Boston's Best Labor Day Weekend Events

For many, Labor Day weekend marks the end of the summer and the start of school, a new round of yard work and even preparing months in advance for Christmas. This makes Labor Day the perfect time to kick back and relax for one final weekend before the big push. Eat some good food, get a tattoo, celebrate the arts or listen to some music. All of these options and more are available for those who are in Boston for the last hurrah of the season.

2014 Boston Tattoo Convention
The Sheraton, Boston
39 Dalton St.
Boston, MA 02199
(617) 236-2000
www.bostontattooconvention.com

Date: Aug. 29-31, 2014

The Boston Tattoo Convention may not be everyone's idea of a fun Labor Day weekend, but it is the place to be for those who enjoy this form of art. There will even be a burlesque show and other forms of live entertainment. Guests can check out work, enjoy a seminar or even get inked. Do not be put off by the fact that it is at a convention. Some of the area's best artists will be there and it is possible to have large or small pieces done. Women with ink may want to sign up for the Miss Boston Ink competition as well.
Related: Boston Area's Best Labor Day Celebrations

St. Lucy's Feast
Boston's North End
Thacher and Endicott St.
Boston, MA 02113
www.stanthonysfeast.com

Date: Sept. 1, 2014

Boston's North End is a primarily Italian neighborhood and thus has many Italian celebrations each year. One of them is the Labor Day St. Lucy's Feast. It is a Catholic holiday celebrating the patron saint of eye health, a young virgin girl who was tortured, had her eyes carved out and was stabbed to death by her persecutors (lovely, huh?). The public celebration begins when a statue of the saint is carried reverently through the streets of the North End. The procession is followed by a feast celebration, music and finally a candlelight procession.

Boston Calling Music Festival
Boston City Hall Plaza
1 City Hall Ave.
Boston, MA 02201
(617) 635-4000
www.fall.bostoncalling.com

Date: Sept. 5-7, 2014

The Boston Calling Music Festival is a three-day event that is primarily about music. However, there is also a lot of food, some activities and a family-friendly environment. Tickets are available for a single day or for the entire weekend, but there is no sleeping over as with some other festivals. Guests will have to find lodging nearby and return for the festival the next day. There are several regulations for the safety of all guests, so be sure to check the event website in preparation. Although this falls the weekend after Labor Day, it should be tacked on to the festivities.

Mass Brewers Fest
World Trade Center Head House Concourse
200 Seaport Blvd.
Boston, MA 02210
(617) 385-5000
www.massbrewersguild.org

Date: Aug. 29, 2014

Anyone who is 21 or older is welcome to join the Mass Brewers Guild for a night of Massachusetts beer tasting. There will be more than 100 varieties from local brewers. There will also be live music from Three Day Threshold. Every beer at this festival is made from the same base provided to the participating brewers before the event. This is the festival's fifth year and it has gained enough popularity to attract about 2,000 beer fans for 2014.
Related: Boston Area's Best Labor Day Weekend Events for Kids

Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers at Fenway
Fenway Park
4 Yawkey Way
Boston, MA 02215
(877) 733-7699
www.tompetty.com

Date: Aug. 30, 2014 at 7 p.m.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers is making its way to Boston just in time for Labor Day weekend. The show is taking place at historic Fenway Park, a great place to watch a music show or a baseball game. Concert-goers will love the location thanks to the number of bars, restaurants and clubs nearby for pre- or post-show food and fun. While it is possible to have a few beers at Fenway Park, this is a family-friendly venue, so do not be afraid to bring along children.

Shelly Barclay is a professional freelance writer and amateur author. She writes on a variety of topics from food to mysteries. She loves to share the culture and rich history of her birthplace and home, Boston, with the rest of the world. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.