I don’t know about you, but being away from Boston all summer, and missing the part of the year when the city really comes alive, has me peeved. There are festivals and markets and events galore that happen downtown and all-around when it’s finally warm enough to stand being outside in Boston and if you blink you may miss some of the ones that are still happening as the semester begins. So, to make sure that doesn’t happen, I compiled a list of the best festivals, markets or events happening on the streets of the city for returning students or ones who were lucky enough to have been there all summer long! Here are some of the best Boston festivals!
Time: 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Cost: Entry starts at $7
Location: The Shops at Chestnut Hill
The Asian Street Food Night Market will have 25+ local vendors that will be cooking and serving over 60 different kinds of Asian dishes and snacks, including Chinese crepes, Uyghur lamb kebab, all kinds of skewers, fruit teas, and Thai dessert!
Time: 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Cost: Free
Location: Friends of Christopher Columbus Park, 110 Atlantic Ave., Boston
The Boston Arts Festival will be showcasing local artists exhibiting their handcrafted, original artwork and Boston bands performing all weekend. Bring your artsy friends and your camera, there’s sure to be plenty of good people watching. This is one of the greatest Boston festivals!
Time: 12 to 9 p.m.
Cost: Free
Location: Assembly Row at Assembly Square, 355 Artisan Way, Somerville
Riverfest 2018 in Somerville promises a day full of live local music, dozens of local artists, free children’s activities, and of course the annual fireworks show over the Mystic River at sundown.
Time: 4 to 10 p.m.
Cost: GA is $10
Location: Boston City Hall Plaza
Inspired by night markets in Asia, the inaugural Boston Night Market will feature artisanal food, merchandise vendors and talented performers for an evening of lights, food, arts, and entertainment! This is one of our favorite Boston festivals!
Time: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Cost: Free
Location: Newbury St.
Just for the day, Newbury Street will be transformed and free of cars. Enjoy local musicians, challenge your friends to an outdoor game, or simply stroll along enjoying the festive atmosphere.
Time: Somerville Flea
Cost: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Location: Free, 52 Holland St, Somerville
At the Somerville Flea you’ll find local vintage and artisan vendors, fresh local produce and live local music. Continues every Sunday through October 21.
Time: Every other Friday
Cost: East Boston Farmers Market
Location: Central Square, East Boston
At certain sites around the city, bags of fresh fruits and vegetables are sold for just $2 each (usually a $12+ value), and loaves of fresh bread for $1 each. East Boston Farmers Market is one of them!
Time: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Cost: Boston City Hall Plaza
Location: 1 City Hall Square, Boston
Wake up the fitness guru in you at Boston’s Social Fitness Festival! It’s a free, day-long celebration of getting Boston moving, featuring fun activities for all ages and fitness levels. Check back on their Facebook event page for a full schedule of classes and activities.
Time: 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Cost: $1 entry
Location: Cambridge Community Center, 5 Callender St, Cambridge
The Boston Hassle Black Market is a flea market featuring handmade artwork, prints, patches, records, tees, pins, ceramics, jewelry, zines, body care, tea, fiber art, vintage clothing, accessories, books, as well as tarot readings and more. So bring your witchiest friends!
Time: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost: Free
Location: The Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway
The Boston Local Food Festival is a free outdoor festival that showcases farmers, local restaurants, food trucks, specialty food producers, and organizations focusing on healthy food and fitness from all around New England.
Time: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Cost: Free
Location: Rose Kennedy Greenway – Chinatown Park, 70 Beach Street, Boston
Held in Boston’s Chinatown, the Lantern festival will be a day of fun festivities, games, and mooncake sampling to kick off the celebrations for the traditional mid-Autumn Festival.
Time: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost: Free
Location: University Park, 91 Sidney Street, Cambridge
At the Dumpling Festival at Central Flea, 15 local restaurants and food trucks will be cooking up mouth-watering variations of dumplings. Plus they’ll have their usual 90 vendors, selling antiques and vintage, original art, handmade everything, imports and fair trade.
Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cost: Free
Location: 460 Harrison Ave., Boston
SoWa Open Market is Boston’s largest celebration of local artisans, farmers, food trucks, brewers, and musicians. Every Sunday through October, shop from over 175 makers amidst a vibrant landscape of art studios, galleries and boutiques.
Time: 7 to 11 p.m.
Cost: Free
Location: Boston University, 775 Commonwealth Ave.
Boston University is hosting the inaugural BU Global Music Festival this year for students and Bostonians alike to enjoy extraordinary music, educational events, and a global bazaar – all free and open to the public of all ages with registration.
Time: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cost: Free
Location: 14 Massachusetts Ave, Harvard
The Harvard Flea Market happens every year on Columbus Day Weekend and is a shopping extravaganza. There will be over 170 booths filled with antiques and collectibles, toys, art, vintage clothing and jewelry, pet supplies and much more.
Time: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Cost: Free
Location: Copley Square
The Boston Book Festival this year will feature more than 75 separate events with nearly 200 presenters, plus workshops, interactive sessions, exhibitors, live music, food trucks, and maybe even a few surprises- according to the event page. This is one of the best Boston festivals.
Time: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost: Free
Location: University Park, 91 Sidney Street, Cambridge
Held at the Central Flea in Central Square Cambridge, the festival will feature 30+ of the area’s top food trucks and offer food lovers live music and family fun as well. With a range from grilled cheese to whoopie pies, there is sure to be something for everyone at Boston festivals like this!
Time: 4 p.m to 7 p.m.
Cost: Free
Location: Harvard Ed Portal, 224 Western Ave, Allston
Boston’s newest neighborhood holiday market, the Allston-Brighton Winter Market is a four-day event featuring vendors of crafts, artisan goods, gifts, and fine art, plus live music, food and drinks for purchase, and special interactive art opportunities.
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