The cobblestone plazas around Quincy Market and Faneuil Hall double as one of the country’s longest-running street-performance pitches, with acts working the crowds daily from late morning into the evening. On any given pass you might catch jugglers, acrobats, magicians, comics, or musicians ranging from electric violin to singer-songwriters — a rotating roster that mixes international circuit veterans with local talent.

It’s free, unticketed, and unpredictable in the best way: shows form wherever a crowd gathers, and the bigger acts build toward genuinely impressive stunt finales. Bring kids and let them work up to the front — the performers feed off young volunteers — and toss something in the hat if you stay for a whole set, since that’s what keeps the entertainment free. Easy to pair with a snack crawl through the Quincy Market colonnade.