Events & Programs in the Park!
Please check back often, as we update this calendar frequently as dates for seasonal programs and events are confirmed. Click the calendar page icon (left of printer) to select by event type and scroll down on this page to learn more about upcoming annual events and recurring programs.
UPCOMING EVENTS
International Moves & Food
Join us for International Moves and Food, led in partnership with Boston Dance Alliance, a summer program celebrating cultural dancing on the Esplanade!
Professional artist educators will teach you the steps to a different cultural dance each week. Move, learn, connect to dances you might not have experienced before! After you learned some new steps, you can enjoy free food and beverages from a local restaurant, all celebrating the dance’s culture!
This program will take place at the Hatch Grove which is located next to the Hatch Shell and Esplanade Playspace right at the foot of the Fiedler Footbridge. International Moves & Food will take place every Monday from July 13th to August 17th on the following dates:
- July 13
- July 20
- July 27
- August 3
- August 10
- August 17
We encourage participants to registered before every class. Pre-registration is highly recommended in order to receive timely updates. Please cancel if you can no longer attend.
River Fit Fitness Series
The Esplanade Association hosts FREE seasonal fitness classes in the Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall. Come to the park every week for a variety of outdoor fitness classes with some of Boston’s most popular fitness instructors. The summer schedule includes dance, yoga, and forest bathing!
This summer, River Fit will run from July 20 to August 27.
Music and Movement
Join the Esplanade Association and Boston Music Project at the Esplanade Playspace for Music & Movement, an interactive program for children and families!
Music & Movement is a summer-long, interactive music program at the Esplanade Playspace designed for children and their caregivers. Each week, children will sing songs, dance to music, and enjoy storytime led by trained Boston Music Project teaching artists. Caregivers are encouraged to attend and take part.
When registering, caregivers should select tickets for both themselves and their child/children. Please cancel if you can no longer attend.
There will be two 45-minute sessions every Friday from 10:00am to 10:45am and from 11:00am to 11:45am starting on July 24 and ending on August 28 on the following dates:
- July 24
- July 31
- August 7
- August 14
- August 20
- August 28
Park Bench Chats
When + Where:
- 8/12 @ 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM at DCR Hatch Grove
- 9/9 @ 8:00 AM – 9:30 AM at Community Boating Inc.
- 10/7 @ 8:00 AM – 9:30 AM at Dartmouth Comfort Station
Come chat with Executive Director Jen Mergel and EA team! Enjoy some treats (we have treats for your dog too!) and learn about the past, present, and future of the Esplanade! Commuters, runners, strollers, and rollers are welcome!
Moondance Gala
The Moondance Gala is an annual celebration of the beautiful park. You can enjoy an evening along the iconic shoreline of the Charles River Esplanade. The night starts off with cocktails, followed by dinner, an auction, and ending with dessert and dancing. This event enables the Esplanade Association to further enhance, revitalize, and enrich the park experience for everyone.
Esplanade 5K Run & Walk
On October 25, we will welcome hundreds of fellow Esplanade-lovers to be a part of the Esplanade 5K Run & Walk. Run, walk, or roll through the most popular route in Greater Boston along the Charles River Esplanade in peak fall foliage! Enjoy the beautiful backdrop of Boston, all while supporting your favorite Boston park.
PAST EVENTS
Annual Charles River Cleanup
Every year the Esplanade Association participates in the Charles River Earth Day Cleanup! It is one of our biggest volunteer days of the year with around 400 volunteers. Groups and individuals all come together to clean up the beloved Charles River along the Esplanade.
Community Day
Community Day celebrates everyone in and around the Esplanade! Every year the park fills up with folks excited for a day of program-packed events including a GroundBeat Music Concert, lawn games, food trucks, vendors, and more!
GroundBeat: The Esplanade’s FREE Riverfront Music Series was launched as a new music program on the Esplanade in 2018 by the Esplanade Association. GroundBeat aims to increase opportunities to perform on the Esplanade for local producers and artists across greater Boston who are committed to increasing inclusivity and diversity in Boston’s arts scene.
Guided Tours
The Esplanade Association offers FREE guided walking tours on the Esplanade to share the park’s amazing stories, plants, and wildlife. Guided walking tours will last about an hour-and-a-half and cover roughly a mile of the Esplanade and over 150 years of history! Enjoy topics ranging from History to Public Art, all whilst experiencing the iconic riverside park.
Children in the Park
Children in the Park (ChiP) is a program aimed at providing an engaging day outside in nature for Boston area youth to experience the wonders of outdoor play and exploration. This program is tailored to work with organizations and summer camps with children ages 5-17 in and around Boston, children must be attending a partnering organization or summer camp to participate.
Annual Summer Dock Party
The Esplanade Association holds an Annual Summer Dock Party, set against the incomparable backdrop of the Charles River at sunset, as well as in the lovely Eliot Garden, the event has become a social highlight for Bostonians. Approximately 400 guests will enjoy a sunset dinner, drinks, and dancing at Community Boating, Inc. The funds raised at each year’s event will support the Esplanade Association‘s work to revitalize, enhance, program, and maintain the park, while providing the community with free summer programming.
