Five Reasons to Leave the House This Weekend
Boston Seafood Festival / Courtesy photo
FOOD
Boston Seafood Festival
At this year’s Boston Seafood Festival, you can sample all kinds of foods from under the sea, watch chef demos by Jose Duarte (Taranta) and Rodney Murillo (Davio’s), bask in the Harpoon beer garden, and even compete in oyster-shucking contest “Battle of the Shuckers.” “It’s a celebration of identity: past, present, and future,” says Richard Stavis, a board member of the Boston Fisheries Foundation. “The entire U.S. seafood industry all grew out of the cod trade that started in Boston and New England. We have an incredible heritage and legacy…and realized we never really took a step back to celebrate who we are, how we got here, and what’s so incredibly special about Boston and New England.” The opening ceremony will also feature performances by Gund Kwok (the only lion and dance dragon Troupe for Asian women in the U.S.), Boston’s own Snap Boogie (an America’s Got Talent alum), and several other street performers.
$12, Sunday, August 2, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Boston Fish Pier, 212 Northern Ave., Boston, bostonseafoodfestival.org.
WEIRD SPORTS
Wipeout Run Boston
Ever dreamed of being a contestant on ABC’s Wipeout? Now’s your chance to prove yourself—or at least have fun competing against friends in this 5K and giant obstacle course, featuring 12 challenging and strenuous obstacles. Run across the course’s “Big Balls,” swing your way through the monkey bars, dodge your way past Wipeout’s infamous wrecking balls, and finish with flair by sliding down the “world’s largest inflatable water slide,” standing at four stories high.
$69-79, Saturday, August 1, 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Gillette Stadium, 1 Patriot Place, Foxborough, wipeoutrun.com/boston.
FESTIVAL
Salem Maritime Festival
Celebrate four centuries of Salem’s rich seafaring history at the Salem Maritime Festival, featuring live music, kids’ activities, scavenger hunts, traditional craft demonstrations, model shipbuilding, and more. This weekend, take advantage of opportunities for free harbor cruises and the chance to sail, paddle, or row your way down Salem Harbor. All visitors can enter the drawing to win a 90-minute harbor cruise on a ship of their choice, including the Schooner Fame (a replica of a vessel from the War of 1812), and a U.S. Coast Guard patrol boat.
Free, Saturday, August 1, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Salem Maritime National Historic Site, 160 Derby St., Salem, nps.gov.
COMEDY
Judah Friedlander at Laugh Boston
Comedian Judah Friedlander, known for his role as Frank Rossitano on NBC’s hit comedy 30 Rock, performs his stand-up routine at Laugh Boston this weekend. The scruffy comedian will also be making an appearance at Boston Comic Con on Friday and Saturday. Friedlander describes himself as a standup comic first and an actor second. And there’s nothing routine about his standup: Every show is different, with new jokes improvised on the spot as he interacts with the audience. Afterward his show, there’s a free meet-and-greet, so you can snap a pic with the “World Champion” himself.
$25-$30, Thursday, July 30-Saturday, August 1, Laugh Boston, 425 Summer St., Boston, 617-725-2844, laughboston.com.
MUSIC
Newport Jazz Festival
Indulge your ears with performances by more than 40 established and up-and-coming jazz artists, including Dr. John, Snarky Puppy, and Jon Batiste and Stay Human. This year’s festival also celebrates the 60th anniversary of jazz legend Miles Davis’s debut in Newport decades ago—throughout the weekend, festival founder George Wein, former bandmates, journalists, and arts critics will give talks about Davis and his impact on the genre.
$40+, Friday, July 31-Sunday, August 2, 11:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Fort Adams State Park, 84 Fort Adams Drive, Newport, newportjazzfest.org.
