If you are looking for Boston events to keep your family entertained this June, we’ve got you covered! Our monthly events guides are on hand to be sure you don’t miss a thing happening around the Boston area. We know you’re looking for ideas for family fun all the time. School is almost out, and it’s time to kick off summer!
We’ve also included links to area libraries and recurring events. This is, by no means, a comprehensive list. If you know of any fun family activities we missed, please let us know in the comments.
Oh, and be sure to join our Community & Conversation Group to meet other moms near you!
June 1–2 :: Greek Festival :: Arlington :: This is a free event and will go on under the tent rain or shine. Enjoy Greek food and beverages, plus children’s activities, music, dancing, games, and more!
June 2 :: Cambridge Arts River Festival :: Cambridge :: Occurring along DCR Cambridge Parkway and in Lechmere Canal Park, the festival will feature staged and roving performances, hands-on art-making, and more than a hundred artists and food vendors with work for sale. The Cambridge Arts River Festival is free and open to all!
June 2 :: Pride Week :: Boston :: The city’s 47th annual celebration of LGBTQ communities and the largest pride event in New England takes place June 2–11 with multiple festivities, parties, and celebrations around the city.
June 2 :: Boston Irish Festival :: Canton :: Enjoy a full weekend’s worth of Irish music, dancing, and fun! There will be reenactments, storytelling, tours of an Irish cottage with demonstrations, rugby and hurling games, kids’ activities, and more!
June 3 :: Greek Festival :: Arlington :: This is a free event and will go on under the tent rain or shine. Enjoy Greek food and beverages, plus children’s activities, music, dancing, games, and more!
June 3 :: Boston Irish Festival :: Canton :: Enjoy a full weekend’s worth of Irish music, dancing, and fun! There will be reenactments, storytelling, tours of an Irish cottage with demonstrations, rugby and hurling games, kids’ activities, and more!
June 3 :: Touch a Boat :: Hingham :: The Hingham Maritime Center and the Freedom Boat Club are helping the Hingham Harbormaster kick off summer with the 7th Annual Touch A Boat event. This free eventfrom runs from 12–3 p.m. at Iron Horse Park in Hingham Harbor and combines family-friendly seaside-themed activities with boating and water safety education. Kids of all ages will be invited to climb aboard the Hingham Harbormaster watercraft, check out a US Coast Guard Response Boat, explore the National Marine Sanctuary’s whale exhibit, learn to row on an erg with the Hingham Maritime Center, join a SupYo! Paddleboard Yoga Demo, and meet Captain Jack from South Shore Junior Anglers, the area’s only boat-based fishing program. Ongoing activities include an interactive bubble party, a balloonist, face painting, music, crafts, games, and treasure hunt.
June 3 :: Family Fun Festival :: Braintree :: Fun for the whole family! The Red Sox World Series trophy will be there, along with Wally. Look forward to music and live performances all day, plus vendors, a touch-a-truck area, free carnival games and activities, and a rubber dolphin drop — a super fun spectacle with a $1,000 grand prize!
June 5 :: Summertime on the Street :: Boston :: Head to Chestnut Hill for Tuesday evening kid-friendly, free fun! This week features Kidville, a locally owned business that will host a wide range of fun classes and programs designed by early childhood development specialists, from music and dance to art.
June 5–7 :: Scooper Bowl :: Boston :: The 36th annual Jimmy Fund Scooper Bowl is the nation’s largest all-you-can-eat ice cream festival. Whether you’re a volunteer or professional ice cream eater, you play a huge part in the mission to conquer cancer.
June 7 :: Greenway Play Session :: Boston :: The Greenway is proud to bring play to the parks by hosting sessions on Thursday nights, complete with playing, reading, and climbing on the Chinatown Park Plaza. Bring your family, bring a bite to eat, and spend the summer evening on the Greenway.
June 9 :: Boston Pride Parade and Festival :: Boston :: Staging and lineups of parade participants starts at Copley Square (check here for the full route). Join at noon at the Boston City Hall stage for the free, all-ages pride concert and festival, featuring a diverse lineup of local and national headliners that will entertain the crowds all day. ASL interpretation will be provided.
June 9 :: Monster Truck Jam :: Foxboro :: Big trucks, big wheels, big noise!
June 9 :: Dragon Boat Festival :: Boston :: The dragon boat time trials will run from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m., starting at the MIT Pierce Boathouse. 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.
June 10 :: Dragon Boat Festival :: Boston :: On the Cambridge side of the Charles, drum dances, yo-yo performances, music, and lion dances entertain crowds of spectators, making this one of the biggest Boston Chinese cultural events of the year. There will also be Asian food vendors and artisan booths.
June 10 :: World Oceans Day Festival :: Boston :: This fun family-friendly festival features hands-on, family activities; seafood cooking demonstrations; sustainable seafood tastings; face time with scientists and local conservation groups; and opportunities to learn how you can help protect the oceans. All activities are free, open to the public, and do not require Aquarium admission! Aquarium admission is NOT included in the free activities.
June 10 :: Battle of Bunker Hill Parade :: Boston :: Join the National Park Service at the Bunker Hill Monument on Boston’s Freedom Trail to commemorate the anniversary of the famous battle against the British on nearby Breed’s Hill on June 17, 1775, and enjoy the Bunker Hill Day Parade, a Boston tradition since 1786. Members of the Charlestown Militia dressed in Colonial attire play fifes and drums and offer musket salutes as part of a wreath-laying ceremony at the monument. The parade kicks off at the corner of Vine and Bunker Hill Streets, marches down Main Street, winds around Charlestown, and ends on Winthrop Street next to the Charlestown Militia training Field. Streets start to close to traffic soon after 9 a.m.
June 15–16 :: South Shore Arts Festival :: Cohasset :: This free art festival features 80 juried exhibitors, live music, art demonstrations, and children’s art activities.
June 16 :: Fathers and Family Fun Day :: Dorchester :: This event is hosted by the Family Nurturing Center, Dorchester CARES, and many community partners. This is a day of celebration and fun for dads, moms, children, and families. There will be music, games, giveaways, and resource tables with information for parents and families.
June 19 :: Summertime on the Street :: Boston :: Head to Chestnut Hill for Tuesday evening kid-friendly, free fun! This week’s feature event is hosted by KidPowerment Yoga. These innovative kids yoga classes, deeply rooted in the foundations of yoga, empower kids to have strong bodies, focused minds, and brave hearts.
June 23 :: Strawberry Festival :: Braintree :: The Braintree Farmer’s Market is hosting its annual Strawberry Festival. LollyCake Ladies will be serving strawberry shortcakes with the help of Liberty Bay Credit Union, made with strawberries grown locally by C.N. Smith Farm.
June 20 :: Morning Sing-Along :: Cambridge :: Put on your dancing shoes and head over for a morning of singing and dancing! All ages.
June 23 :: Strawberry Festival :: Danvers :: Activities include live music with The Rockabilly Band, a jumping pillow, farm animals, hayrides, cow train, grain train, duck races, pedal carts, and more! Also, look forward to strawberry shortcake, BBQ food, pony rides (12–4 p.m.), strawberries dipped in chocolate, and face painting.
June 24 :: North Star Rodeo :: Marshfield :: The rodeo is at 2 p.m., but doors open two hours prior to the show. Watch the cowboys and cowgirls on their horses doing roundups, barrel runs, and more. There will be food vendors, artisans, and children activities.
June 24 :: Teddy Bear Clinic and Ice Cream Social :: Danvers :: Join for the 5th annual Teddy Bear Clinic and Ice Cream Social. As part of the Danvers Family Festival, patients and their favorite stuffed animals are invited to a Teddy Bear Clinic at Lahey Outpatient Center. The bears and other stuffed animals will explore healthcare experiences, providing children an opportunity to play doctor and learn about healthy habits from clinicians.
June 27 :: ArtCart with Boston Harbor :: Boston :: Visitors of all ages are invited to drop in and enjoy pencils, pastels, watercolors, crayons, coloring books, and more at the Boston Harbor Islands Welcome Center from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m.
June 28 :: Birds of Prey with Boston Harbor Now :: Boston :: Head to the Boston Harbor Islands Welcome Center, 191 W. Atlantic Ave., from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. to join a Mass Audubon bird specialist for a close-up look at live owls, falcons, and other birds who call New England home.
June 28–July 1 :: Boston Harborfest :: Boston :: With hundreds of activities over Independence Day weekend at Boston’s best landmarks, this family-friendly event is the country’s largest Fourth of July festival. Activities include the annual opening ceremony at Faneuil Hall, historical reenactments, Freedom Trail walks, boat tours, live entertainment, and much more!
June 29 :: Frog Pond Spray Pool Opening :: Boston :: The Boston Parks Commissioner and The Skating Club of Boston president are pleased to welcome children and guests to kick off the 2018 summer season as the Boston Common Frog Pond spray pool. The day will include a fun and exciting celebration at 11 a.m. followed by the opening of the spray pool. Families will also be able to enjoy a ride on the Boston Common Carousel.
June 29 :: A Fairy Afternoon :: Marshfield :: The fairies of the forest are coming to visit the Winslow House! Join in on a fairy hunt and look for signs of fantastical activity. Activities will include learning how to make a fairy door, flower crown, or magic wand to take home as well as face painting to match the pixies and sprites. A feast of fairy tea, juice, and tiny cakes and cookies will be included.
June 29 :: City Dance Party :: Cambridge :: Join thousands of Cambridge residents and visitors who will gather on Mass. Ave. in front of Cambridge City Hall for the City’s annual dance party. This portion of the street, between Inman and Bigelow at the heart of Central Square, will be closed to traffic from 7–11 p.m. This event is free and open to the public. The annual dance extravaganza with DJ spun music is a special opportunity for the entire Cambridge community to celebrate summer. After dark, colorful lights will be launched, adding to the magic of the evening.
June 30 :: Danvers Family Festival Field Day :: Danvers :: Join for a day of exciting attractions and competitive and silly sporting events for the entire family. The third annual field day and scoop-ah-bowl will bring back the Red Sox mobile unit, high-flying dogs frisbee show, world class magician, plenty of food trucks, fantastic music, and many more surprises. The younger kids will love the obstacle course and all the classic summertime favorites, like dizzy bat, three-legged and other fun races, watermelon eating contests, face painting, a balloon artist extraordinaire, and a wiffleball tourney for all skill levels!
June 30 :: SaturPLAY :: Boston :: The Asian Community Development Corporation’s youth program, A-VOYCE, hosts a placemaking event monthly to activate and bring children to The Greenway’s Mary Soo Hoo Park. Each month features a different theme with games, activities, crafts, and more. Youth volunteers are on hand to engage children. All SaturPLAY events are 1–3 p.m. and are subject to weather conditions.
Baby-Friendly Monday Matinees at the Capitol Theatre :: Arlington :: Mondays, 12–2 p.m. :: The Capitol Theatre features a baby-friendly movie every Monday afternoon. Please check the theater’s Monday schedule to see what feature has been selected for parents and their infants.
Kids’ Art Club :: Dorchester :: Tuesdays, 4:30–5:30 p.m. :: This club has a new art project at the library every Tuesday. Projects include collage self-portraits and artist’s books. Art Club projects are showcased in rotating displays in the library children’s room.
Nature Time at Blue Hills Trailside Museum :: Milton :: Thursdays, 10:30–11:30 a.m. :: Introduce your preschool-aged child to nature with this fun program. Programs may feature a story, nature games, crafts, short walks outside, or meeting one of the museum’s animal residents. Meet, play, and learn with other area families. Each program runs for 45 minutes and meets most Thursdays. Museum admission is included with this program. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
JFN Free Friday Playgroup :: Natick :: Fridays, 9:30–11:30 a.m. :: Bring the little ones and come join other parents and caregivers in the Metrowest area for a fun-filled morning of play and socializing. There are plenty of songs, activities, toys, snacks, and laughter, as both the children and their grown-ups build connections and lasting friendships.
Backyard and Beyond: Forest Fridays :: Acton :: Fridays, 10–11 a.m. :: A great way for the whole family to enjoy time outdoors, the Forest Friday program is held outside, no matter the weather. Every Friday morning there is a nature-based activity based on the weather and season, either in Discovery Woods or out on the adjacent conservation land. All ages are welcome but activities are designed for 2- to 6-year-olds. Please note that the conservation land trails are not ADA or stroller accessible; please wear appropriate footwear and clothing.
StoryTime at the Curious George Store :: Cambridge :: Fridays, 10:30–11 a.m. :: Small children and their caregivers are welcome at these weekly storytimes, running throughout the year.
SaturPLAY :: Rose Kennedy Greenway :: Boston :: Select Saturdays, 1–3 p.m. :: The Asian Community Development Corporation’s youth program, A-VOYCE, hosts a placemaking event monthly to activate and bring children to The Greenway’s Mary Soo Hoo Park. Each month features a different theme with games, activities, crafts, and more. Youth volunteers are on hand to engage children. SaturPlay is subject to weather conditions.
Family Show :: Cambridge :: Saturdays, 4–5 p.m. :: Improv Boston’s improv and music extravaganza is completely made up on the spot every week based on your suggestion. No two shows are alike! Best of all, children who want to participate have opportunities to be on stage and take part in the fun! Our show is ideal for family outings, birthday parties, and school field trips. The Family Show is fun for the whole family and best for children ages 4-12.
