Next weekend is the 32nd Annual Black Ships Festival in Newport, Rhode Island. It runs Friday, July 17th - Sunday, July 19th. Check their website for details. The festival commemorates the history of kurofune, Western ships that opened up trade with Japan. Rhode Island might seem like an odd location for such a festival but Newport is the birthplace of Commodore Matthew Perry who negotiated the Kanagawa Treaty, the first treaty between the US and Japan.
Update 7/19/15: I just found out there are two natsu matsuri on Saturday July 25th. Circle of Boston Nursery School in Watertown, Massachusetts will have a Summer Festival from 10am - 1pm. Given that it's a nursery I'm sure it will be very child-friendly.
On Saturday, July 25th and Sunday, July 26th from noon - 3pm you can go to Medford for the Ebisuya Summer Festival at the only remaining exclusively Japanese grocery store in the Boston area. According to the flyer "If you come wearing a Yukata, Kimono, or other traditional Japanese clothing you will be given a free Green tea Shake!" Based on what I've seen at past Ebisuya festivals they will not be offended if non-Japanese people wear traditional Japanese dress. I doubt the MFA protesters will show up.
Next month on Sunday, August 26, 2015, Hana Japan Restaurant in Newburyport, Massachusetts will host their fifth annual Natsu Matsuri (summer festival). Unfortunately, details aren't up on their website or Facebook yet. The Natsu Matsui is small and family-friendly and includes games, dancing, usually taiko, and wonderful food. Photos from last year's matsuri. I will update this post when I have the hours. Based on previous years I'd guess it will be in the early afternoon.
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