How Boston is memorializing the marathon bombings in 2019
The anniversary will be recognized with daffodils, a documentary, and moments of silence.
The 123rd Boston Marathon on April 15 marks a citywide celebration and festivities. It also marks the sixth anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombings, which occurred at the race’s finish line in 2013.
For the first time, the anniversary date falls on the same day as the marathon. Read on to discover how the city will commemorate the event.
One Boston Day:
Since 2015, April 15 has been dubbed One Boston Day, during which people are encouraged to “commit random acts of kindness, big, and small.” Since this coincides with Marathon Monday, service projects will also take place this weekend. Opportunities to get involved can be found on the One Boston Day website, and by searching the #OneBostonDay hashtag on social media.
‘Path of the Daff’:
In a tradition that began six years ago, thousands of daffodils have been delivered along the marathon route as a tribute to Boston Strong. On Friday, 25,000 potted flowers will be dispersed to businesses, doorsteps, green spaces, stores, and restaurants.
This year, the tradition is accompanied by a new documentary, “Path of the Daff.” The film follows one bulb, from its origin in Holland to its final destination at the front of Marathon Sports on Boylston Street, while weaving in profiles of runners, survivors, volunteers, and charities. The film premieres at ICON Showplace Theatre in the Seaport on April 13.
At the nearby Seaport Common, 20 nylon daffodils measuring 20 feet tall will be on display through April 29 as a public art installation titled “20 Knots: Daffodils for Boston.”
Red Sox players give back:
On Sunday between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., children participating in the Red Sox Foundation’s Reviving Baseball in Inner-Cities program can play ball with Red Sox alums. Manny Delcarmen, Lenny DiNardo, and Jake Peavy will be on hand to coach baseball clinics at Peters Park in the South End.
And on Monday, in keeping with a tradition that started on April 20, 2013, players will sport home jerseys featuring “Boston” on the front during their game against the Baltimore Orioles.
Moments of Silence:
Ahead of that Red Sox game on Monday morning, the home team will hold a moment of silence to respect those who were injured or lost their lives during the 2013 Boston Marathon.
At the race, announcers at the marathon’s finish line will say a few words just before 2:49 p.m., the time the first bomb went off in 2013. They will then pause for a moment of reflection and remembrance at 2:49 p.m., followed by bells ringing at Old South Church.
Commemoration at Fenway Park:
In the middle of the 4th inning on Monday, two Medal of Honor recipients from Boston Emergency Medical Service will be recognized as part of the Red Sox “Hats Off to Heroes” program. The honorees, emergency medical technician Christopher Holgate and paramedic Randall Souza, were both stationed near the finish line of the 2013 Boston Marathon and among the first to provide care.
