The Boston Traveler

Boston’s Institute of Contemporary Art does much more than beautify Bean Town’s surroundings with displays of gorgeous visual art. In conjunction with Berklee College of Music, it also enhances the aesthetic appeal of the area by offering HarborWalk Sounds, a series of free outdoor concerts performed by Berklee students and alumni, each Thursday evening.
To enjoy the diverse musical styles that lean heavily toward jazz, just head over to Putnam Investments Plaza (100 Northern Avenue, Boston Waterfront, 617-478-3100) from 6pm to 8:30pm. The lineup for the series, which runs until September 11, follows. Visit the ICA website for …read more

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The Bard days of summer are almost here, and they’re free, too!
On Friday, July 18, Citi Performing Arts Center will kick off its three-week engagement on Boston Common performing William Shakespeare’s much-loved romantic comedy As You Like It.
The talented cast bringing the production to life includes Obie winners Marin Ireland as Rosalind and Fred Weller (of USA Network’s hit series In Plain Sight) as Orlando, along with Larry Coen as Touchstone, Johnny Lee Davenport as Duke Senior, Jennie Israel as Phebe, Ali Marsh (Weller’s wife) as Celia, Paul Melendy as Silvius, Dan Roach as Oliver, Fred Sullivan, Jr. as Jacques, …read more

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If you thought Cambridge’s Bastille Day Block Party in Harvard Square this weekend was the only festive celebration of the French holiday in the Boston area, you are incorrect. On Monday, July 14, the actual date the holiday falls on, South End nightspot The Beehive (541 Tremont Street, Boston, 617-423-0069) will hold yet another Bastille Day event from 5pm to 2am.
Called Bee- Musette at St. Germain des près, the affair is co-sponsored by the French Consulate of Boston, the French Library, TV5 Monde, and Les Champagne Mumm, giving it a level of authenticity that goes far beyond the norm. …read more

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Although the French national holiday Bastille Day officially takes place on July 14, Boston residents and visitors will get to celebrate it early when Harvard Square hosts a marathon block party this Sunday, July 13, to commemorate the start of the French Revolution in 1789.
The assorted activities scheduled during the family-oriented event include attractions for children, ranging from a parade with the one and only Curious George to face painting, as well as highlights for adults, such as scrumptious French cuisine provided by Sandrine’s Bistro, Chez Henri, Brasserie Jo, the Elephant Walk, Rialto, and Petit Robert.
Attendees will also have a …read more

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Since CBS network’s local Boston TV affiliate WBZ is too stingy to allow embedding of its footage of last night’s Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular, I visited good old reliable YouTube, where several people who were spectators have uploaded their personal video footage of the event. Thank you!
I didn’t check out the display in person myself since the Longfellow Bridge, my favorite perch, was closed to observers. That didn’t stop me from watching on television along with the rest of the nation, though, and I could actually hear the pyrotechnics booming right in my living room.
One thing I …read more

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Say you’re not a Boston Pops/outdoor concert/hordes of people kind of guy or gal. Many aren’t, so there’s no need to feel bad. Fortunately, Boston has a lot of other events scheduled for tomorrow’s Fourth of July holiday, and the ones listed below have two essential things in common: they’re all free and family friendly.
Friends of Fort Point Channel Summer Concert Series
Ice cream maker Hood will provide free frozen treats to attendees who show up for the weekly music concert. At noon on July 4th, tunes will come courtesy of Moussa Traore during the Music of Mali …read more

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Boston Harborfest 2008 is the perfect place to be for anybody seeking more history and patriotism during this Fourth of July week. Today’s 14th Annual Children’s Day makes that especially true for younger members of the family, thanks to numerous fun and educational free activities scheduled just for kids.
From 10am until 3pm at Boston’s City Hall Plaza, children will be able to enjoy assorted carnival-style entertainment provided by the agency Fly by Night, listen to youth-oriented music from Wayne Potash and the Music Fun Band, and take advantage of familiar festival staples like face painting and balloon art.
If the …read more

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This Fourth of July, it’s a shame revelers in the Boston area won’t get to enjoy the traditional free Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular from the Longfellow Bridge, a prime vantage point. But that doesn’t mean the celebration will be any less dazzling, especially since this year is the event’s 35th anniversary.
As most residents know, the annual Independence Day festivities featuring the Boston Pops occurs over two days in the city, the actual holiday and the day before it. As a result, the Boston Pops will perform an 8:30pm concert on both Thursday, July 3, and Friday, July 4.
There …read more

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Note the ou at the end of “UniverSoul” because it makes all the difference when it comes to this particular troupe of touring performers.
Atlanta-based UniverSoul Circus was established in 1994 by Cedric Walker, who was searching for a way to showcase the artistry of black culture in areas other than singing and dancing. When he happened upon an exhibit called “Of Blacks and Circus Rings” at a Black Expo one day, the first seeds of the current “Hip Hop Under the Big Top” extravaganza were sown.
On Tuesday, July 1, UniverSoul Circus arrives in Boston to launch its 15th season …read more

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