boston common

Wednesday, February 11, 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Skating Night on Frog Pond

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The Friends of the Public Garden Young Friends group is hosting a private skating night on Frog Pond for all ages. Enjoy outdoor skating and mingling with Friends while supporting three historic greenspaces cared for by the Friends – the Boston Common, Public Garden, and Commonwealth Avenue Mall. The benefit will take place Wednesday, February 11 at the Frog Pond on Boston Common from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
$35.00 per person (Skate rental and hot cocoa are included in ticket price.)
Reserve your ticket today at https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=ftpg&id=19. Photo from www.meetup.com.

Sunday, July 27, 1:40 pm – Out of the Park

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Celebrate America’s pastime as the Boston Red Sox, the Highland Street Foundation, and the Boston Parks and Recreation Department team up to bring a Red Sox away game to the Boston Common on Sunday, July 27. Bring a blanket to watch the game on the big screen and cheer on the Red Sox! Everyone is welcome at this free event featuring live viewing of the game, caricaturists, balloon artists, face painters, giveaways, and refreshments. Special guests include Red Sox mascot Wally, Red Sox DJ TJ Connelly, Announcer Henry Mahegan, Organist Josh Kantor, and the Hot Tamales Brass Band.

 

Friends of the Public Garden Spring Membership Drive

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The Friends of the Public Garden has launched its second annual Spring Membership Drive. Members play an important role in supporting the care and protection of some of Boston’s, and America’s, most treasured green spaces and all are invited to join. The Friends is offering a limited-time incentive now through May 22 when anyone who joins will be entered into a drawing to win lunch for two at the Four Seasons Hotel’s Bristol Lounge. Join by stopping by the office at 69 Beacon, calling 617-723-8144, visiting the Friends website at friendsofthepublicgarden.org, or by attending a special “Meet the Friends” reception for prospective members at the office on May 22.

The Friends of the Public Garden is a non-profit citizen’s advocacy group formed in 1970 to preserve and enhance the Public Garden, America’s first public botanical garden. Shortly after the group organized, its mission was broadened to include the adjacent Boston Common, America’s first public park, and the Commonwealth Avenue Mall, the central spine of the Back Bay neighborhood. The Friends has worked in collaboration with the Parks and Recreation Department of the City of Boston since its beginnings. It is the first public-private partnership of its kind in the region. Today is has more than 2,500 members from over 100 Massachusetts communities and 30 other states.

Members receive the Friends newsletters and are invited to programs and events throughout the year, including the annual Members Reception. Leadership Friends, who join at the $1,000 or higher level, are also invited to an additional special annual reception and Public Garden sculpture tour.

For more information or to RSVP for the reception write to info@friendsofthepublicgarden.org or call 617-723-8144.

Saturday, March 29, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Tell It With Pride

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The Massachusetts Historical Society (MHS) and the Friends of the Public Garden are co-presenting a special event of talks and exhibit tours related to the MHS Tell It with Pride exhibition. The event is in commemoration of the memorial designed by Augustus Saint-Gaudens that honors the 1863 Civil War battle of Fort Wagner led by Colonel Robert Gould Shaw and the men of the 54th Massachusetts Regiment. Unveiled on May 31st, 1897, and located on the edge of the Boston Common facing the State House, the Shaw/54th Memorial is an important landmark in Boston, a monument created in gratitude to Shaw and the 54th Regiment’s bravery in battle.

On Saturday, March 29th, visitors are encouraged to come and celebrate both the iconic statue and the people keeping its spirit alive. At 1:00 p.m. that day, you can meet the men of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Regiment Company A, a group of civilian re-enactors who do living historical displays, educational lessons and Civil War period encampments and re-enactments. This group is also very involved in Making History on the Common, an event hosted annually by the Friends of the Public Garden.

At 2:00 p.m. that same day, listen to a talk by Kathryn Greenthal, author of the book Augustus Saint-Gaudens: Master Sculptor, and Henry Duffy, the curator of the Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site (located in Cornish, New Hampshire) about the creator of this landmark.

This event is open to the public and free of charge, but registration is required. If you are interested in attending, please register online at this link or call the MHS reservations line at 617-646-0560.

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Sunday, October 27, 4:30 pm – 6:30 pm – Fall Pumpkin Fest

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Mayor Thomas M. Menino presents the Fall Pumpkin Fest on the Boston Common Frog Pond on Sunday, October 27th from 4:30 – 6:30 pm.  Bring an 8 inch or smaller carved pumpkin to the Frog Pond to float and help set the Pond aglow at twilight.  Interact with spooky ParkSCIENCE experiments from the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, Bio+Art Collaboration, and Boston Best Bees Company.  Wear your Halloween costume and participate in the Halloween Parade led by Frog Pond Freddie.  Watch Rosalita’s Ghoulish Puppet Show, a dazzling magic show by Kayla Drescher Magic, and a fun bubble show by “Bubble Man” Jim Dichter.  Try scarily delicious treats, refreshments and games from National Dairy Council’s Fuel Up to Play, Archway Cookies, New England Coffee, Magic 106.7 and more.  Bring donations of canned goods for CANshare, Mayor Menino’s annual food drive for those in need.  ParkSCIENCE is funded in part by a Green Parks Green Kids grant through a partnership between the National Recreation and Park Association and the National Recreation Foundation.  Free.

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Monday, April 22 – 5% for Earth Day

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Boston has long been known for its commitment to preserving green space. The Boston Common, The Public Garden, the Emerald Necklace, the creation of the Charles River Basin, the clean-up of Boston Harbor, the revitalization of the Waterfront, the completion of Big Dig and the opening of the Rose Kennedy Greenway are but a few examples of the Commonwealth and the City’s dedication to public, open space throughout the years. All of these improvements were made possible through the commitment of a number of non-profit organizations that work hand in hand with our local, state and national government to keep our parks and open spaces in shape.

For Earth Day 2013, five of these non-profits (the Charles River Conservancy, the Emerald Necklace Conservancy, the Esplanade Association, the Friends of Public Garden, and the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy) are joining forces to bring 5% for Earth Day to Boston. The campaign, which has seen three years of success in Austin, TX and expanded to the Houston, TX area in 2012, will ask Boston-area retailers to donate 5% of their gross proceeds on Monday April 22, 2013 to a coalition of non-profits that support projects in Boston’s parks and open spaces.

Kickass Cupcakes, Roxy’s Grilled Cheese, Momogoose, Mei Mei Street Kitchen, Henrietta’s Table, SkinHealth Centers, Shuckin Truck, and The Chubby Chickpea are among the participating businesses. Go to www.give5Boston.org for a complete list.

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Tuesday, August 7, 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm – Asian Longhorned Beetle Workshop

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The Asian Longhorned Beetle has often been the source behind many tree-related woes. During the spring of 2011, The Friends of the Public Garden conducted a search with the Boston University Global Day of Service FOPG team to look for the beetle throughout parts of Boston, specifically the Common and the Public Garden.

On August 7, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation’s lead ALB Forester Julie Coop will be hosting a free workshop on the beetle at the Franklin Park Golf Course Clubhouse in Dorchester. It will run from 6:30-8:00 P.M. and will teach people how to identify the Asian Longhorned Beetle and prevent it from spreading in Boston.

The Asian Longhorned Beetle is a terribly invasive insect that destroys trees. The beetle has been found throughout Massachusetts and could threaten trees within the city if it is not identified properly and quickly. We hope you will be able to participate in this informative workshop with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation so we can protect our trees!

Saturday, August 4, 12:00 noon – Sparrow

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In her newest book, Sparrow, science author Kim Todd explores the complex history, biology, and literary tradition of the sparrow. From the Sparrow War of the late 1800s in the United States (a battle over the sparrow’s introduction which climaxed at Boston Common), to the recent mysterious decline of house sparrows globally, the sparrow has been at the center of the invasive species debate for over 150 years.  Kim will appear at The Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, on Saturday, August 4, at 12 noon.  For directions and parking information, visit www.hmnh.harvard.edu.  Regular admission rates apply. Free for members.

Wednesday, July 11, 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm – Summer Tree Stroll

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The Boston Urban Forest Council presents a Summer Tree Stroll on Wednesday, July 11, from 6:30 – 8.  Meet at the Brewer Fountain on the Boston Common (behind the Park Street T-Station.)  Summer evenings are the perfect time to notice the shapes of trees.  Come and learn to distinguish between the upright ginkgo, the spreading oak, and the vase shaped elm.  You will also learn to identify leaves and find historic trees as you walk the Common and the Public Garden, enjoying the beauty of a summer evening.  Sponsored by Boston Natural Areas Network in partnership with the Friends of the Public Garden and the Boston Parks & Recreation department.  Please register for this free event by calling 617-542-7696, or emailing info@bostonnatural.org.  Photo from www.joenesgarden.com.

Sunday, May 13, 10:30 am – Annual Duckling Day Parade

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The Friends of the Public Garden will celebrate Mother’s Day with Boston-area families during its annual Duckling Day parade on Sunday May 13th. Registration will begin at 10:30am and the parade will begin at noon.

Based on the children’s classic Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey, Duckling Day is an annual event where children and their families retrace the steps of the beloved characters Mr. and Mrs. Mallard and their family of eight ducklings. The parade will begin at the Boston Common on the corner of Beacon and Park Street. Children will parade through Beacon Hill dressed like characters from the story and end in the Public Garden near the famous duckling sculptures.

Prior to the parade there will be plenty of family entertainment including a face painter, balloon artist and a magician. Mayor Menino will greet families at the end of the parade and actors from the Wheelock Family Theater will do a dramatic reading from the book.

The registration fee is $35 per family in advance and $40 per family the day of the event. Each family that registers will receive a special goodie bag filled with Duckling Day toys and treats.  For more information visit www.friendsofthepublicgarden.org.  Photo courtesy of www.universalhub.com – don’t you just love the feathers?