Building on the success of last summer’s “Open Newbury Street” event, the street will again close to vehicular traffic on three upcoming Sundays.
“Last year, ‘Open Newbury Street’ was overwhelmingly positive for visitors and businesses alike, bringing thousands of people to the Back Bay neighborhood,” Mayor Martin J. Walsh said in a statement. “We’re excited to bring the idea back this year, so residents and visitors from all over can again enjoy Newbury Street for an afternoon, free of cars.”
On July 23, Aug. 13 and Sept. 10, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., the full width of the street from Berkeley Street to Massachusetts Avenue will be transformed into a pedestrian-only walkway. Parking will be restricted beginning at 8 a.m., with signs posted to inform drivers of the change. The public is encouraged to utilize the several different MBTA routes that service the area in addition to bicycling and walking.
Sam Sokol, owner of Dirty Water Dough Company, looks forward to the return of the event.
“We thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to experience Newbury Street as a pedestrian zone for a day last year and found it enhanced our business,” Sokol said in a press release. “We set up tables on the street so customers could enjoy our food al fresco, which fostered a greater sense of community by allowing us to interact with more patrons and introduce them to our business. I look forward to the concept returning for three dates this summer and fall.”
Meanwhile, the inaugural “Open Canal Street” will transform the entre width of the two-block, West End street into a pedestrian-only walkway on Saturday, July 8.