Boston Events for July 2024

The concert starts at 8pm on July 4th, and will be broadcast (along with the fireworks) on Bloomberg TV, Bloomberg.com, and Boston's Channel 7 WHDH.  

Fireworks will start at approximately 10:30pm and last half an hour. 

Both the concert and fireworks show are free, but you must get a free ticket (which means lining up hours in advance) to enter the concert grounds.

Revolutionary War reenactments, live entertainment, Arts at Harborfest, cruises, an artisan craft fair, walking tours, and more exciting events showcase Boston's colonial, Revolutionary War, and maritime history. 

Highlights this year:  A gala 45-minute fireworks show over Boston's Inner Harbor on July 1 and Boston's favorite seafoood event, Chowderfest.

When:  June 30 - July 4
Where:   Main events take place in Boston's Historic Downtown district, Downtown Crossing, along the Freedom Trail, and on the waterfront.
Cost:  Many events are free, with some ticketed tours and cruises.

More about Boston Harborfest events and schedules

Best Boston hotels for Harborfest

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More about the Rose Kennedy Greenway

Greenway walking tour and map

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Visit Cape Cod on the Fast Ferry

The easiest and fastest way to get to scenic Provincetown at the eastern tip of Cape Cod is on the "Fast Ferry" - a sleek and luxurious passenger-only catamaran that whisks you to this charming village in only 90 minutes.

When:  Every Thursday, 6-7, May 18 - August 31
Where:   Frog Pond at Boston Common
Nearest T station:  Green Line/Park

Cost:  Free
Bring:  Your own mat, blocks, towels, and belt

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Night Market in Boston's Little Saigon

Boston's Little Saigon Cultural District will host their first annual Cho Dêm, Boston Little Saigon Night Market Street Festival, in Fields Corner, Dorchester on Saturday, July 15, 4pm-9pm.

Look for crafts, games, entertainment, a beer garden, mouth-watering street food, and bubble tea.

Fields Corner is known for its numerous Vietnamese restaurants.

Admission:  Free
Location: Dorchester Avenue between Park Street and Adams Street (Town Field Park - you'll see the market when you get off the T)
Closest subway station:  Red Link/Fields Station

Find more information about the Street Market

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Landmarks Orchestra Concerts at the Hatch Shell

The Boston Landmarks Orchestra's weekly free summer Esplanade concerts attract large crowds to the Hatch Shell on Wednesday evenings during July and August with its mix of classical, traditional, modern, and contemporary music.  Concerts start at 7pm and run about 2 hours.  Bring and blanket or low folding chairs to sit on, and a picnic dinner.

Landmarks Concert schedule for July: 

• July 20 - Sorcerer's Apprentice & Symphonie Fantastique: Telling Tales
• July 27 - Finlandia & Romeo and Juliet: Sweet Sorrow

Weather alerts and alternate locations in case of rain: 617-987-2000; orchestra website
Cost:  Free

More about what to see & do on Boston's Esplanade

You'll discover an ice-breathing dragon, underwater adventures in a coral reef, and Chinese lantern scenes with pagodas, cranes, and lotuses.

Not to be missed:  a 80-foot glowing walk-through dragon tunnel.

Get your tickets at the gate (if available), or secure your spot (highly recommended) and also save a little by booking online in advance on the Zoo's website.

Boston Lights dates/hours:  July 22 - October 29, 6pm-10:30pm

Just want to visit the zoo during the day?  You can also book or pre-book tickets online for a regular visit (does NOT include the Boston Lights show).

More Fun Things to Do in Boston

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Bastille Day in Boston

Bastille Day, the French Fête Nationale holiday celebrating the storming of the Bastille prison, the beginning of the French Revolution against the tyranny of the monarchy in 1789, and the birth of modern France occurs on July 14.  Boston's French Cultural Center celebrates it this year with a gala event at La Voile restaurant in Brookline. 

Look for a jazz band playing your favorite French music, dancing, your favorite beverages, and delicious French hors d'oeuvres, and fun games for kids.  Come celebrate with other revelers, sing "La Marseillaise," and raise your glass to Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité.

When:  Saturday July 14 from 5pm - 9pm (to be confirmed)
Where: La Voile restaurant, Brookline
Nearest T station: Green Line/Brandon Hall
Cost: $70 (includes tip), with advance resvations required; free for children under 12 (alert: tickets normally sell out well in advance)
Tickets & more info: https://frenchculturalcenter.org

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Boston Hotels with Outdoor Swimming Pools

• Verb Hotel next to Fenway Park (shown in photo) - Find Lowest Rates
• Colonnade Hotel near Prudential Center - Find Discount Rates
• Revere Hotel in the Theatre District -Find Discount Rates
 

Find more Boston hotels with outdoor swimming pools 

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Berklee Summer in the City:  Free Summer Concerts in Boston

Berklee College of Music students, faculty, and alumni give hundreds of free outdoor concerts all over the city from May 1 and throughout the summer, usually going through September. 

Music ranges from jazz to classical, Latin to funk, folk to world, and are free. 

Most concerts for this year are still TBD but once they're announced, you can find the schedule here:  Berklee events website

Locations typically include Atlantic Wharf, the Boston Public Library, Brewer Fountain Plaza on Boston Common, the Charlestown Navy Yard, Chin Park and City Winery on the Greenway, selected Boston Harbor Cruises, the Arnold Arboretum, Christopher Columbus Park on the waterfront, Downtown Boston, the Longwood Medical Campus, multiple locations in Cambridge, Dorchester Heights, Institute of Contemporary Art, Prudential Center, Fenway locations, and more.

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Museum of Science Exhibits

Special Exhibits

• Changing Landscapes: An Immersive Journey - Visit 4 UNESCO World Heritage sites in this new immersive exhibit about adapting to climate change
• Arctic Adventure: Exploring with Technology- Fly a virtual drone and become an Arctic explorer
• Exploring AI Making the Invisible Visible: Discover how AI is already part of your life, and examine your choices about how and when you use it

With fascinating permanent exhibits for all ages, there's always something to see, do, and learn.  Here are just a few of the most popular: Engineering Design Workshop, Colossal Fossil: Triceratops Cliff, The Light House, Dinosaurs,Hall of Human Life, Animal Sculptures, Live Animal Care Center, a Rock Garden, Mathematica, New England Habitats, Garden Walk & Insect Zoo.

Where:   Boston's Museum of Science
When:   Daily, 9am-5pm; open until 9pm on Fridays
Admission:  $29 general museum admission ($24 for kids; children under 3 free; seniors 60+ $25).  Reserve your tickets, or get free museum admission when you have a GoBoston Discount card or CityPASS card. 

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Not Sure about Boston Neighborhood Locations?

This neighborhood map should help you get oriented. You can find a list of top attractions in each neighborhood here.

Need a more details?  Here are our favorite free and low-cost Boston maps.

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North End Feasts and Festivals

Boston's North End Italian Feasts and Festivals draw huge crowds to this historic neighborhood.  You can smell the wonderful food, hear the music, and sense the excitement as you walk across the Greenway to Hanover Street, where many of the celebrations take place.

These festivals take place almost every weekend throughout the summer. 

North End Festivals scheduled for July: (to be confirmed)

• Madonna della Grazie's Procession - July 9, 2pm - Starts at St Leonard's Church (Hanover and Prince Streets)
• St. Rocco's Procession - July 16, 1pm - Starts at St Leonard Church, Hanover and Prince Streets
• St. Joseph Procession - July 23 1pm (to be confirmed) - Procession starts at St Leonard Church (Hanover and Prince Streets) 

Find out about North End Feasts and Festivals taking place in August

Interested in staying in the North End?  Check rates at Bricco Suites, in the heart of the neighborhood, and the waterfront Yacht Haven Inn and Battery Wharf Hotel.

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Chinatown Main Street Festival 

Enjoy colorful open-air market booths selling crafts, food, lucky bamboo, traditional silk clothing, and lots more, plus Chinese folk dances, Lion dances, and martial arts in this mid-summer festival in Chinatown.  A great excuse for a tasty meal in one of these fun Chinatown restaurants.

When:  Saturday, July 1, 10am - 6pm   (to be confirmed)  
Location:  Beach Street near the Chinatown Gate and Chinatown Park on the Greenway, plus other locations around Chinatown
Cost:  Free
Closest T station:   Orange Line / Chinatown, or park under Boston Common and walk over - 5-minute walk

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Free Summer Flicks @ Prudential Center

Enjoy this free fun family-friendly activity - movies under the stars in Prudential Center's lovely South Garden (go up the escalators from Huntington Ave, and the garden is to your right; from Boylston, the garden is on your left). 

Bring a picnic blanket or low beach chairs, and grab dinner at Prudential Center.

Schedule:

July 8:  Top Gun: Maverick
July 15:  Matilda
July 22: Minions: The Rise of Gru
July 29: LIghtyear

When:  Every Saturday during July and August; movies start at sundown but the garden will be open for the event from 6pm - 10pm
Where:   Prudential Center, South Garden
Cost:  Free

Nearest T station:  Green Line/Prudential
Nearest parking garage:  Prudential Center Garage - enter after 5pm for $20 rate, or get discounted parking with a $25 purchase from any Pru Center store, restaurant, cart, or kiosk; bring your parking ticket with you when you leave the garage and have your sales associate validate your parking ticket after you make your purchase

Find More Family Flicks at Pru Center for August

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Sand Sculpting Festival at Revere Beach

Over 1 million spectators gather at Revere Beach during the course of the big 4-day New England Sand Sculpting Festival to watch 16 renowned master sculptors from around the world work their magic with individual 12 ton allotments of sand imported from Hudson NH, plus water. 

Sculptors compete for $14,000 in prize money, and the sculptures they create will amaze you with their detail and artistry.  The theme this year is "Kong," in celebrating of his 90 years in pop culture.

With music performances, a food truck festival and local food vendors lining the boardwalk, entertainment, and of course the gorgeous beach, you'll find plenty of family fun.  

On Saturday night, a Fireworks Extravanza lights up the sky over the water.

Don't forget to bring your swimsuits, sunscreen, and towels for the beach!

When:  July 28-30; sculptors work from 8am until 8pm - plus fireworks at 9pm on Saturday

Where:   Revere Beach, Revere (about 2 miles north of Boston, but easy to get to by subway); nearest T station:  Blue Line/Wonderland - the beach is just 2 blocks away.

Avoid driving if at all possible.  Traffic in this area always gets highly congested in the summer, even on weekdays.  The main street along the beach will be closed, and nearby (legal) parking is extremely limited.

Cost:  Free

Find out more about Revere Beach and other Boston beaches

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Free Summer Movies in Christopher Columbus Park

Enjoy free outdoor Summer Sunday Movies on most Sunday evenings during July 16 and August 20 at Christopher Columbus Park in Boston's North End.  (to be confirmed) Movies start at sundown, which means 9:30pm in mid-July, moving gradually to 8pm for the last film in August.   Bring a blanket or low folding chairs and watch family favorites.

Check the lineup and schedule on the park's website.  

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Immersive Disney Animation Boston

Immersive Disney Animation Boston brings all your favorite Disney characters, stories, and music to life in a magical immersive experience with you at the center. 

You'll visit La Casita with Mirabel from Encanto, watch Rafiki present Simba in the Lion King, take the journey of a lifetime with Aladdin and Jasmine in the Magic Carpets of Aladdin, hop on a train to Zootopia, enter the enchanted worlds of Peter Pan and Pinocchio, and so much more in this family-friendly, kid-pleasing innovative production.

The show lasts one hour and is currently playing at Boston's Lighthouse ArtSpace at The Saunders Castle, 130 Columbus Ave, now through August 13. 

Sensory-friendly viewings are scheduled at 9am on July 8 and August 13.

Book your tickets online in advance to get your preferred date/timeslot.

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Lawn on D

Lawn on D, a playground for adults (kids are welcome too but this is primarily an adult venue) located behind the Convention Center in the South Boston Waterfront, is where you'll find fun swings with LED lights and comfy seating, pickleball and other games, and music throughout the summer and early fall, along with casual food and wine, beer, cocktails, and non-alcoholic beverages. 

Open daily from 7am-11pm from May to October, except when closed for private events (always check their website before going). 

Food, drinks, and lawn games available Thursday 3-10:30pm, Friday & Saturday 12 noon-11pm, Sunday 12 noon-10:30pm, with live entertainment by local bands on the weekends. 

Swings are open whenever Lawn on D is open.

Rules, in case you're wondering: No dogs, no outside alcohol, no outside food during concession hours.

Another option in this area is to sample one of the many restaurants in the Seaport and Fort Point areas of the South Boston Waterfront. 

For Boston Harbor views while you dine, visit a Seaport restaurant.  To try the creative cuisine of some of Boston's most innovative chefs, head to a Fort Point restaurant.

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Fun Boston Tours for July

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Shakespeare on the Common

One of the most popular summer Boston events, Commonwealth Shakespeare Company presents Macbeth, the famous tragedy in which a toxic mix of political ambition, power, guilt, and paranoia collide in an unstoppable path to murder, madness, and death, in this year's Shakespeare on the Common. 

Bring a blanket or low folding chair, perhaps a picnic basket, and get ready to enjoy a magical evening of free theater under the stars. 

You can bring food (but please note, there's not enough room for a lavish picnic spread).  Portable toilets are located near the tennis courts.

You can also rent a chair on site for $10 (prepay on Comm Shake's website).  A small "Friends" section of beach chairs in a prime location are available in return for donations of $100 or more, made through the website.

When:  July 19-23 and 25-30, plus August 1-6 at 8pm on all nights except for July 30, when the show starts at 4pm; performances normally run about 2.5 hours with no intermission. Heavy rain and lightening storms can cause cancellations for safety reasons; if in doubt, call the group's Weather Hotline at 617-362-7485. 

Where:  Boston Common, near the Parkman Bandstand
Getting there:  By subway:  Green/Red line to Park Street Station, or Green Line to Boylston;  By car:  Park under the Common in the Boston Common Parking Garage:  pick up a discount coupon at one of the event tents (you'll spot them easily) - you'll save a bit on parking, and the garage donates the proceeds to CSC
Cost:  Free

More information:  Shakespeare on the Common

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Mashpee Wampanoag Powwow

The 102nd annual Mashpee Wampanoag Powwow takes place on traditional tribal lands on Cape Cod just an hour south of Boston.  Dancers, drummers, and other participants celebrate Mashpee Wampanoag culture during this 3-day historical festival with dancing, drumming, games, food, art, jewelry, and crafts.  Special events include a Fireball spiritual healing ceremony on Saturday evening at sundown, and a traditional Clambake and crowning of the Mashpee Wampanoag Powwow Princess on Sunday afternoon. 

When: July 1, 2, 3
Where:   Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Powwow Grounds, 483 Great Neck Road South, Mashpee, MA
Tickets:  $12; Elders $10, free for children 4 and under
More information: 774-413-0520

The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe is part of the Wampanoag Nation of people living in Southeastern Massachusetts and Eastern Rhode Island for more than 12,000 years. 

Find out more about the Wampanoags from the Stone Age to the present by visiting the Mashpee Wampanoag Museum (414 Main Street, Mashpee, MA; website).

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Free Friday Flicks at the Hatch Shell

Enjoy free outdoor concerts at the Hatch Shell on Boston's Esplanade throughout July and August. 

This series of family movies sponsored by WBZ NewsRadio 1030 and the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) provides the perfect excuse to grab a blanket, pack a picnic, and head for an evening of entertainment under the stars.

The July movie lineup includes:  (from last year - look for updates soon)

• July 15 - Encanto
• July 22 - Frozen 2
• July 29 - Onward

When:  Movies start at sundown (about 8:15 in July)

More information, including the movie schedule and weather cancellations:  Call the Free Friday Flicks Hotline at 617-787-7200

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Puerto Rican Festival & Parade 

The annual Puerto Rican Festival takes place on July 28 (2pm-10pm), 30 (noon-10pm), and 31 (noon-10pm) on City Hall Plaza and features Puerto Rican music, entertainment, carnival rides including a ferris wheel, and vendors.  Free admission.  (to be confirmed)

On Sunday, July 28, the festival's huge Grand Parade kicks off at Franklin Park (1 Franklin Park Rd) at 12 noon, then continues down Seaver street to Blue hill and then returns to Playstead Park behind the Franklin Park zoo.  

More information:  https://www.puertoricanfestivalofma.org/

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Greenway Open Market 

Greenway Open Market, sister market to SoWa Open Market (held Sundays in the South End), brings an eclectic mix of hand-made art, music, and locally produced products to Boston. 

Look for the sea of white vendor tents - and get ready for some fun shopping, plus good eating at the gourmet food trucks. 

With a different mix of vendors present each week, you never know what treasures you'll find!  It's a quintessential Boston event.

When:  Every Saturday from May 1 through October 31, 11am - 5pm 
Where:   Rose Kennedy Greenway, near Rings Fountain along the Wharf District parks (look for the Carousel and the vendors' white tents)

Nearest T station:  Blue Line/Aquarium, or Orange and Green Lines/Haymarket
Cost:  Free (but of course you'll probably be tempted to buy things

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Summer in the City

Boston Harbor Hotel's popular "Summer in the City" series lets you kick back and enjoy live music overlooking the waterfront throughout the summer until August 26. 

Listen to music between 6pm - 10pm as musicians perform on the Blues Barge on Tuesday (Pop-Soul), Wednesday (Rat Pack), Thursday (Blues Barge), and Friday (Movie Night).

Combine these events with a drink and dinner on the hotel's terrace overlooking the Harbor for the perfect summer evening.

More about Boston Harbor Hotel

Check reviews and rates for the Boston Harbor Hotel

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New England Revolution at Gillette Stadium 2024

Watch our local soccer team, the New England Revolution, bring men's soccer to a new level at Gillette Stadium.

Only 1 home game is scheduled for July - so don't miss the chance to see the Boston area's professional men's soccer players in action!

Find New England Revolution's Game Schedule & Tickets

Getting there:  Gillette Stadium from Boston
More at Gillette:  See all events at Gillette Stadium

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Hotels near Gillette Stadium

Going to Gillette Stadium for a game or concert or to Patriot Place for shopping? 

Stay in one of these convenient nearby hotels:

• Renaissance Boston at Patriot Place
• Residence Inn Boston Foxborough
• The Hilton Garden Inn Patriot Place
• Sonesta Select Hotel in Foxborough
• Comfort Inn Foxborough

Check out more hotels near Gillette Stadium

More hotels near Wrentham Premium Outlets and Gillette Stadium

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2 Easy Ways to Save BIG in Boston

Find out more about Boston discount cards, and how they give you big savings on top attractions.

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Looking Ahead to August Events in Boston

Shakespeare on the Common (continuing)

Patriots Pre-Season Games

More North End Feasts 

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More Things to Do in Boston in July

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Continuing during July

• Boston Wine Festival at Meritage Restaurant
• Noon Concerts at King's Chapel on the Freedom Trail
• First Fridays at Museum of Fine Arts

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Boston Events Each Month

January   |   February   |     March   |  April   |    May    |    June   |   July   |    August   |    September  |  October   |    November   |    December  |  Year at a Glance 

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