Happy Friday, Boston!
π Looking to cool off this weekend? The Mirabella Pool in the North End opens for the season tomorrow. Although there might be some rain in the forecast, itβs gonna be sticky as hell, so take advantage!
π Whatβs on tap today:
Goodbye, Marcus Smart
Good and bad T news
A local potty invention
Up first...
SUMMER FRIDAYS
Dancing, naked biking, and more

Image: Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff. Illustration: Emily Schario
Summer is in full swing. And while the sunshine may not be joining us the weekend (again), we can still pretend itβs there.
Hereβs how we think you should spend it:
π Bust a move at Cambridgeβs city dance block party. Thousands of residents and visitors are expected to get down with their bad selves in front of City Hall tonight. Like many events this summer, this dance party is back for the first time since COVID. There will be some street closures, so read up on the best way to get in here.
ποΈ Peruse the Black Owned Bos. Market in the Seaport. The award-winning market is back on the Seaport Common this month showcasing over 30 vendors with food, haircare, clothing, art, and more. This monthβs theme is music, so there will be a slew of performances from local musicians, plus food and wine from ZaZ restaurant and Progressive Wine Co.
πΆ Enjoy a car-free day during Open Streets Jamaica Plain. On Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m, itβs only bikes, blades, pets, and pedestrians on Centre Street between Lamartine Street to South Street. The vibes from the Open Streets program are always 10/10, which you can see for yourself here.
π΄ Watch (or join) cyclists for a naked night bike ride. This event is Bostonβs version of the World Naked Bike Ride, and itβs all about supporting cycling, safer streets, less fossil fuel consumption, and body autonomy. Body paint, glitter, pasties, tighty whities, and full nudity are welcome. Hereβs what organizers recommend bringing (that isnβt clothing).
π³οΈβπ Celebrate Pride month on Spectacle Island. Your $38 ticket for their Summer Nights series includes a ton: round-trip ferry ride, access to Night Shiftβs beer garden, Dο»Ώrag performances hosted by Mizery McRae, lawn games, after-hours access on the island, sβmores on the beach with L.L. Bean, and more. Plus, you can grab food at the ZaZ pop-up for din din.
π Load up on your favorite local pies at the Boston Pizza Festival. The two-day event is making its grand return to City Hall Plaza for the first time since 2019 this weekend. There will be over 30 pizzerias from Boston to Italy. Plus, admission is free. If you want to try a slice, you can buy a pack of βpizza tokens,β which start at $11. But def buy them online to skip the line.
π Don't know which pies to try? We taste-tested three local pies thatβll be at the festival. Watch this video to get our thoughts.
QUICK QUESTION!
ποΈ What kind of summer day-trip content do you want to see?
Let us know below!
TOGETHER WITH IFAW
Save the Right Whale

Image: Nick Hawkins
π³ Interested in wildlife conservation and animal welfare? The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) is asking you to take action to protect the North Atlantic right whale. As New Englanders, weβre fortunate to have these whales in our oceans, but unfortunately, only 340 right whales remain due to the threats of vessel strikes and entanglements in fishing gear. Take two minutes to sign this petition and help keep these creatures safe in our waters.
CITY
Quick & dirty headlines

Image: Jim Davis/Globe Staff
π Goodbye, Marcus Smart. In a stunning last-minute swap, the Cβs sent Marcus Smart to the Memphis Grizzlies as part of a three-team trade. In exchange, Boston will get 7-foot-3 Wizardsβ superstar Kristaps Porzingis, a former All-Star who just completed the best season of his career. Nabbing Porzingis will likely be a coup for the Cβs offense, but itβs a huge blow to their soul: Smart was an active community member, dyed his hair green during playoffs, and was the heartbeat of the team in the post-Paul Pierce era. And he didnβt take the news well.
π Some good, and not so good, T news. Letβs start with the good news: Commuter Rail trips on the Newburyport/Rockport Line will only be $2.40 one-way (the same cost as a T ride) from July 1 through Aug. 31 while the Sumner Tunnel is closed. Plus, several Commuter Rail parking lots along the line will either be free or only $2 a day. Now the bad news: The entire B branch of the Green Line will be replaced with shuttle buses from July 17 through 28 to replace over 2,000 feet of track. If you have thoughts (and we know you do), you can share them here.
π Simmonsβ liberal arts departments could get the chop. Thanks to tight pockets and declining enrollment, Bostonβs only womenβs college is thinking of cutting several undergrad liberal arts departments, including philosophy and sociology. Simmons has heavily relied on graduate programs to keep them afloat the last few years, but now thatβs not enough. In addition to cutting out low enrollment majors that prompt eye rolls from your extended family, the school also plans to add more lucrative grad programs and offer early retirement packages to some faculty.
TOGETHER WITH LEVITATE MUSIC FESTIVAL
Giveaway alert!
π€ Weβre giving away two, 3-day VIP passes to Levitate Music Festival on July 7-9. To be eligible, refer a friend below and have them accept your invite between June 16 and 29. If you have already referred a friend to B-Side (and theyβve accepted), you're eligible! Full details below*
ONE LAST THING
A local potty invention

Image: Lane Turner/Globe Staff
Students from the Boston areaβs most acclaimed institutions have pumped out life-changing inventions: PET scans, condensed soup, and now β¦ toilet seats?
Former BU Student Kevin Tang was disgusted by the fact that the toilets at school were always dirty, so he decided to fix that. With a team of BU and MIT engineers, he launched Cleana (pronounced like βcleanerβ with a Boston accent).
Itβs essentially a toilet seat that raises and lowers itself to avoid those icky seat splashes and to prevent objects from falling into the bowl. And while it may seem a little silly, itβs clearly caught the attention of investors: the head of innovation at Boston Beer Co., the maker of Sam Adams, has invested just under $100,000 of his own money into the product.
The company already has paying residential customers, and expects to ship its first commercial-grade toilet seats by September. Itβs a simple product with a ton of potential.
After all, everybody poops.
π½ Thanks for reading! If I never have to see another seat splash again, Iβm sold.
π The results are in: While Reginaβs Pizza was solid fav among respondents from yesterdayβs poll, readers also shared their pizza spots that didnβt make the list: Ducali, Otto, and Dragon Pizza, to name a few.
π Keep up with us @BostonBSide on IG, TikTok, and Twitter. Send comments and suggestions to [email protected].