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Events in Boston – Boston Events Calendar
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February 2019

Extreme Beer Fest

1-2 February / Seaport World Trade Center

Billed as the ultimate throwdown of craft beer creativity, more than 80 brewers and 300 beers jostle for attention at this fun-filled festival. Attendees must be aged 21 or over.

Boston Science Fiction Film Festival

8-18 February / Somerville Theatre

The oldest genre film festival in the US, this event showcases over 100 science fiction features and short films from around the world in front of a captivated audience of sci-fi fans.

Travel & Adventure Show

9-10 February / Hynes Convention Center

Come and listen to talks by renowned travel experts and pick up cutting edge travel-related products from industry vendors at this popular trade fair.

New England Boat Show

9-17 February / Boston Convention & Exhibition Center

Boating enthusiasts can come and marvel at state-of-the-art boats, marine gear and aquatic accessories, as well as take part in workshops and meet TV celebrities (Photo courtesy of DAV Communications).

Bugs Bunny Film Festival

15-23 February / The Brattle Theatre

All of the legendary characters from the Loony Tunes franchise are celebrated at this film festival, which presents three different big screen programmes over 9 days.

Children’s Winter Festival

20 February / Boston Common

Free to enter, parents can bring their kids to enjoy arts & crafts, games, inflatables, and a fun photo booth at the Frog Pond at Boston Common.

March 2019

Harpoon St. Patrick’s Festival

8-9 March / Harpoon Brewery

Lashings of top beer, food, and live music abound at one of Boston’s most famous breweries during its annual fun-packed celebration of St Patrick’s Day.

Bourbon & Bacon Fest

9-10 March / The Castle at Park Plaza

Sample a spectacular array of specialty bourbon from distilleries both large and small, along with delectable smoky bacon-themed treats. Entry is for ages 21-plus.

Boston Flower and Garden Show

13-17 March / Seaport World Trade Center

For five days the Seaport World Trade Center is filled with garden displays, floral arrangements, a marketplace of plants and garden products, lectures, and demonstrations by experts.

Boston Underground Film festival

20-24 March / Brattle Theatre

A diverse range of alternative short and feature-length films and videos are showcased at this well regarded annual event that’s said to be the largest underground film festival in New England.

World of Wheels

22-24 March / Seaport World Trade Center

Petrol heads will be in their element at this action-packed car event featuring hot rods, competition cars, specialty and concept vehicles, live entertainment, and a chop shop.

International Folk Festival

27 March / Berklee Performance Center

Some of Boston’s top budding musicians from the Berklee College of Music perform music from around the world, often in elaborate costume, at this annual folk celebration.

Boston Design Week

27 March-7 Apri / Venues across Boston

Created to increase public awareness of all aspects of design and to foster recognition of the role design plays in our live, this week-long event features more than 80 eclectic design-themed events

PAX East

28-31 March / Boston Convention & Exhibition Center

Featuring video games, tabletop games, computer games, panels, entertainers, exhibits, and contests, this is a mecca for gaming enthusiasts everywhere.

Beer & Cheese Fest

29-30 March / Boston Center for the Arts

New England-made craft beers, ciders, and cheeses from 25 brewers and 10 creameries are showcased at this two-day event, ensuring you go home well satiated.

Boston Tattoo Convention

29-31 March / Hynes Convention Center

Fans of body ink can head to this acclaimed tattoo convention featuring some of the world’s most talented tattoo artists, along with vendors, seminars, and live entertainment.

April 2019

Taste of South Boston

7 April / Seaport Hotel

Featuring a wide range of local restaurant cuisine, wine and beer tasting, plus live entertainment and a silent auction, this is one of Boston’s biggest foodie events of the year.

Boston International Film Festival

8-11 April / Venues across Boston

This festival presents more than 100 short and feature-length films from around the world, kicking off with a lavish black-tie gala on the first night.

CraftBoston Spring

12-14 April / Boston Center for the Arts

Come and see the selected contemporary work of some 90 juried artists, including one-of-a-kind pieces. There’s also the chance to meet the artists, and take home something fabulous.

Boston Marathon

15 April

Starting in rural Hopkinton and ending in urban Copley Square, some 30,000 runners traverse hilly terrain on foot in what is thought to the world’s oldest annual marathon.

Anime Boston

19-21 April / Hynes Convention Center & Sheraton Boston Hotel

Celebrate Japanese animation, comics, and pop-culture with live games, panels, karaoke, a music-video contest, cosplay events, not to mention a formal ball.

Independent Film Festival Boston

24 April-1 May / Venues across Boston

Showing up to 100 independently-produced movies, this event provides a platform for filmmakers to showcase their talents, attend panel discussions, and compete in an awards ceremony.

Thirst Boston

26-28 April / Venues across Boston

Featuring numerous cocktail seminars, tastings, talks, and parties, this festival is a paradise for lovers of exotic and elaborately concocted cocktails.

Art in Bloom

April 27-29 / Museum of Fine Arts

Green fingered types will love this show’s floral arrangements inspired by art. There are gallery exhibitions, outdoor walking tours, classes, demonstrations, and more.

May 2019

Banned in Boston

May / House of Blues

Boston celebrities and politicians ham it up in skits and songs about pop culture, preceded by cocktails at Lansdowne Pub. Proceeds go to charity.

ArtWeek

1-5 May / Venues across Boston

This popular arts event features hundreds of artist talks, creative experiences, performances, behind-the-scenes tours, and kids’ activities, many of which are free to attend.

Wake Up the Earth Festival

4 May / Corridor Park

Attended by over 10,000 revellers each year, this festival is an expression of social justice and love for Mother Earth through music and dance performances, plus craft and food vendors, and a colourful parade.

Kite and Bike Festival

18 May / Franklin Park

This festival does what it says on the tin, featuring an array of colourful kites flying high along with bikes buzzing around on the lush green grass of Franklin Park Golf Course.

Boston Theater Marathon

19 May / Boston Center for the Arts

First staged over 20 years ago, this award-winning marathon of new 10-minute plays brings together New England playwrights, directors, and theatres for an all-day competition.

Boston Calling

24 May / Harvard Athletic Complex

This large, family-friendly music festival has outdoor stages where big-name acts put on performances in front of vast audiences of music lovers.

June 2019

Cambridge Arts River Festival

1 June / Charles River

Taking place along the scenic setting of the Charles River, this hugely popular annual festival features live jazz, folk, and roots music, along with dance and theatre performances, poetry, art making, workshops, vendors, demonstrations and more.

June Day Parade

3 June / Faneuil Hall to Boston Common

Each year the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company reenacts the commissioning of new command officers of the Company on Boston Common. The parade ends at Boston Common where participants are greeted by a volley of cannons.

Taste of the Nation

4 June / 1 Black Falcon Ave

Visitors can come and enjoy a wide range of gourmet food rustled up by 60 top local chefs, along with wine, beer, cocktails, entertainment, and a live auction.

Jimmy Fund Scooper Bowl

4-6 June / City Hall Plaza

This is the nation’s largest all-you-can-eat ice cream festival, featuring frozen treats from some of America’s most beloved ice cream vendors. A ticket gets you unlimited ice cream.

Lit Crawl Boston

6 June / Boston Literary District

A magnet for literature lovers, this annual event features games, performances, and local authors reading their works in a number of bars, cafes, bookstores and art galleries.

Boston Pride Parade

8 June / Starts at Copley Square

One of the highlights of LGBT Boston Pride Month is the Boston Pride Parade, which starts at noon in Copley Square and ends in City Hall Plaza. The parade is free to enter for all.

Boston Early Music Festival

9-16 June / Venues across Boston

Two fully staged operas, 18 concerts, a family event, lectures, and an exhibition of early instruments are what visitors to this city-wide festival can expect.

Boston Tango Festival

19-23 June / Holiday Inn Boston Bunker Hill

Fans of the legendary Argentine dance genre of tango can come and enjoy dance classes, dance performances with live music, and an exhilarating Saturday show.

Boston Lamb Jam

23 June / The Innovation and Design Building

Taste lamb and BBQ cooked by talented local chefs, and sample beer, wine, and spirit. There are also butcher demonstrations and live music. Admittance is restricted to those 21 and over.

Boston GuitarFest

24-30 June / New England Conservatory

Guitar-themed competitions, workshops, and concerts take place over 7 action-packed days, drawing fans and enthusiasts of the fretted musical instrument from far and wide.

July 2019

Harborfest

1-4 July / Venues across Boston

This event has dozens of events, including music concerts, colonial and revolutionary reenactments, cruises, tours, walks, talks, an art fair, and a chowder tasting.

Samuel Adams Independence Bash

3 July / Ned Devine’s in Faneuil Hall

Kick off the 4th of July Weekend at the 4th Annual Independence Bash. Register and arrive early for free beer samples. Admittance is reserved for people aged 21+.

Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular

3-4 July / Charles River

This free event attracts half-a-million visitors to the banks of the Charles River with music and entertainment, including an incredible fireworks display, to celebrate America’s birthday.

Boston JerkFest

5-6 July / Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology

Caribbean restaurant food, cocktails, wine, beer, and live music, including reggae, steel drums and Latin rhythms, make this one of Boston’s most raucous events of the year.

Bastille Day Party

12 July / Marlborough Street

Boston’s annual Bastille Day Party plays host to a wide array of French food, beer and wine, as well as live music and dancing, all with a distinctly Francophile flavour.

Boston Pizza Festival

13-14 July / City Hall Plaza

The largest consumer pizza event in New England returns to Boston City Hall Plaza this July. Visitors can look forward to full size pizza slices starting at $2 a piece, all served up from handcrafted pizza ovens, along with pizza-making demonstrations, acrobat shows, live music, and lashings of beer & wine at this two-day celebration of the iconic Italian-born dough-filled dish. (Photo: Penny Strakus)

Puerto Rican Festival of Massachusetts

26-28 July / City Hall Square

Puerto Rican music, food, and vendors, carnival rides, and a parade on the Sunday at noon are some of the main highlights of this free-to-enter festival.

Boston Triathlon

28 July / Carson Beach

Take part or simply spectate as intrepid types face the challenge of a 750-metre swim, a 17.5-kilometre bike ride, and a 5.5-kilometre run. A well-deserved post-race beer garden will be waiting for you at the finishing line.

August 2019

New England Dance Festival

1-4 August / Boston Marriott Newton

Come and join in with dance lessons, social dancing, workshops, competitions, and a tub-thumping Saturday night party at this 4-day dancing extravaganza.

Boston Seafood Festival

4 August / Boston Fish Pier

The family friendly festival offers live music, chef cooking demos, arts & crafts with a marine theme, a lobster bake, and small plates of seafood for sale.

Boston Contemporary Dance Festival

10 August / Huntington Avenue Theatre

A diverse array of contemporary and innovative dance companies and their artists descend on Boston from across the United States for a rich programme of performances.

GospelFest

11 August / City Hall Plaza

Now in its 19th year, this gospel showcase includes both local and national talent for a full day of live performances that blends contemporary and traditional gospel melodies.

BostonFest

15 August / The Lawn on D

Drawing the city’s most cutting edge young professionals, this one-day event offers a great mix of local food trucks, live music, lawn games, and Coolest Companies awards.

Fisherman’s Feast

15-18 August / North End

Enjoy Italian food, music, and culture at the free-to-enter Fisherman’s Feast, which pays tribute to The Lady of Help on the streets of the North End. Look out for the high-wire act on the Sunday.

Boston GreenFest

16-18 August / Rose Kennedy Greenway & Long Wharf

The 12th Annual Boston GreenFest will bring new excitement to the city. Held over two days, it will showcase innovation and sustainability along with live performances and fun activities. Another highlight will be Hennessy’s Upstairs’ hosting of BostonGreenFilmFest. The event is free for all ages. Visit www.bostongreenfest.org for more info.

Fan Expo Boston

16-18 August / Boston Convention & Exhibition Center

Comic creators, vendors, celebrity guests, a film festival, and gaming tournaments captivate all who visit this vast annual expo, which celebrates some of the most enduringly popular artistic genres of popular culture.

St. Anthony’s Feast

22-25 August / Endicott Street

This free Italian street festival plays host to an assortment of mouth-watering food vendors, plus a music stage, religious ceremonies, and processions.

Films at the Gate

23-25 August / Chinatown Gate

Movie lovers come and enjoy this event that screens a wide range of subtitled classic and kung fu Chinese-language films, all taking place in the great outdoors close to Boston’s Chinatown Gate.

Boston Jazz Fest

30-31 August / Boston Maritime Park

Each summer this festival pays homage to jazz’s African American roots, drawing together innovative and exciting contemporary jazz artists from around the globe for two days of musical brotherhood.