Boston’s Public Garden offers tranquility on a sunny afternoon (New Boston Post photo by Beth Treffeisen)
BOSTON – With the first day of summer just a few weeks away, the number of fun outdoor events and activities in Boston is growing strong. With a forecast calling for mild weekend weather, there are few excuses not to get outside during your off hours.
Of course, this being New England, the weather could change but for your convenience, here are some fun ideas for the whole family:
Get outdoors with your favorite craft beer
There may be no better match than pairing the floral aroma of hops with the fragrance of flowers. On Friday, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., some premier New England brewers will take over the historic Gore Place estate in Waltham to let the public sample their brews in the gardens.
Sip on some craft beer as you enjoy the grounds, which will include various lawn games such as giant croquet and giant Jenga.
Tickets are $40 per person and you must be 21 or older to attend. You can purchase tickets here and learn more about events at Gore Place here.
Explore an unknown gallery
“Food Faerie” by Yinka Shonibare, mixed media: mannikin, Dutch wax printed cotton, leather, artificial fruit, fiberglass, and goose feathers. (New Boston Post photo by Beth Treffeisen)
Maybe going indoors isn’t your thing once summer weather arrives but if you’re looking for a quick break from the sun, head over to the Woven Arc at the Cooper Gallery off Brattle Square in Cambridge.
There you can roam an installation of sculptures, paintings, conceptual art, prints and legacy textiles. The small intimate gallery explores the relationships between the different media as revealed in aesthetics of surface, text and texture.
The Cooper Gallery is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. You can learn more about the gallery here.
Take a stroll while viewing art
The Mystic River Bridge (Photo courtesy of the Boston Public Library)
Explore nearby Chelsea through the city’s art galleries and shows. On Saturday and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., you can meet the artists behind the works on display and maybe discover a new neighborhood in the process.
Some sites to check out include the Pearl Street Gallery, showcasing contemporary paintings, photography, mixed media, street and outsider art by award winning local and national artists. The Chelsea Community Garden is also putting on “Scarecrows in the Garden!” where each year gardeners and student artists create their individual interpretations of what may be humanity’s most ancient form of pest control, the scarecrow.
Plan your visit by searching through the detailed list of Chelsea’s galleries here.
Cheer on your favorite dragon boat
Dragon boat race (photo courtesy of Madeleine Ball, Flickr)
This weekend, the 37th annual Boston Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival will be held on the Charles River. Organizers expect 69 teams to participate in a quest to claim fame at the event.
Races get off to an early 7 a.m. start on Saturday and conclude at 2 p.m. It all starts from the Pierce Boathouse of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. More races are set for Sunday, along with a cultural festival along the river bank near Harvard University. Enjoy Asian food, arts and crafts and other Asian cultural performances as you watch the longboats compete.
Admission is free and it’s all open to the public. Learn more about the event here.
Visit an open market
Siena Farms stand at the Boston Public Market (photo courtesy of wikipedia)
With healthy food trends on the rise, Boston is becoming home to many farmers’ markets. From the Public Market downtown near Government Center to the Greenway Open Market closer to the waterfront, the venues are plentiful.
One of the most popular is the South End Open Market at Ink Block on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There’s an arts market with 130 local vendors selling handmade and vintage goods. Food lovers will find more than a dozen food trucks offering some of the most innovative cuisine in the city, from gourmet pizza and tacos to Asian fusion food. If all that isn’t enough, the famers’ market with 50 stands offers a wide a variety of vegetables, fruits, flowers and baked goods.
To find a local farmer’s market that is close to your neighborhood, there’s a full list here.
Enjoy Boston’s public parks and gardens
The Swan Boats rest on a sunny afternoon in the Boston Public Garden (New Boston Post photo by Beth Treffeisen)
With flowers finally blooming all over and summer around the corner, you can drink in the beauty by taking a stroll through the wonderful public spaces right in your own back yard.
Check out Ai WeiWei’s circle of animals of the zodiac, installed around the rings fountain on Boston’s Green Way or be a tourist and embark on a Swan Boat in the Public Garden. If you’re looking for something off the beaten path, the Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain can be a perfect place to admire nature’s bounty, walk your dog or take a hike.
There is so much to do and so little time. Be sure to check our calendar for even more exciting upcoming events.
Boston’s Public Garden offers tranquility on a sunny afternoon (New Boston Post photo by Beth Treffeisen) 
