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Boston Globe

Roxbury film fest honors Black stories and history, and a West Coast blues fest for July Fourth

Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Portland, Ore., hosts the 38th annual Waterfront Blues Festival July 4-5 at Tom McCall Waterfront Park and on the Willamette River, featuring local legends and national bands, and the city's only sanctioned fireworks display (pictured here). Waterfront Blues Festival / Jason Quigley Advertisement THERE A West Coast blues fest for the Fourth of July The 'other' Portland — in the Pacific Northwest — celebrates July 4 with its 38th annual Waterfront Blues Festival, spanning two days and taking place downtown at Tom McCall Waterfront Park and on the Willamette River, which cuts through the heart of the city. The event, July 4-5, features more than 30 national artists and local legends including, among others, The Main Squeeze, ZZ Ward, The Motet, Allen Stone, Low Cut Connie, The Bayou Boyz, and Southern Avenue whose lead singer, Tierinii Jackson, performs on the soundtrack for this year's film 'Sinners.' Festivalgoers can jump on two blues cruises — or floating concerts on the Willamette — with Sail on Sister on July 4 (3-5 p.m.), featuring Sonny Hess's all-star gathering of Northwest Women Rhythm & Blues, guitar ace Taylor Newville & the Riders, and acoustic blues virtuosos Mary Flower and Lauren Sheehan, and Cruisin' to Memphis on July 5 (3-5 p.m.) featuring two bands and two solo acoustic acts that will compete for a spot at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis next January. The festival hosts the city's only sanctioned Fourth of July fireworks show, an epic display with fireworks launched from a barge on the Willamette (and set to music, even if it's not the Boston Pops). Get a one-day ticket ($40) or two-day pass ($75), or opt for a $200 VIP pass, which gives you early entry, top viewing access, and access to a private bar (with two free drinks) and restrooms; free entry for ages 12 and younger. Advertisement YETI has released its new Hondo Beach Chair, a sturdy seat that holds up to 350 pounds, folds flat for easy transport, reclines in four different positions so you can take a nap or stargaze, and has an aluminum frame and breathable UV-resistant mesh that's comfortable to sit on for hours. Mike Bagnuolo / YETI EVERYWHERE A comfy portable beach chair Beach season and summer adventures have finally arrived. If last year's favorite camping or beach chair didn't weather winter storage — or survive last year's UV rays — as hoped, consider investing in a new one that should last for years to come. YETI, maker of colorful insulated mugs of all sizes, has released its new Hondo Beach Chair, a sturdy seat that holds up to 350 pounds, folds flat for easy transport, has a padded shoulder strap for carrying, and weighs about 11 pounds — not the lightest chair, but worth it for its sturdiness and durability (it also makes a great last-minute Father's Day gift). The chair has an aluminum frame and breathable UV-resistant mesh that's comfortable to sit on for hours. It has two supportive armrests and a fabric cupholder, and it reclines so you can take a nap, even out your tan, or gaze up at the stars. You can even accessorize your chair: Attach the Hondo Gear Bag to the rung on the back of the chair and fill it with small items such as matches, car keys, bug spray, a book, or a s'mores chocolate bar that's unauthorized for child consumption (it's good to have your own secret stash). The chair isn't cheap — $300 — but it should last for many seasons (YETI offers a three-year warranty if anything within reason goes wrong). $35 gear bag. Advertisement KARI BODNARCHUK Kari Bodnarchuk can be reached at