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10 things to do in Boston this Marathon weekend
BosTen is your weekly guide to the best events and coolest things to do in Boston.
Welcome to BosTen, your weekly guide to the coolest events and best things to do in Boston this weekend. Sign up for ourweekly email newsletter here. Have an idea about what we should cover? Leave us a comment on this article or in theBosTen Facebook group, or email us at [email protected].
Run a Half Half Half Half Half Marathon
Not quite ready to run a marathon yet? Or even a half marathon? Or even a half half — well, you get the idea. For those who want to participate in marathon weekend without getting winded, there’s the Half Half Half Half Half Marathon, in which participants walk, jog, or run 0.826 miles around a portion of Jamaica Pond. The event benefits 826 Boston, a nonprofit writing and publishing organization that seeks to empower underprivileged students. Entrants can also enter raffles to win prizes like a stay in a deluxe room at the Charles Hotel. Registration opens at the Jamaica Pond Boathouse at 5:30 p.m. (Thursday, April 11 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.; 507 Jamaicaway, Boston; $25-40; all ages) — Kevin Slane
Watch a movie at Boston International Film Festival
Not to be confused with the upcoming Independent Film Festival Boston (IFFB), the Boston International Film Festival (BIFF) kicks off a six-day slate of more than 60 short and feature-length films at various theaters in the Boston area, including the Simons IMAX Theatre, the Regent 7 in Arlington, and Kendall Square Cinema. Thursday’s opening night film, “Mr. Blake at Your Service!,” is a French comedy starring longtime Cambridge resident John Malkovich as a widowed British man who becomes a butler. Personal opinion: Anytime Malkovich is doing an accent of any type, be it Russian mobster (“Rounders”) or Cajun oil executive (“Deepwater Horizon”) is worth watching. For a full schedule, visit the BIFF website. (Thursday, April 11 through Tuesday, April 16, at various times and locations; $15 per session) — Kevin Slane
Jog over to BAA Fan Fest and Marathon Expo
The 127th Boston Marathon kicks off Monday morning, but the festivities begin the Friday before, as runners and their squads arrive in Boston. The Boston Marathon Expo returns to the Hynes Convention Center from Friday through Sunday. The free, public expo features vending booths from official Boston Marathon sponsors, and it’s also where runners check in when they first arrive to pick up their bibs, race packets, and T-shirts. Highlights at the Boston Marathon Expo include the Adidas Boston Marathon store, photo ops, and sponsor booths from Gatorade, Boston Beer Co., Honda, Maurten, Marathon Tours & Travel, plus dozens of other health and wellness vendors in the Marathon Marketplace. After the expo, head over to Fan Fest at City Hall Plaza, which also runs Friday through Sunday and is open to the public. The Fan Fest will feature marathon sponsors, live music, special guest panels, and a race weekend clinic. (Friday, April 12 through Sunday, April 14 from 9-6 p.m.; 900 Boylston St. and 1 City Hall Square, Boston; free) — Natalie Gale
Take a ride on a Swan Boat
While the weather hasn’t exactly been temperate so far, one surefire sign that spring is here is the reopening of the Swan Boats. The fixtures of the Public Garden splash down for their first ride of the year at 10 a.m. Saturday, with more rides following throughout the day — and every other day for the rest of the warm season. (Saturday, April 13 at 10 a.m.; Boston Public Garden; $3-4.50; all ages) — Kevin Slane
Celebrate history with the Paul Revere Lantern Ceremony
On Thursday, the Old North Church and Historic Site will commemorate one of the most famous moments of the Colonial era in Massachusetts: When two lanterns were hung in the Old North Church steeple, signaling to Paul Revere that the British were coming by sea, and kickstarting the Revolutionary War. Reenactors and historians will show visitors an authentic look at how the evening occurred almost 250 years ago, reading Revere’s personal account and the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow poem “Paul Revere’s Ride.” This year’s keynote speaker is Cmdr. Billie J. Farrell, who in 2022 became the first woman to command USS Constitution. (Thursday, April 11 from 6:30-9:30 p.m.; 193 Salem St., Boston; $60; all ages) — Kevin Slane
Mount up for the Boston Midnight Marathon Bike Ride
If you’re more of a cyclist than a runner but still have marathon fever, you can join a group of rebellious riders who plan to ride from Southborough to Boston the night before the marathon. The leaderless movement will see riders depart Southborough in waves starting at 6 p.m. until midnight, riding slightly longer than 26.2 miles on a mostly downhill route. Unlike previous years, there is no official bike transportation service, and riders are reminded not to bring bikes on the commuter rail. (Sunday, April 14 from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m.; 87 Southville Road, Southborough; free; all ages) — Kevin Slane
Witness history (reenacted) in Lexington
Each year on Patriots Day, some of the best runners in the world take off from Hopkinton around 9 a.m. for the Boston Marathon. But much earlier that same day, costumed reenactors gather on the Lexington Battle Green to reenact the first battle of the Revolutionary War, held 248 years ago that day. The main event starts at 5:30 a.m. on Monday, but there are also plenty of additional events earlier in the weekend, including reenactments of events like the Call to Arms and Paul Revere’s ride as well as live music and historical tours out of the Lexington Visitors Center. Following the battle on Monday festivities continue through the afternoon with parades, wreath laying ceremonies on the battle green, and tours at historical sites around town like Buckman Tavern and the Hancock-Clarke House. (Monday, April 15 from 5:15-9:30 a.m.; 1625 Massachusetts Ave., Lexington; free) — Natalie Gale
Watch the 2024 Boston Marathon
Marathon Monday is a special day for both the runners and those who come out to watch the race. Whether you’re cheering on a loved one or just want to have a good time, the 26.2-mile course has plenty of awesome places to catch the action. The elite men’s wheelchair division departs Hopkinton at 9:02 a.m., so if you want the full experience, be sure to find your place along the route sometime before then. If you’re looking for a particular race participant, the BAA has a helpful timetable of when you will expect to see them based on where you’re standing along the route. If you’re still undecided on where to watch the race from, we put together a guide to help you pick the best place to the watch the 2024 Boston Marathon based on your own personal preferences. (Monday, April 15 starting at 9 a.m.; free) — Kevin Slane
Enjoy free admission to the Concord Museum
Monday is the first day of April school break for many students across the state, which means free admission to a number of Massachusetts museums and institutions thanks to Highland Street Foundation’s Spring Week. Fittingly, the museum you can visit for free on Patriots Day is the Concord Museum, which in late 2020 revamped its April 19, 1775 exhibit to highlight rare artifacts and incorporate new voices of those who were present at the early Revolutionary War battles. Stop by between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. for hands-on activities and a visit from costumed reenactors portraying the Acton Minutemen Encampment, who on April 19, 1775 marched to North Bridge to engage with British Red Coats. (Monday, April 15 from 10-5 p.m.; 53 Cambridge Turnpike, Concord; free) — Kevin Slane
Catch a Red Sox game
Fun fact: When the Boston Red Sox first decided to host an early Patriots Day game way back in 1959, it was postponed due to weather. Here’s hoping Monday’s late morning matchup against the Cleveland Guardians is rain-free for the sake of the fans, the players, and most of all the Marathon runners. If you aren’t lucky enough to have a day off of work, the Sox also play a three-game series against the Angels Friday through Sunday. Promotions running throughout the long weekend include Bryan Bello Bobblehead Night (Friday), Harry Potter Night (Saturday) and a limited Patriots Day replica jersey giveaway (Monday). (Monday, April 15 at 11:10 a.m.; 4 Jersey St., Boston; $41 and up) — Kevin Slane
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