365 Things to Do in Boston - New Tips Daily

The 34th Annual Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival will be held on June 9, 2013 on the Charles between Boston & Cambridge. Watch the races and enjoy wonderful Asian cuisine, arts & crafts and performances! 

The Boston Dragon Boat Festival was the first and oldest of its kind in America and formed by the Boston Children's Museum & the Cambridge River Festival. The festival was founded to commemorate the life of Chinese poet & patriot, Qu Yuan. 

"Each year, 30-40 teams from the US and Canada compete over a 500-meter course in an energetic race to the finish line. The teams practice in the spring to prepare for the June races, paddling in sleek, colorful 39-foot-Hong Kong-style dragon boats. 

The Boston Dragon Boat Festival fosters learning and exploration of diverse multi-cultural heritage, especially that of the Asian-American heritage in New England. The goal of the festival is to provide a common setting through which citizens of diverse backgrounds may share goodwill. The short-term impact is a day of friendship, and the long-term impact will be bonds forged within a heritage activity and extended to life-long understanding among people of diverse backgrounds. Shared participation in arts and athletics not only serves as unifying strategies, it also improves community life and health and fitness for all."  

Please check the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival website for location & details.

CitySolve Urban Race will be coming to Boston on June 7th from 5-7pm! SCUR is a "unique urban adventure game where teams solve clever clues and face fun challenges while discovering their city a fun new way!"

This mix of a race and scavenger hunt will bring you and your team through unmarked checkpoints throughout areas like Bay Bay, North End & Faneuil Hall! Participants can have up to four people on their team and all must register prior to the event on the CitySolve website. 

There will be various clues throughout the event ranging from "math (nothing tougher than 8th grade) to American history, anagrams, sudoku, and so much more. Along the way you'll face exciting challenges like bowling a strike, building a house of cards, identifying a flavor of ice cream or putting a puzzle together." 

The CitySolve Urban Race is a great way to use your mind and get some of your friends together for a unique adventure! 

Pixar has been captivating audiences of all ages with their inspirational stories and characters for years. On June 4th & 5th, the Boston Pops will relive the magic with "Pixar in Concert" at Symphony Hall. The Boston Pops will bring all your favorite characters to life from "Toy Story" to "Finding Nemo"! The performance will feature clips and music from thirteen of Pixar's awesome animated hits, including their latest release, "Brave". 

"All 13 Pixar scores have been written by four composers: Randy Newman, Michael Giacchino, Thomas Newman, and Patrick Doyle. Collectively, this music has won three Academy Awards®, received ten additional Oscar® nominations, and won ten Grammys."

Tuesday & Wednesday performances start at 8 pm. Ticket prices and availability may vary. Check website for details. 

World Oceans Day is on June 8th and it is an opportunity every year to celebrate the world's oceans and reflect on the changes that have occurred over the years.  On Sunday, June 9th from 11 a.m.- 5 p.m., the Seaport District will be celebrating World Ocean's Day with a variety of activities. 

This year's event will showcase the importance of what communities, organizations, and individuals can do to protect & save our oceans and ocean life. Activities include free Boston Duck Tour rides, seafood cooking demonstrations, and live appearances by Radio Disney and exhibits to explain oil spill recovery, climate change and underwater rover exploration.

In partnership with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the celebration will also feature Dr. Seuss's seminal book, 'One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish,' as the cornerstone of the children's activity area."

Most of the activities are free but please note the New England Aquarium admission is separate. Please check the World Oceans Day Yelp site and the New England Aquarium website for further details. 

Brookline Music School's 'BROOKstock II: Where the '60's Meet 2013' concert will be held on Saturday, June 1st at 7:30pm at Pine Manor College.

Brookline Music School's Rock/Jazz ensembles and artists will perform popular & original music from the 1960's, a pivotal time in music history.

"The BMS Rock/Jazz ensembles are lead by Brookline Music School's Ensembles Coordinator and saxophone faculty John Purcell, who has been teaching ensembles at BMS since 1996. Purcell said he has lead '100's of ensembles and worked with 100's and 100's of students.' The ensembles mainly play popular rock or jazz songs, while incorporating original music from students. Purcell arranges all the songs and explained that he will 'choose material or arrange in such a way that plays on the strengths of each individual.'"

Tickets are $10 for general admission or $5 for students. They will be available at the door or by calling 617-277-4593. Cash or checks only. BROOKstock and other Brookline Music School events and updates are available on their website.

The Food Truck Festival of New England will be coming to Kendall Square in Cambridge on June 8th from 11am-5pm. There will be more than 20 participating trucks and will serve various items such as tacos, hot dogs, cupcakes and grilled cheese. Unlike some food truck festivals, the Cambridge Food Truck Festival will have multiple vegetarian options. 

There will be different ticket options available. There will be an option to buy tickets at the event and discounted tickets available online through Eventbrite. Adult (12 and up) online tickets are only $7.00, kids (6-12) are $5.00 and 5 and under have free admission. The entry ticket will give food lovers wristbands for discounted food truck items. There will also be entertainment and chances to win prizes at the event. 

Can't make it to Cambridge? Check out the New England Food Truck schedule for other locations & dates. 

The AIDS Walk Boston & 5K Run 2013 will be held on June 2, 2013. The event will start & end at the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade in Boston. 

Registration is now open. Individuals can registrer by themselves, join a team or start a new team.  Check-in begins at 7:30 a.m on June 2nd. The Walk begins at 10 a.m. and 5K Run begins at 9:50 a.m. There are also opportunities to volunteer and be a "virtual walker" by donating online.

"Every year since 1986, thousands of dedicated participants have raised millions of dollars for AIDS Action’s innovative programs and services that are essential to maintaining the health of individuals living with the disease and preventing the spread of the epidemic. Just as important, the Walk also raises our awareness of the impact HIV/AIDS has on individuals, families and the community at-large, reminding us all that we must work together to stop the spread of HIV."

The Jimmy Fund Scooper Bowl is one of the best summer events in Boston. Not only do you get to eat as much ice cream as you want, but proceeds from the event will go to the Jimmy Fund, an organization that supports cancer care and research for children and adults at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. 

The 31st annual Jimmy Fund Scooper Bowl will take place on June 4-6, 2013 at Boston's City Hall Plaza. The event served up ice cream, frozen yogurt, and sorbet from nine of the nation's leading ice cream companies, such as Ben & Jerry's and SoCo Creamery. The event will last from noon to 8 p.m. and each day there will be live entertainment and activities. On opening day of the event some wives of Red Sox players will be on hand to scoop ice cream and to judge a kids' ice cream eating contest.  

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for kids. Kids under 3 are free! There is also an option for a multiple entry pass for $20! Tickets are available on the Jimmy Fund Scooper Bowl website. 

"Since its inception in 1983 the Jimmy Fund Scooper Bowl has raised more than $3 million for cancer research and care." 

Matthew Morrison will be coming to Boston's Symphony Hall on Tuesday, May 28th. 

"Actor, dancer, singer-songwriter Matthew Morrison is best known for starring in multiple Broadway and Off-Broadway productions, including his portrayal of Link Larkin in Hairspray on Broadway, his Tony-nominated performance in The Light On The Piazza, and most notably for his Emmy- and Golden Globe-nominated role as Will Schuester on the Fox television show Glee. Come and see Morrison perform hits from his forthcoming album of Broadway standards, and be wowed by this modern song-and-dance man."

Tickets are available now and can be purchased through the Boston Symphony Orchestra website. 

The MFA normally offers free admission on Memorial Day, but this year will be extra special due to the "To Boston With Love" exhibit. 

There is also an additioanl exhibit with three paintings from the Metropolitan Museum of Art and community art making. All on-site contributions this weekend will be donated to The One Fund Boston. 

"Daily, Saturday through Monday

'To Boston With Love' Shapiro Family Courtyard
Visit 'To Boston With Love,' an installation of hundreds of hand-sewn quilt squares with messages of love and peace sent from the around the world. 

'Homer, Leighton, Manet: Paintings from The Metropolitan Museum of Art' Gallery 234 
View three special paintings lent by New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art in honor of the people of Boston.

Community Art-Making Activity: Boston, I Love, 11 am–3 pm, Druker Family Pavilion, Room 159
Be inspired to create your message of hope, community, and love to contribute to our collaborative project."