Duckling Day returns to the Boston Common this Mother’s Day, May 10. Duckling Day is designed to move at your family’s pace – wander and play, make it your own, rain or shine. At 10 am the family fun, games, and activities begin at the Parkman Bandstand, and the Family Parade, led by the Duckling Mascot and Junior Park Champions, begins at noon. This is a free event, open to all, and every registered child receives a goody bag, because the best days should come with a little extra. Register today at https://friendsofthepublicgarden.org/events/ducklingday/
The Boston Parks & Recreation Department announce the dates and times of upcoming holiday lighting events. More may be added, and we will keep you informed.
Join Friends of the Public Garden on August 7 from noon – 2 for a Backyard Bash, Carnival Style. Enjoy a live DJ, a performance by Nick Shea, games and prizes, slushies from BPD, treats and more as the Boston Common is turned into a festive carnival experience. This is a free event – no registration required!
Leslie Singleton Adam, Board Chair of The Friends of the Public Garden, has announced that after a competitive executive search, The Friends are excited to announce the appointment of Liza Meyer as President of Friends of the Public Garden. Liza joins us as the third leader of the organization, following in the footsteps of founder Henry Lee and former President Liz Vizza. She will officially assume her role as President on May 1.
Liza’s deep connection to the Boston Common, Public Garden, and Commonwealth Avenue Mall comes from 16 years of experience working with the Boston Parks & Recreation Department, serving as Chief Landscape Architect beginning in 2011, and, most recently, Interim Parks Commissioner. Her expertise in prioritizing and driving meaningful progress through thoughtful stewardship and civic leadership, and her methodical approach, will be critical to making our parks healthier and more inviting to all.
In her new role, Liza will continue to advance the mission to renew, care, and advocate for the Common, the Garden, and the Mall. She will also play a key role in strengthening a longstanding partnership with the City of Boston, spearheading initiatives like the implementation of the Boston Common Master Plan, advancing the Friends’ advocacy agenda as the City’s built and natural environments grow together, supporting park capital improvements, leading strategic initiatives like the Henry Lee Fund for Boston Parks, and enhancing community programming.
“We are thrilled to welcome Liza as we begin this exciting new chapter for our organization and our downtown parks. Liza will join us at The Green & White on April 11 and the Annual Meeting on April 17, where we look forward to introducing her to you, our community.”
Thursday, December 5, 6:00 pm is the date and time of the lighting of the Boston Common. This exciting event takes place near the Visitors Information Center on Tremont St and stars the special tree sent as a gift from Nova Scotia. Mayor Michelle Wu will be joined by Santa and members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Refreshments, music, and entertainment will be provided by local groups. Lights on the tree – almost 7,000 of them – go on at about 7:55 pm, followed by lights on 80+ other trees throughout the Common and the Public Garden. This is the 53rd year of the event.
At 8:15, on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall, thousands of twinkling white lights transform this tree-filled parkway into a sparkling forest.
For 2 glorious months after school ends, Frog Pond on the Boston Common turns into a spray pond and becomes the best place to cool off in the city … if you’re 12 or under. The Grand Opening Celebration features family-friendly entertainment, music, art, a gala ceremony, and of course, the chance to play in the 30-foot spray at the center of the pond. Lifeguards will be on duty this summer during all open hours.
When: June 23, 11am (to be confirmed); remains open from 11am to 6pm every day through Labor Day, unless there’s a thunderstorm.
The Partnership to Renew the Shaw 54th Regiment Memorial invites you to celebrate the successful completion of the restoration of the Memorial on June 1. The Partnership to Renew the Memorial has created a model for the nation for the use of a preservation and restoration project to be a catalyst for a broad conversation on race, equity, and social justice. The heroes of the glorious 54th inspired us to move forward, just as they proclaimed as they headed into battle: Forward 54th Forward.
This free event is open to all. View the live event via Jumbotron on Boston Common. Enter lawn seating area via Tremont Street entrance(by Park Street T station).Feel free to bring your chairs & blankets. Masks and social distancing encouraged. The event will be available for viewing via livestream on Facebook and YouTube.
Please sign the digital Witness to History book to commemorate the unveiling of the completed Robert Gould Shaw and Massachusetts 54th Regiment restoration project. The National Park Service has compiled an online database of the 54th Regiment soldiers and officers as part of their “Faces of the 54th” project. View the database here. If you are a descendant of the Shaw Mass. 54th Regiment, fill out the form here. Read the Bay State Banner article about the project.
The work began in the summer of 2020, and was initially planned to take 5-6 months. Due to a combination of factors, including the COVID pandemic, the restoration project ended up taking over a year and a half to complete. All of the bronze and stone was removed from the plaza level up, taken offsite to two different conservation studios, with the bronze bas-relief meticulously restored locally. New waterproofing was installed under the plaza’s brick, and a new concrete foundation has been built under the bronze, and everything replaced, pinning the bronze to the marble structure that surrounds it. Also,the team installed a new stainless-steel frame between the bronze and the marble, designed to stabilize the entire monument.
The plaza substructure has been protected by installing a system called “cathodic protection” into the concrete under the plaza. This protects the steel support beams from corrosion by introducing another metal known as sacrificial. Through the use of an electrical current, the corrosion is drawn to the sacrificial metal instead of the steel beams. Read all about it at https://friendsofthepublicgarden.org/shaw54th/
Celebrate Mother’s Day in Boston’s most beautiful parks at the Duckling Day celebration and parade on Sunday, May 8th.
A beloved tradition for over 30 years, the event celebrates the children’s classic book Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey. Every year, hundreds of children parade through Boston’s most picturesque parks, dressed like characters from the story. Led by the Harvard University Marching Band, the parade will begin in the Boston Common at the Parkman Bandstand and end in the Public Garden near the famous Make Way for Ducklings sculptures. Bring your cameras – this is the most adorable event in all of Boston!
Prior to the parade will be Playtime on the Common, a vibrant array of family entertainment from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm. All activities are included with event admission:
· Interactive Circus Games with Esh Circus Arts · Jenny the Juggler · Peter O’Malley, magician · Jump, climb, and play with Knucklebones · Meet our giant Duck! · Visit with the Harvard University Band · Make Way for Ducklings reading station · A goody bag for every kid – full of Duckling Day-themed items!
The registration fee is $35 per family group in advance (before May 6) and $40 per family the day of the event.Guests are required to follow City of Boston public health advisories and mandates in place at the time of the event. Each child who registers will receive a special goody bag. Register through the Friends of the Public Garden HERE.
Join in the festivities at the official lighting ceremonies on Commonwealth Avenue Mall and Boston Common. The 80th Annual Tree Lighting on Boston Common takes place December 2 from 6-8:00 p.m.
The celebration is presented by the Boston Parks and Recreation Department, title sponsor The Province of Nova Scotia, and additional sponsors. The holiday lights throughout both parks will light up in sequence shortly before 8 p.m. when the Mayor is joined onstage by members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Santa Claus, Rudolph, and Frosty. The show will close with a pyrotechnic display by Atlas PyroVision.
WCVB Channel 5’s CHRONICLE Co-Anchors Anthony Everett and Shayna Seymour will once again host Channel 5’s live broadcast of the event beginning at 7 p.m. featuring various artists (to be announced).
The lighting of the trees on the Common is made possible through the generosity of sponsors and contributions from other individuals and institutions. The annual holiday display includes the official Christmas tree from Nova Scotia and trees throughout Boston Common. Refreshments and additional support will be provided by promotional sponsors TBD.
A giant Christmas tree in the Rotunda lights up in the annual tree lighting event ceremony at 5pm on Tuesday, November 27, followed by an open house and visit from Santa in Doric Hall. This marks the official kick-off of the holiday season in Massachusetts. More to do: Before the ceremony, explore the special treasures in the State House. After the tree is lit, walk across Beacon Street to Boston Common, rent skates, and take a twirl around the Frog Pond ice rink.
