Boston Area – Page 3 – Salem Happenings

Amazing Scavenger Hunt Adventure

Do you want to do something with your kids this weekend, but they’re a little too old for an Easter egg hunt? Have you always been a big fan of board games and/or the TV show, The Amazing Race? Are you planning to be somewhere in the Boston area this weekend? Well, if you answered yes to some or all of these questions, Urban Adventure Quest may have the perfect way for you to entertain your family this weekend.

This is because Urban Adventure Quest is hosting an Amazing Scavenger Hunt Adventure from 10:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M. every Saturday from now until the end of the year. This event will take you on a two to three hour tour of Boston where you will have the opportunity to use your smartphone to figure out clues, carry out challenging objectives, and learn more about this incredible city that so many people call home. For more information on the Amazing Scavenger Hunt Adventure, which begins at Boston Common for approximately $50 a team of 5 or less (there are often promotional discounts and special offers available online for Urban Adventure Quest as well), please visit the Urban Adventure Quest website.

Photo credit: Vignesh Ananth via Visualhunt.com / CC BY

South Boston Saint Patrick’s Day Parade

Saint Patrick’s Day may have been yesterday, but if you were one of the unlucky souls that got stuck working late, don’t worry. The luck of the Irish may still be with you. In fact, it just so happens that the South Boston Saint Patrick’s Day parade is scheduled to take place this Sunday (March 20, 2016) at 1:00 P.M. As a result, if you’re looking for a way to celebrate the holiday a little late, heading to South Boston could definitely be a good call.

The parade, which will start at the Broadway T station on West Broadway and head east until it loops around to end on Dorchester Street right next to Dorchester Avenue and the Andrew T stop, will feature just about everything, including bagpipes, duck boats, drums, minutemen, Stormtroopers, and a whole lot more. Best of all, the event is completely free (unless your kids talk you into buying them all of that magnificent green swag.) For more information on the South Boston Saint Patrick’s Day parade, please visit the South Boston Parade website.

Photo credit: Bryan Maleszyk via Visual Hunt / CC BY

Boston: The Home of Weird Weather and History

There are very few places on Earth where the weather can go from 55 and sunny to 27 and snowing within 48 hours, but Boston has always been one of them. In fact, it was this kind of weather that made it so hard for the pilgrims that first settled here to survive the long, harsh, and completely bizarre winters of New England. However, Boston is not only known for its strange weather but also for its rich history, and one of the most unfortunate events in Boston history actually occurred exactly 246 years ago tomorrow on March 5, 1770. This tragic event, which is known as the Boston Massacre, played a large role in beginning the American Revolution, but even though it was an infamous event at the time, it has largely been forgotten by textbooks and the average person alike.

Fortunately, if you would like to explore Boston’s history and learn about one of the key catalysts of the American Revolution, you’re in luck because it just so happens that there is a Boston Massacre Commemoration and Reenactment this weekend. This event, which is scheduled to take place from 11:00 A.M. to approximately 8:00 P.M. on the anniversary of the event (tomorrow, March 5, 2016), will allow you and your children to see what the daily lives of the citizens of Boston and British soldiers within Boston would have been like at the time, watch a reenactment of the trial of the British soldiers involved in the Boston Massacre, and see a reenactment of the Massacre itself. Best of all, the event is completely free for children 18 and under and is completely free for adults with the exception of the trial (space for the Trial of the Century is limited, and admission to the trial is included in admission to the Old State House.) For more information on the Boston Massacre Commemoration and Reenactment, which will take place in and around the Old State House in Boston, please visit the Bostonian Society’s Old State House Events page.

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Ice Skating at Boston Common Frog Pond

The weather’s starting to get warmer, which means that if you’re an ice skating fan, time is starting to run out. In fact, with spring right around the corner, this weekend could very well be your last chance to get on the ice before it all starts to melt. Fortunately, if you’re looking for a place to skate, there is probably no better place in the Boston area than the Boston Common Frog Pond. This is because from the end of November to the middle of March, the Frog Pond becomes one of the most popular outdoor ice skating rinks around. The Boston Common Frog Pond, which is open for skating from 10:00 A.M. to 3:45 P.M. on Mondays, 10:00 A.M. to 10:00 P.M. on Fridays and Saturdays, and 10:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M. every other day of the week (weather permitting), is also relatively inexpensive. Best of all, skaters that are 57 inches or shorter can skate for free as long as they have their own skates (you can rent skates at the Frog Pond for a rate of $12 per day for adults and $6.00 per day for Children.) For more information on the Winter Ice Skating at the Boston Common Frog Pond, please visit the Boston Common Frog Pond’s Winter Programs page.

Photo credit: Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism via Visualhunt / CC BY-ND

Lunar New Year Redux

Did you completely miss out on the Lunar New Year festivities earlier this month? Are you looking for a way to celebrate the Year of the Monkey or are you just looking for an excuse to celebrate something. Well, if you are, you’re in luck because the festivities haven’t ended yet. In fact, the Chinese Folk Art Workshop is hosting a Chinese New Year Celebration at the Villa Victoria Center for the Arts tomorrow (Saturday, February 20, 2016) from 4:30 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. This event will allow you to see a group of talented dancers in colorful costumes performing a series of traditional Chinese dances that incorporate elements of Chinese mythology and philosophy. For more information on the Chinese New Year Celebration at the Villa Victoria Center for the Arts, which has a suggested donation of $7.00, please visit the Inquilinos Boricuas En Acción (IBA) Boston Event page.

Photo credit: EpicFireworks via Visual Hunt / CC BY

Lunar New Year Weekend Festival

Last week, I talked about the annual Salem’s So Sweet Festival, and I have to admit that sometimes I just don’t understand people. The event, which was supposed to be a fun way for people to explore the city and see some magnificent works of frozen art, was marred by the actions of a small group of young mischief-makers who thought it would be fun to ransack some of the ice sculptures. Now, don’t get me wrong, I can understand, especially at a young age, the desire to reach out and break something when you’ve had a rough day and/or you’re feeling more than a little mischievous. However, there must be a better way to channel these impulses than destroying other people’s hard work and potentially earning yourself jail time and/or a hefty fine in the process. In fact, I would have to imagine that some of these individuals are probably thinking that they would like a do-over on this one because trying to explain to a judge or jury why you destroyed three ice sculptures valued at approximately $325 each seems like the complete opposite of fun to me.

Of course, actual do-overs are not usually an option in life, but there may be a way for you to “reset” your year in a figurative sense. You see, it just so happens that this past Monday was the Lunar New Year, so if you’re looking for a way to celebrate the occasion and start the year fresh, you may want to head over to the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem. This is because the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) is hosting their Lunar New Year Weekend Festival from 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. tomorrow (Saturday, February 13, 2016.) This event will allow you and your family to design your own Chinese lantern, watch a number of dancing performances (including lion dances and ribbon dances), listen to music played on traditional Chinese instruments, and more. For more information on the Lunar New Year Weekend Festival at the PEM, please visit the Peabody Essex Museum’s Event Calendar.

Photo credit: aotaro via VisualHunt / CC BY

14th Annual Salem’s So Sweet Festival

The big game is this weekend, and it’s definitely looking like it will be a game to remember even though the Patriots aren’t in it (I know. I feel your pain.) In fact, even if the Panthers/Broncos matchup doesn’t live up to all of the hype, it certainly appears that all of the performances and commercials that the NFL has lined up for Super Bowl 50 will make it a spectacle for the ages. However, if you have a loved one who isn’t really into football and you want to do something with them before the big game (perhaps so you can drag them to a Super Bowl party without feeling guilty), you may want to head over to Salem this weekend (especially if your loved one is a fan of sweets.)

This is because the 14th Annual Salem’s So Sweet Festival is scheduled to begin at 6:30 P.M. tonight (Friday, February 5, 2016). This festival, which runs until Sunday evening (February 7, 2016), will feature 23 ice sculptures (weather permitting), discounted trolley rides (also weather permitting), and discounts at a number of locations throughout downtown Salem. As a result, if you’re looking for a great way to check out Salem or you’re just looking for a way to take your significant other out for the night without breaking the bank, the Salem So Sweet Festival is definitely the way to go. For more information on the 14th Annual Salem’s So Sweet Festival, please visit Salem’s So Sweet on Facebook or visit the Salem Main Streets website.

Photo via VisualHunt

The Cure for a Rough Week

Have you ever had one of those weeks where nothing seemed to go right? One of those weeks where everything that possibly could go wrong did in spite of how carefully you planned everything out or how hard you tried to make everything work? Well, if you have, you’re certainly not alone. In fact, people across the world have had similar experiences since time first began. However, if you’re looking for a way to forget about a rough week, I’ve always found that the best way to put a terrible week behind you is to find something amusing to do. And, by amusing, I mean funny, so if you’re looking for something funny to do this weekend, you don’t need to look any further than Boston Common.

This is because the Cardboard Tube Fighting League (yes, you read that correctly) is hosting a cardboard tube battle from 11:30 A.M. to 1:30 P.M. on Saturday on Boston Common. This event, which is completely free and open to the public, will allow you and anyone over the age of 5 to battle each other with cardboard tubes (like the rolls that wrapping paper comes on). All of the tubes for the battle will be provided by the League (to ensure that all of the tubes are safe to use), but everyone is encouraged to come in cardboard armor and/or costume. For more information on the Cardboard Tube Fighting League event on Boston Common, please visit the Cardboard Tube Fighting League – Boston Facebook page.

Photo credit: BuddaBoy via Visual hunt / CC BY-ND

Edgar Allan Poe: Master of the Macabre

I’ve been reading a lot of H.P. Lovecraft lately, and one of the things that has stood out to me most about Lovecraft’s writing is just how much inspiration he derived from the works of Edgar Allan Poe. In fact, even though Lovecraft typically wrote about supernatural horror instead of the more worldly horror that is seen in most of Poe’s works, it is clear that Lovecraft had a profound admiration for Poe. This admiration is clear in Lovecraft’s writing not only because Lovecraft attempted to mimic Poe’s style in a number of his stories but also because Lovecraft made references to Poe and his macabre style regularly throughout his works. However, in order to truly appreciate the effect that Poe had on Lovecraft, you have to understand the power of Poe’s stories, and if you’re looking for a way to truly experience the power of Poe, you will definitely want to head over to Gore Place in Waltham on Saturday.

This is because Gore Place is hosting Edgar Allan Poe: Master of the Macabre at 2:00 and 3:30 P.M. on Saturday, January 23, 2016. This event, which is primarily intended for horror fans over the age of 15, will allow you to experience Poe’s “Masque of the Red Death” and several of Poe’s other works as if the literary scholar reading them was actually Poe himself. Best of all, you can get tickets to the event for half price ($7.50 instead of $15 a person for nonmembers) by ordering your tickets on the Goldstar Events website. For more information on Edgar Allan Poe: Master of the Macabre, please visit the Goldstar Events website or the Gore Place website.

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Entertaining Your Kids Before the Big Game

If you’re a sports fan living anywhere in New England, there’s a very good chance that you already have plans tomorrow afternoon. In fact, if you’re a football fan, you’re probably already well aware that it’s that fine time of year again when the hopes and dreams of devoted fans everywhere can be realized or dashed in a few fleeting moments. Now, I am, of course, talking about the playoffs because every game could be the last game of the season for your team. However, if your kids are not football fans and/or you’re desperately looking for a way to entertain your kids before the Patriots game tomorrow (perhaps in the hope that they will actually let you sit and enjoy the game), the Coolidge Corner Theatre may have exactly what you’re looking for.

This is because the Coolidge Corner Theatre is hosting a special event entitled “Fantastic Journeys: Animated Shorts from Children’s Film Festival Seattle 2015” from 10:30 A.M. to approximately 11:45 A.M. tomorrow (Saturday, January 16, 2016). This event, which is intended primarily for younger children, will give you and your kids the opportunity to watch 11 animated short films from the Children’s Film Festival in Seattle. These films, which range from 2 to 12 minutes long, come from all around the world, and include animated shorts from countries such as Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Russia, the United States, and more. For more information on Fantastic Journeys and/or or to order tickets for the event, please visit the Coolidge Corner Theatre website.

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