The Weekender: February 20 to 23

Photo via iStock/John Hammann

February 20 to 23

With Valentine’s Day behind us and Saint Patrick’s Day to look forward to, it’s time to enjoy the next few weeks of what Punxsutawney Phil predicted will be an extra-long winter. Luckily, there are plenty of events happening around Boston to help you brave the cold as you bide your time until spring.

The Current at Seaport 

Are you longing for Snowport, Seaport’s beloved holiday market? Don’t worry: this trendy neighborhood has a new setup for wintertime shopping. The Current, designed as a miniature village, is a collection of nine pop-up shops offering items from clothing to notebooks to jewelry. Discover Air & Anchor, a family-owned Rhode Island brand that sells unique jewelry. Then stop by Bon Bon Bon, a Michigan-made chocolatier that has tiny confections with unique flavors. If all that time at the shops has you ready to drop, duck into Lifebloom for a moment of relaxation. This Black-owned candle company has a candlemaking bar and a collection of handmade candles on offer. 

100 Seaport Blvd., Boston. Shops are open Monday through Saturday, 11 am to 7 pm, and Sunday, from noon to 6 pm. 

The Greenway food trucks 

The weather may not be warm yet, but that’s no reason to miss out on delicious outdoor eats. Food trucks are back at various locations along the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway. The lineup of trucks at participating location changes each day, but the overall rotation is diverse. Expect Caribbean cuisine, cookies and ice cream, Middle Eastern rice plates, and more. Up to five trucks are open each day, and the locations are either Dewey Square, the Greenway Carousel, the North End, or Rowes Wharf Plaza. 

The Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway is a 1.5-mile park that curves through the heart of Boston. Find specific trucks and locations here, and check vendors’ social media handles for their hours of operation. Food trucks are in place seven days a week. 

Live music at the Beehive 

Enjoy local musicians serenading you as you enjoy good food and drink at the Beehive, a bohemian eatery and bar in the South End. Rated one of the top 100 jazz clubs in the world by DownBeat magazine, the Beehive puts on regular live music shows that span genres like jazz, blues, R&B, and more. The menu is a splurge, but there’s no cover charge to enjoy the music. Come for brunch on Saturday as trumpeter Phil Grenadier plays jazz, or enjoy Sunday’s lineup of jazz guitar and blues. At peak hours, the Beehive buzzes with crowds, so be sure to make a reservation for full a dinner or a brunch. 

541 Tremont St., Boston. Phil Grenadier plays jazz on Saturdays, from 10 am to 2 pm, Jim Kelly plays jazz guitar Sundays, from 10 am to 2 pm, and Bruce Bears & Friends play blues Sunday evenings, from 7:30 to 10:30 pm. Find a full show schedule here.

BU men’s hockey game against Northeastern

Still riding the high from the Terriers victory over Boston College in the 2025 Beanpot? Keep the school spirit going this Friday when the Terriers go up against Northeastern at Agganis. The 7 pm game will also feature a rivalry rally towel giveaway. You won’t want to miss this face-off between the current and 2024 Beanpot champions on home turf. 

Friday, February 21, 7 pm, Agganis Arena, 925 Comm Ave. General admission tickets start at $29 and are free for BU students with a Sports Pass. Reserve them here. 

An Unfulfilled Promise: Desegregation and Busing in Boston 

This Black History Month, learn more about Boston’s complicated history with public school desegregation. Located at the Old State House, the exhibition An Unfulfilled Promise: Desegregation and Busing in Boston explores a 1974 court case that required the city to integrate its public schools through busing. The exhibition also goes beyond history to explore some of the lasting challenges faced by Boston Public Schools. The exhibition is open daily and runs until summer 2025. 

The Old State House, 206 Washington St., Boston, is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm. Entrance to the exhibition is included in general admission to the Old State House and Old South Meeting House. Tickets are $13 for students with valid ID and $15 for general admission.

The Fig Tree, and The Phoenix, and The Desire to Be Reborn

Take a trip to 1980s-era Iran through this poignant play. Centered around two children growing up during wartime, the play—written by Isabelle Fereshteh Sanatdar Stevens (CFA’25)—explores revolution, childhood, and what it means to build a new world. Produced with the College of Fine Arts School of Theatre and directed by Nikta Sabouri, the production is part of Boston Playwrights’ Theatre’s Spring Rep Festival. As part of the event, BU students can get free tickets on performance days by inquiring at the box office up to one hour before the show starts. 

The Fig Tree, and The Phoenix, and The Desire to Be Reborn is playing on the Snodgrass Stage at Boston Playwrights’ Theatre, 949 Comm Ave. Performances this weekend are Thursday, February 20, at 7 pm, Friday, February 21, at 8 pm, and Saturday, February 22, at 8 pm.

Breaking Bounds 2025

Edge Dance Company, BU’s contemporary dance group, will present its 11th annual spring showcase this Saturday at the Tsai Performance Center. The dance-filled evening brings different Boston-based dance groups together to present various styles—such as lyrical, contemporary, and jazz—and includes participating groups from MIT, Northeastern, and Suffolk. The best part? Tickets are free for BU students. 

Saturday, February 22, 7 pm, Tsai Performance Center, 685 Comm Ave. Tickets are $5 for non-BU students and can be reserved here. 

Enkosi Culture Show 

Enkosi, which means “thank you” in the African language of Xhosa, encapsulates the heart of this culture show by the BU African Students Organization. Through a fashion show with designers representing various African countries—not to mention clothing styles ranging from traditional to contemporary—the show pays homage to Africa’s rich and diverse culture. Enkosi also includes a special Afrobeats performance. 

Sunday, February 23, 7 pm, Tsai Performance Center, 685 Comm Ave. Tickets will be available for purchase soon on the group’s Instagram. 

Charles Atlas: About Time

Plunge deep into the creative mind of pioneering interdisciplinary artist Charles Atlas at the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston. This exhibition features numerous installations, where Atlas has reconfigured videos onto different screens and monitors. At the heart of the show is his fascination with moving images, dance, and performance. Atlas spent many years at the Merce Cunningham Dance Company in New York as their filmmaker in residence. His works are grounded in the changing US landscape, from the 1970s to present. 

Charles Atlas: About Time is on view through March 16 at the ICA, 25 Harbor Shore Drive, Boston. The museum is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday, from 10 am to 5 pm, and Thursday and Friday, from 10 am to 9 pm. Students can enter for free by reserving a university member ticket following these instructions. General admission is $20.