Boston blooms with fun activities this spring
A group of people enjoy a beautiful day in Boston. Photo by Eva Lycette (She/Her) / Mass Media Staff.
April 7, 2023
Spring has arrived, and with it comes warm weather and the yearning to spend time outdoors. UMass Boston students, Eloise and Lyah, shared that in the spring they love spending time in Boston Commons, wandering around Chinatown and people watching at Caffè Nero.
These all sound like fun ideas, especially with the beautiful flowers blooming in the Commons. However, some students might be searching for more structured activities to fill their days. Well, Boston has plenty of those.
Boston Design Week celebrates their 10th anniversary in the city from April 25 to May 5. Many beloved Boston museums have exhibits during this week, including the Museum of Fine Arts. The MFA will display the work of Hokusai in their exhibit, “Hokusai: Inspiration and Influence,” as well as the work of “The Provincetown Printmakers”: Ada Gilmore Chaffee, Maud Hunt Squire, Ethel Mars, Mildred McMillen, Juliette Nichols and B. J. O. Nordfeldt (1).
Aside from the MFA, Boston Design Week has a multitude of talks and showings throughout the Boston Area, ranging from a talk titled “Utopia/Dystopia: AI and the Future of Design,” to an open house for the School of Fashion Design, to a farmer’s market (1). This should be an exciting week for creatives and art-enjoyers alike.
For all the beer-fanatics out there, Boston hosts Massachusetts Craft Brewers Festival April 29 from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. and from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m at The Cyclorama in the Boston Center for the Arts. Admission is $55, but with the ticket comes the chance to sample unlimited beer from over 40 Massachusetts breweries.
According to the event, ticket proceeds “support the Mass Brewers Guild, the state’s nonprofit organization that works to protect and promote the interests of craft brewers across the Commonwealth” (2). For those interested in attending but not drinking—a.k.a. any designated drivers out there—can attend for $10.
After hitting up the Brewer’s Festival, visitors can go on over to the 2023 Annual Boston Hot Sauce Festival. This two-day event brings together 20 hot sauce vendors with tons of food, entertainment and challenges. Admission is $10 and a portion of the proceeds support the non-profit Sustainable Food and Culture, Inc (3).
There are two sessions during the weekend of April 29; two take place on the 29th from 12 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. and again from 4:15 p.m. to 8 p.m. The other two take place on April 30 from 12 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. and again from 3:15 p.m. to 6 p.m (3).
May brings a show by one of the world’s top dance troupes, Alvin Ailey Dance Theater. They will perform at the Boch Wang Theater from May 4 to May 7. According to The Boston Calendar, the Director Robert Battle “nurtures a new generation of choreographers steeped in the African American experience, while performing works from contemporary and modern choreographers from around the world” (4).
Boston is home to two beautiful flower gardens that will be in full bloom this spring for visitors to walk around and enjoy time outside. Harvard’s Arnold Arboretum will host its annual Lilac Sunday on May 14, which has been celebrated since 1908 (5). The Arboretum holds over 400 lilac plants which would be beautiful to picnic under.
The Kelleher Rose Garden opens in May and holds over 1,500 roses. The park opened in 1931 and remains just as beautiful to this day. It’s located near Fenway and is said to retain a “secret garden feeling, despite being located in the middle of the neighborhood” on the Fenway website (6).
Whether readers prefer wandering around in gardens or eating chicken wings covered in hot sauce, Boston has plenty to offer this spring for all to enjoy.
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