Remember the time Liquid Death, a gratuitously morbid canned water company, camped out at Boston Calling just to give guests phony fortunes? Or when Dunkin’ constructed a two-story pop-up so Bostonians could string together friendship bracelets while jeeped up on caffeine? Every year of the festival brings a new slew of hyper-specific cultural experiences, and we’ve compiled the best ways to spend your time in between shouting your favorite lyrics and waiting in line for another round of Tasty Burger.
Whether you’re stoked to relive the 1990s on Sunday (hello, Sublime, Public Enemy, and Dave Matthews Band) or gearing up to tease your hair to heaven in honor of Saturday appearances from acts like Avril Lavigne and All Time Low, here are five on-site experiences not to miss this weekend.
Watch Berklee’s brightest turn the arena into a jazz lounge
Do you like jazz? Quick follow-up question: Do you like staying dry?
When Boston Calling first announced that the on-site indoor arena would serve as a designated stage for Berklee students and recent graduates this year, the setup was initially billed as an air-conditioned space to recover from the sweltering Memorial Day rays and heat. Instead, the arena has become a shelter from the raw spring weather, which turned rainy early Friday evening (and, for better or worse, shows no signs of slowing down).
Every day between 2 and 8 p.m., three jazz-adjacent acts are hitting the arena stage, allowing guests the chance to enjoy a sonic 180 from whatever country, rock, or hip-hop is booming across the Harvard Athletic Complex. With ample seating, the indoor arena is the driest, most relaxed place to recharge this weekend (especially for GA ticketholders who don’t have access to any of the lounges).
Take a spin on the Ferris wheel
Boston Calling vets know it. Wannabe Coachella guests love it. And true New Englanders aren’t intimated by a bluster of freezing rain straight to the face while whirring around on it. Since joining Boston Calling’s footprint in 2018, the Ferris Wheel has become a symbol of the fest’s increasing scope, and this year — rain or no rain — is no exception. It’s also the the ultimate “I was there” photo opp for stoking jealously in whoever’s hate-checking your Instagram. So take a little precipitation on the chin for the naysayers.
Grab some fridge decor at Heineken’s Green Room photo booth
You could burden a trustworthy-looking stranger with taking a photo of you in front of the Boston Calling terrier statue for the umpteenth time. Or you — presumably an adult aged 21 or older — could hit up the photo booth at Heineken’s “Green Room” bar and walk away with a glossy strip of snaps to hang on your fridge. The booth is a hidden treat for the few remaining fans of physical media, or any Instagrammer concerned that this year’s greyscale horizon just doesn’t cut it aesthetically.
Taste the future of Dunkin’…and free coffee
We don’t need a Liquid Death booth to tell you that free iced coffee (or donuts) are in your future. Not to cause a stampede, but Dunkin’s pop-up this year is giving out coffee samples and gift cards. Sure, the gift cards are only for $5 apiece — just enough to buy you a cuppa whatever flavor of Joe you tried — but free money is free money, especially in Trump’s America. Once you choose between free samples of pistachio, cookie dough, mint chocolate chip, or butter pecan-flavored coffee, grab a free piece of swag (hat, sunglasses, or bandana) and hit the pop-up’s “refresh and refuel” station, where you can put that caffeine buzz to good use by bedazzling your face with stick-on gemstones.
Stock up at Subaru’s free swag tent
Do you know what makes for a riveting festival experience? Not letting rain seep through your carefully-curated festival outfit. (Or, if you’re really bold, not letting freezing rain turn your open-air décolletage to a numb shade of blue). The Subaru tent is giving away free rain ponchos. Water bottles and fanny packs too, but — look, just get the free poncho. Seriously. Now is not the time to suffer in the name of couture. Fond memories don’t stem from shivering.
Keep it locked to Vanyaland for all our continuing coverage throughout the weekend.