The 31 best things to do around Boston in August
From a seafood festival to a singles party, here is a curated events guide for every day of the week
The dog days of summer are here. It’s the last full month of the season, leaving plenty of opportunities to soak up some sun and stay cool around the city.
Check out 31 ways to delight in summer’s home stretch.
Thursday, Aug. 1
Boston Fest. Order food truck grub, rock out to local bands, and see if your employer is crowned one of BostInno’s 2019 Coolest Companies. (5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.; The Lawn on D, South Boston; $25 – $35; all ages)
Friday, Aug. 2
ICA First Fridays: White Hot Vol. 6. Pull together your best ivory outfit and head to the Seaport to dance, drink, and check out contemporary art. (5 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.; The Institute of Contemporary Art, Seaport District; free for members, $25 at the door; 21+)
Saturday, Aug. 3
Roaring Twenties Lawn Party. Dance the Lindy Hop and enjoy afternoon tea at this period picnic, which also offers lawn games and a vintage fair. (Saturday, Aug. 3 and Sunday, Aug. 4 from 2 p.m. – 8 p.m.; Castle Hill on the Crane Estate, Ipswich; $44 – $105, free for children 10 and under; all ages)
The Roaring Twenties Lawn party at the Crane Estate.
Sunday, Aug. 4
Boston Seafood Festival. This seafood celebration includes an all-day lobster bake, chef demonstrations, oyster shucking contest, and a Harpoon beer garden. (11 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Boston Fish Pier, Seaport District; free for children 5 and under, $5 for children aged 6 – 12, $15 – $85 for adults; all ages)
Monday, Aug. 5
North End $5 Bootcamp. All you need to join this outdoor workout is a mat and $5. (6 a.m.; meet at Cutillo Park basketball courts, North End; $5; all ages)
Tuesday, Aug. 6
2019 Fenway Challenge – South End. You’ll know you’ve found this event when you see Wally and Tessie with a replica of the Green Monster. (10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.; Carter Playground, South End; free; all ages)
Wednesday, Aug. 7
Artful Seeds: An Interactive Art-Making Workshop at District Hall. Show off your creative side at this session hosted by local nonprofit The Art Connection. (6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.; District Hall, Seaport District; free; all ages)
Thursday, Aug. 8
Trustees Mobile Farmers Market. Take home locally grown, sustainable produce from this traveling market during its weekly stop in the Seaport. (1 p.m. – 3 p.m.; Pier Four Boulevard, Seaport District; free; all ages)
Friday, Aug. 9
Emerson Colonial Theatre Historical Tour. Peek behind the curtain of the city’s oldest continuously operated theater. (2 p.m.; Emerson Colonial Theatre, Theater District; $17 – $35; all ages)
Saturday, Aug. 10
Boston Contemporary Dance Festival. Choose between the afternoon showcase featuring local ensembles, or the evening show featuring professional companies from around the U.S. (2 p.m. or 7:30 p.m.; Huntington Avenue Theatre, Fenway-Kenmore; $15 -$55; all ages)
Boston Contemporary Dance Festival.
Sunday, Aug. 11
Chinatown August Moon Festival. It’s the 50th anniversary of this cultural fete, which features dance, martial arts, and music performances, as well as food vendors and arts and crafts booths. (10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Phillips Square, Chinatown; free; all ages)
Monday, Aug. 12
Harvard Ed Portal Summer Concert Series. The last iteration of this family-friendly concert series will feature Veronica Robles and her all-female mariachi trio. (6 p.m.; Honan-Allston Public Library, Lower Allston; free; all ages)
Tuesday, Aug. 13
ReachOut! Volunteering at the Emerald Necklace. Get your hands dirty at the Emerald Necklace’s Rose Garden to plant trees, flowers, and remove invasive species. (5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.; James P. Kelleher Rose Garden, Fenway-Kenmore; free; all ages)
Wednesday, Aug. 14
Boston Magazine‘s Battle of the Burger. Sink your teeth into 20 burgers and cast your vote for the champion. (6 p.m. – 10 p.m.; Flynn Cruise Terminal, Seaport District; $79 – $129; 21+)
Thursday, Aug. 15
The Fisherman’s Feast. This traditional Italian affair kicks off a weekend of festivities with its opening ceremonies and a performance from Street Magic a cappella group. (Thursday, Aug. 15 – Sunday, Aug. 18, multiple times; North, Fleet, and Lewis Streets; North End; free; all ages)
The annual Fisherman’s Feast festival in the North End.
Friday, Aug. 16
Boston GreenFest and Tech Expo. Show your support of sustainability on the Greenway by checking out exhibits, films, live performances, and fitness classes. (Friday, Aug. 16 – Sunday, Aug. 18, multiple times; 296 State St., Boston; free; all ages)
Saturday, Aug. 17
Brew at the Zoo. Sip and sample offerings from breweries and restaurants while visiting with different species. (5 p.m. – 9 p.m.; Franklin Park Zoo, Roxbury; $55 – $100; 21+)
Sunday, Aug. 18
Boston Fermentation Festival. Experience all things fizzed at this one-day festival, whether it be visiting local vendors at the Makers Marketplace or relaxing with a drink in the Libations Lounge. (10 a.m. – 4 p.m.; Boston Public Market, Downtown; free; all ages)
Monday, Aug. 19
Ground Beat: BAMS Fest at the Hatch Shell. Youth and women empowerment are at the center of this production, which features performances from the OrigiNation Cultural Arts Center and Veronica Robles’ mariachi ensemble. (6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.; Hatch Memorial Shell, Boston; free; all ages)
Tuesday, Aug. 20
Single Mingle Patio Party. See if you can find a new mate on the dock-level patio of the Boston Tea Party Museum. (6 p.m. – 9 p.m.; Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum, Boston; $15 – $20; 21+)
Wednesday, Aug. 21
MFA Music: Upstate. Groove to this sextet’s sound in the summer air. (7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.; Museum of Fine Arts, Fenway-Kenmore; $24 – $30; all ages)
Thursday, Aug. 22
River Fit Sunset Yoga. Stretch and breathe through a series of poses led by national yoga instructor and award-winning author Sara DiVello. (6 p.m. – 7 p.m.; Fiedler Field, Boston; free; all ages)
Friday, Aug. 23
Off the Record with Lowell Spin. The Boston Music Awards has teamed up with a different local outlet each week since June to create an evening of live music. For their penultimate event in this series, they’ll partner with with Lowell Spin. (5 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.; Hojoko, Fenway-Kenmore; free with RSVP; all ages)
Saturday, Aug. 24
End of Summer Bash at Atlantic Wharf. Take the kids out to celebrate the summer season with activity tables, food, games, and a children’s concert. (noon – 2 p.m.; Atlantic Wharf, Downtown; free; all ages)
Sunday, Aug. 25
Hear Me Roar at Democracy Brewing. It’s all about girl power at this event, featuring available work from a dozen local female artists. (1 p.m. – 5 p.m.; Democracy Brewing Company, Downtown Crossing; free; 21+)
Monday, Aug. 26
Fenway Park Marathon. With only 75 allotted entries, you’ll want to sign up for this race around Boston’s ball park soon. (5 p.m.; Fenway Park, Fenway-Kenmore; free; all ages)
Runners start take off on the first of 116 laps in the Inaugural Fenway Park Marathon on Sept. 15, 2017.
Tuesday, Aug. 27
Outdoor Boot Camp at Bunker Hill Monument. Squat, jump, and plank your way through this open-air workout in partnership with Boston National Park Services. (6 p.m. – 6:45 p.m.; Bunker Hill Monument, Charlestown; $16 for a single session; all ages)
Wednesday, Aug. 28
Guided Bird Walk on the Esplanade. The Esplanade Association has teamed up with Boston’s Feminist Bird Club for this one-mile stroll made for beginners and experts alike. (8 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.; Charles River Esplanade, Boston; free; all ages)
Thursday, Aug. 29
“Stuff You Should Know” Live. See what topic co-hosts Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant will delve into during a live taping of their hit general knowledge podcast, which has covered everything from “The Simpsons” to trickle-down economics. (8 p.m.; The Wilbur, Boston; $32 – $37; all ages)
Friday, Aug. 30
Huntington Theatre Company’s “The Purists”. Tony Award-winner and “Pose” star Billy Porter directs this play about the unlikely friendship between a DJ, a rapper, and a telesales director. (8 p.m.; Calderwood Pavilion, South End; $20 – $75; all ages)
Saturday, Aug. 31
Spectacle Summer Nights. Whether a ranger-led hike or roasting marshmallows on the beach is more your jam, this after-hours event on Spectacle Island has a little something for everybody. (4:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.; Spectacle Island, Boston; $35 – $57, free for children 3 and under; all ages)
