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Contact the Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau for information on festivals and events (1 888 733 2678; www.bostonusa.com)
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Fourth of July Given
Boston’s indispensable role in securing independence for the original
13 colonies, Independence Day adopts a certain poignancy here. With
beer-fueled barbecues and a fireworks display on the Charles River
banks, Boston throws the nation a rousing birthday party.
Fourth of July
Chinese New Year Chinatown
buzzes with the pageantry of the Chinese New Year during January or
February. Streets are transformed into patchworks of color, while
sidewalk vendors peddle steamed buns, soups, and other Chinese delights.
Don’t miss the annual parade, held the Saturday following the Lunar New
Year. New England Flower Show For
one week in March, more than 150,000 visitors descend on this indoor
exhibition to forget their winter blues and enjoy the bright blooms and
fragrant aromas. Bayside Exposition CenterFirst Night Despite
being plagued in recent years by staggeringly cold weather, the New
Year’s Eve festivities remain among the most highly anticipated events
of Boston’s year. A $15 pass grants access to countless concerts,
performances, and museum exhibits throughout the city, not to mention a
dazzling midnight fireworks display over Boston harbor. Cambridge River Festival For
one day in mid-June the banks of the Charles River in Cambridge host a
celebration of the city’s lively and diverse population. Musicians and
dancers perform and artists sell their wares. Food vendors offer a taste
of home. Feast of St. Anthony The Feast of St. Anthony caps an entire summer of feast holidays in the North End.
On the last weekend in August, from morning well into the night,
Hanover Street bulges with revelers, parades, and food vendors giving a
vibrant display of the area’s old world Italian spirit. St. Patrick’s Day Boston’s
immense Irish-American population explains why few, if any, American
cities can match Boston’s Irish pride. Come St. Paddy’s, pubs host live
Irish bands and increasingly raucous crowds. The South Boston St.
Patrick’s Day Parade, with its famous drum corps, is a tradition that
starts off from Broadway “T” station. August Moon Festival In late August, Chinatown
commemorates the summer’s fullest moon – signifying the beginning of
the harvest season – with a jubilant, unique festival. A dragon dance
snakes through the area and vendors line the streets hawking everything
from hand-painted fans and herbal remedies to the festival’s official
food, the semisweet mooncake. Boston Restaurant Week For
one to two weeks in March and August more than 100 restaurants in
Boston, Cambridge, and neighboring suburbs offer bargain, fixed-price
lunch and dinner menus. Locals look forward to the opportunity to sample
new restaurants, so it is wise to make reservations. Lilac Sunday While the Arnold Arboretum
counts 4,463 species of flora, one plant deserves particular
celebration. When its 500 lilac plants are at their fragrant,
color-washed peak, garden enthusiasts arrive in droves for a May Sunday
of picnics, folk dancing, and tours of the lilac collections.
Top 10 Sporting Traditions
Boston Marathon The country’s oldest marathon beckons sports lovers.
Plaque celebrating Boston Marathon
Head of the Charles Regatta Rowing crews race down the Charles while the banks teem with boisterous onlookers. 3rd Sat & Sun/Oct 617 868 6200
Red Sox vs Yankees The most heated rivalry in US sports flares up every time the Yanks visit Fenway Park. Boston Celtics The Celts keep basketball playoff dreams alive at the TD Bank North Garden. Boston Bruins Crowds cheer this ice hockey team at the TD Bank North Garden. Patriots Gillette Stadium is the home of the Patriots, the National Football League’s 2005 champs. Harvard vs Yale “The Game” sees these Ivy League football toughs butt helmets at Harvard Stadium in the fall. Beanpot Hockey Tournament Every February Boston’s top collegiate hockey teams play each other at the TD Bank North Garden. The Revolution The state’s entry in Major League Soccer is an annual playoff threat at the Gillette Stadium. New Year’s Plunge Every Jan 1, since 1904, the L Street Brownies take a plunge in Boston Harbor.
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