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Boston organizers gear up for ‘safe and joyous’ Pride activities

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Boston organizers gear up for ‘safe and joyous’ Pride activities


Pride event organizers in Boston are gearing up for a month of fun-filled events — and making sure that, as the president of Boston Pride for the People put it, those events are “safe and joyous.”

Organizers are taking those steps as federal agencies issued a public service announcement earlier this month about possible targeting of LGBTQ+ related events during Pride Month. Boston police told GBH News there are no known threats against local Pride events.

“There needs to be awareness without alarm,” said Tanya Neslusan, the executive director of the LGBTQ+ advocacy group MassEquality.

“I don’t think the general public needs to be concerned,” she added. “Organizers of Pride events need to be aware of the threats and work with proper authorities, who are apprised of whatever threats there are.”

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Adrianna Boulin, the president of Boston Pride for the People, said her group is aware of the advisory and is working to keep this year’s event safe.

“We are in close contact with our partners at the City and state who will help us prioritize the safety of everyone who comes to Pride while allowing for the true message and celebration of LGBTQ+ Pride to shine,” Boulin wrote to GBH News.

Wolf Hamel, committee member of the Boston Dyke March on June 7, is also keeping safety in mind.

“This is something we’ve been thinking about for a while,” Hamel said. “We kind of develop our own contacts with people who pay attention to kind of our local, right-wing folks — you know, like NSC-131, or something like that, the folks who organized Straight Pride.”

Last year’s Boston Dyke March attracted between three and four thousand people. Hamel said their group recruits and trains community safety volunteers called the “dyke patrol,” who are trained in de-escalation and crowd management, and Hamel suggests attendees seek out community volunteers if they run into any problems.

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“We try to use our volunteers to create a buffer so that, you know, people feel welcome at our event and safe at our event,” Hamel said.

Nina Selvaggio is executive director of Greater Boston PFLAG, an advocacy and equity-affirming group of parents, families, and friends of LGBTQ+ individuals. She said her group will march in the June 8 Boston Pride for the People parade, but is keenly aware of safety amid an intense national climate.

Selvaggio attributes the vitriol, domestically, to the election year.

“I think it’s frightening. We are in a moment in time that’s incredibly charged,” she told GBH News.

Selvaggio specifically points to anti-trans hatred and some 500 bills introduced at the state level around the country to restrict rights of LGBTQ+ people. She also cited the hoax bomb threat at Boston Children’s Hospital, and the Southern Poverty Law Center’s identification of several active hate groups in Massachusetts.

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“Because it is really based in hate and fear, and I think it’s hard for little kids to understand that someone would hate them or want to do them harm, simply because of who they are, who they love,” Selvaggio said.

Sergeant Detective John Boyle, a Boston Police spokesman, tells GBH News there is no known threat against Boston Pride events. Doyle said there will be a police presence at the Boston Pride for the People parade and that, as always, if people “see something, say something” — report it.

While Boston police will be on hand at the Dyke March, Hamel said many in the LGBTQ+ community have had negative experiences with police.

“There’s a lot of people who got maced by the Boston cops. There’s a lot of people who had hearing damage from the sirens. And they just don’t feel safe with a large police presence around,” Hamel said.

The national public service announcement, issued May 10 by the FBI and DHS, said “foreign terrorist organizations (FTOS) or their supporters may seek to exploit increased gatherings associated with upcoming June 2024 Pride Month.”

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The federal agencies flagged specific potential indicators of a more serious threat, like specific and violent threats, unusual surveillance of events, and attempts to bypass security.

Boston’s Pride parade and other events are rooted in commemorating the Stonewall riots of 1969, which served as the catalyst for the gay rights movement. Many in the LGBTQ+ community see June Pride events as an opportunity to celebrate civil rights wins and create a joyous atmosphere for LGBTQ+ families and allies.

Selvaggio said she’s not surprised by the national public service announcement, and while it is difficult to explain homophobia or transphobia to a child, their approach will be for families and children to march with bubbles and noisemakers and lead with love.

“We can’t be silenced. We won’t be silenced,” Selvaggio said. “We think it’s important to celebrate who we are, to be out and proud — and, at the same time, working to ensure that our folks are safe.”

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Boston, MA

What a World Cup ‘fan zone’ is and what Boston fans can expect in 2026

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What a World Cup ‘fan zone’ is and what Boston fans can expect in 2026


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The FIFA World Cup is coming to Massachusetts, and when it comes to having a place for people to hang out together, there will be a free fan zone where everyone can celebrate the big event.

Seven World Cup matches will take place at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA this summer, and the first one is right around the corner, to be played on June 13, with Scotland taking on Haiti.

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Fan Zones are a public space to watch the game for people who don’t have tickets to the actual game. Held in public places, they broadcast the mach on giant screens to offer an immersive experience to watch the game, according to FIFA>

“At the heart of FIFA Fan Festival Boston, (a) Cultural Showcase will ignite the stage with a vibrant celebration of the spirit, creativity, and cultural heartbeat of Boston and communities across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,” FIFA said.

Where will the fan zone be located when the World Cup games start in just 11 days?

Where is the World Cup fan zone going to be in Massachusetts?

The official FIFA Fan Festival for the 2026 World Cup in Boston will be located at Boston City Hall Plaza at 1 City Hall Sq. Boston, MA.

“The festival will run daily from June 12 through June 27, offering live match broadcasts, cultural showcases, food vendors, and entertainment,” according to FIFA.

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The fan zone will open between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. and will stay open until after dark, between 8:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. according to reports.

Activities at the fan zone

Here are some of the offerings at the fan zone in Boston, according to the FIFA website:

  • Live broadcasts: Giant outdoor screens that broadcast tournament matches in high-definition.
  • Entertainment & music: Live concerts, DJ sets, and performances celebrating global culture.
  • Interactive activations: Skills challenges, mini-pitches, inflatable games, and sponsor booths.
  • Food & merch: International food stalls, local beverage offerings, and official tournament merchandise.

How to go to the fan zone

While the game is free, you do need to register in advance.

“You can select which days and matches you plan to attend through the FIFA World Cup Boston 2026 website or the Meet Boston events page. Up to six people can register on a single application,” the World Cup Boston website says.

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Who Will Form the Boston Bruins’ Future Core?

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Who Will Form the Boston Bruins’ Future Core?


The Boston Bruins increasingly relied on a new wave of young players in the 2025-26 season. Their speed and energy became an intrinsic part of the team’s structure, complementing a more experienced core. Boston entered the offseason on May 2 after a 4-1 loss to Buffalo in Game 6 of the first round. Despite this, […] The post Who Will Form the Boston Bruins’ Future Core? appeared first on The Lead.



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Updating Red Sox’s Playoff Chances: Numbers Never Lie | NESN

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Updating Red Sox’s Playoff Chances: Numbers Never Lie | NESN


So you’re saying there’s a chance? Despite an abysmal start to the 2026 season, the Boston Red Sox remain in the mix for a playoff spot. At least according to FanGraphs, who gives the club a 27.1% chance of reaching the postseason.

Boston’s likely path to October means winning the wild card. FanGraphs gives the Red Sox a 26.1% chance of winning an American League wild card. The team currently sits threes games back of the third and final wild card, despite a record of 25-33.

Don’t look for a division title this year in Beantown. FanGraphs gives the Red Sox a 1% chance of winning the AL East. Which makes sense, since the team currently sits in last place, 11.5 games behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays.

But SI’s Tom Verducci and Will Laws thinks Boston has a much tougher chance of making the playoffs. In their deep dive of the postseason, the pair came up with what they call the “Line of Doom.” According to their research, a team that starts “no better than 23–31 and your season is almost over only one-third of the way through the schedule.” Here’s why.

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“In the wild card era (since 1995), only one team made the postseason starting with less than 22 wins in the first 54 games, the 2005 Astros (20–34). Of the 231 teams to start 23–31 or worse, only seven made the playoffs—once every 33 times,” Verducci and Laws note.

“Since the postseason field expanded in 2022, 31 teams began 23–31 or worse. Only one, the 2024 Mets (22–32), made the playoffs. That leaves such slow starters with a 1 in 31 chance—virtually the same as the larger sample size,” the pair add.

“The fact is one-third of the season does a good job separating pretenders from contenders. And as the calendar flips to June, understand that the playoff spots won’t change very much. In the four seasons with 12 playoff spots up for grabs, teams in playoff position when May ended kept a playoff spot 73% of the time—35 of 48 teams,” Verducci and Laws conclude.

So what does this have to do with the Red Sox, you ask? It’s Boston’s record after 54 games: 23-31. The “Line of Doom.”

More MLB: Red Sox Legend Backs ‘Worried’ John Henry

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