I don’t know how the weather’s been where you are, but for most people, it’s been one strange summer. In fact, it was over 100 degrees in some places last week with the sun shining so brightly that most people were desperately trying to get out of the sun before they burst into flames. However, this week, at least in the Northeast, it’s 60 degrees and so wet that everyone and everything from the flowers to the small scurrying creatures that are trying to hide under the petals would really like to see that big, bright ball of flame in the sky dry things out a bit. To be honest, it’s just one of those summers where no one can really decide what they want because no matter what they wish for, they end up trying to hide inside where it is cool and dry. Fortunately, if you’re really getting sick of hiding inside your stuffy house with your A/C cranked up or your windows closed so the rain doesn’t get in, you’re in luck because there are a couple of interesting events happening in the Boston area this weekend.
If you’re a big fan of the arts, you may want to check out Copley Square. The Boston Globe, Citizen’s Bank, and WGBH are hosting the 2nd annual Summer Arts Weekend, which runs from tonight, Friday, July 26th at 7:00 p.m. to Sunday, July 28th. This festival, which celebrates art in all its forms, will feature a number of live performances by local bands and Grammy-winning musicians, panels with reality TV chefs, dancers, and a whole lot more. However, one of the best things about the Summer Arts Weekend is that almost all of the events are absolutely free. For more information on the festival, please visit the Summer Arts Weekend website.
If, on the other hand, you like your art to be a little more on the traditional side, Lowell may have exactly what you’re looking for this weekend. The City of Lowell, the Greater Lowell Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Merrimack Valley Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, the Lowell National Historic Park, the Lowell Festival Foundation, and the National Council for the Traditional Arts are hosting the Lowell Folk Festival from tonight, Friday, July 26th at 6:40 p.m. to Sunday, July 28th at 6:15 p.m. This traditional music and art festival features folk music, woodcarving, stone carving, and a whole lot more from both local and visiting artists and musicians. And, if all of this isn’t a good enough reason for you to attend, all of the events at the Lowell Folk Festival are completely free (you will have to pay for drinks, food, or merchandise if you want any of that though.) For more information on the Lowell Folk Festival, please visit the 2013 Lowell Folk Festival website.