Things to do in Boston this weekend: June 13-16, 2024

Things to Do

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

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].

See 2023’s best photos at a free outdoor exhibit

Each year, the Boston Press Photographers Association highlights some of the best pictures captured by its talented photojournalists with an outdoor exhibition on Boston Common. See brilliant photo essays from Boston Globe photogs like Erin Clark and John Tlumacki, triumphant sports snapshots from the biggest competitions around the world, and emotionally searing images from Lewiston, Maine and the U.S.-Mexico border. The exhibit can be seen next to Park Street Station until June 15, when it will relocate to Central Square Park in East Boston through June 29.  (Now through June 29 at various locations; free) — Kevin Slane

Support Boston’s youth arts and music

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, a nonprofit whose programs help “develop and inspire young adults through fine arts activities.” Held this Thursday at 5 p.m. in the heart of Post Office Square at Norman B. Leventhal Park, 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. (Thursday, June 13 at 5 p.m.; 130 Franklin St., Boston; free) — Cheryl Fenton

Get the full picture at Somerville Theatre’s 70mm and Widescreen festival

With more and more consumers watching movies on laptops or even cell phones, Somerville Theatre has remained dedicated to showing films on the big screens in the aspect ratios their creators intended with their annual 70mm and Widescreen festival, which runs through June 23. This weekend’s offerings include CinemaScope musicals “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” and Gene Kelly’s “It’s Always Fair Weather”; the 1955 William Holden and Kim Novak romance “Picnic”; and the Barbra Streisand classic “Funny Girl.” (Now through June 23 at various times; 55 Davis Square, Somerville; $15 and up) — Kevin Slane

Root for a sweep at a Celtics watch party

The Boston Celtics will look to finish off the Dallas Mavericks in four games this Friday, which means you don’t have to worry about staying up late to watch the team potentially capture its 18th championship. The official Celtics watch party at TD Garden sold out almost instantly — as did a number of other watch parties at Boston bars — but there are still a number of viewing options for fans in the city. Canal Street will be closed to vehicular traffic, and basically every bar on the street will be showing the game, which tips off at 8:30 p.m. For sheer volume of televisions, try to land a reservation at Banners Kitchen & Tap, which is conveniently located in the Hub on Causeway, the same Causeway Street complex that houses TD Garden. If planning ahead isn’t your thing, every Tavern in the Square location is first-come, first-serve basis, including its Beverly St. location across the street from the Garden. For even more options, check out our guide on the best places to watch the Celtics near TD Garden. (Friday, June 14 at 8:30 p.m. at various locations) — Kevin Slane

Head to Hyde Park’s ‘Juneteenth Joy’ celebration

This Saturday, the third annual “Juneteenth Joy: Focus on Freedom” celebration will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Martini Shell Park in Hyde Park. Hosted by the West Fairmount Hill Community Group, the event will begin with a color guard and speakers before moving into a series of dance and musical performances throughout the afternoon. There will also be food vendors, dance lessons, historical exhibits, and educational offerings about Afro-American and Afro-Latina cultures. (Saturday, June 15 from 10-3 p.m.; 1015 Truman Pkwy, Boston; free) — Natalie Gale

Feel the groove at a pair of 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 pair of Porchfests . Fenway Porchfest (12-4:30 p.m.) is the slightly more corporate of the two, with all of its 46 performances taking place at restaurants or green spaces associated with local businesses. Over at Arlington Porchfest (12-6 p.m.), 300+ artists will be spread all over town, with two of the bigger concentrations of artists located on Bartlett Ave. and the easternmost stretch of Mass Ave. To see a full list of Porchfests happening over the next few months, check out our full Porchfest guide. (Saturday, June 15 from 12-6 p.m. at various locations; free) — Kevin Slane

Bring your entourage to see Jeremy Piven

Jeremy Piven may be best known for his Emmy-winning turn as Ari Gold in “Entourage,” but let’s face it: Even before that, the guy had been everywhere. For instance, he was the actor playing George in the sitcom-within-a-sitcom on “Seinfeld”; was a regular on the Ellen DeGeneres vehicle “Ellen”; and popped up in a whole bunch of movies with John Cusack, including “One Crazy Summer,” “Say Anything…,” and our personal favorite, “Grosse Pointe Blank.” (“TEN YEARS!”) But can he do stand-up? Head to the Chevalier this Saturday and find out. (Saturday, June 15 at 7 p.m.; 30 Forest St., Medford; $39-$75) — Peter Chianca

Give ’em something to talk about with Bonnie Raitt

She’s got a powerful, raspy singing voice; she plays a mean guitar; she’s a soulful blues woman who’s not shy about mixing in tastes of rock and R&B; her first album came out slightly more than 50 years ago; she scored a Top 10 hit with “Something to Talk About”; and she’s won 13 Grammy Awards, the most recent three (Song of the Year, Best American Roots Song, and Best Americana Performance) for 2022’s “Just Like That.” She’s Bonnie Raitt, she’ll be at MGM Music Hall this Saturday, and she’s still at the top of her game. (Saturday, June 15 at 8 p.m.; 2 Lansdowne St., Boston. $106 and up) — Ed Symkus

Commemorate Bunker Hill Day with a parade

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 this Sunday 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. (Sunday, June 16 at 12:30 p.m.; Main St., Charlestown; free) — Cheryl Fenton

Listen to The Kid Laroi at MGM Music Hall

Before he started calling himself The Kid Laroi, Charlton Howard grew up in a poor part of Sydney, Australia, trying to help his single mom make ends meet, listening to music by Fugees and Erykah Badu, and dreaming of establishing his own career in hip-hop. The raw talent was there, but it also helped that he kept entering performance competitions and that he managed to hang out with others who were already on their way up, most notably the young rap star Juice Wrld. By the time he was 13, Howard – who around that time made the name change – was regularly performing. Before he reached 15, he was signed to Sony, a move that spread his sound beyond Australia. A handful of hit singles followed. One of them – “Stay” – was a duo effort with Justin Bieber. But 2023 proved to be his biggest year to date: His debut studio album “The First Time” was released, and an earlier tune, “Forever & Again,” landed a spot on the “Barbie” soundtrack. With that kind of trajectory, this might be the last time you can see The Kid Laroi at a venue as small as MGM Music Hall for a while. (Sunday, June 16 at 7:30 p.m.; 2 Lansdowne St., Boston, $56 and up) — Ed Symkus