May 2016 – Salem Happenings

Boston: The Road to Revolution

There’s really no question that Boston is a city overflowing with history, and what better time to explore that history than Memorial Day Weekend. In fact, if you’re looking for a way to see the sights and learn everything that you could possibly want to know about the locations involved in the American Revolution, Boston by Foot may have the perfect tour for you. This is because Boston by Foot is offering a tour entitled the Road to Revolution from 10:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. every Saturday and 1:00 P.M. to 3:00 P.M. every Monday, Friday, and Sunday throughout the summer. This tour will allow you to walk the Freedom trail, visit the locations where a number of significant historical events took place, and learn about events such as the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, Paul Revere’s Ride, and a whole lot more. For more information on the Road to Revolution, which is $17 for adults and $10 for children under the age of 13 (there is a $2 discount per ticket if you order your tickets online), please visit the Boston by Foot website.

Photo credit: Sarah&Boston via Visualhunt / CC BY-SA

Rock Out at Somerville PorchFest 2016

My friend Bill’s birthday is tomorrow, and Bill, much like myself, has an eclectic taste in music. In fact, I have to admit that you would be hard-pressed to find a list of songs that Bill and I didn’t like (there are definitely some out there, but they are few and far between.) As a result, I’m sure if Bill was still living on the East Coast, he would definitely be up for checking out a music festival in the area this weekend, and if you’re looking for a way to get outside and enjoy a wide assortment of different music yourself, PorchFest may be the event for you. This is because PorchFest, which is scheduled to take place from 12:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. tomorrow (Saturday, May 21, 2016), is an annual event sponsored by the Somerville Arts Council that features a collection of independent musicians and bands playing from porches throughout the City of Somerville. This event will feature virtually every kind of music, including alternative, Americana, blues, bluegrass, classical, country, dance, disco, folk, funk, gospel, jazz, hip hop, metal, pop, punk, rap, reggae, rock, show tunes, ska, techno, traditional music from around the world, and pretty much every other type of music you can think of. Best of all, the event is completely free and open to everyone, so you can hear a ton of good music without breaking the bank. For more information on PorchFest 2016, including a map detailing where to find each band, please visit the Somerville Arts Council’s website.

Photo via VisualHunt

The Cure for Your Friday the 13th Woes

Friday the 13th is once again upon us, and it is certainly a day that many people dread. In fact, if you are one of the large number of individuals that is filled with nothing but disgust every time you hear the words “Friday” and the “13th” in the same sentence, you may be looking for something that you can do with your family after the day is over. Fortunately, if this is indeed the case, the Boston Parks and Recreation Department may have exactly what you are looking for. This is because the Boston Parks and Recreation Department and Mayor Martin J. Walsh are hosting the Boston Bubble Festival on Boston Common from 11:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. tomorrow (Saturday, May 14, 2016). This event will allow you and your children to learn about the science behind bubbles, see live bubble demonstrations with some of the biggest floating bubbles you’ve ever seen, make your own bubbles at a series of bubble stations, listen to music, and participate in a wide variety of other kid-friendly activities. For more information on the Boston Bubble Festival, which is completely free and open to the public, please visit the Boston Bubble Festival’s Facebook page.

Photo credit: elPadawan via Visual Hunt / CC BY-SA

Watch City Steampunk Festival 2016

Did you miss out on last week’s OtherWhere Market or are you looking for another Steampunk fix? Well, if the answer to either of these questions is yes, you’re in luck because it just so happens that the Watch City Steampunk Festival is scheduled to take place throughout Waltham from 9:30 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. tomorrow (Saturday, May 7, 2016). This event will give you the opportunity to dress in your finest Victorian/Steampunk garb (or come in your modern-day clothing if you lack the appropriate attire) and explore everything that the Steampunk genre and the Victorian era has to offer. In fact, if you decide to attend the festival, you will have the chance to experience a variety of activities aimed at children and adults alike, including artwork, blacksmithing, crafts, costuming, dancing, games, lectures, live performances, music, a parade, sword fighting, and way more than I could ever hope to list here. For more information on the Watch City Steampunk Festival, which is free and open to the public, please visit the Watch City Steampunk Festival website.

Photo credit: Stf.O via Foter.com / CC BY