Daily brief · Beacon Hill, Boston, MA
Otis House tours before Aug. 30 restoration
August 16, 2026
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Otis House offers Sunday tours near Beacon Hill
The Otis House Museum at 141 Cambridge Street ran guided tours Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., part of a weekly schedule that ends when the house closes temporarily after August 30 for restoration. The last surviving mansion in Bowdoin Square, next to the Old West Church at the foot of Beacon Hill, covers more than 200 years of history. Admission is $15 for adults, $13 for students and seniors, $7 for youth ages 6-12, and free for Boston residents, Historic New England members, and children under 6.
The Boston Calendar
Fisherman's Feast wraps up 116th year in North End
The 116th annual Fisherman's Feast concluded Sunday, August 16, with High Mass at 9 a.m., the Grand Procession at 12:30 p.m., and the Flight of the Angel at 8 p.m.
The Boston Calendar
Greenway Artisan Market returns for Sunday shoppers
The Greenway Artisan Market ran Sunday, August 16 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the Rose Kennedy Greenway, featuring local artists, makers, and independent designers.
The Boston Calendar
Beacon Hill's State House had a quiet week before recess
There were no roll calls in the House or Senate the week of August 3-7, 2026; the House met for nine minutes total and the Senate for 26 minutes.
Cape News (Beacon Hill Roll Call)
"Treasure Hunt | Art Sunday" at Beacon Hill's Hidden Art Gallery
This weekly event on Myrtle Street in Beacon Hill, held Sunday, August 16 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., features an outdoor art treasure hunt and paintings of historic Boston scenery.
The Boston Calendar
Beginner-Friendly "Swing Charles" Dance Class on the Esplanade
This weekly gathering on the Charles River Esplanade near Beacon Hill, held Sunday, August 16 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., offers beginner swing dance lessons and outdoor social dancing.
The Boston Calendar
Chocolate tour walks from Beacon Hill to Boston Public Market
The Boston Chocolate Tour ran Sunday, August 16 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., starting on Charles Street and moving through Beacon Hill, Boston Common, and Boston Public Market with five chocolate-focused stops.
The Boston Calendar
Open Newbury Street pauses pedestrian-only schedule this Sunday
The City of Boston confirmed Open Newbury Street, which normally makes the street car-free, will not run on Sunday, August 16, temporarily returning to standard traffic.
City of Boston
Marzae Cellar + Provisions soft-opens at Boston Public Market
Marzae Cellar + Provisions, the urban tasting room of Massachusetts' only natural winery, soft-opened inside Boston Public Market, offering natural wine on draft and seasonal farm-to-table dining.
Boston Public Market
BERDO reporting deadline hit Saturday
Saturday, August 15 was Boston's extended 2026 reporting deadline for large buildings subject to BERDO; the City says owners above their 2025 emissions limits have compliance options including renewable energy and alternative compliance payments.
Boston.gov
Beacon Hill weighs church-land housing and duplex zoning fixes
State lawmakers are considering a "YIGBY" plan letting religious institutions build housing on their land, plus a statewide duplex-by-right rule, as Massachusetts faces a projected shortfall of 222,000 homes by 2035.
The Boston Globe
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