Things to do in Boston this weekend: May 30-June 2, 2024

Events

BosTen is your weekly guide to the best events and coolest things to do in Boston.

Water Country reopens for the season on Saturday, June 1. Water Country

Welcome to BosTen, your weekly guide to the coolest events and best things to do in Boston this weekend. Sign up for our weekly email newsletter here. Have an idea about what we should cover? Leave us a comment on this article or in the BosTen Facebook group, or email us at [email protected].

Chill with Cole Swindell at Leader Bank Pavilion

As practitioners of mainstream country music go, Cole Swindell has been on the steady rise over the past few years. Among the hits he’s racked up are “Chillin’ It” and “Ain’t Worth the Whiskey.” He also stands out from others in the pack because he kind of specializes in the sub-genre known as bro-country. Most of his songs are upbeat (an exception is the very downbeat “How Is She”), their melodies are immediately hummable, and there’s often a palpable presence of rock driving it all along. Swindell’s most recent album was 2022’s “Stereotype.” But a couple of months ago, he released the single “3 Feet Tall.” Uh-oh, another bummer of a song, about a divorce as seen through a child’s eyes. Here’s hoping that his Thursday show at Leader Bank Pavilion has him back on the positive track. (Thursday, May 30 at 7 p.m.; 290 Northern Ave., Boston, $41-$283) — Ed Symkus

Check out free outdoor fitness classes

June is when a lot of Boston’s free outdoor fitness classes start up again, giving you a chance to work up a sweat at some of the city’s most picturesque green spaces. The City of Boston’s Department of Parks and Recreation has events in every neighborhood and for every skill level, which can be found on the city’s website. A sampling of classes to check out this weekend include a free yoga flow at the Frog Pond (Thursday at 6 p.m.), a walking group at Franklin Park (Saturday at 8 a.m.) and a Bootcamp session at Iacono Playground in Hyde Park (Sunday at 9 a.m. ) If you’re busy this weekend, don’t worry – these classes are all held on a weekly basis. And even more weekly fitness activities on the Greenway and in the Seaport kick off their season next week. (Various times and locations; free) — Kevin Slane

Take a picture with Camera Obscura in Allston

What a nice surprise this is! I don’t know exactly which day Scotland’s beloved Camera Obscura announced its first new batch of songs in 11 years and a tour of the U.S. that includes a stop in Boston. However, I was delighted when I presumably belatedly heard about it in January. Camera Obscura will celebrate the May 3 release of “Look to the East, Look to the West” with a show in London. After a handful of dates in the UK and one in Philadelphia, they will land at the Paradise Rock Club this Thursday, along with fittingly named opening act Photo Ops. (Thursday, May 30 at 8 p.m.; 967 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, $41.25) — Blake Maddux

See ‘Hundreds of Beavers’ in Beverly

In the winter of 2019, independent filmmaker Mike Cheslik gathered a small team in Wisconsin to make a microbudget film called “Hundreds of Beavers.” Set in the rugged frontier of the 1800s Midwest, the comedy chronicles the misadventures of Jean Kayak, a drunken applejack salesman who must figure out how to trap and kill hundreds of beavers (played by humans in mascot costumes) — initially just to survive, but eventually to win his love’s hand in marriage from her gruff father. The film is a wild slapstick adventure, paying homage to the pratfalls and eye-pokes of Charlie Chaplin and the Three Stooges, the death-defying stunts of Buster Keaton, and the cartoon logic of Tom and Jerry or Wile E. Coyote and the Roadrunner. (It’s the most I’ve laughed at a movie in 2024.) Cheslik has employed a roadshow release strategy for the film, traveling around the country to single theaters for one or two nights only. Lucky North Shore audiences will possibly their only chance to see “Hundreds of Beavers” this Friday at the Cabot in Beverly. (Friday, May 31 at 9 p.m.; 286 Cabot St., Beverly; $12.75 and up) — Kevin Slane

Work out with the water behind you

The popular Seaport Sweat series on the Seaport Common starts off 2024 with Broncore Bootcamp this Saturday 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. (Saturday, June 1 from 10-10:45 a.m.; 85 Northern Ave., Boston; free) — Cheryl Fenton

Feel the groove at 3 different Porchfests

It’s been more than a decade since Somerville held the Boston area’s first Porchfest, bringing hundreds of talented musicians to the city’s porches, decks, and yards. More and more towns and neighborhoods are getting in on the fun, and this Saturday, you can choose between a trio of Porchfests in the Boston area. Medford Porchfest (12-5 p.m.) has the most choices, with almost 200 acts performing. Newton’s Porchfest (12-6 p.m.) isn’t far behind with 120, while in Boston proper, Dorchester’s “Dorchfest” (1-5 p.m.) has 40 artists on the schedule. To see a full list of Porchfests happening over the next few months, check out our full Porchfest guide. (Saturday, June 1 from 12-6 p.m. at various locations; free) — Kevin Slane

Ring in Pride Month with Thorgy Thor and the Boston Pops

Drag superstar Thorgy Thor showed off her talent with a violin during Season 8 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” back in 2016. This Saturday, Thorgy Thor and her “Thorcestra” will take over Symphony Hall on the first day of Pride Month for a night of music and comedy alongside Pops conductor Keith Lockhart, special guest Qya Cristál, and host Jared Bowen of WGBH. There’s no telling exactly what the classical queen will bring to the stage, but it will doubtless be entertaining. (Saturday, June 1 at 7:30 p.m.; 301 Massachusetts Ave., Boston; $25 and up) — Kevin Slane

Head downtown for a BIPOC Pride Party

June 1 marks the start of Pride Month, making Saturday the first of many days featuring Pride events in the Greater Boston area throughout June. Starting at 4 p.m. on Saturday, the Downtown Boston Business Improvement District and the LGBTQ/BIPOC-focused events group Frolic are teaming up for a dance party at the Summer Street plaza. DJ Live will be spinning tunes for the four-hour event, which will feature drag performances, dance groups, face painting, a queer marketplace, and a beer garden from nearby Democracy Brewing. (Saturday, June 1 from 4-8 p.m.; 10 Summer St., Boston; free) — Kevin Slane

Head North for opening day at Water Country

Sources say that when the sun is blazing and the weather gets hot, Water Country is a very cool spot. The New England summer fixture opens for the season this Saturday, and as part of its 40th anniversary, will offer discounts of up to 50 percent for people who buy passes for June 1 or 2 online. Opening day celebrations in Portsmouth include a number of door giveaways, a newly reimagined splash pool known as Happy Harbor, and the introduction of a new Water Country mascot, Spruce the moose. Reports indicate that there’s no better place to feel and be young, but you’ll have to confirm the veracity of those claims yourself this weekend. (Saturday, June 1 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; 2300 Lafayette Rd., Portsmouth, N.H.; $29.99 and up) — Kevin Slane

Dance to Deorro at Big Night Live

Mexican-American DJ Deorro, who will lay down a set at Big Night Live this Saturday, scored numerous worldwide gold and platinum singles in the early to late 2010s. Among these were “Five Hours,” “Perdóname,” “Five More Hours,” and “Bailar.” Despite being such massive sellers, only the last of these reached the U.S. top 40, peaking at No. 37. (“Perdóname,” interestingly, reached the top of the chart in Poland.) During this time, he was almost consistently included among DJ Magazine’s top 100 practitioners of the art, an honor he reclaimed in 2023. (Saturday, June 1 at 9:30 p.m.; 110 Causeway St., Boston; $15 and up) — Blake Maddux

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