Free Fun Fridays for Friday, July 12, 2013 in Boston and Beyond

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FreeFunFridays

Once again it is Wednesday, wishing it was already Friday… Here are the fun and free things you can do on Friday, July 12, 2013 in and around Massachusetts.

The Highland Street Foundation’s Free Fun Friday’s are in full swing with free admission to attractions all across Massachusetts! Here is where you can score free admission to Friday, 7/12/13:

Also, if you are looking for something fun and free to do in the evening in Boston, here is where you can catch a free movie showing:

Choices, choices… Good thing it is only Wednesday and you have a few days to decide what to do!

Cheap Weekend Fun in Greater Boston for July 6-7, 2013

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Happy Friday and Happy Weekend! If you are lucky and have today off, check out the free Friday events you can enjoy today and tonight in and around Boston. Below are the free and budget-friendly events that are happening this weekend!

Boston Harborfest 2013

Boston Harborfest: Ending Sunday, July 7, 2013. Boston Harborfest continues and ends this weekend with many free and fun events around the city!

Kid Price Saturday at Franklin Zoo: Saturday, July 6, 2013. Pay and feel like a kid the first Saturday of every month at Franklin Park Zoo between 10 a.m. & noon for just $11. Head to Stoneham, MA to the Stone Zoo between 10am-12pm and pay $10 for admission.

Bank of America’s Museum on Us Weekend: Saturday, July 6, 2013 & Sunday, July 7, 2013. Bank of America & Merrill Lynch cardholders can get into select museums the first weekend of every month for free by showing their bank card (per cardholder, not family). Museum of Fine Arts, MIT Museum and other museums across the state participate.

Shakespeare on the Common: Starting Saturday, July 6, 2013 at 8pm and Sunday, July 7 at 7pm (performances through July 28, 2013) at Boston Common. Enjoy a free performance of Shakespeare’s The Two Gentlemen of Verona this July on the Common, and Saturday night kicks off this annual free event!

106.7 Family Film Festival

Magic 106.7 Family Film Festival: Saturday, July 6, 2013 at Prudential Center South Garden at sunset. Enjoy a free showing of the Lorax on the South Garden at the Prudential Center at sunset.

Also, if you own a Hernandez Jersey, you can swap it out for any Patriots Jersey free this weekend at the Patriots Pro Shop; they will accept both #81 & #85 Jerseys.

Also, the cheap fun events page on Boston On Budget has been updated. There are many discount attractions and free museum days on the list including Harvard Museum of Natural History and Peabody Museum of Archaeology, which are both free on Sunday mornings to Mass residents.

If I missed any big free events happening this weekend, feel free to leave them in the comments. Thanks!

Save the Date! Free Outside the Box Music Festival in Boston this July 2013!

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Outside the Box

Outside the Box is coming to Boston for nine days in July for their first performing arts festival. The best part about Outside the Box is that the festival is completely FREE with over 200 festival performances all around Boston and Massachusetts from July 13-21, 2013. Some performances in particular to get excited about (in my opinion) are:

  • Los Lonely Boys on Saturday, July 13, 2013
  • Lonestar on Tuesday, July 16, 2013
  • Augustana on Wednesday, July 17, 2013
  • Boys Like Girls on Wednesday, July 17, 2013
  • Gentlemen Hall on Thursday, July 18, 2013
  • Mighty Mighty Bosstones on Saturday, July 19, 2013
  • Open auditions for soloists and A cappella (up to $25,000 in prizes)

There are also a large variety of performances from classical music, dance, to kid-approved performances. For all performances and more information, please click here.

Also, Outside the Box is looking for 700 Festival Volunteers! To volunteer or for more information, please click here. Volunteers will receive an exclusive t-shirt, special gift, and an invite to a private party.

Cheap Weekend Fun in Greater Boston for June 15-16, 2013

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As previously mentioned, I am on vacation(!!) and not in the New England area this weekend. This weekend round-up will be a little quicker than usual, and don’t forget to do your due diligence and check with the event organizer to ensure the event is still happening. If I missed a great and cheap event, please feel free to leave ’em in the comments. Thanks!

Battle of Bunker Hill Parade: Sunday, June 16, 2013 starting at 12:30pm. Celebrate the 238th Annual Bunker Hill Parade which commemorates the battle that was fought on Breed’s Hill on June 17, 1775.

80’s Themed City Sports Dash: Saturday, June 15, 2013 at 9:00am. Grab your spandex and leg warmers and join this 80’s theme fun run. Free to join.

Cultural Survival Bazaar: Saturday, June 15, 2013 from 10am-6pm at Copley Square. Enjoy a festival of native arts and culture with music, cultural demonstrations, crafts, and more. Free.

Waltham Riverfest: Friday & Saturday, June 14-15, 2013 in Waltham. Enjoy 4 stages of live music, pet parade, dancing, and more.

Harvard Museum of Natural History and Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology: Sunday, June 16, 2013. Mass residents can visit the Harvard Museum of Natural History and the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology for free on Sundays from 9am-12pm with proof of residency.

And don’t forget to check out where Dad is free this weekend in the Greater Boston area! Happy Father’s Day weekend!

Cheap Weekend Fun in Greater Boston for June 8-9, 2013

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Happy second weekend in June! Here are the best things to do in the city for not spending (much of) anything:

Boston Pride Day Parade and Festival: Saturday, June 8, 2013 from 12pm to 6pm; starts at Copley and ends at City Hall Plaza. Join this annual parade and festival with Mayor Menino as the Pride Parade Grand Marshal and pop-duo Karmin as the festival headliner. Free.

Coolidge Corner Arts Festival: Saturday, June 8, 2013 from 10am-6pm. More than 70 artists will be showcasing their work at this 35th Annual Festival with free admission. Also, the Brookline Food Festival will be nearby from 12-3pm with tasting tickets for $2 each, which benefits the Brookline Food Pantry.

Boston Dragon Boat Festival

34th Annual Boston Dragon Boat Festival: Saturday & Sunday, June 8-9, 2013 starting at 8am at the banks of the Charles River. Cheer on the oldest Dragon Boat race in North America where 30-40 teams compete in 500-meter course in Hong-Kong Style dragon boats. Food, performances, arts & crafts and more will be present as well. Free admission.

National Get Outdoors Day: Saturday, June 8, 2013. Saturday is National Get Outdoors Day, and luckily it doesn’t cost anything to get outdoors and celebrate. If you’re looking for a free park or location, please click here.

Salem Arts Festival: Friday- Sunday, June 7, 8, & 9 in Salem, Massachusetts. Enjoy this family-friendly 3-day arts festival with a variety of artists, performers, musicians, and more. Free.

Fifth Annual Dance for World Community Festival: Saturday & Sunday, June 8-9, 2013 in Harvard Square. Enjoy this celebration showcasing dance positively in the community and world. Free and open to the public.

Food Truck Festival

Cambridge Food Truck Festival: Saturday, June 8, 2013 from 11am-5pm in Kendall Square. Enjoy this first ever mouthwatering food festival in Cambridge. Grab tickets ahead of time for $7 per person ($10 at the door) and includes entry, music, and special food truck discounts. $1 of the admission will support the American Red Cross.

Boston Cycling and Health Expo: Friday, June 7, 2013 & Saturday, June 8, 2013 at the Westin Waterfront. Enjoy this first annual Boston cycling and health expo and learn about new products and events in New England. Free admission.

Natick Mall: Microsoft Grand Opening (with Free Weezer Tickets): Saturday, June 8, 2013. Stop by the Natick Mall on Saturday morning to score free tickets to see Weezer in concert that night.

Hope you have a great weekend and stick to your budget!

 

Highland Street Foundation Announces Free Fun Fridays Schedule for 2013!

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FreeFunFridays

The Highland Street Foundation announced the fifth annual Free Fun Fridays Schedule! Over 60 Museums and Cultural Venues will be FREE on a Friday this Summer thanks to the Highland Street Foundation! Woohoo!

Here’s the Free Fun Fridays schedule for the Summer of 2013:

June 28th, 2013: Freedom Trail Foundation, Mass MoCA, Stone Zoo, Heritage Museums & Gardens, and Tanglewood

July 5th, 2013: Mass Audubon’s Boston Nature Center, Cape Cod Museum of Art, Martha’s Vineyard Museum, Children’s Museum at Holyoke, Volleyball Hall of Fame, and Peabody Essex Museum

July 12th, 2013: Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Larz Anderson Auto Museum, Cape Cod Children’s Museum, Pilgrim Hall Museum, Museum of Russian Icons, and Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival

July 19th, 2013: JFK Library and Museum, Reagle Music Theatre, Buttonwood Park  Zoo, Danforth Art, Hancock Shaker Village, and Garden in the Woods

July 26th, 2013: Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, New England Historic Genealogical Society, American Textile History Museum, Children’s Museum in Easton, Amelia Park Children’s Museum, and Higgins Armory Museum

August 2nd, 2013: Boston Children’s Museum, Franklin Park Zoo, Arnold Arboretum, Fuller Craft Museum, Wenham Museum, and The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center

August 9th, 2013: Boston Harbor Island Alliance, The Sports Museum, Battleship Cove, Ocean Explorium, The Cape Cod Museum of Natural History, and the Eric Carle Museum

August 16th, 2013: The Institute of Contemporary Art Boston, USS Constitution Museum, Concord Museum, Edward Gorey House, Springfield Museums, and Berkshire Museum

August 23rd, 2013: Isabella Steward Gardner Museum, Museum of African American History, New Bedford Whaling Museum, Fitchburg Art Museum, Fruitlands Museum, and Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute

August 30, 2013: Plimouth Plantation, The Discover Museums, New Repertory Theatre, Ecotarium, Norman Rockwell Museum, and The Mount: Edith Wharton’s Home

For more information, please visit here. Can’t wait!

 

 

Weekend Fun in Greater Boston for March 16-17, 2013

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stpatricksday

Happy St. Patrick’s Day Weekend! There are a lot of fun and inexpensive things happening this weekend, some festive and some not for the third week of March.

St. Patrick’s Day Parade: Sunday, March 17, 2013 at 1pm in South Boston. Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at the second largest parade in the United States. Free. (Or find another Massachusetts St. Patrick’s Day parade this weekend here).

“Shamrock” Your Body: Sunday, March 17, 2013 from 9-11am at BSC Wellesley and BSC Wellington. Enjoy a free workout with Irish music.

Free Guitar Lessons at Guitar Center: Saturday, March 16, 2013 at 10:15am at your local Guitar Center. Every Saturday during the month of March, receive a free Guitar lesson at your nearest Guitar Center.

Harvard Art Museum: Saturday, March 16, 2013. From 10am-12pm on Saturdays, Massachusetts residents can explore the museum for free with proper Mass ID.

Harvard Museum of Natural History and Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology: Sunday, March 17, 2013. Mass residents can visit the Harvard Museum of Natural History and the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology for free on Sundays from 9am-12pm with proof of residency.

City Sports 30th Grand Opening: Saturday, March 16, 2013 starting at 10am at City Sports Chestnut Hill. City Sports is celebrating their 30th Anniversary at the Grand Opening of their newest location at Chestnut Hill with  former Patriot Matt Light, free Pinkberry Treats, giveaways, and more! Be one of the first 100 through the door for a bag filled of goodies and a City Sports Tee.

Also, Sunday is the start of Boston Restaurant Week! More information can be found here.

If you are heading out and looking for some cheaper eats than Restaurant week, check out my cheap eats page here. Also, apparently dbar will have green beer for $3 on St. Paddy’s day starting at 11am ’til they are out if you are interested.

Hope you all have a good weekend!

 

UPDATED: Cheap Fun in the Greater Boston Area!

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As you may know, Boston on Budget has a page dedicated to the cheap fun and free things to do in the city. Well, it is updated! Now you will be able to select an activity (like the Museum of Science) and find all the discounts they offer.

Please keep in mind that discounts and deals can change at any time, so it’s best to contact the company directly if you have any questions. I will try to keep this list as up-to-date as possible, and will add new deals and discounts often.

If you know of any deals or discounts in the Boston area, please let me know in the comments or send me an e-mail at Kate @ Bostononbudget.com or tweet me at @Bostononbudget!

You can view all the best deals and discounts anytime here but I’ve also a sample of the Museum discounts below, but there is much more on the main page!

Museum of Fine Arts:

  • Free on Wednesdays after 4pm (suggested donation of $25)
  • Free Days: Monday, January 21, 2013 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day); Monday, May 27, 2013 (Memorial Day); and Monday, October 14, 2013 (Fall Open House)
  • Bank of America & Merrill Lynch Cardholders: Free for the first weekend of each month with bank card, part of the Museums on Us program. (One per person—not family).
  • Discounted pass for $10 per person, up to 2 people, reserved in advance through the Boston Public Library program.
  • Admission Included with the Go Boston Card
  • Admission Included with Boston CityPass

Museum of Science:

  • Free pass up to four people with advanced reservation through the Boston Public Library or possibly free or discounted at your local library
  • Free admission to the exhibits with MOS membership
  • Admission Included with the Go Boston Card
  • Admission Included with Boston CityPass

New England Aquarium:

  • $5 off Admission during Aquarium construction (Winter 2013)
  • Members: Free admission with an aquarium membership
  • Teachers: All Massachusetts Teachers (K-12) receive free admission and a 10% discount to the gift shop with valid ID
  • College students: $20.95 discount admission with valid college ID and only $7.95 for an IMAX movie
  • Free pass from September to June (up to 4 people) through the Boston Public Library with advanced reservation with BPL card or through your local library program
  • Admission Included with the Go Boston Card
  • Admission Included with Boston CityPass

Institute of Contemporary Art:

  • Free Admission on Thursday nights from 5-9pm
  • Free for families (up to 2 adults accompanied by children 12 and under) the last Saturday of each month (except December)
  • Free Admission for Children 17 and younger
  • Discounted passes at $5 per person (up to 2 adults) through the Boston Public Library available at Jamaica Plain and Central Library
  • Admission Included with the Go Boston Card

Boston Children’s Museum:

  • Target Friday nights from 5-9pm with $1 admission per person
  • Receive Half Price admission when you visit during the last hour (at 4pm)      Saturday-Thursdays
  • Mass EBT cardholders: $2 discounted rate on cash admission, up to 4 people with valid EBT card and photo ID
  • New England Teachers: Receive free admission for active NE teachers grades K-8 with valid work ID, union card or paycheck and photo ID.
  • Military Discount: Active Military Personnel or dependent will receive      complimentary admission with valid ID
  • Library Patrons: Receive half-off admission for up to 4 people with your library      card (More information here)
  • Bank of America Employees: Free admission for up to 2 people with valid IDs
  • WGBH members: Receive a $1 off admission for up to 4 people with current      membership card and photo ID
  • Red Sox Kid Nation: Kids that are members of Red Sox Nation can receive $2 off admission with membership card
  • Admission Included with the Go Boston Card

Isabella Gardner Stewart Museum:

  • Free admission on your birthday. If your birthday falls on a Tuesday when it’s closed, you can visit on Monday or Wednesday for free.
  • Receive $2 off admission when you visit the MFA within two days apart or show your MFA membership to receive the discount
  • If your name is Isabella, you can get in free… for life.
  • Red Sox Fans: Wear your gear and receive $2 off your admission… Go Sox!
  • Free admission for college students at participating universities
  • Discounted pass at $5 per person (up to 4 people on weekdays & 2 people on weekends/holidays) with Boston Public Library card, available at Jamaica Plain, West Roxbury and Central Library
  • Admission Included with the Go Boston Card

JFK Library and Museum:

  • Discounted pass at $3 per person (up to 2 adults) available  at Central Library and Jamaica Plain through the Boston Public Library program
  • AAA Members: Save $2 with your AAA membership card
  • Admission Included with the Go Boston Card

Old State House:

Commonwealth Museum:

  • Always free, with free parking

USS Constitution Museum:

  • Free admission for active military personnel and families with valid ID, part of Blue Star Museums
  • Suggested donation of $5 per adult, $3 for senior citizens, and $2 for children, but any amount is greatly appreciated
  • USS Constitution Cruise: Admission Included with the Go Boston Card

Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum:

Old South Meeting House:

Larz Anderson Auto Museum:

  • Free pass (admits one family) available through the Boston Public Library program at the Jamaica Plain location
  • Free admission for members
  • AAA Members: 50% off admission for up to 2 people

Harvard Museum of Natural History:

  • Current Harvard ID holders and one guest are admitted free
  • Massachusetts residents are admitted free every Sunday morning from 9am to Noon year-round, excluding commercial groups, with proof of residency
  • Massachusetts residents are admitted free every Wednesday from 3-5pm from September to May each year, excluding commercial groups, with proof of residency
  • Coupon for $4 per person (up to four people) with no reservation needed through the Boston Public Library with your BPL library card, call for availability beforehand
  • Free admission for active duty members military year round, part of Blue Star Museums
  • ASTC passport Members: Free admission, some limitations may apply
  • Recycled Bank Members: Buy 1, Get 1 admission free with 200 recycled bank points
  • Admission Included with the Go Boston Card
  • Admission Included with Boston CityPass

Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology:

  • Current Harvard ID holders are admitted free
  • Massachusetts residents are admitted free every Sunday morning from 9am to Noon year-round, excluding commercial groups, with proof of residency
  • Massachusetts residents are admitted free every Wednesday from 3-5pm from September to May each year, excluding commercial groups, with proof of residency
  • Members of the Peabody Museum, Harvard Art Museums, Semitic Museum, or Harvard Museum of Natural History receive free admission
  • AAA Members: Save $1 on admission, up to 5 people in party
  • Admission Included with the Go Boston Card

Harvard Art Museum:

  • Children under 18 are free
  • Harvard students and affiliates (and one guest) are free
  • Cambridge Public Library cardholders are free
  • Massachusetts Residents are free on Saturdays from 10am to Noon with valid ID

MIT Museum:

  • Admission is free every Sunday morning from 10am-12pm (excluding April 14th & April 21st)
  • The second Friday of each month from 5-8pm is free
  • Bank of America & Merrill Lynch Cardholders: Free for the first weekend of each month with bank card, part of the Museums on Us program. (One per person—not family).
  • Admission Included with the Go Boston Card

Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation (Waltham):

  • AAA Members: Save $2 off adult admission & $1 off senior citizen admission at the door
  • Free for active military personnel and veterans

Peabody Essex Museum (Salem, MA):

  • AAA Members: Save $1 on General Admission
  • Salem, MA residents are admitted free (does not include groups)
  • Youth 16 and under are free
  • Admission Included with the Go Boston Card

Salem Witch Museum (Salem, MA):

  • Check your local MA library for free or discount passes
  • Admission Included with the Go Boston Card

The Hall at Patriot Place (Foxborough):

  • AAA Members: Save 10% on adult tickets for up to six people

Battleship Cove (Fall River):

  • AAA members: Save $2 on admission, up to four people in a party
  • Military personnel in uniform (and other select military personnel here) receive free admission
  • Mass Teachers Association Members receive free admission
  • Big Y Food Club Members receive $2 off admission

Enjoy!