Boston Event Calendar

July 2010

The Boston Events Calendar for July starts off with HarborFest, the big annual July 4th Boston Pops concerts at the Hatch Shell, and spectacular fireworks over the Charles River.

The "Fenway Football Challenge" challenges the Boston Red Sox for center stage - or at least, center field, at Fenway Park - when 2 leading European soccer teams (or "football," as they call it) meet in a special exhibition game.

Meanwhile, down at Gillette Stadium, the Bon Jovi concert provides the perfect excuse to get out of the city - perhaps have dinner before the concert at Patriot Place next to the stadium, or plan a day of shopping at the nearby Wrentham Outlets. 

July brings beach weather - so plan a visit to nearby Boston beaches,  join in a Sand Sculpting Festival at Revere Beach, or cruise out to the Boston Harbor Islands. 

Add an event to the Boston Event Calendar for July 2010

Quick Links:  Boston events calendars:  June   l   August  l  Other Months

Boston Harborfest

When:  June 30 - July 5
Where:   Main events take place at City Hall Plaza and Faneuil Marketplace, but with 200+ daily events, you'll also find a lot happening Downtown, Beacon Hill, the Waterfront, and other locations
Closest T station:   Depends on which events you're planning to attend - but almost any downtown Boston station should be fine.
Cost:  Free to pricey - depends on the event!  Some request donations.
More information:  Check the Harborfest website for a comprehensive list of events

So many events take place during Harborfest, Boston's 6-day long Independence celebration, that you'll have trouble deciding what to do.  Here are just a few highlights:

• Children's Day (July 1) - special juggling, music, dance, balloons, and other entertainment at City Hall Plaza, plus lots of history-related events elsewhere
• Chowderfest - Boston's best restaurants, pubs, and clubs compete to see who's chowder is the best.  You get to sample.  Doesn't get much better than this!
• Concert Series - Hear the Navy Band Northeast, the USAF Afterburner, the BaHa Brothers, Souled Out, Calley McGrane and the Exiles, Fiddling Fireworks, and much more.

 Friday Flicks at the Esplanade

Free Friday night movies continue throughout July in this popular family-friendly series.  See Boston Events Calendar for June for details.

July flicks include Wizard of Oz (July 9), Star Trek (July 16), Where the Wild Things Are (July 23), and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (July 30).

Boston Pops at the Hatch Shell

When: 
    Saturday, July 3 - Oval opens at 4pm; concert begins at 8:30pm
    Sunday, July 4 - Oval opens at 9am; concert begins at 8pm
Where:   Hatch Shell, Boston Esplanade
Nearest T station:  Green Line/Arlington (walk on Arlington Street toward the River; cross Storrow Drive via the Fiedler Footbridge
Cost:  Free
More information:  Boston Pops and Fireworks

Celebrate America's birthday on July 3rd and 4th with the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular, America's premier Independence Day celebration.

From the opening notes of the National Anthem to the closing bursts of real cannon fire as part of the 1812 Overture, the July 4th Boston Pops concert at the Hatch Shell celebrates Independence Day in spectacular fashion.  The concert on the day before, July 3rd, gives music lovers a chance to enjoy familar favorites.  Pops Conductor Keith Lockhart leads the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, along with special guests, during both concerts.

If you want to a spot in the "Oval," the grassy area right in front of the Hatch Shell, you'll need to come early as it's strictly first come, first served.  The Oval usually fills up only a couple of hours before the concert on the 3rd, but by mid-morning on the 4th.  

If you don't care about seeing the musicians, you can sit anywhere along the river and hear the concert from broadcast speakers.

4th of July Fireworks

When:  July 4 at 10:30pm, immediately following the Boston Pops Concert.
Where:   Charles River, between the Longfellow and Mass Ave Bridges
Nearest T stations:  Depends on where you plan to sit - use Red Line/Harvard Square if you plan to be on the Cambridge side, and Green Line/Arlington or Red Line/Charles-MGH for the Boston side. 
Cost:  Free
More information:  Boston Fireworks

Boston's most spectacular firework display of the year follows the Pops Concert on the 4th.  Watch from tall buildings (Top of the Hub view is spectacular - but reserve early!), rooftops, or the banks of the Charles River.

Free Monday Night Movies

When:  Mondays throughout July, at 6pm
Where: Rabb Lecture Hall, Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston Street, Copley Square, Boston
Cost:  Free
Closest T station: Green Line/Copley
More information:  617-536-5400

Get ready to give up swimming in the ocean after watching this month's offerings in Boston Public Library's year-long Made in Massachusetts film series.  Theme for July:  "Danger in the Water"!  You may want to cancel your week at the Cape if you see too many of them.

July 6 - Captains Courageous (1937)  (Shown on Tuesday night as Monday is a holiday)

July 12 - Moby Dick (1956)

July 19 - Jaws (1975)

July 26 - The Perfect Storm (2000)

Annual Boston French Film Festival

When:  July 8 - 25
Where:   Museum of Fine Arts, 465 Huntington Ave, Fenway neighborhood
Nearest T station:  Green Line/Museum
Cost:  Typically about $10
More information:  MFA website

Over the course of 2 weeks, this annual film festival celebrating contemporary French films showcases some of the best actors and directors, as well as lesser-known talents.  Great way to practice your French - or just read the English subtitles.  Festival sponsors include the Cultural Services Office of the French Embassy, the French Library Alliance Française of Boston, and TV5 Monde.

Check other Boston movie theaters for other offerings.

Bastille Day in Boston 2010

When:  July 9, 6pm - 11pm
Where:   Marlborough Street, between Berkeley and Clarendon
Nearest T station:  Green Line/Arlington
Cost:  $28 in advance, $35 on day of event (warning: they always sell out early)
More information:  617-912-0400

Although Bastille Day, the French national holiday celebrating the storming of the Bastille prison and the beginning of the French Revolution against the monarchy in 1789, actually occurs on July 14, Boston's local French Cultural Center celebrates it this year on July 9 with a huge street party.

Two francophone groups, Caravan Palace (gypsy-jazz-electro-swing) and Tabou Combo (Haitian Konpa dance music) will provide plenty of high-energy music for dancing in the streets.  Several of the top French restaurants in Boston will sell French food and drinks for 2,000 revelers.  Sing "La Marseillaise" and raise your glass to "Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité."

Chinatown Main Street Festival

When:  Sunday, July 11, 10am - 5pm
Where:  Harrison Ave and surrounding streets, Chinatown in Downtown Boston
Closest T station:   Orange Line / Chinatown
If you drive:   Parking garages near Theatre District and Chinatown

Enjoy folk dances, Lion dances, martial arts performances, and more in this mid-summer festival in Chinatown.  Go for dim sum in one of the nearby restaurants.

Boston Bruins' Boston Harbor Sunset Cruise

When:  July 14, 6pm - 9pm
Where:   Provincetown II cruise ship, departing from World Trade Center Pier (200 Seaport Blvd, South Boston Waterfront)
Nearest T station:  Red Line/South Station (about a 10 minute walk - or take the Silver Line from South Station)
Cost:  $30; $25 for season ticket holders
More information:  Bruins website

Join the Bruins for a fun-filled Boston Harbor Sunset Cruise featuring a silent auction, raffle, and unique sports memorabilia to raise funds for the Bruins Foundation Bike Team riding in the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge from Sturbridge to Provincetown in August.  With music by Jim Plunkett, dancing, and of course, spectacular harbor views, this 21+ event is the perfect way to spend a balmy July evening. 

Don't forget to check out the Bruins' schedule for 2010-2011!

Sand Sculpting Festival at Revere Beach

When:  July 14 - 18, starting at 8am
Where:   Revere Beach, Revere (about 2 miles north of Boston)
Nearest T station:  Blue Line/Wonderland - the beach is just 2-3 blocks away
Cost:  Free
More information:  978-749-6700

As many as 250,000 spectators gather at Revere Beach during the course of the 5-day New England Sand Sculpting Festival to watch renowned master sculptors from across the U.S. and Canada work their magic with individual 10 ton allotments of sand plus water.  The sculptors compete for over $15,000 in prize money - so the sculptures that you'll see take shape before your eyes are pretty amazing.

With crafts and food vendors on site as well, you'll find plenty of family entertainment - and don't forget to bring your swimsuits and towels for the beach!

Don't forget that other Boston beaches also provide plenty of fun in the sun.

Free Concert Series at the Esplanade

When:  Sat., July 17, 7pm, and Sat., July 31st, 7pm 
Where:   Hatch Shell, Esplanade, Boston
Closest T station: Green Line/Arlington
Cost:  Free
More information:  617-626-4970; Dept of Conservation and Recreation website 

The 2010 Free Summer Concert Series continues with a performance by Eddie Money on July 17, and a performance by Peter Cetera on July 31st. 

Soccer at Fenway Park ?!?

When:  July 21, 8pm
Where:   Fenway Park!
Nearest T station:  Green Line/Kenmore Square
Cost:  Typically about $20-$120
Ticket sales: www.tickets.com/footballatfenway/

Yes, soccer balls will replace baseballs at the home field of the Boston Red Sox for "Fenway Football Challenge," a special exhibition game between Celtic FC from the Scottish Premier League, first UK club to win the European Cup in 1967, and the Sporting Clube de Portugal, normally known as "Sporting," and one of the "Big Three Clubs in Portugal. 

In case you're wondering, the "FC" in "Celtic FC" stands for "Football Club."  Soccer is called "football" in the UK.  Founded in 1888, Celtic predates the Red Sox - and Sporting, founded in 1906.

Although this will actually be the 19th soccer game played at Fenway Park, it's the first one since 1968, so this is a very special event. 

First the 2010 NHL Winter Classic brought hockey, an ice rink, and even free public skating at the famed field last January, and now soccer, plus Aerosmith and the J. Geils Band in August . . . Fenway Park is becoming the equivalent of 1-stop shopping for sports and entertainment.

If you're visiting Boston but aren't lucky enough to get tickets, NESN plans to broadcast the game.  Stop by any of the sports bars near Fenway, and you're sure to have a good view.

Cirque du Soleil's OVO

When:  July 22 - August 15
Where:   Fan Pier in the South Boston Waterfront
Nearest T station:  Red Line/South Station, or Silver Line to Fan Pier
Get tickets

Come to Cirque du Soleil's famous blue and yellow tent, Le Grand Chapiteau, on Fan Pier for a spectacular performance of OVO, an acrobatic fantasy about a colorful, energy-filled ecosystem where insects play, crawl, flutter, fight, and pursue love.  The first Cirque du Soleil production to be created and produced by a woman (Deborah Colker), OVO exults in Brazilian music and dance as a backdrop for the amazing acrobats.

Bon Jovi Concert

When:  July 24, 7pm
Where:   Gillette Stadium, Patriot Place, Foxboro
More information:  Bon Jovi Tickets

Rock band Bon Jovi returns to Boston in what is sure to be a sellout concert at Gillette Stadium.  Expect to hear recent hits from "The Circle," as well as older favorites.  Their Boston stop is among the final U.S. venues in their 2010 - 2011 "Circle the World Tour."

Shakespeare on the Common

When:  July 28 - Aug 15; 8pm Tuesday - Saturday; 7pm on Sundays
Where:   Boston Common, near the Parkman Bandstand
Cost:  Free
More information:  Commonwealth Shakespeare Company website

One of the most popular things to do in Boston in July and August, Shakespeare on the Common premiers their 2010 production, Othello, on July 28.  Bring a blanket, perhaps a picnic, and enjoy an evening of free theater under the stars.

Free admission - Museum of Fine Arts

When:  July 30; 10am - 9:45pm
Where:  465 Huntington Ave., Boston's Fenway Neighborhood
Nearest Boston subway station:  Green Line E/Museum
Cost:  Free
More information:  MFA website

Enjoy free general admission to Boston's Museum of Fine Arts.  This is one of MFA's 6 free community days each year. 

More things to do in Boston in July

Quick Links:  Boston events calendars:  June   l   August  l  Other Months

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