Beer Garden on City Hall Plaza to Reopen on June 7

D&D Beer Garden, a collaboration between local Boston breweries Distraction Brewing and Democracy Brewing, has been selected to operate the space

Today, Mayor Michelle Wu announced the opening of the beer garden on City Hall Plaza, in partnership with the Office of Economic Opportunity & Inclusion (OEOI) and the Property Management Department. The City has selected D&D Beer Garden, a collaboration between local breweries Democracy Brewing and Distraction Brewing, to partner with Jimmies Cafe of Roslindale to provide food and beverages for all ages. The beer garden will open June 7.

“City Hall Plaza is a wonderful space for community members to come together,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “I’m grateful to D&D Beer Garden, the Office of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion, and the Property Management Department for their work on this opportunity to liven up City Hall Plaza and help revitalize Downtown with a new destination.”

The City’s partnership with D&D Beer Garden is part of the administration’s efforts to revitalize Downtown Boston with social and economic opportunities. D&D’s hours of operation will be from 4:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 12:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. on Saturdays, and 12:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. on Sundays. Beginning in mid-late June, D&D’s hours will expand daily. The beer garden will also feature an array of programming including live music, entertainment, art classes and showcases, and yoga classes to build community and enhance the space.

“Democracy Brewing and Distraction Brewing are proud to join forces to open a join beer garden located in City Hall Plaza,” said Michael Estey, co-owner of Distraction Brewing Company. “Just in time to kick off the summer, there will be 12 tap lines flowing with beers from both breweries, events hosted all summer long and a great space for all ages to enjoy in the heart of Boston.”

“City Hall Plaza continues to be a vibrant convening space for residents, workers, and visitors in the heart of downtown Boston,” said Segun Idowu, Chief of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion. “This season’s Beer Garden, in partnership with D&D and Jimmies Cafe, will create a unique attraction, bringing a taste of local Boston small businesses to our patrons, and lifting up an economic opportunity for local business growth.

“I’m so excited for us to open up the beer garden on City Hall Plaza just in time for the summer season,” said Chief of Operations Dion Irish. “This continues to be an amazing opportunity to use City property as a place for residents to come together and support local businesses.”

“Democracy Brewing has run a first-rate business in Downtown Crossing for many years and we are thrilled that their expansion alongside Distraction Brewing to City Hall Plaza will offer a broader audience of downtown visitors an opportunity to enjoy their offerings,” said Michael Nichols, President of the Downtown Boston Business Improvement District.

Founded in 2019, Distraction Brewing Company is a family-owned brewery located in Roslindale. Democracy Brewing, founded in 2018, is worker-owned and based in Downtown Crossing. D&D Beer Garden participated in a competitive application process to identify a vendor that would activate City Hall Plaza for workers, residents, and tourists. The contract will last until at least December 31, 2024. D&D Beer Garden’s commitment to community engagement and partnerships with local restaurants, artists, and organizations stood out in its proposal to partner with the City of Boston to reopen this welcoming space in Downtown Boston on City Hall Plaza.