Summer is truly a splendid time to relax in the great outdoors—be it day or night. We’ve compiled a list of some interesting spots – some right here in our own backyard in Central Massachusetts and others that are just a tank of gas (or less) away – where you can bask in the summer sun and revel in the warmth a star-filled summer night can bring.
In the Sun
SeaFair
There’s a one-of-a-kind event sailing into Newport, Rhode Island, this summer. SeaFair, a 228-foot, 3,200 ton privately owned yacht, will host international dealers of fine art glass, paintings, photography, jewelry, collectibles and sculpture during the first annual Art Newport event. The mega yacht, one of the largest in the United States, will remain dockside so art aficionados can peruse the dealers’ offerings and purchase unique pieces. The yacht will be open to the public Wednesdays through Sundays, June 30 to Sept. 5 from 11 am to 7 pm. Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 on the day of the visit. Multi-day tickets are available for $20 in advance or $25 at the door. Stop by the Newport & Bristol County Convention & Visitor’s Bureau at 23 America’s Cup Way in Newport to inquire about advance ticket purchases.
Garden in the Woods
This living museum, which is chock full of paths and trails, is home to New England’s premier wildflower garden. It has more than 1,000 native plant species, including many that are rare and endangered. The gardens are open Tuesday through Sundays, as well as on holiday Mondays from 9 am to 5 pm. Lastest admission time is 4:30 pm, except on Thursdays when Garden in the Woods is open until 8 pm. Admission is $10 for adults, $7 for seniors, $5 for children ages three to 17 and kids under three are admitted for free. If you don’t have time to spend the whole day at this horticultural delight, drop by the garden shop or nursery—there’s no fee to browse those.
Polo
It’s the 20th anniversary season of the Newport International Polo Series, presented by 41° North, and all the stops are being pulled out with an energetic lineup of international rivals from Scotland, Ireland, Egypt, Kenya, Jamaica, Chile, Brazil and England set to duke it out with Team USA. Reserve seating in the grandstands, stretch out on the lawn for a field-side picnic or tailgate on the sidelines for the afternoon before becoming engrossed in the action – just pack a cooler with refreshing drinks and scintillating snacks, your folding chairs and a pop-up tent for much-needed shade from the late afternoon sun. Located at historic Glen Farm on Route 138 in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, matches run every Saturday in June through September, beginning at 5 pm until September, when they move to 4 pm. An online box office offers an all-inclusive VIP day pass for $100; tailgate reservations for $30; box seats for $15; general admission for $10; and season pass options for the frequent patron. Admission is also sold at the entry gates, which open at noon on match days, for $10 per person (kids under age 15 are admitted for free to the lawn and bleacher seats).
decordova Sculpture Park and Museum
This unique outdoor venue in Lincoln, Massachusetts, gives art lovers the opportunity to celebrate and explore contemporary sculpture across 35 acres. The sculpture park features more than 60 impressive works, showcasing the talent of nationally and internationally recognized artists, including Ursula von Rydingsvard whose works are monumental in scale and will be featured through Aug. 28. The park also includes an indoor museum, which highlights a unique selection of exhibitions. Bring a picnic – and even the family dog – for a day of fun in the artful sun. The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm. Admission is $12 for adults and $8 for seniors, students and youth (ages six to 12). Children ages five and under are admitted for free.
Minuteman National Historical Park
To commemorate the Fourth of July, why not trek back in time to where the Minute Men’s quest for freedom was born? Located about 37 miles from Worcester, the Minute Man National Historical Park winds through the picturesque towns of Lexington, Lincoln and Concord, Massachusetts. Battle Road Trail connects historic sites from Meriam’s Corner in Concord to the eastern boundary of the park in Lexington. The trail interprets the human story of the people whose lives were forever affected by the events that took place here. Ten “witness” houses, which were in existence at the time of the 1775 battle, give visitors a first-hand glimpse into what life was like in and around a Colonial home during the Revolutionary War era. Along the route, which you may traverse by foot or bike, you’ll find farming fields, wetlands and serene forests, as well as reenactments featuring musket shooting and other Colonial activities. Be sure to check out the site where Paul Revere was captured by the British Redcoats, which is situated around the midpoint of the five-mile trail. Battle Road Trail, which you’re welcome to visit from sunrise to sunset, and the Minute Man Visitor’s Center, which is open 9 am to 5 pm throughout the summer and features a free multimedia video every half-hour entitled “The Road to Revolution,” are accessible via Route 2A West. The National Park Service, a division of the U.S. Department of the Interior, offers many events along Battle Road Trail throughout the summer months, including park ranger-guided tours. Visit www.nps.gov/mima/planyourvisit/events.htm for the complete schedule of events.
Under the Stars
Tanglewood
No summer trip to the Berkshires would be complete without a visit to Lenox’s Tanglewood, the seasonal home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The summer season, which kicks off July 8, features Angela Meade, who made her professional debut as a soprano with New York’s famed Metropolitan Opera in 2008. Whether you’re a connoisseur of classical music, a James Taylor fan or a jazz aficionado, Tanglewood offers 50-plus shows throughout the summer season. Those looking for a truly relaxed experience will forego seats in the “Shed” in favor of the lawn where seating is first-come, first-served and you can spread out your blanket, sip on your favorite red or white wine, nibble on crudités, and kick back as you soak in the symphonic sounds of Mahler, Beethoven, Mozart and other composing greats while a star-filled sky envelopes the night.
Jazz at Sunset
Worcester’s Ecotarium and NPR jazz and folk radio station WICN are kicking off a six-show Jazz at Sunset series on June 17, which will feature local legends and nationally acclaimed musicians at the science and nature center, located at 222 Harrington Way. Concerts will be held on Friday evenings through July 29 (there is no concert, however, on the July 4 weekend). Now in its 21st year, Jazz at Sunset provides a casual atmosphere where performers showcase their musical talents. This season’s series kicks off with Boston septet The Love Dogs. Jazz at Sunset tickets are $18 per person, which includes admission to the museum, or $15 for EcoTarium and WICN members. Kids under the age of 12 are admitted for free. All concerts take place from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm, rain or shine, and the gates open at 5:30 pm. Remember to bring your lawn chairs, as seat are not provided. You may also purchase reserved table seating for up to four people for $90 per table, or $80 for EcoTarium and WICN members (this price includes museum admission).
Also, if you visit the EcoTarium on Thursday, June 9, or Thursday, July 21, you can get up close and personal with the ever-changing night sky by taking part in SkyWatch 2011. On June 9, from 8 pm to 9:30 pm museum goers will get an up close look at Saturn in all its planetary glory, Earth’s own moon and Spica, the brightest star in the second-biggest constellation, Virgo, through a telescope. On July 21, from 8:30 pm to 10 pm, you can view the asteroid belt. Tickets are $10 for non-members, $8 for EcoTarium and Aldrich Society members and WOO card holders and $6 children (ages 16 and under). Space for each celestial viewing is limited to 100 people and the programs take place rain or shine. (On cloudy nights, the programs will take place inside the EcoTarium’s Alden Digital Planetarium.)
Summer in the City
Trek out to the Boston Harbor Hotel for the Rowes Wharf Sea Grille’s Summer in the City Entertainment Series. There’s something for everyone with four distinct series of events from which to choose. On Tuesdays, June 21 through August 30, you can sway to the soulful sounds of various R&B and soul bands, which will feature songs made famous by music legends Marvin Gaye, Al Green, Roberta Flack and other Motown-era pioneers. Wednesday nights, from June 22 through August 31, the five-star hotel will feature “Timeless Tunes,” showcasing music of the past 50 years. The Blues Barge, a floating stage behind the Boston Harbor Hotel at Rowes Wharf, will host many hot local and national blues artists, including James Montgomery, who tours extensively in the New England area. The Barge will be rocking from 6 pm to 10 pm on Thursday nights from June 16 through Sept. 1. If you’re more in the mood for a movie, visit the hotel on Friday nights June 17 through Sept. 2 for its homage to the silver screen and modern Hollywood classics, like Pink Panther, An Affair to Remember and Raiders of the Lost Ark. Showings begin at dusk. All events are free and open to the public.
WaterFire
Head to Providence, Rhode Island, where WaterFire ignites this summer. This sculptural art installation by Barnaby Evans features fire pits suspended over the Providence River, creating an atmosphere with a European flair (think Venetian carnival). Onlookers can enjoy gondola rides as well as live music. There are also street performers and a number of food vendors serving up tasty treats throughout the night. The action lights up on July 2, July 16 and July 30 between 8 and 8:30 pm. Fires will also run in August and September. There is no charge to attend WaterFire, but organizers are happy to accept donations to keep the fires going. WaterFire often features live jazz music, as well as dancing. Visit www.waterfire.org for the complete list of dates and times for the summer 2011 season. Also while at WaterFire, check out its “Starry Starry Night” installation, which is part of every full-fire event date. The star field is located in a tree grove in Memorial Park adjacent to the fires on the river.
Shakespeare in the Park
Get your Bard fix this summer at the Memorial Grove Amphitheatre, located at Green Hill Park in Worcester, Massachusetts. In this, the Worcester Shakespeare Company’s sixth season under the stars at Green Hill, professional actors from the Worcester and Boston areas and from as far as New York City will converge to showcase the madcap romps that ensue from a case of perpetual mistaken identity in The Comedy of Errors. Later this season, they’ll tackle William Shakespeare’s most famous, and arguably most controversial, play, Hamlet, which peers into the mystery of what it means to be human. This year’s season – aptly named Lunacy, Lovers & Mayham! – opens July 20 with performances running through Aug. 21. Evening performances begin at 7 pm. There are also Sunday afternoon matinees, which begin at 5 pm. Seating is first come, first-served in the amphitheater, and there is ample room on the hill above the round where you can lay a blanket and enjoy a picnic in a truly idyllic setting that offers stunning views of the Worcester hills. This is a unique opportunity to experience entertainment as the original theatergoers did at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre way back in 16th Century Elizabethan era England. Visit www.worcestershakespearecompany.org for the company’s complete schedule and for information on ticket pricing and purchasing.
