For Immediate Release For More Information Contact: Press Office, 617-635-4461
City to host fun, free events for residents during Inauguration 2010 Weekend
Free public skating at Frog Pond in addition to family open houses, book giveaways, & live performances at libraries
Mayor Thomas M. Menino announced today that the City of Boston will sponsor a series of free public events in honor of the City’s 2010 Inaugural events. In the weekend leading up to the Inauguration of Mayor Menino and City Councilors, residents will have the chance to take advantage of free public skating at both the Frog Pond and Fenway Park in addition to a number of events, including open houses, book giveaways, and live performances, at branches of the Boston Public Library. Mayor Menino and City Councilors will be sworn into office during a ceremony on Monday, January 4 at Faneuil Hall.
“This will be a special time in our city that will bring together residents of all ages,” said Mayor Menino. “I look forward to kicking off the New Year with these free events and working with the people of Boston and the City Council to continue making Boston a better place to live, work, and visit.”
On Saturday, January 2, the Boston Public Library will host family open houses and live performances throughout the day at eight branches across the City. The eight branches hosting these events are symbolic in nature, as they are also all sites for the Mayor’s Community Learning Initiative, a plan launched two years ago that connects schools, community centers, and libraries to create a continuum of educational opportunities for Boston’s youth. The family open houses will include a storyteller or other live children’s performer, refreshments, a book giveaway, and information about the Community Learning Initiative. The following is a detailed schedule of library events:
| Branch Library | Address | Open House Hours | Performer |
| Adams Street | 690 Adams St., Dorchester | 1:00 – 3:00 PM | Rosalita’s Puppets |
| Codman Square | 690 Washington St., Dorchester | 1:00 – 3:00 PM | Doria Hughes, Storyteller |
| Grove Hall | 41 Geneva Ave., Dorchester | 2:00 – 4:00 PM | Scott Kepnes, Storyteller |
| Honan-Allston | 300 North Harvard St., Allston | 1:00 – 3:00 PM | Tony Toledo, Storyteller |
| Jamaica Plain | 12 Sedgwick St, Jamaica Plain | 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM | Leeny Del Seamonds, Storyteller |
| Mattapan | 1350 Blue Hill Ave., Mattapan | 2:00 – 4:00 PM | Bonaparté the Magician |
| Parker Hill | 1497 Tremont St, Mission Hill | 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM | Valerie Stephens, Storyteller |
| Roslindale | 4238 Washington St., Roslindale | 12:30 – 2:30 PM | Su Eaton, Storyteller |
In addition to the various family open houses, all 27 Boston Public Library branches will be giving away free books to young people while supplies last. Children age 3-8 will receive Can You Say Peace? by Karen Katz, and young people age 8-14 will receive Shh! We’re Writing the Constitution by Jean Fritz. All of the books, donated by the Inaugural Committee for Mayor Menino, will contain commemorative book plates noting the significance of the Inauguration.
Thousands of children and families are also expected to take advantage of free skating session’s at the City’s Frog Pond and Fenway Park as part of Inaugural Weekend. The Frog Pond will be open for free public skating from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, January 3. Residents are encouraged to bring their own skates, but skate rentals will be available for a fee. In partnership with the National Hockey League and Sun Life Financial more than 3,000 lucky residents will also have the once-in-a-lifetime chance to skate on the ice at Fenway Park on Sunday, January 3 and January 10, just days after the Boston Bruins host the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2010 NHL Winter Classic.
###
