Show your family and friends around the town in preparation for the Boston Marathon! Massachusetts residents can enjoy the Old Town Trolley tour and Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum for FREE when accompanied by a full fare adult paid guest with Hometown Pass.
Boston College, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, MA
With over 16,000 visitors from Boston College and the surrounding community coming in attendance, the Arts Festival never fails to be one of the most vibrant and exciting events at Boston College. Students have the added bonus of relieving end-of-semester stress, while members of the surrounding communities are given the opportunity to delight in all forms of art, from the laugh-out-loud humor offered by comedy groups, to the transcendent beauty of the many dance ensembles, to the boldness of the studio art students’ work. Highlighted at the spring’s festival are the “BC’s Best” competition, BC Cultural Night, and Dancing with bOp!. Other annual features include children’s activities, literary readings, alumni events, student artwork for sale, multi-cultural dance performances, and expanded hours at the McMullen Museum. Special guests at the festival have included Tracey Wigfield ’05, Nick Scandalios ’89, Chris Doyle ’81, Anne Garefino ’81, Robert Polito ’73, Chuck Hogan ’89 and Amy Poehler ’93.
Nantucket Daffodil Festival
The last weekend of April, the Nantucket Island Chamber of Commerce holds their annual Daffodil Festival – a weekend of events to celebrate springtime awakening on Nantucket Island. The first occasion, a very simple affair in the 1970s, included an antique car parade in which islanders showed off their classic cars, followed by a community tailgate picnic in ‘Sconset. Now, decades later, the Daffodil Festival on Nantucket includes art shows, tours, parades (including the antique car parade and tailgate picnic), exhibitions, contests, lectures, and, of course, the annual Nantucket Daffodil Flower Show. There are activities for all ages, and faithful festival-goers dress up for the occasion and participate enthusiastically! The Nantucket Island Chamber of Commerce organizes a Daffy Hat Contest, a Children’s Parade featuring decorated bikes, strollers, wagons, and other self-propelled vehicles, the Antique Car Parade, a window decorating contest, the famous Sconset Tailgate Picnic, a Family Picnic at Children’s Beach, and more! The Pine Woods Morris Dancers often perform throughout the day at various locations.
Japan Festival Boston
The family-friendly Japan Festival Boston in Massachusetts celebrates the over 100-year-old relationship between Japan and the city of Boston in this celebration that preserves cultural roots. In 2012, the first Japan Festival Boston was hosted, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the gift of cherry blossom trees from Kyoto (the sister city of Boston) to Washington D.C. The Japan Festival Boston gives us a chance to share our culture with the Greater Boston area, and we have been expanding this festival each year. The festival is completely organized by volunteers (more than 380 volunteers in 2017), and is supported by many sponsors and contributors from the community.
