A series of events were held in Boston on Saturday to mark the 10th anniversary of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings.
Two One Boston Day remembrance events were held on Boylston Street. In addition, over a dozen One Boston Day volunteer events were scheduled to be hosted by city departments and neighborhood organizations.
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The city and the Boston Athletic Association were honoring the day with two remembrance events on Boylston Street.
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The first was an early morning private gathering and wreath laying shortly after 7:15 a.m. at the memorial sites for the families who lost loved ones at the 2013 Boston Marathon. Honor guards, including the Boston Fire Department, Boston Police Department, Boston Emergency Medical Services, and Suffolk County Sheriff Department’s Honor Guards, will be present at the memorial sites throughout the day. After the B.A.A. 5K race, the City will open Boylston Street between Dartmouth and Fairfield Streets for members of the public to visit the memorial sites.
Then at 2:30 p.m., the public was invited to join members of the One Fund Community, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, first responders, hospital leaders, B.A.A. leadership, and local running groups at the Boston Marathon Finish Line for a dedication of a new commemorative finish line, the ringing of bells, and the unveiling of a One Boston Day marker on Boylston Street.
More than 20 local organizations and businesses have registered events for today, including the following:
- One Boston Day Platelet/Blood Drive with Kraft Family Blood Donor Center
- One Boston Day Blood Drives with the Red Cross of Massachusetts
- Feeding Families Food Drive with Catholic Charities Boston
- 26.True Marathon with Pioneers Run Crew
- Tenean Beach Cleanup
- One Boston Day Senior Socials
- Friends One Boston Day Book Giveaway
- Stepping Strong Blood Drives and Stop the Bleed Demonstrations on City Hall Plaza
- Stepping Strong Blood Drives and Stop the Bleed Demonstrations at Copley Square Park
- Red Bull Runs powered by MoveStudios on The Greenway
- Garden Cleanup at El Jardin De La Amistad
- Kindness in Christopher Columbus Park on the Boston Harbor
- Franklin Park Community Cleanup
- Spark Joy: Boston Marathon Sign Making Party
- Fenway Community Cleanup with the Fenway Community Center
- Welcome to Red Chairs at Charlesgate Park with the Charlesgate Alliance
- Let's Get Growing! with the Friends of Childe Hassam Park
- Community Portrait Project with MassArt Art Museum
- An Hour of Coding with Boston's Chief Information Officer
- Honoring Mel King Through Writing
- One Boston Day Remembrance at the Boston Marathon Finish Line
- One Boston Day at the NEMPAC April Open Mic Night
- Neighborhood-wide Cleanup with the Belnel Family Neighborhood Association
For more information on these events, click here.
Representative Ayanna Pressley released a statement on One Boston Day.
“As we mark ten years since the devastating Boston Marathon attack on our city, I am thinking of the families robbed of a loved one, of folks still recovering from physical injuries, of those suffering from their invisible wounds, and of the Greater Boston community. I am grateful for the powerful community response and unity in the aftermath of the attack, despite the fear, confusion, and despair many were feeling." she said in the statement.
US Attorney Rachel Rollins held a private ceremony honoring first responders and the medical community.
“Ten years ago today, the City of Boston changed forever. On April 15, 2013 and the days following, four innocent lives were stolen and nearly three hundred others were maimed and wounded in a terrorist attack near the finish line of the 117th annual Boston Marathon. The tragedies of that day and the days that followed will forever remain as one of the most significant events in our Commonwealth’s – and our nation’s – modern history. We continue to honor and fight for the hundreds of victims and their families who were devastatingly affected by this act of terrorism,” said United States Attorney Rollins.
Many others were sharing their feelings about how meaningful One Boston Day is to them.
“I think along with the rest of the city, we all felt how, how tragic that day was and how we all came together as a city to show our resiliency. And then when I became part of the stepping strong center I truly saw how we can turn tragedy into hope.” said Senior Program Manager Cheryl Lang.
“I will tell you that the spirit of that day is overwhelming. You absolutely feel the kindness that flows through this entire city. Against the backdrop that we know that there was a tragedy but the tragedy is in what defines us and what defines us as who we are as citizens of this city.” added George Comeau of Downtown Boston BID.
Mayor Wu is also encouraging Boston residents to take part in their own individual acts of kindness, including those on the 2023 One Boston Day Acts of Kindness Checklist. Examples from the checklist range from buying a cup of coffee for a stranger to donating blood.
Like in years past, people are welcome to share their reflections and acts of service plans for One Boston Day on social media with the hashtag #OneBostonDay.
