Free, one-hour concerts in one of Boston’s most beautiful spaces.

The courtyard of the Central Library in Copley Square, one of Boston’s most beautiful spaces, is filled with music during free, one-hour concerts throughout the summer. The courtyard hosts music that ranges from jazz to classical and from world to folk.

Concerts are moved to Rabb Hall in the event of inclement weather.

Wednesday concerts are presented in partnership with Berklee College of Music and are generously sponsored by Back Bay  Association member Brookline Bank.

The schedule of performers is as follows:

• June 7:  Morgan Minsk
• June 14: Boston Lyric Opera & Castle of Our Skins
• June 21: Ensemble Lyrae
• June 28: Talie
• July 5:  Frost String Quartet
• July 12: Visiting Wine
• July 19: Born Yesterday
• July 26: Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra: Intensive Community Program
• August 2: The Vinegar Flies
• August 9: Three At Home
• August 16: Cardamom Quartet
• August 23:  Zikina
• August 30: Boston Lyric Opera

The French Cultural Center presents an evening of French and Bostonian composers.

American artists Matthew Hoch (baritone) and Aaron Larget-Caplan (guitar) present an Art Song Recital by French and American composers, including a world premiere by Boston composer Francine Trester.

The concert is a journey from a poetic French café and countryside, to the gardens and landscapes of Spain and America. This concert marks the celebration of Larget-Caplan’s recent award from the Société Académique Arts–Sciences–Lettres. It will be a dramatic and intimate event by two splendid artists.

Composers: Reynaldo Hahn, Roland Dyens, Joaquin Rodrigo, John Cage, Matyas Seiber, and Francine Trester.  

$25 ticket includes:

• Whiskey Tasting with specialty paired appetizers prepared by our Executive Chef
• Green Spot paired with Chipotle & Lime Chicken Sausage
• Redbreast paired with Ribeye & Blue Cheese Bites
• Powers Gold paired with Smoked Salmon Crostini
• Midleton Very Rare paired with Dark Chocolate Foundue
• Redbrast 21′ to cleanse the palate cleanser!
• Q&A with the legendary Alex Thibault
• Welcome whiskey cocktail

This event is 21+.

For more information on Back Bay Social, please click here.

Holiday lovers rejoice! This tasting will prolong the holiday atmosphere at the French Cultural Center!

To kick-off their tasting season, the French Cultural Center will explore the different hot beverages that you can sip during the winter time!

Join them for a warm and new tasting presented by Alexandre Sofjer, resident sommelier at La Voile and 1855 Bar à vin.

Event in English. Advanced RSVP strongly recommended. The general tasting is a standing event – this is not a sit-down seminar. Please email culture@frenchculturalcenter.org to request a seat/chair, if needed.

On the Menu 

• Mulled wine
• Mulled apple cider
• Irish coffee
• Grog
• Russian punch

For more about the French Cultural Center, please click here.

If you’re going to cheat on your New Year’s resolution, shouldn’t it be with wine and cheese?

Get lost in formaggi and vino heaven, and join Eataly Boston’s annual Winter Wine & Cheese Fest!

Guests at this tasting festival will receive an all-access pass to wander through the entire store and taste a variety of artisanal cheeses and fine wines. At each station, you’ll learn about the characteristics and stories behind each cheese you’re enjoying and every wine you’re sipping directly from passionate experts. Experience an evening as the best of both Italy and New England come together with cheeses and wine sourced from top local and Italian producers.

Don’t miss this indulgent trip to Italy—without ever leaving Boston—for a Winter Wine and Cheese Fest designed by some of the best cheesemongers and sommeliers in the business!

All-Access Bracelets are $60

Ticket includes food sampling and tastings of an array of cheeses/salumi and wines.

Due to the nature of the event, we are unable to make menu substitutions to accommodate allergies or dietary restrictions.

All guests planning to consume alcohol must be able to produce valid government-issue identification to prove they are 21 or older.

To learn more about Eataly Boston, please click here.

Join Mandarin Oriental Boston for an evening of exciting wines from legendary Rhône Valley producer M. Chapoutier with regionally-focused pairings.

More information is coming soon! 

To learn more about the Mandarin Oriental, please click here.

By very popular demand: the 2020 Rialto Pop-Up Dinner by Chef Jody Adams at Porto Boston!

Please join Porto Boston on Saturday evening January 25, 2020 for a Rialto Pop Up Dinner prepared by Chef Jody Adams and the Porto culinary team. Enjoy light bites and cocktails from 6-7pm, followed by a reminiscent 5 course dinner of Rialto inspired favorites paired with our selection of Italian Wines. Tickets are limited and are required to attend this event!

Questions? Please contact Elissa@Porto-Boston.com.

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MENU

Find our planned dinner menu below (subject to slight change) :

01. Grilled Oysters
Andouille sausage, garlic toast

02. Lobster Cavatelli
red and green tomato sauce, saffron, hot lobster oil

03. Slow Roasted Duck
balsamic vinegar, braised escarole, green olives, rosemary

04. Grilled Beef Rib-Eye
roasted garlic potatoes, arugula, endive, truffles

05. Hot chocolate Crema
coffee-hazelnut ice cream, blood orange

** Please note, unfortunately, we are not able to accommodate substitutions for this event. 

To learn more about Porto, please click here.

Meet and mingle with other Francophiles while celebrating La Chandeleur!

Also called Crêpe Day, la Chandeleur is a French holiday during which people traditionally eat crêpes and drink cidre. Though la Chandeleur is often associated with the Catholic holiday of Candlemas, it actually stems from pagan traditions. And, of course, there is the traditional coin ritual: if you can flip a crêpe while holding a coin in your other hand, you and your family will not have to worry about financial problems. There is even a fun legend that ties Napoleon’s misfortune with his time in Russia with the flipping of the crêpes!

The French Cultural Center will observe this popular holiday with crêpes and a variety of delicious toppings. All ages are invited and welcome to attend!

Please note: When you register for a family, you are registering per family. You will be required to answer a question on the number of family members that will attend.

Early RSVP recommended.

To learn more about the French Cultural Center, please click here.

Join the French Cultural Center for a musical trip to Paris from Boston in 3 acts.

This event features an international lineup of musicians exploring a French and Bostonian repertoire through piano, clarinet, and vocal performance.

A highlight of the concert is the US premiere of contemporary French composer Jean-Pierre Armanet’s composition ‘The T’, dedicated to our historic subway, the oldest in North America.

The program also includes music for clarinet and piano by Poulenc, Debussy and a dramatic solo cantata by Berlioz, all performed by graduates of the Longy School of Music of Bard College in Cambridge, which was founded by a Frenchman.

Presented in partnership with Ballets Russes Arts Initiative.

Program:
Jean-Pierre Armanet: The ‘T’, suite for solo piano, US Premiere (2017)
intermission
Francis Poulenc: Clarinet and Piano Sonata, op. 184 (1962)
Claude Debussy: Première rhapsodie for clarinet and piano, L. 116, (1909-1910)
intermission
Hector Berlioz: La Mort de Cléopatre, solo cantata, H. 36,  (1829)

To learn more about the French Cultural Center, please click here.

The “Shamrock Showdown” is the city of Boston’s Ultimate St Patrick’s Day Weekend Bar Crawl

Join thousands of Shamrock themed crawlers as they take over the bars of Back Bay and Downtown on Saturday March 14th.

With over 20+ bars participating around Boston, this is sure to be the biggest bar crawl you have ever seen! 

CHECK IN and grab your SHAMROCK SHOWDOWN bracelet at 1 of 2 locations:

• KINGS – 50 Dalton St.
  Back Bay Check In
  10am to 4pm
  SCHOLARS PUB – 25 School St.
• Downtown Check In
  12:30pm to 4pm
  Shamrock Showdown Crawl Stops:

All stops are FREE to enter with our special bracelet. If you do not have the exclusive SHAMROCK SHOWDOWN bracelet you could be charged a cover and or admitted.

Keep in mind the most important times are the “Check In” times for Kings and Scholars Pub. The other times listed below for the various venues are just suggested stop times.

All venues must adhere to their legal capacities and will only let in as many customers as they can legally hold. If a venue is at capacity you have the choice of waiting to get in, or move onto another venue.

BACK BAY BARS

• Back Bay Social – Noon to 8pm

• Dillions – 11am to 6pm

• Kings Back Bay – 10am to 8pm – FREE Bowling, Arcade, and Karaoke 10am to 4pm

• LIR – 10am to 8pm

• McGreevey’s – 10am to 8pm

For more about this event, please click here.