Boston’s 116th annual Fisherman’s Feast begins Thursday, August 13, in the North End, giving visitors four days of free street entertainment, religious processions and Italian food before the Flight of the Angel finale on Sunday night. The best reason to plan before leaving is not the program but the route: Green Line service through downtown is suspended during the festival, while city parking restrictions cover seven streets around the event.
The event occupies North, Fleet and Lewis streets near North Square, a short walk from Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market. Its posted 2026 rules call for security checkpoints at every entrance and prohibit backpacks and open containers, so travelers arriving with luggage or a full daypack should return it to their hotel before approaching the feast.
Thursday’s opening ceremony is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET, when the Madonna del Soccorso procession moves toward Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park for the annual Blessing of the Fishing Waters. The schedule then places live music on the main stage from 7 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. ET, making opening night a workable choice for visitors who want the ceremony without committing to Sunday’s nine-hour procession.
How should visitors reach the Fisherman’s Feast during the Green Line shutdown?
The feast’s standing directions normally list Government Center and Haymarket on the Green Line as nearby approaches. That option is not operating normally this week: the City of Boston says Green Line B, C, D and E service is suspended through downtown from August 8 through August 16, with the affected corridors reaching Government Center and North Station…