By Richard Campbell
This past Sunday families gathered to play games, exercise, listen to music by local bands and support local charities. The lawn itself is mostly artificial turf, surrounded by green grass, stages and pavilions, located behind the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. I have to say having been to Lawn on D a few times, that it is a one-time entertainment in many respects. The centrally located swings are fun for kids and adults, and they offer a special opportunity to make a spectacle of oneself, and the inflatable game stations are a hit with young kids. Sponsored by Citizen’s Bank, the events were free and ran all day, bringing in the older kids later for music scene.
Some famous mascots: Red Sox Wally, and Blades from the Bruins made the rounds, getting selfies with kids, and dancing on stage, and the Celtics Green Team revealing acrobatics. “The Royal Furs” two dudes dueling it out with guitars were playing in the beginning as well as “Steel Rhythm” a clever Steel Drum band. The latter made very happy music for chomping down on the food at the café. I can’t really tell you this is the kind of food that is actually healthy to eat, but standard fair fare, and there was beer on hand as well. The Museum of Fine Arts was busy showing kids how to make their own impression medallions, while the community art Center sported a printing demo using silk screen ink. The Boston YMCA, the Greater Boston Food Bank, and the Mass Audubon Society had tables, spreading their messages and signing up people to their respective causes.
Though the Lawn on D is fun friendly, once you’ve seen it a few times, it starts to wear a little thin. For the adults, the best bet on these free themed events is to attend the later concerts as a nice evening out on the weekend. The BCEC are good hosts creating a safe atmosphere, and they keep everything moving along but given the fact that three quarters of the year it is cold, dark, and wet, I think the space would be better utilized as the very badly needed Boston Botanical Garden. This would especially be true for conventioneers visiting the city in January, as the Seaport has almost no green space. But! While the summer is on look forward to some more rocking events on the BCEC Lawn D Website. https://www.signatureboston.com/lawn-on-d
