🚘 The state wants you to ditch your car

It’s Monday, Boston.

👀 What better way to kick off your week than with some Zillow lurking? The South End just notched its largest sales price ever for a single-family luxury home: $12.1 million for a six-bedroom Union Park stunner with a glass-encased wine cellar and two-car heated garage. And she’s GORGINA. Take a peek here.

👀 What’s on tap today:

• Free Harvard art museums

• 16 year-olds voting

• Greasy pole contest

Up first...

TRANSPORTATION

Ditch the drive

We’re nine days out until the Sumner Tunnel shuts down for eight weeks.

So here are eight things to know before hitting the road on July 5:

🚧 The nearly 100-year-old tunnel is getting a much needed overhaul. There’s exposed rebar on the ceiling, the pavement has seen better days, and things like ventilation and drainage all must be brought up to code. MassDOT’s website said it best: “We're well beyond patches and repairs: the only way to keep the Sumner Tunnel in service is with a top-to-bottom restoration.” You can see what the progress looks like so far here.

🚗 State officials are politely asking drivers to “ditch the drive” during the shutdown. Which is a big ask given that nearly 40,000 cars journey through the tunnel every day. Those living in Eastie and the North Shore will bear the brunt of the traffic disruptions. And getting to Logan will be stickier than usual.

🚇 Those in Eastie can capitalize on the free Blue Line and reduced tolls. Blue Line trains will run every six minutes, and there will be $2 daily parking at Beachmont, Suffolk Downs, Orient Heights, and Wonderland stations.

🚂 Those on the North Shore can take the Commuter Rail for just $2.40. The entire Newburyport/Rockport line will be reduced to Zone 1A fare (essentially, the cost of a one-way T ride) during the closure. And there will be plenty of free and reduced parking options. Five Chelsea bus routes will also be free.

⛴️ The ferries will be your best friend. Ferries from Lynn and Winthrop will only be $2.40 one-way, and the East Boston Ferry service pilot from Lewis Mall to Long Wharf will be free. A good rule of thumb for public transit during this time is: “If it’s not free, it’s the price of a ride on the T.” Or close to it.

🤑 Getting to Logan will be a pain, but there are some perks to taking public transit. Adult tickets on the Logan Express will be 25% off (kids under 17 ride free), Silver Line shuttles can use the emergency ramp on I-90 East to beat the traffic, and those taking ferries to Logan can get priority entry to the security line. But regardless of how you get to the airport, budget WAY more time than you need.

💡 You should be able to see a difference in the tunnel post-shutdown. Literally. “Part of what we're doing is replacing the entire tunnel lighting system. It will feel more open for a good portion of the tunnel,” said MassDOT Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver.

😅 And we get to do it all over again in 2024. Yes, this massive shutdown is just part one of two — expect to see another two-month shutdown next summer. And while these full tunnel shutdowns may be a headache, they’ll reduce the overall construction timeline by 10 months. A worthy trade off IMO.

GIVEAWAY ALERT!

Together with Levitate Music Festival

🎶 We’re giving away two, 3-day VIP passes to Levitate Music Festival on July 7, 8, and 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 they’ve accepted), you're eligible! Full details below*

CITY

Quick & dirty headlines

🖼️ Harvard’s art museums are officially free to all. Making the museums free to more than just Cambridge residents and Harvard students was at the top of the museum director’s list when she started the job. And thanks to contributions from the Estate of David Rockefeller and support from the president’s office at Harvard University, it’s now a reality. So if you’re on a budget with nothing to do on Tuesday through Sunday between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., the Harvard Art Museums are now an option. They have works from Van Gogh, Monet, Pollock, and more!

🗳️ 16-year-olds and non-citizens could get to vote in Mass. elections. Last week, lawmakers heard testimony on a handful of bills looking to shake up the state’s voting norms. If passed, some of the bills would allow adults with legal immigration status (but who are not U.S. citizens) to vote for their hometown elections (think mayor, city council, selectmen, etc.); cities and towns could use ranked-choice voting in local elections; and municipalities could set their own election laws, giving them the right to lower the voting age in local elections to 16.

🚇 Red Line waits at Downtown Crossing are a different kind of pain in the butt. You know those granite, angular-looking seats in DTX station? We’re talking about those. Those 30 seats were designed by Seattle sculptor Lewis “Buster” Simpson to beautify the station. But given Red Line wait times are significantly longer than they were 30 years ago, passengers now scramble for those seats to wait out trains, often missing the point, or not even noticing Simpson’s social vision. And some just wish there were more benches.

⛈️ June is going out with a bang. And by bang, we mean thunderstorms. There’s a chance of showers or thunderstorms virtually daily until Fourth of July. And it’s going to be muggy with temps in the 70s. But don’t get it twisted, every day isn’t going to be a complete wash out. You’ll just have to keep your eye on the radar as systems move in and out throughout the day. Plus, Fourth of July weather is looking solid so far. And remember: We’re still enjoying some of our latest sunsets of the year. 8:25 p.m. tonight!

QUICK QUESTION!

🖼️ Which museum do you wish was always free?

THINGS TO DO

Weekday plans

🎆 Watch some early Fourth of July fireworks in Somerville. The city’s annual celebration kicks off Thursday at 6 p.m. with food and music. Fireworks blast off at 9:15 p.m. Make sure to check parking restrictions and bus route changes here. The rain date is Friday.

🍿 Take in some shorts at the Roxbury International Film Fest. The theme of Monday’s shorts series explores “love and caring on so many levels.” Tix are only $12! 

💃 Sing with some of Boston’s best queens in Davis Square. The Painted Burro is hosting its first-ever drag karaoke night on Tuesday featuring Regina Jackson and Linda Marie Possa. Plus, there’s no cover!

🤝 Make your LinkedIn come to life at networking night. Boston’s Young Professionals Association is hosting a networking event for yo-pros with plenty of drinks, apps, and mingling.

🧘 Stretch out on the Frog Pond with a yoga class. And since it’s hosted by the Boston Parks Summer Fitness Series, it’s free!

ONE LAST THING

Gloucester’s greasy pole

If there’s one event that perfectly embodies the cartoon sound of slipping on a banana, it’s Gloucester’s annual Greasy Pole Contest.

The 80-plus year-old competition was in full slip this weekend at St. Peter’s Fiesta, as dozens of locals attempted to run across a greased up, 40-foot telephone poll littered in banana peels, eggs, and fish guts, in the hopes of snagging an American flag without falling into the chilly waters of Pavilion Beach. Easy peasy.

Derek Hopkins won his fifth Greasy Pole title on Sunday. And he technically grabbed the flag TWICE. He’s considered to be one of the most talented walkers in Greasy Pole history (the sport runs in his family). You can watch his winning run here, which he makes look incredibly easy.

And while the moments of triumph are exciting to watch, the real fun comes from the major wipeouts. This compilation video of some of the weekend’s greatest slips definitely delivers on the belly laughs.

😅 Thanks for reading! My groin hurts from watching that.

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