MASSive Comic Con 2016

Lego Heroes
It doesn’t matter whether you’re a fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Deadpool, Doctor Who, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Wonder Woman, or any of the thousands of other comics out there, there’s no better place for a comic fan to find the things that they love than a comic convention. And, if you’re looking for a comic convention, you should definitely check out MASSive Comic Con. This is because MASSive Comic Con, which is scheduled to take place from 10:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. on Saturday (June 25, 2016) and 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. on Sunday (June 26, 2016) at the DCU Center in Worcester, will give you the opportunity to meet the artists and creators of a wide assortment of different comics.

In fact, you will not only be able to meet artists from all of the series that I mentioned above but will also be able to meet actors from some of your favorite T.V. Series like Gotham and Star Wars Rebels, peruse the wares of comic book dealers from around the Northeast, play a variety of video games, and do a whole lot more. Best of all, if you have a kid that’s into comics (or that you would just like to keep busy while you search for the one issue you’ve been missing), the convention also has a Kids Zone that is specifically designed to keep your children busy with comic book workshops, face painting, superheroes, Star Wars characters, and a variety of other kid-friendly activities. For more information on MASSive Comic Con, please visit the MASSive Comic Con website.

Photo credit: levork via VisualHunt / CC BY-SA

Beating Summer Boredom This Weekend

Minions
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.

Photo credit: avrene / Foter / CC BY

Making Mother’s Day Memorable

The Flower of the Dark Side (Happy Mother's Day!)

There are some truly remarkable people in this world, but very few people are more remarkable than the average mother. I mean when you stop and think about it, who in their right mind would spend nine months with a tiny little person kicking them, making them sick, and causing every sort of havoc possible to ensure that this same little person could do all of these things to both of his or her parents for the next 18 years? Now, I know what you’re thinking “when you put it that way, it doesn’t sound like a lot of fun.” However, if everyone focused on the downside and ignored the rewarding experience that parenting can be, none of us would be here. As a result, the powers that be have designated this Sunday as Mother’s Day to recognize all of the women who have sacrificed a portion of their lives and/or their sanity to make sure that we are here to celebrate the occasion.

And, if you are looking for a way to celebrate, here are a couple of ways that you can make this Mother’s Day truly memorable. First, if you’re a relatively new mother or the mother of a young child and you’re looking for a way to celebrate mother’s day with your family, you may want to head over to Boston Common this weekend. This is because the Friends of the Public Garden are hosting Duckling Day, which is sponsored by the Motor Mart Garage, from 10:30 A.M. to 12:15 P.M. on Sunday (May 11, 2014.) This celebration of the famous book by Robert McCloskey, “Make Way For Ducklings, will feature clowns, a dramatic reading of “Make Way For Ducklings”, a duckling parade, face painting, magicians, music, puppet shows, play equipment courtesy of Knucklebones, and a whole lot more. In fact, there will even be massage therapists standing by to offer free massages to all of the moms out there that are looking for a chance to unwind. For more information on Duckling Day or to register for the event, please visit the Friends of the Public Garden Events page.

Secondly, if your mom is a big fan of flowers (specifically lilacs) and you’re looking for something that your mother would love, Arnold Arboretum may have the perfect way to make this Mother’s Day memorable. This is because the Arnold Arboretum is hosting Lilac Sunday this Sunday (May 11, 2014) from 10:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. This daylong celebration will allow you and your family to eat, drink, partake in family-oriented activities, see more than 170 different kinds of lilacs, and more. For more information on Lilac Sunday, please visit the Arnold Arboretum News and Events page.

Photo credit: JD Hancock / Foter / Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)

2014 New Year’s Eve Events

First Night Ice Sculpture

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As 2013 draws to a close, many people have already begun the age old tradition of reflecting on the past 365 days, deciding that they may have not been as good as they had originally anticipated, and hoping beyond hope that the next 365 days will be better.  However, if you’re one of the unfortunate souls who truly had a rough year (perhaps even one for the history books), you may be focusing more on the celebration that lies ahead than the events that took place during 2013.  Fortunately, if this is indeed the case, you’re in luck because there is certainly no shortage of events in the Boston area when it comes to First Night and the New Year’s celebration that accompanies it.

In fact, if you’re looking for something to do with your family to celebrate the New Year before the party gets too out of control, you may want to head on over to the Hynes Convention Center on Tuesday.  The Hynes Convention Center is hosting the First Night Boston Family Festival from 1:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. on New Year’s Eve.  This festival is intended to allow younger children to ring in the new year a little early with circus trainers (yes, your kids can learn all the skills they need to run away with the circus), comedians, dancers, face painters, musicians, puppeteers, storytellers, and everything else that an adult could think of to keep a young child entertained (because, let’s face it, children are constantly coming up with ways to keep themselves entertained that we would never think of.)  For more information on the First Night Boston Family Festival, including times for each act, please visit the Official First Night Boston website.

If, on the other hand, you’ve had quite enough of your family for one year and would really like one night without them, you may want to consider attending Timeless: A Bond Evening.  Synergy Events is hosting the 6th Annual Timeless Gala from 8:30 P.M. on New Year’s Eve to 2:00 A.M. on New Year’s Day at the Colonnade Boston Hotel.  This black tie event will allow you to unwind with other adults in the 21 to 39 age range, Miss USA title holders, contestants for next year’s Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants, and a wide assortment of other interesting individuals while you dance the night away to music from some of the best DJs around.  Best of all, the whole evening has a James Bond theme, so you may be able to win some great prizes or, at the very least, score an awesome picture with your significant other by wearing your best James Bond suit or best Bond Girl dress.  For more information on the event and/or to order tickets, which are selling out fast, please visit the Timeless Gala Eventbrite website.

Photo credit: Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism / Foter.com / CC BY-ND