Although Boston offers many free fall activities for students looking to get off campus without spending money, a number of Boston University students might not take advantage of what the city has to offer.
Several groups, including the Downtown Boston Business Improvement District and the Museum of Fine Arts, offer free activities students can enjoy outside just before winter sets in.
In a more intimate setting, the Downtown Boston Business Improvement District Corporation’s Reader’s Park Concert Series allows listeners to enjoy musicians such as Mark Rosen, Carlos Ramos, D’Raphael and Harry Fix Piano.
On Saturday from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m., various musical acts will perform next to nearby cafes in downtown Boston’s School and Washington Street as a part of the series.
Bostonians can also enjoy music from Jerry McFarlane and John Wells in the BID’s Shopper’s Park Concert Series in downtown Boston this Thursday and Friday.
At the end of the month, jazz fans can check out the Berklee BeanTown Jazz Festival, which will feature free outdoor concerts on Sept. 29 on Columbus Avenue.
The festival, now in its 12th year, includes Grammy award winner and Berklee alumni Paula Cole, the Berklee City Music Big Band Ensemble and Lalah Hathaway, a vocalist who has performed with Prince and Mary J. Blige.
Dancers can also enjoy music, dancing and the water at a free outdoor swing dance at the Charlestown Navy Yard on Sept. 23 at 5 p.m.
Art enthusiasts have three more chances to enjoy a free tour at the Museum of Fine Arts, which already offers free admission for Boston University students.
The hour-long tours include lessons about the architecture of the MFA and surrounding buildings.
Boston Mayor Thomas Menino urged students to “break the bubble” and venture off the college campuses when he launched his “Break the Bubble” campaign during move-in weekend.
“During the school year, I encourage you to break the by getting off campus,” Menino said. “Explore our neighborhoods, volunteer, learn about local issues and respect your neighbors.”
But while a number of students at BU said they might attend the free events around the city, they said they often do not know about them.
College of Communication junior Kelly Carrion said free entertainment encourages her to attend festivals.
“I’ve been to a few free events, especially at Quincy Market around Christmas,” Carrion said. “I do feel like I have to go out and look for events. They aren’t easily accessible to me.”
But Carrion said just because something is free does not mean she will attend.
“I would still go to something if it was $5 or $10, but free is better,” Carrion said. “I have to be interested in the event.”
College of Arts and Sciences junior Natalie Madrigal said she has never been to any free events except for College Day at Fenway Park.
“ I never know about them until they have passed,” she said. “I might pay money to an event if I’m really interested in it, but I’d rather go to something free.”
Sophie Lang, a CAS sophomore, attended the MIXFest event on the esplanade on Sept. 8 and said she enjoyed it.
MIXFest was held at the DCR Memorial Hatchshell along the Charles River and featured musicians Train, Gavin DeGraw and Andy Grammer.
“If the event is interesting enough, I would probably still pay to go,” Lang said. “But it definitely helps and makes me want to go more if it is free.”
Alyssa Aaron, a School of Management junior, also said she would attend more free activities if she knew about them.
“I’d like to go to more events, like the MIXFest this past weekend,” Aaron said. “I didn’t know about it until the day of. I think free events are great, and they attract a lot of people, especially with all the college students in the area.”
This is an account occasionally used by the Daily Free Press editors to post archived posts from previous iterations of the site or otherwise for special circumstance publications. See authorship info on the byline at the top of the page.
