10 free things to do in June in Boston

Things to Do

Enjoy outdoor music, parades, workouts, and more.

With spring in full swing, June is peppered with plenty of ways to enjoy the city inside or out without shelling out a single penny. From a sweat sesh on the Harbor to listening to live outdoor music to celebrating gay pride, here are 10 things to do in Boston for free this June.

The popular Seaport Sweat series on the Seaport Common starts off 2024 with Broncore Bootcamp on June 1 at 10 a.m. The perfect mix of high intensity cardio, core, and strength, you can expect a high-intensity workout with plyometric rounds, strength circuits, and as much core as you can manage. You can look forward to Pilates, yoga, HIIT, Zumba, and more throughout the summer season. (85 Northern Ave., Boston)

The Central Library’s Concerts in the Courtyard Series runs from June 5 through Aug. 30 and showcases a variety of artists and musical genres in the library’s iconic Italianesque courtyard at the Copley Square branch. These free performances are held in the McKim Building Courtyard (or the Rabb Lecture Hall during inclement weather) on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. and on Fridays at 12:30 p.m. and last approximately one hour. (700 Boylston St., Boston)

Watch the sun set on the Atlantic Ocean while listening to live entertainment at the 25th annual Summer in the City Entertainment Series from June 6 through Aug. 29. Held Tuesdays through Fridays, the harbor comes alive with bands performing nightly on the Boston Harbor Hotel’s floating barge stage for jazz, soul, country, R&B, DJs, and more. The full music lineup will be announced late spring. Shows are from 6 to 10 p.m. (70 Rowes Wharf, Boston)

When the weather starts heating up (and it will this summer, according to the weather experts), you can cool off in one of Boston’s iconic water fountains along the Rose Kennedy Greenway, the North and South Canal, Labyrinth, and Rings fountains, the Harbor Fog Sculpture, and the Chinatown Stream. Bring the family and splash to your heart’s content through mid-October from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. (various locations through Boston)

On June 8, Boston gets loud with pride during a parade, festival, and more celebrating its LGBTQ+ community through Boston Pride for the People (BPFTP). Starting in Copley Square at 11 a.m. and moving through the city’s South End, the strolling celebration will come to its end at Boston Common where the party is just getting started with a festival of performances from local and national entertainers. City Hall Plaza will also host a Block Party for the 21+ crowd later in the afternoon. (various locations through Boston)

Planet Fitness wants to keep your kids busy this summer by bringing back its High School Summer Pass program. High school students aged 14 to 19 are invited to work out for free at any of its locations, including its eight Boston gyms. Registration is required, and teens under 18 must register with a parent or guardian online or in-club. (various locations through Boston)

The Jazz Night lineup for June 2024 at Long Live Roxbury, Boston’s newest jazz haunt, brewery, and taproom, includes free shows throughout the month, including Grammy Award winner Alon Yavnai’s Quintet on June 6, a show by the Teresa Ines Quarter on June 13, Angel Subero + The Project on June 20, and Seventh Sun on June 27. All shows begin at 6 p.m. and run to around 8:30 p.m. (152 Hampden St., Roxbury)

There are a number of events held throughout Massachusetts that observe The Battle of Bunker Hill, the first major battle of the American Revolution on June 17, 1775. A tradition since 1786, the Bunker Hill Day Parade follows a route throughout Charlestown on June 16 starting at 12:30 p.m., beginning at the intersection of Vine and Bunker Hill St., down Main St., and concluding on Winthrop St. by the Charlestown Militia Training Field. (Charlestown)

The 11th annual Concert in the Park is the debut spring concert event featuring the best youth performing groups of New England’s Inspire Arts & Music. Held on June 13 at 5 p.m. in the heart of Post Office Square, the evening concert is headlined by IAM’s premier performing group, the Boston Crusaders Drum & Bugle Corps as they prepare for their summer tour across the country. (Norman B. Leventhal Park, Franklin St., Boston)

The 5th annual Boston Art & Music Soul (BAMS) Festival returns on June 29 and 30 from noon to 8 p.m. (9 p.m. on Saturday night) to celebrate Black joy, arts, music, and culture. One of Boston’s fastest growing urban arts and music festivals, BAMS celebrates Afro-centric identity and Black artistry through creative and musical contributions from local, regional, and national entertainers of color set on two stages of live music, along with plenty of all-ages activities. (Franklin Park Playstead Field, 1 Pierpont Rd., Boston)