DCR Traffic Advisory: Fenway, Boylston Street, and Park Drive
Starting Saturday, June 1, 2019, and continuing through Thursday, June 20, 2019,
the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) will close Fenway from Boylston Street to Forsythe Way and from Brookline Avenue to Louis Prang Street, Park Drive from Brookline Avenue to Kilmarnock Street, and Boylston Street from Ipswich Street West to Ipswich Street East in the City of Boston from 7:00PM to 5:00AM to accomodate milling, paving, roadway improvement work, and the placement of temporary lane markings. On street parking will be prohibited during work hours. Traffic patterns will be clearly marked, and a police detail will be on site. Additionally, in July 2019, the agency will conduct permanent lane marking work, which will include new crosswalks and bicycle lanes along Fenway from Brookline Avenue to Louis Prang Street and Park
Drive from Brookline Avenue to Kilmarnock Street.
WSANA Concert Series
The Worcester Square Area Neighborhood Association will host the first of its summer concert series on Thursday, June 20, at 7 p.m. with Penni Layne and the Wonder Boys featuring a five-piece band playing jazz and Latin and originals. Other concerts will be held July 18 at 7 p.m. and Aug. 15 at 6:30 p.m.
Elections in the Neighborhood
Election season in the neighborhood associations has taken place through May with two big elections to report.
In the Blackstone Franklin Square Neighborhood Association, Andrew Parthum, Mark Ott and David Stone were elected co-presidents; Jonathan Alves and Toni Crothall were elected Secretary/Clerk; and Heather Govern and Matt Mues were elected co-Treasurers.
In Worcester Square, George Stergios was re-elected president, Bob Minnocci remains the vice president, Morris Tansky was treasurer, and Andy Brand stepped up as secretary.
Titus Sparrow Concert Series
The Friends of Titus Sparrow Park have a fabulous lineup of concerts throughout the summer on Wednesday evenings and Tuesday mornings (for children). The Wednesday concerts are at 6:30 p.m. and include:
•June 19, Grupo Fantasia
•June 26, The Fatal Flaw
•July 3, Amy Kucharik and Friends with Benefits
•July 10, Legends of Summer
•July 17, Beantown Swing Orchestra
•July 24, Dub Apocalypse
•July 31, Booty Vortex
•Aug. 7, Slim Jim and the Mad Cows
•Aug. 14, Pan Neubean Steel
•Aug. 21 (6:15 p.m.), Eva Davenport
•Aug. 28 (6 p.m.), Pete Kilpatrick Band.
Children’s Concerts, Tuesdays, 10 a.m:
•June 25, Vanessa Trien
•July 9, Little Groove
•July 16, Karen K and the Jitterbugs
•July 23, Songful Artists-Harry
•July 30, Kira Helper
•Aug. 6, Wayne Potash
•Aug. 13, Matt Heaton
Red Sox Home Games
Upcoming home games include:
• 6/13 vs. Texas Rangers at 7:10pm
• 6/21 vs. Toronto Blue Jays at 7:10pm
• 6/22 vs. Toronto Blue Jays at 4:05pm
• 6/23 vs. Toronto Blue Jays at 1:05pm
• 6/24 vs. Chicago White Sox at 7:10pm
• 6/25 vs. White Sox at 7:10pm
Back Bay Happenings
• Prudential Center Announces Free Family Film Festival Line-Up
With free, family-friendly movies shown under the stars, the Prudential Center Family Film Festival is a great summer night out. Entertainment, children’s activities and giveaways will start at 6pm. All movies will start every Saturday at sundown. Rain dates will be held the following Tuesday.
2019 Movie Schedule
July 6: Lego Movie 2
July 13: Mary Poppins Returns
July 20: Incredibles 2
July 27: Ralph Breaks the Internet
August 3: How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
August 10: Smallfoot
August 17: Alice in Wonderland (1951)
August 24: Hotel Transylvania 3
August 31: Dumbo (2019)
Come in early and grab dinner or snacks to enjoy during the movie! Picnic blankets and beach chairs are welcome. Spend just $10 and receive discounted parking in the Prudential Center Garage (restrictions apply).
Closed captioning will be provided for all movies.
•Save theDate: A NABB Homelessness Forum will take place on June 17 at 6 p.m. The discussion will focus on homelessness and how it affects the Back Bay and many neighborhoods in the city.
• Free Summer Concert Series returns to Prudential Center: Summer Tunes with the Berklee College of Music
• Enjoy summer evening concerts featuring talented musicians from Berklee College of Music at Prudential Center’s South Garden. Showcasing a variety of musical styles including jazz, pop, Americana, and singer/songwriter performances, Summer Tunes will take place on the below Thursdays from 5pm – 8pm, with rain dates in August.
The 2019 schedule is as follows.
June 13: Cleo Reed
June 27: Jackson Lundy
July 18: Lick Neon
July 25: Vivi
• Free admission to MFA for BPL cardholders in June: As part of the Toulouse-Lautrec and the Stars of Paris exhibition partnership with the Boston Public Library, throughout the month of June 2019, BPL cardholders can sample MFA membership by presenting their library cards at any ticket desk to receive free admission to the Museum (for two adults and up to six kids per visit) and a 10-percent discount in the Toulouse-Lautrec and the Stars of Paris exhibition shop (eCards not valid).
BPL cardholders can also reserve discounted passes to the Museum year-round through local BPL branches. These passes provide admission for two people at $10 each. This program is sponsored by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and the City-Wide Friends of the Boston Public Library.
South End Dates
•The Ellis South End Neighborhood Association is sponsoring a community conversation with the at-large candidate for Boston City Council on Tuesday, June 18, at 6:30 p.m. in the Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology, 41 Berkeley St. The forum will be moderated by Michael Jonas, of Commonwealth Magazine. Doors open at 6 p.m.
•The 2019 Ink Block Underground Mural Project by Street Theory will take place in Underground at Ink Block on June 24-29.
•Ellis Evening 2019 will take place on Sunday, June 23, from 5:30-8 p.m. in the Revolution Hotel, 40 Berkeley St. Come celebrate the neighborhood at the Ellis South End Neighborhood Association’s annual fundraiser.
• The 2019 South End Garden Tour will be on Saturday, June 15 from 10am to 4pm. This year’s tour is centered on gardens and green spaces in and around the Rutland Square, Pilot Block, Claremont Park, and the Chester Square neighborhoods. A mix of public and private spaces including private back yards, front gardens, roof deck gardens, community gardens, and neighborhood ‘pocket parks.’ Artists will return to the gardens this year and the tour will be followed by a reception and sale of their wet works. Admission to the reception and sale is included in the tour admission. Register at the trustees.org. Tickets are $24 in advance for Trustees members or $28 at the door, and $30 in advance or $35 at the door for nonmembers. The tour begins at the South End Branch of the Boston Public Library.
•The East Berkeley Neighborhood Association (EBNA) will have its monthly meeting on June 18, 6:30 p.m., in the AC Hotel, 225 Albany St. It is the last meeting before the summer break. The agenda includes Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz with her legislative priorities, the Whole Foods Market parking/traffic situation, the new director for Washington Gateway Main Streets, and the Mass. Senior Action Council.
•An abutters meeting will take place for the Hotel Alexandra on Thursday, June 13, at the St. Augustine/St. Martin Church (29-31 Lenox St). The meeting will prioritize abutters that live in a very small radius of the project, but will allow questions from the general neighborhood too. The project has already been through the Article 80 planning process this year, but requires Zoning Board approval. The meeting takes place at 6 p.m.
•The Worcester Square Area Neighborhood Association will meet on June 25 at 7 p.m. in the Menino Pavilion near the surgical suite waiting room. Agenda to come later.
•The Blackstone/Franklin Square Neighborhood Association will have a social at the Elephant Walk, 1415 Washington St., at 6 p.m. on June 18. All are welcome. Regular meetings are on summer hiatus and will return in September.
•The Friends of Blackstone and Franklin Squares will have their Tidy Up Tuesdays on June 25, 5:30 p.m. If you enjoy the squares, this is a chance to pitch in and join some neighbors to pick up litter and make the parks a little nicer for humans and canines alike–then gather afterward at Anoushella. They’re coordinated by The Square Dog, a group promoting fun and responsible dog/people uses in the squares. All are welcome; just show up.
•Summer Solstice Celebration by Washington Gateways (West Brookline Street between Shawmut and Washington), Thursday, June 20, 5:30-9:30 p.m. Live entertainment, food trucks, beer garden and more. Sponsored by Washington Gateway Main Streets.
Fenway Times
•The Peterborough Senior Center holds bingo at 12:30 and a Tech Café at 11 a.m. every Wednesday. Come play bingo and meet new people, or can get help with your phone or tablet/computer.
• The Second Annual Fenway Porchfest will take place on Saturday, June 15 from noon to 4:30 pm. Performances will take place at nearly 40 sites, with over 80 musical acts across the East and West Fenway. Locations range from the Verb Hotel and Ramler Park in the West Fenway to Symphony Hall and the Symphony Road Community Gardens in the East Fenway. A map, schedule, and full list of performers will be posted at www.fenwayporchfest.org in early June. Fenway Porchfest was conceived to promote local artists and the Fenway neighborhood through a community-wide, community-driven festival. Our goal is to increase connectivity between residents and the arts, highlight local talent, and build on existing cultural programming through a free, grassroots music festival. Fenway performers will include: John David Black, The Dave Ehle Trio, The Fensgate Chamber Players, The Sprained Ankles, The Neighbors, Jillian Ann, The George Rhoads Jazz Group, and many more! Fenway Porchfest is coordinated by the Fenway Alliance, Fenway Community Development Corporation, and Fenway Civic Association, with generous support from the Mission Hill/Fenway Neighborhood Trust and The Hamilton Company Charitable Foundation. We thank the numerous ‘porch’ owners, the city, volunteers, and the incredibly talented performers who make this event possible. For more information, write to [email protected].
• The BPDA will hold an Impact Advisory Group meeting regarding the proposed Kenmore Hotel on June 17 from 6:00-8:00pm in the Kenmore Classroom Building, Room 101, 565 Commonwealth Ave.