Summer Arts at BU & in Boston
Your BU Student ID gets you free access, even over the summer, to the Museum of Fine Arts, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, the Harvard Art Museums and the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA/Boston).
BU Faculty & Staff always receive free admission to the Museum of Fine Arts and the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA/Boston) with their BU ID and can reserve passes to the other museums by emailing us at artsinbu@bu.edu.
Have a free arts event that you want included? Email us at artsinbu@bu.edu.
Jump to: June | July | August | September
ON-GOING
Berklee Summer in the City: May – September
Berklee’s Summer in the City Concert Series presents more than 400 free performances in Boston area
Cityside Comedy: Free Shows on Mondays
EVERY Monday at 8:30pm CitySide Comedy takes place at Cityside Bar (1960 Beacon St. Brighton, MA). bringing you the absolute best stand up comics working today. With hilarious headliners, and frequent surprise guest comics, CitySide Comedy Club is the best spot. 21+
Highland Street Free Fun Fridays
Our Free Fun Fridays offer visitors no-cost admission to many of the most treasured cultural venues in Massachusetts. This program was created to increase access and enrichment opportunities for children and families throughout Massachusetts during the summer months. Every Friday, from the end of June through the end of August, multiple sites are open for free. We reach out to schools, veterans groups, libraries, seniors centers, and many other community organizations to ensure that everyone knows that they are also welcome.
Summer Concerts at Chin Park on the Rose Kennedy Greenway: May 30, June 27, July 25, August 29
The Berklee Greenway Concert Series takes place every last Thursday evening of the month from May to August. Pack a picnic and join them for a free musical performance in the park with family and friends.
Sunset Cinema: June 20, July 12, August 9, September 13
Free monthly film series screened on the MFA’s Huntington Avenue lawn.
Boston Landmarks Orchestra: July 10 – August 21
A series of free concerts at the Hatch Memorial Shell, celebrating the 90th anniversary of this annual tradition. Concerts will be held every Wednesday at 7 p.m. The 2019 season celebrates great orchestral literature, innovation and creativity in our city, and the diverse talents of our many collaborators.
Shakespeare on the Common: July 17 – August 5
Performances are free and open to the public throughout July and August. Tuesday-Saturday at 8pm and Sundays at 7pm.
Free Sunday Docent Tour
Beginning on Sunday, February 24, the McMullen Museum will offer free docent tours of Eaglemania: Collecting Japanese Art in Gilded Age America and Cuenca: City of Spanish Abstraction every Sunday from 2:00 to 3:00 pm. No prior registration is required.
Exhibition: “Cuenca: City of Spanish Abstraction”: Now – June 2
Displaying works on paper by fourteen leading Spanish abstract artists, Cuenca: City of Spanish Abstraction examines many of the first artists associated with the now renowned Museo de Arte Abstracto Español.
“Can She Do It?” Massachusetts Debates a Woman’s Right to Vote: Now – September 21
Featuring colorful political cartoons, engaging campaign materials, and visual propaganda from the collection of the MHS (Mass. Historical Society), the exhibition illustrates the passion of those who argued for and against women’s suffrage.
Community Karaoke Nights: Now – August 29
Take the mic, push your friends to the stage front, and belt out some old favorites or catchy new songs with your neighbors!
2019 Downtown Boston Arts Market: Now – September 27
Browse, shop, and enjoy Downtown Crossing where numerous local vendors will be showcasing artisan products such as jewelry, woodcarvings, metal sculptures, clothing and more throughout the these months! Enjoy the weather and peruse unique artisan goods in our open market setting. Be sure to keep an eye out for those vibrant tents on Summer Street every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 11AM to 6:30PM.
Drawing in the Galleries: Every Wednesday 6-9pm
Drop in and sketch from live clothed models and from objects in our galleries. All ranges of drawing experience are welcome, whether you’re picking up a sketchbook for the first time or familiar with drawing techniques.
JUNE
MIT List Visual Arts Center
Throughout the month of June the MIT List Visual Arts Center puts on various events giving you access to the arts.
River Festival: Saturday, June 1 at 11am-6pm
Cambridge Arts will welcome tens of thousands of festival goers to the heart of Cambridge for an exuberant celebration of the arts. The festival will feature staged and roving performances, hands-on art-making, a Climate Action Extravaganza, a Mermaid Promenade, and more than a hundred artists and food vendors with work for sale.
Beacon Hill Art Walk: Sunday, June 2 from 12 – 6PM
See local artists throughout the hidden nooks & crannies of Beacon Hill’s North Slope on a free, self-guided walking tour. Residents open up their private gardens, alleyways, and courtyards and allow artists to display and sell their artwork.
25th Annual BPS Youth Arts Festival: June 4-6 at 10am-1pm
Join BPS as over 900 student performers take over Boston Common! Presented in collaboration with the Boston Parks Department, the annual three-day event presents music, dance and theatre ensembles at the Parkman Bandstand. All are welcome to cheer on our city’s talented youth in our most famous park.
Unspooled: June 5 – 30
Fountain Street Gallery will present “Unspooled,” an exhibit of paintings and fiber art by Joel Moskowitz and Sylvia Vander Sluis.
Salem Arts Festival: Friday, June 7 to Sunday, June 9
The Salem arts festival is a three day family friendly festival right at the heart of Salem. Join them for an arts festival like no other featuring dance, performance, bands, murals, street fair artisans, galleries, and more!
Boston Pride Parade: Saturday, June 8 at 12 -3PM
Celebrate Pride in Boston with a parade starting at Copley Square and ending at Boston City Hall Plaza. Happens rain or shine!
Brookline Porchfest 2019: Saturday, June 8 from 12 – 7PM
This year’s Brookline Porchfest features dozens of local performers celebrating music & community throughout the town. Music genres include blues bands, rock bands, jazz groups, vocal choirs, an 8-piece klezmer band, a flamenco dancer, a 60 piece choir, singer/songwriters, heavy rock musicians, and an ukulele sing-a-long.
Dance for World Community Festival: Saturday, June 8 from 12 – 7PM
A free, daylong, indoor/outdoor event in Harvard Square featuring dance performances of all kinds on five stages, introductory dance classes in a wide variety of dance forms and booths hosted by local advocacy non-profits. The Festival is set to feature over 80 performance groups, 25 class instructors, 30 advocacy groups and will draw a crowd of more than 20,000 attendees.
Brookline Arts Center: Summer Open House: Sunday, June 9 from 1- 3PM
Join us for a wonderful summer-inspired afternoon filled with artwork, activities and fun for all ages!
Fenway Porchfest 2019: Saturday, June 15 from 12 – 4PM
Porchfest is coming back to the Fenway! Fenway Porchfest is a free community music festival organized by the Fenway Alliance, Fenway Civic Association, and the Fenway CDC. Join them on June 15th for music all over the neighborhood, porches optional!
Summer Solstice Celebration 2019: Friday, June 21 from 5-9PM
On the longest day of the year, explore the world and have fun at the Harvard Museums of Science & Culture‘s Summer Solstice Celebration. Start off with a visit to their new and permanent exhibitions, then step outdoors for a host of fun activities.
Summer Solstice with Saul Melman: Friday, June 21 from 6-8PM
Celebrate the longest day of the year and enjoy one of the newest additions to the Sculpture Park, Saul Melman’s Best of All Possible Worlds. In this work, a series of translucent casts of doors delineate the floor plan of an absent apartment and capture the changing daylight. Join the artist for a conversation about his sculpture as the sun sets and activates the installation.
Celebration of Summer VI: Donna Summer Roller Disco Party: Friday, June 21 from 6-10PM
Get your groove on at our sixth annual roller disco party honoring five-time Grammy winner and Boston native, Donna Summer!
12th Annual Make Music Harvard Square: Saturday, June 22
The streets around Harvard Square become a free, live music festival featuring more than 70 musicians on 12 different stages. (link is to the 2018 description)
Cambridge City Dance Party: Friday, June 28 from 7-11PM
The annual dance extravaganza with DJ spun music is a special opportunity for the entire Cambridge community to celebrate summer. After dark, colorful lights will be launched, adding to the magic of the evening.
JULY
Jamaica Plain Porchfest: Saturday, July 13
A celebration of the vibrant Jamaica Plain neighborhood with over 400 artists, including circus arts, dance and spoken word.
ArtBeat 2019: Saturday, July 13
ArtBeat 2019 is one of the area’s largest and most innovative arts festivals, with over a dozen bands, dance troupes, 75 craft vendors, food, and all-age activities.
Free Fun Friday at the MFA: Friday, July 20
Visit the MFA on Friday, July 20 to enjoy free admission during our 10th-annual Highland Street Foundation Free Fun Friday!
Festival Betances: July 20 – 21
A staple in New England’s Latino community, every year it draws a 3,000 multi-cultural audience. Through the years, Betances’ stage has seen multiple musical and dance performances, ranging from local and regional acts to international Latin music icons such as Larry Harlow from Fania All Stars, Tony Vega, and Tito Rojas.
Lowell Folk Festival: July 26 – 28
This annual celebration is the best in traditional folk music, artisan crafts and ethnic foods, and will be returning to downtown Lowell with a full lineup beginning with the traditional parade of nations from Lowell’s City Hall Plaza to Boarding House Park.
Revere Beach International Sand Sculpting Festival: July 26 – 28
Get ready to come on down to America’s First Public Beach to enjoy the magnificent sand sculpting competition, delicious Food Trucks and Vendors, and amusements and fun for the whole family!
Figment: July 27 – 28
FIGMENT is an explosion of creative energy. It’s a free, annual celebration of participatory art and culture where everything is possible. For one weekend each summer, we transform The Rose Kennedy Greenway into a large-scale collaborative artwork – and then it’s gone.
Cambridge Jazz Festival: Sunday, July 28 from 12 – 7PM
The Cambridge Jazz Festival was born through the combined talents and efforts of former City Councilor Larry Ward, and Chair of the Ensemble Dept. at the Berklee School of Music, Ron Savage. It is their vision that the interest, energy and excitement generated by the CJF will be the catalyst for a lasting, sustainable Culture of Jazz in Cambridge.
AUGUST
The Fisherman’s Feast: August 15-18
The Fisherman’s Feast is an annual event that began in Boston in 1910 and is based on a tradition that goes back to the 16th century in Sciacca Sicily.
11th Annual Boston Greenfest: August 16-18
A multicultural, environmental music festival with interactive exhibits, forums, presentations, and special features.
SEPTEMBER
Boston Arts Festival: September 7-8
Features more than 40 arts vendors, along with performances and interactive arts.
Check out Arts Boston and The Boston Calendar sites for other possible free events not listed here.