Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
www.bostonwinefestival.net) for details.
January to early April.
Chinese New Year,
Chinatown. The
dragon parade (which draws a big crowd
no matter how cold it is), fireworks,
and raucous festivals are part of the cel-
ebration. Special programs take place
at the
Children's Museum
(
&
617/
426-8855;
www.bostonkids.org). For
more details, visit
www.chinatown
mainstreet.org
. Depending on the
Chinese lunar calendar, the holiday
falls between January 21 and February
19. In 2009, it's January 26.
February
African-American History Month,
various locations. Programs include
special museum exhibits, children's
activities, concerts, films, lectures, dis-
cussions, readings, and tours of the
Black Heritage Trail led by National
Park Service rangers (
&
617/742-
5415;
www.nps.gov/boaf ). All month.
School Vacation Week,
various loca-
tions. The slate of activities includes
special exhibitions and programs,
plays, concerts, and tours. Contact
individual attractions or check the
Globe
for information on programs
and extended hours. Third week of
February.
March
New England Spring Flower Show,
Bayside Expo Center, Dorchester. This
annual harbinger of spring, presented
by the
Massachusetts Horticultural
Society
(
&
617/933-4900;
www.mass
hort.org), draws huge crowds starved
for a glimpse of green. Plan to take
public transit. Second or third week of
March.
St. Patrick's Day Celebrations,
vari-
ous locations. Concerts, talks, special
restaurant menus, and other offerings
celebrate the heritage of one of the
most Irish American cities. Note that
the parade, along Broadway in South
Boston, is not a city-sponsored event;
the organization that runs it is private
and therefore free to bar any group it
wants to from marching. That includes
gays and, at least once in recent years,
antiwar veterans. March 17; parade is
on the closest Sunday.
College Sports Extravaganza.
In
2009, Boston plays host to the semifi-
nals and finals of the
Men's Hockey
East Tournament,
to an
NCAA Men's
Basketball East Regional,
both at the
TD Banknorth Garden (
&
617/624-
1000;
www.tdbanknorthgarden.com),
and to the
NCAA Women's Frozen
Four
(hockey), at Boston University's
Agganis Arena (
&
617/358-7000;
www.bu.edu/agganis). Expect giddy
crowds, sold-out hotels, and packed
sports bars. Hockey East (www.hockey
east.com), late March; Frozen Four
(www.ncaa.com), March 20-22; East
Regional, March 26-28 (www.ncaa.
com).
April
Big Apple Circus
(www.bigapple
circus.org), City Hall Plaza, Govern-
ment Center. The New York-based
“one-ring wonder” performs in a
heated tent with all seating less than 50
feet from the ring. Proceeds support
the Children's Museum. Visit the
museum box office or contact Ticket-
master (
&
617/931-ARTS;
www.ticket
master.com). Late March to early May.
Red Sox Opening Day,
Fenway Park.
Even if your concierge is a magician,
this is an extremely tough ticket.
Check ahead (
&
877/REDSOX-9;
www.redsox.com) when tickets for the
season go on sale in December. If you
can't get tickets to Opening Day, try to
see the 10am game on
Patriots Day,
the third Monday in April. It begins so
early to allow spectators to watch the
Boston Marathon afterward. Early and
mid-April.
