Boston Area – Page 5 – Salem Happenings

Beating Summer Boredom This Weekend

Have your kids been sitting in the house all week hiding from the heat? Have they played with every toy and finished every game? Are they completely bored out of their minds? Well, if your kids haven’t done much this week and you are you desperately trying to find something for them to do this weekend, you’re in luck because there are a couple of events in the Boston area that are sure to put a smile on almost any kid’s face.

First, if your kids are huge fans of the Minions (you know, the little yellow guys from the Despicable Me movies) or they just like movies in general, they’ll probably love Minions Madness. Minions Madness is a celebration of the premiere of the new Minions movie that is scheduled to take place at the Showcase Cinema de Lux in Revere from 12:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. tomorrow (Saturday, July 11, 2015). This celebration will feature airbrush tattoos, balloon twisting, face painting, photo opportunities, and a whole lot more. Best of all, it’s absolutely free until your kids make you buy them popcorn and take them to the new movie (which really shouldn’t come as much of a shock). For more information on Minions Madness at the Showcase Cinema de Lux in Revere, please visit the Minions Madness Eventful page.

Secondly, if your kids aren’t really into the Minions or you’re looking for somewhere that will allow your children to be a little more “active”, you may want to head over to the Children’s Museum at Holyoke. The Children’s Museum at Holyoke is designed to allow kids of all ages to learn, play, and explore a variety of exhibits. These exhibits include an ambulance, a bubble table, climbing and crawling structures, a fire station, a mailbox slide, a forklift, a theatre, a water table, and a whole lot more. The best part of visiting the museum today, however, is that the museum is taking part in the Highland Street Foundation’s Free Fun Fridays this week, which means that if you visit today (Friday, July 10, 2015), you can get in absolutely free. For more information on the Children’s Museum at Holyoke and the Highland Street Foundation’s Free Fun Fridays, please visit the Children’s Museum at Holyoke website or the Highland Street Foundation’s website.

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The Best Things in Life Are FREE

Chances are, you’ve probably heard the old line, “the best things in life are free”, and you may have even heard it in one of the many different versions of the song with the same name. In fact, there are at least ten different versions of the song that was originally written by Lew Brown, Buddy DeSylva, and Ray Henderson for the musical Good News in 1927. Some of the well-known artists to cover the song with or without drastically altered lyrics include the Ink Spots, Dinah Shore, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Jo Stafford, Hank Mobley, Sam Cooke, Lou Donaldson, and Janet Jackson. As a result, there certainly hasn’t been a shortage of artists trying to convey the importance of the free things in life, but finding things that are free to enjoy can be a lot more challenging than it should be. It is, therefore, fortunate that there are a number of free activities in the Boston area this weekend that are sure to put a smile on your face without forcing you to touch your hard-earned cash.

First, if you are a Shakespeare fan, you may want to head over to the Fairbanks House in Dedham, MA this weekend. This is because the Fairbanks House is hosting the Dragonfly Theater’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at 5:00 P.M. tonight and tomorrow (June 26th and 27th, 2015) and at 2:00 P.M. on Sunday (June 28, 2015.) This production will allow you to see Shakespeare’s classic comedy about a group of ancient Greeks caught up in fairy mischief from the comfort of this historic house’s lawn. For more information on the Dragonfly Theater’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which is completely free and open to the public, please visit the Dragonfly Theater’s website.

Secondly, if you’re not really a Shakespeare fan or you would prefer wandering around an air-conditioned building to sitting on a lawn, there are a number of museums and historic locations offering free admission today. In fact, the MIT Museum in Cambridge, MA; the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, MA; Tanglewood and the Mount in Lenox, MA; the Worcester Art Museum in Worcester; and the Peabody Essex Museum and the House of the Seven Gables in Salem, MA are all offering free admission today as part of the Highland Street Foundation’s Free Fun Fridays. For more information on these locations and other locations that are offering free admission to everyone as part of the Highland Street Foundation’s Free Fun Fridays, please visit the Highland Street Foundation website.

Finally, if you’re looking for some free information on Norman Rockwell or any of the other artists that created the magnificent works of art that you may encounter at the museums above, you should definitely check out Artsy.net. In fact, Artsy will not only give you the opportunity to read biographies and articles on over 50,000 artists but will also give you the opportunity to see some of the amazing works of art that these artists have created.

Photo credit: Street matt / Foter / CC BY

Things to Do on Father’s Day Weekend

This Sunday, June 21st, is not only the summer solstice but also Father’s Day. As a result, if you were focusing on the fact that the summer was officially about to begin and your vacation, whether it be from school or work, was rapidly approaching, you may have forgotten about at least one of these occasions (and, let’ face it, it probably wasn’t the summer one.) Fortunately, if you totally forgot about the fact that you’re supposed to celebrate your dad this weekend, there are a number of events in the Boston area that will help you show him how much you care.

First, if your father has always enjoyed seeing big animals or you just think he is an animal at heart, you may want to head over to the Franklin Park Zoo or the Stone Zoo this Sunday. This is because the Franklin Park Zoo and the Stone Zoo are offering free admission for all fathers in honor of Father’s Day, which means that you may have to pay for yourself but your dad can get in without taking out his wallet. For more information on Father’s Day at the Franklin Park Zoo, please visit the Zoo New England website.

Secondly, if your father is more into eating tasty, tasty animals than visiting them, you may want to check out the Pantry at The VERVE Crowne Plaza in Natick. The Pantry is offering a free 10 oz. Strip Sirloin Steak to every father who comes into the restaurant with their family on Sunday. This means that you, again, will of course have to pay for your meal (because the restaurant has to make money somehow), but your father won’t have to pay a dime. For more information on the Free Steak for Dad on Father’s Day at the Pantry, please visit the Pantry website or the VERVE Crowne Plaza’s Facebook page.

Finally, if your father is a big Red Sox fan (and the heart of all Red Sox fans goes out to him this year if that is indeed the case), PhotoWalks may have a great way for you to show your Dad how much he means to you. This is because PhotoWalks is hosting a Father’s Day Scavenger Hunt around Fenway Park from 12:30 to 2:30 PM on Sunday. This family-friendly photo scavenger hunt, which begins at the Cask ‘n’ Flagon, will allow you and your dad to solve a series of clues about the oldest baseball park still operating in the U.S., Boston’s beloved major league baseball team, and the surrounding area. For more information on the Father’s Day Scavenger Hunt and/or to make a reservation for the event, please visit the PhotoWalks website.

Photo credit: bsoist / Foter / CC BY-ND

Move Your Body This Summer

Dancing has existed as a form of expression since prehistoric times, and while the form of popular dance has certainly changed over the millennia, there is no sign that the desire to move our bodies to the sound of music will ever truly fade. However, as the old saying goes, “it takes two to tango”, and there’s really no doubt that it can be truly lonely and depressing to spend all of your time dancing by yourself. In fact, unless you dance in a fashion that you really don’t want anyone else to see (in which case you should get out on the dance floor and take Susanna Clark and Richard Leigh’s advice and “Dance like nobody’s watching”), it’s pretty hard to keep up the motivation to improve your dancing skills and improve your body without other people. As a result, if you’re looking for a way to find some people that you can move your body with, you may want to check out some of these events.

First, if you’re looking for a way to not only learn some of the basics of dancing but also to see skilled dancers demonstrate their abilities, the Dance for World Community Festival may be exactly what you’re looking for. This is because the Dance for World Community Festival, which is scheduled to take place at the Jose Mateo Ballet Theatre in Cambridge from 12:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. tomorrow (Saturday, June 13, 2015), is designed to expose newcomers to the world of dance and show everyone how dance can truly connect us all. This festival will feature activities for kids, a dance party that will allow you to dance in the streets, introductory dance classes, food, over 80 dance performances, and more. For more information on the Dance for World Community Festival, which is completely free and open to the public, please visit the Dance for World Community website.

Secondly, if you’re interested in actually taking dance classes and you’ve always wanted to learn how to line dance, the Franklin Park Coalition may have the perfect opportunity for you to do exactly that. In fact, the Franklin Park Coalition is hosting a free line dancing class every Wednesday from now until September 16th at Refectory Hill. This class, which runs from 6:30 to 7:30 P.M. (or until it’s too dark and everyone has collapsed from exhaustion), will give novices and experts alike the opportunity to learn and enjoy line dances from around the country. For more information on the Line Dancing classes sponsored by the Franklin Park Coalition and the Boston Rhythm Riders, please visit the Franklin Park Coalition’s Program page.

Finally, if you’re not really into line dancing, but you’d like to learn how to salsa or Zumba, you may want to check out some of the classes offered by the Boston Parks and Recreation Department. The Boston Parks and Recreation Department and the Boston Public Health Commission are sponsoring a series of free fitness classes this summer as part of their Boston Parks Summer Fitness Series. These classes include boot camps, High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workouts, line dancing, salsa dancing, tai chi, yoga, and Zumba. For more information on the classes that are being offered this summer by the Boston Parks and Recreation Department, including times and locations, please take a look at a copy of the Boston Public Health Commission’s 2015 Summer Fitness Series Brochure.

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Shakespeare: Alive and Well?

There’s been a lot of talk this week about the possibility that someone has finally found the literary holy grail, an actual portrait of Shakespeare. In fact, the supposed discovery has been reported in almost every major publication and has been touted as the “literary discovery of the century” and “the greatest discovery in 400 years.” There is, however, just one small problem. Every bit of evidence points to the fact that the individual in the portrait, which is found in John Gerard’s The Herbal or General History of Plants, is actually a portrait of Dioscorides and not Shakespeare.

Don’t believe me? Just check this article in the Huffington Post. It describes every problem with the idea that the drawing found in the frontispiece is Shakespeare, including my personal favorite, the fact that the second edition of the book actually has the name “Dioscorides” printed under the image in question and not Shakespeare’s name. Now, if you would like to enjoy something that is actually related to Shakespeare, you’re in luck because while Shakespeare may not be alive and well, his works are certainly alive and well in the Boston area this weekend.

First, for all of the fans of tragic love stories out there, there’s always Romeo and Juliet and if you’re looking for Romeo and Juliet, the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company has you covered. This is because the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company is performing Romeo and Juliet at the Strand Theatre in Boston at 7:30 P.M. tonight (May 29, 2015) and 2:00 P.M. tomorrow (Saturday, May 30, 2015.) These performances, which will actually feature the company’s early-career actors, will allow you to see Shakespeare’s classic tale of two lovers caught between two feuding families for a measly fee of $5. For more information on the Romeo and Juliet performances at the Strand Theatre, please visit the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company’s website.

If, on the other hand, you’d prefer a love story that isn’t quite so tragic, you may want to check out the American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) Institute’s presentation of Much Ado About Nothing. The A.R.T. Institute for Advanced Theater Training at Harvard University will be performing Much Ado About Nothing at the Loeb Experimental Theater (Loeb Ex or the Ex for short) at 9:30 P.M. tonight (May 29, 2015.) This show, which will feature graduate acting students from the A.R.T. Institute, will give you the opportunity to experience Shakespeare’s sense of humor as you watch the pandemonium that can arise any time there’s a wedding but especially when the lovers are betrothed. For more information on the A.R.T. Institute’s presentation of Much Ado About Nothing, please visit the A.R.T. Institute’s Shows & Events page.

Finally, if you’re not really a fan of love stories or you’re just more of a history buff than a love story aficionado, the Bridge Repertory Theater (or Bridge Rep for short) may have what you’re looking for. This is because the Bridge Rep is performing Shakespeare’s historical play, Julius Caesar, at the Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts at 8:00 P.M. tonight (May 29. 2015), 2:00 P.M. tomorrow, and 8:00 P.M. tomorrow (May 30, 2015.) This production, which has taken some liberties with the dialogue to make it more accessible to modern viewers, will let you witness the tale of one of the most powerful men to ever live in the Roman Empire. For more information on the Bridge Repertory Theater’s production of Julius Caesar, please visit the Bridge Rep website.

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So You Want to Be a Graphic Designer?

Have you ever looked at a website and thought “wow, I wish I could make something like that?” Well, if you have or you’ve just always had a fascination with digital art and graphics, you’ll be happy to know that there are a number of workshops that are designed to help you learn the basic skills you need to create your own website, design your own digital art and graphics, or even your own television broadcast. In fact, there are several workshops this weekend that will teach you the basics of graphic design and media without the enormous cost that typically accompanies a college degree program.

First, if you’ve ever looked at a website and said I could do better than this, this weekend may be the perfect chance for you to test that theory. This is because the General Assembly in Boston is offering a two-day Introduction to HTML and CSS from 12:00 to 5:00 P.M. on Saturday and Sunday (May 16th and 17th, 2015.) This workshop will teach you how to build a website from scratch and includes information on HTML5 and CSS3, using classes and IDs, settings margins, padding, site navigation, inline vs. block elements, layouts, and more. Best of all, by the end of the weekend, you will have created your very own live website. For more information on the Introduction to HTML + CSS 2-Day Weekend Workshop and/or to register for the event, please visit the General Assembly website.

If, on the other hand, you’d prefer to learn how to actually design the graphics, logos, and illustrations that appear on many websites rather than the website itself, you may want to check out the Introduction to Adobe Illustrator Weekend Workshop. This workshop, which is also offered by the General Assembly in Boston, will teach you the basics of Adobe Illustrator and includes instruction on adding text, brushes, image trace, layers, the pen tool, and more. In fact, by the end of the workshop, you will not only have learned how to use Adobe Illustrator to create your very own vector logo or icon, but you will also have actually created one. For more information on the Adobe Illustrator Weekend Workshop and/or to register for the event, which is scheduled to take place from 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. on Saturday (May 16, 2015), please visit the General Assembly website.

Finally, if you’re looking for a way to get your children into graphic design, journalism, or media in general, Cambridge Community Television has you covered. This is because Cambridge Community Television is hosting a special event entitled ” Media Maker Day at CCTV” from 1:00 to 4:00 P.M. tomorrow (Saturday, May 16, 2015.) This event will allow you and your family to learn how a television broadcast is made, learn how video and images can be manipulated and refined with Adobe Photoshop and Vine, make your own images and short videos, watch video from local filmmakers, and more. For more information on Media Maker Day at CCTV, which is completely free and open to the public, please visit the CCTV website.

Photo credit: JoshuaDavisPhotography / Hampton Patio / CC BY-SA

Geek Out This Mother’s Day

Are you a big fan of Star Wars, steampunk, or just all things geeky? Do random people see the costumes you wear and look at you like you’re actually from another world (Tatooine or Naboo, perhaps)? Have you ever tried to explain to someone what your geeky hobby is and why you do it? Well, if the answer to any of these questions is yes and you are a self-proclaimed geek, nerd, fanboy, or fangirl, you’ll be happy to know that there are several events this weekend that will help you show your friends and family what your geekiness is all about. In fact, if you’re a Star Wars fan, a steampunk Fan, or even an exercise geek, this is the perfect weekend to show Mom (or anyone else for that matter), the geeky things that you truly enjoy.

First, if you’re a Star Wars fan, you may want to head over to the Franklin Park Zoo this weekend. This is because the Franklin Park Zoo is hosting their annual Star Wars Day from 10:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. on Sunday (May 10, 2015.) This event will allow you and your friends and family to see stormtroopers from the 501st Legion, famous characters from the Rebel Legion, participate in a series of Star Wars scavenger hunts, watch animals play with special Star Wars themed enrichment items, and more. Best of all, if you are planning to bring your mother, the zoo is offering free admission to all mothers in honor of Mother’s Day. For more information on Star Wars Day at the Franklin Park Zoo, please visit the Zoo New England Special Events page.

Secondly, if you’re more of a steampunk fan than a Star Wars fan or you love both equally, you’ll probably want to be in Waltham this weekend. This is because the Watch City Steampunk Festival is this Saturday (May 9, 2015) from 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. on the Common in Waltham, Massachusetts. This festival will give you the opportunity to bring your friends and family into the world of steampunk with artwork, costuming, films, live performances, music, and a whole lot more. However, the thing that will probably truly put a smile on your face is the fact that you won’t have to pay a dime to get in because admission to the festival is free. For more information on the Watch City Steampunk Festival, please visit the Official Watch City Steampunk Festival website.

Finally, if you like to show the world your geekiness by regaling your friends and family with tales of all of the places that you’ve run through and how quickly you ran through them (which is important if you’re trying to avoid imperial stormtroopers or some other nefarious group of villians), you may want to check out the Geek Day Virtual 5K. The Geek Day Virtual 5K is a virtual marathon that runs from now until May 31st. This event will actually allow you to make your own marathon by choosing a 5K route, running it, and then reporting your time (with the appropriate fee of course) to the organizers. You will then receive a Geek Day Medal and a portion of the money from all of the fees collected will go to charity. For more information on the Geek Day Virtual 5K and/or to report your time for the event, please visit the Virtual Run Events website.

Photo credit: Counse / Photo / CC BY

Boston’s Alive with the Sound of Music

You may hear people saying may day today, but there’s no reason to panic. They’re not talking about a potential crash. They’re talking about the age-old celebration of the warm weather and all the things that warmth brings to the world around us. In fact, the only crash you will probably have to worry about this weekend is the crash on your couch after you check out all of the music and merrymaking that’s happening in the Boston area.

First, what do you get when you combine an improvisational comedy troupe in the style of “Whose Line Is It Anyway” with a Musical? Well, you would probably get something along the lines of Boston’s Unscripted Musical Project. Boston’s Unscripted Musical Project, or B.U.M.P. for short, is an improvisational musical performed at 8:00 P.M. on the first and third Friday of every month at the Catalyst Comedy Club on Melcher Street in Boston. This show will allow you and your fellow audience members to suggest a title for the show that the cast will then use to create a unique set of characters and songs on the fly. There’s no rehearsing, no script, and virtually no rules, so the only guarantee is that most of the audience will be laughing. For more information on B.U.M.P, please visit the Catalyst Comedy Club’s Website.

Secondly, if you’re a big fan of jazz and you’re looking for something that may be a little more rehearsed, you may want to check out all of the festivities surrounding Jazz Week. Jazz Week, which takes place at a number of locations throughout Boston, is a weeklong jazz festival that ends this Sunday. This festival will give you the chance to see over 200 live performances by jazz musicians from around the world, and most of these performances are completely free. For more information on Jazz Week, including where each performance is, please visit Jazz Boston’s Jazz Week page.

Finally, if you’ve always been a fan of 80’s movies and you love the idea of going to a musical, but you’re looking for something a little more scripted than B.U.M.P., you may want to check out the Emerson Colonial Theatre. This is because Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story on Stage is playing at the Emerson Colonial Theatre from now until May 10, 2015. This show features almost all of the hit songs from the classic movie and a number of special effects that are beyond anything you’ve probably seen in a stage production before. For more information on the show and/or to order tickets, please visit the Broadway in Boston website.

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A Sunny End to April Vacation

If you’re the parent of a school-aged child living somewhere in the Boston area, April Vacation can be tough. In fact, since we had typical April weather (rain, rain, and more rain) on Patriot’s Day (which may have been the only day you had off this week), there’s a pretty good chance that your kids have been cooped up in your house for the duration of their April vacation. And, if they’re like most kids, they’re probably driving you just a little bit insane by this point. Fortunately, if you’re looking for a way to get your kids out of the house so they can enjoy the end of their vacation, you’re in luck because there are a number of kid-friendly activities scheduled for this weekend.

First, if your kid is a big fan of animals and/or fairy tale princesses, you may want to head over to the Stone Zoo this weekend. This is because the Stone Zoo is hosting a Princess and Frog Day from 11:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. tomorrow (April 25, 2015.) This event will not only allow your kids to meet a number of different princesses from well-known fairy tales and Disney films but will also give your kids a chance to make some arts and crafts and learn about all the animals that the zoo has with a special focus on frogs. For more information on the Princess and Frog Day at the Stone Zoo, please visit the Zoo New England Events page.

If, on the other hand, your kids are big fans of the zoo but not such big fans of princesses, the Franklin Park Zoo may make more sense for your family this weekend. This is because the Franklin Park Zoo is hosting their annual Party for the Planet from 10:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. today (April 24, 2015.) This celebration will feature special eco-friendly exhibits, scavenger hunts, and a number of other Earth Day-related activities in addition to everything the zoo typically has to offer. For more information on the Party for the Planet at the Franklin Park Zoo, please visit the Zoo New England Events page.

Finally, if your kids are into all things science (or you would really like them to be), you may want to check out the Cambridge Science Festival this weekend. The Cambridge Science Festival, which is sponsored by MIT but takes place throughout Cambridge and the surrounding area, features a series of activities, demonstrations, workshops, and tours that are designed to teach children and adults of all ages about a wide range of scientific and technological discoveries. Topics that will be covered at the festival this weekend include fashion technology, martial arts, math, optics, the science of sound and music, sky and space flight, web development, and a whole lot more. For more information on the Cambridge Science Festival, which ends on Sunday, please visit the Cambridge Science Festival website.

Photo credit: B.Riordan. / Foter / CC BY

Exploring the History and Culture of Boston

Patriot’s Day, which was originally established to honor the anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord and the beginning of the Revolutionary War, is actually this Monday. Now, for anyone outside of Massachusetts and Maine, the fact that Patriot’s Day is this weekend probably doesn’t mean a whole lot because most states don’t celebrate the holiday. In fact, unless you’re a serious history buff or you live in Massachusetts, Maine, or Wisconsin (the only states to officially recognize the holiday), Patriot’s Day is probably just another day on the calendar. However, if you are in the Boston area, Monday is not only the third day of a three-day weekend but also an opportunity to watch the Boston Marathon and explore the history and culture of a great city.

As a result, if you are looking for a way to explore the history of Boston, there is probably no better way than the Inside the Box: Massachusetts State House Time Capsule Revealed exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts. This exhibit, which ends on Wednesday (April 22, 2015), features a time capsule that was originally buried in 1795 by Samuel Adams, Paul Revere, and William Scollay and then excavated and reburied in 1855 after a number of other items were added. This means that you will have the opportunity to see coins, plaques, and newspapers that are anywhere from 160 to over 360 years old. In addition to the time capsule, the exhibit will also feature other historical objects and portraits of some of the prominent individuals from the time periods in which the capsule was originally placed and previously opened. For more information on the Inside the Box exhibit , which is included in the museum’s normal admission price, please visit the Museum of Fine Arts Boston’s Exhibition page.

If, on the other hand, you’re more interested in the current culture of Boston than you are in its history, you may want to check out the Boston International Film Festival. The Boston International Film Festival, which started last night (April 16, 2015) and runs until Monday (April 20, 2015), will feature 70 independent and experimental films from around the world. However, this festival will not only allow you to watch a number of short and full-length films but will also allow you to meet some of the stars, producers, and directors of these films, including stars that have appeared in well-known shows like Agent Carter, Nikita, 12 Monkeys, and more. For more information on the Boston International Film Festival, which is considered to be one of the best film festivals in the world, please visit the Boston International Film Festival website.

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