It looks like Massachusetts will be offering a sales tax holiday this Saturday, August 16 and Sunday, August 17. Both houses of the Legislature have approved a sales-tax holiday proposal, and Gov. Deval Patrick said earlier in the week that if it passed he would sign it.

During the tax holiday, most purchases made by individuals on items for personal use costing $2,500 or less will not be subject to the 5 percent Massachusetts sales tax. This is a great time to do some shopping—get that camera you've been eyeing, indulge in some new clothes—but make sure you are aware of the restrictions. In previous years, the following have not qualified for the tax exemption: motor vehicles, motorboats, meals, telecommunications services, gas, steam, electricity, tobacco products, and any single item whose price exceeds $2,500. So check in with the Massachusetts Department of Revenue website for full details on the tax holiday.

The 2008 Summer Olympics take place in Beijing, China from August 8 to August 24. Among the athletes on this year's U.S. Olympic Team are a number who have Massachusetts connections. Here's a quick look at the local athletes. Read more.

Massachusetts native Erik Vendt, 2008 U.S. Olympic Swim Team member. Robert Laberge/Getty Images Sports

Ladies and gentlemen, make your reservations! Summer Restaurant Week is right around the corner and it's time to start thinking about what restaurants you want to check out. The 2008 Summer Restaurant Week Boston is Sunday, August 10 through Friday, August 15 and Sunday, August 17 through Friday, August 22, but you'll want to plan ahead if you want to get a table.

If you aren't familiar with it, Restaurant Week Boston is your chance to get a three-course, prix-fixe meal at some of the city's best dining establishments. Restaurant Week only comes twice a year, so don't miss your opportunity to try someplace new! Read more.

Image courtesy Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau

Every summer people flock to Forest Hills, a beautiful 250-acre working cemetery established in 1848 and containing sculptures and modern works of art, for the annual Lantern Festival. During the Lantern Festival, a free event open to the public and inspired by Buddhist rituals, people can inscribe a lantern with a message to departed loved ones and float it across the cemetery's ornamental lake at sunset. Read more.

Explore a Forest Hills Cemetery photo gallery.

Photo courtesy Forest Hills Trust