Esplanade’s Hatch Shell to Reopen Just in Time for the Fourth of July
Photo courtesy Esplanade Association
After an extensive renovation, Boston’s beloved Hatch Memorial Shell and Oval Lawn—arguably the city’s best spot to watch fireworks—will finally reopen, just in time for Fourth of July festivities.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony on the Esplanade Friday will cap an 18-month, $700,000 restoration, which was entirely privately funded and finished ahead of schedule, in spite of the snowiest winter in Boston’s history. The Esplanade Association received an initial $100,000 gift from Santander Bank in 2013, and raised the remaining portion through its events and courting donors.
“With the trees and flowers in full bloom along the Esplanade and just in time for the Fourth of July we are thrilled to be able to reopen the Hatch Shell Oval Lawn which is now healthier and more beautiful for the public to enjoy,” executive director Tani Marinovich said in a release. “We are truly grateful to Santander and all the Esplanade Association donors for their generosity as well as for the ongoing support of the DCR. This renovation was a great undertaking yet it is proof positive of the great things that can be accomplished through public-private partnerships.”
The renovation added a uniform drainage system to the Oval Lawn to better irrigate its heartier, new high-traffic turf. Electrical and mechanical conduit hooks were also installed to better equip the Hatch Shell for performances. The project was the first phase in a four-part, $4 million capital campaign aimed at sprucing up the Hatch Shell; future projects will include updates to its sound and lighting systems, as well as structural improvements.
