The Lynn Music Festival, presented by the Lynn Music Foundation, returns to Red Rock Park on Saturday, June 20, from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Set against the scenic backdrop of the park’s lush greenery and sweeping ocean views along Lynn Shore Drive, this free, family-friendly event celebrates local music culture and community spirit.
The 2026 festival will feature a diverse lineup of local and regional talent spanning multiple genres. Organizers promise a wide array of musical styles, including jazz, hip-hop, folk, and rock, to showcase both established and emerging artists from Lynn and the surrounding communities.
Beyond Walls LIVE! Fundraiser
Support the next generation of local artists at the Beyond Walls LIVE! fundraiser on Saturday, June 7. The evening begins at 5 p.m. at the Beyond Walls Studio (18 Mt. Vernon St.) with welcome drinks, light appetizers, and a guided mural tour. Following the tour, the event transitions to the Lynn Museum for a reception from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. featuring live music by Village Revival, live painting, and an art auction. Tickets are $50 and include event entry, food, and two drink tickets. All proceeds support the organization’s “Classroom to the Streets” public art education program.
M.E.S.A. Virtual History Lecture
The Lynn Museum & Arts Center’s Museum Enrichment Series for All (M.E.S.A.) will host a free virtual lecture on Wednesday, June 10, from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. via Zoom. Ashley Theilacker, an M.A. Public History student at Northeastern University and research fellow for the “Vessels of Slavery: Forget Me Not” exhibition, will share her research findings on the stories of enslaved people who lived in the greater Lynn area. This program is supported in part by a grant from the Lynn Cultural Council, a local agency supported by the Mass Cultural Council.
Sacred Pouch Making Workshop
Learn the basic art of quilt making at a free Sacred Pouch Making Workshop on Saturday, June 13, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Lynn Museum (590 Washington Street). Hosted by Christle Rawlins-Jackson and Susi Ryan of Sisters In Stitches Joined By The Cloth, attendees will create a special pouch for treasured objects and are welcome to bring a small personal item to place inside. The event is free, open to all ages, and requires no prior sewing experience. While there, visitors are encouraged to view the facilitators’ work in the “Vessels of Slavery: Forget Me Not” exhibition in the first-floor galleries. The museum will also offer free general admission that day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This program is supported in part by a grant from the Lynn Cultural Council, a local agency, which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.
2026 Greater Lynn State of the Region Breakfast Forum
The Greater Lynn Chamber of Commerce will host the 2026 Greater Lynn State of the Region Breakfast Forum on Wednesday, June 10, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the Lynn Public Schools Welcome Center, located at 2 State Street. Tickets are $40. Join Mayor Jared Nicholson and other North Shore municipal leaders as they discuss upcoming regional projects and priorities.
10th Annual North Shore Juneteenth Celebration
Celebrate freedom and community resilience at the 10th Annual North Shore Juneteenth Celebration on Saturday, June 20, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Lynn Common (111 North Common St.). This free, family-friendly event will feature performances of dance, song, and spoken word, alongside opportunities to shop with BIPOC vendors. Complimentary soul food catered by A Taste of Mae will be available to the community on a first-come, first-served basis.
Glow Up Week Clean-ups
The City of Lynn is hosting “Glow Up Week” from June 21 to 27 to refresh local streets, parks, and neighborhoods. Residents and community organizations are encouraged to collect litter and remove waste anywhere from their favorite local parks to the sidewalks outside their own front doors.
As part of the initiative, a targeted Community Clean-Up event will take place on Friday, June 26, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Lynn Common. Volunteers should meet at the fountain to gather cleaning supplies. Participants are also invited to email photos of their hard work to [email protected] to be highlighted on the City’s official social media channels.
Rainbow Revolutionaries Tours Return
The Freedom Trail Foundation’s new, first of its kind official Freedom Trail tour entitled Rainbow Revolutionaries will return to Boston’s streets this Saturday, June 6 at 10:45 a.m. The tours will run throughout the month of June on Saturdays and Sundays, and on select Saturdays in July and August.
The tours illuminate the lives, loves, and fights for liberty of Boston’s LGBTQ+ community, while exploring how queer individuals have been making history for centuries. Led by 18th-century costumed guides, the tours will travel along the Freedom Trail and visit seven places featuring Boston’s LGBTQ+ history, including official Freedom Trail historic sites as well as sites just steps off the Trail. Rainbow Revolutionaries will uncover the history of Boston Marriages, political milestones for LGBTQ+ rights, and the storied romances of some of Boston’s most famous individuals, from literary giants to a world-renowned actress, and even a Revolutionary war hero. Tour goers are invited to join in to bring this history to life and celebrate Pride by discovering the achievements of the queer people who have always been a part of and have helped shape Boston.
These special tours will be offered on Saturdays and Sundays throughout June, and Saturdays July 11 and August 8, departing at 10:45 a.m. Freedom Trail Foundation walking tours are $17 for adults, $15 for seniors/students, and $8 for children, and include a $1 donation to the Freedom Trail Foundation’s Preservation Fund. Tickets may be purchased at the Boston Common Visitor Information Center and online at TheFreedomTrail.org.
Neighborhealth 5K run/walk this weekend
On Saturday, June 6, NeighborHealth will host its 14th Annual Let’s Get Movin’ New Balance Foundation 5K for Fitness at Memorial Park (250 Sumner St.,) in East Boston. Beginning at 10 a.m., the event is expected to draw more than 600 participants from across Greater Boston and will feature a 5K run/walk, community health resource fair, healthy living activities, and an awards ceremony recognizing top runners.
The event highlights NeighborHealth’s ongoing efforts to promote health, wellness, and physical activity while connecting residents with valuable community resources.
DCR is Growing Wild for Pollinators: Free Native Plant Kits Available
The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR), and the Massachusetts Nursery and Landscape Association (MNLA) are currently distributing free native plant materials to help residents create habitats for pollinators across the state. The program kicked off with a launch event on Friday, May 29, at Mahoney’s Garden Center in Winchester.
Now entering its sixth season, the “Growing Wild” campaign provides a simple way for residents to strengthen local biodiversity. Up to 75% of all flowering plants and 35% of the plants that we eat rely on insects like bees and butterflies to move pollen and reproduce. Unfortunately, these vital pollinators are currently facing severe threats from habitat loss, the spread of invasive species, pesticide use, and climate change.
By planting native species, gardeners can provide essential food and shelter for these local insects, as well as birds and small mammals. Because native plants are uniquely adapted to Massachusetts’ specific climate, they can better endure local challenges like droughts or heavy rain. They also require less water and fossil fuels for maintenance, helping to increase stormwater absorption and improve overall air quality.
This season, the program is distributing free pollinator starter kits at 21 participating nurseries and six DCR parks across the state. Each kit contains:
• Two one-gallon native perennial plants
• Native seed packets
• Seed germination kits with native wildflower seeds
• Educational resources on pollinator-friendly gardening
• A Growing Wild Massachusetts sticker
Gardeners of all experience levels are encouraged to participate and can take the extra step of registering their new native plantings on the Massachusetts Pollinator Map to join a statewide network of eco-friendly landscapes.
Kits are available while supplies last at the following upcoming DCR park events:
• Middlesex Fells Reservation (Flynn Rink), Medford: Saturday, June 6, 2026, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
• Lawrence Heritage State Park (Riverfront Park), Lawrence: Sunday, June 7, 2026, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
• Waquoit Bay, East Falmouth: Saturday, June 13, 2026, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
• Blackstone River Greenway (Worcester Visitor Center), Worcester: Sunday, June 14, 2026, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
• Holyoke Heritage State Park, Holyoke: Saturday, June 20, 2026, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
• Clarksburg State Park, Clarksburg: Sunday, June 21, 2026, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
A full list of participating nursery locations is available on the DCR website.