All of these events are appropriate for the whole family,
except perhaps for the rock concerts at the Tweeter Center. The events
are usually in chronological order but the ones that continue all summer
are listed toward the end of this article.
Summers Day Revels --
Free!
Summers Day with the Revels in Boston. For everyone under the sun, a
FREE outdoor festival of the arts featuring the Queen Sun and King Moon,
stretching from the Congress Street bridge to the Moakley Bridge!
Date: June 21-22, 2008. Time: 5:00-7:00 pm
Place: Outside of the Boston Children's Museum
Contact: (617) 426-8855
http://www.bostonchildrensmuseum.org/plan/directions.html
St. Peter's Fiesta in
Gloucester -- Free
The St. Peter's Fiesta is a five day festival honoring the patron saint
of the fisherman St. Peter. The festival is produced by the Italian
American community of Gloucester. Note: There will be both indoor and
outdoor activities: Field sports and maritime sports as well as a Greased
Pole Contest.
Dates: June 25 - June 29, 2008
Place: St. Peter's Square, Gloucester, MA
Contact: info@stpetersfestival.org: or check out www.stpetersfiesta.org
Transportation by the Gloucester MBTA commuter train line.
Harborfest --Free
Boston Harborfest 2008 is a six-day long Fourth of July Festival that
showcases the colonial and maritime heritage of the cradle of the American
Revolution: the historic City of Boston. There will be over 200 activities!
In general It's wheelchair accessible. Dates: July 1-6, 2008 Place:
City Hall Plaza
Contact: Kevin Shea (617) 227-1528
Note: Request ASL interpreter 2 weeks prior to the event.
Whaling City Festival.
- Free..--The 39th annual Whaling City Festival takes place July 11-13
at Veterans' Memorial Buttonwood Park in the historic whaling town of
New Bedford, Massachusetts. Events include rides, a craft show and flea
market, international food vendors, six stages with continuous entertainment
and a car, truck and motorcycle show on Sunday. For more information,
call 508-996-3348.
Blackstone River Theatre is one of the features of the Blackstone River
Tourism. They are located at 549
Broad Street, Cumberland, RI 02864
TEL (401) 725-9272
The Lowell Folk Festival,
is the largest free traditional folk festival in the nation held from
July 25-27. The festival is held throughout downtown, Lowell, Massachusetts
and all venues are accessible. The festival is designed to allow visitors
to stay at a stage while numerous performers rotate between stages.
American Sign language ASL services are provided at the Boarding House
Park stage and the Dutton Street Dance Pavilion. Accessible restrooms
are available throughout the festival. Public transportation is provided
by the MBTA as well as the LRTA. Please note that terrain in the city
of Lowell is that of all
northeast urban areas. Areas of uneven pavement do exist. All visitors
are asked to use caution traversing the festival.
Salem CultureFest
--Free
This event features live bands who showcase many cultures and styles,
as well as other performers (storytellers, martial artists, dancers,
and more) who entertain you while you enjoy exploring the unique arts,
crafts, and wares of our areas finest artists and crafters. Everyone
is welcome to attend this fun family-friendly event!
Dates: July 26 and 27, 2008
Time: 10am-8pm on Saturday, 10am-6pm on Sunday
Place: 20 Washington Square West
Salem, MA 01970
Contact: Deborah Scaduto (978) 922-1220
This event is largely wheelchair accessible. This in an outdoor and
indoor event.
For more information and directions, visit www.a3dinc.org
North Shore Music Theatre
in Beverly, Mass will offer
"Bye Bye Birdie" this summer and "42nd Street" in
November.
ASL-interpreted shows will be on Saturday, August 2 ("Bye Bye Birdie")
and November 15, 2:00 PM ("42nd Street'). The theatre is wheelchair
friendly. There is one companion seat with each person in a wheelchair
and with each person using ASL. People using wheelchairs, should notify
the box office before they come. Contact Maureen Boudrow (MoBoudrow@aol.com
for ASL questions. For all other business call 978-232-7200. Place at
62 Dunham Road, Beverly, MA 01915. www.nsmt.org Tickets: $30:00 each.
Artstreet is presenting:
Arts at the Frog Pond in Boston Common. -- Free
Families and everyone else, especially people with disabilities are
invited to the Frog Pond in the Boston Common to create chalk drawings,
butterfly puppets, masks and more. Sidewalk Sam will participate with
you for two sessions. The Frog Pond is totally wheelchair accessible.
Place: Frog Pond in the Boston Common. Date: Saturdays, July 12 to August
23. Time: From 11:00Am to 1:00 PM. Contact www:Artstreet@aol.com or
617-244-3171
Annual Rockport Acoustical
Musical Fest -- Free
Acoustic, rock, folk, world, blues, Celtic, bluegrass, world vibe, and
more!
Date: August 10, 2008
Time: Noon-6pm
Place: Millbrook Meadow (at Front Beach), Rockport, MA, 01966
Contact: David Cutler (617) 331-7852 www.rockportfestival.com/
This event is outside and largely wheelchair accessible. Commuter train
goes to
Rockport.
You Dance Friday in Boston
June 24, 2008 to August 22, 2008
Location: Institute of Contemporary Art, #100 Northern Avenue. Time:
6-8:30PM p.m. Cost: Free with museum admission ($12.00). Information:
617-478-3100 or visit www.icaboston.org.
You Dance Friday has four new dance styles to try. Programs begin at
6 p.m. with an hour of instruction followed by the live music until
8:30 pm to let you put your new moves to the test. Dates are: August
1 - Swing with music by Russ Gershon's Swing Vote featuring musicians
from the Either/Orchestra. August 8 - Samba with music by Brasilis and
dance instruction by André Carvalho and Rosangela Santiago. August
15 - Tap Tap Tap with music by the Revolutionary Snake Ensemble and
dance instruction by Sean Fielder. August 22 - Bellydance with music
by Musaner and dance instruction by Johara (Men are welcome).
Shakespeare's As You Like
It -Free
The Commonwealth Shakespeare Company presents three weeks of delightful
comedy in the Boston Common. Come and picnic or bring a blanket to sit
on. Get there early for good seats. You can rent camping chairs.
Dates: July 18 - August 8, 2008
Time: at dusk
Place: Boston Common
Contact: info@citicenter.info or (617) 482-9393 or visit www.citicenter.org/
Department of Recreation and Conservation Fair (DCR)--Free
Date September 27, there will be a Fair at
Place: Artesani Park, 1175 Soldiers Field Road in Boston,
Time: 10AM to 3:00PM where you can sample accessible equipment, play
games and learn about many recreational opportunities.
Summer Department of Conservation
and Recreation (DCR) Mostly free or very low cost. The Massachusetts
state park system is implementing a universal access plan in the state
parks all over Massachusetts. That means accessible (and free or very
low cost) sailing, canoeing, kayaking, hiking, cycling in various parks
all over Massachusetts and even in Boston. Contact Gigi Ranno at 617-626-1294
and check out www.mass.gov/dcr.
Outdoor Explorations
(OE) in Massachusetts offers inclusive outdoor explorations from June
thru September and year round for individuals and families with and
without disabilities. Programs usually include 8 to 15 people from the
community of all ability levels, plus trained volunteers and experienced
staff.
Contact: 781.395.4999 or TTY: 781.395.4184. or visit their website at
www.outdoorexplorations.org. The trips cost from $55 and up. Scholarships
are available!
Free Films at Boston's
Hatch Shell: -- Free
A Boston tradition, each summer people flock to the Hatch Shell on Friday
evenings to watch a free showing of a popular film under the stars.
Screenings feature a family friendly mix of newer and older films, such
as Wallace & Gromit: Curse of the Wererabbit, Ghostbusters, and
Grease. A different film shows, rain or shine, at sunset. Contact: Info
is on the WBZ website. Contact WBZ Free Friday Flicks Hotline for weekly
movie information: (617) 787-7200. Place: Hatch Shell, Charles River
Esplanade along Storrow Drive, Boston. Take Green Line to Arlington
St. stop; Red Line to MGH.
Date & Time: Sunset (around 8 pm), Fridays, June 22 through August
31, 2007.
Unicorn Theatre at the Berkshire Theatre Festival - It's the Berkshire
Theatre Festival's 80th year, and in addition to the Main Stage performances
(which are expensive), the Unicorn Theatre at this Stockbridge, Massachusetts,
venue will be home to six different plays this summer including Samuel
Beckett's tragicomedy, Waiting for Godot. The theatre is fully wheelchair
accessible; call for dates of ASL-interpreted performances. For tickets
and more information, call 413-298-5576. Price: Unicorn Theatre tix
are about $40 and there are two children's shows that cost $10 or $15--Around
the World in 80 Days and Oliver! www.berkshiretheatre.org
Historic Deerfield-- Insect
Investigations
July 5, 2008 to August 17, 2008
Put away your fly swatter and come learn about the many contributions
of insects to the lives of early Americans. Some of the tiniest insects
play some very big roles: for example, we wouldn't have chocolate without
the tiny midge insects that pollinate the flowers of the cacao tree.
Visitors can search for the good works of insects in Deerfield's historic
houses and galleries, using a printed guide. Many buildings at Historic
Deerfield are wheelchair accessible. There is an accessible bathroom.
There is a large print guide for the visually impaired. Location: Historic
Deerfield, 80 Old Main Street. Time: Daily,. Cost: ($14 adults and $5
children). Information: 413-775-7175 or visit www.historic-deerfield.org.
The Arnold Arboretum --
Free
Garden Tours - Boston Now through August 30, 2008
From flowers and fragrance to fruits and textures, the Arnold Arboretum
is a dynamic landscape throughout the year. Starting April 12, explore
the collections on a free docent-guided tour and see the Arboretum from
a new perspective. Tours are geared toward the general adult visitor
and include Arboretum history and topics of seasonal interest. All tours
begin in front of the Hunnewell Building Visitor Center and last approximately
60-90 minutes. Location: Arnold Arboretum, 125 Arborway. Information:
617-524-1718. The pathways are wheelchair accessible. People with a
Handicap plate or placard can drive up during a weekday and get a pass
to drive along the paved walkways. www.arboretum.harvard.edu
DinoTracks Exhibit
EcoTarium -- Worcester
Now through November 2, 2008
The EcoTarium, a museum of science and nature, invites visitors to experience
the study of dinosaur fossils firsthand in its new hands-on exhibit,
DinoTracks. DinoTracks engages adults and kids alike in a fun-filled
exploration of the fossils found right under our feet, how these footprints
came to be, what they tell us and how scientists began to study them.
The exhibit engages visitors of all ages in trying out hands-on scientific
study methods and getting down on the ground to put their new skills
to work. Location: EcoTarium, 222 Harrington Way.. Information: 508-929-2700
or visit http://www.ecotarium.org. $10.00 or less.
Wheelchair accessible.
Sterling and Francine
Clark Art Institute -- Williamstown
Now through August 17, 2008
.Location: Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, 225 South Street.
Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (daily in July and
August). Admission: is $12.50 for adults, free for children 18 and younger
and students with valid ID. Information: 413-458-2303 or visit www.clarkart.edu
It is wheelchair accessible and they have audio description guides.
During the first decades of the 20th century, photographers in Europe
and America were engaged in a heated debate over the status of photography.
A group united to assert their belief that photography should be considered
an art form. Representing this notion, Pictorial Vision: American and
European Photography features 15 photographs dating from the 1880s to
the 1920s.
The Tweeter Center for
the Performing Arts in Mansfield, MA
Various Rock bands all summer long!
Location: Tweeter Center for the Performing Arts, 885 South Main Street,
Mansfield. Information: 508-339-2333 or visit www.Tweetercenter.com
The Tweeter Center offers seating and accommodations for Guests with
Disabilities and well as parking. Tickets accessible to guests who use
a wheelchair are available through Ticketmaster. For guests with visual
or mobility impairment, please call (508) 339-2331 to buy tickets. Call
TTY 1-800-943-4327. For ASL interpretation, call 508-339-2331. Tickets
range from about $10 to $40 for lawn tickets to $65--$225 for seat tickets
depending on the band.
June: Dave Matthews Band with Michael Franti & Spearhead, June 25;
Pearl Jam with Ted Leo & the Pharmacists, June 28 and June 30.
July: John Mayer with Brett Dennen, July 12; Projekt Revolution Tour
featuring Linkin Park, Chris Cornell, The Bravery, Ashes Divide, July
16; 311 with special guest Snoop Dogg and Fiction Plane, July 18; Steve
Miller Band with special guest Joe Cocker, July 19; Vans Warped Tour,
July 23; Sheryl Crow with James Blunt and Toots & The Maytals, July
30; The Police with special guest Elvis Costello & The Imposters,
July 31.
August: Maroon 5 with Counting Crows with special guest Sara Bareilles,
August 2; Boston and Styx, August 3; Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival,
August 5; Jack Johnson with special guests Rogue Wave and Neil Halstead,
August 6; Jonas Brothers: The Burning Up Tour, August 7; O.A.R. with
Ozomatli, August 8; Radiohead with Grizzly Bear, August 13; Rod Stewart,
August 15; The Allman Brothers Band / Bob Weir & RatDog, August
16; Journey with Heart and Cheap Trick, August 19; Crüe Fest featuring
Mötley Crüe, Buckcherry, Papa Roach, Sixx:A.M. & Trapt,
August 22. September: Jimmy Buffett & The Coral Reefer Band, September
4 and 6.
