Boston Blooms Block Party Announced

Mayor Michelle Wu, in partnership with the Downtown Boston Business Improvement District, the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy, and the Greenway BID, today announced Boston Blooms, an April 13 block party welcoming employees, residents, and visitors back to Downtown Boston. As the City of Boston continues to recover from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the goal is to bolster our local economy by encouraging everyone to support Boston’s Downtown.

Stretching from South Station to Downtown Crossing on Summer and Winter Streets, the all day event will consist of food trucks, live music, local performers, street art installations, and a pop-up beer garden. This kick-off event will be followed by a series of ongoing programming that will run throughout the summer across Downtown Boston as part of Mayor Wu’s Downtown revitalization plan.

The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted Downtown and its businesses. With the decrease in foot traffic, consumer spending has consequently faltered with it. As the City aims to welcome people back to its commercial centers, the City is focusing on moving forward bold initiatives to increase consumer confidence and support small businesses. Downtown is integral to the economic standing of the City of Boston. While Boston aims to activate spaces in all of our neighborhoods, the City is also seeking to ensure its Downtown core is flourishing. 

“As we plan for our long-term economic recovery, bringing people back together in person will help our small businesses, restaurants, and arts and culture scene grow. We look forward to highlighting the vibrant community possible with revitalizing our downtown with events, arts, and place-making,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “I am grateful to all of our partners for working to ensure that Downtown remains a vibrant and inclusive destination and encourage everyone to stop by the Boston Blooms Block Party.”

"The Greenway is all about connections. Just as the park connects neighborhoods and Downtown Boston to its waterfront, we are thrilled to partner with Mayor Michelle Wu on reconnecting with what makes Downtown so special - the people who live, work and visit there," said Chris Cook, Executive Director of the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy. 

"Downtown Boston is a vital Boston neighborhood; the crossroads where businesses, restaurants and retail meet culture and tourism," says Anita Lauricella, Acting Co-Director of the Downtown Boston Business Improvement District. "We are working closely with Mayor Wu's office to ensure that Downtown Crossing, the Theatre District and the Financial District remain vibrant for the thousands of workers, shoppers, diners, tourists and families who visit us each day of the week."

Boston Blooms Schedule:

7:30 - 10:00 a.m. 

• Music & breakfast food truck (North American Catering), hosted by the Greenway Conservancy and Greenway BID
• Free Coffee, hosted by Downtown BID
• Performances by DJ WhySham, Fabiola Méndez, and Dephrase, hosted by Mayor's Office of Arts & Culture

11:30 - 2:00 p.m.

• Music & food trucks at Dewey Square hosted by the Greenway Conservancy 
• Performances by DJ WhySham, Junk Music, DJ Rockstone Trizz, and Urbanity Duo, hosted by Mayor’s Office of Arts & Culture
• Plant giveaways, hosted by the Boston Parks & Recreation Department and Downtown BID
• Street Theory- 2 Walls, hosted by Mayor’s Office of Arts & Culture

4:00 - 8:00 p.m.

• Beer Garden at Downtown Crossing hosted by Democracy Brewing and Downtown BID
• Lawn Games, hosted by Downtown BID
• Performances by DJ WhySham, OrigiNation Cultural Arts Center, and OOMPA, hosted by Mayor’s Office of Arts & Culture
• Mural Crew/Photo booth, hosted by Boston Parks & Recreation
• Plant giveaway, hosted by Boston Parks & Recreation

Businesses have adapted and innovated beyond their normal operating procedures in response to the pandemic. The City of Boston seeks to continue to help facilitate this transition through the recovery and beyond, as we all pivot to the new normal. The Small Business Relief Fund 2.0, which was recently replenished with an additional $5 million, and the securing of local partnerships to provide targeted technical assistance to applicants are two examples of how the City has sought to provide all of the necessary resources to help our small businesses keep their doors open. Additionally, the City is working to reimagine Boston’s public spaces, particularly City Hall Plaza, and is seeking to work with commercial property owners to fill vacant storefronts and provide affordable housing and childcare opportunities while tying it all together through a PR campaign to encourage people to come back to the City. All of these efforts are to make Boston a vibrant, inviting, and exciting place to visit once again.