Five Reasons to Leave the House This Weekend
Michael Christmas photo provided
MUSIC
BEAN Festival at Lawn on D
On Saturday, 15 artists from nearly every neighborhood in the Boston area, including Roxbury rapper Michael Christmas and Hyde Park DJ Brek.One, will take over the Lawn on D for BEAN, Boston’s Entertainment & Arts Nirvana. The new music and arts festival aims to showcase the diversity of local talent. In addition to live tunes, the event will feature children’s activities and “Universal Set,” an interactive sculpture from the New American Public Art collective that invites the public to create colorful overlaps on its surface, encouraging a sense of connection.
Free, Saturday, August 22, noon-10 p.m., rain date: Sunday, August 23, Lawn on D, 420 D St., lawnond.com.
GO GREEN
Boston GreenFest
The eighth rendition of the region’s largest environmental celebration sets up at City Hall Plaza this weekend. This year’s theme is “Take a Step,” encouraging festival-goers to take advantage of the sustainable services and products that will be exhibited at the event. There will be live entertainment, with a lineup of musical and dance performers scheduled every day, as well as food and drink offerings, film screenings, and test drives in hybrid and electric vehicles.
Free, Friday, August 21, and Saturday, August 22, noon-10 p.m., Sunday, August 23, noon-6 p.m., City Hall Plaza, bostongreenfest.org.
CHINATOWN
Shojo Anniversary Block Party
Popular Chinatown hangout Shojo has now been around for three years, and to celebrate, the restaurant is hosting a block party with food from Stoked Pizza, live entertainment, and giveaways. Local breakdancing group Floorlords will host a children’s class, as well as two competitions with cash prizes, a fashion truck will offer Shojo anniversary apparel, and Kung Fu Video will stream both classic and new martial arts videos. Additionally, the restaurant will unveil a new mural by Alec Strickland, following its annual tradition of repainting the interior to reflect Shojo’s evolution.
Free, Sunday, August 23, 1 p.m., Chinatown Gate at intersection of Beach Street and Surface Road, facebook.com.
ROWING
Red Bull High Stakes
The Head of the Charles is still two months away, but another regatta is taking to the Charles River this weekend. Following a non-traditional format, the Red Bull High Stakes sends 16 teams of 15 athletes—rowing a single, double, four-man, and eight-man boats—on a relay race around a 180-degree stake turn in the river. All four boats on each team must navigate around the stake turn and cross the finish line, one at a time, and the team with the lowest overall time will advance through the bracket to win the competition. Spectators are welcome to follow the race from the banks of the Charles.
Free, Saturday, August 22, athlete check-in at 10 a.m., races at 1-6 p.m., headquarters at Riverside Boat Club, 769 Memorial Dr., Cambridge, spectator area along the course at DCR Magazine Beach Park, redbull.com.
BEYOND BOSTON
Folk Art Festival at Worcester Art Museum
As if a month of free admission wasn’t enough, the Worcester Art Museum is hosting a free Folk Art Festival on its grounds this Saturday. Browse through an arts and crafts market, have your family heirlooms or flea market finds appraised by a local antiques expert (for a fee), and watch demonstrations by craftspeople from the Old Sturbridge Village, who will show off 19th-century techniques in the courtyard. Bring the whole family along for a getaway from the city—tours, art-making workshops, and storytelling will be offered throughout the day.
Free, Saturday, August 22, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Worcester Art Museum, 55 Salisbury St., Worcester, worcesterart.org.
