Five Reasons to Leave the House This Weekend

Bastille Day Party photo courtesy of Charlotte Cutter

Culture
Bastille Day Party 2014

In honor of French Independence Day, the French Cultural Center will throw its 39th annual Bastille Day Party on Friday. Bastille Day commemorates the 1789 storming of Paris’ Bastille prison, an act that kickstarted the French Revolution and showcased the French people’s defiance of the monarchy. The party will star two Francophone musical groups: H’Sao, a Chadian, Montreal-based quartet, and Joe Driscoll & Sekou Kouyate, a duo that melds hip-hop with funk, rock, reggae, and African rhythms. Food from Boston’s French restaurants, including Petit Robert Bistro and La Voile, will be available for sale as well as drinks with or without alcohol. And if this one event isn’t enough, check out more Bastille Day events.

$28 in advance, $35 at the door general admission, Friday, July 11, 6-11 p.m., Marlborough St. (between Berkeley and Clarendon), Boston, 617-912-0400, frenchculturalcenter.org.

Music
Peter Frampton and The Doobie Brothers

Guitar legend and singer-songwriter Peter Frampton has had an illustrious musical career, both in bands (he formed the band Humble Pie in 1969) and solo—his album Frampton Comes Alive! was the best selling of 1976. Frampton is coming to the Bank of America Pavilion on Friday and will perform with Grammy-winning rock band The Doobie Brothers.

$59+, Friday, July 11, 7 p.m., Blue Hills Bank Pavilion, 290 Northern Ave., Boston, boston-theater.com.

Family-Friendly
WGBH FunFest

Families are invited to the WGBH studios in Brighton for unlimited ice cream samples, family-friendly musical performances, and photo ops with popular PBS characters, including Arthur, Clifford, and Curious George. Attendees will have the opportunity to jump in Moon Bounces, visit face-painting stations, and sample offerings from food trucks. This is the FunFest’s third year at WGBH’s new Brighton location, although it has been a studio tradition for many more years, says Jennifer Hartin, event coordinator with the WGBH Educational Foundation. “What people really remember about the festival is being able to come with their family and spend an entire day with them outside,” she says. “What the parents love the most is seeing how excited their kids get when they’re meeting these PBS characters [and] dancing to the music.”

$10 general admission, Saturday, July 12, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., One Guest St., Boston, wgbh.org.

Health
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Health Promotion and Injury Prevention Fair

Spaulding is one of few hospitals in the nation to have been designated a model system site in all three available areas: Brain Injury, Burn, and Spinal Cord Injury. “The model system’s purpose is to be a center of excellence for both clinical work and research, as well as [in the] areas of prevention and outreach,” says Dr. Jeffrey Schneider, medical director of burn and trauma rehabilitation at Spaulding. Hence, the Health Promotion and Injury Prevention Fair. In addition to screenings and presentations, there will be plenty of kids’ activities including face painting, live music, and a visit from Sparky the Fire Dog. Children are encouraged to bring a stuffed friend to the Spaulding Teddy Bear Clinic, where they will learn how to perform basic first aid on their teddy bears.

Free, Saturday, July 12, 1 p.m.-4 p.m., Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, 300 First Ave., Charlestown, summeronthewaterfront.org.

21+
Art & Science of Beer

Calling all craft beer connoisseurs: Gique.me is holding an event at Harpoon Brewery to explore the history, chemistry, and art behind the brewing process. The varied subjects of the talks highlight the site’s goal of “[getting] people in the Boston area and beyond excited about following their passions with the confluence of art and science,” says founder and MIT alum Danielle Olson. Harpoon will provide samples and will give a talk on its brew deck. One of the night’s speakers is a home brewer who will talk about the process of making your own beer, and attendees will also hear a talk on the graphic design of craft beer bottles. “We’re going to facilitate a lot of discussion between the members of the crowd,” Olson says, “to hopefully get like-minded individuals to connect and meet new friends.” If Friday’s event sells out, never fear: Gique.me is hosting a repeat event at Harpoon on August 22.

$20, Friday, July 11, 7 p.m.-8:30p.m., Harpoon Brewery, 306 Northern Ave., Boston, gique.me. Reservations and government-issued photo ID required,