Charles River Esplanade

Charles River Esplanade We're devoted to revitalizing, enhancing, & maintaining the Esplanade in Boston along with MA DCR.

05/28/2026

Yesterday, EA Staff and Board Members took the first hard-hat tour of our biggest project yet: the Esplanade’s new Smith Family Pavilion and Charlesbank Campus! 🙌
 
Our contractor has been busy framing individual rooms, completing the deck and topping of the structure’s roof on the first universally accessible second-story view in the Esplanade’s history! 👀
 
Follow us for more updates as construction continues and our visitor center keeps growing! ⬆️
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Video description: Various clips of EA staff and Board Members wearing white hard hats within a building construction site.

05/26/2026

THIS SUNDAY we are kicking off our FREE GroundBeat Concert Series with Community Day! 🎶⚡️
 
Join for a special 35th anniversary ‘Zumix Hatch Shell Takeover’ show with performances by ZUMIX’s youth bands (Zukix, , poprockszumix, , zumix.rog, Sprouts Ukulele Orchestra), the ZUMIX Staff Band, Alumni performances (, Lady Fortuna), and Dance Groups (, , and )! 🎸
 
Come enjoy amazing music, family-friendly activities, food, and 50% off kayak rentals from our partner ! 🙌
 
📍DCR Hatch Memorial Shell (47 David G Mugar Way, Boston, MA 02108)
📅 May 31
⏰ 4 PM–7 PM
🎫 Register today at the link in our bio!

As the weather warms up and the park continues to flourish, join us in celebrating everything that makes the Esplanade a...
05/25/2026

As the weather warms up and the park continues to flourish, join us in celebrating everything that makes the Esplanade a special place for all of us—including the bright spring blooms, dock dances, and peaceful walks that bring the park to life. 🌷 

Join the Esplanade Association in keeping this space vibrant and welcoming for the millions of visitors who continue to create new memories here every year!

We’re asking YOU to be one of the 25 people to donate $25 on this 25th of May! 💚

Photos by: James Desmond

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ID: A river reflecting pink blossoming trees under a cloudy sky. A swan swims on the water. Green logo reads “$25 for 25 years of care” with leaves icon.

The Esplanade is more than a park—it’s a shared space where memories are made by more than 4 million people each year.  ...
05/19/2026

The Esplanade is more than a park—it’s a shared space where memories are made by more than 4 million people each year.  ✨ 
 
What are your favorite things about the Esplanade? 💚 
 
Photos by: Surya Teja (), Becky Davis (), Michelle Parkos (), Emerson Kropp, Sebastian Gonzalez Quintero (), Melissa Ostrow (), Jie Zhao (), Safiya Bobb (), Merrill Shea, Wynn Graves 
 
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ID 1: City skyline with trees and a river in the foreground on a sunny day. Text bubble that asks “What are 4 things that remind you of the Esplanade? 🤔” Alt. Text continued in comments.

05/14/2026

On these beautiful SPRING DAYs on the Esplanade, some of our favorite memories happen on one of our iconic Shurcliff benches. 💜
 
Support the historic benches at the park by visiting or donating to preserve them!


 
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Video description: Bench at park with plaque that says “Taehyung’s Corner”

We hope you got to join us last week at “Rooted in Memory”, a light and sound installation that explores the ways our li...
05/13/2026

We hope you got to join us last week at “Rooted in Memory”, a light and sound installation that explores the ways our lives entwine with the trees. 🌳💫
 
Thank you to and for developing this amazingly interactive piece, as well as the public who contributed their memories to be played over a soundscape created by . 🌀
 
Photos by: Pierre Arnauld Des Lions (.arnauld)
 
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ID 1: Vibrant multicolored lights illuminate trees surrounding a stone monument with “Remember” projected in white text, set against a night city skyline.
ID 2: A tall tree illuminated by vibrant blue and purple lights at night, set against a dark sky, with buildings faintly visible in the background.
ID 3: Night scene in a park with trees illuminated in green. A stone with “Breathe” projected in white text on it is centered.
ID 4: A tree trunk and branches, illuminated in vibrant blue light against a dark night sky, with small leaves illuminated in yellow light.
ID 5: Vibrant multicolored lights rapidly change colors and illuminate trees surrounding a stone monument with “Remember” projected in white text, set against a night city skyline.

Last weekend, , , and , presented Salsa ASL by the Shell, an accessible ASL Salsa dance celebration led by DeafBlind Dan...
05/08/2026

Last weekend, , , and , presented Salsa ASL by the Shell, an accessible ASL Salsa dance celebration led by DeafBlind Dance Instructor Kerry Thompson! 💃️
 
Thank you to everyone who danced with us at this  event, bringing together disabled and non-disabled dancers, Deaf, Blind, DeafBlind, and wheelchair users on a radically inclusive dance floor.
 
This was truly a space for ALL, with a DJ , Audio Description, ASL and ProTactile interpreters, sighted guides, and adaptive dance instruction. Thank you to , partners, volunteers, and all of YOU for lighting up the dance floor! Stay tuned for more fun events from all of our organizations! ⭐
 
Photos by: James Desmond
 
ID 1: A group of 20 diverse disabled and nondisabled attendees outside on a white dance floor on the Esplanade dancing in pairs facing each other and holding hands, smiling and laughing as Kerry Thompson, a DeafBlind white woman with long brown hair in her mid 40s who wears a black Silent Rhythms jacket, black leggings and sneakers, teaches at the front.
 
Image descriptions continued in the comments.

We were so grateful to be part of 50th year of Art in Bloom! 🌼🌸 This year, we honored Evelyn (Happy) Doran and the late...
05/06/2026

We were so grateful to be part of 50th year of Art in Bloom! 🌼🌸
 
This year, we honored Evelyn (Happy) Doran and the late Bob Doran for their incredible legacy of philanthropy in Boston, including their great advocacy for our future Smith Family Pavilion & Charlesbank Campus.
 
Thank you to the Garden Club for the beautiful arrangement! ♥️
 
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[Image description: A vibrant bouquet with orange lilies, red roses, and purple flowers in a black vase is set beside a colorful, abstract painting featuring traditional African masks.]
 
[Slide 2: A smiling woman stands beside a vibrant bouquet and colorful abstract painting.]
 
[Slide 3: Sign for “Art in Bloom” exhibit for “Ubi Girl from Tai Region” painting. Arrangement by the Boston Junior League Garden Club, with a list of flowers. Sponsored by Esplanade Association in honor of Evelyn (Happy) and the late Bob Doran.]

Starting tomorrow! Join us for Rooted in Memory, an evening of art, light, and sound! This immersive installation animat...
05/02/2026

Starting tomorrow! Join us for Rooted in Memory, an evening of art, light, and sound! This immersive installation animates our memories and relationships with trees and living networks. The light installation will begin around 8:30 PM, preceded by a live artistic offering to set the tone for the night. Arrive at 8:00 PM  to take in the full experience. Enjoy free non-alcoholic refreshments (including !) as you experience the art.  ⭐️
 
📆 SUNDAY MAY 3 - WEDNESDAY MAY 6
⏰ 8:00 PM - 10:30 PM

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[Image description: Outdoor event graphic titled ‘Rooted in Memory.’ Blue-lit trees, silhouetted people, city skyline. Text: ‘Free refreshments!’ Logos for Esplanade Association, Stories & Spaces, Illuminus, Community Boating Inc., and Culture Pop Soda.”]

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us for the 2026 Charles River Cleanup! Your dedication and hard work made an inc...
05/01/2026

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us for the 2026 Charles River Cleanup! Your dedication and hard work made an incredible difference in the park. Together, we collected 350 bags of trash, totaling over 525 pounds of waste removed from the park. 🌱

This wouldn’t have been possible without the time and energy of each volunteer. The Esplanade is a better place because of you!

Want to stay involved? Visit esplanade.org/volunteer to explore upcoming opportunities! 🤝

Photos by: Anna Travers and Safiya Bobb 

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[Image description: A person in a blue hat and a life jacket paddles near a leafy shoreline in a pink kayak, with a pile of trash in the kayak. Alt. Text continued in comments.]
 

Address

Charles River Esplanade
Boston, MA
02114

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

(617) 227-0365

Website

http://www.esplanade.org/

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