Volunteer Opportunities

We would like to thank you for your interest in volunteering with the Esplanade Association! Volunteering is essential to keeping the Esplanade clean and beautiful and enabling us to put on fun and free programs and events year round.

The Esplanade Association has opportunities for groups and individuals throughout the year. Working alongside Esplanade Association staff, volunteers participate in a host of projects, programs, and events including managing invasive species, painting benches, assisting with family-friendly events, helping with guided tours, and so much more! Volunteer opportunities vary by season.

Award-Winning Volunteer Program

EA’s Volunteer program began in 2004. The EA Volunteer Program has been a great success and has won the Boston Cares Outstanding Community Partners Award in 2005, was one of 100 national winners of the REI Park Stewardship awards in 2010, and won the Shonkoff Community Service Award from Blue Cross Community in 2015.

2022 Charles River Cleanup

Join us for this year’s 2022 Charles River Earth Day Cleanup on the Esplanade on April 23rd from 10am to 12pm! For more information about the cleanup, click here.

If you are interested in bringing a group to volunteer on the Esplanade for this year’s 23rd Charles River Cleanup, please submit our 2022 Esplanade Cleanup Group Request Form.

If you have any questions regarding this year’s cleanup or volunteering on the Esplanade, contact our Programs & Partnerships Manager, Samuel Englert, at senglert@esplanade.

Great volunteer shot Suzanne Merritt Curious Soul Photos

Group Volunteer Opportunities

Bring your company’s employees to volunteer on the Esplanade as part of our award-winning Volunteer Program!

Volunteering with the Esplanade Association is a great way to build team camaraderie while participating in a visible philanthropic effort to benefit a local nonprofit. Volunteers report a sense of pride caring for a public space that they are likely to return to with friends and family.

To learn more about the volunteer day, and to register to volunteer, click here.

Individual Volunteer Opportunities

The Esplanade Association is seeking civic-minded community members to join our Individual Volunteer Program. Whether we’re hosting educational, cultural, or recreational programs for the community or caring for 15 ornamental gardens and 1,700 trees, we need your support! Volunteers will assist with event setup and registration, specialized horticultural tasks, office mailings, and more, based on their interests and availability throughout the year. Small groups or families are welcome to participate together! For more information about volunteer opportunities please visit our Individual Volunteer Program description or email our Programs & Partnerships Manager, Samuel Englert, at senglert@esplanade.org.

Volunteers collecting trash from Charles Christina Maiorano

Friends Council

The Friends Council is a group of emerging park lovers dedicated to quality of life in Boston and iconic open spaces like the Esplanade. Friends Council members are passionate about the Esplanade Association’s work to revitalize, enhance, maintain, and program the Esplanade and socialize at a variety of networking and benefit events throughout the year.

Whether you’re a neighbor, run along the Charles each morning before work, take your favorite four-legged friend for their daily Esplanade walk, or relish the long summer evenings with your friends on the docks, the Friends Council is always looking for new members who treasure the Esplanade and want to share their enthusiasm with others.

Learn more about our Friends Council.

Volunteer Photographer Program

Are you inspired by the Esplanade? Are you looking to build your personal portfolio of photos? We need your skills! The Esplanade Association is seeking dedicated photographers to help showcase the beauty and vitality of the Esplanade and to help build awareness of the work we do to care for the park throughout the year. Learn more.

Classic view of CBI and City Skyline Sebastian Gonzalez Quintero

Volunteer Docent Program

The Esplanade Association (EA) is seeking passionate volunteer tour docents to lead tours of the Esplanade. This is a great opportunity to engage with the public and learn more about the fascinating history and ecology of the park! Docents will supplement staff to help EA offer more tours to the public, educating them on our history, mission, programming and more. Learn more.