Itβs Wednesday, Boston.
π PSA: If you want one of these ICONIC hot dog Red Sox hats (which are reselling for nearly $200 on eBay, BTW), you can get one PLUS a Fenway Frank for with your ticket to one of these upcoming games. Emily (B-Sideβs self-proclaimed hot dog connoisseur) obv already bought hers.
π Whatβs on tap today:
Mayor Wu wants the receipts
JetBlueβs biggest sale of the year
Meowtucket mania
Up firstβ¦
ARTS & CULTURE
This oneβs for the theatre kids

Image: Ben Stas for The Boston Globe. Illustration: Gia Orsino.
When Shakespeare said βall the worldβs a stageβ β¦ weβre pretty sure he was talking about Shakespeare on the Common. The Commonwealth Shakespeare Company is BACK with free performances of βAs You Like Itβ on the Parkman Bandstand from July 23 to Aug. 10.Β
Hereβs what to know:
π Shakespeare on the Common is a Boston summer tradition. After all, itβs been going on for 29 years. For program veteran Maurice Emmanuel Parent, whoβs playing Duke Senior/Duke Frederick in this yearβs show, the public location is part of the allure. βThe most dedicated loyal theatergoer β¦ is sitting on a park bench next to someone who's like, βwhat is Shakespeare?ββ he said. βThatβs what it should be.βΒ
π This yearβs play, βAs You Like It,β is basically a rom-com. Or β¦ as close as weβre gonna get from a 17th century dude. But Parent said the tropes remind him of a modern-day romantic comedy. Think: First love, love at first sight, fake dating, and secret identities. And like any good rom-com, thereβs a happy ending (NOT a spoiler, this play is 400 years old, people!).
π Just skimmed it in high school? Here are the Sparknotes. Meet Rosalind and Orlando: Two hotties who are crushing on each other. Amidst political chaos, they separately flee to the Forest of Arden. But thereβs just one problem: To stay safe, Rosalind has disguised herself as a young man. So, when she bumps into Orlando in disguise, she does what any gal would do: Pretends to be a love guru and gives him flirting lessons. Chaos, hilarity, and a lot of loOoOOve ensue.Β
π§ Yes, itβs in Shakespeare-speak. But that doesnβt mean itβs out-of-date. Although the actors will be dropping some βthines,β βhaths,β and βayes,β their delivery is intentionally modern to keep things entertaining and help the audience follow along.
β In fact, a lot of the themes are timeless. In a moment when people are being punished for how they look and love, Parent thinks the message of throwing off societal expectations and escaping into nature will resonate with younger viewers. This play shows us that βnature was here before the society that tells you how you're supposed to be, how you're supposed to look, how you're supposed to act. Nature predates that and nature will outlive it,β he said.
π Interested? Like we said, itβs totally free, and most days, the curtain rises at 8 p.m. Pro tip: Bring your own blanket, chair, and snacks for prime viewing. Check out the full schedule here.
POP QUIZ!
π€ Letβs see if you were paying attention in English class. Which Shakespeare play is the iconic line βto be, or not to beβ from?Β
Take a guess!
CITY
Quick & dirty headlines

Image: Mark Stockwell for The Boston Globe
π Mayor Michelle Wu really said βshow us the receipts.β And by receipts, we mean Josh Kraftβs tax returns. On Tuesday, Wu publicly called for Kraft to make good on one of his early campaign promises and reveal his income, investments, and assets to the public. While candidates arenβt *technically* required to share them, itβs pretty standard practice (here are the deets from Wuβs). Withholding them could make Kraft look shady, especially given his familyβs ~extensive~ local business portfolio. Now, the ballβs in Kraftβs court.
π Bostonβs hottest happenings are at β¦ City Hall Plaza? YUP. If youβre looking to fill your Q3 and Q4 calendar, the plazaβs newly-dropped arts and culture event lineup isnβt a bad place to start. On the docket: A slam theatre variety show this week(!), LGBTQ+ open mics, a four-day Latinx heritage festival, a freestyle rap circle, an all-day queer line dancing convention, and a series of public chess tournaments. And thereβs a whole lot more (over two dozen events, to be exact) where that came from. Check out the full list here.
βοΈ Nothing beats a Jet2 holiday β¦ except this. JetBlueβs biggest sale of the year is here, and for the next two days, you can snag 25% off TONS of tickets. Hereβs how it works: Through July 24, you can use code SAVE25 while booking on JetBlueβs website to redeem the deal. But there are a few caveats: The discount applies to nonstop, base airfare flights between Aug. 12 and Nov. 20, minus Friday and Sunday travel. Other than that, the world is your oyster β¦ literally. Book here!
πΊ West End Johnnies? Thatβs The Drunken Clam to you. The barβs basement has been officially transformed into a Family Guy-themed pop up through September 21. Think: An IRL replica of the showβs iconic bar serving themed drinks and bites (the βNo No Noooβ cocktail is literally served in a mini bathtub, IYKYK), plus a bunch of photo ops. You can also catch trivia and karaoke nights every Wednesday and Thursday. But like any themed pop-up, itβll cost you: Specifically, $18 for a 90-minute slot, which includes a drink. Grab tickets here.Β
THINGS TO DO
Mid-week check in
π§ Lymph Flow Yoga in the Park | Wednesday, July 23 | 6-7 p.m. | Copps Hill Terrace | Join us for a specialty lymph flow yoga class and on-site giveaway! B-Side Members get an extra entry into the giveaway. No registration required.Β
π¨ Community Art Night | Thursday, Aug. 7 | 6-8 p.m. | Boston Public Market | Making friends can be hard. Thatβs why weβre hosting this watercolor painting night with BPMβs Laurel Greenfield Art. B-Side members get $5 off, a free drink, and a take-home watercolor kit!
π¨ββ€οΈβπβπ¨ The Dating Game Live | Monday, Aug. 11 | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Aeronaut Brewing | Weβre teaming up with Aeronaut Brewing to host an IRL version of the 60βs dating show The Dating Game! Click here to apply β you must be bi or pan to participate in this round! Apply to play here.
At B-Side events like the ones above, members get perks like discounted entry, free drinks, B-Side swag, and more. Stay tuned for more meetups, and become a member to get your perks!Β
ONE LAST THING
Meowtucket mania

Image: AP Photo/Matt Rourke. Illustration: Gia Orsino
Amanda McGonigle has one goal: Make sure JD Vance never knows peace.Β
Thatβs why she started her IG account @catsonacouch last summer to try and beat his follower count. So when he announced a swanky fundraiser on Nantucket this week, she organized a day of counter protesting called β¦ Meowtucket.Β
Meowtucketβs mission was to protest the Trump administration, amplify the islandβs marginalized groups, and β¦ bother Vance and his guests wherever they ended up. The strategy: Along with a more traditional rally, print 4,000 fake βwantedβ posters with those JD Vance memes (you know the ones) and paste them pretty much everywhere.Β
Hereβs a peek into how the day unfolded.Β Β
β Written by Gia Orsino and Emily Schario
π±Thanks for reading! Politics aside, this gets an A+ for pettiness.
π³οΈ The results are in: If B-Siders were deciding Bostonβs next mayoral election, itβs safe to say Mayor Wu would win: 89% of readers said theyβd vote for her if the election were tomorrow. One reader said: βWu train all the way baby!!!!!β
π π₯³ Don't forget to grab your tickets to Best Day Ever, our Aug. 2 food, music, and shopping extravaganza at Artists for Humanity!
π Keep up with us @BostonBSide on IG, TikTok, and Twitter. Send comments and suggestions to [email protected] or [email protected].