Boston Area – Page 4 – Salem Happenings

The Snowflake Festival: Embrace the Winter!

Winter may have gotten off to a late start, but it appears that the colder weather has finally arrived. In fact, this past Christmas was certainly one of the warmest Christmases that I can remember, but the warmth of the holiday season now appears to be past (both figuratively and literally.) Now, I will admit that it’s certainly not as cold as it could be (as it’s been somewhere in the 30s or 40s), but it’s certainly not the 60 to 70 degrees that it had been for months in the Northeast. As a result, if you’re not quite ready for the winter to arrive in force, you may be looking for something to ease your way into the spirit of the season. Fortunately, if that is indeed the case, the Brookline Arts Center may have exactly what you’re looking for.

This is because the Brookline Arts Center is hosting their annual Snowflake Festival from 12:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. tomorrow (Saturday, January 9, 2016.) This festival will allow you and your family to watch a number of artistic demonstrations, participate in two free workshops, and help the center create a community art project that will be donated to a local charity. The two free workshops at the festival include a bangle-making workshop that will teach you to make your own copper and brass bracelets and a Monoprint Workshop that will show you how to use printmaking and oil painting to create a truly original piece of art. For more information on the Snowflake Festival, please visit the Brookline Arts Center’s Events page.

Photo credit: yellowcloud via Foter.com / CC BY

Your Boston Accent: Love It or Lose It?

Do you park your car in Harvard Yard or do you pahk your cah in Hahvuhd Yahd? If you’re from anywhere in the vicinity of the Boston area, you’ve probably heard this phrase or some version of it at some point. In fact, it’s pretty much a guarantee that someone somewhere will ask you to demonstrate your Boston accent like you’re a trained chimpanzee whose sole purpose is to amuse the person who probably has an accent thicker than you do. Unfortunately, when you are presented with this question, you really only have two options: get mad and refuse or say the phrase. However, if you would like to shock and awe all of the people who ask to hear your accent, you may want to consider either learning to eliminate your accent (which will really shock them when you say the phrase in a way they are totally not expecting) or you can embrace your Boston heritage and brush up on your accent (thereby making sure that your accent is wicked pissa).

First, if you would like to lose your accent, you may want to consider taking a course at the Boston Center for Adult Education (BCAE). This is because the BCAE is offering a course entitled “Lose Your Boston Accent” from 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. tomorrow (Saturday, November 21, 2015). This course, which is primarily designed for actors and other professionals who may need to speak in a more generic dialect, will teach you to pronounce your r’s, pronounce certain vowel sounds differently, and lose some of the Boston slang we’ve all come to know and love. For more information on the Lose Your Boston Accent course at the BCAE, please visit the Boston Center for Adult Education’s website.

If, on the other hand, you would like to embrace your heritage and really work on improving your accent, there’s no better way than spending some time in the city itself. And, if you would like to spend some time in the city itself and enjoy everything Boston has to offer, you may want to check out Boston CityPASS. Boston CityPASS is a program that will allow you to buy a booklet of tickets to some of the most popular museums in Boston at an extremely discounted price. In fact, this program will allow you to get tickets to four attractions, including the Museum of Science, the Museum of Fine Arts, the New England Aquarium, and either the Harvard Museum of Natural History or the Skywalk Observatory for a single fee that’s pretty close to half the price you would normally pay to get into all four museums. For more information on the Boston CityPASS program, please visit the Official Boston CityPASS website.

Photo credit: Bert Kaufmann / Foter.com / CC BY

Gaming for Charity

All Hallows Eve, a day with a long history of treats and an even longer history of tricks, has come to a close once again. However, if you are one of the “fine, upstanding” individuals that took part in more of the mischief than the merriment this past Halloween, you may be looking for a way to improve your overall karma. Fortunately, if you’re looking for a way to improve your cosmic standing, there is no better way than supporting a charity, and it just so happens that there are a couple of interesting charity events in the Boston area this weekend. In fact, these charity events are specifically designed for gamers, so if you’re a gamer looking for a way to help out, look no further.

First, for all of the video game fans out there who are just dying to take part in a Local Area Network (LAN) party, the Cambridge Innovation Center has you covered. This is because the Cambridge Innovation Center, in partnership with the American Video Game League (AVGL), is hosting the Children’s Miracle Network Extra Life Fundraiser from 8:00 A.M. tomorrow (November 7, 2015) to 8:00 A.M. Sunday (November 8, 2015). This event will give you and your fellow video game fanatics the opportunity to play a full 24 hours of video games without the feelings of guilt that usually occur when you play that long because each player is required to find sponsors to donate money to charity. All of the proceeds from the event will be donated to Boston Children’s Hospital, and it really doesn’t matter how long you play or how much money you raise ($100 per person is the suggested amount) because in the end, it’s all about the charity. For more information on the Children’s Miracle Network Extra Life Fundraiser, please visit the American Video Game League’s Events page.

Secondly, if you’re more into board games than video games and you don’t mind losing some of your blood to something other than a vampire, you may want to check out the Boston Blood Drive and Board Games Event. Knight Moves, in partnership with Eureka Games, is hosting a board game event right down the street from the bloodmobile’s blood drive at Coolidge Corner. The hope is that there may be some gamers out there who are willing to donate some of their blood before they dive into some games at the Knight Moves Board Game Café. This event will not only allow you to help the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women’s Hospital collect the vital fluids they desperately need but will also allow you to get free cookies, play games at Knight Moves for a discounted price, and potentially win some prizes. For more information on the Boston Blood Drive and Board Games Event at Knight Moves and/or to register for the event, please visit the Knight Moves’ Registration Page on the SignUpGenius website.

Photo credit: ** RCB ** / Foter.com / CC BY

Game On This Weekend!

My brother’s birthday is actually this weekend, so I decided that this week’s post should be about something that he truly enjoys. In fact, if you’ve ever had the opportunity to meet my brother, you probably wouldn’t have a lot of trouble figuring out what today’s post is about. However, since there’s a pretty good chance that you haven’t actually met him, I should probably just say that today’s post is about gaming. And, if you’re looking for an opportunity to indulge in some video games, board games, and card games this weekend, there are a couple of events in the Boston area that you will definitely want to check out.

First, if you’re a Minecraft fan or you really want to learn the basics of creating video game mods in Java, the Minecraft Modding Workshop at Parts and Crafts in Somerville may be the event for you. This is because the Minecraft Modding Workshop, which is scheduled to take place from 10:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. every Saturday for the next four weeks is designed to teach you how to use Java to program your very own Minecraft mod. This four-week series will teach you to how to write and rewrite Java source code to create mods with new blocks, items, recipes, and more. For more information on the Minecraft Modding Workshop and/or to register for the event, which is $80 for the entire four-week series, please visit the Parts and Crafts website or the Parts and Crafts Registration Page.

Please Note: You do not need to know Java to take part in the Minecraft Modding Workshop, but some knowledge of computer programming and the ability to read and type are required.

Secondly, if you’re looking for the next great game that no one’s ever heard of, you should definitely head over to the MIT Johnson Athletic Center tomorrow. This is because the MIT Johnson Athletic Center is hosting the Fourth Annual Boston Festival of Indie Games from 10:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M. on Saturday, September 12, 2015. This event will give you the opportunity to see and/or try out over 45 new tabletop games and over 55 new video games all from independent developers. The festival will also give you the opportunity to see a live musical performance by the Videri String Quartet (who are known for their video game-oriented musical arrangements), a keynote speech by Susan Gold (creator of the Global Game Jam), and an awards ceremony. For more information on the Boston Festival of Indie Games or Boston FIG for short, please visit the Boston FIG website.

Photo credit: blakespot / Foter / CC BY

Labor Day Weekend in Boston 2015

Another summer has come and gone, and the time to wish the warmer weather and your kid’s vacation a fond farewell is upon us again. In fact, I don’t know about you, but it seems like this summer went by at a scorching pace (both fast and hot.) As a result, it’s even more important to find a way to make this weekend, the unofficial end of summer, a memorable one because it’s your last chance to take advantage of all the things that the summertime has to offer. Fortunately, if you’re looking for a way to make this Labor Day Weekend memorable, you don’t have to look very far because these events are sure to help.

First, if you’re looking for a way for your kids to have some fun and beat the heat one last time before they go back to school (if they haven’t already), you’ll definitely want to check out the Watergun Wars. Cortège Fitness, a group dedicated to promoting exercise through social activities, is hosting an event entitled the Watergun Wars at the Water Fountain in front of the Christian Science Center in Boston from 1:00 P.M. to 3:00 P.M. on Sunday (September 6, 2015.) This event will allow kids of all ages (regardless of how adult-like they may look on the outside) to grab their squirt guns and join the biggest water battle you have probably ever seen. For more information on the Watergun Wars and/or to RSVP for the event, which is absolutely free and open to the public, please visit the Cortège Fitness website.

Please Note: The Watergun Wars are a bring-your-own watergun event, so the event is free, but you will have to supply your own squirt gun. It is also important to note that for the purposes of safety, you should bring a squirt gun that does not resemble a real weapon in any way, shape, or form.

Secondly, if you’re looking for an event that will let you end the summer with a bang, you may want to head over to Boston Harbor on Saturday. This is because the 3rd Annual Labor Day Weekend Fireworks are scheduled to take place at approximately 9:00 P.M. on Saturday, September 5, 2015. This event will allow you to listen to music as you watch two barges loaded with fireworks duel in the sky to see which barge can light up the skyline in a more impressive fashion. For more information on the 3rd Annual Labor Day Weekend Fireworks, including the best locations to watch the fireworks from, please visit the Boston Harbor Association’s Summer on the Waterfront website.

Photo credit: Graham S Dean Photography / Foter / CC BY

Getting Your Kids Ready for School?

With the end of summer just around the corner, kids and parents everywhere are getting ready for the new school year. However, there’s no reason that your kids necessarily need to abandon all the fun just yet. In fact, if you’re looking for a couple of fun, but somewhat educational activities that will help your kids get back into a learning mindset and have one last hurrah before the 2015 – 2016 school year starts, I may have just the events for you.

The first place that you may want to check out, especially if your kids are into history or you wish they were, is Georges Island. This is because Georges Island has a number of events specifically designed to teach kids about the Civil War. Some of the events that are scheduled to take place at Georges Island this weekend include an interactive kids’ tour of Fort Warren entitled “Storming the Fort”; a Civil War Dress-Up that will give your kids the opportunity to not only learn about some of the clothing that kids and adults would have worn during the Civil War but also to wear some of it; a Civil War Lawn Games event that will give your kids the opportunity to play some of the games that kids and adults played during the mid-1800’s; and the Legend of the Lady in Black, which will let you and your kids hear the story of Mrs. Andrew Lanier, a woman whose ghost has been said to haunt the fort since she was imprisoned there in the early 1860’s. For more information on the events at Georges Island, which are free and open to the public, please visit the Boston Harbor Islands’ Events page.

The second place that you may want to check out, especially if you would like to expose your kids to a different culture, is the Boston Carnival Village. The Boston Carnival Village is a street festival that is specifically designed to create the same celebratory atmosphere that you would feel during Carnival in Trinidad. The biggest part of the festival is, of course, the Trini Style Carnival Parade, which begins at 1:00 P.M. tomorrow (Saturday, August 28, 2015) on Blue Hill Avenue in Boston and ends in front of the Franklin Park Zoo. This parade typically features Caribbean bands, dancers, and masqueraders in a huge assortment of colorful costumes marching by a festival filled with arts and crafts, food, CDs, DVDs, and more. For more information on the Boston Carnival Village, please visit the Boston Carnival Village website.

Girl in Civil War Dress Photo Credit: WalterPro4755 / Foter / CC BY
Carnival Dancer Photo Credit: LukePricePhotography / Foter / CC BY

Get Fired Up This Weekend!

Fire has fascinated humankind since the very beginning, and while the world has certainly changed a lot since then, people’s fascination with the natural results of combustion have not. In fact, it may have been the first men and women that discovered that fire could be quite useful while they were living in caves. However, we, the men and women of the modern age, have invented more than our fair share of ways to create and use fire ourselves to heat our homes, cook our food, move our cars, and accomplish a variety of other incredible tasks. Unfortunately, the incredible power of fire can also cause its fair share of problems for when fire is misused and/or allowed to spiral out of control, disaster and destruction is all that can follow in its wake. As a result, it’s important to appreciate the power of fire and its ability to aid or destroy, and if you’re looking for a way to experience this power in a safe environment, you’ll definitely want to check out one of these events.

First, if you’re looking for an exhibition of fire in all its forms, Somerville is the place to be this weekend. This is because Ignite! A Global Street Food and Fire Festival is scheduled to take place in Union Square Plaza in Somerville from 6:00 P.M. to 10:00 P.M. tomorrow night (Saturday, August 15, 2015.) This festival will give you the opportunity to burn your mouth off with some of the spiciest food around as dancers, fire throwers, musicians, and more attempt to show you their inner and outer fire through a series of passionate performances. For more information on Ignite! A Global Street Food and Fire Festival, which is completely free to attend and open to the public, please visit the Somerville Arts Council website.

If, on the other hand, you’re more interested in a person’s inner fire or, in other words, what fire represents in a figurative sense, the FireBall may be exactly what you’re looking for. The FireBall, which is scheduled to take place at 8:00 P.M. tomorrow night (Saturday, August 15, 2015), is a fundraiser thrown by the Theatre on Fire. This fundraiser will allow you to participate in a fire-themed costume ball complete with prizes for the best costume, allow you to watch an awards ceremony, and allow you to help decide which of the eight theatre singers will win the Ultimate Boston Theatre Karaoke Battle. For more information on the FireBall, please visit the Theatre on Fire website.

Photo credit: JD Hancock / Foter / CC BY

Checking Out Boston Sports This Weekend

Last week, I talked about how summer is a great time to get outside and explore the art around us because it’s one of the only times of the year that we’re not actually buried in snow. And, while some people might be wishing for those mountains of snow to return right now during this unprecedented heat wave, most people would agree it’s nice to enjoy some music, dancing, and other art during the warmer weather. However, it is important to remember that art is not the only thing that is easier to enjoy during the summer. In fact, if you’re a sports fan, summer can be a great time to check out some of the games played during the hotter months, attend a special event at a sports stadium, or even see some of the players from your favorite fall and winter sports get ready for the upcoming season. This means that if you are a sports fan in the Boston area looking for something to do this weekend, you will definitely want to check out some of these events.

First, if you are a Red Sox fan that hasn’t decided that the Red Sox are too painful to watch this year (and, therefore, are a braver fan than I), you may want to try and see them play the Tampa Bay Rays this weekend. The Red Sox are playing at home all weekend, and Ken Ryan, Dick Berardino, or Jim Corsi will be in Autograph Alley on Yawkey Way before each game to sign autographs. Best of all, if you’re a student that doesn’t mind standing to watch the game, you may be able to get standing room only tickets for a measly $9. For more information on obtaining discounted Red Sox tickets for students, please visit the Red Sox Student Ticket Offer page.

Secondly, if you’re a true Red Sox fan, but you just can’t bear to watch them get slaughtered night after night, you may want to consider buying tickets for the 10th Annual Boston Red Sox Picnic in the Park. Now, I will warn you right off the bat (if you’ll excuse the pun) that the Annual Picnic in the Park, which is scheduled to take place after Sunday’s Red Sox Game, is definitely on the pricey side at $325 a ticket. However, a ticket to this event will allow you to get a blanket, get autographs from Red Sox players, bid on a number of Red Sox items and experiences in a live auction, listen to the Boston Pops Jazz Band, have the rare opportunity to enjoy a BBQ on the field at Fenway Park, and more. For more information on the Annual Boston Red Sox Picnic in the Park, which is scheduled to take place after the 1:35 P.M. game on Sunday, August 2, 2015, please visit the Red Sox Foundation’s Picnic in the Park page.

Finally, if you’re more of a Patriots Fan than a Red Sox fan or you’re just really sick of the whole “Deflategate” thing and would like to see how the Patriots are getting ready to crush everyone this year, you may want to check out the Patriots’ Training Camp. The Patriots’ Training Camp, which runs from 9:15 A.M. to 1:30 P.M. every day at Gillette from now until Sunday, will give you the opportunity to see the Patriots practice, try some of the training techniques the Patriots use, and get some of the player’s autographs. Best of all, the Patriots’ Training Camp is open to the public and completely free to attend (even parking is free during training camp sessions), so you won’t have to pay a dime. For more information on the Patriots’ Training Camp, please visit the Patriots’ Training Camp page.

Photo credit: MacBeales / Foter / CC BY-ND

Indulge Your Artistic Side This Weekend

Summer has always been a great time to explore the art around us because it’s much easier to sing, dance, and create outside when you aren’t knee deep in snow. In fact, there is never a shortage of performers ready and waiting to demonstrate their artistic skill during this time of year, and this year is certainly no exception. As a result, if you’re looking for a way to indulge your artistic side this weekend, you’re in luck because there are a couple of events that are certain to help you find the artistic indulgences that you seek.

First, if you’re looking for a way to hear some great music without giving all of your money to a ticket broker, you should definitely check out the Boston Summer Arts Weekend. The Boston Summer Arts Weekend, which runs from 11:00 A.M. to approximately 11:00 P.M. tomorrow (July 25, 2015) and 12:30 P.M. to approximately 6:00 P.M. Sunday (July 26, 2015) is an arts festival that celebrates music in all its forms. This festival features a number of well-known and not-so-well-known performers playing Americana, blues, classical music, children’s music, folk music, and more. Best of all, all of the performances at the festival are completely free and open to the public, so you can listen to hours of great music without paying a dime. For more information on the Boston Summer Arts Weekend, which is sponsored by the Boston Globe, Citizen’s Bank, and WBGH, please visit the Boston Globe’s Boston Summer Arts Weekend page.

Secondly, if you’re looking for a way that you can head to the beach and still tell people that you were taking in some art, Revere Beach has you covered. This is because Revere Beach is hosting the 12th Annual Revere Beach National Sand Sculpting Festival this weekend, which means that from today until Sunday, you can see over 20 sculptors from around the world carefully crafting incredible works of art out of sand. In fact, this festival will not only give you the opportunity to see some truly awesome sand sculptures but will also give you and your family the opportunity to enjoy kid’s activities and rides, fireworks, food, live music, and more. For more information on the 2015 Revere Beach National Sand Sculpting Festival, which is absolutely free for everyone to attend, please visit the Revere Beach website.

Photo credit: Eric Kilby / Foter / CC BY-SA

Leaving the AC’s Cool Breeze

Chances are, you’ve probably heard the phrase “it’s not the heat, it’s the humidity” somewhere before. In fact, if you have been anywhere on the east coast of the United States this week, you have probably not only heard the phrase, but also realized that truer words have never been spoken. This is because our bodies and the bodies of almost all warm-blooded animals are able to cool themselves better in dry weather than humid weather. As a result, it’s much harder for everyone to cool off when it’s hot and humid, and many of us turn to our air conditioners looking for the relief we seek. The only problem is that you can’t really take your air conditioner everywhere you go unless you’re planning to sit in your car all day, so when it is really gross out like it has been this week, you may have trouble finding the ambition to leave your home. Fortunately, if you and your kids have spent all week in your house praising Robert S. Sherman, the man that invented the first portable, window air conditioner, you’ll be happy to know that there are a number of events this weekend that will let your family get outside and enjoy the nice weather that we’re supposed to have.

First, if you’re looking for a fun but educational way to enjoy the nice weather, you may want to consider a Salem Kids Walking Tour. A Salem Kids Walking Tour is a special tour that is specifically designed to let children, ages 6 and up, experience all of the history and mystery that the Witch City has to offer. These tours, which typically take place on Saturday mornings from 10:45 A.M. to approximately 11:45 A.M., will allow you and your kids to wander the city with a licensed tour guide in full puritan garb while you hear stories about the people, locations, and superstitions that have helped to make the city famous. For more information on the Salem Kids Walking Tours, which begin at Wicked Good Books at 215 Essex Street in Salem, Massachusetts, please visit the Salem Kids Tours website or stop by Wicked Good Books.

Secondly, if you think a tour would bore your kids out of their minds or they would be tired of walking after about 15 minutes, you might want to let your kids Play the Day Away at the Lawn on D. The Lawn on D, located at 420 D Street in Boston, is hosting a Play the Day Away event specifically for kids from 12:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M. on Saturday (July 18, 2015.) This event will allow your kids to try their hand at arts and crafts, play a variety of different games, and enjoy interactive sculptures and works of art from the Boston Children’s Museum, the Museum of Science, and more. For more information on Play the Day Away at the Lawn on D, which is completely free to attend, please visit the Lawn on D’s Calendar of Events page.

Finally, if the only way that you’re going to get your kids away from their computer screen or their TV screen is to stick them in front of an even bigger screen, you may want to head over to the Prudential Center in Boston this weekend. This is because the Prudential Center is showing Frozen as part of the Mix 106.7 Family Film Festival at sundown on Saturday (July 18, 2015) in their South Garden. This event, which begins at approximately 6:00 P.M., will allow you and your family to enjoy a series of children’s activities, giveaways, pre-movie entertainment, and, of course, see the beloved Disney film that tells the tale of the Snow Queen, Elsa, and her sister Anna. For more information on the Mix 106.7 Family Film Festival at the Prudential Center, including upcoming shows, please visit the Prudential Center’s Events page.

Photo credit: Jan Tik / Foter / CC BY