Published August 28, 2010
It's not quite Spain's Tomatina, but Red Fire Farm's Tomato Festival should be a good time. (Flydime/Flickr)
The long summer days are slowly shrinking, the corn stalks are growing, and school supplies are making their way into store aisles. Ignore all the signs of fall in favor of some August fun: Spread out a blanket for an outdoor movie, celebrate some juicy red tomatoes, or scarf down hot dogs at record speed — though I’d recommend just watching instead.
Get your USS Constitution on. (Kingdafy/Flickr)
EAT
- Saturday, August 28, 6:30 p.m.
- Winslow House, 634 Careswell St., Marshfield
- $50 per person
Ahoy, mateys: the Winslow House’s annual nautical-themed dinner is all about Old Ironsides, AKA The USS Constitution. Its current commander, Timothy Cooper, is the night’s speaker, and the menu is full of scallops, swordfish and other seafaring fare.
- Saturday, August 28, 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Red Fire Farm, 7 Carver St., Granby
- $5 (free for kids under 12)
It may not be the Tomatina, but Red Fire Farm’s tomato celebration shouldn’t be missed. Race through their fields in the Tomato Trot for a chance to win a slew of fresh organic produce, jam out to Carrie Ferguson and other live performances, taste the farm’s tomato varieties or take a workshop on drying and canning, so you can save the warm summer fruit for the cooler months.
How many could you eat? (Space Pirate Queen/Flickr)
Summer Shack’s Hot Dog Eating Contest
- Sunday, August 29, 2 p.m.
- Spectacle Island, Boston Harbor
- Free to watch, nominal fee to enter
If you’ve ever stuffed your face with a few too many hot dogs at a barbecue, you may be able to use your finely tuned skills to garner glory at the Summer Shack’s classic summer contest. If you’d rather save your cash for a snack later on, watching is free — and should be infinitely more entertaining and less stomach-ache-inducing.
The Caribbean carnival comes to Somerville this weekend, feathered headdresses and all. (Carnival Network/Flickr)
DO
- Saturday, August 28, 5 a.m. for J’Ouvert, 12 p.m. for the costume parade
- Blue Hill Avenue and Morton Street, Mattapan
- Free
Trinidad comes to Boston with this traditional parade, but you’ve gotta be up early for it. Jouvert, from the french jour ouvert, or dawn, starts bright and early at 5 a.m. With its brightly colored costumes and caribbean dance and music, it’s worth the painful wake-up call. You’ll have to brew your own coffee, though: Dunkin’ won’t be open that early.
- Saturday, August 28 and Sunday 29
- Kimball Farm, 780 East Broadway, Haverhill
It’s corn season, which means not only sweet, delicious cobs, but the requisite mazes. Get lost in the stalks at Kimball Farm’s expansive maze, which is shaped like a buffalo surrounded by sunflowers.
You can oogle antique boats to your hearts content this weekend. (Handforged/Flickr)
Antique and Classic Boat Festival
- Saturday, August 28, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, August 29, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Hawthorne Cove Marina, 10 White Street, Salem
- $5 (children under 12 free)
Delight in the gleaming wood and vintage decor of yachts, sailboats and motorboats that date back to the 1920s. You can even board some of the ships (and live out the inevitable fantasy that you own it and can sail away on a grand adventure).
LISTEN
- Saturday, August 28, 5 p.m.
Disco legends (and costume afficiandos) Village People - pictured here at the 2008 MLB All-star game - are in Quincy Saturday night. (Al_HikesAZ/Flickr)
- Ocean Club at Marina Bay, Quincy
If you’ve been craving a costumed blast from the past, the Village People are in town for one night only. Start practicing your Y’s, M’s, C’s and A’s.
- Saturday, August 28, 5 p.m.
- Union Square, Somerville
- Free
No, its not the movie ticket website — this traditional Mexican festival of song and dance comes to Somerville. Everyone is invited to join in the music making, so you can live out your rock star dreams — or take a class, chow down on some traditional Mexican food or check out some artwork.
SEE
- All weekend
Avedon's classic fashion portraits are on display at the MFA. (Viernest/Flick
- Museum of Fine Arts, 465 Huntington Ave.
- Regular admission
The September issues are piling up on the newsstands, making it the perfect time to brush up on your Richard Avedon at the Museum of Fine Arts, which is showing a retrospective of the legendary fashion photographer’s work from 1944 to 2000. You can even glean a little inspiration for your fall shopping while you’re there.
- Friday, August 27, dusk
- The Hatch Shell at the Esplanade
- Free
Spread out your blanket in front of the Hatch Shell for the last time this summer and catch Up, the heartbreakingly funny Pixar hit. Bring Kleenex and a sweatshirt: the first 20 minutes will have you bawling if you’ve got any sort of soft spot, and the night my have a bit of a fall chill to it.
Immortal Robot Succubus Super Show!
- Saturday, August 28, 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.
- Arsenal Center for the Arts, 321 Arsenal St., Watertown
- $10, $8 for students, pay-what-you-can matinee
Named after a band of performing homeless veterans from the 19th century, Rough Week is a group of Emerson grads who strive to put on affordable, original shows. This one is a series of short plays about humans, monsters and everything that comes in between.