Where and When
Jazz Along the Charles will take place Saturday, October 7, from 2-4pm along the DCR Charles River Esplanade.
The event is rain or shine, unless there is heavy wind or rain. We invite you to sign up for email updates to be notified in case of cancellation.
The Event Loop
Jazz Along the Charles takes place along a 1.5 mile loop that stretches from the Community Boating boathouse to the Dartmouth Street overpass. Bands are approximately 150-200 feet apart throughout the event loop. Many amenities like food trucks, restrooms, an information tent, and a gathering tent, will be centrally located near the back of the Hatch Shell lawn and near the sculpture of Arthur Fiedler.
We invite you to make the event your own: make your way around the whole loop to hear all the bands, or linger with one to hear their interpretations of all the songs. It's up to you!
Getting to the DCR Charles River Esplanade
Pedestrian Access
The DCR Charles River Esplanade is separated from the rest of the city by Storrow Drive, and attendees must cross one of eight footbridges to reach Jazz Along the Charles. There is no parking on, or car access to, the Esplanade.
The most convenient footbridges to the event are:
- The Arthur Fiedler Footbridge, at David G. Mugar Way & Beacon Street. This bridge will place you directly into the middle of the event loop.
- The Frances Appleton Pedestrian Bridge at Charles Circle, the most accessible entryway to the park. This bridge has a lower grade incline and is newly renovated.
- The Dartmouth Street Footbridge
Taking the T
Charles/MGH on the Red Line and Arlington or Copley on the Green Line are the closest T stops to DCR Charles River Esplanade. To plot your own way, use the MBTA trip planner with "David G. Mugar Way & Beacon Street" as your destination.
Rideshare Drop-off Addresses
We recommend the Arthur Fiedler Footbridge at David G. Mugar Way & Beacon Street as a drop-off address for rideshare services.
If you prefer the more accessible Frances Appleton Footbridge, consider 170 Charles Street (The Whitney Hotel) as the drop-off address.
Concurrent Activities
The Boston 10K for Women race is starting and ending at the Boston Common between 9:00AM - 12:00PM. There will be more people and traffic than usual, and possible road closures on the lengths of Beacon Street and Commonwealth Ave in Boston, and Memorial Drive in Cambridge.
Restrooms
There are four restroom or portable toilet locations:
- Community Boating has generously offered the use of their restrooms to event attendees.
- Hatch Shell: there are accessible men’s and women’s restrooms (please use the option you are most comfortable with) in a building directly behind the Hatch Shell.
- There are two locations with any-gender portable toilets (including accessible options): near the Dartmouth Street footbridge, and centrally located near the food and water trucks.
Merchandise, Concessions, and more
There will be Jazz Along the Charles event t-shirts and water bottles for sale at three of the information tents. The centrally located information tent near the gathering tent and the food trucks will accept cash and credit cards, the rest are card only.
There will be an ice cream truck and one or more food trucks on site. Night Shift Brewing’s Owl’s Nest beer garden will be open during the event selling wine, beer, and soft drinks for guests who are 21+.
The MWRA’s Water Truck will be on hand to supply filtered, chilled drinking water. The truck has bubblers, bottle filling spigots, and dog bowls. There are also water bubblers throughout the park, but they might already be turned off for the winter.
If you need to take a break, there are many benches along the paths throughout the park, and there will be a tent near the center of the event with tables and chairs. Tip: this central gathering tent will be a great place to meet up with people if you’re arriving separately or if you lose track of one another during the event.
What Should I Bring?
Do bring:
- The whole family! The event is stroller-accessible, kid-friendly, and dog-friendly (just keep the leash on and clean up after your pooch!)
- A water bottle! MWRA's Water Truck will be on site offering bottle-filling spigots, bubblers, and dog bowls.
- Your umbrella and rain boots, if needed: this event is rain or shine!
- A folding chair or a blanket to sit on. Many of the performance sites are not near park benches, so if you would like a place to sit, please bring your own!
- Your curiosity! You won't be able to hear every band play every song, and that's okay. Follow your interests wherever they lead you and enjoy your one-of-a-kind concert experience!
Don't bring:
- Alcoholic beverages, or any smoking / vaping supplies of any kind. Drinking and smoking/vaping tobacco or cannabis are not permitted in the park. Night Shift Brewing’s Owl's Nest beer garden will be open for on-premises wine and beer service only (no to-go can sales).
- Motorized vehicles. Cars, trucks, motorcycles, and mopeds/motor scooters are not permitted on the Esplanade.
- Food for the ducks and geese. Please don't feed the wildlife!
- Judgment and an unwelcoming attitude. This event is for everyone to enjoy, whatever that looks or sounds like. Dancing, rocking, stimming, vocalizing: there are a lot of ways to move and emote during a concert, and they're all welcome at Jazz Along the Charles. This event is for anyone who wants to enjoy the day and sample Boston's jazz scene.
Our Sensory-Inclusive Environment
Celebrity Series is taking many steps to ensure this event is welcoming to all and sensory-inclusive. We are expecting a large crowd, but due to the free-flowing nature of the event, there will be space to move toward or away from artists and the crowd as guests' comfort levels permit.
There will be twenty-five bands playing at the same time, about 150 feet apart from one another. They are spaced out to minimize sound blending, but you might hear two or more bands at once as you move between bands’ tents.
Many bands will play purely acoustic instruments, but some bands will be lightly amplified. You will hear many types of instruments, from brass to percussion to piano to guitar, and more. You can learn about the bands in the event program, if you want to seek out or avoid certain sound stimuli.
Celebrity Series Information Tent staff members or Wayfinding helpers in blue Jazz Along the Charles t-shirts can direct you to park benches or quieter locations in the park if you need to take a break.
Earplugs (in-ear foam style) will be available for free at any Information Tent. There will be calm kits with noise reduction ear defenders (over-the-ear style), fidgets, and more calming items available to check out at all Information Tents.
Be aware: this event takes place along the banks of the Charles River. Along much of the event loop, there is no barricade between guests and the water, both on the lagoon-facing side and the river-facing side.