The Emerald Necklace Conservancy

LALH Film Event: Racisim and the American Park
2025-11-04 18:30 - 21:30 (America/New_York) | Coolidge Corner Theatre, 290 Harvard Street, Brookline, MA, United States
Powerful storytelling about the role of parks in shaping the American experience
and the destructive effect of racial injustice on these public spaces.
Tuesday, November 4, 2025 | 6:30 PM
Coolidge Corner Theatre, Brookline, MA

Join an evening of film and conversation with three of America’s leading park historians—Ethan Carr, Rolf Diamant, and William O’Brien—cosponsored by Friends of Fairsted and Library of American Landscape History.

Back on my Feet Walk
2025-09-22 05:45 - 06:30 | Franklin Park, Boston
Back on My Feet empowers people to break free from the cycles of poverty, homelessness, and/or addiction through the power of running/walking, community support, and employment resources.
They run and walk 3 times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) to build a sense of community and responsibility.

No More Sewage in the Charles!
2025-11-07 12:00 - 13:00, 2025-11-12 18:30 - 19:30
The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) recently proposed a plan that would allow for sewage to continue to be dumped into the Charles River forever.
During a meeting with its Board of Directors, MWRA officials presented multiple possible options for addressing combined sewer overflows (CSOs) in the Charles, and recommended the option leading to the largest increase in sewage discharging to the River.
The MWRA Board of Directors will vote on the proposal on November 19. We need your help to let them know this is unacceptable.
Join us for one of these two webinars to learn what the proposed plan entails, why the board should reject it, and what you can do to influence their vote.
Why is there sewage in the Charles River? Learn more here.

Second Saturdays: Volunteer Stewardship at Jamaica Pond
2025-11-08 10:00 - 12:00 | James Michael Curley House, 350 Jamaicaway, Boston, MA, 02130, United States
Join Emerald Necklace Conservancy staff and volunteers with land stewardship work in the Emerald Necklace parks! This month, we will be working at Jamaica Pond Park.
Registration is required in order to participate in this event. Those who register will automatically receive an email with further details, including the necessary waivers to sign and specific information on where to meet and what to expect on the day of the event.
Please email volunteer@emeraldnecklace.org with inquiries on this event or other volunteer opportunities.
Register below; if the signup form does not load, try opening this page in an incognito/private browsing window:

2025 Fenway Open Studios
2025-11-08 11:00 - 2025-11-09 17:00 | Fenway Studios, 30 Ipswich Street, Boston, MA, 02215, United States
Step inside history and creativity at Boston’s Historic Fenway Studios during our annual Fall Open Studios.
November 8 & 9, 2025
11 am to 5 pm
30 Ipswich St, Boston, MA 02215
Fenway Studios is a National Historic Landmark building and the oldest purpose-built structure in the United States constructed solely for artists’ space. Built in 1905 to support Boston’s artistic community, the building continues to thrive as home to a vibrant group of working artists.
On November 8 and 9, visitors are invited to explore the studios, meet the artists, and experience the creative process firsthand. Over 25 artists will participate, opening their doors to share paintings, works in progress, and stories behind their art.
Artists at Fenway Studios work in a wide range of styles, from abstract expressionism to post-modern realism. Whether your taste leans toward bold, contemporary work or finely detailed realism, you’ll discover inspiring art that reflects the diversity and energy of Boston’s cultural scene.
The event is free and open to the public. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to experience Boston’s living art history while connecting directly with the artists who carry forward the legacy of Fenway Studios.

Veterans Day
2025-11-11

Winter Clothing Drive Volunteer Sorting
2025-11-11 11:00 - 13:00, 2025-11-18 13:00 - 15:00, 2025-12-02 11:00 - 13:00 | James Michael Curley House, 350 Jamaicaway, Boston, MA, 02130, United States
Since 2021, the Conservancy’s annual Winter Clothing Drive has provided over 3,000 coats, hats, gloves, and other cold-weather items for Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD). Help us count and sort donations for this year’s drive at our offices at the James Michael Curley House!
Register below:

Thanksgiving Day
2025-11-27

13th Annual Franklin Park Turkey Trot
2025-11-27 09:00 - 12:00 | Franklin Park Golf Clubhouse, 1 Circuit Drive, Dorchester, MA, United States
Runners and walkers come primarily from the neighborhoods that border the park, including Roxbury, Dorchester, Jamaica Plain, and Mattapan, but all are welcome, including out-of-town family members! The Franklin Park Turkey Trot is the largest Thanksgiving Day race in the City of Boston. We look forward to welcoming the many individuals and families who have let us know this is their Thanksgiving tradition.

All ages and paces welcome – there are always walking groups at the end of the pack.
Strollers, wheelchairs, and race-ready leashed dogs are welcome
Awards for fast finishers and costumes
Event is chip timed

JP Holiday Light Show Debut
2025-12-04 17:00 - 21:00 | First Baptist Church, 633 Centre St., Boston, MA, 02130, United States
Join the debut of the JP Holiday Light Show and the South Street Illumination on Thursday, December 4, 2025, at 5:00pm. They will start with the debut of a laser projection show onto the steeple of First Baptist Church, then follow JP Honk down the street to the South Street Mall & Courts to see the animated curtain of lights along the fence.
Hot cocoa and light refreshments will be served. Festive holiday cheer will be on the menu too! Free and open to all.
The JP Holiday Light Show and South Street Illumination will continue every night until January 3, 2026.
The projection show is bilingual! Shows in English at 5:00, 5:30, 6:00, 6:30, 7, 7:30, 8, 8:30pm. Shows in Spanish at 5:15, 5:45, 6:15, 6:45, 7:15, 7:45, 8:15, 8:45pm. The show plays every night from Dec 4 to Jan 3. Bring your mobile device to listen to the sound along with the show. See the animation, “Twas the Night Before Solstice,” with that famous albino squirrel, and a slideshow of drawings by children in the community!

84th Annual Boston Common Tree Lighting
2025-12-04 18:00 - 20:00 | Parkman Bandstand at Boston Common, 129 Tremont St, Boston, MA, 02108
Mayor Michelle Wu, the Boston Parks and Recreation Department, together with our title sponsor The Province of Nova Scotia will host Boston’s signature holiday celebration, the 84th annual Boston Common Tree Lighting, on Thursday, December 4, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Boston Common, adjacent to the Visitor’s Information Center at 139 Tremont Street.
The event is supported by title sponsor Province of Nova Scotia and media partners WCVB Channel 5 and The Boston Globe. Other sponsors include presenting sponsor, Amazon, signature sponsor, Meet Boston, and key sponsors, Constellation Power and JetBlue.
WCVB Channel 5’s Chronicle anchors will host Channel 5’s live broadcast of the event beginning at 7:00 p.m.
The holiday lights throughout both parks will light up in sequence shortly before 8 p.m. when Mayor Wu is joined onstage by Santa Claus and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
A sampling village will feature giveaways and refreshments from H.P Hood and several other companies while supplies last.
Sponsors of the “Make the Common Glow for the Holidays” who make the lighting of the Common and Public Garden possible include The Lynch Family Foundation (Silver Tier Sponsor), GreyStar (Bronze Tier Sponsor) along with other sponsors to be named soon.
Immediately following the celebration on the Boston Common, Mayor Michelle Wu, the Friends of the Public Garden, and the Committee to Light Commonwealth Avenue Mall will flip the switch to light up Commonwealth Avenue Mall.
Please call (617) 635-4505 for more information about the festivities. To stay up to date with news and events in Boston parks, sign up for the email list and follow the social channels @bostonparksdept on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Lighting of the Commonwealth Avenue Mall
2025-12-04 20:00 - 21:00 | Commonwealth Avenue Mall, 15 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA, 02116, United States
The City of Boston and the Friends of the Public Garden to light the trees on the Mall on December 4th at 8 p.m., immediately following the Boston Common Tree Lighting.
The Friends of the Public Garden are proud to take on this special holiday display and excited to work with our community to increase support for the Mall.
For decades, the iconic holiday light display along the Commonwealth Avenue Mall was the work of the all-volunteer Committee to Light the Commonwealth Avenue Mall. These neighborhood leaders banded together and created a beloved Boston tradition. In 2022, the Committee joined with the Friends of the Public Garden, creating a new Commonwealth Avenue Mall Enhancement Committee to work with the Friends staff to raise the funds necessary to make this annual light display possible and to support the ongoing care of the park. Join us on the Mall as we turn on the lights.

Charlesgate Park Tour
2025-12-06 12:00 - 14:00 | “The Grove” at Charlesgate Park, 4 Charlesgate East, Boston, MA, 02115
For the first time in 60 years, Charlesgate Park is being reconnected to Boston’s greater greenspace network—come experience this remarkable transformation for yourself!
Join Emerald Necklace Conservancy President Karen Mauney-Brodek and Parker James of the Charlesgate Alliance for a guided walking tour through Charlesgate Park—the pivotal 13-acre link uniting the Emerald Necklace, the Esplanade, and the Commonwealth Avenue Mall.
Along the way, discover the rich story of this historic landscape, from its visionary design by Frederick Law Olmsted, to its decline in the 20th century, and now its inspiring revival. You’ll get an up-close look at the fast-approaching future of Charlesgate:
• Hundreds of new trees and shrubs
• Greener, safer pedestrian connections
• Upgraded infrastructure to support the health of the Muddy River
• …and much more on the horizon!
Don’t miss this chance to explore one of Boston’s most exciting park transformations as it unfolds!
Registration required; sign up below.
This event is a partnership of the Emerald Necklace Conservancy and Charlesgate Alliance. Registrants may be contacted by either organization.
