September 2016 – Salem Happenings

Topsfield Fair 2016: The Country’s Oldest Agricultural Fair

Chances are, your children already know that the cow goes “moo” and the pig goes “oink”. In fact, there’s a pretty good chance that they may even know that the lamb goes “baa.” But, if your kids would like to do some empirical research and determine for themselves exactly what sounds a cow, pig, sheep, and pretty much every other farm animal makes, all you need to do is head to Topsfield over the next week or so. This is because Topsfield Fair, the country’s oldest agricultural fair, runs from today (September 30, 2016) until Columbus Day (October 10, 2016).

This fair will give you and your kids the chance to see animals, artwork, crafts, educational exhibits, flowers, a different group of special performers each day (including the Axe Women Loggers of Maine, monster trucks, Mounties, and musicians), and a whole lot more than I could possibly list here. Best of all, there will be a wide assortment of concession stands and vendors selling everything from books to tractors and every food item imaginable, including apple pie, Chinese food, cinnamon rolls, corn dogs, fried Twinkies, sandwiches, steak, and pretty much everything else. For more information on Topsfield Fair and/or to order tickets for the fair, please visit the Topsfield Fair website.

Photo credit: Sultry/sulky/silly via Visual hunt / CC BY

Star Wars: The Force Awakens on Boston Common

Star Wars fans of the Boston area rejoice! If you’ve been dying to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens on the big screen again or you missed it when it was on the big screen the first time around, you’re going to love this one. Mayor Martin J. Walsh, in partnership with the Skating Club of Boston, is holding the last of his 2016 series of movie nights at the Boston Common Frog Pond from approximately 7:00 P.M. to approximately 10:30 P.M. tonight (Friday, September 23, 2016).

This event, which is sponsored by Northeastern University and the Boston Parks and Recreation Department as part of their ParkARTS program, will let you see Star Wars: The Force Awakens in its entirety while you devour all of the free popcorn (courtesy of AMC Loews Theatres) that you can get your hands on. The movie itself will begin at dusk, but you may want to get there a little early to find a good spot to sit and make sure that you don’t miss the beginning of the film. For more information on the Boston Common Movie Nights’ presentation of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which is completely free and open to the public, please visit the Boston Common Movie Nights’ Facebook Event page or the Boston Parks and Recreation Department Facebook page.

Photo credit: taymtaym via Visual Hunt / CC BY

Mix 104.1’s MixFest 2016

There are very few things in life that are certain, but unless it rains tomorrow (Saturday, September 17, 2016), there is one thing that is pretty much guaranteed. Music fans in the New England area will descend upon the DCR Hatch Memorial Shell in Boston like a tidal wave. In fact, if you’re a big fan of music festivals looking for your latest festival fix, you may want to join the wave of descending fans yourself because one of the best free music festivals around will be taking place at the Hatch Shell this weekend.

I am, of course, talking about Mix 104.1’s annual MixFest, which will take place on the Esplanade from 11:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. tomorrow. This festival will feature several well-known artists including Ingrid Michaelson, Shaggy, and OneRepublic. It will also feature the winner of Mix 104.1’s local “15 Seconds of Fame” competition, Tyler & Ryan. The music for the event will actually begin somewhere in between 2:00 and 2:30, but you should definitely try to get to the Esplanade as early as possible because the gates open at 11:00 A.M. and there is only a limited amount of space available. For more information on the event, including what you can and cannot bring into the festival, please visit Mix 104.1’s MixFest page.

Photo credit: isaackulka via Foter.com / CC BY

The Red Sox Showcase Powered by T-Mobile

Have you ever wanted to see what it might be like to play for the Boston Red Sox? Have you always wanted to experience firsthand what it would be like to practice like a Major League Baseball player or what it would be like to steal second base? Has the overwhelming urge to take a selfie of yourself standing in front of the Green Monster been more than you can bear as of late? Well, if the answer to some or all of these questions is yes, it just may be your lucky day. This is because the Red Sox Showcase, which is sponsored by T-mobile, is hitting the road this weekend and will be appearing at the Lawn on D in South Boston from 5:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. today (Friday, September 9, 2016), at Baxter Riverfront Park in Somerville from 12:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. tomorrow (Saturday, September 10, 2016), and at a number of other locations throughout the area until October 15, 2016.

The main attraction of the Red Sox Showcase is a 15-foot mobile truck that is designed to look like the Green Monster. However, this truck is no ordinary vehicle, as the truck actually has panels that will move to form a replica of the Green Monster so that you can get that selfie that you’ve always wanted. The truck also has a batting cage, a pitching accuracy station that will let you demonstrate that you really are ready for the majors, a station that will let you experience firsthand just how hard it can be to steal second base, and a virtual reality station that will let you see what it would be like to stand on the field of Fenway Park during a baseball game. Best of all, the event is completely free and open to all ages, so you can definitely bring the kids. For more information on the Red Show Showcase Powered by T-Mobile, including a list of all of the locations that the Showcase will appear, please visit the Fans page of the Official Boston Red Sox website.

Photo credit: Keith Allison via VisualHunt / CC BY-SA

The 35th Anniversary of King Richard’s Faire

If you read my post a couple of weeks ago about the Silver Kingdom Renaissance Festival, you probably already know that King Richard’s Faire is right around the corner. In fact, if you’re a renaissance fan who’s been counting down the days to one of the largest and longest-running renaissance festivals in the area, you’ll be happy to know that the wait is finally over. This is because King Richard’s faire will open its gates for the 35th time tomorrow (Saturday, September 3, 2016) at approximately 10:30 A.M. This year’s Faire will feature some new acts plus all of the tried and true entertainment of years past, including acrobats, comedy acts, fire eaters, games, jugglers, jousting, magicians, minstrels, rides, tigers and more 16th-century style entertainment than you can shake a sword at. And, speaking of swords, the Faire will also feature a huge assortment of vendors that will allow you to purchase armor, weapons, and everything in between. Best of all, there are a number of coupons and discounts available for the Faire, including a Groupon that will allow you to save over 30% on admission for a group of two or four. For more information on King Richard’s Faire, which runs from September 3, 2016 to October 23, 2016, please visit the King Richard’s Faire website.

Photo credit: Wolfrage via Visualhunt.com / CC BY