Boston is giving you four very different ways to spend the final weekend of July, from a major arena show to a free rooftop party, a warehouse full of discounted books, and one of the city’s biggest cultural celebrations.
Ariana Grande begins her Boston run at TD Garden on Thursday, July 23. The venue lists performances through Sunday, July 26, with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. Ticket availability can change quickly, especially after two Boston dates were rescheduled, so anyone planning to go should confirm the exact show date shown on their ticket before heading downtown. North Station sits directly below TD Garden, making the Green and Orange lines the simplest way to arrive.
Friday brings a lower-cost plan in Fenway. The Truly Rooftop Summer Party at MGM Music Hall is scheduled for July 24 from 5 to 8 p.m. The event is promoted as free and all ages, with a DJ, games, giveaways, a custom patch bar, food, and drinks. It is the kind of early-evening event that can work as a full plan or the first stop before dinner around Fenway and Kenmore.
Book people get their turn on Saturday and Sunday. Harvard Book Store’s Summer Warehouse Sale runs July 25 and 26 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. The warehouse has moved to 330 Reservoir Street in Needham, so this one requires more planning than a Harvard Square visit. The store recommends taking the 71 bus to Watertown Square, transferring to the 59, and walking from Reservoir Street. Drivers will find parking at the Needham location.
The Puerto Rican Festival of Massachusetts also takes place July 25 and 26 at Franklin Park. The annual celebration brings live performances, vendors, food, and community programming together in one of Boston’s largest parks. Expect Puerto Rican staples from festival vendors, including pernil, arroz con gandules, pinchos, pastelillos, alcapurrias, and rellenos de papa.
The practical move is to pick one anchor event and build the rest of the day around its neighborhood. TD Garden works with the North End or the West End. Fenway gives you restaurants, parks, and the Green Line. Franklin Park connects well with Jamaica Plain, Roxbury, and Dorchester. The Harvard Book Store sale is the outlier, but the discount hunt can justify the ride.
Event details can shift, and ticketed events may sell out. Check the organizer’s page before leaving.
