Boston’s Inauguration 2026 Week of Programming and Community Events

Mayor Michelle Wu announced a week-long series of programming to mark the City of Boston Inauguration 2026 and create space for Boston families to celebrate in community. The events and activations will provide an opportunity to engage with residents as the City sets a vision for continuing the work to make Boston a home for everyone.

"This series of events to ring in the new year and new term will bring together residents and families across our neighborhoods,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “As we kick off the new year, these events and activations will create space for joy, belonging and celebration while elevating the community voices and partners who are shaping Boston's present and future. I'm grateful to all of our partners for their leadership to ensure the 2026 Inauguration Week includes events for all, and I encourage every resident to join in the celebrations and be a part of Boston's next chapter."

This year’s inauguration programming will deliver events that spark belonging and civic pride, highlight the vibrancy of Boston’s neighborhoods, elevate community voices and partners, and offer residents meaningful interaction with City services and leadership. 

The City of Boston Inauguration 2026 Week consists of the following events, activations and programming:

Boston Family Days Celebration

Sunday, January 4, 2026 and January 11, 2026

Boston Family Days is a citywide celebration designed to bring families together through free access to 14 of Boston’s world-class cultural institutions, highlighting Mayor Wu’s signature initiatives for families while marking the excitement of Inauguration Week. This family-focused program invites residents to explore museums and cultural spaces throughout the city. This week’s Boston Family Days will also welcome City partners and community organizations to join in the celebration, offering free access to thank partners for their work in making Boston a home for everyone.

Neighborhood: Citywide at partner institutions participating in the Boston Family Days program.

Inauguration of Mayor Michelle Wu and the Boston City Council

Monday, January 5, 2026 

The City of Boston will host the inauguration of Mayor Michelle Wu and the Boston City Council at Boston Symphony Hall. The event will begin at 10:00 a.m. The City of Boston Cable Office will stream the program live on boston.gov/inauguration. 

Neighborhood: Symphony Hall, 301 Massachusetts Avenue, Fenway

Media interested in attending are asked to RSVP by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, January 2, 2025. 

Boston Reads: Make Way for Storytime! 

Various storytimes held throughout week of January 5 

A citywide celebration of reading, designed for young children, toddlers, and their families. As part of the City’s Boston Reads initiative, this program brings families into Boston Public Library branches across neighborhoods for a special storytime featuring the beloved book “Make Way for the Ducklings.” Each participating library branch will host interactive readings and activities, providing children and families with an opportunity to engage with literature, explore their local library, and connect with their community. Families who attend will receive a passport to encourage visits to each library branch fostering early literacy and the joy of reading. Additional information regarding the storytime events can be found here. 

Neighborhood: Citywide across multiple BPL branches every day 

Morning of Hope: Gathering of Faith and Community

Tuesday, January 6, 2026 

Mayor Wu will host a citywide gathering bringing together faith leaders, community safety partners, and City leadership to reflect, pray, and celebrate Boston as a safe, inclusive, and welcoming city for all. The speaking program will include prayers from interfaith leaders, Mayor Wu and Commissioner Cox. 

Neighborhood: Roxbury

Rooted in Boston: Celebrating Neighborhood Businesses

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

This celebration, hosted by Mayor Wu and the City’s Economic Opportunity and Inclusion Cabinet, will honor the small businesses that anchor Boston’s neighborhoods and reinforce the City’s continued efforts to help them thrive. This event will bring together grantees from the City’s Supporting Pandemic Affected Community Enterprises (SPACE) Grant program and awardees of the City’s Legacy Business program. In addition to the Mayor honoring their cultural and economic impact, this gathering will also highlight various partners who support their growth.

Neighborhood: East Boston

Bloom Boston: A Floral Design Event for Seniors

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Mayor Wu and the City’s Age Strong Commission will honor Boston’s older adults by offering a joyful, hands-on floral arrangement experience that nurtures creativity, intergenerational connection, and a sense of belonging. Led by Boston Flower Co., a Boston SPACE grantee, this workshop also spotlights local entrepreneurship while providing older adults with a calming, confidence-building activity rooted in nature and community pride.

Neighborhood: South End

Teen Takeover: The Future of Boston

Friday, January 9, 2026

Mayor Wu will join the Office of Youth Engagement and Advancement to host a celebration bringing teens from across the City together for an evening of creativity, music, art, games while welcoming youth input into the administration’s second-term priorities through an interactive visioning activity. Through interactive stations, art-driven expression, and celebratory moments—including a raffle drawing announced by Mayor Wu—the event uplifts teen voices as essential to shaping a Boston that is safe, thriving, and welcoming now and for generations to come.

Neighborhood: BCYF Mattahunt, 100 Hebron Street, Mattapan

For more information on this programming, please visit this webpage.