Family Films, Boston Christmas Festival, and More Fun and Free Things for Kids and Families in Greater Boston - Nov 4-6
Our weekend roundup of events includes a family film festival in Watertown, two events at the deCordova Museum in Lincoln, a concert by the popular Rolie Polie Guacamole kids’ jam band, and the first Christmas Festival of the season. Read on for details, and remember, you can find additional options in our Event Calendar.
With holiday activities gearing up, exploring the Mayor’s Holiday Special website, which offers half-price tickets to many holiday shows all over Greater Boston, a $10-off holiday dining deal, and a full calendar of holiday festivities, is a great resource if you’re interested in saving some money and still seeing some of the best shows around.
This week, we’ve added to our occasional series of preschools in the greater Boston area by highlighting five Cambridge preschools that represent different philosophies or approaches to education, plus a schedule of Open Houses in November. We’d love your thoughts about other great schools to cover in our series; please drop me a line with your ideas.
Enjoy your extra hour of sleep on Sunday with Daylight Saving Time!
OUR LATEST VIDEOS
Friday (11/4)
Family Literacy Month Celebration - Boston Children’s Museum, Boston
Museum visitors can enjoy storytellers, listen to read-aloud books, and meet up with characters from some of their favorite books. It is also a great time to visit since each Friday evening, from 5pm to 9pm, admission is only $1.
Friday - Sunday (11/4 to 11/6)
Boston Christmas Festival - Seaport World Trade Center, Boston
The annual Christmas Festival features the distinctive work of over 300 master American craftsmen. From gifts to holiday decorating, the festival kicks off the holiday season in style.
Check out the Gingerbread House creations - top chefs create gingerbread masterpieces to be judged by a celebrity panel and sold with proceeds benefiting Housing Families, a non-profit organization dedicated to ending family homelessness.
Friday 12n-7pm; Saturday 10am-6pm; Sunday 10am-5pm. Admission: Adults $12; Children free
Saturday (11/5)
9th Annual Family Film Festival - Arsenal Center for the Arts, Watertown
This year, Belmont World Film’s annual family film festival - A Cinematic Kaleidoscope of Cats, Characters and Circus Dreams - includes stories about self-reliance and acceptance, creativity and imagination, the magic of books and reading, a mysterious cat living in Paris, a war on chocolate, and the chance to go behind the scenes of a traveling youth circus. See the website for a complete schedule.
Tickets: Morning Programs: $3/person. Afternoon Programs: Adults $7; Children (12 & under) $5. Purchase at the box office 1/2 hour prior to each screening, subject to availability.
The Great Muppet Caper - Coolidge Corner Theatre, Brookline
Join the Muppets on a great caper as they try to track down a priceless diamond necklace in this classic film. Begins at 10:30am. Tickets: Adults $7; Children $5
Saturday & Sunday (11/5 & 11/6)
Sir George and the Dragon - Puppet Showplace Theatre, Brookline
Romper Rhythm & Puppets updates the classic medieval tale with a touch humor and plenty of audience participation. Shows: 1pm & 3pm. Tickets $10.
Two events at the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in Lincoln this weekend to take note of
- Interactive Performance: robbinschilds and students from SMFA On Saturday, from 1pm to 2:30pm, museum visitors can either watch or participate as performers in an interactive performance led by artist collaborative robbinschilds and students from the School of Museum of Fine Arts that engages body movement, architecture, and other directives to culminate in a multi-sensory experience. Free with admission.
- Eye Wonder: PLATFORM 8: On Sunday, families with children ages 6 to 12 can take inspiration from Soo Sunny Park and Spencer Topel's installation Capturing Resonance and create an eye catching mobile. This is a drop-in program available from 1pm to 3pm. Free with admission.
Barefoot Books Studio in Concord offers three different dance workshops this weekend:
- Belly Dance Workshop, Saturday 10:30am, for children ages 4 & up (reserve in advance)
- African Dance Workshop, Saturday 2:30pm, for children ages 3 to 11 (reserve in advance)
- Andean Music & Dance Workshop, Sunday, 3pm, all ages
Sunday (11/6)
Rolie Polie Guacamole - Brookline Music School, Brookline
Brooklyn-based trio Rolie Polie Guacamole is a children’s jam band who love to sing about nutritious foods like hummus, guacamole, apples and açaí berries. Songs are original, and parents like the positive influence their songs have about healthy eating and staying active. Show: 2pm. Tickets: $5
A Look Ahead
Saturday, 11/12: BSO Family Concert - Symphony Hall, Boston
The Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra’s highly popular series of family concerts series continues on Saturday, 11/12, with a performance that includes selections from Prokoviev’s Peter and the Wolf. Doors open at 10:30am for pre-concert activities that include instrument demonstrations.
Children (under 18) are free, and while tickets are still available as of press time, they won’t last for long. The kids’ tickets (up to 4 per family) are only available by phone (SymphonyCharge, 888-266-1200)
