The Massachusetts Military Heroes Fund plants an annual flag garden each Memorial Day at the base of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument on the Boston Common. The more than 37,000 flags commemorate each of the Massachusetts veterans who died defending their country. Photo courtesy of the Massachusetts Military Heroes Fund

Things-to-do

What’s Going On around Boston Memorial Day Weekend

Red Sox, streaming music festival, honoring America’s soldiers, and more

Memorial Day weekend is here, the unofficial launch of summer. And while much about this holiday will be different this year because of the pandemic (no Boston Calling Music Festival, for example), there are several events happening around the city. So, whether you want to commemorate the sacrifices of America’s armed forces or are just looking for a fun way to enjoy the long weekend, check out in our special holiday Weekender.

Memorial Day Flag Garden

Each Memorial Day weekend, the Massachusetts Military Heroes Fund plants over 37,000 flags at the base of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in the Boston Common to honor Bay State veterans who died serving their country, dating back to the Revolutionary War. If you can’t make it to the Common, but want to honor fallen soldiers, the organization suggests creating your own flag garden in your green space and posting it on social media with the hashtag #HeroesFlagGarden.

The Flag Garden, atop Boston Common‘s Flagstaff Hill, is on display through Memorial Day. Take any MBTA Green Line trolley to Arlington, Boylston, or Park Street.

USS Constitution Museum Poppy Ceremony

The USS Constitution Museum, devoted to the War of 1812 and the world’s oldest commissioned warship (launched in 1797), is inviting guests to create paper poppies (a symbol of remembrance) to honor a deceased military service member over the Memorial Day weekend. The completed poppies will be added to the museum’s Remember memorial garden and featured in a ceremony on board the USS Constitution on Memorial Day, May 31, at 11:30 am. The event will be livestreamed on the ship’s Facebook page.

The USS Constitution Museum, in the Charlestown Navy Yard, is open from 9 am to 6 pm, Thursdays to Sundays; phone: 617-426-1812. Suggested donation for admission is $5 to $10 for adults, $3 to $5 for children, and $20 to $25 for families. Admission is free for all active duty, retired, and reserve military personnel.

The USS Constitution is inside Boston National Historical Park, next to the USS Constitution Museum, and is open Fridays to Sundays, 10 am to 6 pm. Admission to the ship is free for all visitors, first come, first served. Visitors 18 and over must provide a valid state- or federal-issued ID or passport. Take an MBTA Green Line trolley to North Station and walk over the Charlestown Bridge, following signs for the Freedom Trail.

Global Cinema Film Festival of Boston

Here’s a chance to kick off your holiday weekend without leaving home. The sixth annual Global Cinema Film Festival of Boston opens Friday, May 28, and runs through Sunday, May 30. This year’s festival, featuring 18 films from around the world, includes Village of Women, a documentary about an Armenian village where men leave to work in Russia for nine months every year, and Calendar Girl, a profile of Ruth Finley, the creator of the iconic Fashion Calendar that lists all fashion-related events in New York City. A day pass costs $12 and gives you a 24-hour window to watch movies from any one of the festival days on a date of your choosing. The $25 VIP all-access pass allows unlimited access to all screenings and festival events and may be used from May 28 to 30.

Free Admission at the Institute of Contemporary Art

The ICA, one of Boston’s premier museums, is offering free admission on Memorial Day from 10 am to 5 pm. Tickets will be available online 24 hours in advance. Act quickly, because tickets are timed and limited due to COVID-19. Current exhibitions include a retrospective of work by Eva LeWitt, handmade sculptures fashioned from everyday commercial and industrial materials by the artist; Beyond Infinity: Contemporary Art After Kusama, works primarily drawn from the museum’s permanent collection that explore the artistic vision of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama; and Ragnar Kjartansson’s The Visitors, which The Guardian called “the best art of the 21st century.” Reserve your free Memorial Day ticket here on Sunday, May 30, starting at 10 am.

The Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston’s Memorial Day Open House is Monday, May 31, from 10 am to 5 pm, 100 Northern Ave., Boston. Find directions here.

Red Sox vs. Miami Marlins at Fenway Park

The Red Sox host the Miami Marlins this weekend, at 7:10 pm on Friday, at 4:10 pm on Saturday, and at 1:10 pm on Sunday, so you can decide whether you want to catch a matinee or a nighttime matchup. Boston is currently in a three-way race for first place in the American League East, so check out the red-hot home team and maybe snag some Memorial Day merchandise while you’re at Fenway Park.

The Boston Red Sox host the Miami Marlins at Fenway Park, 4 Jersey St., Boston, on Friday, May 28, at 7:10 pm, Saturday, May 29, at 4:10 pm, and Sunday, May 30, at 1:10 pm. Face masks are required and all attendees will be required to acknowledge adherence to the health screen survey located in the MLB Ballpark app. Social distancing will be enforced. Purchase tickets online here.

Club Passim campfire. festival

Want to kick off your summer with music by some of the nation’s best folk artists? Club Passim’s campfire.festival returns for its 23rd year, this time in a digital format that will be livestreamed on the club’s website. One of the biggest annual showcases for rising musical talent in Boston, this year’s streaming festival includes performances by 80-plus musicians, with about 20 performing each night, from 5 to 11 pm, starting Friday and concluding on Memorial Day. This year’s performers include Lisa Bastoni, Lloyd Thayer, Liv Greene, and Grace Givertz, to name a few. On Saturday night at 10 pm, there will be a special performance curated by QueerFolk Fest. 

Club Passim’s virtual campfire.festival is Friday, May 28, through Monday, May 31, from 5 to 11 pm. Find the entire lineup here. All shows can be viewed here. Club Passim suggests guests make a $15 per day donation.