This Weekend @ BU: April 30 to May 3
This Weekend @ BU: April 30 to May 3
With final exams starting on Monday, everyone’s feverishly studying and rushing to complete papers and projects. But step away from the books this weekend for a bit to take advantage of the spring weather before the semester draws to a close. We’ve put together a list of fun activities on and off campus to help relieve some of that end-of-semester stress.
Global Stress Relief Day
Need a breather from all that last-minute cramming? Head over to Marsh Chapel for its annual Global Stress Relief Day, where you can take part in relaxation techniques from around the globe—including massage, tea, snacks, coloring, crafts, and more! Stop by for 15 minutes or stay all day.
Friday, May 1, 10 am to 5 pm, Marsh Chapel, lower level, 735 Commonwealth Ave. Admission is free for all BU students.
Art in Bloom at the Museum of Fine Arts
Now celebrating its 50th anniversary, this beloved event, which usually draws standing-room-only crowds, heralds the arrival of spring in Boston. Each year, local garden clubs, professional floral designers, and MFA volunteers create “interpretive arrangements” by pairing dazzling floral designs with some of the museum’s most popular works of art. This year’s event also coincides with a special exhibition now on view, Framing Nature: Gardens and Imagination, featuring works that center the garden as a fertile place for human creativity and imaginative possibility. Works range from wall-sized Renaissance tapestries to intricately detailed Chinese scrolls that give the illusion of garden spaces. Timed tickets are free with general admission and can be reserved online or at any ticket desk.
Art in Bloom is Friday, May 1, to Sunday, May 3. Hours: Friday, 10 am to 10 pm, and Saturday and Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm. Purchase tickets here.
BFA and MFA Thesis Exhibition Receptions
This Friday, the Boston University College of Fine Arts School of Visual Arts will hold receptions for its BFA graphic design, painting, printmaking, and sculpture and MFA painting thesis exhibitions. The free receptions are an opportunity to celebrate and showcase the impressive work done by this year’s graduating visual arts undergrad and grad students.
The BFA thesis exhibition reception is Friday, May 1, from 5 to 7 pm, at the 808 Gallery, 808 Commonwealth Ave. The MFA thesis exhibition reception is Friday, May 1, from 5 to 7 pm, at the Faye G., Jo, and James Stone Gallery, 855 Commonwealth Ave. Find more information about the exhibitions and theses here.
Wake Up the Earth Festival
For nearly 50 years, Jamaica Plain has celebrated the arrival of spring with its crowd-pleasing Wake Up the Earth Festival. This year’s event features a “magical forest,” a food court, local nonprofit environmental organizations, and over 120 vendors selling food, crafts, soaps, candles, and much more. There will be two parades, both of which end at the festival: the Centre Street Parade and the Egleston Square Parade. There will also be several live performances, including a drag show and a concert by the School of HONK.
Saturday, May 2, 10:30 am to 6 pm. The main festival location is at Southwest Corridor Park, 38 New Heath St. Find more information about parade times and meetup locations here. Take an MBTA #39 bus from Copley Square to Jamaica Plain or an MBTA Orange Line train to Jackson Square or Green Street.
Women’s Softball Doubleheader
Batter up! This weekend you have the opportunity to see the BU women’s softball team in action not once, but twice, when they host Merrimack College in a doubleheader to close out their regular season. Head over to the BU Softball Field and cheer on the Terriers before they begin Patriot League tournament play Thursday, May 7.
Saturday, May 2, BU Softball Field, 89 Ashford St. The first game begins at noon, and the second game begins at 2 pm.
Boston Theater Marathon
If you love theater, you won’t want to miss this annual event hosted by Boston Playwrights’ Theatre. The marathon presents 50 10-minute plays over the course of 11 hours, all written by New England playwrights and performed by New England theater companies. The event, which runs from 11 am to 10 pm, is divided into 5 blocks of 10 plays each. You can purchase tickets for a block and watch all 10 plays in person—or, if you get tired, head home and finish viewing the rest virtually. You can also test your stamina and buy an all-day pass to see all 50 plays! Net proceeds from the event support the Theatre Community Benevolent Fund, which assists local theater artists and companies. Tickets can be purchased in advance or at the box office. In the event tickets sell out, there will be a first-come, first-served waitlist for unclaimed tickets in person the day of the event.
Sunday, May 3, 11 am to 10 pm, Boston Playwrights’ Theatre, 949 Commonwealth Ave. The blocks for shows are 11 am to 1 pm, 1 to 3 pm, 3 to 5 pm, 6 to 8 pm, and 8 to 10 pm. Livestream and all-day passes are also available. Find more ticket information here.