You’ve got a friend in me 👋

How to make friends in Boston, MA

Mural wall at Aeronaut brewery in Somerville

Discuss books with a side of brews at Aeronaut in Somerville. | Photo by @ajlandau

Whether you’re new to Boston or have lived in the city for decades, it’s never too late to make new friends while picking up a new hobby or two.

Here are 10 ways to branch out + meet fellow Bostonians.

Embrace the competitive spirit 🏓

PKL
The South Boston indoor pickleball court hosts leagues, trivia, beginner’s mixers + more events for experience picklers and newbies alike.

Volo Sports
The Boston chapter of the Baltimore-based company has coed leagues for kickball, volleyball, and basically every sport you can think of.

Walk the walk 👟

Hike Boston
Join the new weekday hiking series, taking at Boston’s parks and urban wilds throughout October.

Boston Girls Who Walk
The group hosts regular walking events everywhere from Somerville to Southie.

Group at a drink-making class. — The Cambridge Center for Adult Education has craft cocktail + pasta making classes.

Be with the bookworms 📚

Books & Brews
Sip and discuss books with the Somerville Public Library at Aeronaut Brewery, or check out Lamplighter’s Brewery Book Club through the Cambridge Public Library.

Trident Booksellers & Cafe events
The bookstore has a slew of programming for bookish Bostonians — we recommend the Silent Book Club or themed trivia (previous iterations include Twilight + Glee).

Lend a helping hand 👋

Main Streets
See if your neighborhood has a chapter and get involved at an upcoming event.

The Greater Boston Food Bank
Register online 24 hours in advance of your shift and make a difference for your hungry neighbors.

Try something new 💡

Cambridge Center for Adult Education
The Harvard Square center offers cooking, performance arts + business classes.

Improv Asylum classes
Take a beginner’s improv class at the Asylum CoLab in Faneuil Hall — City Editor Sara can confirm it’s a fun + friendly environment.

Another great way to make friends? Joining local Facebook groups. Let us know if you’d like a guide to Boston’s (many) social media groups.

Click here to have your event featured.

Today

River Fit Fall: Slow Flow Yoga with Malaika | Wed., Oct. 5 - Wed., Oct. 26 | 7:30-8:15 a.m. | Fiedler Field, Charles River Esplanade, Boston | Enjoy the crisp New England air and the Esplanade’s fall fitness series — this edition is a morning yoga class.
Magical Story Time with the Good Witch of Salem | Wed., Oct. 5 - Fri., Oct. 28 | 10-11 a.m. | The Good Witch of Salem, 2 North St, Salem | $35.00 | Join the Good Witch of Salem in her storybook home for an all ages, interactive reading of her book “The Good Witch of Salem.”

Thursday

ICA Free Thursday Night | Thu., Oct. 6 - Thu., Dec. 29 | 10 a.m. | Institute of Contemporary Art Boston, 25 Harbor Shore Drive, Boston | Free | The contemporary art museum in the Seaport is free for all visitors every Thursday from 5-9 p.m.
Oktoberfest - 5th Annual | Thu., Oct. 6 | 5:30-7:30 p.m. | Brookline Courtyard Marriott’s outdoor courtyard, 40 Webster St., Brookline | $20.00 | Network and enjoy entertainment by the Clark Page Project band, a craft beer tasting, good eats + giveaways.

Friday

Dustin Lynch: Party Mode Tour 2022 | Fri., Oct. 7 | 8 p.m. | MGM Music Hall at Fenway, 2 Landsdowne St, Boston | $27.00 - $46.50 | See the “Small Town Boy” at Fenway’s newest music venue.
HONK! Festival | Fri., Oct. 7 - Sun., Oct. 9 | 11 a.m.-11 p.m. | Davis Square, Somerville | Free | Experience gigantic puppets, flag twirlers, street dancers, stilt walkers + hula hoopers during the HONK! Festival of Activist Street Bands.

We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

100+ MORE EVENTS

How Dating.com can help improve your quality of life

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Dating.com has brought countless happy couples together. (Disclaimer: Models in the ad are for illustrative purposes and are not customers of Dating.com.) | Photo by Dating.com

Did you know? Loneliness has clinical impacts on your health — think: reduced sleep quality, increased blood pressure, and higher rates of depression.

Lasting, meaningful relationships can dramatically increase your quality of life — and Dating.com can help you build them. Their General Dating application helps you connect with like-minded individuals in Boston (and maybe even find your soulmate).

Bonus: Because Dating.com connects people from all over the world, there are lots of exciting new people to meet.*

YOUR SOULMATE IS WAITING

Weather

58º | Rain | 70% chance of rain

Development

The Ritz-Carlton is coming to the new South Station Tower and will take up the upper 16 floors of the 51-story building. Read up on the local development that’s expected to open in 2025. (Boston Magazine)

Coming Soon

Render Coffee is opening a Charlestown location in collaboration with the Foundation Kitchen. The cafe will be at The Graphic Lofts at 32 Cambridge St. We’re staying tuned for an opening date. ☕

Health

Mayor Wu and the Boston Public Health Commission are using $6.9 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to expand access to local substance use services. There will be two new daytime centers in Roxbury and Back Bay + the city will provide funding to community recovery organizations.

Travel

The Steamship Authority is proposing new rates for the ferry to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, which would go into effect on Tues., Jan. 3, 2023. Adult passenger tickets would increase by 50 cents to Martha’s Vineyard and increase by $1 on the Nantucket route. ⛴️ (Boston.com)

Bostonian

Roxbury native + surviving Tuskegee Airmen member Enoch O’Dell “Woody” Woodhouse II was honored with two murals at Logan Airport. Find the works by Victor Quiñonez on the Arrivals level of Terminal C and learn more about Woodhouse’s accomplishments. (Boston Globe)

Arts

The Boston Ballet is preparing for the opening of its 59th season. The first performance will be “My Obsession,” showing tomorrow through Sun., Oct. 16 — see the full season schedule. 🩰 (WBUR)

Drink

Sake Day might be over, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still sip the Japanese drink locally. Lola 42 in the Seaport is offering a sake flight all month, including an extra dry sake + a fruitier variety. 🍶 (Mass Live)

Holiday

Yesterday evening saw the beginning of Yom Kippur, the “Day of Atonement” and holiest day of the Jewish calendar. Those who observe will refrain from eating or drinking until nightfall today. May you have an easy and meaningful fast.

Community

Need something to do this weekend? We suggest getting in some island time. Bostonians can celebrate fall during the Autumn Adventure on Peddocks Island on Sat., Oct. 8 at 11 a.m. Or, celebrate the Boston Harbor Islands Park anniversary with a $5 trip to Spectable Island on Sun., Oct. 8 at 10:30 a.m.*

Number

4 million. The number of subscribers to Morning Brew, a free daily newsletter that covers the latest in business, finance, and tech. Morning Brew is 100% free and takes just 5 minutes to read (and thanks to its witty, fun tone, you’ll want to open it every morning).*

Content marked with an * is brought to you by our advertising partners and helps make this newsletter free.

The 411 on Boston’s 311 service

What you need to know about Boston’s 311 service

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Boston’s 311 service is free for anyone to use. | Photo via @thomas_d_stringer

If a sidewalk has you trippin’ or if there’s a problematic pothole on your commute — the good news is there’s an app for that.

Boston 311 provides residents with access to various city services + helpful information 24/7, 365 days a year.

Get updates on the go with the free mobile app, which you can download from the Apple Store or the Google Play Store.

As of yesterday, the app is now available in 11 languages. Another update? Bostonians can now see the status of city services + can submit multiple photos as part of a service request.

Click the link below for more information, including which issues you can report with the app.

MORE 311 DETAILS

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by City Editor Sara.

Editor’s pick: I saw the Black Panther trailer for the first time on the big screen during a recent visit to the movies (anyone else see Don’t Worry Darling?). Now I’m even more excited for the upcoming Marvel film. 🎥

Let me know if you also noticed all of the Boston + Cambridge representation.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Read up on the details of Beacon Hill’s new bookstore.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Jessica Burton, Sara Frazier, Sarah Leonhardt, Erin McPherson, Ashlea Hearn, Emily Shea | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Peter Baldassare | Advertise with us.

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