Category Archives: Free Stuff

Gardner Museum free on MLK day

Free Fun FridaysDo you have Martin Luther King day off?  The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is open and free to the public starting at 11AM on first come, first serve basis.  It is a great opportunity to peruse the museum’s eclectic art collection and take in the view of the tiny Venetian courtyard with grass and flowers in bloom.

You may recall a visit to the Gardner Museum was one of my suggestions on how to help fend off the Winter blues. If the cold spell has you down, head over to the museum and lose yourself for an hour or two in this very special place.

More information about the Gardner Museum and hours is available here.

LGBT film: Reel In The Closet (free showing Monday, Dec 7, 2015)

Stu Maddux is showing his recent film, Reel in the Closet, on Monday night, December 7th at FenwayHealth. A friend of mine watched it at the SF LGBT film festival and gave it two thumbs up. Details about the free screening is below; RSVP by calling 617-927-6417 or by emailing cbrienza@fenwayhealth.org.Boston LGBT Film Festival, Fenway Health

Isabella Gardner Museum is free Saturday, November 21, 2015

Free Fun FridaysTomorrow, Saturday, November 21st The Isabella Gardner Museum will be honoring their existing director, Anne Hawley, by hosting a free day of admission for the public to explore and / or revisit the museum.

More information here.

Opus Affair gets social at W Boston, Monday, Nov. 16

Opus Affair at W Boston November 2015One of my favorite social groups in Boston, Opus Affair, is hosting a cocktail party at one of the coolest hotel lounges in the city – W Boston Hotel on Monday, November 16th.

Take the opportunity to swing by solo or with friends for a drink or two and mingle with this group which is a mix of artists and those who appreciate the local art scene. There is no cost to attend but to help them keep track of RSVPs, please register on their eventbrite page here.

SoWa First Friday this weekend was a blast

Sergio having fun at SoWa First Friday's Abigail Ogilvy Gallery

Sergio having fun at SoWa First Friday’s Abigail Ogilvy Gallery

Friday night was freakishly warm and that in part probably contributed to the thousands of people who turned up to see some of their favorite local artists as well as 21 new art galleries.  If you cannot guess from the photo I took of Sergio at the Abigail Ogilvy Gallery, the evening was a lot of fun.

Congratulations to all the new galleries and boutiques at 460 Harrison Ave. I wish everyone of them much success. I can’t think of a more eclectic combination of retail / boutiques in Boston.  If you missed this month’s opening, mark your calendar for the next First Friday event, December 4th from 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM.

Gay video streaming service, dekkoo.com, offers 30-day free trial

lgbt streaming, gay filmGaius Media which owns LGBT distributor, TLA Entertainment, is launching a new premium streaming subscription service that caters to the LGBT community called, Dekk0. Launched earlier this week, Dekko is offering a 30-day free trial of their premium streaming service.

dekkoo.com

I know that streaming services are very popular so I thought I’d give Dekko.com a shout out. Dekko’s press release says they have, “an extensive movie library and original productions” that provide plenty of gay themed films and television programming.  If you decide to give it a try, let me know if you like it.gay streaming service, TLA Video

Sex Week at Harvard is coming Nov. 8-14, 2015

Harvard Sex WeekSexual Health Education & Advocacy throughout Harvard College otherwise known as SHEATH will be hosting the 2015 Fall Sex Week November 8 -14, 2015.

What is Sex Week you ask?  Sex Week at Harvard promotes a week of programming that is interdisciplinary, thought-provoking, scholastic, innovative and applicable to student experiences in order to promote a holistic understanding of sex and sexuality.

Discussions are free and open to the public.

Harvard Sex WeekFor more information, visit their website, www.hsexweek.org.

Howloween at Brix wineshop in the South End

How incredibly cute is this?  Brix Wine Shop in the South End is hosting  wine tasting for dog owners and dog lovers on Halloween – October 31 from 1-4PM.

Howloween at Brix

Boston Book Festival is October 23-24

BBF, Boston Book Festival, handsome, hunk, glassesThis weekend walk over to Copley Square for the 7th annual Boston Book Festival, featuring more than 175 authors and events through out the city.

Boston pulls out all the stops for this free annual celebration and this year is no exception with an amazing line up that in part include: Margaret Atwood, Alan Dershowitz, Dr. Atul Gawande, Lani Guinier, and my friend Mark Pasnik.

For more information visit, bostonbookfest.org.

Boston’s South End by Russ Lopez

South End by Russ LopezMy friend and neighbor, Russ Lopez has a new book some of you may be interested in reading, Boston’s South End: The Clash of Ideas in a Historic Neighborhood.

This is the first book written about the history of the South End in more than 100 years and it covers the neighborhood from the time of the retreat of the glaciers and the coming of the first people to the region to the explosion of development since 2000.

To celebrate, he is hosting a party on Monday, November 9th from 6:00 – 8:00 PM at Cathedral Station.  There will be a reading, light refreshments, and the book will be available for purchase.

South End Book Signing & Reading Party
Monday, Nov. 9 from 6:00-8:00 PM
At Cathedral Station in the South End

You can pre-order Russ’ book online at South End Bookstore. Alternatively, the book will be available for purchase at the launch party on Monday, November 9, 2015.  For more information on other book readings visit, russlopez.com.

Oktoberfest and HONK! Parade in Harvard Square Oct 11

Honk Festival in Harvard Square

Photo Source: massjazz.blogspot.com

More than 200,000 people are expected to show up for Harvard Square’s 37th annual Oktoberfest and HONK! Parade on Sunday, October 11th. Bands from around the country will march from Davis to Harvard Square (arriving around 1PM). Following the parade, enjoy Harvard Square’s annual Oktoberfest party, which has six stages for live music and five beer gardens.

For more information about the festivities and to see what times bands will be performing, check out their event page here.

Illuminus Boston October 10, 2015

Illuminus Boston October 2015Illuminus Boston returns for a second year this weekend. Although originally scheduled for October 3-4, Mother Nature had other ideas so the event was moved to this Saturday for one night.  The free nighttime festival brings together artists, designers, performers, and creative technologists to showcase their most thoughtful, innovative, and imaginative works.

Last year’s event took place in the South End but this year the event moves to the Fenway on Lansdowne Street. For more information visit illuminusboston.org.

Saturday, October 10th from 6:30 PM – 12:30 AM
Lansdowne Street, Boston – FREE

Boston Freedom Rally is Sept 26-27

Hempfest Boston

2012 Freedom Rally to legalize marijuana at Boston Common

$125 Million: Colorado marijuana tax revenue is on pace to double bringing in an expected $125 million dollars to the state.

Did you know that Boston hosts one of the largest rallies in the US to educate people on the benefits of marijuana and celebrate its many uses every September? This year marks the 26th anniversary of The Boston Freedom Rally. Come to the Boston Common to check out the two day celebration. The rally will be used to also collect signatures for Bay State Repeal initiative to legalize cannabis; they are hoping to collect more than 65,000 signatures this weekend.

Freedom Rally website
Freedom Rally FB event page

Both the sitting Governor of MA and Mayor of Boston have done everything they can to thwart medical marijuana dispensaries from opening, despite overwhelming support in the polls back in 2012 when it was passed. If you are in favor of the legalization of marijuana come to show your support.  Aside from money, nothing gets a politician’s attention like large rallies.

Did you know? ~750,000 people were arrested for marijuana violations in 2012; what an unnecessary burden on law enforcement and our judicial system.

FREE MixFest concert is Saturday, Sept. 19

MixFest 104.1 FM Boston Rob ThomasMix 104.1 FM hosts their annual free fall concert this weekend, MixFest 2015.

The MixFest 2015 line up this year includes: Rob Thomas (frontman of Matchbox Twenty); he is almost certain to also play his solo hit from Santana’s Supernatural album, “Smooth”; Third Eye Blind probably best known for their hit “Semi-Charmed Life”; Mass-native, Rachel Platten; Vance Joy; and Andy Grammer.

MixFest 2015 will take place rain or shine, at the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade. Gates will open at noon, and the music will start at about 2 p.m.

Prime time football poolside at Ink Block, Sept. 10

football, sportsPresented by CapitalOne 360: you are invited for pre-game festivities from 5:30-8:00 PM at CapitalOne 360, followed by the New England vs. Pittsburg game screening at 8:30 PM at Ink Block’s rooftop pool.

If you are interested, please note you need to RSVP (no cost) here.