Shopping

Walk down Newbury Street every Sunday from July til October

Car-free initiative Open Newbury Street returns this summer from July 2 through October 15.

Shops set up tents and pedestrians stroll in the street at a past Open Newbury Street. Photo by Neslihan Sahinkaya

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Boston’s Open Newbury Street initiative majorly expands this year, turning the whole street pedestrian-only for 16 consecutive Sundays, starting July 2 and ending October 15.

From 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. each Sunday, Newbury Street will close to vehicle traffic between Massachusetts Avenue and Berkeley Street. The intersections at Berkeley, Clarendon, and Dartmouth will remain open to cars, but the rest will become foot traffic-only along with Newbury Street itself, meaning folks can walk in the street. Businesses are encouraged to activate the space outside their shops too, with tents, music, or expanded outdoor dining.

The Transportation Department first piloted the program in 2016, and has expanded it every year since (excluding 2020). While last year’s program featured six Open Newbury Street Sundays, this season will see a whopping 16.

The city will also hold one-day Open Streets events this summer in JP, Dorchester, East Boston, Brighton, and Roxbury. The schedule is as follows:

Sunday, June 25 on Centre Street in JP
Saturday, July 15 on Blue Hill Ave. in Roxbury
Saturday, August 19 on Harvard Ave. & Brighton Ave. in Allston-Brighton
Sunday, September 17 on Dorchester Ave. in Dorchester
Sunday, October 15 on Meridian Street & Bennington Street in East Boston

For more information, including a map of what parts of Newbury Street will be open to foot traffic only, visit boston.gov/departments/transportation/open-newbury-street.