Free Fun Fridays

It’s gonna be crowded.

As long as you keep that in mind, the Highland Street Foundation’s Free Fun Fridays program is a godsend to the thrifty of heart. Every Friday this summer, there’s free admission to a local attraction. So far they’ve done the Boston Children’s Museum & the Franklin Park Zoo (the FPZ actually broke the record for amount of visitors on one day, at 17,230). Still to come:

July 16th: Boston Harbor Alliance (ferry rides to Georges or Spectacle Island)
July 23rd: JFK Presidential Library & Museum
July 30th: Museum of Fine Arts
August 6: Peabody Essex Museum
August 13th: Old Sturbridge Village
August 20th: Institute of Contemporary Art
August 27th: Museum of Science

For the air conditioned attractions, especially … FFF is most definitely worth facing a crowd!

Boston Counter Cultural Compass

A solid group of DIY kids in the Boston area (including Liz Pelly of Pellytwins) have been putting together awesome fliers that list upcoming local house shows. I’m not totally familiar with the DIY music scene around here, but I can definitely recommend Lord Jeff (Sunday, 7/11), who are signed to Thurston Moore (of Sonic Youth)’s record label, Asthmatic Kitty — they played on my roof with a lightning-storm backdrop!

Click the flier to visit the facebook event page, and see the reverse side!

Museum of Fine Arts Summer Fridays

Arnold Palmer with kiwi? This should definitely be considered art.

I already gave the tip-off for getting into the MFA for free on Wednesdays (or all the time, for lucky students), but last week kicked off the MFA’s Summer Friday events — live music and cocktails in the Calderwood Courtyard!

Upcoming acts include:
July 9 – Grupo Fantasia
July 16 – DJ Dave Pettengill
July 23 – Gil Aharon and Friends
July 30 – Little Bang Quintet
August 6 – The David Eure Latin Jazz Ensemble
August 13 – Four Piece Suit
August 20 – Seth Connelly and Friends
August 27 – SunSteel

The booze ain’t free … but the air conditioning inside is!
Every Friday night at the MFA, 5:30 – 9:30 pm.

(Via the Dig.)

$1 Admission to Mass Market

It’s hard to beat a $1 admission price — and considering most if not all of the vendors are broke college-aged kids, bartering is a likely option. Today ’til 5 pm!

Thrift for the Stars

It seems obvious that observing the stars should be free, but our world is nuts (and money-obsessed). Thankfully, Boston University opens the Coit Observatory to the public once a week on Wednesdays at 8:30 pm. One particular Yelp reviewer made an astute observation about Coit Observatory’s value:

“Coit Observatory is a great place to go year round because of the whole rotating Earth thing. If you go every couple months there’ll be something ‘new’ to see.. ‘new’ planets.. ‘new’ stars.. etc.”

Psst — also check out BU’s “Secret” Roof Gardens!

Coit Observatory at Boston University, 725 Commonwealth Avenue

Boston's own "Starry Night".

Tour de’Boston

There are lots of cool, noteworthy locations in the Boston area that offer free tours of their inner workings. (However, your guide will probably not be as British or shiny as the host of Star Tours.)

The Boston Globe, 135 Morrissey Blvd (Mondays & Thursdays, click here & scroll for times)
You must reserve a spot by calling: 617-929-2653.

Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston, (every day except Wednesday, click here for times)
Artists, architecture, and literature, oh my.

Freedom Trail, 15 State Street (weekdays at 2 pm, weekends at 10 am & 2 pm – no reservations!)
Led by National Park Service Rangers!

USS Constitution, 1 Constitution Rd, Charlestown (Tues-Sun every half hour ending at 3 pm)
I’m on a boat. (Outdated cultural reference from at least six months ago.)

The interior courtyard of the Boston Public Library. Snow (most likely) not included... but you never know.

29th Annual Chowderfest

Oh my god, BREAD BOWLS.

Boston is known for its baseball, its autumn leaves, its liberal tendencies … but most importantly, its chowder. On Monday, July 5th from 11 am-6 pm, Boston’s 29th Annual Chowderfest is taking place on the plaza at city hall (which is right on top of the Government Center T stop).

Admission is $10, but the chowder is essentially unlimited… come on an empty stomach and chow-dah down!

No Kids Required for Admission

The Boston’s Children Museum is only $1 on Friday nights from 5-9 pm.

I think the one dollar admission price is enticing enough on its own, but for the interested young at heart, some of the more interesting-sounding current exhibits include:

Airplay (floating objects, “where art meets science”)
KidPower (interactive lighted dance floor, wall climbing)
Out on a Limb (elaborate tree houses, nest building)
The Common (life size chess, musical chairs, giant maze)

and finally…
Arthur’s World, the life-size world of that loveable, book-loving aardvark and friends. Did you know the theme song was sung by Ziggy Marley?

Boston Children’s Museum, 308 Congress Street ($1 on Fridays from 5-9 pm)

A Toast to Wine

Carlo exudes class.

Even if you don’t know much about wine, you can still swirl it around and pretend – it doesn’t take a hoity-toity expert to get drunk. Either way, maybe you can learn a little something AND get your buzz on by checking out these free weekly tastings around the Boston area (for the 21+ crowd, obviously):

Central Bottle, 196 Mass Ave, Cambridge
Tuesdays/Thursdays, 5-8 pm

Federal Wine & Sprits, 29 State Street
Wednesdays, 5-7 pm

Boston Wine Exchange, 181 Devonshire Street
Thursdays/Fridays, 4-6 pm (and the automated “wine jukebox” available daily!)

Brookline Fine Wine & Gourmet, 27 Harvard Street
Fridays, 6-8 pm

Brookline Liquor Mart, 1354 Commonwealth Avenue
Saturdays, 1-5 pm (that flashy sign is a beacon of hope, I swear)

Almost TOO Thrifty Tip: bring a variety of masks to the wine tasting event of your choosing so you can go back for seconds, and thirds… I’m not serious, but if you try this, please don’t forget to let me know how it goes!

If you’re interested… “How to Fake Being a Wine Expert.” OR you can just surrender all dignity and choose Carlo Rossi every time. (From an experienced thrift’drunk, the huge jugs ARE the best bang for your buck… hiccup.)

(via French Oak)

Row, Row, Row Your Boat

Green time is always good for you, even if Boston's concrete heart only affords you a little bit.

The Boston Natural Areas Network is a local non-profit that hosts community events such as a number of free workshops that are perfect for broke college students looking to become at least half-engaged with a new activity for a few hours.

Beginners Canoeing Lesson (free, but registration required)
Sunday the 27th (10 am, 11 am, or 12 pm)
Mother Brook Mill Pond, Hyde Park

then follow that up with…
Morning Estuary Paddle
(registration required)
Saturday, July 10th (10 am)
Neponset Landing, Hilltop Street, Dorechester

Or, dig biking but can’t keep up with the nifty fixies?
Bike the New Greenway (Bikes/Helmets to borrow, registration required)
Martini Shell, Truman Parkway, Hyde Park

Check out BNAN’s entire summer calendar here.