Five Reasons to Leave the House This Weekend

Photo by Olga Khvan for “Scenes from the 2014 Boston Pride Parade and Festival“

ARTS AND CULTURE FESTIVAL
Boston Dragon Boat Festival

Watch racers from Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, and Toronto speed down the Charles River in brightly colored dragon boats, then treat yourself to an afternoon of cultural activities, performances, and arts and crafts. From traditional Chinese, Bhangra, and Cambodian dance to Japanese taiko drumming and martial arts, this festival aims to celebrate various Asian cultures and diversity.

Free, Saturday, June 13-Sunday, June 14, bostondragonboat.com.

LGBT
Boston Pride Parade

This Saturday, celebrate equality, tolerance, unity, and rainbow body glitter with the biggest event of Pride Week. The march from Copley Square to City Hall Plaza will draw thousands of parade goers and over 230 groups, all rallying under this year’s #WickedProud theme. Elected officials and nonprofit organizations join the festivities, as well as “countless drag queens, local youth groups, and a little bit of everything,” according to Sylvain Bruni, president of Boston Pride. The parade is a rain or shine event.

Free, Saturday, June 13, 12 p.m., City Hall Plaza, 1 City Hall Square, Boston, bostonpride.org.

BEER FESTIVAL
4th Annual Hyper-Local Craft Brewfest

Are you a fan of eating (and drinking) local? This unique fundraiser features local and newly established breweries serving up beer made from ingredients grown all over New England. Taste-test brews made from locally grown apples, cranberries, grapes, and even oysters, and sample unique beers like the Pukwudgie Pale Ale and the Cambridge Brewing Co.’s Flower Child IPA. And if you get hungry, don’t worry—local vendors like Valicenti Organico and Taza Chocolate will have samples to fill you up, in case 2 oz. brew samples aren’t enough. All proceeds will go to the Boston Local Food Program.

$48, Friday, June 12, 6:30-9:30 p.m., and Saturday, June 13, 3-6 p.m. and 7-10 p.m., The Center for Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville, bostonlocalfood.com.

PATRIOTISM
Bunker Hill Day Parade

Although the U.S. lost the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775, it was still a victory of sorts: In this first major battle of the American Revolution, the less-experienced colonial soldiers significantly injured the British troops and boosted their own confidence, and—in true Boston fashion—we’ve been celebrating this underdog status ever since. At this year’s parade, a family-friendly event commemorating the 240th anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill, bolster your patriotism with ice cream, cotton candy, and other yummy summer snacks.

Free, Sunday, June 14, 12:30 p.m., Bunkerhill St., Charlestown, facebook.com/BunkerHillDayParade.

NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY
“Exploring South America’s Pantanal”

This weekend, immerse yourself in a different world with Ossian Lindholm, South American nature photographer and environmentalist. Lindholm comes to the Harvard Museum of Natural History to share his stunning photographs of Pantanal, the world’s largest tropical wetland area. Learn about the area’s vast biodiversity and the many animals that inhabit it, such as jaguars, giant river otters, anteaters, and more. After, Lindholm will also lead a photo walk around Harvard Square, and teach guests how to improve their basic photography skills, such as composition, focus, and lighting.

Free, Saturday, June 13, 2-4 p.m., Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., Cambridge, hmnh.harvard.edu.