We’re feeling festive this month! While the events of April 15 remain vivid in the forefront of our minds, as we turn over a new page (virtually or literally) of our calendars, we’re reminded of the beauty that is Boston in springtime. For this month’s edition of the Go List, we’re highlighting five fabulous festivals - all free! - that capture all that is good in our special town.

Of course, our Events Calendar is filling up with plenty of other special events for kids all month long, and we’re adding to it every day. Read on for 5 of our favorite things to do with kids in Boston this May. Click through to the full listings and you can add them to your calendar. We'll still send our weekend event roundups each Thursday, but we want to give you enough notice to plan for some of these in advance.

Festival season has begun! From the Harvard ArtsFirst Festival to the Boston College Arts Festival, the Sheepshearing Festival at Gore Place to the Leonard Bernstein Festival of the Creative Arts at Brandeis, our calendar is filling up with this sure sign of spring. We also have performances of the Catskill Puppet Theater’s The Town that Fought Hate, an Earth Day celebration in Concord, a children’s opera by the Boston Conservatory, and more. Read on for this weekend’s highlights.

Early results from our recent survey (didn’t get a chance to take it? there’s still time!) indicate that our readers are interested in knowing about day trips and weekend getaways. In that vein, we continue our coverage with some insights into the East Bay RI towns of Bristol and Warren. We also recognize National Bike Month in May with our Cycling with Kids post that covers local trails and routes, tours, and special bike-related events.

And with Mother’s Day just over two weeks away, we’ve highlighted some special kid-friendly Mother’s Day brunches - reservations required!

Be sure to check our Events calendar for more things to do, and please stay tuned for an announcement about a very special festival being planned to benefit The One Fund Boston - The One Family Music Festival. Details coming soon.

Until then, enjoy!

Forget the flowers, the bath salts, and the foot soak. Indulge your mom, your wife (or yourself!) in the most glorious brunch of the year, a splurge-worthy meal to celebrate the fine art of motherhood. Boston’s special kid-friendly Mother’s Day brunches take it up a level with cruises, crafts for kids, and decadent drinks. [Updated April 2013]