There are tons of annual events to check out in Boston and its surrounding areas, including everything from parades of Irish people (and the rest pretending) to film festivals and live music. It’s a place where you can grab a calendar, pick a week, and you’ll be likely to find something exciting going on, regardless of whom you bring along with you. Just be prepared though; Bostonians have been known to get rowdy – Really, really rowdy. So let’s start off with those of you who like to keep your cars right side up.
All throughout the Boston area, there are loads of film festivals to be found. From the Museum of Fine Arts near Fenway to Coolidge Corner in Brookline, you’re sure to find something that matches your appetite. These film festivals also range in genre and style (such as animation), so you can check out the Jewish Film Festival (which is actually going on in Brookline as I write this), the Irish Film Festival, or simply the headlining Boston Film Festival in October. There really are too many to put down here (many international in scope), so just check out the list at http://www.massvacation.com/explore/arts/film-festivals/.
Being a sports fan, it wouldn’t feel right not mentioning the extremely exciting sporting events that go on here. Boston is known as a true sports town, and that is not by accident. If you’re looking for the bigger and more expensive games, wait for the playoffs of literally any local team (yes, that includes lacrosse) and look for tickets online. Even if you’re not a huge fan of our teams, you will never forget your time at Fenway Park. For the faint of heart, there’s also the wildly popular Head of the Charles race that goes on in the Charles River in mid-October, where you can hand your beer in for a coffee and don’t have to worry about fireworks or broken windshields.
The parades–boy oh boy, the parades. Having an absolutely massive population of Irish-Americans and people of Irish decent in Boston means we do the St. Patrick’s Parade like no one else. Careful though, this one will definitely have loud, excited, happy inebriated people aimlessly causing a ruckus. If you can handle the crowd, it’s definitely worth checking out. Also exciting are the Boston Oktoberfests that go on in the area, some hosted by local Breweries like Samuel Adams or Harpoon – theirs is called “Harpoonfest”. There’s an Oktoberfest at Harvard Square in Cambridge where all of the streets are shut down and filled with delicious barbecue, arts & crafts, and competing live music.
Sadly, one of the biggest annual events in Boston took a blow this past year at the Boston Marathon. It certainly took its toll on people here, but if I know anything about Bostonians, it’s that they’re resilient and hate to lose. Without a doubt, the next Boston Marathon, which finishes on Boylston St. in Copley Square will be the loudest and most exciting yet. So the, next time you’re thinking about heading out to Boston check your calendar and plan ahead; you won’t regret it.
