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Boston's Morning Newsletter
Need family-friendly fun this February break? A breakdown of free events in Greater Boston
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from WBUR's daily morning newsletter, WBUR Today. If you like what you read and want it in your inbox, sign up here.
It’s Presidents Day. That means banks and the post office are closed, the T is on a weekend schedule and no knows what to do with that apostrophe. It also means school’s out for kids across Massachusetts:
- Free family fun this February break: It’s school vacation week in Massachusetts — a time when many families decamp the frigid state for warmer conditions. Others hit New Hampshire slopes, causing locals there to gripe about crowded ski mountains. But if you and the fam are laying low this week, there are some special opportunities to get out of the house (and they cost a lot loss than a trip to Aruba).
- The state’s Department of Conservation and Recreation is sponsoring dozens of free, family-friendly events all week. Read the full list here. Some highlights we like include:
- Tuesday: Seal watching — Plymouth
- Thursday: Cape Cod glacier event — Waquoit
- Friday: Winter wildlife cross-country skiing — Hingham
- Saturday/Sunday: Maple sugaring — Uxbridge
- Attention arts and STEM lovers: Kendall Square’s Foundry makerspace is hosting drop-in classes all week long for all ages. We’re talking about subjects like coding, chess, the science behind cooking, stand-up comedy, weaving and even parkour. The lessons began this weekend and run through Saturday, Feb. 24.
- Boston’s Children’s Winter Festival is coming back to the Common on Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. If you attend, you’ll have a day filled with inflatable mazes, music, crafts and sweet treats.
- If you want something to do at your leisure, take a trip to check out some history IRL. Roxbury Heritage State Park is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. for self-guided tours. You’ll see the Dillaway-Thomas House, one of the oldest structures in Roxbury (and the headquarters of the Continental Army in 1775 during the siege of Boston). We also have this nifty guide to other cool, history-rich spots around Greater Boston — just be sure to check hours for visitors before you go.
- Speaking of history: The John F. Kennedy Library and Museum in Columbia Point is hosting a slew of events for families today during its Presidents’ Day Festival from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be musical performances, historical reenactments and hands-on crafts, too. Important note: The fest isn’t free, but you can get a discount off admission all week by providing a “buzzword” shared each day on Facebook.
P.S.— Admission isn’t free, but the New England Aquarium will keep longer hours this week and offer some oceanic February vacation programming. If you’re willing to splurge, visitors can also meet a harbor seal up close or partake in a seal art-making session (meaning the seal will be your artist) for an additional cost.
WBUR's Nik DeCosta-Klipa and Hanna Ali contributed to this newsletter.
