Holidays

21-gun salute

By adamg - 7/4/23 - 3:58 pm

USS Constitution fires cannons to answer salute from Fort Independence

Matt Frank didn't let the gloomy skies keep him from Castle Island, where he watched and listened to the traditional July Fourth salute between the USS Constitution and Fort Independence.

Old Ironsides underway

By adamg - 7/4/23 - 11:17 am

Adam Castiglioni watched the USS Constitution leave the dock at the Charlestown Navy Yard for its annual turn-around cruise out to Castle Island.

Early fireworks light up Boston Harbor

By adamg - 7/2/23 - 1:08 pm

Fireworks over Boston Harbor, with Custom House on the right

See it larger.

Matt Conti got a bird's-eye view of last night's Boston Harborfest fireworks over the harbor.

After watching the fireworks towed into place, Matt Frank watched the fireworks from the other side of the Tobin Bridge: Read more.

Seen by thousands every day, but seldom noticed — across from Forest Hills, at the corner of the Arboretum facing the Arborway, sits a prominent stone memorial dedicated for one of the fallen. Like many others, this weekend we remember, and work so that their stories are not forgotten. The memorial is for one of the neighborhood's own, Charles Morton Toole - killed in action in Cierges, France, October 1, 1918.
Read more.

Flags return to Boston Common for Memorial Day

By adamg - 5/26/23 - 9:10 am

See it larger.

Brooks Payne visited the field of flags planted in front of the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial on the Common to commemorate the more than 37,000 Massachusetts service members who have given their lives since the Revolution.

Long may they wave: Read more.

Marching to confront the Redcoats

By adamg - 4/17/23 - 10:41 am

Minutemen and followers marching to Old North Bridge in Concord

Michael Sentance watched a troop of Minutemen and followers in Concord on their morning march to destiny to Old North Bridge.

Meanwhile, down in Coolidge Corner, Michael Burstein watched William Dawes sound the alarum that the regulars were coming, on his way from the North End: Read more.

St. Patrick's parades, 1984-2022

By adamg - 3/18/23 - 10:53 pm

Chris Lovett posts a collection of his parade photos through the years.

The O'Mallards are ready for St. Patrick's Day

By adamg - 3/15/23 - 10:10 pm

Duckling dressed in St. Patrick's attire

Robert Adams captured Mrs. Mallard and her ducklings dressed in their St. Patrick's finest today.

Ringing in the new year in Chinatown

By adamg - 1/29/23 - 11:26 pm

Ron Newman took in the Lunar New Year celebrations in Chinatown today.

Ringing in the new year for the younger set

By adamg - 12/31/22 - 8:25 pm

Josh Borrow took in the family fireworks over the Common tonight.

Michael Burstein watched them, too:

Citizen complaint of the day: That's it, Christmas is over, people

By adamg - 12/26/22 - 9:51 am

A concerned citizen or, perhaps, a Public Works employee out and about, based on the way the 311 report is written, noted at 6:28 this morning that somebody has already de-trimmed their Christmas tree and put it out for disposal at Beckler Avenue and K Street in South Boston.

Mensch does a mitzvah at Channel 5

By adamg - 12/24/22 - 6:08 pm

An old tradition among Jewish reporters is to take shifts on Christmas Eve and Christmas day so that their Christian co-workers can take the time off. Harvey Leonard came out of retirement tonight to give one of his former weather colleagues time off.

H/t Monica.

Enjoying the Christmas holiday? Thank Unitarians

By adamg - 12/21/22 - 10:39 am

The Puritans may not have been quite as dour as we think, but their aversion for celebrating Christmas is well known - and persisted in Massachusetts long after they were gone. Aline Kaplan recounts how 19th-century Boston Unitarians began to change that.