festival, Aug 18. The Bluff, Onset, MA. 508-295-7072. http://www.onsetvillage.com There’s a Latin American Festival at Worcester City Hall, Aug 18-19. I really do try to list only the ones that have something interesting. The draw this time is their “beer garden and domino tournament”. I just want to know what a beer garden is. http://www.baystateparent.com/news/2007/0801/articles/020.html The Salem Jazz and Soul Festival is Aug 18. 11:30am-6pm, free. A good excuse to visit Salem, which has a fantastic visitor center and lots of walkable attractions. It’s very tourist friendly. Rain date Aug 19. The Gloucester Waterfront Festival is Aug 18-19. The usual local artists will be out selling painted clam shells. And they’ll have a lobster bake and puppet shows. The real reasons to attend will be the hot air balloon rides from 5-7pm. Don’t get too excited, these are short tethered balloon rides. But still fun. http://www.capeannvacations.com/festival-event.cfm?id=4&mk=3&ck=0&en=&ey= Getting your own non-tethered balloon ride will cost you $500. See http://www.massachusettsballooning.com and make an appointment. You can usually get less expensive rides at a festival though, especially if you call ahead to reserve. One of the last balloon events of the year is the Great Falls Balloon Festival, Aug 17-19, in Lewiston, ME which is about 2.5 hours from Boston. They’ll havecarnival rides and a clam eating contest, too, although it’s unclear who’s doing the eat, people or giant clams. http://www.greatfallsballoonfestival.org Did you know that the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was a local? They’ve turned his house into a museum and it’s been having “Arts in the Park” all summer. This one, Aug 19, from 1pm to 4pm, is outstanding because it features the poetry editor of the Atlantic Monthly and former US Poet Laureate Robert Pinksy. http://www.nps.gov/long Also for bookworms, have you heard of Cyberspace or Cyberpunk? Then see author William Gibson who is credited with inventing the term. He’s doing a book signing at the Brookline Booksmith, Aug 20, 279 Harvard Street, Brookline, MA. 617-566-6660. http://www.brooklinebooksmith.com Here’s the scoop on free outdoor movies: — Boston (Harbor). Aug 17. The Best Years of Our Lives. http://www.bhh.com/special_eventcal.htm — Boston (Esplanade). Aug 17. The Wizard of Oz. http://www.wbz.com/pages/591886.php?contentType=4&contentId=618840 — Boston (Boston Common). Aug 20. Happy Feet, at The Playstead, Franklin Park, includes a costume competition with prizes! http://www.cityofboston.gov/parks/events_announcements.asp — Cambridge. Aug 15, Night at the Museum, preceded by Dario the Magician. And Aug 22, Pirates of the Caribbean – Dead Man’s Chest, preceded by a performance of Peter Panic and the Island Breeze. http://www.cambridgema.gov/CityOfCambridge_Content/documents/FamilyNights.pdf — Somerville. Aug 16. North by Northwest at Seven Hills Park. http://www.townonline.com/somerville/movies/x1591224826 — Dorchester. Aug 16. Some Elvis Presley film, probably Jailhouse Rock. http://www.bostonnatural.org/ — Fitchburg. Aug 17. Charlotte’s Web. http://www.discoverfitchburg.com/Movie_List.html — Winchester. Aug 16. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest. http://www.winyc.com/summerevents.html — Weymouth. Aug 16. Barnyard, 8pm. Rain date Aug 19. http://www.weymouth.ma.us/news/news.asp?id=7755 — Onset. Aug 16. Star Wars IV. http://www.myspace.com/obmco Continuing events, Misalliance to Sep 9 and Romeo & Juliet to Sep 16, http://www.publicktheatre.com. Chimpanzee Exhibit to Aug 28 at the Museum of Science, http://www.mos.org. Restaurant Week Boston is Aug 5-10 and Aug 12-17, http://www.restaurantweekboston.com. Provincetown Carnival continues to Aug 18, http://www.ptown.org/happenings/carnival. Cambridge Discovery Walks continue Aug 18, http://www.cambridgema.gov/historic/walks.html Heads up, the The Three Musketeers, the musical opens next week, Aug 21-Sep 9, at the North Shore Music Theatre, 62 Dunham Road, Beverly, MA. 978-232-7200. Also Wicked, sort of a revised Wizard of Oz, made into a musical, is playing Sep 12-Oct 14, http://broadwayacrossamerica.com/BAA.Public.Web/Pages/SeasonTicketHolder/BAACity.aspx?cityID=33. Pat Benetar plays the Bank of American Pavilion Aug 18, Kelly Clarkson is Aug 16 at Mohegan Sun, and Counting Crows is somewhere, I forget. And Dance New England’s “Dance Camp” is Aug 22-Sep 2 in Maine, http://www.dne.org Next week is the two-year anniversary of Johnny’s list. Back then I listed 8 events a week. These days I list 50 and it’s undoubtedly the largest festivals list around. Nearly 200 people subscribe, for reasons I can’t fully explain. If you’ve bothered to read all the way to the bottom you must be hooked. Please tell your friends! They can sign up onto the mailing list at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/johnnys-list and the home page for the blog is http://make-you-laugh.livejournal.com/ Ciao baby. You’re beautiful.-Johnnyp.s. My little activities company got a mention in Mass High Tech. http://masshightech.bizjournals.com/masshightech/stories/2007/08/13/story3.html

08/13/07 by

Hi all,

A lot of small towns are hosting a mini music festival this week. I recommend going but plan something else in the area to do as well. And think of it more like a day in the park than attending expecting the event itself to provide all the entertainment.

Here’s some weird. How about taking a trip in a restored WWII B-17 bomber? There’s an air show at the Lawrence Municipal Airport, Main Terminal, in Lawrence, MA from Aug 17-19. It costs only $400. http://www.b17.org/tour/

Or go skydiving which is more like $250. Newport, RI (http://www.skydivenewport.com) or Orange, MA (http://www.jumptown.com) or Pepperell, MA (http://www.skyjump.com)

The strange event of the week is undoubtedly the Fetish Fair Fleamarket. If you don’t know what that is, and you don’t like leather, you don’t want to know. Aug 18, 12-6pm at the Boston Center for the Arts, in Boston. As well as the vendors they’ll also have classes. http://www.nelaonline.org/fff.htlm

The North End has a number of Italian festivals and I was wrong about what’s the largest. This one is I believe. It’s the Fisherman’s Festival (Madonna Del Soccorso), Aug 16-19, this includes street magic and religious ceremonies. But wait, I repeat myself. Also a cheese tower building competition! The whole thing ends in a confetti display called the “Flight of the Angel”. http://www.fishermansfeast.com/

Did you miss the Western Scottish Games? I went and it was great, and this one looks even better: The Maine Highland Game, Aug 18, is at Thomas Point Beach, Brunswick, ME. I’ve been to the venue and it’s a wonderful campground by the water, bring your swimsuit. 207-688-4515. They’ll have sheep herding demonstrations, a historical emcampment re-enactment, plenty of music and athletics including a “haggis hurl”. Let’s hope when they say hurl they mean “to toss” not “to toss up”. http://www.mainehighlandgames.org

This next one sounds fantastic! I need to clone myself and get out to more of these events. You’ve heard of Mass MoCA, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Western Massachusetts. Well, they’re having a Laurel & Hardy Outdoor Film event with live music. It sounds great and very old-timey. Aug 18. http://www.massmoca.org/event_details.php?id=300

How’d you like to sleep overnight at Plimoth Plantation, the re-enactment 1620 village on the South Shore? They are having a sleepover party Aug 18-19. See http://www.plimothplantation.com

Also weird, have you heard of disc golf? Basically it’s like golf, except you’re throwing a frisbee. Well, the Marshall Street Disc Golf Championship is the largest local annual event and it’s Aug 18-19. They say it’s “One of the largest disc golf events in the world”. Leicester, MA