Five Reasons to Leave the House This Labor Day Weekend

St. Anthony’s Feast Photo by LesLee on Flickr

Arts
Boston Arts (Ahts) Festival and Harbor Fireworks

It’s baaack. For years, the annual Boston “Ahts”—say it with me, Ahhh-ts—Festival has brought visual and live entertainment together for an end-of-summer party that shows off Boston’s diverse and creative arts scene. Artists showcase their works including paintings, sculptures, ceramics, and more, while stage performances range from pop singers to folk musicians to dancing and poetry. At night, find a prime vantage to watch the recently renewed Labor Day weekend fireworks on the Harbor.

Arts Festival: Free, Saturday, August 30, and Sunday, August 31, 12-6 p.m., Christopher Columbus Park, Boston, celebrateboston.com.

Harbor Fireworks: Free, Saturday, August 30, 9 p.m., summeronthewaterfront.org.

Festival
St. Anthony’s Feast

Of all the North End feasts, St. Anthony’s is the one crowds flock to. The 95th annual edition of the “Feast of All Feasts” will take over the North End this weekend, so expect the area to be flooded with revelers celebrating along with parades, live performances, and oh yes, delicious Italian food from 100 pushcarts. The party begins Friday evening and lasts through Sunday. On Monday, come back for the 93rd annual festival celebrating Santa Lucia.

Free, Friday-Sunday, August 29-31, various times, on Endicott, Thacher, and North Margin Streets in the North End, Boston, stanthonysfeast.com.

Beer
Mass Brewers Fest

Now in its fifth year, the Mass Brewers Fest gather together more than 30 members of the Massachusetts Brewers Guild, who bring more than 100 different beers to the event at the Seaport World Trade Center. Beer enthusiasts in attendance will likely want to try everything, but not to be missed is the special Mass Brewers Guild collaboration beer. The limited-release creation is a single-malt pale ale made from all local ingredients.

$40 tickets include beer samples, Friday, August 29, 6-9:30 p.m., Seaport World Trade Center, 200 Seaport Blvd., Boston, massbrewersguild.org.

Museum
Frank Hatch Free Day at the Gardner

For more than 10 years, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum has hosted Frank Hatch Free Day in honor of the late museum trustee. Visit the Gardner on Monday to save on the usual admission fee and see Carla Fernandez’s Barefoot Designer, along with Mrs. Gardner’s already impressive permanent collection of art and furniture. Frank Hatch Free Day used to be on New Year’s Day, but was moved to Labor Day last year so that visitors could enjoy the beautiful flora in the courtyard.

Free, Monday, September 1, timed entries 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, 25 Evans Way, Boston, 617-566-1401, gardnermuseum.org.

Music
The Lawn on D

You can go to the new recreational area Lawn on D anytime during its 18-month experimental phase to hang out in the cool new space next to the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, but check the website for details on when program events will happen. On Saturday, for instance, you can watch, and then join, Medicine Wheel for a big dance party. Boston Music Award winner Will Dailey will perform on Thursday, and indie folk band Covey will entertain audiences on Friday.

Free, various times, Lawn on D, 420 D St., Boston, lawnond.com.