Massachusetts news

• Wu announces World Cup community watch parties 

  05-06-2026 17:05 via beaconhilltimes.com
  Mayor Michelle Wu has announced that the City of Boston will host six community watch parties for residents, families, and visitors this summer. Together with the FIFA Fan Festival hosted by Boston 26, these neighborhood celebrations will bring the excitement, energy, and spirit of the World Cup directly into communities across Boston.“Boston is proud to welcome the world this summer, and these watch parties will help bring the excitement and spirit of the World Cup directly into our commu
  
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• Beacon Hill Garden Club holds its Spring Soiree

  05-06-2026 17:20 via beaconhilltimes.com
  Photos by Marianne SalzaThe Beacon Hill Garden Club, founded in 1928, held its Annual Spring Soireé on May 20 in anticipation of its 97th Hidden Gardens of Beacon Hill Annual Tour, held the following day. Attendees enjoyed cocktails in the King’s Chapel Parish House garden, and a sample of the tour. Proceeds from the Soireé benefit the organization’s education and conservation projects, urban landscape improvements, and grant program. 
  
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• Beacon Hill Art Walk returns this Sunday

  05-06-2026 17:11 via beaconhilltimes.com
  50+ artists will transform Beacon Hill into Boston’s most unique art show One of Boston’s most unique celebrations of the arts returns June 7, when the Beacon Hill Art Walk takes over the quiet streets and alleys of the beautiful, cobblestoned neighborhood. The one-of-a-kind Boston tradition serves as an unofficial start to the summer for many artists in and around Boston as Beacon Hill transforms into a fantastical art gallery where walls and gardens are adorned with beautiful
  
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• Wu cuts ribbon on restored Copley Square Park at Neighborhood Coffee Hour

  05-06-2026 17:10 via beaconhilltimes.com
  Mayor Michelle Wu joined elected and city officials and other stakeholders to cut the ribbon the newly renovated Copley Square Park on Wednesday, May 27, during her annual Neighborhood Coffee Hour for the Back Bay and Beacon Hill​“Situated between the Copley Library and Trinity Church as well as the home to events such as First Night, the Boston Marathon and the Copley Farmers Market — Copley Square is a treasured part of our city,” said Mayor Wu. “The restoration o
  
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• From Heartbreak to Hope: A morning blessing for the Esplanade’s newest swan family

  05-06-2026 17:08 via beaconhilltimes.com
  For anyone who loves the wildlife that graces our local waters, the memory of our 2022 swan family carries a deep, lingering ache. As a photographer, I spent hours capturing their tragically short journey. My camera lens didn’t just document their lives; it bound my heart to them. When their story ended in heartbreak, it left a wound that made me deeply hesitant to open my heart to the river’s swans again.So, when a friend messaged me with the news—”There is a nest, and h
  
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• Congratulations, Class of 2026

  05-06-2026 17:04 via beaconhilltimes.com
  High school graduation season is upon us, the time of year when communities across America celebrate the accomplishments of young people receiving their high school diplomas.Graduation is a bittersweet occasion, marking both an ending and a beginning. For the grads, they will realize that the past four years, which they began as adolescents, are now culminating as they step into adulthood. They will be saying goodbye to their friends, teachers, and mentors who guided them through their formative
  
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• The Liberty Hotel kicks off summer Yappier Hour with ‘Dog Days of Summer’ party

  05-06-2026 17:03 via beaconhilltimes.com
  Located at 215 Charles St. at the foot of Beacon Hill, The Liberty Hotel has officially kicked off the summer season by inviting guests and their four-legged friends to a “Dog Days of Summer” party on Wednesday, June 3. The event marked the seasonal return of the hotel’s popular Yappier Hour series.The kickoff gathering brought guests and their dogs together in The Yard for a relaxed summer social experience. Attendees enjoyed several event highlights, including:• Refreshi
  
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• USS Constitution Museum launches Boston’s most revolutionary mini golf course

  05-06-2026 17:02 via beaconhilltimes.com
  The USS Constitution Museum has launched USS Constitution Mini Golf, a new free 9-hole course on the Charlestown Navy Yard designed to give residents and visitors a fun, accessible way to engage Boston’s role in the story of American independence.Celebrated with a ceremonial First Putt event, the new course opened with a ribbon cutting by sword before civic leaders took the first putt. The newly designed course offers a fresh summer activity on Boston Harbor while inviting players to exper
  
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• Bphc encourages Mpoxvaccinations in light of uptick in cases nationally and in Boston 

  05-06-2026 17:01 via beaconhilltimes.com
  Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) and partners at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health are monitoring an uptick in mpox cases in Boston and are encouraging at-risk individuals to get vaccinated. There is no widespread public health threat from mpox at this time, but at-risk residents, including gay and bisexual men and other men who have sex with men are encouraged to protect themselves and their communities by getting vaccinated. The mpox vaccine is two doses given 28 days apart.&
  
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• Gov. Healey Announces New State Funding for Fenway Forward’s Hancock Street Project

  29-05-2026 07:16 via beaconhilltimes.com
  Courtesy of Office of governor Maura T. Healey
  Rep. Jay Livingstone thanks supporters of the 27/29 Hancock St. project.
  
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• Memorial Day Flag Garden Returns To Common

  29-05-2026 07:14 via beaconhilltimes.com
  D. Murphy Photo Volunteers again planted more than 37,000 American flags – one in honor of each of the Commonwealth’s fallen veterans – at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument on Boston Common to commemorate Memorial Day. Every year since 2010, the Massachusetts Military Heroes
  Fund has led the effort behind the annual Memorial Day Flag Garden.
  
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• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Encourages Visitors to Make Water Safety a Priority this Summer

  29-05-2026 07:12 via beaconhilltimes.com
  USACE manages more than 400 lake and river projects nationwide and welcomes millions of visitors each year. While those visits create opportunities for recreation and family memories, preventable tragedies still occur on public waters annually, many involving people not wearing life jackets.Statistics from the last five years regarding public recreation fatalities at USACE lake and river projects show that 91% of victims were not wearing a life jacket, 92% were male, 88% were age 18 or older, an
  
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• Kumiko Panel Workshop held in Boston

  29-05-2026 07:11 via beaconhilltimes.com
  By Eowyn MichaelsOn the third Thursday of each month, Makers Gallery Boston, located in the South End, holds one of the few Kumiko Panel workshops in the area.Kumiko is a centuries-old Japanese woodworking technique that requires no nails or adhesives to create intricate patterns, said Ian Labich, founder and member of the gallery.It first emerged in Japan during the Asuka period, between the years of 538 and 710 C.E., and has since spread worldwide according to Smithsonian Magazine. It is used
  
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• Fishweir Project returns to Boston Common

  29-05-2026 07:11 via beaconhilltimes.com
  By Dan MurphyThe 23rd annual Ancient Fishweir Project has returned this month to Boston Common, again paying tribute to a time when Native Americans once lived off this land.The fishweir, which is currently installed near the Charles Street entrance to the park, along the central pathway, is a fence-like structure comprising interlaced brush wood (invasive buckthorn) that closely resembles the fishweirs used by early Native Americans to catch fish, such as herring and other smaller catch.Again t
  
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• BHAC Gives Final Approval for Ambitious Project Proposed for Charles and Cambridge Streets

  29-05-2026 07:11 via beaconhilltimes.com
  By Dan MurphyThe Beacon Hill Architectural Commission unanimously approved the last four remaining details of a design review application for an ambitious redevelopment project planned for the intersection of Charles and Cambridge streets, which is now home to CVS Pharmacy, during the commission’s monthly public hearing held virtually on Thursday, May 21.The revised project  proposes razing an existing-single story structure to make way for a five-story, mixed-use building, with a &ls
  
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• Wu Announces the 2026 Open Streets Series Schedule

  29-05-2026 07:10 via beaconhilltimes.com
  Special to the TimesMayor Michelle Wu announced the 2026 Open Streets Series, a car-free event series that transforms roadways into vibrant, pedestrian-only public spaces during the summer and fall. Now in its fifth year, Open Streets Boston will return to Allston-Brighton, Jamaica Plain, and Mattapan. In addition, the City will bring Open Streets to Corinth and Poplar Streets in Roslindale for the first time on October 18.“The warmer months provide the perfect backdrop for our Open Street
  
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• The Otis House Hosts Three Programs this June

  22-05-2026 15:42 via beaconhilltimes.com
  Special to the TimesOn Saturday, June 7, Historic New England’s sites across the region are open and free to the public. Visitors can enjoy a fun day of fantastic storytelling from architecture and fine art to New Englanders of the past. The Otis House features the young Otis family’s life in the Federal era and the later history of the house when it served as a clinic and a middle-class boarding house. Tour times vary across sites and the Otis House will be open 11:00 am &ndash
  
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• New Free App for iPhones Assists Driving – and Parking – on the Hill

  22-05-2026 15:42 via beaconhilltimes.com
  By Dan MurphyThe StreetSweep app for iPhones shows the current user the status of their next scheduled street cleaning at a glance.Photos Courtesy of Adam Harper
  Adam Harper, an attorney living on Revere Street who coded the StreetSweep app for iPhones as a free service for his neighbors in his spare time.Thanks to a new free app for iPhones called StreetSweep, Beacon Hill residents can now more easily find parking, remember where they park, and navigate the neighborhood’s street cleaning
  
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• Geraldine O’Hagan Receives Annual Beacon Award

  22-05-2026 15:42 via beaconhilltimes.com
  By Dan MurphyPhoto Courtesy Isabella Thurlow
  Geraldine O’Hagan, the winner of this year’s 29th annual Beacon Award is seen inside Rugg Road Paper Co. – one of two stores she presently owns and operates on Charles Street.During the Beacon Hill Civic Association annual members meeting held Thursday, May 21, at Hampshire House,  Geraldine O’Hagan was the recipient of the 29th annual Beacon Award, which each year, publicly recognizes an individual or group whose leadersh
  
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• BoatUS Foundation Reminds Boaters to Prepare for Season

  22-05-2026 15:40 via beaconhilltimes.com
  Special to the TimesBoatUS Foundation encourage boaters to be responsible and prioritize safety ahead of the start of boating season.The BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water, a national leader that promotes safe, clean and responsible boating recommends these safety tips for boaters:Before You Boat … Check your fit: Take a few minutes to ensure you have enough right-sized life jackets for everyone aboard and that they are readily available in case of an emergency. While on
  
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• Beacon Hill Women’s Forum hold Spring Stroll on May 12

  22-05-2026 15:40 via beaconhilltimes.com
  Story and Photos by Marianne SalzaExploration was prioritized at the top of many-a-lady’s wish lists during the Beacon Hill Women’s Forum (BHWF) Spring Stroll on May 12, held in lieu of the organization’s traditional fashion show and bazaar. Sipping on Prosecco with a Beacon Hill Women’s Forum tote bag slung in the crook of their arms, ladies visited over 27 participating boutiques that offered refreshments and exclusive deals.“Hanging out with my friend, Donna, see
  
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• Wu Kicks Off 2026 Neighborhood Coffee Hour Series

  22-05-2026 15:39 via beaconhilltimes.com
  Special to the TimesMayor Michelle Wu, the Office of Neighborhood Services, and the Boston Parks and Recreation Department announced the 2026 Mayor Wu’s Neighborhood Coffee Hours series in partnership with Dunkin’® and Star Market. The City’s annual Coffee Hours will kick off on May 18 in public spaces across the city and continue through the fall.The series will also include a ribbon-cutting celebration for the newly renovated Copley Square Park during the May 27 Neighborh
  
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• North Shore Music Theatre Kicks Off the 2026 Musical Season with ‘On Your Feet!’ June 3

  22-05-2026 15:39 via beaconhilltimes.com
  Special to the TimesThis June, Bill Hanney’s award-winning North Shore Music Theatre (NSMT) will bring the heat to the stage as they kick off the 2026 Musical Season with On Your Feet! the incredible true story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan. The international hit musical begins performances on Wednesday, June 3, 2026 and will play through Sunday, June 14, 2026. On Your Feet! is sponsored by North Shore Counseling Center“On Your Feet! has captivated audiences around the globe for the p
  
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• Healey and Boston Pops Announce Star-studded 2026 July 4 Fireworks Spectacular 

  22-05-2026 15:39 via beaconhilltimes.com
  Special to the TimesGovernor Maura Healey and the Boston Pops announced the lineup and programming for the 2026 Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular, the signature July 4 event of the “MA250” initiative commemorating the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution.Led by legendary conductor Keith Lockhart, this year’s free concert on the Charles River Esplanade will feature Grammy-winning country music superstar Lainey Wilson, Grammy-winning artist Chance the Rapper, and New Orle
  
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• Suffolk University and Bunker Hill Community College Announce Joint Admissions and Transfer Partnership Agreement

  22-05-2026 15:38 via beaconhilltimes.com
  Special to the TimesSuffolk University and Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) have announced a Joint Admission and Transfer Partnership Program that will benefit students wishing to complete four-year university degrees.The Suffolk-BHCC partnership builds upon the longstanding commitment of both schools to expand access to higher education, serve the Greater Boston community, and improve outcomes for transfer students. It expands pathways to a Suffolk four-year degree while streamlining the pr
  
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• Scenes from the Annual 1906 Invitational Boys & Girls Clubs Basketball Tournament

  22-05-2026 15:38 via beaconhilltimes.com
  The 5th Annual 1906 Invitational Boys & Girls Clubs Basketball Tournament took place on Saturday, May 16, 2026, at The TRACK at new balance in Brighton, Massachusetts, bringing together approximately 120 young athletes from nine Boys & Girls Clubs across Greater Boston and Lawrence for a memorable day of competition, teamwork, and community engagement.Hosted by The TRACK at new balance in partnership with NB Development Group, the annual tournament featured a full day of basketball games
  
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• Sail Boston 2026 to Commence with the Meet Boston Parade of Sail

  22-05-2026 15:38 via beaconhilltimes.com
  Special to the TimesThis July, Massachusetts will welcome more than 60 ships from around the world as the Sail Boston 2026 celebration arrives in Boston Harbor. In the largest convergence of ships to assemble in the area since 2000, millions of spectators are expected to enjoy the Meet Boston Parade of Sail throughout Boston Harbor on Saturday, July 11.Beginning at 9:00 a.m. beyond Deer Island in Massachusetts Bay, crew and cadets will prepare to bring their ships into the city’s inner har
  
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• MBTA Announces June Service Changes

  22-05-2026 15:38 via beaconhilltimes.com
  Special to the TimesThe MBTA announced service changes in June on the Green, Blue, Framingham/Worcester, and Lowell lines. There are also some Commuter Rail service changes related to World Cup matchdays. Riders can find more information on service changes through in-station signage, in-station public announcements, and at mbta.com/PlannedWork. Transit Ambassadors and MBTA staff will be available on-site to offer information and assistance during these service changes. Riders are encouraged
  
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• Massport to Attempt Guinness World Records Title for World’s Largest Soccer Ball

  22-05-2026 15:37 via beaconhilltimes.com
  Special to the TimesThe Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) will showcase the organization’s attempt at the Guinness World Records title for World’s Largest Soccer Ball at Piers Park II in East Boston this June, creating a one-of-a-kind waterfront display that can be seen from multiple points along Boston Harbor. The installation is part of ongoing efforts to build momentum and community engagement throughout the city during the FIFA World Cup games at Boston Stadium in Foxboroug
  
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• Enjoy the Weekend — Safely

  22-05-2026 15:37 via beaconhilltimes.com
  Memorial Day weekend marks the traditional start of the summer season, bringing with it the anticipation of sunshine and warmth and of time spent with family and friends.But while we contemplate all of the good things that will occur in the lives of ourselves and our loved ones over the next three months, let’s also make sure that we realize how quickly all of that can dissolve in the blink of an eye if we make wrong choices — if we drink and drive a car or boat, if we abuse drugs, o
  
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