South Boston

Summer Events Schedule

 

 

 

 

South Boston: The what

Year-round
Spirit of Boston Cruise
Departs from the Seaport World Trade Center Marine Terminal
The various Spirit cruises are not to be missed. Your excursion covers all of Boston Harbor with highlights including the Zakim Memorial Bridge and Southie’s own Fort Independence on Castle Island. Eat, drink and dance the night away.
www.spiritofboston.com

August 7-October 29
Farmer’s Market
West Broadway
Mondays, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Support the local economy. Buy fresh fruits, veggies and home-baked goods from neighborhood vendors.
Free
www.mass.gov/agr

August 9, 16 & 23
Harborwalk Sounds
Institute of Contemporary Art
100 Northern Ave.
6-8:30 p.m.
Join the ICA and Berklee College of Music on Putnam Investments Plaza for three unique performances by local performers. Zili Misik, an all-female group evoking African rhythms and sounds, plays on the 9th; singer, guitarist and pianist, Ricardo Vogt on the 16th, and the 23rd features the Berklee Monterey Quartet, the music school’s top four students.
Free
www.icaboston.org

August 10-31
Summer tours of the Moakley Courthouse
John Joseph Moakley U.S. Courthouse
1 Courthouse Way
Fridays, 11 a.m.-noon
Take this opportunity to learn about our federal court system while marveling at the art and architecture of the building. Visit a courtroom and, if you’re lucky, sit in on actual court sessions.
Free, bring 2 forms of ID.
www.discoveringjustice.org

September 28 & 29
18th annual Harpoon Octoberfest
Harpoon Brewery
306 Northern Ave.
Say goodbye to summer at this all-day, brewski-swilling festival at the local Harpoon brewery. There will be no shortage of beer, music and traditional German food.
Door charge $15, includes a souvenir pint cup. $5 a pint. 21+
www.harpoonbrewery.com


EVENTS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.


South Boston: The where

Castle Island
This 22-acre urban park is home to some gorgeous views of the harbor and most notably to Fort Independence, a granite fort originally built in 1643 and used as a site of defense during the Civil War. Connected to the mainland by a bridge and a reinforced spit of land, Castle Island is an ideal spot for walking, jogging or rollerblading.
www.mass.gov/dcr/parks

Beaches
No need to fight Cape traffic to soak up some rays. South Boston has an abundance of sandy shores well worth a visit. L and M Street Beaches link Pleasure Bay with Carson Beach, forming one of the longest stretches of uninterrupted beach in the Boston area. Carson is one of the best beaches around with its new sand, walkways, shelters and award-winning landscape and the lagoon at Pleasure Bay is a hot spot and surprisingly clean, given its location inside the man-made Head Isle Causeway.
www.bostonharborwalk.com

Bank of America Pavilion
As the South Boston waterfront continues to expand, the only thing that’s changed about this gorgeous concert venue is the name. The 5,000 seat Pavilion is arranged in a semi-circle that narrows as you get closer to the stage and, due to angled support beams, there are no obstructed views in the house. Upcoming performances include the Gipsy Kings on August 14 and Collective Soul on September 21.
www.ticketmaster.com

Institute of Contemporary Art
It’s hard to imagine South Boston’s skyline without this magnificent structure. Opened in December 2006, the building now mirrors ICA’s reputation as the first museum in the U.S. dedicated to contemporary art and a leader in the field. Award-winning architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro designed the building “from the sky down,” as a space for experiencing the art, and “from the ground up” providing compelling areas for the public to enjoy.
www.icaboston.org


South Boston: The skinny

• Famous Southie residents include mobster fugitive James “Whitey” Bulger and his brother, William Bulger, former UMass president, Congressman Stephen Lynch and the late sportswriter Will McDonough.
• South Boston references in movies and pop culture are seemingly endless but perhaps most beloved by Bostonians is Oscar-winner “Good Will Hunting,” about a Southie math genius, which catapulted Cambridge residents Ben Affleck and Matt Damon into Hollywood stardom.
• You might think those people swimming in Boston Harbor on New Year’s Day are a bit loopy, right? But the L St. Brownies hold a place in South Boston history. Members of the L St. Bathhouse, built by former Boston Mayor Michael J. Curley during the Depression, these brave souls actually swim year-round in the often-frigid waters surrounding Boston. 
• March 17 represents just one thing to Southie residents: St. Patrick’s Day. The neighborhood bedecks itself in green and celebrates Irish pride with festivals, parades, parties and concerts.