The Weekender: October 17 to 20

Allbirds, with a store on Newbury Street, is serious about comfort, so you can look great without enduring blisters from your dreaded East Campus-to-West Campus walk. Photo courtesy of Allbirds

Eat, Shop, Go

Somehow, we’ve already made it halfway through October. That means we’re only two weeks removed from Halloween and—if you can believe it—practically halfway done with the semester. But don’t get too spooked: there’s still time to enjoy a fun fall weekend in Boston before the temperature dips too dramatically (or you become too swamped with finals… gulp).

Southern Proper

Calling all Southern food lovers: Southern Proper in the South End is your new home away from home. Whether you’re from the South and have been searching for a Boston joint that satisfies your cravings for biscuits and fried catfish, or you’re a Northerner who could just use some comfort food as the weather gets colder, this authentic Southern eatery will fulfill everyone’s deep-fried dreams. Head over for brunch this weekend and order up a sticky bun, stuffed corn cake, and of course, the famous biscuits and gravy. Prices for main dishes range from $15 to $25, depending on what you order. Dishes are big enough to share, but don’t be surprised if you’re tempted to scarf it all down yourself—we won’t tell. 

Southern Proper, 600 Harrison Ave., in Boston’s South End, is open Monday through Friday, from 5 to 10 pm, and on weekends, from 11 am to 3 pm (for brunch) and 5 to 10 pm (for dinner). 

Allbirds Back Bay

Deemed by both Time magazine and Business Insider as “the world’s most comfortable shoe,” Allbirds has surely made an impression since its founding in 2014. In March of this year, it opened a store on Newbury Street. Allbirds makes footwear ranging from sneakers to ballet flats, all with ultra-eco-friendly materials. Fall may have already arrived, but there’s still time to give your wardrobe an autumn revamp with a pair of super-modern new kicks. 

Allbirds Back Bay, 205 Newbury St., Boston, is open 10 am to 8 pm Monday through Saturday and 10 am to 6 pm on Sunday. 

Boston Book Festival

If you’re a lover of books, clear your schedule this weekend, because the biggest Boston literature event of the year is back in town: the 2019 Boston Book Festival. This free event “promotes a culture of reading and ideas and enhances the vibrancy of our city,” according to the website. The festival will have a series of presenters (check out the list here; your favorite author might be on it) as well as special events, including a Boston By Foot Literary Walking Tour. There will also be a street fair with exhibitors from the Boston Globe, C-SPAN, WBUR, and more. And for aspiring writers, various writing sessions will be held throughout the weekend, among them workshops for fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Admission is free, but feel free to bring along a few bucks if you’re looking for a new read—this is the place to find it. 

The Boston Book Festival is Saturday, October 19, and Sunday, October 20, in Copley Square and in Roxbury, with events beginning as early as 7:30 am and ending around 5 pm. Locations vary, so check out the full schedule here. 

Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo

Forget Comic Con—the Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo is the ideal event for comic creators and lovers alike. The Boston Comic Arts Foundation has held this expo every year since 2010 as a way to showcase the art of making comics by connecting local audiences with local creators. The event will have a number of workshops for aspiring writers and artists, as well as host guest creators for panels and to help out at workshops. If you’ve been into comics since middle school or are a newbie looking to learn more about the craft, the Expo is an ideal place to learn and appreciate independent, local comic art.

The Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo is Saturday, October 19, and Sunday, October 20, at Lesley University’s University Hall, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge. The exhibition area and panels are on the second floor. Workshops and speakers kick off about 11:30 am and wrap up about 5 pm. Admission is free.

Choir Boy

Tarell Alvin McCraney, the Oscar-winning screenwriter of Moonlight, also wrote the 2019 Tony award–nominated play Choir Boy, presented in Boston by the SpeakEasy Stage Company. The show finishes up its extended Boston run at the Boston Center for the Arts this weekend. Don’t miss the opportunity to see this powerful coming-of-age story about the elite Charles R. Drew Prep School, complete with live gospel, spiritual, and R&B performances. Both the Boston Globe and WBUR raved about the play, and there are only a few days left to see it for yourself.

Choir Boy is running at the Stanford Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts, 527 Tremont St., in Boston’s South End. Shows are tonight at 7:30 pm, Friday at 8 pm, and Saturday at 4 and 8 pm. Tickets range from $25 to $80. Find more information here.

The Lion King

Cap off the weekend with a trip down memory lane with Simba, Zazu, Timon, and the rest of the Pride Lands at a live performance of The Lion King at the Citizens Bank Opera House. That’s right: you don’t need to be in New York City to enjoy a Tony-winning Broadway musical. If you can’t resist singing along to “Circle of Life” and “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King,” then this is the musical for you. The show is here for only 10 more days (two more weekends), so don’t wait too long to get tickets.

The Lion King plays at the Citizens Bank Opera House, 539 Washington St., Boston, through October 27. Shows begin at 7:30 pm on weeknights, 8 pm on weekends, with select matinees on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 1 and 2 pm. Tickets range from $40 to $200. Find more information here.