Boston, MA
Free events in Boston this week: Boston Arts Festival returns, free concert, Seaport movie night – The Boston Globe
It’s rather poetic that meteorological summer ended Sunday — we’ve made it past moving day, college students are back on campus, and Boston Public Schools are about to be in session. We may be waving “goodbye” to summer, but not to free things to do in the area. This week, check out a civic-minded panel in Dorchester, and the return of the Boston Arts Festival. Plus, free admission to the Institute of Contemporary Art all day Labor Day.
Free events
OPTIMUS PRIME-TIME Pack a blanket or a lawn chair and head out to Seaport for an outdoor screening of the 2023 autobot-action flick, “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.” Food truck snacks and wine and beer will be available for purchase, though the hosts also encourage guests to BYOP (bring your own picnic) or pick up takeout from the surrounding restaurants. Rental chairs are available for $10 a pop, and free treats — like popcorn, swag, and soft drinks — will be up for grabs throughout the night. Sept. 2, 7 p.m. Free. 88 Seaport Blvd. bostonseaport.xyz
EDUCATE As November’s election nears, the BPL’s Dorchester branch is hosting a civic-minded panel discussion. Led by Andrés Ballesteros, community director of White Snake Projects, the panel will feature Occidental College Assistant Professor Ainsley LeSure and Boston-based activists Eric Kennedy and Madison Foley. The event will also feature a performance from Naomi Westwater, a local folk-rock and poetry artist. Sept. 4, 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Free. 690 Adams St., Dorchester. bpl.bibliocommons.com
JAM OUT At the Christian Science Plaza, the summer vibes are far from over with a free concert on the lawn, featuring folk artist Farayi Malek; the Robbie Pate Group, who will play R&B and soul covers; and Albino Mbie, who will play Afro-pop originals. Then cool off with a new world view with free admission to the Mapparium, the iconic, stained glass domed structure — representing the globe circa 1935 — where sound, vibration, and light bounce and reflect in extraordinary ways. Sept. 6, 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Free. Christian Science Plaza, 210 Massachusetts Ave. christianscience.com
ARTIST’S POINT This coming weekend, Christopher Columbus Park hosts over 50 artists at the annual Boston Arts Festival. The festival, which has been hosted since 2003, will feature two days of music — including performances from local artists like Fly By Brass Band, blindspot, and the 94s. Plus, there will be numerous vendors, including paintings by Joseph Mushipi, clothing by Sherry Divedi, and ceramics by Lori Gardinier. Sept. 7 and 8, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Free. Christopher Columbus Park, 100 Atlantic Ave. thebostonartsfestival.com
NOT A ROOK-IE MISTAKE Try a twist on chess with a free meetup in Harvard Square. The Creative Chess Club invites likeminded gamers to take on a non-traditional variant — from Magic the Gathering hybrid, Eternal Kings, to eight-player Party Chess. The group encourages new members (and novices) and meet every other Saturday. Check their website or join their Discord for up-to-date locations and times. Sept. 7, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m., the Richard A. and Susan F. Smith Campus Center, 1350 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge. bostonscreativechessclub.com
VOCAL CHORD ACADEMY The Boston Lyric Opera and Boston Conservatory at Berklee join forces for an opera masterclass featuring Lawrence Brownlee. Brownlee, who will star in the titular role in Mozart’s “Mitridate” at the BLO later this month, will coach five singers through technique, and offer performance and acting tips. Members of the public are welcome to sit in on the lesson and get a glimpse behind the scenes of the world of opera. Sept. 8, 3 p.m. Free. Seully Hall, 8 Fenway. bostonconservatory.berklee.edu
Deals & Steals
ON-THE-HOUSE ARTS In honor of Labor Day, the Institute of Contemporary Art will offer free admission all day long. Visitors can catch the Firelei Báez exhibition and Hew Locke’s The Procession (located at the ICA’s Watershed) on their final day at the museum. Advance tickets are required. Sept. 2, 10 a.m to 5 p.m. Free. Institute of Contemporary Art, 25 Harbor Shore Drive. icaboston.org
Emily Wyrwa can be reached at emily.wyrwa@globe.com. Follow her @emilywyrwa.
BOSTON – It’s a peculiar sight in downtown Boston: Giant pink people peering into restaurant windows and hanging out in alleyways.
These sculptures that are making their debut in the United States are called “Monsieur Rose” or “Mr. Pink” in English. It’s a new art installation designed to catch your attention and lift your spirits.
“These characters transform the streets into playful places and our daily travels into delightful, colorful journeys,” a website for the exhibit says.
“Cute-ism” art
Their collective name in French roughly translates to “cute-ism” from artist Philippe Katerine. The inflatable sculptures are part of this year’s Winteractive art walk.
Winteractive is the same event that brought floating clown heads to the city last year. The Downtown Boston Alliance says the reaction encouraged them to up the ante this year.
Changing people’s days
Michael Nichols with the Downtown Boston Alliance says the organization is exploring “different ways of using our downtown to have fun.”
“It is the darkest, drabbest time of year in Boston. It’s gray … just cold and bitter,” he said. “And pops of pink color, bubblegum pink dotting the downtown in now six different locations is changing people’s day.”
Mr. Pink is only the beginning of the experience – new installations will be added to the collection every day for the next week. On Thursday morning there was another eye-catching sight: A display that appeared to show a satellite or small spacecraft that had crashed onto the hood of a car.
Boston, MA
ICE blasts Boston: Feds say BPD refused 198 immigration detainer requests for ‘egregious crime’ in 2024, not 15
Federal authorities said the Boston Police Department refused to act on 198 immigration detainer requests last year, far exceeding the 15 reported by BPD’s commissioner, while blasting the city for jeopardizing “public safety and national security.”
BOSTON – South Street Diner is an institution in the city. They see Bostonians coming at all hours of the night. The line out the door comes for the breakfast, particularly the eggs. Only these days, a shortage in the country is making eggs harder to stomach for the only restaurant in the city licensed to serve 24 hours.
“Just about six weeks ago, middle of November, we started getting phone calls from US Foods,” said Solomon Sidell, owner of South Street Diner. “Our pricing has not changed at all. We have ingested the pricing to be able to make sure we can serve the customer at this time.”
Impact of bird flu
The price of an egg has doubled for Sidell and his team now that the shortage has impacted their supplier. Chickens became impacted by an avian flu. Roughly 40% of the country’s hens are raised in cage-free facilities, and 60% of the bird flu cases were found in such type farms. In addition to the price hike, Sidell also has to order two weeks ahead just to make sure they keep coming.
“We have about just under a pallet of eggs about 150 dozen left,” said Sidell. “We buy those Friday morning, Saturday morning, and then by Monday morning they are gone, so we have to start the process again.”
On a given weekend, they can go through 400 dozen eggs. Their busiest night of the year is New Year’s Eve through New Year’s Day.
“To have the highest prices for eggs for the year on your busiest day of the year is a punch in the gut,” said Sidell. “I would prefer not to raise pricing in inflation time.”
He expects the shortage to end in mid-February. Right now, they have no plans to adjust their pricing, but if the shortage continues past February, he says they will have to re-evaluate.
Swan Gossip, Small Talk Studio, and the Slow Growth of Hand-Painted Clothes
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25330839/STK262_GROK_B.png "X launches Grok’s iPhone app in the US")
X launches Grok’s iPhone app in the US
Thousands of Venezuelan opposition supporters take to the streets ahead of Maduro's third inauguration
Did moderate Democrats get religion with embrace of Laken Riley Act?
Texas officials say dead birds found in early January tested positive for bird flu
Colorado Rockies game no. 116 thread: Zac Gallen vs José Ureña
Why Marjorie Taylor Greene was ‘kicked out’ of the Freedom Caucus according to Rep. Buck
See it: Tesla crashes into Columbus convention center at 70 mph
Fox News Politics: Georgia the whole day through
Death of missing Oregon girl found in stream ruled homicide
Did moderate Democrats get religion with embrace of Laken Riley Act?
Ramstein: Germany pledges tanks, missiles, and air defence for Ukraine
Photos: See the California wildfires' destructive force, in satellite images
The 39th president will be buried later at his Georgia home. Here’s the latest.
FBI informant who made up Biden bribe story gets 6 years in prison
-
Business1 week agoThese are the top 7 issues facing the struggling restaurant industry in 2025
-
Culture1 week agoThe 25 worst losses in college football history, including Baylor’s 2024 entry at Colorado
-
Sports1 week agoThe top out-of-contract players available as free transfers: Kimmich, De Bruyne, Van Dijk…
-
Politics7 days agoNew Orleans attacker had 'remote detonator' for explosives in French Quarter, Biden says
-
Politics6 days agoCarter's judicial picks reshaped the federal bench across the country
-
Politics5 days agoWho Are the Recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom?
-
Health4 days agoOzempic ‘microdosing’ is the new weight-loss trend: Should you try it?
-
World1 week agoIvory Coast says French troops to leave country after decades