Five Reasons to Leave the House This Weekend

Celebrate Boston's seaside history, dance the night away at Cambridge City Hall, and more events around Boston.

Boston harborfest

Photo by Harborfest

Festival
Boston Harborfest

Celebrate America’s first seaport city with Harborfest, America’s largest Fourth of July festival. Held at significant historical sights in Boston including Columbus Park, Faneuil Hall, the Charlestown Navy Yard, most of the live entertainment, demonstrations, and tours are free to attend. Family-friendly activities run all weekend long, including walking tours, scavenger hunts, a good old-fashioned New England clambake, and more.

Prices vary, Thursday- Tuesday, June 29—July 4, various locations, bostonharborfest.com.

Cambridge dance party flyer

Photo courtesy of Cambridge City Hall

Event
Cambridge City Dance Party

Dance the night away at Cambridge City Hall at the city’s annual dance party. The original birthday party for the city of Cambridge was in 1996, but in the years since, the dance party has taken on a nightlife of its own. All ages are invited to celebrate the summer and the city with their best moves. Expect DJs to provide the tunes and colorful lights brightening up the street party: The dance party will literally be lit.

Free, Friday, June 30, 7 p.m., 795 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, cambridgema.gov.

Photo courtesy of The Lawn On D, Massachusetts Convention Center Authority

Movie
Jaws on D

Instead of sightings of sharks near Scituate, enjoy this legendary great white from the safety of the Lawn on D. It’s part of their summer movie series, and everyone’s invited to bring their own chairs and blankets to the lawn and enjoy this horror classic. Earlier in the day, you can enjoy Lunch Break on D featuring a performance from Boston native and R&B singer Nat Reed, or watch the weekly cornhole tournament.

Free, Friday, 5 p.m., 420 D St., Boston, signatureboston.com.

Photo by Danielle DeFoe

Concert
R5

Pop band and family affair R5 is celebrating their newest album release and tour New Addictions with a stop the Paradise Rock Club. The Lynch siblings—Ross, Rocky, Rydel, and Riker—plus family friend Ellington Ratliff formed the group in 2013, and their second album About Last Night debuted in the top 10 of the Billboard 200. The show is open to all ages, including those Disney Channel fans that remember singer and guitarist Ross as teen heart throb Austin on Austin and Ally.

$25+, Friday, June 30, 7 p.m., Paradise Rock Club, 967 Commonwealth Ave., crossroadpresents.com.

Boston summer celtic music festival

Photo by Club Passim

Festival
Summer Boston Celtic Festival

For the third year in a row, the Boston Celtic Festival is hosting a summer festival to celebrate the best local Celtic music. There will be songs and dances from Irish, Scottish, Cape Breton and other Celtic traditions, and this year also features the second Live Music Brunch at Club Passim with music by trio Daymark. You can see five local Celtic acts and a free afternoon concert in Harvard Square.

$18, Sunday, July 2, 10 a.m., 47 Palmer St., Cambridge, passim.org.