The best things to do in Boston this weekend: July 25-28

The Paris 2024 Summer Olympics kick off this Friday, July 26, at 1:30pm EST. Details about the opening ceremony have been kept largely under wraps, but we know the parade of delegations is taking place on boats in the river Seine (!!) with performances happening in front of the Trocadéro. Celine Dion, Lady Gaga and Aya Nakamura—the most listened-to French singer worldwide—will perform; and Snoop Dogg and Salma Hayek are smong the torchbearers. It's shaping up to be quite the spectacle—and you can bet Boston bars will be showing all the fun and festivity. Opening ceremony primetime coverage will air on NBC at 7:30pm.

Rollerama at Kendall Common, a pop-up roller rink and social space, debuted in June at the corner of Third and Broadway in Cambridge’s Innovation District. Programming is ramping up, with the first DJ night this Thursday, July 25, and the first Drift & Drag—a high-energy party hosted by DJ L'Duke, where roller skating meets drag—on Saturday, July 27. Check out the full schedule here. The spot's Drinks at the Rink beer garden is now open, with local bartenders serving up the likes of Lamplighter and Remnant Brewing beers, wine curated by Rebel Rebel and more. Concesssions are available for purchase from BUENCIES, a Roller Disco Snack Bar from Buenas and Gracie's Ice Cream; and a rotating selection of food trucks. Skating is free and includes free skate rentals. The rink is open Thursdays and Fridays from 2-8pm and on weekends from 11am-8pm.

To celebrate the end of its exhiliarating exhibit, Hallyu! The Korean Wave, it's K-Pop Night at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, from 6-10pm this Friday, July 26. Included with general admission, you can create friendship bracelets while listening to K-pop tunes, strike a pose in the Hallyu! photobooth, engage with the exhibit on a guided tour by the curator, get your dance on with Jamie Wong, dancer a founder of Boston-based K-pop dance crew Kosmic; and catch a K-pop performance from Hush Crew.

The national industry publication StarChefs has returned to Boston elevate some up-and-coming culinary talent with a two-week dinner party. Seventeen local chefs, bartenders and other culinary talent comprise the 2024 Boston Rising Stars, and are being featured in StarChefs’ Rising Stars Restaurant Week from Wednesday, July 24-Wednesday, August 7. Try the dishes, drinks and pairings that impressed the StarChefs team in Greater Boston—and maybe win some extra dining-out money. Order any of the featured dishes—like cookies and cream lokma from Oleana, a mushroom melt from Southern Pines Diner Car at Bow Market, lobster roe pasta from Judy's Bay and more—and share on your social media to be entered to win a $100 restaurant gift card. StarChefs is also supporting the Boston-born food rescue organization Spoonfuls, with help from chef Melissa Stefanini of Buenas and Super Bien. For every Impossible Big Mac empanada sold at Buenas and Super Bien during the Rising Stars Restaurant Week, StarChefs is donating $3 to Spoonfuls.

Kristin Chenoweth and F. Murray Abraham star in new musical about Jackie and David Siegel, the Florida billionaires aiming to build an enormous mansion in Lauren Greenfield’s award-winning 2012 documentary. Michael Arden directs the pre-Broadway world premiere, which features a score by Stephen Schwartz (Wicked) and a book by Lindsey Ferrentino. It premiered at the Emerson Colonial Theatre and the six-week run is selling fast, so now is a great chance to secure your tickets.

If the 15 dollar oyster deals we rounded up for you this week aren’t enough, get your slurp on this Sunday at Bow Market’s annual Oysterfest. Resident raw bar Bluefin hosts, with multiple shucking stations around the outdoor food hall and maker market; plus food and drink specials from other vendors, a hot sauce pop-up and more. Look for white chocolate-nori and sea salt macarons from Maca, fried oysters and fries from Saus and crab arepas from Carolicious, among other sea-inspired treats. The event is free to attend, but you can pre-order oysters and lobster rolls from Bluefin.

A free, seasonal, outdoor tradition at the Parkman Bandstand on Boston Common, Commonwealth Shakespeare Co. performs The Winter’s Tale through August 4 this year. The tragi-comedy centers on King Leontes of Sicilia, who falsely accuses his wife, Hermione, of infidelity with his best friend, the King of Bohemia. A captivating parable of betrayals, renewed hope and the transformative power of time, this play nevertheless may not be suitable for young children. This year's show is directed by CSC associate artistic director Bryn Boice in her Boston Common debut and stars Nael Nacer and Marianna Bassham. Shows are at 8pm nightly except Mondays. Bring a blanket, a basket of cheese and maybe some well-concealed wine, and grab a spot on the Common for an evening with the Bard. 

The latest offering from Puritan & Company chef Will Gilson and his team is Amba Cafe and Rotisserie. It debuted last week with an all-day menu of flavorful, fulfilling fare for breakfast, lunch and dinner and grab-and-go options for families. The new café’s name describes a tangy mango sauce of Middle Eastern Jewish origin and alludes to Amba’s inspiration. Flavors on the menu—fortified by spice blends from Cambridge’s own Curio Spice Co.—celebrate diversity across the Mediterranean region, centered on shawarma-rubbed, crispy-skin roast chicken. 

Roundhead Brewing Company and Fresh Food Generation continue the first-ever traveling beer garden series in city parks this weekend at LoPresti Park in East Boston. The harborside park is a popular destination for outdoor sports, and boasts walkable paths along the water and a unqiue view of the Boston skyline. The Alianza Park Series is there through Sunday, July 28. Roundhead is serving up diverse draft beers as well as non-alcoholic options like Peruvian chicha morada. Fresh Food Generation is bringing its signature combination of Caribbean and modern American cuisine, plus neighborhood-specific menu items. The beer garden is open (BYO food) 5:30-9pm on Thursday, June 25, featuring the Tito Puente Latin Music Series; and in full form on Friday-Saturday from 1-7pm and Sunday from 1-6pm. 

The Boston French Film Festival returns to the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston through August 3. A curated lineup of the year’s most acclaimed French-language films includes stirring dramas, star-studded comedies and France’s biggest names. Tickets are $12-$15 with showings at various times. Check out the full lineup at mfa.org.

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