City Hall Plaza Events And Programs

Overview

City Hall Plaza is the epicenter of Boston's arts and cultural events. The Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture funds free festivals, performances, and more on City Hall Plaza for all to enjoy. The plaza is easily accessible by the Green, Blue, Red, Orange, and Silver lines of the MBTA, and just a short walk from North and South Stations.

Contact

• Arts and Culture
• 617-635-4445
• 26 Court Street Floor 2, Boston, MA 02108

Spaces Available

• Speaker's Corner: ideal for speeches, remarks, poetry readings, protests, and public gatherings
• Civic Pavilion: flexible, rentable facility facing Congress Street with restroom access, gallery exhibits, workshops, panel discussions; 40x60' covered stage with vehicular service access
• Main Plaza: large paved area accommodating up to 12,000 visitors; festivals, ice skating, markets
• Plaza Circle: 'plug and play' location suitable for smaller events near the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Federal Building
• North Terrace: 'plug and play' location on the roof of the Civic Pavilion with views of Hanover St. and Congress St.
• Hanover Steps: 'plug and play' location for small performances and events with amphitheater-style seating

City Hall Plaza Engagement Grant

The Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture is funding events and event series for fall 2026 that are free and open to the public, and that celebrate Boston's diverse communities, ignite the arts, and reimagine this iconic space.

Past Events (2025)

• if you can Feel It, you can Speak It: Monthly on second Sundays—open mic series for LGBTQIA2+ communities of color and allies
• One Boston, Many Stories Festival: July 20, 2025—festival featuring four cultural districts: Latin Quarter, Fenway Cultural District, Roxbury Cultural District, Boston Little Saigon
• Slam Theatre: July 24, 2025—four 10-minute plays by local playwrights
• Bridgeside Cypher: August 2, 2025—hip hop freestyle rap circle
• 3 Days of Chess: August 3, 10, 17, 2025—workshops and unrated tournament
• FreeVerse: Monthly on fourth Thursdays—youth showcases, spoken word, poetry, DJ sets, performances, standup
• Fiesta en la Plaza: September 28 and October 12, 2025—Latinx heritage festival with music, film, dance
• Spicetober Fest: October 18, 2025—all ages festival celebrating culinary and cultural heritage
• RESET: Rhythms of the City: October 19, 2025—music, dance, interactive drumming uniting art forms
• Rock the Plaza: October 26, 2025—music and empowerment celebrating women who rock
• The Blair Project: October 31, 2025—Halloween party and concert with all-women DJ and artist lineup
• Visual Language: November 13, 2025—projections and poetry highlighting reimagined Boston heroes
• Boots with the Fur: November 15, 2025—all day soul and country line dance festival with workshops and social dance