Mayor Michelle Wu Highlights City’s Readiness for Summer Events and Announces Coordinated Preparation Efforts Across Boston

Mayor Michelle Wu joined City leaders and public safety officials at the Boston Summer Events Command Center (BSECC) to provide an update on the extensive planning and coordination efforts underway to prepare for a summer that will bring millions of residents and visitors together for major events across Boston.

This summer, Boston will host multiple major events: FIFA World Cup, Sail Boston and Boston 250. With the World Cup set to begin in a few days and Tall Ships arriving in Boston Harbor later this summer, the City has spent more than two years working alongside local, State, and Federal partners to ensure these events are safe, successful, and enjoyable for residents and visitors alike.

"As Boston welcomes residents and visitors alike for a summer filled with world-class events, our teams are working every day to ensure everyone can enjoy a safe, fun, and memorable experience," said Mayor Michelle Wu. "From neighborhood celebrations to major international events, we are proud to welcome guests from around the world while continuing to deliver the excellent City services that make Boston a great place to live, work, and visit.”

The City's preparations span every aspect of City operations, including transportation planning, emergency management, public health readiness, installing wayfinding, public safety coordination, and basic city services.

“Boston is ready to welcome the world this summer. While the FIFA Fan Festival at City Hall Plaza will serve as the center of our downtown activation, our planning and preparations extend across every neighborhood,” said Chief of Operations Dion Irish.  “For more than two years, City departments and our local, state, and federal partners have worked together to support tournament activities and community events throughout Boston while continuing to deliver the high-quality services residents rely on every day.”

The Boston Transportation Department is anticipating increased traffic activity across neighborhoods on match day at Boston Stadium and has ensured the City is well prepared. Preparation work includes: implementing designated rideshare pick-up and drop-off zones, targeted curb regulation changes, and operational plans designed to improve traffic flow and support safe, efficient travel to and from major event sites. Transportation teams will actively monitor conditions throughout the summer and make adjustments as needed to minimize impacts on residents, businesses, and daily city operations.

“Our priority is to keep residents, businesses, workers, and visitors moving safely and reliably in Boston,” said Interim Chief of Streets Nick Gove. “We are coordinating closely with our public safety, transportation, and regional partners to ensure the City is ready to safely and efficiently manage increased activity on our streets and additional demands on our transportation network.”

The Office of Emergency Management has led extensive planning efforts across City departments, state agencies, federal partners, and event organizers to ensure a unified approach to summer operations. The office has developed comprehensive contingency plans for a range of scenarios, including severe weather, public safety incidents, transportation disruptions, and other emergencies, ensuring the City is prepared to respond quickly and effectively if needed.

“As part of our preparations for the summer season, we have established a new Special Events Coordination Center on behalf of the City. This center will serve as the central point of coordination for public safety, public health, transportation, and other key agencies.” said Chief of Emergency Management Adrian Jordan. “By bringing these partners together, we can maintain a heightened state of readiness, enhance situational awareness, and ensure we are prepared to implement contingency plans quickly and effectively should an incident occur.”

“Through close coordination with our public safety and healthcare partners, we have spent months preparing for this summer,” said Boston EMS Chief James Hooley. “Our responsibility is twofold: providing medical support for these world-class events while continuing to deliver emergency care in every neighborhood across Boston. We will strategically position resources, expand specialized capabilities, and ensure our members are trained and ready for both the expected and the unexpected.” 

In addition to emergency preparedness and making sure hospital and healthcare systems are equipped for various types of emergencies, the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) is tracking infectious diseases and environmental hazards that could impact Boston this summer. BPHC monitors wastewater to provide real-time visibility to make rapid, coordinated decisions around illnesses and diseases. To protect against diseases, BPHC has expanded access to vaccines across the city, including working with Boston Public Schools to ensure families are up-to-date on vaccinations ahead of the summer and increasing mpox vaccinations for those at-risk. BPHC also monitors heat, air, and water quality and works with the City to issue alerts and guidance on boston.gov/summer and on social media.

BPHC has strengthened existing systems and trained public health staff to respond to domestic violence and sexual assault incidents during major events. In partnership with survivor-serving organizations and youth workers, BPHC has built capacity to ensure survivors from all backgrounds can access safety resources and support. BPHC has also led trainings for personnel at restaurants, bars, airports, and hotels, covering CPR, overdose response, drink spiking, domestic violence, sexual assault, and up-to-date prevention practices such as handwashing.

“We want to ensure that all Boston residents and visitors are safe and healthy while enjoying these events,” said City of Boston Commissioner of Public Health Dr. Bisola Ojikutu. “We are working collaboratively with our partners and with community members to create a healthy and memorable summer in Boston for everyone. Public health is a team sport and takes all of us. So look out for one another, make sure that your vaccinations are up-to-date, stay home when you are sick, and take care of yourself and those around you.”

To support visitors navigating the city, the City is deploying temporary wayfinding signage throughout Downtown Boston that will help direct people to major destinations, including South Station, City Hall Plaza, and key event locations. Streets Cabinet teams have also completed extensive preparations to ensure Boston's streets and core city services are ready to support increased activity throughout the summer.

City officials emphasized that preparations extend beyond event venues and Downtown Boston. Throughout the summer, Boston will support community celebrations and neighborhood activations across the city while working to ensure that residents and small businesses share in the economic and cultural benefits generated by these major events.

“We are a world-class City and whether it is Sail Boston, FIFA, July 4th or Boston 250, we are working with our City, State and Federal partners to make these safe and enjoyable events for all. As always, we need the public to work alongside us, as a critical partner in these efforts,” said Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox. “We are prepared for these major summer events, and we are ready to keep our neighborhoods safe, and to continue to work with our residents and businesses.”

The Boston Police Department reminds residents and visitors: if you See Something, Say Something. BPD encourages everyone to report unattended bags or suspicious behavior to officers immediately. For all major events this summer, residents and visitors are asked to leave large bags, backpacks, and drones at home. Public drinking, consumption of marijuana, and violent or disruptive behavior will not be tolerated. Officials also urge residents and visitors to stay alert to scams and fraud, protect yourself by using only official websites and paying with credit cards that offer fraud protection. In the case of an emergency, call 911.

The Boston Fire Department reminds residents that the use of pyrotechnics and fireworks is not allowed. Additionally, BFD encourages residents and visitors to be mindful of overcrowding in public spaces and particularly on decks and roof decks to avoid injury. 

“The Boston Fire Department is well prepared for these upcoming events,” said Boston Fire Commissioner Rodney Marshall. “We continue to work collaboratively with our partner agencies and the Office of Emergency Management to develop and tailor comprehensive plans designed to strengthen public safety and enhance the protection of the citizens and visitors to Boston. Finally, we would like to remind everyone that fireworks are illegal in Massachusetts.”

Residents are encouraged to visit boston.gov/summer for the latest event information on schedules, transportation resources, and operational updates, as well as heat, water, and air quality guidance throughout the season. Residents can also contact 311 with questions, concerns, or requests for City services. 

Sign up for AlertBoston to receive emergency notifications from the City at boston.gov/alerts. Alerts are available in the following languages: Arabic, Chinese, Cape Verdean Creole, French, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese.

Additional information about summer events and City operations will be shared throughout the season as Boston prepares to welcome visitors from around the world.