The Friends of the Public Garden’s major fundraising event, The Green & White, will take place this spring on Friday, April 11 at 6 pm at The Newbury Boston. Co-chairs are Gloria Coleman, Kenda Coleman, Don and Victoria Sullivan, and Jack Yeaton. Sponsorships and single tickets are now available. The Green & White brings together neighbors and friends to support the Boston Common, the Public Garden, and the Commonwealth Avenue Mall. This event is the single largest source of funding for the Friends’ annual parks care budget. Your support of the Green & White allows us to invest more than $2.6 million annually in the care of these iconic public parks in the heart of downtown Boston. For details, and to reserve, visit https://friendsofthepublicgarden.org/events/green-white/
Join SYRCL for An Evening of Environmental & Adventure Films on Friday, March 28 from 6:30 – 9, benefiting the Greater Worcester Land Trust. The even will take place in the Sullivan Auditorium of Worcester State University. Visit https://wildandscenicfilmfestival.org/ for more information.
The Associates of the Boston Public Library are delighted to announce the lineup for the 35th annual Literary Lights dinner on April 27 at the Fairmont Copley Plaza. This black-tie-optional event is our annual opportunity to honor outstanding writers from the Northeast and to celebrate their contributions to literature while raising vital funds to support the preservation of the Boston Public Library’s Special Collections.
Keynote speaker Elizabeth Strout (below) is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Olive Kitteridge (2008) and one of today’s most celebrated voices in fiction. Born in Portland, Maine, her childhood experiences served as inspiration for the fictional “Shirley Falls, Maine,” the setting of four of her nine acclaimed novels.
A graduate of Bates College, Strout also earned a law degree and a Certificate in Gerontology from Syracuse University. After a brief career in Legal Services, she moved to New York City, where she became an adjunct in the English Department of Borough of Manhattan Community College.
Balancing motherhood, teaching, and her passion for storytelling, Strout began publishing in literary magazines and mainstream outlets like Redbook and Seventeen—paving the way for her remarkable career today.
Also honored will be David Grann, journalist and author of Killers of the Flower Moon, presented by non-fiction writer Nathaniel Philbrick, Elin Hilderbrand, author of the Nantucket novels, presented by Boston Globe columnist & writer Meredith Goldstein, Curtis Sittenfeld, author of the novels Prep and Rodham, presented by writer Tom Perrotta, and Ilyon Woo, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Master Slave Husband Wife, presented by journalist and writer Caleb Gayle. Jared Bowen, GBH Executive Arts Editor and Host of The Culture Show, will be the Emcee of the evening. For more information on tickets or sponsorship opportunities pleaseclick here or contact Laura Russo, Director of Development and External Affairs, at LRusso@AssociatesBPL.org or (617) 536-3886.
Get ready for an unforgettable challenge at the Boston Parks and Recreation’s First Annual Duck-Boat-Pull —a brand-new event taking place in the heart of the Boston Common on Saturday, April 12, where teams of 10 will race against the clock to pull a 21,000-pound duck boat across a designated course. Think you’ve got what it takes to out-pull the competition?
This exciting event isn’t just about muscle—every pull you make directly benefits local youth sports and fitness programs that keep our kids active, healthy, and thriving. All proceeds go toward funding essential sports leagues, tournaments, and fitness initiatives managed by the Boston Parks and Recreation Department for all of Boston’s youth.
This event is in partnership with theBoston Duck Tours. The event is free to watch, and teams of ten will pay $1,000 in support of Boston’s Youth Sports. To sign up contact Tiffany Clark at 617-233-2305, or send an email.
Since 2003, thanks to friends and supporters like you, Party in the Park has facilitated care for more than 9,000 inventoried trees, significant restoration and improvements in the historic, 1,100-acre Emerald Necklace park system designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. This year’s event will take place May 14 in Pinebank in Jamaica Pond Park, Sponsors to date include Bartlett Tree Experts, Sarah Freeman, Georgia Lee, Joan Goldberg, Elizabeth Clark Libert, The Newbury Boston, Elizabeth Brookhiser, and Skanska USA Commercial Development. To join the growing list, visit https://www.emeraldnecklace.org/party-in-the-park/
Bonnie Bennett, owner of Kakawa Chocolate House and an expert chocolatier, will guide participants through this March 26 one hour virtual class. Learn how to taste and pair different chocolates from around the globe. During the class, guests will have an opportunity to explore the distinctive looks, aromas, textures, and flavors that define different varietals and terroirs of chocolate-growing regions. In addition, Bonnie will share some of her extensive knowledge of the history of chocolate and expand upon some of the unique properties and unusual facts about cacao.
Each $75 ticket includes a chocolate kit that will be shipped directly to the postal address entered when you register. One interactive kit contains enough chocolate to serve two people, a sensory tasting wheel, and a note sheet to record your observations. Purchase multiple kits for an amazing Chocolate celebration with family and friends!
Space is limited for this tantalizing virtual adventure. Registration for this GBH event ends on Friday, March 7, 2025 at 5pm EST, to provide ample time to ship the chocolate kits to your preferred shipping address. Register at www.wgbh.org/events
Join Charles River Watershed Association on April 27th for the 41st Run of the Charles paddling race at Herter Park, featuring live music, food trucks, a beer garden, and more! Registration is now open at https://www.crwa.org/events/runofthecharles Run of the Charles is Boston’s Premier Paddle Race. Grab your kayak, canoe, or paddle board and choose from four exciting courses as we celebrate 60 years of progress for a clean, resilient Charles River. Races begin in Brighton and Newton, running through towns including Watertown, Waltham, and Cambridge. All races will finish at Herter Park in Brighton. Hundreds of spectators line the riverbanks to watch the Run of the Charles and enjoy finish line festivities!
All skill levels, from beginner to expert, are welcome. Head to the Finish Line RiverFest at Herter Park to cheer on the paddlers starting and finishing their races between 10AM-4PM. Enjoy live music, coffee and beverages from The Black Harp mobile Irish Pub in the RiverFest Beer Garden. Questions about Run of the Charles? Email Meg Farrer, Race Director at mfarrer@crwa.org
New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill is thrilled to announce a transformative $500,000 gift from George and Diantha Harrington of Kennebunk, Maine, in support of the Garden’s Frank L. Harrington Orchard. This extraordinary contribution will add to the Harrington Orchard endowment to ensure the preservation, care, and educational impact of this heirloom apple orchard for generations to come.
Located along the botanic garden’s entry drive, the Harrington Orchard is a cherished feature that celebrates the region’s rich agricultural history. It preserves a collection of 119 heirloom apple varieties in an orchard of 268 trees. Also known as heritage apples, heirloom varieties have been passed down over generations and are celebrated for their diversity of taste, color, texture, and size. The Garden’s collection was founded during the Great Depression by Stearns Lothrop Davenport (1885–1973), a trustee of the Worcester County Horticultural Society (WCHS), the organization that operates New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill. Representing a range of rare and historic apple varieties, the Harrington Orchard is both a living museum and an educational resource, connecting visitors to the art, science, and history of heirloom fruit cultivation.
“The Harrington Orchard has been a long-term family interest for our family,” said George Harrington. Frank L. Harrington, for whom the orchard is named, was George Harrington’s father and a long-time WCHS supporter. The Harrington family has a connection to Worcester County that dates back generations, with members serving in leadership roles within local government and cultural institutions. George Harrington’s uncle, H. Waite Hurlburt, served as WCHS president from 1979 to 1984. “With this gift, we hope to ensure the Orchard’s vitality and to inspire others to appreciate the deep history and scientific importance of heirloom fruit trees,” Harrington says.
The endowment supports long-term orchard care, including pruning, pest management, tree replacement, and interpretive programming. As apples cannot be preserved in a seedbank, maintaining living collections like the Harrington Orchard protects uncommon varieties from being lost. Thanks to recent collaborations with academic partners and other experts, the Harrington Orchard is emerging as a resource for advancing scientific knowledge of rare heirloom apple varieties and expanding public awareness about the importance of agricultural biodiversity.
“George and DD Harrington’s generosity is a testament to their dedication to the preservation of the living collection of this heirloom orchard,” said Grace Elton, CEO of New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill. “Their gift ensures that the Harrington Orchard will continue to flourish, delight, and educate our community for decades to come.”
The Frank L. Harrington Orchard is a vital part of the Garden’s commitment to environmental stewardship and the protection of natural resources. To learn more, visit https://nebg.org/orchard/.
Photo Caption/Credit: Apple blossom blooms in the Frank L. Harrington Orchard at New England Botanic Garden / New England Botanic Garden, Megan Stouffer
The Garden Club of the Back Bay invites you to a cocktail reception on June 9 at 6 pm in The Garden Room of The Newbury Hotel, an historic Boston landmark overlooking the Boston Public Garden. The event, the Club’s major annual fundraising event, is presented in sponsorship with The Newbury, Boston. For more information on tickets and sponsorship opportunities, visit https://bostonflora.com/ or contact co-chairs Lisa Cleary and Debbie Johnston at info@bostonflora.com.
