The WBUR Festival

<a href="https://festival.wbur.org/?utm_source=the_boston_calendar&amp;utm_medium=web&amp;utm_campaign=festival_2026">The WBUR Festival</a> is back! Join us Friday, May 29 and Saturday, May 30 for lively conversations, podcast tapings and musical performances at venues up and down Commonwealth Avenue.  2026 Festival speakers include:<ul><li>José Andrés — renowned chef, author and founder of World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit which provides meals in response to global crises. Andrés holds two Michelin stars and has also been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.</li><li>Sam Sanders — award-winning journalist, pop culture whisperer and host of KCRW’s "The Sam Sanders Show." Sanders also previously shared his hot takes as former host of other favorite shows including "Into It," "It’s Been a Minute," "Vibe Check" and "The NPR Politics Podcast."</li><li>Bryan Stevenson — public interest lawyer, founder of the Equal Justice Initiative and New York Times bestselling author of “Just Mercy.”</li><li>Samantha Power — journalist, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and former administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).</li><li>Public media friends including Jad Abumrad, musician, storyteller and founder of WNYC’s "Radiolab"; Allison Aubrey, NPR health and science correspondent and founding host of "Life Kit"; Mary Louise Kelly, co-host of NPR’s All Things Considered and host of the "Sources &amp; Methods" podcast; and Katherine Maher, NPR president and chief executive officer.</li></ul>Ticket options include one-day, two-day, VIP and student passes. Fans are encouraged to reserve their spot early to lock in the lowest prices — as they'll increase as the Festival date nears. WBUR Members receive special benefits, including Members-only Festival activities. You can <a href="https://www.wbur.org/membership">become a WBUR Member</a> today and discover all the possibilities, while also sustaining independent journalism. To keep up to date on Festival news, <a href="https://www.wbur.org/events/newsletter">sign up for the WBUR Events newsletter</a>. Want to get involved? Organizations interested in sponsoring The WBUR Festival can reach out to <a href="mailto:partnerships@wbur.org">partnerships@wbur.org</a> to learn more.

WBUR

The WBUR Festival Street Fair

The WBUR Festival Street Fair returns on Saturday, May 30 from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. at BU Beach in Boston. It’s free and open to everyone!&nbsp; Join us for the FOUND Market with 80 vintage sellers, food trucks, an all-new Kids Zone and live performances, including dance lessons with Salsa y Control and entertainment from the WBUR Makers Jake Blount, Kimaya Diggs and Jonathan Suazo. Attendees can also help create a massive mural — a guided, paint-by-numbers community art project designed to bring festivalgoers together and create a shared masterpiece.

BU Beach

Set in Boston: ‘Girl, Interrupted’ screening and conversation

Set in Boston is a series aimed at celebrating, analyzing and better understanding Greater Boston's depiction in film. We’ll explore what movies can tell us about our city's cinematic representation, and how that does, or doesn't, reflect our actual community. Set in the changing world of the late 1960s, "Girl, Interrupted" tells the story of Susanna Kaysen (Winona Ryder), a young woman who finds herself at a renowned mental institution in a ward for troubled young women, where she must choose between the world of people who belong on the inside — like the seductive and dangerous Lisa (Angelina Jolie) — or the often difficult world of reality on the outside. The film garnered Jolie her first Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Following the screening, WBUR film critic&nbsp;Erin Trahan&nbsp;moderates a conversation with Susanna Kaysen.

WBUR CitySpace

'America U.S.A': Eddie Glaude Jr. on how race shadow’s the nation’s anniversaries

Here &amp; Now&nbsp;co-host&nbsp;Scott Tong&nbsp;moderates a conversation with educator, author and political commentator Eddie Glaude, Jr., about his new book, “America, U.S.A.: How Race Overshadows the Nation's Anniversaries.” The book examines how racial injustices overshadow all of the nation’s milestones and the whitewashing that occurs repeatedly to bury these truths. Using lessons and accounts from W.E.B. DuBois, John Dos Passos, Herman Melville, Martin Luther King, Jr. and more, Glaude presents examples of our tangled, complicated past and ever more tenuous future. Copies of the book will be available to purchase from our bookstore partner&nbsp;<a href="https://brooklinebooksmith.com/">Brookline Brooksmith</a>. Glaude will sign copies following the conversation.

The enduring fascination of ‘Wuthering Heights’

The gothic romance “Wuthering Heights,” Emily Brontë's only novel published in 1847, is having a renaissance due to Emerald Fennell’s new film adaptation starring Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/feb/06/sales-of-brontes-wuthering-heights-skyrocket-ahead-of-film-adaptation">Book sales have skyrocketed</a>&nbsp;and the themes of class, racism and sexuality are being dissected across book clubs and group chats.&nbsp;Here &amp; Now&nbsp;associate producer&nbsp;Kalyani Saxena&nbsp;moderates a conversation with Bronte biographer Deborah Lutz and WBUR film critic&nbsp;Sean Burns&nbsp;exploring the many interpretations the novel has inspired over the century. We’ll show photos and film clips to trace its evolution on screen. Copies of Lutz’s biography, “This Dark Night: Emily Brontë, A Life” will be available to purchase from our bookstore partner&nbsp;<a href="https://lovestruckbooks.com/">Lovestruck Books &amp; Cafe</a>&nbsp;and Lutz will sign following the conversation.

Historically Black Phrases Live! starring jarrett hill and Tre’vell Anderson

The live game show experience based on the NAACP Image Award-winning book, “Historically Black Phrases: From ‘I Ain’t One Of Your Lil’ Friends’ to ‘Who All Gon’ Be There?,” is returning to Boston. Hosted by co-authors&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jarretthill.com/">jarrett hill</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://trevellanderson.com/">Tre’vell Anderson</a>, Historically Black Phrases Live! features notable contestants from the Boston area competing in rounds of gameplay rooted in trivia about Black culture and language — all things Boo Boo The Fool and other Historically Black Phrases. One lucky audience members will also get the chance to test their knowledge against the contestants for prizes. Copies of “Historically Black Phrases” will be available for purchase from our bookstore partner&nbsp;<a href="https://frugalbookstore.net/">Frugal Bookstore</a>&nbsp;and the authors will sign after the show.

‘This Day (A History Show)’ live: 50 Weeks That Made America

Join WBUR and friends for a new series of live tapings of your favorite podcasts. Meet the people who are shaping the podcast landscape and be the first to hear their next episode, get a sneak peek of audio left on the cutting room floor or dig deeper into the stories that captivated you. As we reach the peak of the semiquincentennial celebrations, “This Day,” a history podcast from Radiotopia, brings their year-long series “50 Weeks That Shaped America” to the CitySpace. Join Jody Avirgan (FiveThirtyEight, 30for30, TED) and historians Nicole Hemmer (Vanderbilt University) and Kellie Carter Jackson (Wellesley College) for a conversation about the nation’s founding and the stories that shaped our path over 250 years. This special live taping will be a great way to kick off your runup to a historical July 4th.

Curated Cuisine: Michelin comes to Boston

Curated Cuisine is a monthly series examining all things edible, from the chefs cooking the food to the writers reviewing the recipes. Meet the people shaping the food industry, both local and national and enjoy a post-show bite inspired by the conversation. Michelin has finally arrived in Boston. The prestigious guide spent months evaluating 27 restaurants within the Interstate 95/Route 128 corridor. Only one restaurant snagged a&nbsp;<a href="https://guide.michelin.com/us/en/article/features/what-is-a-michelin-star">Star</a>: 311 Omakase. But Boston fared better with the&nbsp;<a href="https://guide.michelin.com/us/en/article/features/the-bib-gourmand">Bib Gourmand award</a>, with six restaurants earning the accolade, and the&nbsp;<a href="https://guide.michelin.com/us/en/article/features/what-it-means-to-be-a-michelin-recommended-restaurant">Recommended selection</a>, with 19 restaurants making the cut. Join WBUR managing editor of arts &amp; culture&nbsp;Tania Ralli&nbsp;and chefs from Michelin-rated restaurants for a conversation about what this long-awaited recognition means for the city’s dining scene, how they approach excellence under Michelin’s spotlight and what comes next for Boston as a rising food destination.

Set in Boston: ‘The Thomas Crown Affair’ screening and conversation

Set in Boston is a series aimed at celebrating, analyzing and better understanding Greater Boston's depiction in film. We’ll explore what movies can tell us about our city's cinematic representation, and how that does, or doesn't, reflect our actual community. 'Bored millionaire Thomas Crown (Steve McQueen) concocts and executes a brilliant scheme to rob a bank without having to do any of the work himself. When Vicki Anderson (Faye Dunaway), an investigator for the bank's insurance company, takes an interest in Crown, the two begin a complicated cat-and-mouse game with a romantic undertone. In an attempt to decipher Anderson's agenda, Crown devises another robbery like his first, wondering if he can get away with the same crime twice. Following the screening, WBUR film critic&nbsp;Sean Burns&nbsp;moderates a conversation with Hank Phillippi Ryan, investigative journalist for Boston’s WHDH-TV and award-winning mystery writer.

Curated Cuisine: Artisan cheese in New England

Curated Cuisine is a monthly series examining all things edible, from the chefs cooking the food to the writers reviewing the recipes. Meet the people shaping the food industry, both local and national and enjoy a post-show bite inspired by the conversation. According to Food &amp; Wine Magazine,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.foodandwine.com/best-cheeses-in-america-11917825">cheese has evolved considerably since the U.S. industrialized production in the 1800s</a>. The 1970s and 80s ushered in the artisan cheese movement and today there are around 663 artisan cheesemakers in the U.S.&nbsp;Join WBUR arts contributor&nbsp;Solon Kelleher&nbsp;for a conversation with New England makers about the innovative approaches to crafting the best artisan cheeses right in our own backyard. Panelists Brian Civitello —&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mysticcheese.co/">Mystic Cheese</a>, Connecticut Peter Dixon and Rachel Fritz Schaal —&nbsp;<a href="https://www.parishhillcreamery.com/">Parish Hill Creamery</a>, Vermont Allison Lakin —&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lakinsgorgescheese.com/">Lakin's Gorges Cheese</a>, Maine Samples from Mystic Cheese, Parish Hill Creamery and Lakin's Gorges Cheese will be served following the conversation.

An Evening of New York Times Games

Join Joel Fagliano, lead editor of New York Times Games and creator of the Mini Crossword, for an evening of fun and games. Channel your inner nerd, your voluminous vocabulary and your wordy wit. There will be prizes! Plus, you’ll get to ask all your questions about how the games are made! Copies of Fagliano’s book “Puzzle Mania!: Wordle, Connections, Spelling Bee, Minis and More!” will be available to purchase from our bookstore partner <a href="https://lovestruckbooks.com/">Lovestruck Books and Cafe</a> and Fagliano will sign after the games conclude.

The B-Side and ‘Love Letters’ present: Matchmaker summer lovin’

<a href="https://bside.beehiiv.com/">The B-Side</a> and The Boston Globe’s “<a href="https://www.boston.com/category/love-letters/">Love Letters</a>” team are joining forces once again for a summer matchmaking event that’s equal parts science experiment and rom-com plot line. We’ll handpick 35 pairs of singles (ages 24–35) and match them through a very official, extremely serious questionnaire (read: Google form). The grand prize? A blind date chosen specifically for you. Meredith Goldstein, “Love Letters” columnist and professional confidante, will guide the new potential pairs through the evening with a little help from Cupid and those famous “36 Questions to Fall in Love,” and we’re introducing an extra special game show segment with fun prizes. We’ll wrap the night with a singles mixer, where everyone can mingle, flirt or gently retreat toward the snacks ... whether you’re looking for love, chaos or just a good story to tell on Monday, we’ve got you. Who is this event for?<ul><li>You are aged 24-35.</li><li>You are comfortable being matched with one person for a guided solo date (this is not speed dating).</li><li>You identify as a man and are interested in dating women.</li><li>You identify as a woman and are interested in dating men.</li><li>Gender-nonconforming individuals who still feel connected to one of the genders above in some way are welcome.</li></ul>This event is trans-inclusive. We do not tolerate transphobia at any of our events.

Set In Boston: "The Heat" screening and conversation

Set in Boston is a series aimed at celebrating, analyzing and better understanding Greater Boston's depiction in film. We’ll explore what movies can tell us about our city's cinematic representation, and how that does, or doesn't, reflect our actual community. FBI special agent Sarah Ashburn (Sandra Bullock) is a methodical investigator with a long-standing reputation for excellence — and arrogance. In contrast, foul-mouthed, hot-tempered detective Shannon Mullins (Melissa McCarthy) goes with her gut instincts and street smarts to remove criminals from the streets of Boston. Sparks fly when these polar opposites have to work together to capture a drug lord, but in the process, they become the last thing anyone expected — buddies. Following the screening, WBUR film critics&nbsp;Sean Burns&nbsp;and&nbsp;Erin Trahan&nbsp;moderate a conversation with Carolyn Pickman, who served as the casting director for this film and many other films set in Boston.

Stories from a warming world

Join Boston University’s <a href="https://sites.bu.edu/misi/">Center for Media Innovation &amp; Social Impact</a> at CitySpace for a special event featuring journalists, filmmakers, photographers, activists and scholars sharing intimate stories of survival, resilience, identity and memory in a time of environmental upheaval. From the floodwaters of New Orleans to the green shoots of a community garden in East Boston, hear tales about what we share, what we cherish, what we're losing and how we might move forward together.

The WBUR Breakfast Club: JetBlue CEO Joanna Geraghty in conversation with Tiziana Dearing

The WBUR Breakfast Club brings Boston decision makers together to connect with one another and to explore the most pressing issues facing business leaders today. From the boardroom to the newsroom, from Boston to the world, WBUR is reimagining how consequential issues in business and society get discussed and understood — elevating the conversation to help shape what comes next. Our next event in the series features JetBlue CEO Joanna Geraghty in conversation with WBUR Morning Edition host Tiziana Dearing. Please join us at 7:30 a.m. for breakfast and networking. The one-hour program will begin at 8:00 a.m. with opening remarks from our presenting sponsor, the Ravi K. Mehrotra Institute for Business, Markets and Society at Boston University Questrom School of Business.

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

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 🚨

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

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 📈

S17: interest based

Your guide to everything free in and around Boston. From events, to fairs, to festivals, to outdoors. Joyraft has all the free events happening near you.

100+ free things to do in Boston and beyond

Free things to do in Boston

Free things to do

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

wburcityspace

Experiences