Tag: Oz the Great and Powerful

Friday Fun: Maritime Festivals and Movies

As the summer begins to wind down, it is usually a lot harder to find interesting things to do with your family. In fact, if you’ve been looking for something to do this weekend, you may have already realized that unless you consider barhopping to be a family activity, finding something that kids and parents alike will enjoy is quite a challenge. Fortunately, there are a couple of events going on in the Boston area and north of Boston this weekend that almost everyone will enjoy.

First, if you’re a big fan of antique boats or you simply like the sea, there is a festival in Salem, MA that you won’t want to miss. This festival, which is known as the Antique & Classic Boat Festival, features artists, a boat parade, a craft fair, music, photographers, over 40 vintage boats, and more maritime stuff than you can shake a stick at (or perhaps an oar.) Best of all, the Festival is a great way to entertain the family without breaking the bank as it is only $5 for adults and children under 12 are free. For more information, please visit the By The Sea website.

Secondly, if your family is more interested in movies than they are in maritime history, the HatchShell in Boston may have the solution. Tonight, August 23, 2013, the HatchShell will be showing Oz The Great and Powerful as part of their “Free Flicks” summer series. The movie, which is absolutely free, will begin at sunset and will end approximately 2 hours later (the total run time is 130 minutes.) For more information on the event itself, please visit the HatchShell website. For more information on the film, which tells the origin story of the wizard from the Wizard Of Oz, please visit the Oz the Great and Powerful website.

Friday Fun: Keeping Your Weekend “Green”

Chances are, you’ve probably heard the famous old song “Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!” However, if you actually live in one of the areas in which there’s been nothing but snow for the past month, you’re probably thinking “Let is stop! Let it stop! Let it stop!” In fact, you may have already come to the realization that the only people who could possibly ask for more snow are school-age children and people living in warmer climates than you (which, by the way, includes the people that originally wrote the song.) As such, you may be looking for something a little more green this weekend and a whole lot less white. Fortunately, if you are looking for something to take your mind off of the shoveling, the snow blowing, and the slippery snow-covered roads, you’ll be happy to hear that there are a number of “green” events this weekend.

First, if you missed last week’s post about the events in Salem, you may want to know about a certain green villain that is returning to the big screen. I am, of course, talking about the Wicked Witch of the West as Disney’s Oz the Great and Powerful opens in theaters today. This film, which stars James Franco, Mila Kunis, Michelle Williams, and Rachel Weisz, is actually a prequel to the original 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. However, this film, unlike a lot of the other books and musicals that have appeared over the years, focuses on the wizard rather than Dorothy or the witches. For more information on Oz the Great and Powerful, check out the movie’s official website.

Secondly, if you just can’t wait until next weekend for all of the Saint Patrick’s Day festivities, you may be pleased to know that some cities start  their green celebrations a little early. In fact, you may be able to find concerts, parades, races, and other activities this weekend in:

Hartford, CT
Hollywood, FL
Chicago, IL
West Dennis, MA
Detroit, MI
Hamilton, NJ
Morristown, NJ
Rock Point, NY
Boardman, OH
Jim Thorpe, PA
Providence, RI
Manassas, VA
Milwaukee, WI

And a number of other locations throughout the United States.

Don’t see a parade in your area? Don’t worry, you can always check out the Saint Patrick’s Day Website for more information on Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations throughout the world.

Friday Fun: Scavenger Hunts, Discounts, and Movies, Oh My!

Are you a big fan of the Wizard of Oz? Are you looking forward to the new Disney movie coming out next weekend, Oz the Great and Powerful? Well, if you are, you may want to head down to Salem, MA tonight because the Witch City is tipping its hat to the fine film that helped bring the idea of a “good witch” into the mainstream. This celebration, which is taking the place of the normal First Friday activities in Salem this month, will include an Oz the Great and Powerful scavenger hunt; dancing; a series of games and other activities to keep your kids busy; and a bunch of special offers, giveaways, and discounts at local restaurants and retailers. All of the fun is scheduled to begin around 5:00 p.m. and is expected to last until approximately 8:00 p.m. tonight, Friday, March 1st. However, the exact times for each of the activities in Salem tonight may vary, so it may be a good idea to check out the event’s website before you go.

If the Wizard of Oz is really not your favorite film or you’re nowhere even remotely close to Salem right now, you may want to check out some of the other films that are playing at your local movie theater this weekend. There are a number of strange, thrilling, and hopefully entertaining movies coming out today and tomorrow, including 21 and Over, Jack the Giant Slayer (which comes in a variety of flavors, including the standard 2D format, 3D format, and IMAX 3D format), The Last Exorcism: Part II, Stoker, and a number of other films.