Mayor Martin J. Walsh has announced that the annual Fall Pumpkin Float will be held at the Boston Common Frog Pond on Friday, October 19, from 5 - 8 p.m. Hundreds of illuminated jack-o’-lanterns will be floated on the water accompanied by spooky family activities.

Attendees are asked to bring eight-inch or smaller carved pumpkins that will be lit and then floated on the Frog Pond for a dramatic early evening display. In addition, attendees are invited to view creatively carved and decorated jack-o’-lanterns from various local sports teams and organizations. Adults and children are encouraged to wear Halloween costumes and participate in a wide range of fun activities. Children are invited to decorate luminary bags which will be displayed and illuminated along the edge of the Frog Pond. Test your courage and problem-solving skills in our haunted corn maze.

The Fall Pumpkin Float is presented by the Boston Parks and Recreation Department in partnership with the Skating Club of Boston. For more information, please call the Boston Parks and Recreation Department at 617-635-4505, or visit our Facebook page.

The City of Boston's Environment Department and Parks and Recreation Department are organizing a cleanup at the Sherrin Street Woods Urban Wild in Hyde Park. The cleanup will take place on:

Saturday, October 13, from 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
280 Austin Street, Hyde Park 02136

A major component of the cleanup will be the picking up and disposing of trash in the surrounding area. Another component will involve the physical removal and disposal of invasive species.

Invasive species are a group of organisms that are not native to a specific area and are harmful to the native organisms. This is due to the competition for resources that they create among the native organisms.

The Parks and Recreation Department will lead the education and removal of invasive species portion of the event. They will help volunteers identify and remove the invasive species that are affecting the Sherrin Street Woods Urban Wild.

If you would like to be a part of this event, please fill out this form. If you need assistance getting to and from Sherrin Street Woods, please note that in this form and a representative will contact you to coordinate transportation.

1. Water (or a water bottle)
2. Sunscreen
3. A hat
4. Sunglasses
5. Bug Spray
6. Close-toed shoes
7. Pants or sweatpants
8. Tools and gloves, if you have them.

You can learn more about Urban Wilds, and the Hyde Park Urban Wilds.

If you have any questions, please email Greenovate Boston at Greenovate@boston.gov.

Volunteer Sign-up

The City of Boston's Environment Department and Parks and Recreation Department are organizing a cleanup at the Motherbrook Urban Wild in Hyde Park. The cleanup will take place on: 

Saturday, September 22, from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. 
1 Reservation Road, Hyde Park

Volunteer for the Urban Wild Cleanup

A major component of the cleanup will be the picking up and disposing of trash in the surrounding area. Another component will involve the physical removal and disposal of invasive species. 

Invasive species are a group of organisms that are not native to a specific area and are harmful to the native organisms. This is due to the competition for resources that they create among the native organisms. 

The Parks and Recreation Department will lead the education and removal of invasive species portion of the event. They will help volunteers identify and remove the invasive species that are affecting the Motherbrook Urban Wilds.

If you would like to be a part of this event, please complete our form. If you need help getting to and from Motherbrook, please note that in this form and a representative will contact you to coordinate transportation. 

1. Water (or a water bottle)
2. Sunscreen
3. A hat
4. Sunglasses
5. Bug Spray
6. Close-toed shoes
7. Pants or sweatpants

We will need people to drive volunteers to and from Motherbrook, so if you have a car and are willing, please indicate that below. 

• Learn more about Urban Wilds
• Hyde Park Urban Wilds

The Highland Street Foundation's Free Fun Fridays program offers visitors no-cost admission to many of the most treasured cultural venues in Boston and across Massachusetts. The program was created to increase access and enrichment opportunities for children and families throughout Massachusetts during the summer months. Every Friday, from the end of June through the end of August, multiple sites are open for free.

This year, the Free Fun Fridays program boasts 24 venues in Boston:

• June 29: Lyric Stage Company
• July 6: Boston Children's Museum
• July 13: Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the U.S. Senate, The Sports Museum
• July 20: Museum of Fine Arts Boston
• July 27: Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, Boston Athenaeum, Arnold Arboretum
• August 3: Franklin Park Zoo
• August 10: Boston Harbor Islands National & State Park, Institute of Contemporary Art / Boston, Nichols House Museum, Museum of the National Center of Afro-American Artists, The Greenway Carousel, Freedom Trail Foundation
• August 17: John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Commonwealth Museum, New England Historic Genealogical Society, Old State House, and Museum of the First Corps of Cadets
• August 24: Museum of African American History
• August 31: USS Constitution Museum, Mary Baker Eddy Library and Mapparium

Since 2009, Free Fun Fridays has drawn more than 900,000 visitors to venues throughout the Commonwealth. The program has grown to include participating venues in every corner of the state, helping them open their doors for free to the community.

The Highland Street Foundation is committed to addressing the most pressing needs and concerns for children and families in Massachusetts and California. We provide access and opportunities in education, housing, mentorship, health care, environment, and the arts.