09.08.2023

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Today’s Forecast

37º | Sunny | 6% chance of rain | Sunrise 7:12 a.m. | Sunset 4:28 p.m.

Are you ready to meet Little Amal?

Follow Little Amal’s massive journey through Boston

12-foot puppet Little Amal on a ship, surrounded by puppeteers

Little Amal arrives in Boston to begin her 6,000-mile journey across the US. | Photo by the BOStoday team

Don’t let the name fool you — there’s nothing diminutive about Little Amal. Standing 12 ft tall and prepared for a 6,000-mile journey, this walking piece of performance art is poised to make a major impact on her voyage across the United States.

Meaning “hope” in Arabic, Amal is a puppet resembling a 10-year-old Syrian refugee. She’s the handiwork of Handspring Puppet Company, which created Amal to raise awareness about the experiences of refugees and displaced peoples.

After crossing 15+ countries in recent years, Amal’s 35-city American journey started in Boston yesterday, when she arrived at the Rowes Wharf via boat and took her first steps in Dewey Square. Her interactive travels will take her through East Boston, downtown, Fenway, and Roxbury this weekend, before she advances to Western Massachusetts, Connecticut, and beyond.

Little Amal walks through a crowd gathered at Rowes Wharf — An eager crowd welcomes Little Amal at Rowes Wharf on Thursday afternoon.
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Photo by the BOStoday team

Here’s where you can meet Amal throughout her journey:

Friday, Sept. 8

12 p.m. | East Boston Public Library, 365 Bremen St. | Help Amal welcome local kindergardners back to school.
6:30 p.m. | Central Square Park, 1P William C. Kelly Sq. | Amal embarks on a walk through East Boston that ends at Condor Street Beach. Pro tip: Arrive at 4 p.m. to participate in a puppet-making workshop.
8:30 p.m. | 32 Bromfield St. | Amal wanders downtown, guided by “ethereal projections” of her mother’s words.

Saturday, Sept. 9

11 a.m. | Egleston Square Branch, Boston Public Library, 2044 Columbus Ave., Roxbury | Amal crosses paths with a fellow (and feathered) migrant, an injured snow goose.
1 p.m | 63 Orleans St. | Watch Amal interact with performers from the Veronica Robles Cultural Center on her way to the ICA Watershed.
3:30 p.m. | Fenway Park, 4 Jersey St. | Amal throws the ceremonial first pitch as the Red Sox take on the Orioles.

Events

Friday, Sept. 8

National Sour Beer Day | Friday, Sept. 8 | 5-10 p.m. | Lamplighter Brewing Co., 284 Broadway, Cambridge | Price of purchase | Indulge your taste buds with an array of award-winning, mouth-puckering sour beers. Plus, ask your bartender for a special $1 “Sour Snack Mix” with some classic sour candy favorites.
Live Music on the Lawn | Friday, Sept. 8 | 6-9 p.m. | The Christian Science Plaza, 210 Massachusetts Ave., Boston | Free | Enjoy an unforgettable night of outdoor live music, food trucks, and free admission to the Mapparium™ globe in the How Do You See the World? experience.*

Saturday, Sept. 9

The eX-Files: Celebrating 30 Years of The X-Files | Saturday, Sept. 9 | 7:30 p.m. | Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave, Somerville | $30-$75 | Join Jenny Owen Youngs, Kristin Russo, and special guests for their live podcast recording of The eX-Files
Billy Idol | Saturday, Sept. 9 | 8 p.m. | MGM Music Hall at Fenway, 2 Lansdowne St., Boston | $37-$47 | Sing and dance to songs like “White Wedding” and “Dancing With Myself.”

Sunday, Sept. 10

HUB Sports Pickleball Invitational | Sunday, Sept. 10 | 9 a.m.-1 p.m. | Pickleball Social Club Boston, 306 Northern Ave., Boston | $50 | Head to the new Harpoon courts for the first annual Pickleball Invitational with at least three games guaranteed for all teams.
Block Party | Sunday, Sept. 10 | 4-7 p.m. | 115 Broadway + Illinois Avenue, Somerville | Free | The last summer block party’s theme is “Back to School” and activities will include martial arts demonstrations, face painting, sports, and games.
Patriots PreGame Beer Tourney | Sunday, Sept. 10 | 1-4 p.m. | PKL, 64 C. St., Boston | $40 | Tickets include entry in the tourney and a pitcher of beer at this old fashioned tournament with the chance to win the 50/50 raffle.

Events calendar here

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News Notes

Civic

The Boston Election Department has shared reminders regarding the Preliminary Municipal Election taking place on Tuesday, Sept. 12. Residents in Districts 3, 5, 6, and 7 can get a refresher on polling location, voting by mail, and accessible voting on the city’s website.

Transit

New MBTA data shows a net gain of seven speed restrictions in the past month. While restrictions decreased on the Green Line, the numbers spiked on the Red and Orange Lines. This follows announcements about upcoming subway disruptions and shutdowns throughout September and October. (WBZ News)

Seasonal

Massachusetts utility overseers have instructed Eversource and National Grid to split two of the coldest months into two procurement and billing periods for customers. The change aims to ease financial burdens for families and small businesses during some of the year’s most expensive months for electricity bills. (NBC 10)

Open

All That Fish + Oyster is now serving fresh seafood at 771 Beacon St. The new restaurant and raw bar boasts a 40-seat patio and views of Fenway Park, so snag a reservation before your next Red Sox outing. (Boston Globe)

Sports

Lace up your racing shoes, runners. Qualifier registration for the 2024 Boston Marathon will take place between Monday, Sept 11-Friday, Sept. 15. Next year’s race is scheduled for Monday, April 15, 2024. (Boston Globe)

Edu

The Wall Street Journal placed four Massachusetts universities in the top 10 of their new report of the best colleges in the US: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, Amherst College, and Babson College. Find out which other in-state schools made the top 200.

Drink

Portico Brewing has tapped Dam Free Ale, a new German Wheat beer + collaboration with the Charles River Watershed Association. A pour-tion of the proceeds will benefit efforts to eradicate defunct dams and restore fish passage in the Charles. Join the release party at Portico’s taproom tonight from 6 to 8 p.m.

Events

☀️ These free outdoor events will fuel your weekend

Free outdoor events to fuel your weekend

The words "Glad you're here" on pavement near a blue repurposed gas station

Swing over to this repurposed community space. | Photo by Aram Boghosian via The Fenway

Continued summertime temps = more outdoor adventures. No matter which neighborhood you’re exploring this weekend, free outdoor fun awaits.

Friday, Sept. 8

MassArt Night Market | 4-8 p.m. | The Station in the Fenway, 1400 Boylston St. | Fill your home with locally-made art, fashion, and decor from student + alumni vendors.

Saturday, Sept. 9

JP Music Festival | 12-7p.m. | Pinebank Field, 345 Jamaicaway | Hear 20+ solo artists and bands at Jamaica Plain’s annual celebration of local music.

Sunday, Sept. 10

Brookline Day | Coolidge Corner | 11 a.m.-3 pm. | Stroll this whirlwind of live music and food vendors, then bring the little ones to the Kidz Zone for face painting, inflatables, and games.
Cambridge Carnival International | University Park, 65 Sidney St., Cambridge | 11 a.m.-5 p.m. | Learn about the African diaspora through eye-popping costumes, global cuisine, and a parade through Central Square.

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Victoria

From the editor

Does Honeycomb Creamery own a crystal ball? The Cambridge ice cream shop couldn’t have picked a better time to unveil two new flavors: Dirty chai and mocha hazelnut.

Catch me double-fisting both flavors in the shorts I just had to excavate from my summer clothes drawer.

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