Free Concerts at the Hatch Shell

Enjoy some music under the sun or a movie under the stars

Word to the wise: Though it's the perfect accompaniment to movies and music, alcohol is strictly forbidden. The police may search your cooler or bags. Arrests may follow.
Free public concerts and free public films may be too communal for some. But if you don't mind sharing lawn space with locals, set up your picnic and blanket, even if it's just fast food and sheets from your hotel.

The Hatch Shell is a bowl-style stage on the south bank of the Charles River in a park called the Esplanade. Free concerts are given in the summer, featuring contemporary bands like OK Go and Atomic Tom, but mostly classic groups such as the O'Jays and Three Dog Night, who create an atmosphere that's inclusive and sweetly old-fashioned. There's also jazz and classical, most notably on July 4th with the Boston Pops.
Free films are projected on Fridays after dusk, including recent blockbusters like 'Iron Man 2' and classics like 'Back to the Future' and 'The Wizard of Oz'. Don't go expecting art flicks or provocative indies - these movies are mostly family fare.