Published May 28, 2010
Hey weekenders, Andrew Phelps here. Our popular weekend preview moves to Hubbub in time for Memorial Day. Our Talia Ralph takes the reins.
A performer at Faneuil Hall. The Street Performers Festival is on all weekend long. (Mikean1/Flickr)
With so much going on in Boston every weekend, how does the culture lover choose, or even find, the best of what Beantown has to offer? Let Hubbub do some of the sleuthing for you.
While Memorial day weekend is for remembering veterans, it’s also the unofficial kick-off of summer. (And the fourth of July, of course, is the end of summer in Boston.) We round up this weekend’s best in barbecue, free ice cream and campfire-worthy music. Plus, the best ways to keep yourself entertained while you’re stuck in holiday traffic.
Drooling? Satisfy your craving for free ice cream at The Bleacher Bar this weekend. (Kuyabic/Flickr)
- Saturday, May 29, 4p.m. to 7p.m.
- Bleacher Bar, 82 Lansdowne St.
Who doesn’t love free ice cream? There’s no coupon, no catch and no limit on how many people you can drag with you.
Opening Weekend at The Beachcomber
- Food served starting at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, 12 noon Sunday, 11:30 a.m. Monday
- 1120 Cahoon Hollow Rd., Wellfleet
- $5-$10 per show, $25 for an all-inclusive summer pass
Wellfleet establishment The Beachcomber is kicking off its opening weekend by inviting you to chow down and get down with Boston-based R&B band Barrence Whitfield and the Monkey Hips on Saturday night, the Incredible Casuals Sunday afternoon, and Reggae DJ Bud E. Green Sunday night.
The 39th Annual Figawi Race Weekend
Sailboats off Cape Cod. (Muffinman71xx/Flickr)
- Sunday through Monday
- Hyannis Yacht Club, 490 Ocean Street, Hyannis
Race Registration may be closed, but that doesn’t keep you from checking out one of the premier sailboat races on the east coast. Grab a blanket and plant yourself near Lewis Bay to watch the 250+ racers take off for Nantucket. Bonus points if you can sneak into the sold-out charity ball.
Music, Minute Men, and the Making of America
- Saturday and Sunday, 10a.m. to 5p.m.
- Hartwell Tavern – Rt. 2A, Lincoln
- Free
Put the “memorial” back in your Memorial Day weekend with this historical re-enactment, featuring the Stow Minute Men. In addition to demonstrations that illustrate the role music played in the Revolution, there will be an 18th century school session and period games for the kids.
Street Performer Festival at Faneuil Hall
- Saturday through Monday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- West End Promenade
Catch aerial performers, masked musicians and other highly entertaining outdoor performances in Faneuil Hall marketplace.
Jeremy Quentin, vocalist and guitarist of Small Houses, is at Passim tonight. (Courtesy Photo)
campfire Festival at Club Passim
- Friday at 6p.m., Saturday through Monday at 12p.m.
- Club Passim, 47 Palmer St.
- $10 per day, $30 weekend pass
Three days straight of back-to-back-to-back music at one of Boston’s premiere folk venues, featuring Michigan-based indie band Small Houses.
Memorial Day Open House at The MFA
- Monday, May 31, 10a.m. to 4:45p.m.
- Museum of Fine Arts, 465 Huntington Ave.
There’s free admission for all at the MFA’s annual open house. In addition to their current exhibition, The Secrets of Tomb 10A: Egypt 2000 BC, there will be performances, films and free art classes throughout the day.
If you’re an optimist, Memorial Day weekend means summery barbecues and relaxing poolside. But for the pessimist, it means the only grill heating up is the one on your car while sitting in mile-long traffic. Turn bumper to bumper gridlock frustration into fun with some favorite car games. Fellow Radio Bostonian Meghan Keane complied a list of favorites.
- License plate game: The classic of car games. With your car mates, try to spot as many different state license plates as possible. To spice it up, make state plates from different regions worth more points. Midwest? Double points. Alaska? Jackpot.
- Twenty Questions: Another tried and true car game. Have one person think up a person, place, or noun. Everyone else in the car only gets to ask 20 yes or no questions to guess the correct answer. It’s so simple, but surprisingly fun.
- Road Sign Haiku: Road signs are gold mines for quirky town and street names. Have a car mate write down the best names and try your hand at writing an original haiku. It’s like Mad Libs, with a slightly more literary twist.
- Radio Fortune Telling: Left your Magic 8 ball at home? Try using your car radio, instead. Right before a new song starts, have someone ask the mystic radio gods a question like “Will I find ever find true happiness?” The song that plays will serve as the answer. The results are sometimes dead-on. Interpret with caution.
Happy traveling!
What are you doing this weekend? Have a suggestion? Share in the comments.