By Mary Whitfill, editor-in-chief
Thursday, June 19
Fill your summer nights with chilled wine and blooming flowers as you take a moonlight stroll around the grounds of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Soft music and floral scents will make for a relaxing evening and music by Fernando Brandao and DJ Adam Gibbons will fill the gardens with a global sound. The bar, open all evening, will feature classic beer and wine selections along with The Green Thumb, a signature lime, mint and cucumber cocktail. A scavenger hunt through the galleries and open café insure that a whole evening can be made out of this classy garden party. 280 Fenway; 5:30 – 9 p.m.; $5.
Friday, June 20
Three decks of dancing, partying and music will set sail from Boston Harbor as the Rock the Boat Party Cruise revs up for another year on the water. Games and photo ops will be offered on the bottom deck and the party only gets louder as you move up the boat with DJ Cuz’N Kev running the middle deck dance party. A cash bar will open the minute you board the boat. Don’t be left standing at the dock when this ship sets sail. For those interested, a pre-cruise party begins two hours before launch at Whiskey Priest pub. 21+; 200 Seaport Boulevard; 7:30 – 10:30 p.m.; $18-23.
Saturday, June 21
Celebrate summer’s longest day by settling down on a picnic blanket and letting 110 musicians play rock, pop, hip-hop and jazz while you relax under a shady tree. Make Music Harvard Square is filling the summer solstice with its 7th free music festival inspired by Fête de la Musique, a decades old Parisian street festival. This type of festival will be celebrated on Saturday in over 300 countries, from London to Beijing. Performing in 13 different outdoor venues, the wide variety of musical stylesis sure to please every ear. Harvard Square; 10 a.m.; free.
Sunday, June 22
Chinese heritage will be on full display at the Chinatown Main Street Festival. From authentic Chinese artwork to dance demonstrations and dragon parade floats, this festival will showcase the culture of the world’s most populous countries. Although many of the street vendors will have items for purchase, the festival is free and complimentary entertainment includes dancing, drumming martial arts and a lion dance, a traditional performance usually done during the Chinese New Year. Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway; 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; free.
Monday, June 23
Voted “Best Comedy of the Year” seven times by The Boston Globe, Shear Madness is a rib-tickling mixture of mystery and improv. The show, which takes place in the Shear Madness hairstyling salon, is a comedy during which a murder is committed. Audience members must spot clues and play the role of detective as they try to solve the crime. The company began in Boston but has flourished into 42 shows in the US and has been translated into 10 languages. The longest running play in the world according to the Guinness Book of World Records, the performances have mastered the science of humor and are sure to brighten your Monday with laughter. Charles Playhouse; 74 Warrenton St.; 8 p.m.; $50.
Tuesday, June 24
Most recently revamped by Cher and Christina Aguilera, the classic burlesque dance style has remained a staple of entertainment for the last century. Learn the sultry moves and intoxicating rhythms for yourself with beginner classes at the Boston Academy of Burlesque Education (BABE). The classes are an extension of the Boston Babydolls, a “bonafide bumping, grinding, tassel twirling burlesque troupe” hoping to recapture the golden age of burlesque. Your first class will teach you the basics of The Bump and the proper removal of the iconic long gloves and the last class will end with the most recognizable move of all: the tassel twirl. Sign up now for the July series of classes, or check them out on a trial basis, one class at a time. 119 Braintree St.; 7 – 8:30 p.m.; $25-99.
Wednesday, June 25
The first day of the Roxbury International Film Festival presents “The Life & Crimes of Doris Payne,” chronicling the life and career of the now 83 year-old jewel thief. A true story, Payne has stolen over $2 million in jewels since her start as a single, African-American mother in segregated America. The rest of the weekend offers screenings of equally riveting stories. Individual screening tickets as well as weekend passes are available. Many screenings will take place a short walk from Northeastern’s campus at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, making this the perfect weekend event for movie-loving huskies. 465 Huntington Ave.; 7:30 p.m.; $15-110.
Photo courtesy Elena Gatti, Creative Commons.
