Eagles, Ducklings, Monkeys and Snakes - Things to Do this Weekend in Boston with Kids, 2/9 - 2/10

2/7/13 - By Audrey Trieschman

This weekend, the Merrimack River Eagle Festival takes place at several locations around Newburyport, the Boston Globe Travel Show comes to the Seaport World Trade Center, and there are numerous ways to celebrate the Year of the Snake. Performance options include Boston Musica Viva’s annual family concert and Gustafer Yellowgold at the Regent Theatre in Arlington. And with Valentine’s Day just around the corner, we’ve rounded up some kid-friendly ideas for sweet treats, craft activities, and other events taking place this weekend. Read on for the details, and be sure to consult our calendar for more things to do. Of course, given the weekend forecast, please be sure to check with the venues for any cancellations or changes to the schedule!

We’re also pleased to offer the next installment of our Poppins Parents series - meet funny gal, brand marketer, and yoga studio owner, Kristin Quinn! And if you’re a camp director or involved in running a summer camp, we’d like to invite you to contact us about being included in our new Summer Camp Directory, set to launch in March.

Stay safe, and enjoy!

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

 


Honk! - Boston Center for the Arts, Boston
Opens Sat 2/9
Tickets $25

Boston Children's Theatre presents a musical based on Hans Christian Andersen's The Ugly Duckling. This entertaining family musical tells the story of a young bird named Ugly whose unusual and awkward appearance triggers prejudice and ridicule among his family and friends.


Boston Globe Travel Show - Seaport World Trade Center, Boston
Fri 2/8 - Sun 2/10
Tickets: Adults $10; Children 18 & under FREE        

The annual travel show has over 200 exhibitors, special vacation deals, cultural performances and entertainment, live animals from SeaWorld and Zoo New England, and a children's area with moon bounce and kids' crafts.


Karen K and the Jitterbugs Benefit Concert - Newtowne School, Cambridge
Sat 2/9
Tickets: In advance $8; At the door $10        

It's the school's annual fundraiser, and Karen K & the Jitterbugs are rockin' Harvard Square with tunes from our upcoming album, Big Ol' Truck.


Merrimack River Eagle Festival - Mass Audubon’s Joppa Flats Education Center, Newburyport
Sat 2/9
FREE

A full day of activities hosted throughout Newburyport celebrates the return of the bald eagles. Event highlights include:

  • At the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters: Family fun plus special feature: owls from Mass Audubon’s Drumlin Farm (11am-3pm)
  • At the Joppa Flats Education Center: Family fun plus special feature: hawks from Mass Audubon’s Drumlin Farm from (11am-3pm)
  • Visit eagle hot spots: Eagle Festival guides show you Bald Eagles from sites along the Merrimack River. Maps available at all festival headquarter sites. (9am-4pm)
  • At Newburyport City Hall: Tom Ricardi of the Massachusetts Bird of Prey Rehabilitation Facility presents two educational programs featuring raptors great and small. First come, first served. Recommended for age 6 and over (10am & 1:30pm)

Monkey and the Mystery of the Snake - Arlington Center for the Arts, Arlington
Sat 2/9
Tickets $6        

Someone keeps sneaking into the Heavenly Banquet Hall and eating food and decorations meant to welcome the Year of the Snake. Is it the charming and mysterious Snake King? Or a cranky Monkey who wishes the banquet were in his honor?

Join Margaret Moody of Galapagos Puppets for this lively episode of Journey to the West, told with traditional Taiwanese hand puppets and choreography. Please stay and make a simple Chinese Zodiac puppet afterward. Try some oolong tea, too!


Gustafer Yellowgold's Show - The Regent Theatre, Arlington
Sat 2/9
Tickets $7-$10        

Gustafer Yellowgold is a small, yellow, cone-headed fellow,who came to Earth from the Sun and has a knack for finding himself neck-deep in absurd situations as he explores his new life in the Minnesota woods. Equal parts pop rock concert and animated storybook, a Gustafer Yellowgold concert is a unique, multimedia experience that entrances children and adults alike.


Lunar New Year 2013 - Peabody Essex Museum, Salem
Sat 2/9
Free with admission        

Welcome the Year of the Snake with performances, art activities, storytelling, gallery tours, and films throughout the day. Highlights include the Gund Kwok Asian Women Lion and Dragon Dance Troupe kicking off the celebration as it leads the traditional Lion Dance (11am); storytelling (1pm & 3:30pm); and craft activities and performances throughout the day.


Chinese New Year Fun - Barefoot Books, Concord
Sat 2/9 and Sun 2/10
FREE

It's the year of the snake! Come learn about all the animals in the Chinese New Year tale, The Great Race, and have fun making sssstupendous ssssnakes (Parselmouths welcome)!


Annual Family Concert - Tsai Performance Center, Boston
Sun 2/10
Tickets: Adults $26; Children $9        

The Northeast Youth Ballet and NECN anchor Steve Aveson return to Boston Musica Viva’s Annual Family Concert with a revival of Hoffer’s Ma Goose, a playful re-imagining of Mother Goose nursery rhymes. In Samuel Headrick’s children’s ballet The New Kid, a student responds bravely to bullies at her new school.


TeenLife LIVE! Community Service Fair & Expo - Mall at Chestnut Hill
Sun 2/10
FREE

Teens can meet face-to-face with local non-profit representatives who are actively seeking teen volunteers as well as representatives from various programs and services catered to college-bound teens such as tutoring and test prep companies, summer programs, and gap year opportunities. Plus, the fair hosts a High School A Cappella Sing Off.


New and Noteworthy

For Teens

Boston Youth Fund Summer Job Registration Now Open!

The Boston Youth Fund is now accepting applications for summer jobs from Boston teens ages 15-17. The application period is open now through March 3. Visit the website for guidelines and how to apply.


For Summer Camp Directors

Free Listing in Our Summer Camp Directory

On March 1, we're launching our Summer Camp Directory, where our readers will be able to find information about all types of summer camps in and around the Boston area. Contact us if you'd like your camp to be included - it's free if we hear from you before February 25!