Boston Harbor Now announces annual Eastie Week schedule

Last week, Boston Harbor Now announced its 2022 Eastie Week programming which will celebrate the history, culture, music, and art of East Boston and take place July 10th – July 26th all around the neighborhood. This year will mark the ninth anniversary of Eastie Week which was first started in 2014.

According to Director of Programs at Boston Harbor Now Rebecca Smerling the goal of the annual event is to celebrate the rich, vibrant, and resilient community of Eastie.

Working with partners throughout Eastie, Boston Harbor Now has curated two weeks of free and low-cost community-led public programming for all to enjoy that will kick off Sunday.

“We wanted to offer a diverse lineup of free public programming for the community so there was something for everyone to enjoy,” stated Smerling. “East Boston is such a vital part of our Boston community, and its rich culture is something we look forward to celebrating every year.”

Smerling added Eastie Week programming is made possible by a variety of local organizations that volunteered to help provide fun programming for all to enjoy.

Local organizations like Zumix, Eastie Farms, Veronica Robles Cultural Center (VROCC), Harbor Arts, and more volunteered their time, expertise, and creativity to help create a diverse lineup of programming that highlights the community of East Boston.

“We are excited to be participating in Eastie Week this year and helping to show our community what a unique, special place we have in East Boston,” said Zumix Co-founder and Executive Director Madeleine Steczynski. “We will be kicking off Eastie Week celebrations with our annual Zumix Walk for Music to bring people together through fitness and music.”

Visitors to the neighborhood during the week of the festivities can enjoy free programs like Latin cultural dancing, outdoor movie nights, stand-up comedy, concerts, fitness activities, and more. Eastie Week will also feature an interactive scavenger hunt, Explore Boston Harbor, enabling participants to explore East Boston’s unique history and culture in a new way.

“Eastie Week gives people an opportunity to learn about the many cultures that make up East Boston,” said Founder and Executive Director of the Veronica Robles Cultural Center Veronica Robles. “One of our favorite activities during Eastie Week is the Latin cultural dance programs. These educational programs give people the opportunity to learn about dances they may never have encountered before, like capoeira and cumbia.”

Eastie Week will also provide educational programming about Eastie and the Boston Harbor Islands. Attendees can enjoy author talks from Edward Alessi, ReadBoston Storymobile, Eastie Eco-Fest, and an East Boston Chamber of Commerce Open House.

“Eastie Week is a great celebration of not only the culture of the waterfront community of East Boston but also its efforts aimed at accessibility and climate resiliency,” said Community Outreach Coordinator of The Trustees of Reservations Gabriela Ramirez. “The festivities are exactly the type of programs we’re looking to expand through The Trustees’ Boston Waterfront Initiative, One Waterfront. Eastie Week carries out our version for iconic public open space on the Boston Waterfront as a way to respond to the opportunities and challenges we face as a coastal region.”

Eastie Week will kick off on Sunday, July 10th with a cultural dance class led by the Veronica Robles Cultural Center at Piers Park. Eastie Week will conclude on Tuesday, July 26th with The Taste of Eastie closing out the Eastie celebrations.

To view the full Eastie Week programming schedule visit: https://www.bostonharbornow.org/eastieweek/.

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