🎶🤘 Hit rewind on Porchfest

🍩 And a happy National Doughnut Day! Kick off the weekend with a FREE doughnut from Dunkin’ when you buy any bev today! Feeding a crowd (or just hungry)? Buy a dozen at Kane’s for a free coffee AND an extra doughnut (Tums are on you, though).

🥳 And give B-Side Members Dimayma McCauley and Angie M. some b-day love! Doughnut worry about a thing today! (Sorry.)

👀 What’s on tap today:

Up first…

Is “booked and busy” your middle name? It sure will be after adding all of these goodies to your social calendar this weekend.

Here’s what’s cookin’:

🎤 See that fried chicken guy in Southie. Your fave local comedian Joe Fenti (yes, the one who loves to drag the Seaport) will be performing standup at Castle Island Brewing on June 5.

🌈 Show your Pride at the MFA. Art-making, gallery talks, a DJ, PLUS a special drag performance are all on the agenda at the MFA’s First Friday tonight. PSA for Bank of America customers: You can also get into the MFA for free this weekend! Here’s how.

🍪 Go on a the ultimate sweet treat run. Ten miles. Four bakeries. 8 a.m. You down? Join Boston Road Runners’ bakery crawl on June 6 where you’ll hit Colette, Sofra, Flour, AND Greystone. So it won’t really feel like 10 miles …

⛴️ Reschedule that boat day. Of course it poured last Saturday, which means Free Ferry Day is now June 6! So if you missed that gorgeous trip to Georges Island, now’s your chance. But arrive early — tickets sell out FAST.

📚 Find your next TBR. The BPL in Copley is hosting its bi-monthly book sale on June 6 — and this is always a STEAL. Hardcovers are $2, and almost everything else is just $1 (save for a few specialty items). Name a better book deal, we dare you.

⚽ Pour one out for the jugglers. Miracle of Science is offering a $20 burger and Guinness deal to anyone doing Cambridge’s Guinness World Record attempt on June 6 for the most number of people to juggle a soccer ball.

🥵 Get hot for HIIT. Head to BREATHE in Cambridge for a heated Pride-themed pilates and strength class — perfect for your Sunday reset from post-parade festivities. 

🖼️ See Beacon Hill transform into a neighborhood art gallery. Residents are opening up their courtyards on June 7 for artists to show their work, showcasing everything from paintings to ceramics to glass sculptures.

🎶 Get your Porchfest redo. If last month’s Somerville Porchfest was too … wet for your taste, head to Dorchfest on Saturday. 60+ bands across genres will be rockin’ in Ashmont-Adams, plus activities and food vendors galore.

💃 Hit the streets for this multicultural fest. Take in the food, music, and performances from cultures around the world at SomerStreets Carnaval on June 7. Expect bright colors and costumes, games, and more!

🚦And just in case you’re thinking ahead … You’re invited to our Stoplight Party at Rooftop @ Revere on June 18. Let your wristband do the talking: Red for taken, yellow for complicated, green for single. Grab yours here! 

🎶 🎤 Berklee is making history on Sept. 19 with its inaugural Homecoming Block Party — a first-of-its-kind daylong celebration bringing together powerhouse alumni to perform in one place. Susan Tedeschi, Tiwa Savage, Fabiola Méndez, Dreion, and more music luminaries are coming home to Berklee, with additional artists to be announced leading up to the event.

Homecoming isn't just for alumni — everyone's invited to witness artists who've shaped the music industry perform at the institution that helped launch their careers. Mark Sept. 19 on your calendar, and stay tuned for the box office opening on June 16. Get a reminder by filling out the form here!

🚉 Commuter rail chaos countdown starts in 3, 2, 1 … From June 8 to July 12, the Fairmount, Fall River/New Bedford, Fitchburg, Framingham/Worcester, Haverhill, Needham, and Newburyport/Rockport lines will have reduced service for the World Cup. And there will be even more changes on match days. Get the full deets under each rail page. On the bright side, the Green Line E branch will be back June 6! (But Symphony Station will still be OOO.)

👀 Make way for a new downtown cultural hub. Embrace Boston, the folks behind the Boston Common Embrace statue of MLK Jr. and Coretta Scott King, just bought two buildings downtown, with plans to turn them into one “vibrant social and cultural hub.” This will be a massive 35,000-square-foot space, featuring an exhibition space, a theater, a cafe, and more. It’ll open sometime in 2030. The goal? Have a physical, permanent presence in the heart of Boston for their work in social justice and civic engagement.

🍵 Two ~green~ cafes have major updates. First, byChae, the viral matcha pop-up, is FINALLY opening a storefront on Newbury Street. It was started by a Babson College student last summer, who even took a leave of absence from school to focus on his biz. (That clearly paid off.) Then there’s Clover — remember her? Days after closing down, a mystery investor swooped in to save the local vegetarian chain’s day. Only some of its locations are set to reopen, but the owner would not spill details on which ones.

Back Door Donuts is in the running AGAIN for USA TODAY’s Best Donut Shop! Last year they landed at No. 5 in the top 10, and this year, they’re going for gold. From legendary apple fritters to maple bacon and Boston cream doughnuts to cinnamon rolls, their just-baked pastries deserve the crown. Cast your vote now

Would you pay $375 for a lobster roll? What if it’s three-feet long? Legal Sea Foods is adding a whopping four-pound lobster roll to the menu for National Lobster Day on June 15. 

Why? Because shareables are in. With family-style dining being more popular, Legal’s COO Matt King wondered how he could do it with a lobster roll. His inspo? Giant party subs.

FYI, this lobster roll is prepared Maine-style with lemon mayonnaise, scallions, and celery — but King said you can ask for butter instead — and it comes with fries and coleslaw on the side. All of which can easily serve six to eight people. 

This will be THE biggest lobster roll in Massachusetts, beating out Pauli’s two-foot lobster sub. And if people like it, Legal might even keep it on the menu.

— Written by Kelly Chan and Emily Schario

🦞 Thanks for reading! BTW, $375 divided between eight people is $47 per person, which is actually cheaper than Legal’s a la carte roll at $53. 

💜 Special shoutout to today’s sponsor, Berklee Homecoming, for supporting local journalism and giving us all the reasons to be concertgoers this summer.

🏠 The results are in: 54% of you thought the rent control proposition mentioned in Thursday’s newsletter wasn’t much of a deal, but much of your sentiment was the same: renters need more protections! LOUDER!

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