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💰 The best things in Boston are free
Discover and appreciate art from a wide range of artists, including Matisse, Picasso, and Van Gogh. | Photo via Google Maps
You don’t need major funds to have major fun in Boston; just look at these free activities.
We promise these free things to do are more than just an aimless walk in the park. Instead, we’re making sure you get well-researched, unique suggestions worth the trip.
Arts
Disasterpiece Theater | Good art is subjective, but we’re pretty sure these movies are straight up bad. That’s probably why they are free, and also why there’s a crowd of jokers roasting it the entire screening.
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston | Explore paintings, sculptures, and more from some of history’s most renowned artists, and do so for free on Wednesday evenings.
Outdoors
Boston Public Garden | Look — we aren’t sending you to just any old garden. This is the first-ever public botanical garden in American history. It dates back to 1839 and has since been filled with native and foreign trees, most notably, the weeping willow.
The Lawn On D | How often can you find a place that offers fun for kids, entertainment for adults, and no admission fee? That’s a win-win-win in our book, and we take those everytime.
Baltimore Orioles vs. Boston Red Sox | Thursday, May 22-Sunday, May 25 | Times vary | Fenway Park | $33+ | Losing is for the birds, so we’ll leave that to the Orioles in this four-game homestand.
Friday, May 23
Boston Calling Music Festival | Friday, May 23-Sunday, May 25 | Times vary | Cambridge | $178+ | Don’t miss this three-day festival with huge headliners like Luke Combs, Fall Out Boy, Dave Matthews Band, and Vampire Weekend.
Saturday, May 24
Boston Margarita & Mimosa Fest | 2-8 p.m. | Faneuil Hall | $28 | Bar hop your way through five locations with discounts on margaritas, mimosas, and beer.
Sunday, May 25
“O Brother, Where Art Thou?” | 4:45 p.m. + 7 p.m. | The Brattle Theatre | $13 | Pop into this local theater to watch the classic Cohen brothers’ adaptation of “The Odyssey” staring George Clooney.
Tuesday, May 27
Taylor’s Era Pottery Painting Party | 6-8 p.m. | Rainbows Pottery Studio | $105+ | Learn how to expertly paint pottery while listening to hits from pop star Taylor Swift.
Wednesday, May 28
MANILOW: The Last Boston Concert | 7 p.m. | TD Garden | $166 | There are two types of people in this world: Barry Manilow fans and liars. Don’t be the latter and score tickets to this iconic performers final show.
Consider this new cafe opening a matcha made in heaven. Bon! Specialty Coffee is now open on Beacon Street, serving classic cups of joe or specialty drinks like iced strawberry matcha lattes. (Boston Uncovered)
Featured
Boston is one of two new cities being added to MICHELIN’s Northeast Cities guide. A statement from the MICHELIN Guide says its Inspectors are already out in the city scouting restaurants. We’ll see their recommendations at “a later date.”
Festival
Dorchester Music Festival is back on Saturday, May 31 with 60+ performers going live from their porches. The first hour is designed to be family-friendly, so bring the kids without worry from 12-1 p.m. The neighborhood-based festival ends at 5 p.m.
Sports
We’re not sure who’s having more fun here — the New England Patriots with their schedule announcement, or Barstool President Dave Portnoy who is making the announcement. Either way, the “Emergency Press Conference” is a must-watch.
Travel
Wings up, Boston. Air Portugal is flying from Logan Airport to Porto, Portugal from now through Oct. 25. It’s roughly a seven-hour trip, so grab a book from a local author before you fly out. (Boston.com)
Cause
Lego is providing building blocks for the future by donating $1 million to the Boston Public Library. The partnership and investment intends to address early literature challenges + ignite childhood creativity through hands-on activities.
Try This
National Hamburger Day is on Wednesday, May 28 and Big Grin is giving away free burgers to its first 100 customers. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. — anyone who doesn’t receive a free burger will receive a coupon for free fries on a future visit.
Eat
Welcome back, Pazza on Porter. The local pizzeria officially reopened after closing for a remodel back in March. The menu got an elevated update while the decor and plateware received a retro Italian spin.
Trending
There have been zero days since the last Dunkin-related headline in Boston. This time we have two: a new Dunkin-themed airplane is taking off at Logan Airport + the first-ever location celebrated 75 years of caffeinated business this week. (Patriot Ledger + Boston Globe)
Jelissa Lamboy stays busy as the sole operator of her locally owned business, The Sugar Connection. | Photo via @thesugarconnectionbakeshop
Small Business Week was from May 4-10, but we’re keeping this local party rolling.
After we received an influx of submissions, we knew we couldn’t stop with just one week. So, we’re back again sharing another local biz. This time it’s The Sugar Connection.
As a one woman team, Jelissa Lamboy’s business might be the truest form of a small business. She’s been in operation since 2022 and we had the chance to catch up with her.
Q. How would you describe your business?
A. We are a pop-up cake decorating experience designed to bring the community together through creativity, connection, and sweet moments.
By partnering with local small businesses and restaurants, we create unique events that offer exposure and growth for everyone involved. From interactive pop-up classes to private celebrations, we make cake decorating fun, accessible, and unforgettable—no baking experience needed!
Q. When someone visits your small business for the first time, the one thing they have to do is _____.
A. Connect with new people, share stories, and enjoy great conversation while decorating their cakes together!
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