Boston Harborfest 2009

Celebrate our independence this year by attending the biggest 4^th of July bash in the country: Boston Harborfest 2009. A patriotic tradition now 28 years strong, Boston Harborfest is a buzzing six-day festival showcasing the profound heritage of Boston herself, one the nation’s most formative cities.

Boston Harborfest was a hit from its very first day back in 1982, but only the very bold might have guessed how massive it would become. Six days, more than 200 events (and many of them free), a concurrent food festival, tens of thousands of visitors – this is one of the year’s biggest parties, and we hope you get in on the fun.

Starting June 30, 2009, historic downtown Boston and the waterfront will come alive with 200+ daily events ranging from thrilling reenactments to history tours to live concerts and dancing to gourmet luncheons, and the list goes on. With more than 200 on tap, we can’t possibly report on them all, but for our time and money, you’ve got to make one of the Boston Pub Tours (21 and over, please), the Ghosts and Gravestones Tour, storytelling with a live Paul Revere, and something on the water, be it a dinner cruise, a tall ship excursion, or my favorite, the Boston Ghost Cruise.

Along with the dailies, Harborfest features five main events: the opening ceremony, Children’s Day, Party on the Plaza concerts, 4^th of July Fireworks and finally Chowderfest on the July 5^th, the final day. You may feel well and satisfied after an explosive evening of fireworks, but we do encourage you to stick around for Sunday’s Chowderfest (in fact, I’d take it over a fireworks show any day).

Some of the area’s top restaurants have signed up to compete, bringing over 2,000 gallons of Boston’s famous clam chowder with them for a fun food face-off in which, really, everybody wins! Now this is a tradition I can get behind.

Boston Harborfest 2009 will be held June 30 – July 5, 2009 through downtown and the waterfront, with main events typically held at Boston City Hall. Admission to daily events ranges from free to $50+, and reservations are required for some, so be sure to review the daily events calendar carefully. You can find more about everything here.

For hotels in Boston, MA, we have an easy favorite: the Holiday Inn Boston at Beacon Hill. Along with a phenomenal location, they’re currently running three awesome Boston vacation packages based on local attractions. As long as you’re traveling to Boston, might as well get the most of it, right?

The “Aquatic Adventure Package” features four tickets to the New England Aquarium (which was incredible last time a visited – so many jellyfish). The “Sleep, Sights and Science” package includes four tickets to the Boston Museum of Science, just 3 blocks from the hotel. Finally, the “Just Ducky Package” includes two tickets for the famous Boston Duck Tour (another favorite).

You can’t go wrong with any of them. Learn more about these Boston hotel deals.

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