USS Constitution to Get Underway in Honor of D-Day and the U.S. Marine Corps
USS Constitution is scheduled to get underway from the Charlestown Navy Yard, Massachusetts, on Friday, June 6, at 10:00 a.m.
This underway honors the Allied D-Day invasion of Europe during World War II and serves as a salute to all Marine Corps veterans, active-duty service members and their families as we celebrate the Marine Corps’ 250th birthday.
The ship will be closed to the public in the morning and will reopen to the public from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. following her return to port.
During the underway, USS Constitution will render a 21-gun salute off Fort Independence on Castle Island at approximately 11:30 a.m., followed by a 17-gun salute as she passes the U.S. Coast Guard Base Boston—the former site of Edmund Hartt’s shipyard, where the ship was built and launched on October 21, 1797.
The underway will be visible from the Boston Harborwalk, Castle Island, and the Charlestown Navy Yard. USS Constitution is open for free public visitation Tuesday through Sunday, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
All guests age 18 and older must present a valid state or federal photo ID or passport to board the ship.
As the world’s oldest commissioned warship afloat and America’s Ship of State, USS Constitution played a vital role in the Barbary Wars and the War of 1812, safeguarding American sea lanes from 1797 to 1855.
BLO Celebrates 25 Years of Free Summer Concerts
Boston Landmarks Orchestra (BLO), led by Music Director Christopher Wilkins, is celebrating its 25th anniversary season with a series of free summer concerts from June 14 to August 27, 2025. These performances will bring live orchestral music to the DCR Hatch Memorial Shell on the Esplanade and various Boston neighborhoods, emphasizing community and the joy of music-making.
All concerts and events are free and open to the public, with ASL interpreters available at many performances. Audiences at the Esplanade are encouraged to bring picnics, and dogs are welcome.
2025 Summer Concerts and Events Highlights:
A Juneteenth Celebration: Saturday, June 14, at 3 p.m. at The Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center. Featuring flutist DeShaun Gordon-King, the program explores musical bridges between old and new worlds, including works by Ellington, Still, Gottschalk, and Bologne.
Landmarks Musical Kickoff Party: Sunday, July 13, 2-4 p.m. at the DCR Hatch Shell. This family-friendly event offers instrument petting zoos, face painting, and musical games.
Special Guest: Longwood Symphony Orchestra: Wednesday, July 16, at 7 p.m. at the DCR Hatch Shell, led by Music Director Jotaro Nakano.
The Best of Boston: Wednesday, July 23, at 7 p.m. at the DCR Hatch Shell. This concert celebrates Boston composers, past and present, with music by Leonard Bernstein, John Williams, Florence Price, and John Harbison, featuring Amy Beach’s Piano Concerto.
Peter & The Wolf and More: Wednesday, July 30, at 7 p.m. at the DCR Hatch Shell. Prokofiev’s classic Peter and the Wolf anchors this program of musical storytelling.
Special Guest: Mercury Orchestra: Wednesday, August 6, at 7 p.m. at the DCR Hatch Shell. Mercury Orchestra, led by Channing Yu, will perform Respighi’s Pines of Rome and Finzi’s Intimations of Immortality.
Debussy and the Music of the Sea: In partnership with the New England Aquarium, Wednesday, August 13, at 7 p.m. at the DCR Hatch Shell. This performance will feature Debussy’s La Mer and other sea-themed works.
Eroica Symphony: Beethoven and Revolution: Wednesday, August 20, at 7 p.m. at the DCR Hatch Shell, with repeat performances in Boston neighborhoods on August 21 and 22. The program includes Beethoven’s “Eroica” Symphony and works by Boston-based composer Val Jeanty.
Mahler & Ravel: Wednesday, August 27, at 7 p.m. at the DCR Hatch Shell. The season concludes with Ravel’s Daphnis and Chloe Suite No. 2 and Mahler’s Symphony No. 1.
Boston Landmarks Orchestra, founded in 2001 by Charles Ansbacher, consists of area professional musicians. Since 2007, its primary venue has been the DCR’s Hatch Memorial Shell.
A full concert schedule, program notes, and accessibility details are available at landmarksorchestra.org.