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May 15,
2017
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Featured Stories
In The News
This Week's Featured Event
Arts, Entertainment & Events
Meetings & Notices
Announcements
Deals & Promos
BID Services & Links
Construction & Utility Work Updates
City of Boston Services
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This Week's Featured Event
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Boston Fashion Week's Open Runway at The Steps May 18th
Using the same premise as an open mic night for singers or comedians, Boston Fashion Week's Open Runway will showcase local fashion designers' works in a public show in the middle of Downtown Boston. This event is on Thursday, May 18th at noon at The Steps by Millennium Tower on Franklin Street.
Fashion designers at every stage of their careers, including students, are participating in this open air fashion show.
Jay Calderin, founder and executive director of Boston Fashion Week, will serve as host, and be joined by Denise Korn of Youth Design, Malia Lazu of Epicenter Community and Terri Mahn of thestylistcloset.
This event is in conjunction with the Downtown Boston Business Improvement District. Click here if you're interested in participating in the event. There is no fee to participate and this is a free event to attend. The rain date is Friday, May 19th.
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Arts, Entertainment & Events
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The Fountain Music Series at
133 Federal Street Plaza
The BID's Fountain Music Series at 133 Federal Street Plaza is back, offering live free musical performances on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Holly McGarry, above, will perform Wednesday, May 17th and Friday, May 19th. Kathleen Parks will perform Monday, May 22nd. |
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ArtsEmerson Screenings of 'Chapter and Verse' Starts May 19th
ArtsEmerson is screening "Chapter and Verse" seven times from May 19th through May 28th.
The film is about a reformed gang leader, who after serving eight years in prison, re-enters society and struggles to adapt to a changed Harlem. He's got a tough parole officer in a halfway house, and is unable to find a job that will let him use the technological skills he gained in prison. He ends up taking a job for a food pantry where he befriends Ms. Maddy, a strong and spirited grandmother.
Tickets are $10. Click here for tickets and showtimes. |
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'How To Be a Rock Critic' at Paramount Center Through May 21st
ArtsEmerson is presenting "How To Be a Rock Critic" at the Paramount Center through May 21st.
Based upon the writing of Lester Bangs, the play is "part Gonzo rock performance, part mental breakdown - all thrillingly theatrical." The play looks into Bangs' "wild, all-night typewriter sessions." He popularized terms like "heavy metal" and "punk rock" and died of an overdose at the young age of 33.
Click here for more info, showtimes and tickets. |
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Berklee College of Music Series at
100 Summer Street Plaza
For the third consecutive year, the BID has partnered with the Berklee College of Music to present live musical performances at the 100 Summer Street Plaza. The free performances are from noon to 2 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Paloma Menedez will perform on Tuesday, May 16th and Thursday, May 18th. Menedez is an emerging soulful Latin singer. |
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Genesis Foundation for Children Fundraising Golf Tournament May 22nd
Join The Genesis Foundation for Children for The Big Break Courtyard Pier 37 Open on Monday, May 22nd. This fundraising golf tournament contributed more than half a million dollars to benefit The Genesis Foundation.
The tournament is played at the TGC at Sacconnesset in Falmouth. Registration includes breakfast, lunch, cocktail reception and dinner. The tournament format will be one best ball of four. Prizes will be awarded to top foursomes, closest to the pin and longest drive. There will also be a raffle and auction. Click here for more info and to register. |
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Workout Wednesday at The Steps with Host Jon Malone
The Downtown Boston BID's latest series, Workout Wednesday, is on Wednesdays at The Steps at Millennium Tower on Franklin Street. Jon Malone, the founder of Vive, LLC., will be hosting this weekly series at noon offering varied workout options with downtown area businesses. All events are free and participating is encouraged!
Tai chi, boxing, yoga, cycling and more --- Malone will talk with experts in health-conscious disciplines -- and the audience is encouraged to participate.
If you are a Downtown Boston health-based business interested in being a guest during Workout Wednesday please contact Mike Testa at mtesta@bostonbid.org or Jon Malone at jmalone@vive.life. |
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St. Paul's Lunchtime Performance Series on Mondays and Thursdays
The BID's successful lunchtime music series outside of the Cathedral Church of St. Paul (138 Tremont St.) is back! Solo artists will be performing on Mondays and Thursdays from noon to 2 pm.
Rachel Sumner, pictured, will perform Thursday, May 18th. The Opera Guy will perform Monday, May 22nd.
Seating is provided, so bring your lunch and have a seat to enjoy the free entertainment. |
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FriendshipWorks' Walk-a-Thon
Fundraiser May 21st
FriendshipWorks' (105 Chauncy St.) is hosting its annual walk-a-thon fundraiser,
FriendshipWalks, on
Sunday, May 21st. FriendshipWorks is a non-profit organization that works to decrease social isolation in elders.
This year the walk will be in the afternoon, and the party will be outdoors (weather permitting) to allow FriendshipWorks' dogs and their owners to be part of the celebration. There are two starting points for the walk: one at 105 Chauncy St. for a 6.1-mile walk, and one from 135 South Huntington Ave. for a 3.7-mile walk.
Please join the walk and/or donate to keep FriendshipWorks' programs going. Click here for more info, to donate or register to walk. The walk will start at 1 pm.
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Boston Ballet's 'The Sleeping Beauty' at Boston Opera House
Thru May 27th
The Boston Ballet's "The Sleeping Beauty" is at the Boston Opera House through May 27th.
The ballet is the classic tale of a princess who is stuck in a century-long slumber and she can only be awoken by her true love's kiss.
Click here for tickets and showtimes. |
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Boston Ballet's 'Robbins/The Concert' at Boston Opera House Thru May 27th
The Boston Ballet's "Robbins/The Concert" is at the Boston Opera House through May 27th.
"Experience the perfect unity of dance and music in this program of works by Jerome Robbins, George Balanchine, and Jorma Elo," says the Boston Ballet's website. The music of Frédéric Chopin, Igor Stravinsky and J.S. Bach is featured.
Click here for tickets and showtimes. |
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Downtown Boston
Bands and
Singers Strolling Streets
The Downtown Boston BID's spring entertainment season kicked off May 1st throughout the Downtown Crossing area.
The Downtown Boston Dixieland Band is strolling through the area on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays twice
daily from
noon to 2 pm
and again
4:30 to 6:30 pm
.
The Downtown Boston Singers, a quartet singing group, is strolling through the area performing on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays from noon to 2 pm and 4:30 to 6:30 pm.
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'Aviary' Exhibit at
Lafayette City Center Passageway
The free art exhibit, "Aviary," is at the Lafayette City Center Passageway and compels passersby to stop, look at the imagery, and not just fly through the hallway.
The
Lafayette City Center Passageway connects Avenue de Lafayette to Macy's
and is
open daily to the public from 10 am to 6 pm
.
The exhibit is part of the ongoing photography series at the Passageway by the Griffin Museum of Photography. This exhibit is supported by the
Abbey Group,
Lafayette City Center and the
Downtown Boston Business Improvement District.
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Freedom Trail Foundation Tour Schedule Expands for Spring Season
The Freedom Trail Foundation's 18th-century costumed guides will be out on the trail in full force this spring, offering more opportunities to bring history to life.
Walk Into History Tours are daily at 11 am, noon, 1 pm, 2 pm and 3 pm, leaving from the Boston Common Visitor Information Center. Tours also depart from the ArtsBoston Booth at Faneuil Hall including Walk Into History Tours daily at 10:30 am, and North End Tours daily at 1:30 pm.
Freedom Trail Foundation walking tours are $14 for adults, $12 for seniors/students, and $8 for children. Tickets may be purchased at the Visitor Information Center on Boston Common, other area locations and online by clicking here.
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You Can Submit Your Own Event to the Downtown Boston BID Website
If you have an upcoming event you can now submit it to the Downtown Boston BID website. Click here to submit your own event.
Once approved by BID staff your event will be on the BID's calendar section and could be featured in the newsletter or on the BID social media accounts and promoted elsewhere.
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BID Ambassadors Provide Clean & Hospitality Services
in Downtown
The
Downtown Boston BID Ambassadors
provide clean and hospitality services seven days a week, nearly 24 hours a day. Ambassadors create a friendly, welcoming Downtown presence by helping visitors with directions, notifying fire and police personnel of incidents and more.
B
ID Ambassadors
provide walking escorts when needed and
they'll even tote an umbrella if it's raining! Please call 617-261-0066 if you want to contact our BID ambassador services program. You can also email help@bostonbid.org.
- Ambassadors remove litter and graffiti
- Ambassadors clear handicapped ramps and storm drain openings
- Ambassador powerwash in Downtown Boston during warm weather
- Ambassadors maintain the BID's landscaping
- Masonry Ambassadors fix sidewalks and more
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New England Center and Home for Veterans Marks Completion of Major Renovation
Elected federal, state and city officials, veterans' services and homeless agencies all gathered for a ribbon-cutting on May 12th to celebrate the completion of the New England Center and Home for Veterans' $35 million housing renovation project.
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| Left to right: State Senator Linda Dorcena Forry; Speaker of the House Robert A. DeLeo; Governor Charles D. Baker; NECHV Board Chair and President and CEO of Commodore Builders Corp., Joseph J. Albanese; Boston Mayor Martin Walsh; NECHV President and CEO Andrew McCawley; and Congressman Stephen F. Lynch. |
"We are grateful to all our public and private partners who have made this project possible," said NECHV President & CEO Andrew McCawley. "The completion of this project ensures that the NECHV can continue to effectively provide critical services to veterans for years to come."
"I'm proud that this redevelopment helped create safe and affordable housing for veterans," said Mayor Martin Walsh. "Helping the homeless is a personal issue for me, and I know that through working with the New England Center and Home for Veterans and Boston's Way Home, Boston will never turn its back on our veterans in need."
The 24-month-long construction project at 17 Court St.
created 37 new, permanent supportive housing units for veterans. Sixty existing supportive housing units were also renovated. There are also now 180 beds for transitional housing veterans, including a separate, specially designed female veteran dormitory.
The renovation added 65,000 sq. ft. of new veteran services spaces, including a new state-of-the-art veterans training school for education and employment services.
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LuminArtz Announces Illuminus Boston 2017 Festival for Downtown Boston
LuminArtz, a Boston based non-profit, held an event on May 11th to announce the Illuminus 2017 Festival, which will be held in Downtown Boston. The festival will transform the streets of Downtown Boston into a vibrant urban canvas for artists, designers, scientists and architects to engage visitors with their works. The festival is in partnership with the Downtown Boston BID.
"LuminArtz is proud to bring Illuminus to the Downtown Boston Business Improvement District this November. Illuminus is fast becoming Boston's brightest cultural tradition and a modern expression of our city, its people, and the enormous potential to thrive in technology, innovation and commerce," said Lyn Burke, co-founder of LuminArtz. "Illuminus 2017 will inspire, provoke and entertain while reinforcing a sense of community through shared experiences at the intersection of art and technology."
The preview was held at Ruth's Chris Steak House at Old City Hall (45 School St.), and the historical building was bathed in a gorgeous array of light for all to see. The preview event featured spectacular light art installations such as Sound Sculpture (above), a beautiful and dynamic light installation activated by a live musical performance with a solar light sculpture artistically designed to glow and flicker above.
"There are folks who talk many times about Boston as a world class city...if you look at the emphasis on arts and culture and what's going to happen in the city this fall, that's what is going to make Boston a world class city," said Massachusetts Speaker of the House
Robert DeLeo
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| Left to right: Massachusetts Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo; Stacy Maclay, co-founder of LuminArtz; Mackenzie Maclay, Sales and Catering Manager for Ruth's Hospitality Group; BID President & CEO Rosemarie Sansone; and Lyn Burke, co-founder of LuminArtz. |
"The BID's partnership with LuminArtz is a great example of what we heard people wanted when we engaged in our strategic planning process in 2016 -- people want destination events!" said BID President & CEO
Rosemarie Sansone
. "Many property owners are going to be part of the 'village' to create the festival. Synergy Investments, the new landlord of Ruth's Chris Steak House, was excited to get involved. And Midwood Investment & Development will be providing space for LuminArtz' temporary office."
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| Illuminus projected an amazing light show onto the Copley Library in 2015. |
Illuminus Boston is a free festival that was founded in 2014 by Jeff Grantz. This nighttime celebration features large-scale light and projection installations, with immersive sound, multimedia and performing arts experiences, both curated and spontaneous. Click here for a video of LuminArtz' 2015 "Lights Boston" show in Copley Square.
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Common Vines Now Open at
100 Summer Street
Common Vines (100 Summer St., on the building's Devonshire Street side) held its grand opening on May 11th with a wine tasting.
Common Vines focuses on interesting wines from around the world, and carries local craft beers and spirits. Common Vines is available for personal or corporate needs and has a certified sommelier on staff.
"Common Vines is Part I of a broader concept of having a place for people to taste, learn and enjoy wine and beer," said Jennifer Scott. "Part 2 is Taste Wine Bar & Cafe (at 101 Summer St.), which is a place where you can sit down and enjoy a bottle, glass or flights of wine and beer, and pair with locally produced cheese and charcuterie."
Taste Wine Bar & Cafe will be opening soon, too, said Scott, who owns both businesses with her husband Christopher Hsi. Taste Wine Bar & Cafe will have a private event space for educational seminars and events.
Common Vines is open
11 am to 7 pm Monday through Saturday, and those hours are expected to expand.
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Employment Opportunity:
Arts Market Associate
The Downtown Boston BID is seeking an Arts Market Associate with strong operational and organizational skills for contract work from May 15th thru Sept 29th.
The Arts Market Associate will provide support to BID staff and manage the two-day-a-week Downtown Boston Arts & Crafts Market on Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 am to 6:30 pm. The position reports to the Project Manager and the Chief Financial Officer.
Click here for a full job description.
This is an hourly wage/contract job.
Please email resume with cover letter to:
jobs@bostonbid.org.
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Metro Meeting Centers Celebrating
10th Anniversary
Congratulations to Metro Meeting Centers (101 Federal St., 4th Floor) on the 10th anniversary of its Boston office.
Metro Meeting Centers is a premier woman-owned 19,000 sq. ft. conference center with state-of-the-art accommodations. Metro Meeting Centers can host individuals or groups of up to 200, and offers all-inclusive meeting packages that cover every detail required to ensure a successful meeting. There are nine meeting rooms, a private dining area and an onsite event management team.
Try hosting your next board meeting, conference, training development workshop, team building activity or corporate reception. To learn more and make a reservation please call Maureen Ridings, VP of Sales & Marketing, at 617-737-1200 or mridings@metromeetingcenters.com. |
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Time for Owners to Register Their
Rental Units with
City of Boston
If you own a rental property, you must register it with the City each year. The deadline to register is July 1st.
There are three ways to register: register online by clicking here, download and fill out the registration form and mail or deliver it in person to the Inspectional Services Division. |
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Signup for Free Downtown Boston BID Lunchtime Baggo League
The Downtown Boston BID's Lunchtime Baggo League is kicking off a new season and it is free to participate. The league will be at the 125 Summer Street Plaza on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and games only take about 30 minutes.
Please email
Mike Testa at
mtesta@bostonbid.org to sign up to play or if you have questions. All participants will receives prizes.
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Take a Book, Leave a Book:
BID Little Free Library at
Walgreens Plaza
The Downtown Boston BID's Little Free Library debuted recently outside of Walgreens on Washington Street and is already very popular. Readers are welcome to take a book, and encouraged to leave a book. People are also welcome to donate books by leaving them at the library or contacting Kristen Flanagan at kflanagan@bostonbid.org to organize a pickup in the downtown area.
The BID's Little Free Library is officially registered with the Little Free Library non-profit organization. There are actually more than 50,000 registered little free libraries across the country and world!
The BID's Little Free Library is open 10 am to 6 pm daily (closed during inclement weather). |
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Vendors Wanted for 2017
Downtown Boston
Arts & Crafts Market
The Downtown Boston BID is expanding the Downtown Boston Arts & Crafts Market program for 2017, and is seeking vendors to sell their products. The market will be at Readers Park by the Irish Famine Memorial at the corner of Washington and School streets. The market will operate on Wednesdays and Fridays from May 15th through September 29th.
All artwork, crafts and food offerings must be original and handmade by you or your studio or enterprise. No mass-produced goods are allowed.
The Downtown Boston Arts & Crafts Market accepts arts and crafts in the following categories: fiber arts, fine art (painting, photography, sculpture), Christmas ornaments and holiday items, Judaica, blown glass, stained glass, clay/ceramics, metal, wood furniture, clothing and accessories, children's clothing and toys, pet items, jewelry, artisan foods, personal products (soap and fragrances), home decor and more.
Click here for more information and a vendor application. Also please contact Kristen Flanagan, Project Manager, at kflanagan@bostonbid.com with questions. |
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New Menu Item: Lobster Roll at Uno Due Go
Uno Due Go (52 Summer St.) is offering a sumptuous Lobster Roll for a limited time starting on May 15th. It's only $13.99 -- so stop in before it's gone.
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Ruth's Chris Steak House
New Seasonal 3-Course Menu
Ruth's Chris Steak House (45 School St.) is offering a new 3-course menu with a choice of four different appetizers, three sides, seven entrees and one dessert.
The cost varies from $44.95 to $59.95 depending upon what you order (beef costs more). Click here to see the full menu and to make reservations or call 617-742-8401. |
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Construction & Utility Work Updates
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New Developments Under Construction, Proposed Projects and More
Downtown Boston is continually transforming, with new buildings rising, as well as transportation projects taking place underground and at street level.
Looking for the latest u
pdates on developments, construction, sidewalk closings, and more? Click
here.
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Additional BID Services & Info
- Communication and Business Networking
- Meetings with individual BID members to discuss neighborhood issues
- Entertainment programming
- Member Advocacy
- Capital/Public Improvements
- Wayfinding
- Please click here for the 2016 BID Report to learn about the transformation of Downtown Crossing
- For additional details and information on the complete range of BID services please contact Doug Meyer, Membership Services & Database Manager, at dmeyer@bostonbid.org.
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Downtown Boston BID Weekly News Update
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