25 Things to do in Boston this summer

Great Boston Beer Marathon
Attention, hops-heads: Test out your liver’s prowess at the Seventh Annual Great Boston Beer Marathon, the self-proclaimed “mother of all pub crawls.” And they ain’t kidding: A full day sees participants covering 26 bars—one for each mile of that other Boston Marathon. Stops along the way will include An Tua Nua, the Draft, La Verdad, Tequila Rain and White Horse, to name a (very, very) few; you can count on free pool and bowling, plus lots of drink specials. Your ticket gets you a T-shirt, viking helmet, a swag bag, raffle entry and Mardi Gras beads to help spread the love (read: drunkenness) around. $5 of every ticket sold goes to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. (beermarathon.net). July 14; $25

Figment
Probably the best thing to hit the Rose Kennedy Greenway since it stopped being a freeway, the annual Figment rolls into Boston for one weekend with all its kinetic sculptures, DJs and giant balls of yarn in tow. The free public art fest encourages participation of all kinds, as artists from all over the spectrum display, act out and roll around about their work. Attendees are encouraged to come in costume and bring water guns, hula hoops and other fun summer things of their choosing. Plus, you know, an open mind. Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway, along Atlantic Ave, Waterfront, Boston (boston.figmentproject.org). June 2 11am–11pm, June 3 11am–6pm; free

Taste of Cambridge
Celebrate the variety of victuals that Cambridge has to offer at Taste of Cambridge. Held on Sidney Street in Central Square, the event features tasty nibbles from dozens of restos, such as East Coast Grill, Iggy’s Bread of the World, Grafton Street, Area Four and Upstairs on the Square. There’ll also be beer, wine and live music. Tickets are tax-deductible, because all proceeds benefit numerous charities—including On The Rise, a program that works with homeless women to overcome challenges such as substance abuse and addiction. Sidney St, Central Square, Cambridge (tasteofcambridge.com). June 12 5:30–8:30pm; $15–$75

Coriolanus on Boston Common
Commonwealth Shakespeare Company’s annual alfresco productions on the Common are far and away the most-attended theater shows in town, and with good reason: The performances are free, and Shakespeare is the best. Following last year’s solid production of All’s Well That Ends Well, the troupe takes on another of the Bard’s lesser-performed works. Set in warmongering Ancient Rome, Coriolanus is the troublesome tragedy of a hot-tempered general bent on revenge. A Ralph Fiennes–helmed film adaptation is due out sometime later this year, but we’d rather watch Caius Marcius storm and bluster from a picnic blanket beneath a setting sun. Parkman Bandstand on Boston Common (617-426-0863, commshakes.org). July 25–Aug 12; free

Party in Chinatown
Chinese New Year may have come and gone, but you can dance about the Year of the Dragon all calendar-year long thanks to Chinatown Main Street. Sidestep the barbecue trucks on the Greenway and pass through the ’hood’s iconic gate (it’s called a paifang, noobs) for two celebrations: the Chinatown Main Street Festival (June 24 10am–5pm) and the Chinatown August Moon Festival (Aug 12 10am–5pm). Both will feature plenty of delicious food from street vendors, lion dances, martial arts demonstrations and Chinese opera performances. We’ll meet you by the rice balls. (chinatownmainstreet.org)