Photo: WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Now that Boston has successfully navigated its way through some of its biggest events this year, including the World Cup, Boston Harborfest Sail Boston, the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular, etc., the city wants to capitalize on these successes by keeping the party going as students begin to arrive.
It helped that Beacon Hill passed legislation allowing some bars and restaurants to extend their serving hours.
Also helping was the establishment of 'social districts' where outdoor drinking was allowed.
Corean Reynolds said that the new measures helped shed Boston's image of not being fun.
Reynolds is responsible for managing Boston's nightlife.
Created in 2023, the Office of Nightlife Economy creates a link between City Hall and the stakeholders who live and operate within the world of Boston's nightlife.
As Boston's nightlife 'czar,' Reynolds has a mission to create and maintain a robust nightlife economy while helping the city shake its rather stodgy, some would say boring, reputation. "What we were able to experience this summer was joy and fun, to be honest," she said.
Reynolds added that Boston's nightlife has a well-deserved reputation for closing its doors after 10 p.m.
But she believes Boston was able to prove it could handle the extended hours responsibly. "We can have social districts, and we can have 3 a.m. closings, and nothing bad will happen. Actually, we didn't see any increased criminal activity happening or incidents happening in our licensee businesses."
Reynolds said now that we have a proven case model that works, the city will be pushing the legislature to allow more late-night social districts this fall.
WBZ NewsRadio’s James Rojas (@JamesRojas.bsky.social) reports.