10 things to do in Boston this weekend
BosTen is your weekly guide to events and cool happenings in and around Boston.
Skip Netflix this weekend—here are 10 ways to get out of your home and not be bored in the city. If you’d like BosTen delivered to your inbox every Thursday, click here. Want more things to do? Check out our events calendar at boston.com/events.
Samuel Adams American Craft Beer Week After Hours: Blood and Sand Bottle Launch
Samuel Adams Brewery is celebrating American Craft Beer Week with an after-hours party and the limited-release of Blood and Sand, a cocktail-inspired brew. For a $10 ticket to the brewery’s Thursday night party, attendees can sample five beers and some Union Square Donuts. Beer lovers can also purchase discounted Blood and Sand bottles to take home. (Thursday, May 18 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.; Samuel Adams Brewery, Boston; $10 tickets; 21+)
Third Thursdays: Creative Play at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum’s Third Thursdays event returns this week, and this month, the museum is partnering with the Massachusetts College of Art and Design for “Creative Play,” a night of celebrating “the pleasure in play.” The evening’s featured performer will be DJ Flack, a local “multimedia artist” and professor of electronic music at MassArt. Tickets cost $15 for adults and $5 for students, and a cash bar will be available, serving up the museum’s signature cocktails. (Thursday, May 18 from 5:30 to 9 p.m.; Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston; $5-15 tickets; all ages)
Boston Write-In at the Public Library
GrubStreet, a creative writing center on Boylston Street, is holding a “write-in” on the iconic stairs of the Boston Public Library this Friday afternoon. Much like a sit-in, the write-in invites Bostonians to gather on the steps for a session of storytelling to show support for immigrants and refugees. Organizers will offer both an open mic so that attendees can share already-written work and old-fashioned typewriters so they can record any thoughts or comments on the spot. (Friday, May 19 from 12 to 2 p.m.; Boston Public Library, Boston; free; all ages)
HarpoonFest
HarpoonFest is one of the city’s biggest brewery events, and it’s back this weekend to kick off summer. On Friday and Saturday, head to Harpoon in the Seaport for beer tastings and live music in Harpoon’s parking lot, which will be transformed into makeshift festival grounds. Entry to the festival costs $25 and includes a souvenir pint glass and your first beer. Food will be available for purchase from vendors like Moyzilla and Stoked Pizza. There’s no advanced ticket sales, so be sure to get there early to avoid the line that the festival usually attracts. Doors close an hour and a half before the festival ends. (Tip: Sign up to be a Friend of Harpoon to cut the line and snag a discount.) (Friday, May 19 from 5:30 to 11 p.m. and Saturday, May 20 from 1 to 7 p.m.; Harpoon Brewery, Boston; $25; 21+)
Bubble Run Boston
Here’s your chance to frolic through a three-mile course covered in colorful bubbles. For this event, runners dress in head-to-toe white and race toward vibrant foam “bogs”—essentially, walls of bubbles—at every kilometer mark. Get your ticket for $15 before midnight on Thursday, when the price will bump up to $50. (Saturday, May 20, with waves of runners starting beginning at 8 a.m.; Brockton Fairgrounds, Brockton; $15 tickets; all ages)
Barks and Bagels in the Boston Common
On Sunday, dog owners and their beloved pets will gather around the Frog Pond for an afternoon of pup activities, including training and educational programs, dog licensing, microchip service, and, of course, lots of treats (for animals and humans). Owners can enjoy coffee and bagels and shop from dog product vendors. The event is free and will benefit the Friends of the Public Garden Common Canine group via raffles and giveaways. (Saturday, May 20 from 8 to 11 a.m.; Boston Common Frog Pond, Boston; free; all ages)
Books in Bloom at the Brookline Public Library
The Brookline Public Library is collaborating with local garden clubs for their second annual Books in Bloom event, modeled after the MFA event of a similar name. On Saturday and Sunday, floral arrangements made by the Chestnut Hill Garden Club and Garden Club of Brookline will be displayed next to the books that served as the inspiration for the arrangements. Maps will be available at the reference desk to guide you to the different displays throughout the library. (Saturday, May 20 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, May 21 from 1 to 5 p.m.: Brookline Public Library, Brookline Village; free; all ages)
Medieval Combat on the Boston Common
This Sunday, warriors will descend on the Boston Common for a session of “fast-paced medieval-style” fighting—with padded weapons, of course. The event, which was already rescheduled due to the large number of interested attendees, will involve staging duels and imaginary castle sieges using padded swords, shields, spears, axes, grappling, and archery, all available to borrow. Intrigued? Read more about these kinds of staged combat sessions and familiarize yourself with the rules here. (Sunday, May 21 from 8 to 11 a.m.; Boston Common, Boston; free; 18+)
Daybreaker at Cure
Dance your bottom off while simultaneously toning it for summer at Sunday’s Daybreaker exercise party, which will be held at Cure Lounge. A Daybreaker is a high-energy dance/fitness party that usually takes place in the morning. This weekend’s event is beach-themed, so Hawaiian shirts and hula skirts are encouraged. The pre-dance-party yoga class is already sold out, but tickets to the main event are still available for $20. (Sunday, May 21 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.; Cure Lounge, Boston; $20 tickets; all ages)
Brookline Bike Parade
Grab your helmet and check your bicycle tires for New England’s largest bike parade, held in Brookline this Sunday. Beacon Street will be closed off to cars for the five-mile ride, which will begin after a community party in Amory Park with food vendors, live music, and giveaways. Younger riders or those looking for an easier route can participate in the co-parade through Coolidge Corner, and everyone can enjoy free popsicles and ice cream sandwiches after the ride. Register for either the five-mile Beacon Street loop or the children’s Cottage Farm loop in advance. (Sunday, May 21, with registration and the party beginning at 11:30 a.m. and the parade starting at 1 p.m.; Amory Park, Brookline; free; all ages)
