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July 16,  2018
Featured Stories
In The News
This Week's Featured Event
Arts, Entertainment & Events
Announcements
Deals & Promos
Construction, Utility Work and City Updates
BID Services & Links
City Services & Important Hotlines
In The News
Boston Globe: What It's Like at Democracy Brewing, a Worker-Owned Brewpub in Downtown Crossing 7/12/18

Curbed: How Boston Neighborhoods, Like the Leather District, Got Their Names 7/12/18

CBS Boston: Democracy Brewing Rocks! 7/12/18

This Week's Featured Event

"Cato & Dolly: A New American Play"  recently debuted at the  Old State House (206 Washington St.)


Two actors will perform the show's multiple characters in this new 20-minute play that offers a glimpse of everyday life behind the Hancock Mansion door. The play provides a look into the mansion through the eyes of Cato Hancock, an enslaved man in the Hancock household, and Dolly Hancock, John Hancock's wife and First Lady of Massachusetts.

Playwright Patrick Gabridge's previous site-specific play at the Old State House, "Blood On The Snow," had sold-out runs in 2016 and 2017. 

The play runs from July 6th through September 29th, and is included in the cost of admission to the Old State House.
 The show is being performed Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays at 11 am, 12:30 pm and 2 pm
Arts, Entertainment & Events
New Exhibit 'Through The Keyhole' at 
Old State House 

The Old State House (206 Washington St.) recently debuted an all-new temporary exhibit, "Through The Keyhole," which explores how the objects we preserve shape the stories we remember. For the first time in decades, the front door of the Hancock Mansion, which stood on what is now the west lawn of the State House, will be displayed to the public, newly set in a meticulous recreation of its original surrounding entryway.


The exhibit features additional items from the Bostonian Society's collection relating to the Hancock Mansion and its inhabitants.  Enhanced by specialized tours, original programming, and site-specific performances, the door serves as a gateway for visitors to re-examine the national narrative. How does selective preservation alter our perception of who we are? What barriers do we create by choosing one story over another? And what doors are yet to be opened?

The exhibition is included in the cost of admission to the Old State House. Visitors to the exhibit may also experience the new "Cato & Dolly" play.  
Peter Bloom Jazz Trio Performing in 
Post Office Square July 24th

The Peter Bloom Jazz Trio will be performing in the Post Office Square Concert Series on Tuesday, July 24th.  


The concert will include a mix of hits by Duke Ellington, Hoagy Carmichael, George Shearing, Clifford Brown, bebop and more.

The concert is from noon to 2 pm and free and open to the public. The concert is taking place in Post Office Square.

Catch Magic of 'Aladdin' at 
Boston Opera House

The family-friendly musical "Aladdin" is flying in the Boston Opera House through August 5th.  


The musical stars Aladdin, who frees a wish-granting magical genie. Aladdin then captures the heart of Princess Jasmine. The two come up against the evil Jafar. 

Please click here for tickets and showtimes. 
Mt. Auburn Cemetery Artist-in-Residence Presenting Original Film "earth.sky" at Old South Meeting House on July 25th

Mount Auburn Cemetery's first Artist-in-Residence, Roberto Mighty, will present his original film "earth.sky" at the Old South Meeting House (310 Washington St.) on Wednesday, July 25th


Incorporating sights, sounds and stories from the 174-acre cemetery, the film looks at the life cycle, culture, history and nature of the cemetery. The film includes portraits of 19th-century African-American sculptor Mary Edmonia Lewis, animal rights advocates George Thorndike Angell and Emily Appleton and Jewish-American author Bernard Malamud.

The event starts at 7 pm and a discussion with the filmmaker will follow the screening of the 45-minute film. This event is free and open to the public, but registration is requested by clicking here.
Live Music at The Steps, Federal Street, Summer Street, Walgreens and More

The Downtown Boston BID's 2018 performance season features more than 1,600-plus live musical performances spread across five different locations.


This week, Gypsy Jazz, Square Peg, Code 51, DD Martin Trio, Kathleen Parks, Sumner and Moss Country Band, Opera Guys and Friends and Roarin' Dukes of Swing will perform at The Steps (Franklin and Washington streets). There are daily performances from noon to 2 pm and 4:30 to 6:30 pm on Monday through Friday, noon to 2 pm on Saturday and 4:30 to 6:30 pm on Sunday. With plenty of seating at The Steps, it's a wonderful spot to sit down with your lunch and enjoy the show. 

Soloists Rachel Sumner and Todd Brunel will perform at 133 Federal St. this week. Performances are on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from noon to 2 pm


Dan Barton, Sumner and Moss Country Band and Brandon Shah will perform outside of Macy's on Summer Street. These performances are on Thursday and Friday, from noon to 2 pm, and again from 4:30 to 6:30 pm. Saturday performances, from 12:30 pm to 3 pm, feature the popular ensemble group Sweet Harmony, singing hits from the 80s, 90s, 2000s and today. 

The BID is teaming up with The Exchange at 100 Federal (100 Federal St.) to present live music inside the atrium from 4 to 6 pm on Tuesdays. The Downtown Boston Singers will perform this week.

There is also live music at the  100 Summer Street Plaza on Tuesday and Thursday from noon to 2 pm. There are Adirondack chairs on the plaza that are perfect for relaxing and listening to music. Soloist Kathleen Parks will headline at the plaza this week.


Another spot to catch talented local musicians is at 125 Summer Street Plaza on Monday and Friday from noon to 2 pm. This week soloists Brandon Shah and Pablo Bailon will perform. 

The BID is also sponsoring live music outside of the Walgreens (School and Washington streets) on Friday from noon to 1:30 pm and Saturday from noon to 2 pm. Soloists Dan Barton and Kathleen Parks are performing this week. 

All performances are subject to change and may be cancelled due to inclement weather.  
New Griffin Museum Exhibit 
'Quién? Qué? Dónde?' at 
Lafayette City Center Passageway

The newest Griffin Museum of Photography exhibit "Quién? Qué? Dónde?" recently debuted at the Lafayette City Center Passageway.
Gary Beeber's "Mona with her idols"

""Quién? Qué? Dónde?" means "Who? What? Where?" in Spanish. Spanish is one of the world's most commonly spoken languages and is often chosen as the second language one learns. The name was chosen for this portrait exhibition in order to underscore the complexities of all of our diverse roots," writes Paula Tognarelli, Executive Director and Curator of the Griffin Museum of Photography. 

The exhibit features work by 70 photographers. The exhibit will be on display from  June 10th through September 30, 2018.
Robert Moran's "Daughter of a Slave, Timbuktu, Mali"

This exhibit is through a partnership by the Griffin Museum of Photography, the Abbey Group and the Downtown Boston BID. This exhibit is in the Lafayette City Center Passageway (between Macy's and the Hyatt Regency Boston)  and open to the public from 10 am to 6 pm  
Look Out for Redcoats on 
The Freedom Trail

The Freedom Trail Foundation and Downtown Boston BID offer the opportunity to experience British soldiers in 18th-century Redcoat uniforms reenacting guard duty like it's 1775.


This historical program utilizes experienced Freedom Trail Players, costumed in the attire of 18th-century British soldiers, who bring the daily actions and atmosphere of British-occupied Boston to life. Residents and visitors will meet the soldiers and engage them in talk about their postings in the hostile environment of colonial Boston as they "occupy" Downtown Boston on Washington, Summer, and Winter streets. The Freedom Trail's Changing the Guard takes place from May through October on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 2 pm

For more information about Changing the Guard, please call the Freedom Trail Foundation at 617-357-8300 or visit TheFreedomTrail.org.
 
Downtown Boston 
Performance Groups are Strolling 
Twice a Day and  Taking Requests!

The very popular Downtown Boston bands and singers are strolling throughout the streets of Downtown Boston twice a day from noon to 2 pm and 5 to 7 pm.


The Downtown Brass Band is strolling through the area on Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. 

The Downtown Sweet Sound Band is strolling through the area on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturday.

The Downtown Boston Singers are strolling through the area Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays.

The BID-sponsored bands and singers stroll throughout the Downtown Boston area and stop on street corners and outside of businesses to play a song or two and then move on. Please feel free to take photos or videos of them and share them on social media using #DowntownBoston. Also, they take requests!
 
BID Services & Links
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 crosswalks, handicapped ramps and storm drain openings
  • Ambassadors shovel in Downtown Boston during winter
  • Ambassadors maintain the BID's landscaping 
  • Masonry Ambassadors fix sidewalks and more
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 Downtown Boston BID's Welcome Guide that provides a look at many of the BID's accomplishments in leading 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.
Featured Stories
Artist Installation Kicks Off Countdown to 
ILLUMINUS Light Festival;
Artists Tour Downtown for Inspiration

A new artist installation at 349 Washington Street debuted July 6th, beginning the countdown to this fall's free nighttime ILLUMINUS Light Festival.   

 
"This is a kickoff for ILLUMINUS. We will have rotating installations highlighting local artists leading up to the 2018 ILLUMINUS Festival on November 2 and 3, 2018," said Anita Lauricella, BID Public Realm Senior Planner.


Artist Jason Lieder said of his work,  "There are so many different ways to exist and no single 'right way' to do things, and I hope that my work and persona inspires others to see the value in doing and being different."


In conjunction with the installation, CIC Boston (50 Milk St.) hosted an artist meetup with more than 50 artists on July 9th to inform them about ILLUMINUS. CIC Boston was the perfect backdrop for a meetup of creative minds, as it is home to more than 300 entrepreneurial-spirited businesses.  

"How do we foster the entrepreneurial spirit? By working with powerful, local partners to develop the critical networks that entrepreneurs, startups, and all businesses need to grow effectively," said Boris Perlovsky, director of CIC Boston. "And we focus on strengthening vibrant communities, building collaborative work environments, and creating impactful programming to attract and support the very best entrepreneurs and their teams so they may innovate better, faster, and in more impactful ways."

ILLUMINUS founder and executive director Jeff Gantz said  the festival is a great opportunity for emerging artists to develop new work and collaborate across different artistic disciplines, including light, sound, performances and more.
  

The event culminated with a tour of Downtown Boston by ILLUMINUS' Jane Long and Vanessa Till Hooper to show artists possible locations for art installations.

"The meetup was to inform the artists about the call for proposals for ILLUMINUS 2018. The festival is focused on highlighting the deep talent of Boston's artist community," said Hooper.


Projects are currently being sought that cross disciplinary boundaries and engage a diverse public audience. Installations that change how people see and experience the Downtown Boston landscape are desired.

Proposed projects should take into account that this is an outdoor festival, so works must be able to sustain moderate wind, moisture and humidity. Stipends from $1,000 to $5,000 will be available for artists.


The ILLUMINUS Light Festival is a partnership between ILLUMINUS, LuminArtz and the Downtown Boston BID.

Free Shakespeare on the Common 
"Richard III" Opens July 18th

The Commonwealth Shakespeare Company is performing "Richard III" for this year's Free Shakespeare on the Common. The show opens July 18th and runs through August 5th


"My whole approach is not to demonize or glorify a character but how to humanize a character," says Faran Tahir, who is playing Richard III. 

This is the 24th year of the company's Free Shakespeare on the Common. The Downtown Boston BID is a co-sponsor of the show.

The show is free and open to the public. Bring a blanket, portable chairs, a picnic and enjoy the performance by the Parkman Bandstand. Performances are at 8 pm Tuesday through Saturday, 7 pm on Sundays, and there is a 3 pm matinee performance on August 4th. Click here for more information.
Announcements
St. Anthony Shrine 
Summer Liturgies for Individuals and 
Families Impacted by Addiction 

St. Anthony Shrine (100 Arch St.) is hosting a summer liturgy for individuals and families impacted by addiction. This a free event open for anyone to attend.


A liturgy will be held on Saturday, July 21st at St. Anthony Shrine at 7 pm. Music by the Arch Street Band and a reception will follow the event.  
Jewelry, Woodwork and More:
Downtown Boston  Arts Market 
on Summer Street
 
The Downtown Boston Arts Market is on Summer Street between Macy's, Primark and Roche Bros. from 11 am to 6 pm on Thursdays and Fridays.


The market is a great place to get a gift for yourself or a loved one. Handmade jewelry, antique maps, artisanal food, soaps and candles are just some of the items being sold at the market this year. This week's vendors are: Design of Mine, Simply Chickie, Jus Labs, Fridgedoor, LovePop Cards, Intaglio Antique Prints & Maps, Recycled Glass, Karol Peralta Jewelry, Storyteller Jewelry, Charged Glassworks, Fiber and Water, EPOCA, Wyllo, B and B Glass, Urban Kitchen Handmade and Foxfire Creative.
BID Little Free Libraries at 
Walgreens Plaza and 175 Federal St.
 
The Downtown Boston BID's very popular Little Free Library is now back at Walgreens Plaza (School and Washington streets) for anyone to take a book and leave a book. The Walgreens Plaza Little Free Library was so popular that a second one was added to the district, at 175 Federal St. (Summer Street side)


The general public is invited to donate free books to the BID's Little Free Libraries by dropping off books at the libraries or by contacting Kristen Flanagan at kflanagan@bostonbid.org to organize a pickup in the downtown area.

The BID's Little Free Libraries are 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 Libraries are  open daily from 10 am to 6 pm   (closed during inclement weather). 
Deals & Promos
Build-Your-Own Mojito Dinner at 
Ruth's Chris Steak House on July 19th

Ruth's Chris Steak House (45 School St.) is hosting a special build-your-own mojito 5-course dinner on Thursday, July 19th.  


The meal will feature ahi poke, veal osso buco ravioli, spicy shrimp, mixed grill with charred broccoli and Spanish potatoes and tres leche cake. The drinks will include a Hawaiian mimosa, traditional daiquiri, build-your-own mojito, dark and stormy and Jamaican iced coffee. The cost is $95 per person (plus tax and gratuity). Please call 617-742-8401 to make a reservation.
 
Receive a Free Dessert at The Merchant

The Merchant (60 Franklin St.) is offering a free dessert to anyone eating dinner on Saturdays or Sundays if they mention this ad. 

 
Ruth's Chris Steak House Catering Deal: Receive $50 Bonus Card for 
Every $500 Spent 

Ruth's Chris Steak House (45 School St.) is offering a deal for catering on-site and off-site for events booked through July 29th. You will receive a $50 bonus card for every $500 spent. Please click here for more info.


Free Yoga Classes at 
Hyatt Regency Boston 

Hyatt Regency Boston (One Avenue de Lafayette) is offering free yoga classes on Wednesdays and Saturdays


Classes are by YogaHub and take place at the hotel (check in at the front desk for the class location). You do not have to be a guest at the hotel to take the class. Please bring your own yoga mat. 

Classes on Wednesdays are from 5:45 to 6:45 pm, and 9 to 10 am on Saturdays.
 
Construction, Utility 
Work and City Updates
Advisory:  Change to Devonshire Street 
Traffic Pattern  Now In Effect

The Downtown Boston BID has received the following information from the Boston Transportation Department:

Please be advised that as part of the demolition of the 115 Winthrop Square Garage there are traffic pattern changes to Devonshire Street as of June 9th until further notice.


Devonshire Street is closed to vehicular traffic and bicyclists from the 100 Summer Street Garage to 75-101 Federal St. Devonshire Street is a two-way street from Summer Street to the entrance of the 100 Summer Street garage. 

The sidewalk on the west side of Devonshire Street will remain open to pedestrians. Access to the 100 Summer Street parking garage, 100 Summer Street loading dock, Common Vines wine shop, and residential properties on Devonshire Street is available.
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 updates on developments, construction, sidewalk closings, and more? Click here. 


 

City Services & 
Important Hotlines    


Important Phone Numbers
Boston Fire, Police & Emergency Services: 911
Non-emergency requests: 311
Eversource gas and electric: 1-800-592-2000
National Grid: 1-800-322-3223
Boston Water & Sewer Commission: 617-989-7000
Mass Water Resources Authority: 617-242-6000
City of Boston Tow Lot: 617-635-3900
National Weather Service: 508-822-0634
Verizon: 800-837-4966
Boston Animal Care and Control: 617-635-5348
Cold Relief Heatline: 800-632-8175
Elderly Commission: 617-635-4366
Emergency Shelter Commission: 617-635-4507
MBTA: 617-222-3200
MEMA: 508-820-1428
Mass. Road and Traffic Conditions: 617-374-1234
City of Boston Neighborhood Services: 617-635-3485
State Police: 617-740-7600
Transit Police: 617-222-1212
City of Boston Veterans Services: 617-635-3957
THANK YOU!
Downtown Boston BID Weekly News Update

BID Logo Lo Res

For questions and comments, please contact David Ertischek, Communications & Social Media Manager, at: dertischek@bostonbid.org