Tickets to the Red Sox can be tough to come by, so how’s this for a fun Father’s Day baseball twist: Hop the ferry over to Georges Island this Sunday for a free vintage baseball game - complete with 1860’s uniforms - at Fort Warren. The Essex Base Ball Club and Waterbury Connors will play a double-header, with games at 11:00 am & 1:00 pm. Alternatively, the dad band The Pop Stars will rock Georges Island with free Father’s Day concerts at noon and 2 pm.
Hooray for spring outdoor fun! Here are some family friendly picks to consider as you plan your weekend: For nature enthusiasts, Sunday offers the Nature Festival at Ipswich River, the Spring Fling and Silent Auction at the Boston Nature Center in Mattapan, and the Kids Take Pix nature photography program in Cambridge. For music lovers, there’s the Needham Spring Arts Festival (Saturday), Dedham Square Music Festival (Saturday & Sunday), and Cambridge New School of Music Family Music Festival (Sunday).
Some days, no playground structure seems tall enough for my climbing monkey. And once Laurel is old enough, clearly, it’ll be time to hit the Boston Rock Gym in Woburn. Offering novices to experts plenty of room to rock, we dig that this climbing facility offers courses exclusively for women, as well as an impressive dedicated youth program for kids 5 and up. Youth programming includes daily classes, flexible summer camp sessions, climbing teams, and birthday parties for 7-12 year olds. Talk about a perfect way to burn off the cake-induced sugar rush.
Want to win a BRG Family Intro Class*? Here’s how:
*Winner will receive a complimentary Family Intro Class, which covers one adult and one child for the introductory class and equipment rental + a 2-week membership including gear rental!
If you’re looking to kick off the summer in high flying fashion, head to Wollaston Beach this Sunday (12-4pm) for the Friends of Wollaston Beach 2nd Annual Kite Festival. Families are invited to join in the fun (BYOK, or purchase one at the festival) with Kites Over New England and Sea Side Kites of Hull.
One of Laurel’s school pals eats waffles every morning for breakfast and subsequently always smells distinctly like a sweet puddle of maple syrup. This little guy thus ought to be thrilled that March is maple sugaring time in New England.
This weekend your kids can learn that maple syrup has a life beyond the breakfast aisle via demos at Brookwood Farm in the Blue Hills Reservation and at the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary. Click each link for admission and schedule details; the Brookwood link also includes additional maple sugaring programs offered this month by the Mass DCR.
Blue Hills Reservation, 695 Hillside Street, Milton; Tel: 617-698-1802 & Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary, 87 Perkins Row, Topsfield; Tel: 978-887-9264
If you can’t beat the winter weather, you might as well join in. Throughout today and all day tomorrow, Lowell Winterfest celebrates the season with a full schedule, including free ice skating, face painting, magic shows, tundra rides, and fireworks, as well as crafts, live entertainment, a soup bowl competition, and the ever popular National Human Dogsled Championships.
When you are next looking for an outing that is a little more Zen and a little less zoo, head to the peaceful, manicured Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain. The grounds are open from sunrise to sunset every day; admission is free (although donations are welcome).
The Arboretum offers seasonal two-hour school programs for students in grades 3 to 6 that are designed to encourage the investigation of plant science. Classes are free for kids from Boston schools, $4 otherwise. One-day and multi-session horticulture, botany, and landscape-related courses are offered for adults of all levels.
Ready to rock out? The 2006 Lowell Folk Festival (July 28 - 30) transforms downtown Lowell into a haven for traditional music, dance, craft demonstrations, street parades, dance parties, and delicious ethnic foods. Performances and activities are free; you just pick up the food tab.
Kids of all ages are welcome. Check out the special family activities area, or stretch out on a piece of lawn to rest and rejuvenate. Bring toys and snacks for the babe, a blanket, and plenty of water so you can save your line waiting time (and money) for the terrific food vendors.
Finished trolling around Faneuil Hall and the North End and need to take a load off? Then head over to the Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park on Atlantic Avenue in Boston. Not only is the harbor view and landscaping a relaxing retreat for adults, but your babe will love the playground, green space, and spray fountain.
Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park, Tel: 617-635-4505
