Boston’s Outdoor "No Car" Spaces During the Summer

By MGS Group Real Estate

A recent addition to the City of Boston's summertime celebrations is the growing number of streets temporarily closed to vehicle traffic and reopened as pedestrian-friendly promenades to accommodate shopping, dining, recreation, and neighborhood events. First introduced post-pandemic in 2022, this summer marks the fifth consecutive year for the wildly popular program.

Even as it continues to grow in scope and popularity, the goal of Boston's Open Streets series remains the same: promoting free, accessible, family-friendly events across the city. Though the first Open Streets of 2026 kicked off the season in early August in Jamaica Plain, there remain three more opportunities to take to the streets in Boston. And for those who can get enough open street activities, there's Open Newbury Street and Cambridge's own Sunday summer closure of portions of Memorial Drive, which creates the pedestrian- and bike-friendly Riverbend Park.

Key Takeaways

Open Streets Boston returned for 2026 with four neighborhood events in Jamaica Plain, Mattapan, Allston-Brighton and Roslindale.
Open Streets events run from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., with vehicle closures generally extending from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Open Newbury Street is a separate program, turning Newbury Street into a vehicle-free shopping and dining corridor on selected Sundays.
Cambridge's closure of a portion of Memorial Drive to create the car-free Riverbend Park continues every Sunday through November 8, 2026.

Open Streets Boston

Open Streets Boston is the most event-driven of the city's car-free programs. Rather than simply removing traffic from a roadway, the city adds performances, food vendors, games, community organizations and other programming designed to turn each route into a temporary street festival. Although the season-opening event occurred in Jamaica Plain on August 2, three more car-free Sundays are scheduled for later this year.

Mattapan: Saturday, September 12, along Blue Hill Avenue from River Street to Babson Street
Allston-Brighton: Sunday, October 4, along Brighton and Harvard avenues, from Cambridge Street to Commonwealth Avenue
Roslindale: Sunday, October 18, along Roslindale Square from Belgrade Avenue to Washington Street

All events run from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., with vehicle restrictions beginning earlier at 9 a.m. and generally remaining in place until 4 p.m. Programming varies by neighborhood, but the format often includes live entertainment, food, interactive activities, games, water stations, art installations and space for local businesses and organizations to participate.

Open Newbury Street

Back Bay has its own version of the concept through Open Newbury Street. The atmosphere is less like a street festival and more like an expanded shopping and dining district, with one of Boston's signature commercial streets temporarily reserved for pedestrians.

The route: Newbury Street closes to vehicles from Berkeley Street to Massachusetts Avenue.
The hours: The street operates as a pedestrian-only corridor from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with parking enforcement starting at 5 a.m. the day of the closure.
The 2026 schedule: Upcoming summer and fall dates (all on Sundays) include September 6, September 13, and September 20, and the final seasonal day on October 11. An Open Newbury Street event in December to celebrate the holidays will be announced later.

Open Newbury is particularly well suited to Back Bay because the street, already filled with galleries, boutiques, cafés, restaurants, and historic brownstone storefronts, encourages a pedestrian-friendly aesthetic even when the street itself is filled with vehicles. But as with all of the open street events, there's no substitute for an environment where visitors can move freely across the roadway without a glut of traffic impeding the way.

Cambridge's Riverbend Park

Across the river in Cambridge, the focus shifts toward recreation. The Sunday closure of Memorial Drive, commonly associated with creating Riverbend Park running 1.5 miles along the Charles River, is a fixture of the community dating back to the mid-1980s (and is actually mandated and administered by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation).

The 2026 season runs from April 26 through November 8, weather permitting. Hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. every Sunday, creating a long window for cycling, jogging, and time along the river.
The route is temporarily reduced in 2026 because the section from Gerry's Landing Road to JFK Street is unavailable during the Memorial Drive Phase III improvement project. During construction, Riverbend Park will run from JFK Street to Western Avenue.
That construction work makes the 2026 version of Riverbend Park somewhat different from a typical year. The usable car-free section is effectively concentrated between Western Avenue and JFK Street, rather than extending farther west toward Gerry's Landing, which reduces the park's length by about a mile.

But even in its shortened form, the setting remains one of the most attractive car-free experiences in Greater Boston. The Charles River provides the backdrop, Cambridge neighborhoods sit just beyond the roadway, and Boston's skyline remains visible across the water.

FAQs

What is the difference between Open Streets Boston and Open Newbury Street?

Open Streets Boston is a series of neighborhood-based events with vendors, performances, games and organized programming. Open Newbury Street is a separate recurring initiative that closes Newbury Street from Berkeley Street to Massachusetts Avenue on selected Sundays for shopping, dining, and pedestrian use.

Is Memorial Drive part of Boston's Open Streets program?

No. The Riverbend Park closure is in Cambridge and is administered by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. It has a much longer history than Boston's current Open Streets series and follows its own schedule and operating rules.

Which Open Streets Boston events are scheduled for 2026?

Open Streets still to come include Mattapan on September 12, Allston-Brighton on October 4, and Roslindale on October 18. Each event runs from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., with vehicle restrictions extending beyond those event hours.

Discover the Best of Boston Luxury Living, with MGS Group Real Estate

Boston's appeal has always extended beyond its individual homes and buildings. The city's restaurants, parks, institutions, streets, and seasonal traditions all contribute to its timeless appeal. Open Streets Boston, Open Newbury Street, and Riverbend Park are further examples of the region's sought-after lifestyle.

If you're interested in exploring even more of Boston, including the neighborhoods of Back Bay and Fenway, or Cambridge across the Charles River, contact MGS Group Real Estate today to start your real estate journey. Let our team's years of experience and local expertise help you navigate Boston and Greater Boston's luxury real estate scene.