Temporary Beer Garden on City Hall Plaza Reopened

Today, Mayor Michelle Wu announced the reopening of the temporary 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 67 Degrees Brewing, a Black, woman, and veteran-owned brewery located in Franklin, MA, as the operator for the duration of the program. 

Reopening the City Hall Plaza Beer Garden in partnership with 67 Degrees Brewing is part of the City's ongoing efforts to bring vibrancy back to Downtown Boston.  This partnership between OEOI and Property Management is another piece of the Wu Administration’s plan to revitalize our Downtown and activate city-owned spaces throughout the neighborhood. 67 Degrees Brewing will operate the Beer Garden starting Wednesday, September 28 from 12:00PM - 7:00PM (There is a private event from 5:00 - 7:00 PM on September 28). The hours of operations will be Wednesdays through Sundays from 12:00PM to 7:00PM until early November, weather conditions permitting. Food trucks will also be on site during operating hours. The City will be releasing an RFP later this fall to select a longer term vendor to take over operation of the Beer Garden starting in the spring. 

“City Hall Plaza is a space to bring people together and build community,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “I’m grateful to 67 Degrees Brewing and excited to welcome residents, workers and visitors to join us at the newly reopened Beer Garden at Fischer Park on City Hall Plaza.”

“The City Hall team, residents, tourists, and workers are excited to have this space available again on City Hall Plaza as we build on our commitment to support small businesses by bringing people together and giving people another reason to come and enjoy the area,” said Segun Idowu, Chief of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion. “This is yet another opportunity this Administration is providing to welcome residents, workers, and visitors back to Downtown Boston to enjoy the fall season with friends and neighbors.” 

“I’m thrilled that we’re able to activate the Beer Garden again at City Hall,” said Chief of Operations Dion Irish. “It’s a pleasure to be able to use City property to contribute to the vibrancy of downtown Boston and support a local black-owned business while doing so.”

Founded in 2020, 67 Degrees Brewing is a Black, woman, and veteran-owned brewery based in Franklin, MA. 67 Degrees Brewing participated in a competitive application process to identify a vendor that would activate City Hall Plaza during the fall season for workers, residents, and tourists. 67 Degrees Brewing's commitment to social impact, diversity and inclusivity and use of local ingredients stood out in its proposal to partner with the City of Boston to create a welcoming space in Downtown Boston on City Hall Plaza.

“67 Degrees Brewing is very excited to make its way to Boston City Hall! A number of our founders have their roots in Boston, and we can't wait to pour our beers in the city," said Laury Lucien, Partner and Legal Advisor of 67 Degrees Brewing. "We want to be known for the quality of our beers, which is why we make every effort to use the finest local ingredients New England has to offer and use time-honored methods to guarantee the best pour for our customers. We look forward to meeting the Boston Beer enthusiasts this Fall!"

"We are particularly stoked to share our Mara Belgian Ale with Passion Fruit, which is a delicious beer with amazing tropical character," said Olivier Edouard, Founder of 67 Degrees Brewing. "It is one of our biggest sellers and throughout the month of October proceeds from its sale will go to an organization that provides support services to breast cancer patients. It is amazing to have an opportunity to serve in front of City Hall, we have some cool event ideas planned between now and November. Weather permitting, we look forward to connecting with the community over some brews, art and musical events."

The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted Downtown and its businesses, and the Wu Administration remains committed to its Downtown Revitalization plan, announced in April 2022 to address decreased foot traffic and consumer spending. As the City aims to welcome people back to its commercial centers, the City is moving forward bold initiatives to increase consumer confidence and support small businesses. Downtown is integral to the economic standing of the City of Boston. While Boston aims to activate spaces in all of our neighborhoods, the City is also seeking to ensure its Downtown core is flourishing.

In June 2022, Mayor Wu announced the launch of Boston Together Again, a series of weekday cultural, food, and wellness events in Downtown running from mid-July to mid-October. From yoga in Copley Square, to music and dancing on City Hall Plaza, and movie nights on the Rose Kennedy Greenway at Dewey Square. In partnership with Boston-based Rosemark Production, Boston Together Again was designed to bring and keep Bostonians together in community while also driving foot traffic and customers to the City’s Downtown business districts to support our small business community. These events are free and open to the public and run through mid-October. 

Learn more about the Beer Garden

ABOUT THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND INCLUSION CABINET

The vision of the Economic Opportunity and Inclusion Cabinet is of a resilient, equitable, sustainable, and vibrant city that centers people and creates opportunities to build generational wealth.  The Cabinet consists of five City departments, including the Office of Consumer Affairs and Licensing, the Office of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion, the Office of Small Business, the Office of Supplier and Workforce Diversity, and the Office of Tourism, Sports, and Entertainment.