Neponset River Bike Tour and Art Activation

Join us for a group bike ride and artmaking session along the Boston Harborwalk. Beginning in Mattapan, participants will tour historical sites along the Neponset River Greenway before gathering for an artmaking session in the park. This event offers a restorative experience that combines physical activity, creative expression, and connection with nature and local history.

Neponset River Greenway: Mattapan Station to Victory Road Park

The Kite Krusaders Kites Coastal Calm & Stewardship Event

The Kite Krusaders bring the joy with a 4-hour, high-vibe outdoor experience. Our event is created for families of all abilities (with thoughtful supports for kids who thrive with sensory accommodations), this activation intentionally welcomes youth and caregivers from communities too often left out of waterfront and island programming. Attendees will move through fun, facilitated stations that mix creativity, movement, and “love-your-beach” action. We will conclude the day with a feel-good group kite fly and a simple stewardship challenge that makes caring for the shoreline easy, memorable, and fun.

Pope John Paul Park

Family WellConnect The Commonwealth of Care: We the People who get to rest, heal, play, and belong.

“The Commonwealth of Care” transforms Spectacle Island into a “Wellness Commons” centered on the foundational right to rest. This program specifically serves residents from Boston’s Environmental Justice communities, including families from the Lower Roxbury Coalition and patients of the Small Steps Healing Clinic. By integrating ancestral wisdom with tactile healing, we provide a restorative experience that fosters a permanent sense of belonging on the Harbor Islands.

Spectacle Island

Indigenous Celebration

Join the North American Indian Center of Boston for an Indigenous celebration on Spectacle Island.

Finding Your Voice: Getting Comfortable with the Uncomfortable – A Community Mental Health & Arts Experience

Finding Your Voice: Getting Comfortable with the Uncomfortable is a family-centered community mental health and arts experience that uses poetry, storytelling, reflection activities, and community engagement to explore identity, resilience, and shared humanity. The event combines a curated spoken word showcase with interactive experiences such as “You Think You Know Me: A Superhero Reflection Experience,” resource tables, and family-friendly engagement activities. Through the “Superhero Vibe” framework, participants are invited to explore how survival responses, emotional experiences, and personal strengths shape the roles people carry within themselves and their families. The program is designed to reduce isolation, encourage connection, and create accessible, non-clinical pathways into conversations around mental health and healing.

Queer History Boston’s LGBTQ+ Picnic On Spectacle Island

Join Queer History Boston for an afternoon of queer joy, community connection, and a little bit of gay history on the sparkling shores of Spectacle Island! Inspired by the spirit of historic gay liberation “be-ins,” our summer picnic invites folks to gather, be visible, and celebrate our shared past — with a scenic ferry ride thrown in. 🧺 Lunch is BYOP: bring your own picnic! Water and light snacks provided. ☀️ Also, bring your own sunscreen, blanket, and a water bottle! 📚 Want to bring a zine to trade? A book to read? A queer little craft project? Yes please! 🚮 As a National and State Park, Spectacle Island has a “leave no trace” policy. Please be mindful of waste — whatever you carry in, you must also carry out.

Georges Island

Will It Be You? A Dance Song for Whales and Humans

Join us on Spectacle Island for a day of art, reflection, and shoreline stewardship, inspired by the deep histories of communal fishing and gathering by the Mashpee Wampanoag, Aquinnah Wampanoag, Nipmuc, and Massachusett peoples, who continue to sustain relationships with these waters. Together, we’ll create small offerings, learn practices for caring for coastlines, and participate in a meditative dance song for whales and humans whose songs are increasingly disrupted by starvation and human-caused ecological crises. Through movement, music, and shared time by the sea, we’ll explore how to shore up food sovereignty for one another—and for the living beings with whom we share these waters.

See Creatures from the Sea

BIG NAZO’s “Sea Creatures from the Sea” event is an interactive performance art “mobile petting zoo” designed to attract crowds and spread awareness of the activated Harbor Walk.

Fort Point Channel

Del Barrio Afro Latino Festival

Del Barrio Afro Latino Festival is a vibrant celebration of Afro-Latino culture, community, and heritage that brings together music, dance and food from across the diaspora. The festival highlights the richness of Black and Latino identity through live performances, cultural expression, and shared traditions. Attendees can enjoy everything from Afro-Latin rhythms and dancing to domino games, authentic cuisine, and community-centered experiences. More than just a festival, Del Barrio creates a space for pride, unity, and the celebration of Afro-Latino roots in Boston.

Beasts from the East Dragon Boat Classic and Fort Point Festival

Beasts from the East Dragon Boat Classic is a dragon boat race and cultural festival to be held at Fort Point Channel. The race will have divisions for adults (entry fee), youths (free entry), and cancer survivors (reduced entry fee). Though the race portion will serve as a fundraiser to support our growing youth program and bring athletes from the Northeastern USA to compete, the cultural festival will be free for all to attend. Ohana New England, Inc is partnering with multiple nonprofit organizations (Hidden History, Boston Harbor Now, TACC, FPAC, Save the Harbor/Save the Bay, etc) to produce a cultural festival that will feature aspects of Asian culture (performances, activities, and ceremonies) and may include activities from other cultures, thereby highlighting the growing global interest in this sport. While the main portion of the festival will be right outside of 15 Necco, portions of the activities may be located along the waterfront at Atlantic Wharf, Boston Children’s Museum, and Boston Harborwalk.

S22: conversations

Wondering what to do in Boston? Places to eat? Free activities? Good for a group? Date night spot? Girls night out? The best things to do? Ask Joyraft!

Best places to go in Boston? Things to do? Places to eat?

Questions & answers about things to do in Boston

Recs 💬

Community recs 💬

S4: top picks

The most fun, cool and unique things to do in Boston. Can’t miss events, shows and experiences. Concerts, restaurants, bars, free things in Boston and beyond.

The most fun and cool events happening around Boston

Hot and new things to do in Boston

Hot & new

Hot & new 🔥

S11: happening this weekend

What to do in Boston this weekend? From festivals, concerts, performances, free events, screenings and more, Joyraft has the best things to do in Boston.

25+ things to do in Boston/Cambridge/Somerville this weekend

Things to do in Boston this weekend

This wknd

This weekend for you

S21: roundups

Our top picks: outdoor dining, free events, spring festivals, best bars, upcoming concerts, museum parties - the latest in and around Boston.  Slug: joyraft-top-picks-best-things-to-do-boston-ma

Top picks of the best things to do in and around Boston

Joyraft picks: Boston’s best things to do

Roundups ⭐️

Curated by Joyraft ⭐️

S28: calendar experiences

This week in Boston

This week in Boston 📆

This week 📆

S20: c+d experiences

Discover new, unique events and experiences happening in and around Boston. Perfect for date night, good for a group or with a friend. Be the first to know.

The newest events happening in and around Boston

The newest events on Joyraft

Just added

Just added to Joyraft

S16: editor picks

The most unique and can’t miss things coming up in Boston / Cambridge / Somerville and beyond. Festivals, food, drinks, fairs, concerts, art and free activities.

Unique and Can’t Miss Things to Do in Boston

Can’t-miss things to do in Boston 🚨

Can't-miss things to do 🚨

S2 (A): top experiences

The most popular things to do on Joyraft. Concerts, restaurants, bars, events, parties, openings, kid friendly, date ideas, free things in Boston and beyond.

Top 20 things to do in Boston

Top 20: Joyraft’s most popular

Top 20

Top 20 on Joyraft

S3 (A): trending experiences

Discover can’t miss events and things to do in Boston. The most fun, unique and cool events coming to the Boston area this spring and summer.

The hottest events happening in Boston

Trending events on Joyraft

Trending 📈

S19: interest based

Kid-friendly events in Boston

S18: interest based

Where to eat and drink in Boston? Joyraft has Boston’s newest bars, restaurants and specials. Drinks and pre fixe dinner menus. Cambridge & Somerville too.

Where

elisar

Experiences