Spring is in full swing, and The Greenway is buzzing with energy, color, and activity! As the park comes to life with blooming gardens, returning food trucks, and the kickoff of our full programming season, we’re excited to welcome you back for all that May has to offer.
This month, enjoy a vibrant lineup of events and programs on The Greenway—from fitness classes and public art to family-friendly fun and special events—all alongside the many happenings throughout the surrounding neighborhood. Take a look at what’s coming up below, and for the full schedule of Greenway events, be sure to visit our calendar.
On The Greenway
Greenway Artisan Market
Beginning May 2 | Saturdays and Sundays 11 AM to 5 PM | Wharf District
Check out our vibrant open-air Greenway Artisan Market featuring talented artists, makers, stylists, and independent designers right near the Boston Waterfront. Take a stroll down The Greenway and explore what more than 50 vendors have in store for you! The Greenway Artisan Market is managed and curated by The Somerville Flea.
Artist Reception with Daphne Xu
Saturday, May 2 | 1 PM | Mass Pike Towers Community Room
Join artist Daphne Xu and Chinatown Community Land Trust at the Mass Pike Towers Community Room on Saturday, May 2, from 1:00 to 3:00 PM (EST) to learn more about Boston Busing in Chinatown, 1975. Light refreshments will be offered for the first hour of the gathering, followed by an accessible walking tour of the Immigrant History Trail throughout Chinatown beginning at 2:00 PM. The event will end with an artist-led walkthrough of Boston Busing in Chinatown, 1975. Learn more and RSVP via this link.
Daphne Xu’s work is presented in partnership with Chinatown Community Land Trust and the Immigrant History Trail. Boston Busing in Chinatown, 1975, will be on view in Chin Park through June 21, 2026.
2026 Greenway Fitness Program
Beginning May 11 | Times & locations vary
Move, stretch, and unwind all season long with the Greenway Fitness Program—offering over 200 FREE classes including yoga, HIIT, dance cardio, and more! A full schedule is available on our website. The 2026 Greenway Fitness Program is presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts.
Meet the 2026 Dewey Square Muralist with Artist Rixy
Thursday, May 21 | 12 to 1 PM | Dewey Square
Rain Date: Friday, May 22
Join us on Thursday, May 21 from 12:00 to 1:00pm (EST) to meet artist Rixy, our 2026 Dewey Square Muralist! Grab a friend or colleague, bring your lunch to the lawn and learn more about Rixy, her work, her vision for the mural, and what it takes to paint large-scale walls. Entitled The Midnight Ride, Rixy’s mural is produced in partnership with Embrace and Everyone250 and will be on view at Dewey Square beginning June 5, 2026. Plus, visitors are invited to watch the mural being painted in real time at Dewey Square daily from Tuesdays-Fridays in May! Learn more and RSVP via the Eventbrite link.
2026 Food Truck & Fitness Festival
Saturday, May 30 | 11 AM to 5 PM | Wharf District
Come to Rowes Wharf Plaza on The Greenway for our 2026 Food Truck and Fitness Festival! Savor the flavors of 15 food trucks, break a sweat at one (or more!) of our FREE fitness classes, dance to the tunes of DJ Jay Vibez, enjoy free face painting, shop to your heart’s content at our artisan vendors, sip local libations at Boston Harbor Distillery, cool off by the Rings Fountain, and take a spin on the Greenway Carousel!
Opening Reception with Artist Vivian Tran
Saturday, May 30 | 4:30 to 7:30 PM | Chin Park on The Greenway
Join artists Vivian Tran and An Hà on Saturday, May 30, in Chin Park on The Greenway to enjoy a collaborative performance-reception and food-based happening orchestrated by artist collective Copenger to celebrate the opening of Tran’s public art commission, because you are the sun; because you are the thread, which will be on view in Chin Park from April 25, 2026, to December 1, 2026. Learn more and RSVP via the Eventbrite link.
Around The Area
Celebrate Public Art! World Labyrinth Day
Saturday, May 2 | 12:45 PM | Armenian Heritage Park on The Greenway
Each year, Armenian Heritage Park reconfigures the Abstract Sculpture. Join us at 12:45 PM for the annual reconfiguration, followed by participating in World Labyrinth Day: Walking As One in Peace & Harmony, as we walk the labyrinth together. This celebration takes place in cities worldwide, including Boston, Washington, San Francisco, Toronto, London, Paris, Chartres, Rome, Barcelona, Gyumri, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Buenos Aires, and Cape Town.
This Generation Series
Hosted by the Boston Children’s Museum
Sunday, May 3 and Sunday, May 24 | 2 – 3 PM | Boston Children’s Museum
The This Generation program series builds self-esteem, fosters empathy, and encourages upstander skills. Children and their caregivers will feel empowered to practice these skills outside the Museum walls, making the world a little kinder wherever they go.
Rooted in Memory
Hosted by the Esplanade Association
Sunday, May 3 through Wednesday, May 6 | 8 – 10 PM | Eliot Memorial Garden on the Esplanade
Join us for Rooted in Memory, an evening of art, light, and sound from 8:00 to 10:30 PM. This immersive light and sound installation animates our memories and relationships with trees and living networks. The light installation will begin around 8:30 PM, preceded by a live artistic offering to set the tone for the night. Arrive early to take in the full experience. Enjoy free non-alcoholic refreshments as you experience the art.
When Poetry SIngs – Voices from the Far East
Hosted by Pao Arts Center
Friday, May 8 | 7 – 8:30 PM | Pao Arts Center
An evening illuminating the intersections of traditions through music and poetry, curated by collaborative pianist Leona Cheung.
Duckling Day
Hosted by Friends of the Public Garden
Sunday, May 10 | 10:00 AM | Parkman Bandstand in Boston Common
Duckling Day is a free, family-friendly celebration at Boston Common, featuring live music, performances, and hands-on activities for children. Families are invited to come together for a joyful morning of play and community in one of Boston’s most iconic greenspaces.
Performance Pilgrimages on the Immigrant History Trail
Hosted by Pao Arts Center
Saturday, May 16 | 1 – 4 PM | Pao Arts Center
Witness performance artists activating and caring for the histories of Boston Chinatown along the Immigrant History Trail. Part of Temple of Our Ancestral Dreams.
Community Gathering Table: Creative Dance Workshop with Jean Appolon Expressions
Hosted by the Boston Children’s Museum
Sunday, May 17 | 2 PM | Boston Children’s Museum
Boston Children’s Museum’s Community Gathering Table is a real table that invites children and families to gather, just as they would at home. From around the table, visitors will come together to share and learn about beliefs and spirituality through music, storytelling, games, dance, visual arts, objects, and more.
Birds Up Close by Lorna Gibson
Hosted by the Arnold Arboretum at Harvard University
Sunday, May 17 | 2 PM | Hunnewell Lecture Hall
Have you ever wondered how a duck’s feathers repel water, or how the structure of a bird’s bones enables them to fly? Materials Science professor Lorna Gibson has spent years researching the physics and math of how birds work. Join her for a talk on her new book, Birds Up Close: An Engineer Explores Their Hidden Wonders, and get a deep dive into the incredible world of birds. This free program is an indoor lecture in the Hunnewell Lecture Hall. Books will be available for sale at the end of the talk.
‘When Trees Testify’ by Beronda Montgomery
Hosted by the Arnold Arboretum at Harvard University
Tuesday, May 19 | 6:30 PM | Hunnewell Lecture Hall
Join plant biologist and author Beronda Montgomery for a discussion of her new book, When Trees Testify: Science, Wisdom, History, and America’s Black Botanical Legacy. Montgomery explores how eight trees and shrubs testify to the experience of black Americans, from sycamores that served as landmarks for those trying to escape slavery, to pecan propagation spearheaded by an enslaved African woman, to the traditional medicinal uses of willow bark in black communities. Montgomery takes us through black American history with trees and shrubs as our guides. Books will be available for sale at the end of the free talk.
Community Day (GroundBeat Concert Series Launch) | Zumix Hatch Shell Takeover
Hosted by the Esplanade Association
Sunday, May 31 | 4 – 7 PM | Hatch Memorial Shell at the Esplanade
Celebrate the arrival of spring with a free concert at the Hatch Memorial Shell. This special Community Day performance is produced by ZUMIX, celebrating 35 Years of Youth Empowerment, as part of the Esplanade Association’s GroundBeat Concert Series. Join us for an evening of live music from our young “sprouts”: group programs, teen ensembles, and local alumni artists. Bring a blanket, your dancing shoes, and your crew. Come celebrate the joy of music, the power of community, and the rhythms that bring us all together. Enjoy a vendor fair featuring free empanadas from Bocadillos for the first 120 attendees, along with slushies, lawn games, and other family-friendly activities. We will have a limited number of free picnic blankets and stadium seating chairs we can loan out during the event!
Download our Monthly Flyer
If you’re looking for family-friendly fun in Boston this month, we hope you’ll visit The Greenway! You can also download a PDF version of our Monthly Roundup to print or share with friends, family, or your next adventure crew.
