Esplanade Association

The Esplanade Association (EA) is the community-supported non-profit dedicated to expanding the care of and for the historic Charles River Esplanade in partnership with the state’s Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). Boston’s 64-acre Esplanade is a landmarked cultural landscape revered by its 4 million annual visitors for its natural and cultivated beauty, history, riverfront access, miles of running and biking trails, concerts, sailing, and dynamic free programs that EA offers with partner organizations for 10,000+ people yearly. Since its founding in 2001, EA has funded and implemented more than $30M in major capital enhancements and revitalizations as well as educational, recreational and cultural activations that benefit all park users.

EA is an experienced and influential park group with a 25-year successful track record at a singular moment in our history: we hired a talented new Executive Director in June 2023 and are completing a $23.5 million project that will be transformational for the park experience and our organization. EA will operate the Esplanade’s new 9000-sf Smith Family Pavilion and 2-acre Charlesbank Campus opening in late 2026. The Campus will introduce year-round universal access to a café, information desk, community rooms and restrooms, educational displays, courts, and multiple platforms for temporary public art, including a nearly 1000-sf stage, 200-sf sculpture bed and a 70-foot long mural wall for a dynamic series of temporary activations.