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August 10, 2015
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Featured Stories
Meetings & Notices
Arts, Entertainment & Events
Announcements
Deals & Promos
Construction & Utility Work Updates
BID Ambassador Services & Links
City Services
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This Week's Featured Events
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Lantern Illumination to Celebrate Liberty Tree's 250th Anniversary on Aug. 14th
Celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Liberty Tree on Friday, August 14th at 8 pm as 108 copper lanterns are lit. This event will begin at Liberty Tree Plaza (Washington and Boylston streets).
On August 14, 1765, thousands of Bostonians gathered beneath an enormous elm not far from Boston Common to protest the hated Stamp Act, which taxed the people of Massachusetts without their consent. The protest convinced the official charged with administering the tax to resign his office, and the tree where the protest had begun received a new name: The Liberty Tree.
The lanterns will be decorated with artwork and together will give expression to the meanings that the Liberty Tree holds for the people of Boston today. Speakers will include historian Nathaniel Sheidley of the Bostonian Society. This event is a presented by Medicine Wheel Productions, the National Park Service, Revolution250, the Bostonian Society, and a coalition of historic organizations. |
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Reenactment of the Stamp Riot Act on August 15th
On Saturday, Aug. 15th at 4 pm, there will be an event to commemorate the enduring legacy of the Liberty Tree. Historic reenactors in period costume will march from the site of the Liberty Tree to the Old State House to protest the coming Stamp Act. Can the stamp distributor be compelled to resign his post? This event is co-sponsored by the Bostonian Society, the National Park Service and Revolution250. This event will begin at Liberty Tree Plaza (Washington and Boylston streets). |
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Live-Action Game 'Echoes from the Past' Includes Hunting for Ghosts
The Bostonian Society is presenting "Echoes from the Past," a free, live-action game in Downtown Boston on Saturday, August 15th from noon to 4 pm. Discover riddles, ciphers, grudges, and plots to learn the story of Boston's historic Stamp Act protest. Players of all ages are invited to begin their adventure by picking up a guide booklet at the Old State House (206 Washington St.) admissions desk, or at any of the BID information carts. With the guidebook in hand (or using a web version on their mobile device), players will hunt for ghosts or "Echoes of the Past." Live costumed interpreters will quickly draw players into the political intrigues of 1765. After collecting a stamp for their book from each character in the game, players will discover the game's thrilling climax at 4 pm to participate in an 18th-century mob to protest and march from Downtown Crossing to the hub of colonial power, the Old State House. |
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Arts, Entertainment & Events
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'Kinky Boots' Debuts at Boston Opera House on August 11th
The hit Broadway smash musical "Kinky Boots" is debuting at the Boston Opera House on August 11th.
With songs by Grammy and Tony-winning songstress Cyndi Lauper, "Kinky Boots" is a joyous musical celebrating the friendships we discover, and the belief that you can change the world when you change your mind. This musical is inspired by true events, and takes you from a gentlemen's shoe factory in Northampton to the glamorous catwalks of Milan.
Click here for tickets and showtimes. The show runs through August 30th. |
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Free Berklee Music Performance Series at 100 Summer St.
Jake Ohlbaum - Aug. 11th & 13th
The Berklee College of Music Summer Concert Series continues this week with Jake Ohlbaum on August 11th and 13th from noon to 2 pm. This performance is free and open to the public at 100 Summer St.
From the Berklee website: "Jake Ohlbaum is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Philadelphia. Currently studying contemporary writing and production as well as songwriting at Berklee College of Music, he is working with faculty members Paula Cole, Melissa Ferrick, and Jeff Ramsey, among others. During his time in Boston, Ohlbaum has honed his skills as a writer, performer, and producer, performing with the Black Moons and producing and playing with multiple other artists. As a vocalist, he has fronted many bands as well as sung in acoustic and solo settings, choirs, a cappella groups, and theater productions. As an instrumentalist, he has played in jazz, rock, gospel, blues, funk, classical, and folk ensembles."
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Holly McGarry at 133 Federal St.;
Free Performances on
Mondays and Thursdays
The BID's 133 Federal St. music series is free and open to the public on Mondays and Thursdays from noon to 2 pm.
Holly McGarry, pictured, is scheduled to perform on August 10th and 13th.
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12th Annual Shooze Cruise to Benefit St. Francis House on August 12th
St. Francis House (39 Boylston St.) is holding its 12th Annual Shooze Cruise on Wednesday, August 12th at 6:30 pm. Click here for tickets.
The cruise sets sail on the Provincetown II leaving from the World Trade Center pier at 6:30 pm. In addition to the $30 ticket price, each attendee is asked to donate a pair of new men's sneakers, boots, or dress shoes sizes 9-13. Proper footwear is one of the biggest challenges for men and women living on the streets and the event hopes to bring St. Francis House more than 250 new pairs this summer.
On top of the donated shoes, proceeds from the event's tickets, raffle and sponsorships are aimed to raise more than $20,000 to support the programs and services provided at St. Francis House. |
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Tavares at Dorothy Curran Wednesday Night Concert Series at City Hall Plaza on August 12th
The Dorothy Curran Wednesday Night Concert series is celebrating 43 years as Boston's longest-running outdoor concert series. The series consists of four shows all on City Hall Plaza. Enjoy Tavares on August 12th at 7 pm.
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Beat Root Performing at
Boston Calling Block Party in Dewey Square Park - August 13th
This week's Boston Calling Block Party in Dewey Square (Congress and Summer streets) on Thursday, August 13th features live music by Beat Root. Thursday's block party is from 5 to 8 pm.Thursday night block parties will be in Dewey Square through the end of September. All block parties are free and you must be 21 to attend. Beer and wine is available for purchase. Along with lawn seating there is also free corn hole for everyone to play.
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Carlos V. Ramos Performing at
125 Summer Street on Aug. 12th &
Hsin Hou Sun on Aug. 14th
One of the BID's new music series is the 125 Summer Street Soloists Series. Every Wednesday and Friday from noon to 2 pm through September you can see a live performer. All performances are free and open to the public.
Carlos V. Ramos will perform on Wednesday, August 12th and Hsin Hou Sun, pictured, will perform on Friday, August 14th. There is public seating at the location, so take your lunch outside and enjoy the music! |
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Luke Niccoli at Walgreens Plaza on August 14th & 15th
Luke Niccoli will be performing live on Friday, Aug. 14th and 15th at Walgreens Plaza (School and Washington streets) this summer. These are BID-sponsored performances.
Niccoli will perform from noon to 1:30 pm on Friday, and noon to 2 pm on Saturday. These performance are free and open to the public. |
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This Saturday: The Downtown Kids Vocal Troupe on Summer Street
The Downtown Kids will perform Saturday at One Summer St. The group is comprised of members of the Sweet Harmony vocal troupe from the Riverside Theatre Works, and will be performing live every Saturday through August from 12:30 to 3 pm.
The group will perform show tunes and hits from the 80s, 90s, and modern era. These live performances are free and open to the public. |
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Still Time to RSVP: Summertime BID Members Meeting on August 12th
Please join us at our annual BID Summertime Meeting as we welcome new downtown businesses, property owners, residents, and others helping to make downtown a vibrant and dynamic place.
The meeting will be at One Federal St. on Wednesday, August 12th from 4 to 6 pm.
Here are just a few of the representatives from new businesses scheduled to attend: Takako Oji of Ogawa Coffee; Terry Dunbar, GM of the Hyatt Regency Boston; Laura Britton, VP Store Manager of Macy's; and Rishi Shukla, co-founder of the Midtown Cultural District Residents' Association.
You will also meet several people leading some of September's highlighted events including Jose Luis Martinez de Larramendi and Glenn Straughn of PRIMARK, which is opening on September 10th; Jay Calderin, founder and executive director of Boston Fashion Week, and Terri Mahn of thestylistcloset, who are producing a week of downtown Boston Fashion Week events from September 27th through October 3rd with a Platforms theme; And Rich Doucette, the new director of the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism, and founder of the 4th Annual Boston Cup Classic Car Show on the Boston Common on September 20th.
Please join us in celebrating our new business partners and friends. Refreshments will be served.
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Clothing from Italy Offers Custom Made by Italian Tailors and More
You do not need to go to Italy to have a custom made suit by an Italian tailor - you just need to go to
Guiliano Rubini's family has been involved in the suit business for several decades in the Greater Boston area, and decided to open a store earlier this year in downtown Boston. "This is a match with the Financial District with the product we sell. Demographically, there is a need for good Italian clothing," said Rubini. The store sells suits, shoes, ties, hats, pants, sport jackets, belts, socks and more.
To provide custom suits made in Italy, the business utilizes Skype to communicate with a tailor in Italy to measure customers in the Bromfield Street store. There is a large television in the front of the store at which the customer chooses the model, fabric, design and anything else, which is all seen by a tailor in Italy. A tailor at Bromfield Street also takes the customer's measurements and provides them to the tailor in Italy. The suit is then made in Italy, provided to the customer in the US within three weeks, and any adjustments can be made in house.
Clothing from Italy offers two price levels, with both being made with Italian materials by Italian companies. The base suit can cost $289 and more, and the custom made suit can go from $700 to $2,500. The store is also offering 50% off everything through August 15th.
Clothing from Italy is open 10 am to 8:30 pm Saturday to Monday and by appointment only on Sundays. Call 617-426-7800 for more information or to make an appointment. |
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Enjoy Great Deals and Meals with Dine Out Boston Starting August 16th
Dine Out Boston, previously known as Restaurant Week Boston, is actually two weeks of great deals and meals at many local restaurants. Dine Out Boston is from Aug. 16th-21st and 23rd-28th.
Dine Out Boston is through the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau and American Express twice a year, providing locals and visitors an opportunity to sample area restaurants at special prices. Participating restaurants design prix fixe menus for lunch and dinner. Each participating restaurant selects one of the three price options - the chef then prepares a menu to delight.
The following BID restaurants are participating: Artisan Bistro ($25 lunch/$38 dinner), Avenue One $20 lunch/$38 dinner), Central Bistro ($33 dinner), The Marliave ($25 lunch/$38 dinner), The Merchant ($33 dinner), Oceanaire ($25 lunch/$38 dinner), Parker's ($25 lunch/$38 dinner), Ruth's Chris Steak House ($25 lunch/$38 dinner), and Serafina Boston ($38 dinner).
Click here for the Dine Out Boston menus of participating BID restaurants. Reservations are encouraged by contacting individual restaurants or by clicking here. |
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171 Tremont Street Impact Advisory Group Meeting on August 11th
The Boston Redevelopment Authority is hosting an Impact Advisory Group meeting for the proposed development at 171-172 Tremont St. on Tuesday, Aug. 11th at 3 to 4:30 pm. This meeting is open to the public and being held at 171 Tremont St. (use the Avery Street entrance).
IAG meetings prioritize discussion between the developer and IAG members. If time remains at the end of the meeting BRA staff will open the floor to other community members in attendance. This meeting is open to the public, but traditional community meetings, which occur after the IAG has met, are the more appropriate forum for broader public feedback, according to a press release from the BRA. Contact Lance Campbell at [email protected] or 617-918-4311 for more info. |
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Sales Tax Holiday on August 15th and 16th
Massachusetts' state's 6.25% sales tax-free will be suspended for the weekend of August 15th and 16th.
"The sales tax holiday gives consumers a much needed break while bolstering business across the Commonwealth for our hardworking retailers," said Governor Charlie Baker in a statement.
Macy's is extending their business hours on August 14th and 15th to be 9 am to 10 pm, so you can do more shopping to take advantage of the sales tax free weekend. Macy's will also be offering coupons for $10 off purchases of $25 or more and $20 off purchases of $50 or more.
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Future of Downtown Boston Event to Include BID President Sansone as Panelist
BID President Rosemarie Sansone, pictured below with Harry the Dog/Dragon, will be a featured panelist on Bisnow's The Future of Downtown Boston event on Aug. 18th. Sansone will be participating in the "Live, Work, Play - The Evolution of Downtown" discussion. She will be joined by Roche Bros. CEO Rick Roche and EVP Justin Krebs of Trans National Properties.
Tickets are still available for this event, which is happening at the Hyatt Regency Boston from 7:30 to 10:30 am. Click here for tickets and more information. |
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MBTA Entrance on Franklin Street Closed Aug. 10th Until Summer 2016
The MBTA Franklin Street entrance will be closed on Monday, Aug. 10th, and will remain closed until summer 2016, to accommodate ongoing construction for the Millennium Tower project.
Customers wanting to enter and exit at Downtown Crossing should use entrances and exits on Summer, Chauncy and Arch streets. |
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Get Your #FreeBrady T-Shirt at Vendor Kiosk at Walgreens Plaza
Show your support for New England Patriots' quarterback Tom Brady by purchasing a #FreeBrady t-shirt at the vendor kiosk in front of the Walgreens Plaza (School and Washington streets).
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5% Tuition Discount for BID Newsletter Readers for Fall Courses at Boston Area Spanish Exchange
The Boston Area Spanish Exchange (41 Winter St. 4th Floor) is offering a 5% off tuition discount for BID newsletter readers when registering before August 21st. Use the coupon code "BostonBID5" and receive the discount. Classes begin the week of September 14th. Click here to register.
BASE is also offering free beginner workshops to learn Spanish on consecutive Tuesdays. You are welcome to attend individual sessions or all of them, regardless of whether you've attended previous sessions.
A Conversar: Beginner Spanish Workshops will be held on Tuesdays (August 18 and 25) and will all be free. Click here to sign up and for more info.The classes are from 5:30 to 7 pm.
BASE is also offering attendees free first sessions for intermediate and advanced Spanish classes (only the first session will be free for these classes).
Tejiendo Historias: Intermediate Spanish Conversation Practice While You Weave will be held on Thursdays from 7:15 to 8:45 pm (Aug. 13, 20 and 27). Classes will be $10 after the first session, and you are not required to attend any of the sessions. Click here for more info and to register.
Futbul, El Segundo Idioma de Latinoamerica: Advanced Spanish Conversation Workshops will be held on Thursdays from 7:15 to 8:45 pm (Aug. 13, 20 and 27). The first session will be free and any other individual session will cost $10. Click here to register and for more info.
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Construction & Utility Work Updates
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Millennium Tower Continues to Reach for the Sky 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.  |
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BID Ambassador Services & Links
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BID Ambassadors Provide Walking Escorts
and Directions 24 Hours a Day in Downtown
The Downtown Boston BID Ambassadors provide hospitality services seven days a week, nearly 24 hours a day, creating a welcoming environment for everyone. BID Ambassadors provide walking escorts all day or night - they'll even tote an umbrella if it's snowing!
Please call 617-261-0066 to arrange an escort or for other BID Ambassador services. Please call 20 to 30 minutes prior to desired escort. You can also email [email protected], which is encouraged.
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Additional BID Ambassador Services
- Friendly, welcoming downtown presence: helping visitors with directions, notifying fire and police personnel of incident, etc.
- Making sure handicapped ramps are not obstructed and storm drain openings are not clogged.
- Cleaning and powerwashing in Downtown Boston during warm weather.
- Landscaping, watering flowers during warm weather.
- Remove litter and graffiti
- Contact [email protected] for more.
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BID Internships Available
The Downtown Boston BID is seeking qualified, enthusiastic interns to assist with the following projects: - Office administration and customer service
- Policy research and analysis
- Data collection, input and management
Please send a cover letter and resume to [email protected]. |
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Downtown Boston BID Weekly News Update
For questions and comments, please contact David Ertischek, newsletter editor, at: [email protected] |
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