😛🍕 An unlimited food fest? Say less.

❤️‍🔥 Wanna go on a blind date with … 80 strangers!? Enter: Our matchmaking event at WBUR’s CitySpace on July 30! We’ll (hopefully) match you with your soulmate using our *super scientific* questionnaire. So buy a ticket, fill out the survey, and we’ll handle the rest. <3  

 🎸 Also … this music fest is NICE. NICE, a Fest, an annual celebration of local music, returns July 24-26 in Davis Square, featuring some of the best New England artists. Think: Air Traffic Controller, Downtown Boys, and more. Members save $10. More deets and tickets here.

👀 What’s on tap today:

Up first…

Alexa, play “Perfect Day” by Hoku. ‘Cause we’re running back our biggest, baddest Best Day Ever event on August 1 at PKL in Southie … and can *finally* share the deets! TL;DR: It’s basically if a food festival, a vintage market, and Boston Calling’s Orange Stage had a baby (our dream date).

Here’s everything you need to know (and yes, there’s a deal!):  

😛 Let’s just say, you’ll be eatin’ GOOD. We obv know food is the fastest way to your heart, so we rounded up 15+ of our fave local restaurants serving *unlimited* complimentary bites. Here’s a taste of what’s on the menu:

🎸 The music lineup will be BUMPIN’. Think of it as our own Boston Calling Orange Stage. We’ve got New Hampshire-based indie folk band Sneaky Miles, known for their high-energy shows and heartfelt songwriting; singer-songwriter Chance Emerson with his signature melodic folk-rock; Malik Elijah will be pushing the hip-hop boundaries, and we’ll have a DJ spinning throughout the day, so the party truly never stops.

🛍️ The Select Markets squad will bring the thrifting HEAT. Your fave vintage pop-up best known for beating the “BoStOn IsN’t FaShIoNaBlE” allegations is bringing 20+ curated vintage vendors to the fest, slinging everything from vintage tees to Y2K denim to jewelry to accessories.

🤑 Even better: We’re running a FLASH SALE! Now through July 8, general admission will just be $15! You can grab your ticket here … but before you do, we have a secret …

🎟️ Pssst! B-Side Members get the best ticket deal. Pass it on! Not only do Members get the best ticket price ($10), but they also get exclusive early entry at 2 p.m., giving them first dibs on allll the complimentary food and drinks, plus the first pick of vintage finds from Select Markets. Become a member here and unlock your perks!

⁉️ Got questions? Find all your answers here. See ya there! 

🚴‍♀️🏖️ There's relaxing at the beach, and then there's relaxing at the beach knowing you actually accomplished something first. Second Summer Cycle returns to Cape Cod on Sept. 13 with four scenic routes (15, 34, 60, and 100 miles) benefiting 19 local nonprofits. Pick your distance, enjoy the ride, and finish at Smugglers Beach with food trucks, local brews, live music, and the most satisfying post-bike-sit-down of your life.

🏀 This one hurts: The Celtics just traded JB to the Philly 76ers. *deep breaths* In exchange, Boston got veteran forward Paul George, 2028 and 2031 first-round picks, and two future second-round picks. Ya, critics don’t understand the move, either … The worst part? JB never even requested a trade. One theory that’s been gaining steam: Private equity is to blame, as the new owner (a private equity exec) may want to spend less money and prioritize profits over NBA championships (boooo). This kid is all of us rn. 

😅 Time to get your student loan payment plans in check. As of July 1, SAVE, a Biden-era plan that lowered monthly payments based on income, was nixed after it was deemed unconstitutional in court. So if you are one of the *7 million* people on SAVE right now, you have 90 days to choose a different repayment option. The good news: There is a new income-driven plan called RAP now available. The bad news: It calculates your monthly amount differently and has a longer forgiveness timeline. Here are the deets.

💰 How would YOU spend $2 million to make Boston better? No, really! The city wants to know! From now till July 31, Boston residents can speak their ideas loud and proud on how to spend $2 million of the city’s budget, as part of the participatory budgeting initiative. You can directly propose community-centered projects and share your local priorities online, by phone, or at places like BPL branches, City Hall, and more. The city will review all ideas later this summer to develop proposals in the fall.

🍻 Cheers to no drinking minimums in Cambridge! The Cambridge Licensing Commission dropped the harsh proposal on half-hour minimums between drink rounds AND limiting late-night pitchers (THANK GOD). They’re still updating their booze rules by EOY, but they rejected these proposed changes after public outcry and restaurant owners saying that this would not be good for anyone. Status update: The language right now is still a working draft, so it may change, especially after getting feedback from license-holders and the community in July and August.

🍕 Cure your Monday scaries with some ‘za. $12 pizzas AND $10 ‘tinis??? Ummm, say less. Enter: THE sweetest Monday deals at The Monument in Charlestown. 

🇺🇸 Break your July 4th fit back out. ICYMI: USA made it to the Round of 16! (We can’t believe it either.) Head to Big Night Live for a community watch party on July 6 to watch their match against Belgium. Bonus: It’s free, but registration is required.

🧶 Craft at the hottest club in the city. A.k.a. Somerville Stitch Club. Bring your latest fiber arts project, a blanket, and a snack to its July 6 Picnic Stitch Club event for a cute craft sesh. 

🎨 Don’t deny-ny-ny your artistic skills. Jam out to your fave Noah Kahan hits at this semi-guided watercolor workshop at Boston Public Market on July 7. All supplies will be provided — just bring you and your Busyhead besties!

⚽ Keep your eye on the ball. ‘Cause there are 250 soccer balls hidden around Allstonway for a summer kickoff scavenger hunt on July 8 — and every ball is a winner! Expect grand prizes from The Atlas Hotel, Phin Coffee House, Ama, and more! 

🧘 Bring your hands to heart center. Join the Mandarin Hotel’s yoga and meditation class on July 8 for a mid-week reset. Can’t make it? Lucky for you, they have yoga or pilates classes every Wednesday this month. 

🍺 Say bottoms up for bargain brewskis. In honor of America’s 250th, Joe’s is serving up $2.50 Sam Adams American Lights at its Newbury location till July 7 and its waterfront one through the 15th.

🛍️ Crack open your wallets … then a cold one. Stop by Kendall Plaza on July 9 for local handmade goods at Boston Women’s Night Market, then Urban Park rooftop garden’s monthly beer garden, where your $5 donation = a drink ticket + complimentary glizzies and pretzels.

⏰ JerkFest is almost here. The 13th annual Boston JerkFest Caribbean Foodie Festival takes over Ohiri Field in Allston from July 10-12. Expect three days of jerk cuisine, Soca music, local vendors, and community vibes. B-Side Members can still score $5 off Friday and Saturday tickets before the weekend arrives. Don't wait — grab your tickets now.

The perfect lobster roll doesn’t exi—  At least we thought it didn’t, until Pauli’s in the North End unveiled this absolute unit, clocking in at 15 feet (the length of three Kelly’s) and 20 pounds. And yes, you can actually order it. 

Dubbed the USS Lobstitution 2.0, this XL roll costs $1,999.99 and is available for private parties and events, feeding 80 to 100 people. 

It’s technically a MASSIVE upgrade from their regular $120 USS Lobstitution roll, *only* two feet long and has ~24 ounces of lobster. (If you somehow think the 1.0 is nothing, try their eating challenge where you have to down the whole two-footer in 18 minutes.)

One thing about Pauli’s: They love a sandwich that can be split by a football team. Just last year, our jaws dropped at the Lobzilla, its 6-foot baby with 15 pounds of lobster, and the Surf-and-Turf challenge*, where you have 10 minutes to finish a ~10 lb. burger loaded with cheese, a pound of bacon, three pounds of lobster, letter, tomato, AND a custom 11-inch bun in less than.

*Tums not included.

— Written by Kelly Chan and Emily Schario

🦞 Thanks for reading! Still shook from this gal taking down the two-foot roll in under SIX MINUTES …

💜 Special shoutout to today’s sponsor, Second Summer Cycle, for supporting local journalism and offering a chance to pedal toward a brighter future.

🌭 The results are in: 42% of B-Siders are staunching Team Hot Dog for July 4th (the correct answer, obv). One reader said, “A balanced diet is a hot dog in each hand.” There’s no other way. 

💃 Keep up with us @BostonBSide on IG, TikTok, and X. Send comments and suggestions to [email protected] and [email protected].