Great Escape: Music, Moons and the Marshfield Fair

August Moon Festival

Last week we told you about the August Moon Festival in Boston’s Chinatown neighborhood. This week, you can celebrate the August moon a little closer to home as the 24th annual August Moon Festival gets underway on Sunday, Aug. 21 in Quincy.

Plenty of cultural activities, a food court, live entertainment, a children’s area sponsored by the YMCA, and exhibits from over 100 participating business and organizations will be on hand. The event, which runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., will be held along Hancock Street in Quincy Center. Free parking is available in the Ross Parking garage.

Fisherman’s Feast

Celebrate the 101^st Annual Fisherman’s Feast in the North End this weekend. There will be plenty of food and fun to be had as the Fisherman honor the Madonna del Soccorso (Our Lady of Help). Live entertainment is provided throughout the weekend on the main stage located at Fleet, North, and Lewis streets, which will be adorned with festive lights and decorations. A raffle drawing will also be held, with tickets going for $2 a piece or $10 for a book of six, a bargain when compared with the prizes up for grabs, which include $2,500 cash, a weekend golf getaway, five laptop computers.

Expect plenty of food vendors to be on hand and restaurants overflowing to capacity. The Grand Procession of the statue of La Madonna Del Soccorso Di Sciacca through the streets of the North End, accompanied by six marching bands, gets underway at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Free Summer Concert

Do a little dance on the Hatch Shell with KC and the Sunshine Band. The final concert of the Summer Concert Series from Oldies 103.3 WODS happens this Saturday night at 7 p.m. Expect to hear such classics as Get Down Tonight, Please Don’t Go, I’m Your Boogie Man, That’s the Way (I Like It), and Shake, Shake, Shake (Your Booty!) Make sure you get there early to stake your claim to a prime dancing spot.

Marshfield Fair

It’s that time of year again! The 144^th Annual Marshfield Fair runs from Aug. 19 through Aug. 28.  Midway rides, games of chance, gigantic vegetables, live music, demolition derby, 4H competition, and lots more will be in store for 10 days of enjoyment.

The fair is open Monday through Friday from noon to 10 p.m. and from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Admission is $10 and children under 6 are admitted for free. Thursday, Aug. 25 is Children’s Day, where kids 12 and under are admitted free of charge. Parking is extra.

Frog Appreciation Day on the Boston Common

Celebrate our little hopping friends at the first annual Frog Appreciation Day. In conjunction with the Franklin Park Zoo, the Boston Common Frog Pond will host games, lectures, and lots of family friendly fun on Saturday.

Children can make beanbag frogs, get their face painted, and enjoy the chance to win free admission tickets to the Franklin Park Zoo. Dozens of toy frogs will be released into the Spray Pool and there will also be frog races and live entertainment. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is free of charge.

Happy Birthday to Kiki

Speaking of the Franklin Park Zoo, Kiki the lowland gorilla will be celebrating her 30^th birthday on Sunday, Aug. 21. Join in on the fun at the Tropical Forest, where the gorilla exhibit will be decorated for the occasion and watch as Kiki and her three daughters (Kira, Kimani, and Kambiri) enjoy special birthday treats. Here's a look at Kiki and her newborn baby Kambiri from the zoo's website.

There are quite a few new additions to the zoo as well. The births of Wildebeast, Bongo, Ring-Tailed Lemurs, and red Pandas were announced earlier this year. The zoo is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $16 for adults, $10 for children, and kids under 2 are free.