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Weekend Roundup

Happy Friday and Happy Halloween everyone! I hope you and your kids enjoy the festivities today (and be sure to check out this post on how to handle the Halloween candy craze if things get out of hand!). Meanwhile, enjoy this roundup of 21 weekend events! And one last note, in honor of National Book Lovers Day tomorrow, I'm running a fun little contest on Instagram for a $50 Amazon gift card -- hop over to enter to win!

1. Halloween has one last hurrah. (Acton)

2. Magic show with Rupayan Neogy. (Acton)

3. Frank Zappa meets Pete Seeger! Billy Jonas CD release party. (Arlington)

4. Capitol Square’s Day of the Dead Festival. (Arlington)

5. Join in some artful scarecrow building. (Ashfield)

6. Waffles and wonderment fundraiser for Boston Marathon runners. (Beverly)

7. Happy birthday to Kambiri the gorilla. (Boston)

8. Spend the day watching classic cartoons. (Boston)

9. The Children’s Opera presents The Billy Goats Gruff. (Boston)

10. Infectious, engaging and interactive Tim of Tim and the Space Cadets. (Brookline)

11. The Hard Times of Woody Guthrie puppet show. (Brookline)

12. Create nature collages from all the park has to offer. (Chelsea)

13. Go letterboxing. (Framingham)

14. Learn how to create natural play spaces in small or large backyards. (Lincoln)

15. Wickedly funny day of post Halloween pumpkin disposal. (North Andover)

16. Finish the Fight against cancer 5K. (Somerville)

17. Celebrate Dia de Los Muertos at the chocolate factory. (Somerville)

18. Spend some time learning a historical craft. (Sturbridge)

19. Prepare and eat a meal as early New Englanders did. (Sturbridge)

20. Take a free tour of the ground-floor of the Gore mansion. (Waltham)

21. Ghost stories around the bonfire. (Westport)

Image credit: Smolak Farms

Fun Indoors, Fun Outdoors, LocalOctober 31, 2014Comment

Weekly Blueprint

Hello everyone, I hope you had a wonderful weekend! My mind and heart are incredibly full after everything I learned and experienced at #AYASummit last week. I'll have more to share soon, but meanwhile, if you agree that girls and women around the world deserve equality and growth, please join the ONE Girls & Women community! And after you do that, check out this week's roundup of weekday events via the Weekly Blueprint. Enjoy!

October 28: Yo Gabba Gabba live. (Boston)

October 28 - 31: An entire week of Halloween activities. (Easton)

October 29: Use a little spooky science to create some strange substances. (Acton)

October 29: Paul Czajak hosts a Halloween party to introduce his new book, Monster Needs a Costume. (Wellesley)

October 30: Tech/fitness awesomeness at Microsoft at the Pru! (Boston)

October 30: Halloween story time and parade. (Boston)

October 30: Live indie-rock music performance. (Boston)

October 30: Go trick or treating at Fenway. (Boston)

October 30: Kiddos can trick or treat and you can shop! (Cambridge)

October 30: Take home first prize at this kids costume contest. (Lexington)

October 31: It’s not too late for last minute costumes. (Acton)

October 31: An entire day of Halloween fun. (Boston)

October 31: Monster Mash KidsJam. (Boston)

October 31: Halloween storytime with Curious George. (Cambridge)

October 31: Trick or Treat at Fruitlands Museum. (Harvard)

October 31: Frightful Friday ghost stories at the mansion. (Waltham)

October 31: Take a stroll through this wicked scary haunted forest. (Wareham)

Image credit: Children’s Museum in Easton

Fun Indoors, Fun Outdoors, LocalOctober 27, 2014Comment

Weekend Roundup

Happy Friday everyone, I hope you're having a great week! I've been in Washington, DC the last couple of days soaking up incredible programming via the ONE Girls & Women #AYASummit. I urge you to follow the hashtag on Twitter to learn more; my mind has simply been swimming. Meanwhile, I did want to leave you with a wonderful roundup of 32 events for the weekend. Enjoy this weekend's curation and have a great one!

1. A Diwali celebration. (Boston)

2. All access pass to lots of wine. (Boston)

3. A food festival just for vegetarians! (Boston)

4. Trick or treat and hear the zoo howl. (Boston)

5. Celebrate the power of words at the Boston Book Festival. (Boston)

6. Even dogs love Halloween. Dress them up and let them strut their stuff. (Boston)

7. Mix and mingle with fellow owners and their pups...costumes and all. (Boston)

8. Halloween pet parade. (Boston)

9. A spooktacular day of Halloween fun at the Pru. (Boston)

10. Creative play date sculpting with fiber. (Boston)

11. Magic show with BJ Hickman. (Brookline)

12. Inside the Haunted House puppet show. (Brookline)

13. The pumpkins are all aglow. (Carver)

14. Monuments: fall concert from the Concord Band. (Concord)

15. Celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights. (Concord)

16. Pumpkins in the park carving contest. (East Walpole)

17. Guided walk along our Halloween trail. (Ipswich)

18. Pumpkin decorating at Wilson Farm. (Lexington)

19. Bring your family together to make a change in your community. (New Bedford)

20. Halloween family free for all. (Newburyport)

21. Ben Rudnick and Friends. (Newburyport)

22. Final weekend of The Farm Festival. (North Andover)

23. Halloween night hike and hayride. (Princeton)

24. BBQ fest at Wachusett Mountain. (Princeton)

25. Celebrate the season with a grand tasting of fine wine, mead and the best craft beer around! (Salem)

26. Fun and non-scary Halloween prowl. (Sharon)

27. No tricks, just treats around The Row. (Somerville)

28. Bring a canned good to J. Crew and receive 20% off. (Somerville)

29. Be enchanted and surprised by the wacky, magical characters you'll meet at The Haunting Gardens of Naumkeag. (Stockbridge)

30. Trunk or treat with Mr. Vic. (Sudbury)

31. Halloween hay rides. (Waltham)

32. It’s the great pumpkin fest. (Worcester)

Image credit: The Trustees of Reservations

Fun Indoors, Fun Outdoors, LocalOctober 23, 2014Comment

Weekly Blueprint

Happy Monday everyone, I hope you had a lovely weekend! The girls and I enjoyed a fun trip to the zoo (where the adorable costumes were out in full force!) and cheered on a few of our friends plus lots of other amazing runners at the Bay State Marathon in Lowell. I'm excited to get back to work today, and will kick it up with this awesome roundup of weekday events via the Weekly Blueprint. Enjoy!

October 20: Family game night. (Dorchester)

October 21: Help us Read for the Record (ASL interpreted). (Boston)

October 21: Exercise your mind, body and soul. (Boston)

October 21: Another special Read for the Record storytime. (Boston)

October 21: Healthy kids summit, a free afternoon of fun and fitness. (Foxboro)

October 21, 22 + 24: Figure out the sweet side of chemistry by making candy! (Acton)

October 22: Fill your day with art and play. (Lincoln)

October 22: A spirited preschool storytime. (Waltham)

October 23: Meet a real live archaeologist. (Acton)

October 23: Boo! A Ghost in the House storytime. (Boston)

October 23: Create your very own haunted gingerbread house. (Lexington)

October 23: Live indie-rock music performances. (Boston)

October 23 + 24: Put on your favorite costume, grab a flashlight, for a silly, spooky Halloween tradition. (Lincoln)

October 23: Help us carve pumpkins into Jack-O-Lanterns for our annual Halloween Prowl. (Sharon)

October 23 - 25: Celebrate the power of words at the Boston Book Festival. (Boston)

October 24: Take a walk through an enchanted forest. (Barnstable)

October 24: Learn more about how and where to find local food in Boston. (Boston)

October 24: Punkin’ fest. (Boston)

October 24: Ghost stories story time. (Boston)

October 24: The pumpkins are all aglow. (Carver)

October 24: Frightful Friday ghost stories in the mansion. (Waltham)

October 24: Explore our “haunted” pine forest after dark. (Wellfleet)

October 24 - 25: Bring your family together to make a change in your community. (New Bedford)

October 24 - 25: All access pass to lots of wine. (Boston)

October 24 - 25: Guided walk along our Halloween trail. (Ipswich)

October 24 - 26: Fun and non-scary Halloween prowl. (Sharon)

Image credit: Mass Audubon

Fun Indoors, Fun Outdoors, LocalOctober 20, 2014Comment

Weekend Roundup

Happy Friday everyone, I hope you're enjoying a great short week! Are you ready for weekend? I have a busy day today and then I can't wait to dive into the weekend, which will include fun and games at the Stone Zoo (come join me!), marathon spectating, and Halloween costume making (I've got my mojo on thanks to this no-sew costume roundup!). Meanwhile, if you're looking for something to do, enjoy this roundup of 27 events!

1. Discover the wonders of chemistry and celebrate National Chemistry Week. (Acton)

2. BBQ, guided hikes, and a day of family fun. (Andover)

3. Arlington International Film Festival (Arlington)

4. Pumpkin lit stroll through the forest. (Attleboro)

5. Everything you wanted to know about sustainable seafood. (Boston)

6. Family day at Mass College of Art and Design. (Boston)

7. Free lecture by Raun K. Kaufman Author of Autism Breakthrough. (Boston)

8. The leaves are changing and fall has arrived at the Children’s Museum. (Boston)

9. Interactive storytime with visiting author Babs Bell Hajdusiewicz. (Boston)

10. Be part of the audience as a cappella groups battle for the win. (Boston)

11. Ben Rudnick and Friends. (Brookline)

12. Little Red Rosie and the Dragon of Duum puppet show. (Brookline)

13. The pumpkins are all aglow. (Carver)

14. It’s time again for the Head of the Charles. (Cambridge)

15. Have a ghoulish good time at the Halloween romp. (Easton)

16. A food and wine festival on the Vineyard. (Edgartown)

17. An animal safari right in Framingham. (Framingham)

18. Pumpkin fest, tractor parade and dedication hike. (Hadley)

19. Mass Audubon’s biggest celebration of the year! Daniel Webster Farm Day. (Marshfield)

20. Reading and book signing with Rosemary Wells in honor of Read for the Record. (Newton)

21. Rides, crafts, music and food. (Newton)

22. The Farm Festival. (North Andover)

23. So much fun packed into Applefest at Wachusett Mountain. (Princeton)

24. Halloween parade and costume party. (Salem)

25. Boo at the zoo. And come meet me at the Fidelity/MEFA tent! (Stoneham)

26. 14th annual Wellfleet OysterFest. (Wellfleet)

27. Westport Town Farm fall festival. (Westport)

Image credit: Stone Zoo

Fun Indoors, Fun Outdoors, LocalOctober 17, 2014Comment

Weekly Blueprint

Happy Sunday! What a gorgeous day to celebrate, not only my birthday -- which Jon and the girls have made very festive -- but I'm seeing so many friends enjoying time with families or running first-ever races and personal bests on half and full marathons! Meanwhile, I'm dropping the Weekly Blueprint early since there are lots of great events happening during tomorrow's holiday and I'm going to be spotty online today and tomorrow. Enjoy!

October 13: You bring your imagination, they’ll provide the Legos. (Acton)

October 13: Family hike to the witches caves. (Ashland)

October 13: Sleeping Beauty puppet show. (Brookline)

October 13: Early access to the museum for children with special needs. (Boston)

October 13: Live music, dance and more to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. (Boston)

October 13: All the street performers, all at once. (Boston)

October 13: FORE! Kids golf tournament for the whole family. (Easton)

October 13: A day of eco-friendly fun with recycled crafts, wildlife demonstrations, and ideas for green living. (Lincoln)

October 13: Create autumn memories at this fall festival. (Milton)

October 13: Pinkalicious the Musical! (Newton)

October 13: The Smolak Farm Harvest Festival is open today. (North Andover)

October 13: Scavenger hunt along the river. (Sudbury)

October 13: The final day of the Topsfield Fair. (Topsfield)

October 13: An outdoor picture game. (Waltham)

October 16: Faneuil Hall story time. (Boston)

October 16: Join us for an owl prowl. (Chelsea)

October 16: Haunted gingerbread house building workshop. (Lexington)

October 16: See the beauty of balance in motion. (Lincoln)

October 16 + 17: Live indie-rock music performances. (Boston)

October 15 - 19: Arlington International Film Festival. (Arlington)

October 17: The pumpkins are all aglow. (Carver)

October 17: Dinosaur month story time. (Cambridge)

Image credit: Mass Audubon

Fun Indoors, Fun Outdoors, LocalOctober 12, 2014Comment

Weekend Roundup

Happy Friday everyone, I hope you're having a great week! Things have been a little hectic around here (though good hectic, I guess!) so I'm looking forward to taking things down several notches over the long weekend and soaking in some birthday fun. My pro-40 feelings are still with me; I'm excited to ring in 41! Meanwhile, if you're looking for something to do, enjoy this 32 event mega roundup, lovingly curated for your consideration!

1. Free evening at the museum for the deaf or hard of hearing. (Acton)

2. Bring your imagination. Legos provided. (Acton)

3. Three-day spectacle of light, sound and projection art. (Boston)

4. The largest display of LEGO® art ever assembled. (Boston)

5. Celebrate Hispanic Heritage month with music, dance and games. (Boston)

6. Concert with Mr. G, Latin GRAMMY nominee. (Brookline)

7. Sleeping Beauty marionette show. (Brookline)

8. The pumpkins are all aglow. (Carver)

9. Celebrating local food and growing community. (Concord)

10. Columbus Day parade celebration. (East Boston)

11. The thrill of the chase of letterboxing. (Framingham)

12. Riverside blues and bbq. (Greenfield)

13. A weekend celebration of the autumn harvest. (Harvard)

14. Are there really dinosaurs in Holyoke? (Holyoke)

15. Spooky hayrides. (Lexington)

16. Think you can’t draw? Think again. (Lincoln)

17. Columbus Day weekend fall festival. (Lunenburg)

18. Observe resident birds and fall migrants at a unique urban habitat. (Mattapan)

19. A playdate with nature. (Mattapan)

20. Party down by the river at the Mystic River Celebration. (Medford)

21. Fall Festival at Blue Hills Trailside Museum. (Milton)

22. Crafts, fine art, music and food. (Newburyport)

23.The Farm Festival. (North Andover)

24. Fun in the sun rail jam. (Princeton)

25. The final weekend of the Topsfield Fair. (Topsfield)

26. It a festival of outlet shopping. (Somerville)

27. Get out and HONK! (Somerville)

28. Help the zoo by recycling your bottles and cans. (Stoneham)

29. Breakfast with the bears. (Stoneham)

30. Outdoor storytime on Waltham Common. (Waltham)

31. Cranberry harvest celebration with bogside demonstrations and cranberry-related activities. (Wareham)

32. Halloween hike at Boo Meadow Brook. (Worcester)

Image credit: Boston Children’s Museum

Fun Indoors, Fun Outdoors, LocalOctober 10, 2014Comment

Weekly Blueprint

Happy Monday everyone, I hope you had a wonderful weekend! We were all about local and spent all day Saturday hanging out with friends in the neighborhood and then enjoyed a lovely day trip to Gloucester yesterday. So spectacular (even with ominous cloud cover), and Vi definitely responds to the expansiveness of the sand and ocean! Meanwhile, there's tons on tap for this week; enjoy this monster Weekly Blueprint:

August 18: Provincetown Jazz Festival. (Provincetown)

August 18: Unwind with some free yoga. (Boston)

August 19: Celebrate National Aviation Day. (Acton)

August 19: FREE kids performance by Stacey Peasley. (Boston)

August 19: Uh oh! The squirrel stole my underpants. (Cambridge)

August 19: Grow, build and learn about historical architecture and design. (Waltham)

August 19: Twilight canoe cruise. (Wellfleet)

August 19 + 20: Late summer arts and crafts show. (Eastham)

August 19 + 21: Performance by Berklee musicians Lady Rogo. (Boston)

August 19 - 24: The Marshfield Fair. (Marshfield)

August 20: Landmarks Orchestra presents Rhapsody in Green. (Boston)

August 20: From farm to fork late summer crop dinner. (Concord)

August 20: It’s time to play in the park. (Lincoln)

August 20: Grow, build and learn about historical architecture and design. (Lincoln)

August 20: Time to learn about peaches. (North Andover)

August 20: Nauset marsh family cruise. (Orleans)

August 20: Free concert - The Reminisants with Cranberry Lane. (Plymouth)

August 20: Sit out on the patio and enjoy a great local band. (Somerville)

August 20: Oh yum. Taza Chocolate summer shindig. (Somerville)

August 21: Alt electronic and indie pop music come together with Oyinda and Bigfoot Wallace. (Boston)

August 21: Carnaval del Mundo; a puppet theater World Carnival of music, dance, and magic. (Cambridge)

August 21: After work wine and chocolate therapy. (Dedham)

August 21: Ollie & Bianca and their zany music and movement. (Easton)

August 21: Thursday night picnic concert with Entrain. (Ipswich)

August 21: Throwback game night. (Salem)

August 22: Free Friday night fun at the Discovery Museums. (Acton)

August 22: FREE kids performance by Stacey Peasley. (Boston)

August 22: Free admission to the Boston Children’s Museum. (Boston)

August 22: Free admission to the Museum of African American History. (Boston)

August 22: Free admission to the New Bedford Whaling Museum. (New Bedford)

August 22: Free admission to Old Manse, Trustees of Reservations. (Concord)

August 22: Free admission to the Berkshire Museum. (Pittsfield)

August 22: Free admission to the Emily Dickinson Museum. (Amherst)

August 22: Free Friday Flicks at the Hatch Shell: Frozen. (Boston)

August 22: Calling all fairies and gnomes. (Boston)

August 22: Performance by Hooray for Earth. (Boston)

August 22: Aviation day story time. (Cambridge)

August 22: Happy hour yoga in the park. (South Boston)

August 22: Springfield Indie Soul Music, Books and Art Festival. (Springfield)

Image credit: Pixabay.com

Fun Indoors, Fun Outdoors, LocalAugust 18, 2014Comment

Weekend Roundup

Happy Friday everyone, I hope you're having a wonderful week! I'm very, very foggy after another bad night of sleep (we finally took the front rail off Violet's convertible crib...she keeps ending up on the floor...doh) but man, what a beautiful day! And the weather is supposed to be gorgeous this weekend, perfect to allow for plenty of enjoyment of the outdoor options in this 34 event mega-roundup. Enjoy!