3.4 min readBy Published On: December 19th, 2018Categories: News0 Comments on Lawn on D: 2018 in Review

The Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA) just announced the results of The Lawn On D Powered by Citizens Bank’s 2018 season. In its fifth anniversary season, the innovative outdoor space welcomed more than a quarter million visitors and brought in $1.62 million in revenues.

The Lawn on D also received several awards and accolades including “2018 Best Place to Feel Like a Kid” by The Improper Bostonian, “Insanely Innovative Meeting Space” by PCMA Convene, and “Best Outdoor Play Space” by Winnie. The most popular events included Cinco De Mayo Weekend, Lawn of Champions, Summer Block Party, Jaws On D, Flannel Friday, and Guinness OysterFest. Bummer of the year was Pumpkin Palooza – scheduled to take place over two days at the end of October and expected to attract a crowd of over 17,000 people – was cancelled due to run. But it was not a total loss! MCCA created a pumpkin patch in the Signature Pavilion and more than 2,500 pumpkins were given away to people in the community, as well as several schools and non-profit organizations.

The Lawn On D also launched a weekly movie series featuring blockbusters like Black Panther and Jurassic Park, and continued collaborating with local fitness studios like Rev’d Indoor Cycling, SweatFixx, and BKBX to bring free fitness events to the South Boston Waterfront. Boston Herald Radio also returned for its third year with a wide variety of shows broadcast live from The Lawn On D on Fridays from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Another new addition this season was ALT 92.9’s SoundStage event series which showcased some of the best acoustic solo artists, duos, and bands in the city.

This year, the MCCA partnered with the Boston Centers for Youth and Families (BCYF) to bring youth camps and community centers from all over Boston to The Lawn On D for Monday Fun-days. Every Monday in July and August hundreds of kids from dozens of community centers traveled to The Lawn On D to enjoy games and interactive programming courtesy of community partners like Animal Adventures, the Museum of Science, the Museum of Fine Arts, and the New England Aquarium.

Other odds & ends:
Partnership with Citizens Bank
The Lawn On D’s title sponsor, Citizens Bank, continued its Bankers On D ambassador program. On weekends, the Bankers On D provided information to visitors about the latest events happening at The Lawn On D, offered special giveaways and activities, and hosted weekly cornhole tournaments with prizes for the winners. In addition, Citizens Bank co-hosted the Lawn Of Champions special event in June and brought twelve of their community partners who provided a variety of fun activities, exhibits, and entertainment for kids and families. “We were once again thrilled to be the title sponsor of The Lawn On D, which continues to be an innovative space for the community to gather and relax,” said Jerry Sargent, President of Citizens Bank, Massachusetts. “We’re proud that our support enables the MCCA to provide engaging events that strengthen the community and build lasting memories in the South Boston Waterfront District.”

Enhanced Food & Beverage Experience
The Lawn On D’s food and beverage provider, Rebel Restaurants, further expanded its menu offerings and introduced additional food and beverage stations and a more efficient ordering and food pick-up process for customers.
Rebel Restaurants continued to provide catering services for private events through its Seaport Catering division and continued to play a key role in programming and sponsoring weekly live entertainment throughout the season under the main Pavilion On D.

Private Events & Capital Improvements
The Lawn On D remained a tremendously popular venue for private events, offering clients a unique outdoor space in the heart of South Boston’s Waterfront District. 100 private events were booked through October 2018 generating rental revenue of nearly $900,000.  Several new features were added to the Signature Pavilion including additional furniture, enhanced lighting, and an exciting new attraction: The Halo Swing. The 6-person swing, designed by Swing Time creators Eric Höweler and J. Meejin Yoon, of Höweler + Yoon Architecture, is outfitted with solar- powered LED lights that change color when in motion.

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