Watch Red Sox on the Boston Common today and other activities for June

Out of the Park event on Boston Common.
Image from Boston Red Sox, redsox.com

Today starting at 2:30 pm, the Boston Red Sox once again will host “Out of the Park” on the Boston Common with free food, games, and live NESN broadcast of the 4:05 p.m. game on a big screen! It is courtesy of the Highland Street foundation, along with other partners.

There are other fun activities/promotions coming for Red Sox Nation and Families in June:

June 23:
Kids' Build-A-Bear Presented By Hood - distributed to all kids in attendance

June 24:
Catholic Night: Special pre-game ceremony honoring local Catholic clergy prior to the first pitch.

Phish Night: Purchasing a ticket through this special offer the first 1,500 will receive a limited edition pennant designed by Phish.  

June 25:
Alex Cora World Series Bobblehead Presented By Coca-Cola for the first 7500 fans in attendance

June 26:
Run the Bases: Kids have the opportunity to run the bases at Fenway Park after the game

LEGO Day at Fenway: Your special ticket purchase through this link includes a limited edition Red Sox themed LEGO set. Ticket also includes access to pre-game LEGO Build Experience in the Kids Concourse.

June 29 & 30:
Red Sox vs. Yankees in London: The Red Sox will take on the Yankees in London for two regular season games. History will be made for this is the very first time regular season MLB games will be hosted in Europe.

NOTE: We are proud to be part of #RedSoxParents and are providing you with this great information. No compensation was provided and all opinions are our own.

Blue Man Group Boston shows their World Series spirit with Red Sox content and a Buy 1 Get 1 offer

photo provided by Blue Man Group

Their skin may be Blue, but their socks are definitely RED!

To celebrate the Boston Red Sox going to the World Series, Blue Man Group Boston will add Red Sox themed content to their show and offer a buy one, get one free ticket offer through October 28th.

"We’ve worked with the Red Sox in the past on some of their community events and are excited to see them headed to the World Series,” said Jonathan Screnci, Resident General Manager, Blue Man Group Boston. “This is our little way of showing our Red Sox pride and cheering on this incredible team.”

In addition to the themed show content, the lobby bar in the Charles Playhouse will be serving a Red Sox inspired custom cocktail to add to the festivities.

The buy one, get one free ticket offer will be available starting today and is good for shows Oct. 25-28 using promo code: GOSOX.  Tickets can be purchased online at: https://www.blueman.com/boston/buy-tickets

NOTE: While we partner with Blue Man Group to give you information throughout the year, no compensation was provided. 

FREE Event on October 20th at Charlestown Navy Yard to Celebrate Three Naval Birthdays

Image from https://ussconstitutionmuseum.org/
event/in-the-yard-a-celebration-of-540-years-of-service/

Looking for something fun to do this weekend?

Join the National Park Service, USS Constitution Museum, and USS Constitution in celebrating three birthdays: the U.S. Navy (243rd), “Old Ironsides” (221st), and USS Cassin Young (75th) on Saturday, October 20 from 11:00 am-3:00 pm.

Participate in hands-on activities for all ages including a Watson Adventures scavenger hunt, watch USS Constitution‘s crewmembers perform boarding pike and gun drills, enjoy birthday cake, LEGO® building activities by LEGOLAND Discovery Center Boston and more!

There will be a brief ceremony at 1:00 PM with a special LEGO® build unveil by LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Boston too!

This family-friendly event is free and open to the public. A full schedule of events can be found here: https://ussconstitutionmuseum.org/event/in-the-yard-a-celebration-of-540-years-of-service/

NOTE: We are providing this since we think it would be interesting for you! No compensation was provided. We are proud to partner with LEGOLAND Discovery Center Boston since it's a fun place, and enjoy telling you about the fun things they do around town.

Upcoming August activites with the Red Sox - Don't miss them!

Join the Red Sox as they host quite a few family friendly activities this August:

Sunday, August 12: Out of the Park | Boston Common
Highland Street Foundation, the City of Boston, L.L.Bean and the Boston Red Sox will host the fifth annual “Out of the Park” on August 12 on the Boston Common. “Out of the Park” is a free, family-oriented event that brings the Fenway Park experience to the community. “Out of the Park” will feature a live viewing of the 1:05 p.m. Red Sox-Orioles game, complementary food and kids and family activities.
www.highlandstreet.org/programs/community-events/out-park

Tuesday, August 14: Movie Night | Fenway Park
Fenway Park will screen the original Jurassic Park in celebration of the movie's 25th anniversary on Tuesday, August 14. Tickets for "Movie Night at Fenway Park," presented by Fandango, are available now. Movie Night attendees will be invited to walk the warning track from 6:45 p.m. to 7:45 p.m., weather and field permitting. Concessions will be available.
redsox.com/movienight

Saturday, August 18-Sunday, August 19:Fenway Rooftop Sessions | Fenway Park
The Fenway Rooftop Sessions, presented by vineyard vines is a new and unique way to enjoy the game. With dates throughout the season, tickets include a pregame performance from a local Boston band, and a ticket to the game. Saturday, August 18, will include a performance by City Rivals. Dalton & The Sheriffs will perform on Sunday, August 19.
www.mlb.com/redsox/tickets/events/fenway-rooftop-sessions

Monday, August 20: Peanuts Night | Fenway Park
The Red Sox will celebrate one of the most popular comic strips of all-time, "Peanuts," with the annual Peanuts Night on August 20. Peanuts Night tickets include a limited edition bobblehead of Snoopy in a Red Sox uniform! Be sure to add this to your collection. redsox.com/peanuts

Tuesday, August 21: Game of Thrones Night | Fenway Park
The Red Sox will celebrate the Emmy® and Golden Globe®-winning series, Game of Thrones® on August 21. Game of Thrones Night tickets include a Red Sox 'K' Slayer Chris Sale bobblehead, a chance to sit on the Dragonstone Throne, and the opportunity to see the Map Table of Westeros. redsox.com/got

Wednesday, August 23#SoxPromo: Kids Run the Bases and Wally & Tessie Headphones | Fenway Park
Kids in attendance 14 and under will receive a pair of Wally & Tessie Headphones, and after the game, kids will have the opportunity to run the bases at Fenway Park! redsox.com/promos


Wednesday, August 29: #SoxPromo: Puzzle Cube | Fenway Park
The first 10,000 fans at Fenway Park will receive a Red Sox Puzzle Cube. redsox.com/promos

We celebrate the 40th birthday of the Lego Minifigure at LEGOLAND Discovery Center Boston

A few weeks ago, we had the chance to celebrate the 40th birthday of the Lego Minifigure at LEGOLAND Discovery Center Boston at Assembly Row Square in Somerville, MA. I was pretty excited to go with the family because I used to play with Legos all of the time as a kid and still enjoy playing with them alongside my kids and watching their reactions as well.

We arrived in time to find parking nearby and then the parade of characters started along with LEGOLAND Creative Crew members and employees. The Creative Crew are local kids who are selected to help the Master Builder throughout the year.

After the parade everyone assembled at the front of the store to sing happy birthday to the mini figures in attendance and then some fun confetti filled the air. We picked up our tickets and activity books and started the tour. We got in the elevator and proceeded to a waiting area where we were welcomed and saw a short video about what we could expect.

Our first stop was a ride where we would pretend to save the minifigures from the bad guys and spiders using special guns that shoot laser beams on the targets. If you get a bad guy you earn points. The goal is to try and beat your teammates and score more points!

What you don't realize is right before the end of the ride, it takes a photo of you and your teammates playing the game! Afterwards you have the option to purchase a print of the photo along with a neat Lego frame. If you're so inclined you can also order a copy of the photo broken up into lego bricks that can be assembled together and broken apart as a puzzle. So much fun!

We then had the chance to explore Miniland, where the local Lego master builder has created a landscape of region specific local attractions in great detail. There was Logan airport, some downtown Boston office buildings, the Boston Harbor Hotel, South Station and others. I was pretty excited because they were all buildings near my office and I was familiar with all of them. They even had more tourist-friendly options like Faneuil Hall, the Old South Meeting House, Fenway Park, Gillette Stadium and the Charles River. You could even interact with some of the exhibits like a boat race for Head of the Charles regatta and even playing baseball at Fenway that was built like a pinball game. That was by far my favorite attraction along with peering into the office of the master builder - pretty neat.

The kids enjoyed an activity scavenger hunt where you have to visit all of the various rooms and rides and get a stamp in your activity booklet. Our daughter really liked that one.

There is a Lego 4D movie that is included with admission and a ride where you pedal a bike to go higher and higher in a ride. It was a lot of fun going with the kids. There was a special exhibit for Star Wars where the master builder made Star Wars specific models that were pretty neat.

If you are looking for something new to do and you've been to LEGOLAND Discovery Center Boston before, they just opened up a virtual reality (VR) ride where you can put on a headset and race alongside other minifigures on a racecourse and see if you can get the best time. It was fun for all ages... the kids enjoyed it along with my dad! So much fun to be had.

When you get hungry, there's a Lego cafe where you can get food (even in a Lego lunch box container)and get drinks and pastries provided by Starbucks. They even made the Starbucks logo out of Legos. One thing to note is that while they serve Starbucks coffee, they do not accept Starbucks gift cards.

We ended the day exiting into the store where you could purchase all things Lego and even a brick separator. I wish they had one of those when I was a kid, it would have saved my fingernails a lot of agony.

NOTE: We were provided with passes in order to facilitate this review. No compensation was provided. All opinions are our own.

Catch the Free Blue Man Boston Fan Drum-Off tomorrow 7/7

Finalist Victoria Venegas-Rizk.
Photo provided by Blue Man Group Boston.
Used with permission.

Blue Man Group Boston is hosting their fifth annual Drum-Off competition tomorrow, July 7th at 5:00 pm at the free Summer Block Party at The Lawn on D in Boston. After the competition, the winner will perform with Blue Man Group so you'll even enjoy a mini-performance, too!

This competition showcases the best drumming talent in New England and beyond with selected finalists each performing a 3-minute solo jam session in front of the festive Summer Block Party crowd and judges. The winner will receive over $6,000 in prizes from Blue Man Group, DW, Sabian and Vic Firth and have the chance to perform with Blue Man Group at the end of the competition.

The finalists are:
Vlade Guigni, 33, lives in Boston, from the Dominican Republic.
Xavier Martin, 32, lives and from Sanford, North Carolina
Cameron Petros, 19, lives and from Ellsworth, Maine
Tyler Pedersen, 24, lives and from Marblehead, MA
Victoria Venegas-Rizk, 20, lives in Boston and from Miami, Florida

Vlade and Tyler are returning finalists having competed in the 2016 and 2017 Drum-Offs respectively.  Victoria becomes the third female finalist in the five-year history of the Blue Man Group Boston Drum-Off and first female finalist since 2015.

“When we started this event five years ago, our goal was to highlight the area’s drumming talent and we’ve seen such amazing and proficient drummers perform at this event over the years,” said Jonathan Screnci, Resident General Manager, Blue Man Group Boston. “These five individuals all have such distinct drumming styles and I think the audience at The Summer Block Party is really going to enjoy watching them compete and perform.”

This year’s competition will be hosted by Danny Balel of ImprovBoston. ImprovBoston has been New England’s leading theater and school dedicated to the art of comedy in all forms. The judges will include members of the Blue Man Group band that will also perform during the encore.

NOTE: I'm providing this information for my readers since I think you all will enjoy it! No compensation was provided and all opinions are my own.

Red Sox Weekend at the Museum of Science Tomorrow and Sunday!

Photo from mos.org

This weekend (tomorrow AND Sunday) is Red Sox Weekend at the Museum of Science in Boston!

Last year, the Museum of Science started a multi-year partnership with the Red Sox to host a fun-filled roster of activities combining the spirit of baseball with the learning opportunities of STEM. This second annual celebration will be quite a catch!

A stellar lineup of baseball-inspired science and engineering activities is on deck. Try a Sox-themed Design Challenge where you can build and test prototypes to solve a problem. Enter Fenway Park from afar via the Red Sox Showcase, find mascots Wally and Tessie, and more. Join Museum educators for exciting baseball-themed live presentations, enjoy Fenway-themed photo opportunities, a unique rendition of Take Me Out to the Ball Game, and other opportunities!

The partnership looks to produce baseball-inspired STEM material for the 70,000+ members of Red Sox Kid Nation and collaborate on family-friendly programs, activities, and events throughout the year — both at the ballpark and at the Museum. On your next Fenway visit, remember to grab a copy of Wally & Tessie's STEM Workbook at the Kid Nation booth or Wally's Clubhouse).  Learn more about the partnership between the Museum and the Red Sox here.

The schedule, provided by the Museum, is as follows:

Saturday, June 2
Red Sox Showcase
• 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
• Blue Wing, Lower Level
Experience Fenway at the Museum and test your baseball skills with a Red Sox pitching station, virtual reality headsets, and a life-size game of Jenga!
Face painting will be available from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm!

Baseballs in Flight
• 10:30 am - 12:30 pm
• 1:30 - 3:30 pm
• Investigation Station, Blue Wing, Level 2
Keep your eyes on the ball! Launch miniature baseballs to investigate how the variables of projectile motion affect the way a ball flies.

Baseball by the Numbers
• 11:30 am
• Gordon Current Science & Technology Center, Blue Wing, Level 1
Numbers are an important part of baseball. Using statistics allows us to compare players, measure their performance and predict their success. Take a closer look at how stats help us to understand America's favorite pastime.

Lightning!
• 12:00 pm
• 2:00 pm
• 4:00 pm
• Theater of Electricity, Blue Wing, Level 1 and 2
Indoor bolts produced by the world's largest air-insulated Van de Graaff generator spark exciting explorations of lightning, conductors, insulators, electricity, magnetism, and storm safety. Featuring the solid-state tesla coils playing Take Me Out to the Ballgame.

Think Fast!
• 1:00 pm
• 3:00 pm
• Hall of Human Life, Green Wing, Level 2
Reaction time is important in baseball, from catching a ball to hitting. Come by the Hall of Human Life to measure your reaction time and see if it measures up to hitting a 90 mph fastball.

Predicting Performance
• 12:30 pm
• Gordon Current Science & Technology Center, Blue Wing, Level 1
Do you want to take statistics to the next level? Join us to learn more about sabermetrics with video game developer and baseball enthusiast Ian Davis as he talks about the computer programs he has created and used for his own teams.

Home Run Science
• 1:00 pm
• 3:00 pm
• Cahners Theater, Blue Wing, Level 2
Join educators to explore home run science as we use large-scale demonstrations to illustrate the forces at work while the ball is speeding to the plate, colliding with the moving bat and rocketing out of the park.

How to Pitch in the Big Leagues
• 2:30 pm
• Gordon Current Science & Technology Center, Blue Wing, Level 1
How does a major league pitcher hurl a ball at such high speeds? How do they get their arms to extend and move like they do? Former Red Sox pitcher and World Series champion Lenny DiNardo describes and demonstrates some of the biomechanics of pitching.

Sunday, June 3
Red Sox Showcase
• 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
• Blue Wing, Lower Level
Experience Fenway at the Museum and test your baseball skills with a Red Sox pitching station, virtual reality headsets, and a life-size game of Jenga!
Face painting will be available from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm!

Baseballs in Flight
• 10:30 am - 12:30 pm
• 1:30 - 3:30 pm
• Investigation Station, Blue Wing, Level 2
Keep your eyes on the ball! Launch miniature baseballs to investigate how the variables of projectile motion affect the way a ball flies.

Baseball by the Numbers
• 11:30 am
• Gordon Current Science & Technology Center, Blue Wing, Level 1
Numbers are an important part of baseball. Using statistics allows us to compare players, measure their performance and predict their success. Take a closer look at how stats help us to understand America's favorite pastime.

Lightning!
• 12:00 pm
• 2:00 pm
• 4:00 pm
• Theater of Electricity, Blue Wing, Level 1 and 2
Indoor bolts produced by the world's largest air-insulated Van de Graaff generator spark exciting explorations of lightning, conductors, insulators, electricity, magnetism, and storm safety. Featuring the solid-state tesla coils playing Take Me Out to the Ballgame.

Think Fast!
• 1:00 pm
• 3:00 pm
• Hall of Human Life, Green Wing, Level 2
Reaction time is important in baseball, from catching a ball to hitting. Come by the Hall of Human Life to measure your reaction time and see if it measures up to hitting a 90 mph fastball.

Home Run Science
• 1:00 pm
• 3:00 pm
• Cahners Theater, Blue Wing, Level 2
Join educators to explore home run science as we use large-scale demonstrations to illustrate the forces at work while the ball is speeding to the plate, colliding with the moving bat and rocketing out of the park.

NOTE: We're pleased to partner once again with the Red Sox as Red Sox Parents this season to provide our readers with family friendly events from the Red Sox! All opinions, as always, are our own.

Red Sox Kid Nation registration is open for the 2018 season

Attention parents of Red Sox Nation: Kid Nation registration is now open for the 2018 season! Some highlights include: a revamped loyalty program offering the chance to earn points redeemable for prizes, raffles, experiences and more; a free kid-companion ticket for the first 25,000 members to redeem their ticket; two tiers (free/paid).

Red Sox Kid Nation offers kids the opportunity to experience baseball and Fenway Park in a different way. Kid Nation members who come to Fenway Park are rewarded with exclusive prizes and benefits. There are two different tiers for Kid Nation, a Rookie (free) and All-Star (paid) membership. Each offers different benefits for its members, such as prizes, access to special events, and discounts.

Membership points can be earned both at the ballpark, as well as when the team is on the road, in a variety of ways: fans can check in at Fenway Park at Kid Nation kiosks throughout the ballpark, attending seasonal events held by partners and affiliates, participating in online games and activities, as well as watching and listening for Kid Nation “code word” during NESN broadcasts.

The free Kid Nation membership includes a membership card, lanyard, subscription to the Kid Nation newsletter, discounts at the Red Sox Team Store and the ability to earn points that can be redeemed online for exclusive rewards. The paid All-Star package includes everything from the Rookie membership plus more! This package includes a duffle bag, "how to pitch" baseball, athletic arm sleeve, and water bottle, as well as the membership card and lanyard. Paid memberships also include the opportunity to take part in early entry to watch batting practice and makes the member eligible for special ticket offers, discounts, and access to Kid Nation special events.

NOTE: As a Red Sox Parent, I am providing this information for you, my readers since I think you would find it useful. I did not receive any compensation for this post and all opinions are my own.

Brunch at Coppersmith's Bar and the New England Boat Show Recap

Our Saturday trip to Boston for the Boat Show started off with an easy drive up I-93 to Boston and we made our 11 am reservation at Coppersmith's Bar, a restaurant in South Boston located close to the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, the site of the New England Boat Show. The restaurant opens at 11 am, but they also have a cafe that opens a few hours before and you can order coffee drinks along with tasty treats if you're eager to get going on a Saturday morning.

We walked in and were promptly seated near the dueling food trucks, which are permanently installed inside of the restaurant floor. For weekend brunch, they also have a Bloody Mary bar where you order the alcohol from the bar and then go to the Bloody Mary bar to customize it to your liking. We're not big Bloody Mary people so we skipped that.

We ordered the food which took a little while to prepare. We tried all of the appetizers from sweet potato donut hole treats and tater tots to hangover wings and your typical steak and eggs or omelette. Emily tried the Felafel sandwich and the kids had sliders and chicken tenders. We truly enjoyed all of the food and smoothies, frappes and cappuccinos before heading over to the show.

Upon arriving at the New England Boat Show, we parked onsite for $18 in a lot behind the convention center which made it easy to get to the show since the show is on the first floor. We had to pass through metal detectors to enter and the whole process was quick.

We got to go on the various boats and the kids really enjoyed themselves, getting to explore boats and even try sitting in captains chairs! Luckily for the boat owners, the wheels were disabled so the kids could play with the steering wheel as much as they wanted to without ruining things.

One of my favorite booths was Yeti, the makers of the eponymous premium coolers and stainless steel rambler mugs. Their Tundra cooler line, which range from $200-450 are crafted with precision combine versatility with durability. The coolers are made of durable rotomolded construction and have up to two inches of PermaFrost™ Insulation. They also have cooler bags called the Hopper Flip which is a soft-shell cooler whose smallest size can hold 8 cans and the Hopper Two which is a carry bag that is built to last. The Hopper Two is easy to load and unload. Its tapered body shape is comfortable to haul and has a detachable shoulder strap. New for this year, they also have an attachable Side Kick dry bag which you can toss your mobile phone into and not have to worry about it getting wet thanks to RF-welded seams and a magnetic HydroShield™ Closure. The mugs are available in a variety of sizes and are double-insulated to keep your hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold. They are also made of stainless steel and are easy to wash.

There were also some great kid-friendly things for families. Progressive, the title sponsor of the show had a section where you could use a remote control boat to try driving it in a little pool and you could also enter to win a t-shirt, hate or cute keychain.

The Gerry E. Studds Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary had a booth and they brought along a huge inflatable life-size humpback whale that you could actually go into and learn all about whales. We found it absolutely fascinating! Who know whale poop was so good for the environment?

We hope you enjoyed our recap and we look forward to attending this show again - it was so much fun!

NOTE: We worked with the New England Boat Show and have been provided passes to attend as well as brunch at Coppersmiths Bar. All opinions are our own and are not influenced by any consideration we received..