What are you doing this summer? Sorry, too much. What are you doing in June?
For the arts scene in Boston, it’s impossible to look beyond June. The month is just that packed. Get out your calendar and book some city coolness between the beach and BBQs.
Boston Lyric Opera’s Street Stage
Starting June 1, the BLO will bring its mobile performance stage to Boston neighborhoods. The opening date will have the 26-foot-long semi-trailer engineered to open on three sides at the Rose Kennedy Greenway for classic arias, previews of the upcoming season, and free Greenway Carousel rides. The stage will travel to three more locations throughout the summer. Details at blo.org.
Bollywood Night
Central Square’s Starlight Square is back for another season of always free events (goodbye parking lot, hello outdoor arts and culture space). Check out the whole calendar at starlightsquare.org or pick up the vibe by stopping by for Bollywood Night on June 12. There will be henna. There will be samosas. There will be jamming tunes, performances, and dance lessons.
Noir City Boston
From June 14 – 17, the Brattle in Cambridge will host a series of rare noir gems. How rare? How about Japanese crime dramas, an anthology of Spanish language thrillers, scandalous Egyptian Expressionism, and Edward G. Robinson as dark as he’s ever been. Full slate of films at brattlefilm.org.
Moonbox Productions’ Boston New Works Festival
Moonbox mounts its 3rd Annual Boston New Works Festival June 20 – 23 at the Calderwood Pavilion and the Boston Center for the Arts. The fest will champion new original plays by locals. All in all, eight fresh works will be performed on six different stages. A great way to cram a ton of great art into a single weekend. Details at moonboxproductions.org
Roxbury International Film Festival
This filmmaker-focused festival returns for its 26th installment June 27 – July 2. Opening the fest will be new documentary “Luther: Never Too Much” on legend Luther Vandross. Closing RoxFilm will be the much-buzzed-about “Sing Sing,” about a group of incarcerated people putting on a musical in a maximum security prison. Between the two, there will be so much more hosted by the Museum of Fine Arts, Hibernian Hall, Northeastern University, MassArt and online presenter ArtsEmerson via RoxFilm@Home. www.roxfilmfest.com
Downtown Boston Arts Market
This free arts market is already up and running at the downtown Summer Street Plaza. Every Thursday and Friday into the fall from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., the plaza will be packed with a rotating line-up of local artists and artisans clothing, jewelry, beauty products, and loads more. Info at downtownboston.org.
