The WEEKENDER

Eat, Shop, Go

Sample some of the many delicious varieties of Chinese dumplings being served up at the Central Flea’s Dumpling Festival in Central Square, Cambridge this Sunday. Photo by Aleksandr_Vorobev/iStock

Looking for fun things to do this weekend? Check out our new Thursday guide, “The Weekender.” If you have suggestions for events or places we should feature, leave them in the Comment section below.

Dumpling Festival at Central Flea

Head over to Cambridge’s Central Square this Sunday when the open-air market known as Central Flea pays tribute to the late Joyce Chen, the Chinese-American chef credited with introducing authentic Chinese cuisine to America, with a dumpling festival. After fleeing Communist China in 1949, Chen settled in Cambridge, opened several popular Chinese restaurants bearing her name, published a cookbook, starred in a PBS cooking show, and launched a line of Chinese cooking utensils. In honor of her birthday (Chen would have been 101 on September 14) 15 local restaurants and food trucks will serve their individual takes on Chinese dumplings, what Chen called “Peking raviolis.” While you’re there, check out some of the 90 vendors selling antiques, clothing (vintage and new), art, produce, and more, and enjoy live music from Boston’s Dan and the Wildfire.

Central Flea is in University Park, 91 Sidney St., Central Square, Cambridge, and is open 11 am to 5 pm every Sunday. The Dumpling Festival is this Sunday, September 23. Take an MBTA Red Line train to Central Square.

MUJI

This Japanese retail chain recently opened a store on Newbury Street, one of just 16 in the United States. Founded in Japan in 1980, the name is short for Mujirushi Ryohin, which translates to “no-brand quality goods.” The products range from clothing, housewares, and furniture to bedding, kitchenware, stationery, and even snacks and are known for their minimalistic, no-frills design and lack of labels or branding. Stock up on school supplies (notebooks, pens, mini staplers, planners) or goods for your dorm or apartment. The prices are quite reasonable.

MUJI Newbury Street, 359 Newbury St., is open Monday through Saturday, from 10 am to 9 pm, and Sunday, from 10 am to 8 pm. Take an MBTA Green Line trolley to Hynes Convention Center.

34th Annual Boston Film Festival

Movie stars, filmmakers, and fans alike will be rubbing shoulders in Boston this weekend for the 34th Annual Boston Film Festival. The four-day event will showcase a variety of films, shorts, and documentaries, including the East Coast premiere of Ride, based on the story of a BMX biker, starring Ludacris and Rizzoli & Isles costar Sasha Alexander, and Turning Point, a new documentary about Alzheimer’s disease from filmmaker James Keach. You can even catch a special viewing of the new NBC medical drama New Amsterdam. Each long-form film screening will be followed by a Q&A with the actors and creative artists involved in the film. Among the actors expected to attend: JJ Feild, Katie Cassidy, Debby Ryan, and Tate Donovan.

The 34th Annual Boston Film Festival will be at a variety of spots in Boston from Thursday, September 20, to Sunday, September 23. Find event times and locations and purchase tickets here.

College Night at the Museum of Science

If you’ve thought about visiting the Museum of Science, but have yet to get there, now is the time. This Friday night, the museum hosts its annual College Night—the one night of the year when students with a valid college ID can enter the museum’s exhibit halls for free. Explore the latest special exhibition, Space: An Out-of-Gravity Experience; view the Theater of Electricity, a show about lightning; or catch a live animal show. You can even take a free Boston Duck Tour (first come, first served). There’s a chance to win some prizes too. Some other special attractions, such as the Butterfly Garden and the shows in the Charles Hayden Planetarium, Mugar Omni Theater, and 4-D Theater, are available at a reduced price of just $6 as well. Last year, BU was the school with the highest attendance in the Boston area. So grab a friend or two and head over to this iconic Boston institution for a night of science fun.

The Museum of Science College Night is Friday, September 21, from 5 to 9 pm, at the museum, One Science Park, Boston. Take an MBTA Green Line E trolley to Science Park. Purchase Hayden Planetarium, Mugar Omni Theater, 4-D Theater, and Butterfly Garden tickets in advance Friday after 4:15 pm in person at the museum box office; find all showtimes here. Students must show a valid college ID for free admission.

CollegeFest@Fenway Park

What college student doesn’t like free stuff? Head over to Fenway Park on Saturday for the annual CollegeFest, billed as the biggest back-to-school party for college students in the city. Enter for giveaways and collect free items from over 70 brands, including Lyft, RxBar, Army ROTC, and the Boston Red Sox. Event organizers will even provide bags for your goodies, so all you need to bring is a valid college ID and your Eventbrite ticket.

CollegeFest@Fenway Park is Saturday, September 22, from 11 am to 5 pm, at Fenway Park, 4 Yawkey Way. Enter at Gate B on the corner of Lansdowne and Ipswich Streets. RSVP on Eventbrite. You must have a valid college ID to enter.

Madeleine O’Keefe can be reached at mokeefe@bu.edu; follow her on Twitter at @mokeefe_.