Five Reasons to Leave the House This Weekend

PHOTO VIA JONPETITT/FLICKR

Festival
Fisherman’s Feast

Tonight, for the 103rd time, the statue of the Madonna del Soccorso will leave her permanent chapel on Lewis Street to be carried throughout the narrow streets of Boston’s North End as part of the Fisherman’s Feast, based on a tradition dating back to 16th-century Sicily. This year, the procession will not only serve to bless the fishing waters of the harbor, but will also be dedicated to the victims of the marathon bombing. As always, the festival will include Italian cuisine from local restaurants and bakeries, performances, and other fun activities. On Sunday, be sure not to miss out on the famous Flight of the Angel, when a young girl dressed as an angel will fly out of a third story window and pray to the Madonna as she returns to North Street for the finale.

Free, Thursday, August 15, to Sunday, August 18, the North End on North, Fleet, and Lewis Streets, fishermansfeast.com

Food
Boston Restaurant Week

Foodies and bargain hunters alike—ready, set, go! Always dreamed of the sushi at Haru, the signature crab cakes at Legal Sea Foods, roasted bluefish at No. 9 Park, or pan roasted sirloin at Mistral, but couldn’t bear to spend a small fortune on it? Now is your chance. Once again, hundreds of participating local restaurants are offering incredibly affordable prix fixe meals as part of Boston Restaurant Week. So mark your calendar and choose a place. Or two. Or three. At these prices, you might as well, right?

$15.13 for two-course lunch, $20.13 for three-course lunch, $38.13 for three-course dinner, Sunday, August 18, to Friday, August 23 and Sunday, August 25, to Friday, August 30, various locations, restaurantweekboston.com

Film
Massachusetts Independent Film Festival

The 3rd Annual Massachusetts Independent Film Festival kicked off yesterday at the Somerville Theater, but you can still catch 20 more short films and feature films to celebrate local and international independent cinema this Friday and Saturday at the Brattle Theatre in Harvard Square. Choose among special blocks—including Asian Cinema, Women in Horror, and New England Film—or spend an entire day or two glued to the screen for all the selections. And don’t miss out on the festival after-party at Park Restaurant and, if you’re into it, a special screening of Rob Zombie’s horror flick The Lords of Salem—at midnight, of course, for maximum frights.

$10 for one block, $33 for Friday pass, $17 for Saturday pass, $65 for full pass, $9.75 for special screening of Lords of Salem (not included with any passes), Friday, August 16, and Saturday, August 17, Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle Street, Cambridge, massiff.org

Festival
Boston GreenFest

This weekend, the entire city is going green. Head over to City Hall Plaza for GreenFest, the region’s largest multicultural environmental festival. It all begins on Thursday with a Kick-Off Concert featuring a Native American drum and dance ceremony, New England Music EcoAward 2013 winners Freevolt, and from America’s Best Dance Crew, Phunk Phenomenon and Lil’ Phunk. Other attractions throughout the weekend include BostonGreenFilmFest viewings, an EcoFashionShoppe, an EcoBazaar, displays of EcoSculpture, and more. On Thursday, keep your eyes peeled for go-cart racers around town taking part in the One Gallon Challenge, and Cool Globes that will be set up in Boston Common and throughout the city.

Free, Thursday, August 15, to Saturday, August 17, City Hall Plaza, bostongreenfest.org

21+
Fourth Annual Brew at the Zoo

There’s been a few beer fests in town this summer, but this one stands out for a reason—it doesn’t take place in a good ol’ convention center. This Saturday, beer enthusiasts can enjoy a nice, cold brew at the Franklin Park Zoo. Nearly 30 local breweries, including Harpoon, Blue Hills, Clown Shoes Beer, Narragansett, and more will showcase their finest, while more than a dozen restaurants, including Ole Mexican Grill, Maggiano’s Little Italy, and Upper Crust Pizzeria, will take care of your munchies. In addition, there will be a photo booth, entertainment by Boston-based singer-songwriter Andrew Geano, DJ BK, and MAGIC 106.7, and—of course—an opportunity to visit residents of the zoo’s Tropical Forest Pavilion and Aussie Aviary.

$50 in advance, $60 at the door, Saturday, August 17, 5-9 p.m., Franklin Park Zoo, 1 Franklin Park Road, zoonewengland.org