Interesting Performances at Parkman Bandstand Boston Common

Parkman Bandstand is a white-domed bandstand situated within the Boston Common. It is located on the approximate site of what was formerly known as Cow Pond before it was filled in 1838. The name Cow pond is no mere coincidence as this area was a popular grazing ground for cattle for over two centuries. It was estimated to have begun in the 1630s and then was finally banned by Bostonian mayor, Harrison Gray Otis in 1830 because, well, it is just gross to have manure in one of your city parks and many families had begun to complain as such.

 Parkman Bandstand

Today, of course, the park is much better maintained and offers such features as the Parkman Bandstand. The Parkman Bandstand was built in 1912 in dedication of George Parkman. George Parkman, a prominent doctor, had been the victim to one of the most notorious murders in Boston history just four years prior (a scandalous crime which we analyze in much more depth in our West End and Crimes-Haunts tours). At the time of his passing, he bequeathed the sum of $5 million for the preservation of parks such as the Boston Common. Part of those funds were used to erect this monument which in 2007 was the site of the Presidential Primary rally where Barack Obama spoke and from where the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company performs free Shakespeare plays during the summer months.

If you are interested in attending one of these performances they do fill up quickly and you will probably want to arrive two to three hours before the performance. The twenty performances of the Taming of the Shrew in 2006 drew approximately 100,000 people. So grab your picnic basket and blankets (both are welcome), and check the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company website for dates, times, and locations.  I only mention the latter as some recent performances have occurred at a potential secondary location on the Common near Charles Street and Beacon Street—the Carty Parade Ground.

• Website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkman_Bandstand
• Address: Boston Common, Boston, MA. Near the intersection of Boylston Street and Charles Street.
• Cost: Free