Boston This Week · Weekly

Boston This Week: Week of Oct 26 - Nov 1, 2026

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Edition of · By BostonVacay Editors · Latest edition

Halloween week in Boston brings free Park Ranger tours, a Halloween concert on City Hall Plaza and the last Freedom Trail lantern tours. The Green Line central tunnel is closed on Oct 31 - Nov 1, and Commuter Rail switches to its Fall/Winter schedule on Oct 26.

  • 6MBTA service changes this weekGreen Line weekend suspension, Orange Line signal work, Green Line C branch stop skips, Commuter Rail Fall/Winter schedule, Framingham/Worcester Line back to full service, and no bikes on Newburyport/Rockport weekend trains
  • 25+ minutesExtra Green Line trip time, Oct 31 - Nov 1No trains between North Station and Babcock St, Kenmore and Heath St; shuttle buses replace them
  • 5Free City of Boston events featured this weekTwo Park Ranger burying ground tours, a Jamaica Pond Nature Center open house, BLAIR 2026 on City Hall Plaza, and the Antigua and Barbuda flag raising
  • 4Bruins and Celtics home games at TD GardenCeltics on Oct 26, 27 and 30; Bruins on Oct 31
  • Oct 12, 2026Boston Harbor Islands ferry season endedPublic ferries to the islands run May to October
  • 10 a.m. - 4:15 p.m.Paul Revere House winter hours from Nov 1One hour shorter than the April 15 - October 31 hours of 10 a.m. - 5:15 p.m.

Halloween week

Central Burying Ground tour on Boston Common · October 27, 2026

Boston Park Rangers lead a free, spooky-themed fall tour of the Central Burying Ground on Boylston Street, from 3 to 4 p.m. The tour covers notable Bostonians of the past. On BostonVacay.

Source: City of Boston

Freedom Trail Lantern Tours end this week · October 28, 2026

The 90-minute Lantern Tour runs Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays through October 30, with an extra tour on October 28. It departs from the Boston Common Visitor Information Center, 139 Tremont Street. Tickets are $17 for adults, $15 for seniors and students, $8 for ages 6 to 12, and free under 6; it is recommended for ages 12 and up. On BostonVacay.

Source: The Freedom Trail Foundation

Copp's Hill Burying Ground tour in the North End · October 29, 2026

Boston Park Rangers lead a free, spooky-themed tour of Copp's Hill Burying Ground, 45 Hull Street, from 3 to 4 p.m. On BostonVacay.

Source: City of Boston

Old North Church after-hours crypt tours run through Halloween · October 31, 2026

After-hours crypt tours run nightly at 6:00 and 6:45 p.m. through October 31. Each tour lasts 45 minutes and costs $20; children 5 and under are free. On BostonVacay.

Source: Old North Church

Ghosts & Gravestones runs on Halloween night

The 90-minute ghost tour runs nightly from 6 p.m. and is open on Halloween. It boards beside the Marriott Long Wharf Hotel at 200 Atlantic Avenue, and reservations are required. On BostonVacay.

Source: Ghosts & Gravestones

Last weekend of Jack-O'-Lantern Nights at Stone Zoo · October 29, 2026

Jack-O'-Lantern Nights runs Thursday to Sunday through October 31, from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. with last entry at 8:30 p.m., at 149 Pond Street, Stoneham. Tickets are required for everyone except children under two. On BostonVacay.

Source: Zoo New England

Boston Lights lantern experience continues at Franklin Park Zoo

Boston Lights runs through November 8, from 5 to 10:30 p.m. with last entry at 9:30 p.m., at One Franklin Park Road. Tickets are required for everyone except children under two, and daytime zoo admission is not included. On BostonVacay.

Source: Zoo New England

Nocturnal animals open house at Jamaica Pond · October 31, 2026

Boston Park Rangers host a free open house on owls, bats and other nighttime animals at the Jamaica Pond Nature Center, 345 Jamaicaway, from 2 to 3 p.m. Visitors can also meet one of the rangers' horses.

Source: City of Boston

BLAIR 2026: Halloween Edition on City Hall Plaza · October 31, 2026

A free Halloween concert and marketplace celebrating women creatives runs from 6 to 11:30 p.m. on City Hall Plaza, with live performances, DJ sets, women-owned pop-up shops, food trucks and a heated tent. An RSVP is available through the event page. On BostonVacay.

Source: City of Boston

City events

Community meeting on Boston Common's Mayor's Walk and Parkman Bandstand · October 27, 2026

The City holds a free online meeting on site analysis and next steps for the Mayor's Walk and Parkman Bandstand, from 6 to 8 p.m. on Zoom. Registration is required. On BostonVacay.

Source: City of Boston

Antigua and Barbuda flag raising · November 1, 2026

The City's annual flag raising for Antigua and Barbuda takes place on City Hall Plaza from 12 to 1:33 p.m., with community leaders and music. It is free and open to the public.

Source: City of Boston

Games and concerts

Celtics, Bruins and two concerts at TD Garden · October 26, 2026

Celtics vs. Bulls on October 26 at 7:30 p.m., Celtics vs. Nets on October 27 at 7:30 p.m., KATSEYE on October 28 at 8 p.m., John Summit on October 29 at 7 p.m., Celtics vs. Bulls on October 30 at 7:30 p.m., and Bruins vs. Blackhawks on October 31 at 1 p.m. On BostonVacay.

Source: TD Garden

Navy vs. Notre Dame at Gillette Stadium · October 31, 2026

The 2026 Navy-Notre Dame game is played at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough on October 31. Kickoff time is not listed on the stadium's page.

Source: Gillette Stadium

New England Revolution home games · October 28, 2026

Gillette Stadium lists the Revolution vs. New York Red Bulls on October 28 and vs. Inter Miami CF on November 1. Start times are not listed on the stadium's events page.

Source: Gillette Stadium

Recently opened

Bloomberg Public Science Common at the Museum of Science · October 10, 2026

Previews of the new William and Charlotte Bloomberg Public Science Common began on October 10. Museum hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. On BostonVacay.

Source: Museum of Science

ICA's 90 YEARS exhibition · October 15, 2026

90 YEARS opened at the Institute of Contemporary Art on October 15 and runs through March 7, 2027. My ICA Story runs on the same dates. On BostonVacay.

Source: Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston

Alfonso Ossorio: Line and Lineage at Harvard Art Museums · October 23, 2026

Alfonso Ossorio: Line and Lineage opened on October 23 in Cambridge and runs through April 11, 2027. On BostonVacay.

Source: Harvard Art Museums

MBTA service changes

Green Line central tunnel closed for the weekend · October 31, 2026

No Green Line trains run between North Station and Babcock St (B), Kenmore (C and D) and Heath St (E) on October 31 - November 1, for signal upgrades in the central tunnel. Shuttle buses run to Copley and Back Bay, and riders can use the Orange Line between North Station and Back Bay. Trips are expected to take at least 25 minutes longer.

Source: MBTA

Orange Line signal work near Community College · October 31, 2026

Signal maintenance near Community College takes place October 31 through November 1. Riders may see longer than usual waits.

Source: MBTA

Green Line C branch stops skipped · October 30, 2026

C branch trains skip Brandon Hall through Friday, October 30, and skip the westbound Hawes Street and Saint Paul Street stops through Saturday, November 7. Symphony on the E branch remains closed for accessibility work.

Source: MBTA

Commuter Rail Fall/Winter schedule starts · October 26, 2026

A Fall/Winter Commuter Rail schedule takes effect on October 26, with some times adjusted for seasonal effects and train numbers changing to four digits. Check the schedule for your line before travelling.

Source: MBTA

Framingham/Worcester Line back to full service · October 26, 2026

The Framingham/Worcester Line construction schedule ended after service on October 25, and the line returns to full service on October 26. The Franklin/Foxboro Line stays on a construction schedule.

Source: MBTA

No bikes on Newburyport/Rockport weekend trains · October 31, 2026

Bikes and scooters are not allowed on Newburyport/Rockport Line trains on weekends through November 1, due to Haunted Happenings ridership. On BostonVacay.

Source: MBTA

Seasonal hours and closures

Paul Revere House moves to winter hours · November 1, 2026

From November 1 to April 14 the museum is open 10 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., one hour earlier than its April 15 - October 31 closing time of 5:15 p.m. It closes on Mondays in January, February and March. On BostonVacay.

Source: Paul Revere House

Boston Harbor Islands ferries done for 2026 · October 12, 2026

Public ferry service to the Boston Harbor Islands ended for the season on October 12, 2026. Ferries run May to October. On BostonVacay.

Source: Boston Harbor Islands

Swan Boats closed until April 2027

The Public Garden Swan Boats are closed for the season and expect to return in April 2027. They operate daily April to September. On BostonVacay.

Source: Swan Boats of Boston

Weekend MBTA ferry service ended for the season

Weekend service has ended for the season on the Hingham (F1), Hingham/Hull (F2H), Lynn (F5) and Winthrop/Quincy (F8) ferries.

Source: MBTA

Sources

No restaurant, hotel or museum exhibition opening dated Oct 26 - Nov 1, 2026 was found on an official source. The MFA, ICA, Gardner and Harvard Art Museums list no openings this week; Meet Boston lists Hawksmoor Boston (Fort Point) as opening "this fall" with no date.

The Freedom Trail Lantern Tour and Old North crypt tour pages give dates without a year and the Lantern Tour page gives no start time; the dates match the 2026 calendar.

Gillette Stadium does not list start times for the Navy-Notre Dame game or the two Revolution games.

Ghosts & Gravestones gives its season as April to October but no exact 2026 closing date.

MBTA alerts can change; check mbta.com before travelling.