Johnny’s List of Quirky Boston Events: 08/27/08
08/27/08 by
Johnny Monsarrat
Hi!
You can now subscribe by email or RSS feed, directly from the home page of Johnny’s List. Just type in your email address at http://johnnyslist.blogspot.com, where you’ll also find this week in weird for August 27. 🙂
That’s the place to go if the below seems poorly formatted and unreadable in LiveJournal.
-Johnny
This is the last week before Labor Day, and while the warm weather will continue, this may be your last chance to catch an outdoor movie or enjoy some of the outdoor concerts in New England!
| The Week in Weird | ||
| Dancing on the Charles | Jul 26 – Sep 20 Cambridge, MA |
Aug 23 and Sep 20 are next! It’s an outdoor dance in Cambridge. Sounds great. Buy tix in advance. American Legion, 4 Gerry’s Landing, Cambridge, MA. more |
| Swim with luminous jellyfish off the Cape | Aug 1 – Aug 31 Falmouth, MA |
or Woods Hole, http://www.whoi.edu. National Marine Life Center, www.nmic.org. Near the end of August, sneak into McGansett Beach, in Falmouth. Or any public beach really. Or boat to Tarpaulin Cove. Choose a calm night, because if there’s a lot of waves there may be too much turbulence to see the jellyfish. They are non-stinging, and small, about the size of a goose egg. The creatures glow when there’s motion in the water, so if you disturb the water, such as jumping off the McGansett Beach dock, you see glowing. more |
| Dance New England – Dance Camp | Aug 20 – Aug 31 Poland Springs, ME |
Enjoy dancing? Want to experience 11 days with no meat on the table? Here’s a retreat in Maine that will get your toes tapping. Omni Camp, Poland Springs, ME. more |
| Kimball Farm Corn Maze | Aug 23 – Sep 1 Haverhill, MA |
Trying to compete with Davis Farmland and the Davis MegaMaze, the Kimball Farm is hosting its own corn maze. Kimball Farm Corn Maze, 780 East Broadway, Haverhill, MA.978 521-3990. more |
| Feast of St. Anthony | Aug 29 – Aug 31 Boston, MA |
Opening ceremonies Fri 7 pm. Sat & Sun 9am-11pm, with parades Sunday 12pm and Monday 3pm. Free. Confetti, sing-a-longs, religious mass, and two “Iron Chef” competitions. Endicott St, Boston, MA.617.523.7024. more |
| Kimball Farm Corn Maze — Night Maze! | Aug 29 – Aug 31 Haverhill, MA |
7pm-10pm. Last ticket at 9pm. Kimball Farm Corn Maze, 780 East Broadway, Haverhill, MA.978 521-3990. more |
| Art EnCAMPment on Bumpkin Island | Aug 29 – Sep 1 Boston, MA |
It’s an arts festival that’s essentially an excuse to visit the Boston Harbor Islands while the weather’s still warm!. Bumpkin Island, Boston, MA. more |
| Gloucester Lighted Boat Parade & Fireworks | Aug 30 Gloucester, MA |
Be on the north/east side of the bay, not the south. more |
| Seakonke Wampanoag Tride Annual Pow-wow | Aug 30 – Aug 31 Rehoboth, MA |
This small native american festival takes place in my hometown and I’ve been. It’s at the corner of Rt 44 & Bay State Road, call 401-723-1563. They have a ring of vendors and ethnic music and dance, including participatory. It’s a wonderful chance to learn. Also see www.500nations.com/Massachusetts_Events.a Redway Plains, Bay State Road at Winthrop Street, Rehoboth, MA.401-723-1563. more |
| Newport Waterfront Irish Festival | Aug 30 – Sep 1 Newport, RI |
I’ve been to this event, and with 5 music stages, it’s worth a visit, but doesn’t go much beyond the typical music and vendors that many fairs feature. However, it’s the largest Irish event of the year in New England. Newport Yachting Center., Newport, RI. more |
| Rock, Rattle, & Drum Pow Wow & Spirit on the Mountain Music Festival | Aug 30 – Sep 1 Lenox, MA |
This one seems to be a serious music event, and well worth a visit. Considering camping over that weekend. Eastover Resort, 430 East Street, Lenox, MA.413-464-0919. more |
| King Richard’s Faire (Ren Faire) | Aug 30 – Oct 19 Carver, MA |
Rt 3 S to Rt 44 W to Rt 58 S. Weekends and Holidays only. This is the region’s largest Renaissance Festival. It’s worth a visit, especially to see the jousting, although they don’t pay their stage acts much and it shows. So you’ll see lesser jugglers, musicians, and stuntpeople performing, and lots and lots of vendors. (508) 866-5391. more |
| Buskers Festival | Aug 31 – Sep 1 Newburyport, MA |
I’ve been to this one and it was fun although rather small. They have two stages for unusual street performers and plenty of music and vendors. 978-462-6680. more |
| Bread and Roses Festival | Sep 1 Lawrence, MA |
This music and dance festival celebrates a famous labor strike in American history, with what level of seriousness I do not know. I have mixed feelings about unions, but I do like street festivals!. more |
| Also Fun | ||
| Gloucester Schooner Festival | Aug 29 – Sep 1 Gloucester, MA |
As best I can figure out, this is a typical waterfront festival, dominated by a ship race. They’ll have live music and fireworks. more |
| Spencer Fair (Agriculture Fair) | Aug 29 – Sep 1 Spencer, MA |
Largest agricultural fair in central Massachusetts. more |
| Nantucket Arts Festival | Aug 29 – Sep 5 Nantucket Island |
It’s yet another arts festival, this time on one of the region’s island paradises. more |
| New England Arts & Crafts Festival | Aug 30 – Sep 1 Topsfield, MA |
Topsfield Fairgrounds, RT 1, Topsfield, MA.603-332-2616. more |
| Outdoor Movies | ||
| Outdoor Movie Night at NARA Park, Acton | Jun 13 – Sep 13 Acton, MA |
Aug 28 is a free outdoor concert. more |
| WBZ Free Friday Flicks @ Hatch Shell | Jun 20 – Aug 29 Boston, MA |
Aug 29: “Hair Spray”. Call hotline for cancellation info. Esplanade, Boston, MA.617-787-7200. more |
| Wednesday Movies Under the Stars | Jun 25 – Aug 27 Falmouth, MA |
Aug 27: Harry Potter. Peg Noonan Park, Main Street, Falmouth, MA.508-487-3424 . more |
| Movies by Moonlight – Boston Harbor Hotel | Jun 27 – Aug 29 Boston, MA |
8/29: The Hustler (1961). or http://www.bhh.com/special_eventcal.htm, |
| Onset Bay Movie Co – Outdoor Movies Series | Jul 3 – Aug 28 Onset, MA |
Aug 28: Surf’s Up. The Bandshell, behind 197 Onset Avenue, Onset, MA.508-295-9026. more |
| Neponset River Greenway Festival & Movie Series | Jul 3 – Aug 29 Dorchester, MA |
Aug 28: “Grease”, at Pope John Paul ll Park, Dorchester. Aug 26: “Grease”, Martini Shell, Hyde Park. Pope John Paul II Park, Gallivan Blvd, Dorchester, MA.617-542-7696 . more |
| City of Somerville Annual Movie Series | Jul 10 – Sep 4 Somerville, MA |
Aug 21: We Are Marshall, Prospect Hill Park, Munroe St, Somerville. Various locations, Somerville, MA.617-666-3311. more |
| Salem Movie on the Common (part of Salem Heritage Days) | Aug 7 – Aug 30 Salem, MA |
Aug 30: “Curious George. more |
| Movies on the Necklace | Aug 21 – Aug 28 Jamaica Plain, MA |
Aug 28: Fields of Dreams. In the bowl below and west of Perkins Street, between Jamaicaway and the Pond. . Jamaica Pond, Jamaica Plain, MA.(617) 232-5374. more |
| TripAdvisor Traveling Movie Tour | Aug 27 – Aug 28 Boston, MA |
8/27: “Roman Holiday”, 8/28: “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. Parkman Bandstand, Boston Common, 139 Tremont St, Boston, MA. more |
| Family Movie Night Under the Stars | Aug 29 – Sep 19 Sandwich, MA |
Movies begin at 7:30pm. 8/29 The Spiderwick Chronicles, 9/5 Bee Movie, 9/12 The Wizard of Oz, 9/19 Hook. Heritage Museums & Gardens, Sandwich, MA. more |
| Outdoor Concerts | ||
| Concerts on the Common, Framingham | Jun 1 – Aug 29 Framingham, MA |
Fridays 6:30pm. 508-532-5960. more |
| Sweet Summer Nights Music Series | Jun 6 – Aug 29 Upton, MA |
more |
| MFA Concerts in the Courtyard | Jun 11 – Sep 14 Boston, MA |
617-369-3189. more |
| Special Live Concerts, Outdoors at the Boston Harbor Hotel | Jun 20 – Aug 29 Boston, MA |
70 Rowes Wharf, Boston, MA. more |
| Springfield CityBlock Concert Series | Jun 21 – Sep 20 Springfield, MA |
more |
| Longfellow Family Sundays Art in the Park | Jul 6 – Aug 31 Cambridge, MA |
horn music, poetry at the Longfellow Historic Site. Participatory painting, drawing. Bring a blanket or lawn chair. Every Sunday June-August, poetry & classical music. Most events 4-5pm but see website. 105 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA.617-876-4491. more |
| Landmarks Orchestra Festival at the Shell | Jul 9 – Sep 10 Boston, MA |
7pm. Free. Every Wednesday. Esplanade, Boston, MA. more |
| Sri Lankan Drummers – Pancha Thurya | Aug 30 Somerville, MA |
It’s an outdoor performance of drummers from Sri Lanka, the first Sri Lankan themed event I’ve ever heard of in New England. Somerville Community Growing center, 22 Vinal Avenue, Somerville, MA.508-476-1573. more |
| Outdoor Theatre | ||
| Plays in the Park @ Georges Island | Jun 27 – Aug 29 Boston, MA |
Georges Island, Boston, MA.617-223-8666. more |
| Outdoor stage at the Publick Theatre | Jul 3 – Sep 14 Brighton, MA |
THE SEAGULL, by Anton Chekhov, to Sep 7, HAY FEVER by Noel Coward, to Sep 30. Publick Theatre at Christian Herter Park, 1175A Soldiers Field Road, Brighton, MA.617-454-1444. more |
| Recurring Events | ||
| Waterfire | May 24 – Nov 11 Providence, RI |
Providence Place, Providence, RI.401 751-1221. more |
| Fireworks every Wednesday @ Hampton Beach | Jun 18 – Aug 31 Hampton, NH |
Ocean Boulevard, Hampton, NH.603-926-8718. more |
| George’s Island Kite Day (Go Fly a KITE Day) | Jun 22 – Aug 31 Boston, MA |
Kite experts give lessons on kite-flying, fre material to build kites. Boston Harbor Islands, Boston, MA.617-223-8666. more |
| Murder Mystery & Evening With the Astors @ Beechwood Mansion | Jul 3 – Oct 30 Newport, RI |
Come for the Murder Mystery Dinner, or for the Big Band Dance, with lessons beforehand. 401-846-3772. more |
| Arts on the Arcade | Jul 9 – Aug 27 Boston, MA |
Mondays & Wednesdays only, 11am-3pm. 617-635-3911. more |
| Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre @ Salem Cross Inn | Jul 25 – Sep 19 West Brookfield, MA |
Interactive murder mystery dinner theatre. 260 West Main Street, West Brookfield, MA.508-867-2345. more |
| Performance | ||
| The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee | Aug 12 – Aug 31 Beverly, MA |
It’s a musical about kids in a spelling bee. North Shore Music Theatre, 62 Dunham Road, Beverly, MA.978-332-7200. more |
| Marc Cohn & Suzanne Vega | Aug 28 Barnstable Town, MA |
Get your tickets early! About 90 minutes from Boston. Cape Cod Melody Tent, 21 W Main St, Barnstable Town, MA. more |
| Tanglewood Jazz Festival | Aug 29 – Aug 31 Lenox, MA |
The Boston Symphony Orchestra hosts a music series every summer in Western Massachusetts, including this. Seiji Ozawa Hall, Lenox, MA. more |
| Annual Rhythm & Roots Festival | Aug 29 – Aug 31 Charlestown, RI |
This festival seems to have a real soul, including 4 stages of music. Ninigret Park, 4813 Old Post Road, Charlestown, RI. more |
| Road Trip | ||
| Champlain Valley Fair | Aug 23 – Sep 1 Essex Junction, VT |
A distant but good fair, they will feature Garrison Keillor recording A Prarie Home Companion, a demolition derby, Ted Nugent, a tractor pull, and more. Champlain Valley Exposition, 105 Pearl St., Essex Junction, VT.802-878-5545. more |
| Maryland Renaissance Festival @ Silver Springs | Aug 23 – Oct 19 Crownsville, MD |
I’m told it’s the best Renaissance Faire on the east coast and worth a trip. Crownsville Road, Crownsville, MD. more |
| Connecticut River Valley Astronomers Conjunction | Aug 29 – Aug 31 Northfield, MA |
One of the two big Massachusetts astronomer gatherings (The other is Aruna Hill). During the day, hear lectures and look safely at solar spots. During the night, see the stars under guidance by hobbyists and pros. Northfield Mountain Recreation and Environmental Center, Northfield, MA. more |
Like this blog? Type your email to get it weekly here
and see my spreadsheet
of 2000 New England Activities. Send me encouragement and ideas at
JohnnysAlwaysOn@yahoo.com.
Get inspired at Cross Into The Abyss, my other blog.
That ought to keep you for a week. 🙂
-Johnny