Summer In The City: Outdoor Movies, Hidden Museums & Summer Things To Do ☀️ (June 12-15, 2025)
Boston’s summer energy is on full blast. This week, we're talking rooftop movie nights, hidden museums, and five free events worth sweating for. Whether you're parading, skating, shopping local, or watching a sunset movie, your weekend plans just leveled up. (June 12–15, 2025)
What's Poppin': Kick-Off Pride Month 2025 In Boston 🏳️🌈☀️
😍 What’s New In Boston This Week: Outdoor Movie Season
Boston’s summer scene just went full-on cinematic! 🎬✨ From indie flicks on rooftops to family favorites at beer gardens, the city is rolling out the big screen in every neighborhood. Whether you’re in the mood for cult classics like Mean Girls, animated adventures like Moana 2, or throwback gems under the Pru lights during the sunset, there’s something for everyone, completely outdoors and totally free. Grab your blanket, your besties, and your go-to movie snack. It's time to turn Boston into your own open-air theater. 🍿🌙
🌦️ Boston Weekend Weather Check
Note: Weather forecasts are subject to change. Please check local forecasts closer to the date.
- Thursday (6/12): Summer vibes are here! Expect hazy sunshine and breezy conditions, with highs near 85°F (29°C).
- Friday (6/13): A mix of clouds and sun with highs around 74°F (24°C).
- Saturday (6/14): Morning showers might pop up, then cooler, cloudy skies, with a high of 64°F (18°C).
- Sunday (6/15): Mostly cloudy with scattered showers, high near 63°F (17°C).
🍿 6 Free Outdoor Movie Spots In Boston:
🎬 Coolidge @ the Speedway (Beer Garden Vibes)
A historic movie experience with a twist! Look forward to local films + drinks + food trucks, all at an open-air beer garden.
- Where: Charles River Speedway, 525 Western Ave, Brighton
- When: Every Wednesday | 8pm to 11pm
- Movie Schedule:
- Wed, 6/18 – Good Burger
- Wed, 7/23 – Mean Girls
- Wed, 8/20 – Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me
- Wed, 9/17 – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)
- Wed, 10/15 – I Know What You Did Last Summer
🎧 Boston Landing Outdoor Movie Nights
Featuring a live DJ, themed snacks, food trucks, and summer movie hits. Enjoy a movie over a gorgeous Boston sunset.
- Where: Boston Landing, 80 Guest Street, Brighton
- When: Every Thursday | 6:30pm to 8:30pm
- Movie Schedule:
- Thu, 6/12 – Mean Girls
- Thu, 6/26 – Happy Gilmore
- Thu, 7/24 – Elf
- Thu, 8/14 – Gone With the Wind
- Sat, 9/6 – Wicked (Sing-Along)
🌿 Movies on the Lawn @ Assembly Row
Weekend vibes start early here, with family-friendly flicks and riverside snacking at Assembly Row.
- Where: The Lawn (between Volo and Caffè Nero), Assembly Row, Somerville
- When: Every Thursday | 8pm to 10:30pm
- Movie Schedule:
- Thu, 7/10 – Paddington in Peru
- Thu, 8/7 – Wicked
🎞️ Movie Nights @ MIT Open Space
Free popcorn included! Plenty of cozy courtyard vibes to go around.
- Where: MIT Open Space, 292 Main St, Cambridge
- When: Every Friday | 6pm to 9pm
- Movie Schedule:
- Fri, 6/13 – Inside Out
- Fri, 6/27 – Toy Story
- Fri, 7/11 – Rear Window
- Fri, 7/25 – The Man Who Knew Too Much
- Fri, 8/1 – Song of the Sea
- Fri, 8/8 – To Catch a Thief
- Fri, 8/15 – Wallace & Gromit (Curse of the Were‑Rabbit)
- Fri, 8/22 – North by Northwest
🌸 Throwback Thursdays & Summer Saturdays @ the Urban Garden
Rooftop secret garden screenings atop Kendall’s parking garage!
- Where: Urban Park Roof Garden, 325 Main Street, Cambridge
- When: Select Thursdays & Saturdays | 6pm to 9pm
- Movie Schedule:
- Sat, 6/21 – Moana 2
- Sat, 7/12 – Inside Out 2
- Thu, 7/17 – Flubber
- Thu, 8/14 – Pretty in Pink
- Sat, 8/16 – Snow White
- Thu, 9/25 – The Goonies
🏙️ Summer Flicks @ The Prudential Center (South Garden)
Picnic-perfect nights with family favorites under the iconic Pru lights.
- Where: Prudential Center's South Garden, 800 Boylston St, Boston
- When: Every Saturday | 6pm to 10pm
- Movie Schedule:
- Sat, 7/12 – Miss Congeniality
- Sat, 7/19 – 13 Going on 30
- Sat, 7/26 – Shrek
- Sat, 8/2 – School of Rock
- Sat, 8/9 – Finding Nemo
- Sat, 8/16 – Parent Trap
- Sat, 8/22 – Moana
Hidden Gem In Boston: Boston Fire Museum! 🔥
🔥 What Is The Boston Fire Museum?
If you’ve ever wandered the Seaport/Fort Point area, you might have walked right by this red-brick gem at 344 Congress Street (sandwiched between the Children’s Museum and Flour Bakery) without realizing it. The Boston Fire Museum is housed in the historic Congress Street Fire Station, built in 1891 (Boston’s second-oldest firehouse). Step through the big red doors and you’ll find a volunteer-run museum dedicated to the city’s proud firefighting history. Boston actually had the first paid public fire department in the United States, and this museum brings that heritage to life. The building itself served as an active firehouse for over a century, from the era of horse-drawn pump wagons to modern engines. Today it’s packed with artifacts and vintage fire apparatus – including a hand-pumped engine from 1792 built by one of Paul Revere’s apprentices! You can also see leather fire buckets from the 1800s and a working old-fashioned fire alarm telegraph system. The exhibits touch on major events like the Great Molasses Flood of 1919 and the Cocoanut Grove nightclub fire of 1942, connecting the museum to famous chapters of Boston’s past.
❤️ What Makes The Boston Fire Museum A Hidden Gem?
What makes this little museum so special is the personal touch. Visitors consistently rave about the friendly, passionate guides. Many of the staff are retired or active firefighters, and their storytelling brings the place to life in a way that’s both educational and fun. The museum is small and rarely crowded, so you often get a personal tour! It feels homey and authentic, the opposite of an overly polished tourist attraction. Another big plus: it’s free. The bottom line from most who visit: this place is a “major hidden gem of Boston” that far exceeds expectations, delivering a cozy, feel-good experience for both history buffs and casual visitors alike.
📍 The Boston Fire Museum Is Worth A Visit
- Where: 344 Congress Street, Boston
- When: Open Every Saturday | 10am to 4pm
- Admission: Free
- Details: Boston Fire Museum
This Weekend: Free and Cool Things To Do in Boston 🆓 🎉
🎪 The Night Bazaar: Season Opener
Kick off summer nights with the return of this eclectic open-air market. Expect live music, local vendors, food trucks, vintage finds, and late-night vibes.
- When: Thursday, June 12, 5pm to 10pm
- Where: The Charles River Speedway, 525 Western Ave, Boston
- Admission: Free
- Details: The Night Bazaar Szn Opener
🌈 Boston Pride Parade & Festival 2025
Celebrate community, love, and visibility at Boston’s biggest Pride event. Over a million people are expected to turn out for the parade and festivities on Boston Common.
- When: Saturday, June 14, All Day
- Where: Downtown to Boston Common
- Admission: Free
- Details: Pride Parade
⛸️ Free Open Skate Class + Skating Show
Lace up for a free public skate class followed by a professional performance featuring national-level skaters.
- When: Sunday, June 15, 5:30pm to 8pm
- Where: Warrior Ice Arena, 90 Guest St, Boston
- Admission: Free
- Details: Free Skating & Show
🎖️ Bunker Hill Parade: 250th Anniversary
Mark history with this commemorative Charlestown parade celebrating the Battle of Bunker Hill’s 250th year. Think: marching bands, local pride, and American flags.
- When: Sunday, June 15, 12pm to 4:15pm
- Where: Charlestown neighborhood
- Admission: Free
- Details: Bunker Hill Parade
🛍️ Black Owned Bos. Market
Support Black-owned businesses at this rotating market featuring artisan goods, skincare, food, and fashion.
- When: Sunday, June 15, 12pm to 6pm
- Where: 111 Harbor Way, Seaport
- Admission: Free
- Details: Seaport Markets
