Weekend events guide: Boston's escape from the headlines, July 17-19

BOSTON, The headlines this week have been dominated by a deepening U.S.-Iran conflict in the Strait of Hormuz, the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham, and wildfires in Spain. But here in Boston, the weekend ahead is about community, live music and long summer evenings.

With global tensions rising, U.S. and Iranian forces exchanged strikes on Saturday, according to the New York Times, the urge to stay close to home is understandable. Local event organizers say they’ve seen a steady uptick in RSVPs for outdoor and indoor gatherings.

Friday night lights and local stages

The weekend starts Friday evening with a free concert series at the Hatch Memorial Shell on the Charles River Esplanade. The show, running from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., features the Boston Pops’ summer program, a tradition that draws thousands to the lawn along Storrow Drive. Attendees should bring blankets and arrive early, organizers tweeted that capacity frequently hits 10,000 on warm nights.

A few blocks away, the Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline is screening a midnight revival of “The Lost Boys,” part of its summer horror series. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for students. The theater’s box office said it expects to sell out.

Saturday: From South End galleries to North End feasts

Saturday morning, the SoWa Open Market in the South End opens at 10 a.m. on Harrison Avenue, featuring more than 150 local artisans, vintage sellers and food trucks. The market runs rain or shine, and free parking is available in the lot behind 450 Harrison Ave. Vendors this week include a new kombucha stand and a pop-up from the Dudley Cafe.

Down in the North End, the St. Anthony’s Feast, one of the city’s oldest Italian street festivals, kicks off Saturday afternoon on Endicott Street. The festival, which dates back to 1919, will feature live music, a procession, and cannoli from Modern Pastry and Mike’s Pastry, two shops that have been in a friendly rivalry for decades. Local police advise that Hanover Street will be closed to vehicles from 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday.

For families, the Boston Children’s Museum on Congress Street is offering a special weekend program on marine biology, with touch tanks and a visiting whale researcher from the New England Aquarium. Admission is $18, and the museum said it has extended hours until 8 p.m. Saturday.

Sunday: Jazz, open studios and wind down

Sunday brings the final day of the Boston Jazz Festival at Berklee Performance Center on Massachusetts Avenue. Afternoon sets start at 1 p.m. and feature local ensembles alongside nationally touring acts. Tickets range from $25 to $55. A portion of proceeds goes to the Berklee City Music scholarship fund.

Also Sunday, the Fort Point Arts Community’s open studios event continues along A Street, where more than 40 artists will open their workspaces to the public from noon to 6 p.m. Visitors can buy prints, chat with painters and sculptors, and see gallery spaces in converted warehouse lofts.

The weekend’s capstone is a sunset picnic at the Christian Science Center Plaza at 200 Massachusetts Ave., where the reflecting pool and fountains provide a quiet counterpoint to the news cycle. No event is officially scheduled, but locals regularly gather on the plaza steps as the sun goes down.

For those who want to stay informed but unplugged, the Boston Public Library’s Copley Square branch will host a Sunday afternoon reading hour for adults focused on poetry and short stories, no phones allowed.

Practical advice for the weekend

Parking restrictions and street closures will be in effect near the North End and the Esplanade. MBTA’s Green Line will run on a weekend schedule, with extra cars added for the Hatch Shell concerts. The city recommends biking or taking ride-share services to avoid congestion.

Check individual venue websites for last-minute cancellations or weather updates. Thunderstorms are possible Sunday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service, so bring a poncho if you plan to be outdoors.

In a week when the world feels heavy, Boston offers a dozen quiet and joyful ways to step away, at least for a few hours.