Page 38 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2017 - Boston
P. 38
36 INTRODUCING BOST ON
BOSTON THROUGH
THE YEAR
Perhaps more than in any other city in the lists favor fiction over more scholarly texts.
U.S., Boston’s cultural life tends to follow Though the cultural life of the city tends
the academic calendar, with the “year” to flourish from fall to spring, the summer
beginning when classes commence at its months do feature many of Boston’s major
many colleges and universities in September, carnivals, festivals, parades, and free outdoor
and winding down a little with the start concerts at the Hatch Shell (see p94). After
of the summer recess in May and June. In the students’ return to their studies in the
between is so-called “ice cream” season, fall, the busy performing arts season begins,
when the warm weather causes most with symphony concerts, theater, and ballet
activities to shift out of doors, and reading continuing into the following spring.
This annual parade also walks in the country, raises
commemorates the British funds for food banks.
evacuation of Boston during Duckling Day Parade
the Revolutionary War. (second Sun), Boston Common.
Parade retracing the route
April of the ducklings in Robert
Baseball (early Apr), Fenway McCloskey’s classic children’s
Park. Major league season starts storybook, Make Way
for Boston Red Sox. for Ducklings.
Annual Lantern Festival Arts First (late Apr–early May),
(Patriots Day Eve), Old North Cambridge. More than
Church. Commemorates 200 free performances of
hanging signal lanterns in the music, theater, and dance –
steeple to warn revolutionaries. all on Harvard campus.
Patriots Day Parade (third Mon), Hidden Gardens of Beacon
Springtime tulips in full bloom, from City Hall Plaza to Paul Hill (third Thu), Beacon Hill.
Public Garden Revere Mall, where the start Garden tours organized.
of Paul Revere’s Midnight Ride Lilac Sunday (mid-May), Arnold
is reenacted. Arboretum. More than 400
Spring
Boston Marathon (third lilac bushes are in bloom.
When the weather warms, Mon), Hopkinton to Back Bay. Street Performers Festival
Boston bursts into bloom. America’s oldest marathon. (late May), Faneuil Hall
Thousands of tulips explode Marketplace. Street musicians,
in the Public Garden, and May jugglers, acrobats, and others
the magnolia trees of MayFair (early May), Harvard launch their season.
Commonwealth Avenue are Square. International street fair. Boston Pops (May–Jun),
sheathed in pink and white. Walk for Hunger (first Sun), Symphony Hall. Season features
Spring is a season of remem 20mile (32km) walk, one of light Classical repertory and
brance, with commemorations the oldest and largest pledge American popular music.
of events leading up to the
American Revolution. It also
marks the start of the season
for the Boston Red Sox.
March
Reenactment of Boston
Massacre (early Mar), Old State
House. Marks watershed event
that turned Bostonians against
their British rulers.
Boston Flower & Garden
Show (mid-Mar), various venues.
One of the oldest annual flower
exhibitions in the United States.
St. Patrick’s Day Parade
(mid-Mar), South Boston. Runners at the annual Boston Marathon, held in April
036-037_EW_Boston.indd 36 09/01/17 12:07 pm
