Boston Event Calendar for July 2012

July 4th Concert, Fireworks, Harborfest

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

Boston Harborfest, the Boston Pops Concert, and the July 4th holiday fireworks get the month off to a great start - but that's just the beginning of July fun events!  Bastille Day celebrations, free outdoor concerts, and Shakespeare on the Common are just a few of the other July attractions packed into this wonderful summer month.

July brings beach weather - so plan a visit to nearby Boston beaches or cruise out to the Boston Harbor Islands.  You'll find lots of terrific things to do in Boston this month.

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

 

Boston Common Spray Pool Opens for Kids July 1

When:  July 1, 11am
Where:   Frog Pond at Boston Common
Nearest T station:  Green Line/Park
Cost: Free
More information:  Boston Frog Pond website

For 2 glorious months after school ends, Frog Pond turns into a spray pond and becomes the best place to cool off (if you're 12 or under) in the city.  The opening celebration features family-friendly entertainment, music, art, a gala ceremony, and of course, the chance to play in the spray. 

Return to Top - Boston Events Calendar for June

 

Boston Pops Concerts - July 3 and July 4

When: 
    Sunday, July 3 - Oval opens at 4pm; concert begins at 8:30pm
    Monday, July 4 - Oval opens at 9am; concert begins at 8:30pm
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 few hours before the concert on the 3rd, but reaches maximum by mid-morning on the 4th.  

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

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4th of July Fireworks

When:  July 4 at 10:30pm, immediately following the Boston Pops Concert - ends at about 11pm
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. 
Free public transportation on the T:  From 10:30pm forward on July 4th only - but remember, depending on location, the T stops running between 12:30am and 1am
Stay:   Check out hotels with fireworks views
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.

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Aerosmith Boston Concert at TD Garden

When:  July 17 
Where:   TD Garden
Closest T station: Green Line & Commuter Rail/North Station
Tickets:  Expected to be on sale soon!
Stay:  Hotels near the Garden

Aerosmith, Boston's favorite hometown superstar rock band, will be playing in what is sure to be the hottest concert of the summer at TD Garden - their first local appearance since playing Fenway Park two years ago with J. Geils Band.  This stop will be part of their National Global Warming Tour with Cheap Trick opening for them.  Expect lots of classics plus the best from their new album due out in May.  Fans will be packing the Garden - so don't wait to get your tickets and if you're coming from out of town, hotel reservations.

Find More Boston Concerts Scheduled for July

 

Fun Boston Tours for July

 

Free Family Fun at the Esplanade

When:  July 24, August 21, September 11, 2pm-4pm 
Where:   Field near the Arthur Fiedler Statue, Esplanade, Boston
Closest T station: Green Line/Arlington, or Red Line/Charles-MGH
Cost:  Free
More information:  617-227-0365; or contact ctimmel@esplanadeassociation.org

"Sunday Fun in the Park," sponsored by the Esplanade Association, brings family fun to the Esplanade with games, family yoga (bring your own mat), a photography class (3pm-4pm) and even a kids' fishing club (2pm-3pm). The Fiedler statue is easy to spot - just look for a giant head 6.5 feet high made from 83 layers of thin sand-blasted aluminum plates.

 

Boston Harborfest - and Chowderfest!

When:  June 29 - July 4
Where:   Main events take place at City Hall Plaza and Faneuil Marketplace, but with 200+ daily events, you'll also find plenty of other events happening in Downtown, Beacon Hill, the Waterfront, and other locations
Cost:  Free to pricey - depends on the event!  Some request donations.
More information:  Boston Harborfest

2011 marks the 30th anniversary of Harborfest, Boston's 6-day long gala celebration of American Independence, July 4th, and the joy of summer in Boston.  So many events take place during the festival that you'll have trouble deciding what to do.  The lineup for 2011 is still being developed, but these events ususally take place each year:

• Children's Day - Special juggling, music, dance, balloons, and other entertainment at City Hall Plaza, plus lots of history-related events elsewhere
• Chowderfest - This annual contest brings together Boston's best restaurants, pubs, and clubs, all competing to see who's chowder is the best.  You get to sample.  Doesn't get much better than this!
• Concerts - From Fife and Drum bands playing Revolutionary War-era music to top pop groups - and everything in between

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Boston Concerts during July 2012

July 1 - Roger Waters: The Wall - Fenway Park
July 1 - Norah Jones - Bank of America Pavilion
July 10 - Stevie Nicks- Bank of America Pavilion
July 13 - Ozomatli - Paradise Rock Club
July 17 - Aerosmith - TD Garden
July 19 - Vans Warped Tour - Comcast Center
July 18 - Best Coast - Royale Boston

July 29-30 - Coldplay - TD Garden

Check for tickets at:
-  Ace Tickets
-  Ticket Liquidators

 

Magic 106.7 Family Film Festival

When:  Every Saturday from July 9 - August 27; entertainment starts at 6pm, and movie starts at sundown
Where:   Prudential Center, South Garden
Nearest T station:  Green Line/Prudential
Nearest parking garage:  Prudential Center Garage - get discounted parking with a $10 purchase
Cost:  Free 

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

Here's the 2011 schedule:

Saturday, July 9 - Megamind
Saturday, July 9 - Despicable Me
Saturday, July 9 - Happy Feet
Saturday, July 9 - Shrek Forever After
Saturday, August 6 - Toy Story 3
Saturday, August 13 - Princess Diaries
Saturday, August 20 - Gnomeo & Juliet
Saturday, August 27 - Tangled

Find more Boston film festivals

 

Half-price tickets for Boston events in July 2012

Half-price Boston events in July (free sign-up)

Half-price tickets to top Boston concerts, shows, tours, games, and other events become available about 2 months before their scheduled date - why pay more?

Check back later for July half price tickets.

Find even more half-price events!

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Vintage Baseball at Georges Island

When:  July 17, 11am - 3:30pm
Where:   Georges Island - One of the Boston Harbor Islands
Getting there:  Boston Harbor Island ferry information
Cost:  Free

Park Rangers demonstrate how baseball was played during the Civil War Era - you can watch, or join the game.

Keep in mind there's lots more to do on Georges Island - hike, explore, swim, picnic, bird watch.  You're in a different world - but only 20 minutes by ferry from Boston!

 

Annual Boston French Film Festival

When:  July 7 - 24
Where:   Museum of Fine Arts, 465 Huntington Ave, Fenway neighborhood
Nearest T station:  Green Line/Museum
Cost:  Most are $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 Boston movie theaters for other local films.

Find more Boston film festivals

 

Boston Theater and Shows July 2012

• Blue Man Group and Shear Madness - On-going - Charles Playhouse

Tickets:

TicketLiquidator  |   AceTicket  |  ScoreBig   |   Goldstar (1/2 price tix)  |   Bostix

 

Bastille Day in Boston 2011

When:  2011 date to be announced; usually is held on the Friday closest to July 14 from 6pm - 11pm
Where:   Marlborough Street, between Berkeley and Clarendon
Nearest T station:  Green Line/Arlington
Cost:  (these costs are for 2010; 2011 is not announced yet) $28 in advance, $35 on day of event (warning: they always sell out early)
More information:  617-912-0400

Bastille Day, the French national holiday celebrating the storming of the Bastille prison, the beginning of the French Revolution against the monarchy in 1789, and the birth of modern France occurs on July 14.  Boston's local French Cultural Center celebrates it on the preceeding Friday (date for 2011 to be confirmed) with a huge street party.

Francophone groups normally 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.  Come join in the fun, sing "La Marseillaise," and raise your glass to Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité in support of people throughout the world seeking liberty.

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New England Revolution vs Manchester United at Gillette

Photo courtesy of Jarrett Campbell

When:  July 13 - 8pm
Where:   Gillette Stadium
Getting there:  Gillette Stadium from Boston
Stay: Hotels near Gillette Stadium
Cost:  Tickets start at $50, and go on sale to the public on Saturday, April 23 (multiple game ticket packages go on sales on April 12, but this is the only game being played at Gillette

Check for tickets:

AceTicket      |      TicketLiquidator

Soccer fans will once again get to cheer the New England Revolution as they take on Manchester United, perhaps the world's most famous soccer team, in the World Football Challenge at Gillette Stadium. 

This is a terrific opportunity to get to see the powerhouse Man U team led by Wayne Rooney in action.  Soccer fans from across New England will probably make this a sell-out event.

 

Boston Bruins Foundation's Boston Harbor Sunset Cruise

When:  July 27, 6pm - 9pm (boards at 5:30pm)
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:  Tickets are $30, with net proceeds going to the Boston Bruins Foundation bike team
More information:  Bruins website

Join Boston Bruins alumni for a fun-filled Boston Harbor Sunset Cruise 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 Boston Bruins Stanley Cup Apparel for hats, shirts, and other commemorative gifts.

 

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Free Boston Landmarks Concerts at the Hatch Shell

When: 
    Wednesday, July 13, 7pm - Opening concert
    Weekly concerts - Every Wednesday at 7pm through August 31
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

The Boston Landmarks Orchestra's weekly summer Esplanade concerts have attracted larger crowds with every passing year, especially since moving to the Hatch Shell in 2007.  Sadly, founder and musical director Charles Ansbacher died last fall, after giving Boston the gift of free classical music concerts for a decade at many sites around Boston, including the first symphony orchestra concert ever held at Fenway Park.

Christopher Wilkins, named as Boston Landmark Orchestra's new music director this spring, will continue this wonderful series of classical music concerts under the stars.  The 2011 Esplanade series will be dedicated to Charles Ansbacher, and will highlight works by Mozart and Tchaikovsky.  It's the perfect way to spend a Wednesday evening in Boston.

 

Roxbury International Film Festival

When:  July 28-31
Where:   Museum of Fine Arts, Massachusetts College of Art, Wentworth Institute, Northeastern University, the Roxbury Center for the Arts in Hibernian Hall, and Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline 
Cost:  Most are $12 (reduced rates for students, seniors, members)
More information:  Festival website

Four days of "films celebrating people of color," with screenings, panel discussions, receptions, and workshops, plus additional events throughout the year.  The Roxbury International Film Festival began in 1999 when the founders created a venue to celebrate films written, produced, and directed by filmmakers connected with Africa by birth, ancestry, or culture.  It is now the largest film festival with this focus in New England.  Expect an exciting (and large) collection of full-length features, documentaries, experimental films, shorts, and animations, a series of youth-produced films, and a special program of shorts for children under 10.

Check Boston movie theaters for other local films

More Boston film festivals

 

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

Over 300,000 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, and the sculptures they create will amaze you with their detail and artistry. 

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

More about Revere Beach and other Boston beaches

Photo credit:  Kathryn

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More Free Concerts at the Esplanade

When:  Check back later for 2011 schedule 
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 2011 Free Summer Concert Series has not been set yet - so check back later for details.

Return to top - Boston Event Calendar for July

 

Shakespeare on the Common

When:  July 27 - Aug 14; 8pm Tuesday - Saturday; 7pm on Sundays, plus a 2pm matinee on Saturday, July 30th
Where:   Boston Common, near the Parkman Bandstand
Cost:  Free
More information:  Shakespeare on the Common

One of the most popular things to do in Boston in July and August, Shakespeare on the Common premiers their 2011 production, All's Well that Ends Well, on July 27.  Bring a blanket, perhaps a picnic basket, and enjoy a magical evening of free theater under the stars.

CSC's annual free Shakespeare on the Common production is one of the highpoints of late-summer entertainment in Boston - don't miss it!

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Continuing during July in Boston

West Side Story at the Colonial Theatre

SoWa in Boston's South End

Noon Concerts at King's Chapel on the Freedom Trail

First Fridays at Museum of Fine Arts

Free Friday Flicks at the Esplanade

 

Looking ahead to August: 

• Running of the Brides
• North End Feasts
• Patriots Preseason Games

Return to Top - Boston Events Calendar for July

More things to do in Boston in July

 

Fun Boston Events Year Round!

 

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